#and I feel like once Eddie came out he would wear the more subtle pride jewelry

[makorragal-312]

I have a headcanon where once Buck is more settled into his bisexuality, he would definitely be the type to sport some sort of bi pride jewelry at work and just in general.

Bonus points if it's gifted to him by Eddie or Chris.

[andaleduardo]

reddie.,....94,....if you’re feelin it :’)

I had so much fun!! Thank you for sending this and I’m sorry if the ending is rushed I didn’t know what to do with it and I wanted to keep it ‘short’

Heavily inspired by chaotic and energetic Eddie Kaspbrak, he’s a brat and we love him.

94. “You heard me say what in my sleep? Wait–why were you even listening in the first place?!”

If you were to ask Richie what his favorite place on earth was, he would say the clubhouse without hesitation. Yeah sure, it was also located in Derry, also known as the worst place on earth if Richie could say so himself. But it felt as if it were far away, nowhere exactly. It was their own world, their own corner, sometimes it could feel more of a home than their own houses.

And that applied to all seven of them. 

Every corner of the clubhouse was filled with amazing memories, all of them engraved in their hearts. Stupid doodles and words carved into the wood. Little trinkets, toys and pictures littering every surface. Movie tickets pinned to the pillars, low quality polaroids hanging on battery-charged christmas lights, and all kinds of cozy additions they managed to bring down there. 

Now, they kept blankets and pillows inside a big box so that they wouldn’t get dirty, per Stan’s request, and some old stools and bean bags that took up a lot of space, but they weren’t complaining. The hammock was still a part of the family, of course.

The clubhouse had been the stage of many memorable moments. On top of that, Richie had some fun self discoveries while being down there. The most prominent one, painted in big bold letters, being the realisation that what he felt for Eddie was more than just friendship. This, of course, lead to a more obvious conclusion.

So, Richie liked boys. Big deal, right?

Yeah, a pretty fucking big deal that got him tearing his hair out and biting his nails away.

But well, life kept going and Richie had to learn to cope with the knowledge that he had a crush on his best friend. Also had to learn how to control himself whenever they sat close, or touched, or had any type of interaction. Which meant always. Richie had to learn how to control himself always. Because Eddie was always touching him and bickering back at him and being annoying (which Richie loved). And Richie would blush and sweat and stutter like Bill.

Now they were sixteen, so Richie had enough time to perfect his skills. Three years to be exact.

Of course, all those skills were thrown out the window as soon as he caught himself alone with Eddie. He just couldn’t help but feel like he was thirteen again, having just figured out about his feelings and acting like a complete idiot.

Right now was one of those moments. Richie had been tired of being home so he decided to go down to the barrens and hang in the clubhouse. He did that a lot, even if none of his friends were there he would still stay. But he quickly noticed he wasn’t alone as he climbed down the ladder and took a glance around the space. A pair of legs hanged off the hammock. Legs that could only belong to Eddie because of the familiar sneakers and white socks. 

Immediately, Richie got his years of practice into action. 

“Well, if it isn’t my favorite type of pasta hiding down here on this fine summah day!” He exclaimed as he jumped from the third step.

The answer was silence. 

The pillar was blocking Eddie’s face from Richie’s vision so he made his way over to the hammock only to realise the boy was asleep, an unfinished comic laid open on his lap.

This was the type of situation Richie didn’t really know how to deal with. Two full minutes passed as he stared at Eddie’s sleeping form, trying to decide if he should wake him up by flipping the hammock upside down or let him sleep and wake up on his own. But soon those thoughts shifted. Without noticing, Richie wound up staring at Eddie’s peaceful face with no other thought in his mind besides: ‘That’s cute.’

“Fuck.” He sighed loudly. And then proceeded to keep staring like an idiot. It sounded creepy even in his mind, but he couldn’t help it, okay? Eddie was just that cute, and he was never allowed to stare because Eddie would start hitting him and telling him to ‘quit it, you creep’.

Richie wasn’t a creep, or so he hoped. He was just hopelessly in love.

Now, there’s a thought that doesn’t scare him at all, no sir.

“Fuuuck.” He groaned again and physically forced himself to walk away, looking for something to do while Eddie took his nap. Surely he’d be waking up soon.

For a total of four minutes Richie busied himself with his yo-yo, mindlessly walking in circles around the small space and only stealing glances at his friend once or twice. After that, he was downright bored, so he started looking around the stuff they kept stored down there hoping to find another distraction.

Stan’s can of shower caps stole his attention right away. He squinted at it curiously while an idea popped into his head. Stan had bought one shower cap for each of them, and Richie knew somewhere in that little tin there was one with a dinosaur print that was meant to be his, but he never worn it out of pride. 

Throwing another look over his shoulder to see if Eddie was still asleep, Richie grabbed the tin. Since he was the master of subtleness, he let the lid fall on the ground with a horrible noise. His neck snapped back to check Eddie, but the boy didn’t even stir.

Okay, that’s cool. Leaving the lid on the ground for the moment, Richie found what he was looking for and carefully placed the tin back in its place. It was no big deal, he just wanted to put his shower cap on at least once, so that’s what he did. Patting the top of his head to matt it down a little, he felt a little ridiculous, but he liked the pattern Stan picked out for him. He had always been a fan of dino-

“Richie.”

“Shit! I’m not wearing this, you are!” Richie fisted the thing off his head and threw it far away without looking before turning to face Eddie. Who was… still asleep and giggling?

Right, Eddie talked in his sleep sometimes. Richie could almost sigh from relief.When they were younger, Eddie would sleep over at Richie’s frequently even before he discovered the sleep talking thing. The first time it happened Richie almost peed himself because he woke up to Eddie sitting on the feet of the bed and whispering at him.

“Tell him to leave, Richie… he’s taking my space… send him away.” 

It hadn’t been fun. Richie had started crying because he didn’t know what the fuck Eddie was talking about and they were eight, okay? He was allowed to cry when he thought there was a demon laying in bed by his side that only Eddie could see.

Over time it had gotten better, Eddie didn’t move much now while he slept, but he still mumbled and called for the people he was dreaming about. 

Which meant he was dreaming about Richie. And giggling at the same time.

Richie was sure his face was very red, it suddenly felt really hot inside the clubhouse. He had decided to let it go and try to find a subtle way to wake up Eddie when the boy started mumbling through giggles again.

“Rich… stop that…” 

And that was enough to make his ears burn and for him to do a reckless thing. He stomped his way over to the hammock and fisted both hands on the fabric. Then, he tugged and screamed

“WAKE UP!” while Eddie’s body rolled onto the ground on the other side with a loud thump.

“WHO FUCKING DIED?!” Eddie screamed as he woke up mid-air, a split second before he fell on the wood. “FUCK!”

Still unaware of Richie’s presence, Eddie groaned as he slowly lifted himself into a sitting position and massaged his forehead from where he hit it on the floor. 

Richie was a jerk.

“Morning, sleeping beau-

“HOLY FUCK!” Eddie screamed again.

“Jesus, can you scream some more? I think there’s still a piece of my left eardrum that’s intact.”

“Did you fucking push me, asshole?” 

“No…?” Richie tried.

“What the hell is wrong with you?” Eddie spat as he got up and brushed dirt and dust from his clothes. 

Richie tried to come up with an answer, but it was useless as Eddie started one of his ‘let’s trash Richie and speak a million words per second’ discourses. The only thing that came to his mind to save his ass from having to listen to Eddie’s endless rambling was to say something really fast and, most importantly, without thinking first.

“I HEARD YOU SAYING MY JOKES WERE FUNNY IN YOUR SLEEP!”

“You heard me say what in my sleep?” Bad choice. “Wait–why were you even listening in the first place?! How long was I asleep? You should have just woke me up-”

“Aw Eds, you’re just embarrassed because now I know the truth. You think I’m funny, I’m hi-la-ri-ous!”

Eddie pinched the bridge of his nose and placed a hand on his hip in deep frustration. “You know what? Fine! Whatever you say, Richie. If that helps you sleep at night.”

It was really the perfect opportunity. 

“Helps me? More like helps you sleep at night, Spaghetti. But there’s no need to be ashamed! I get it, I get it, I’m so handsome that I appear on all your dreams to make you happy all night long-”

And then the metal lid of Stan’s tin flew right onto his head.

-

Send me prompts from this list or any that you have :)

perma taglist:  @constantreaderfool @mrs-vh @eds-trashmouth @girasol-eddie

[beybladeimagines]

Hello! Disney/Yuriy Stan again with more :D What are some of your headcanons concerning overlooked characters (like Steve, Ivan, or anyone else) you feel gets pushed aside for one reason or another? There are a lot to choose from considering the number of season, or even arc, exclusive characters in the series.

Mod Note: There are, indeed, a lot to choose from. I was thinking about Zeo, King and Queen, Barthez Battalion, and BEGA and I started to cry LOL. THAT’S JUST TO NAME A FEW. So, I just picked a few and hope I get the opportunity to do this again so I can keep rambling about those cuties and cry. Btw, I missed you!

IAN / IVAN: 

I don’t think many people consider how mature, composed, and loyal Ivan is. Think about it... He didn’t get a chance to rejoin the team, he watched as Kai basically replaced him, and he was still willing to be by Tala’s side all over again when the team came back to Russia. Most people would drop someone if they felt like they were being cast aside, but Ivan interpreted the process of elimination as fair and for the betterment of the team. The strong survive, right? To him, he needed to work on improving his own skills. Of course, I don’t see this as fair by any means, but to Ivan his team was everything. The boys have been through a lot and have seen a lot. In an attempt to cope with the defeat and the departure, Ivan tried to mentally manipulate the situation in a way that was easy to cope with. I’m sure Tala also acknowledged Kai’s strength, but much preferred having someone as loyal and familiar as Ivan by his side. These boys have conditioned themselves to be something to discard if they’re seen as useless, but this way of thinking begins to break down once the boys return home and back to Ivan. Ivan doesn’t resent any of them and actually embraces his team back with open arms. I’m confident they were glad to see him and have adopted a newfound interpretation of what success among them looks like.

When it comes to relationships, Ivan replicates that loyalty towards his partner. In truth, he never really thought about love or romance before. Again, he placed battles and winning over anything else. He’d see the kind of intimate interactions someone like Bryan would have with strangers, but he seldom saw himself in that same position. In his mind, he was tired of the “expendable” routine. He doesn’t exactly want to treat others as temporary, because he knows how hard it was for him when he was in the same position. When he finds someone to accept in his life, he makes sure they feel welcomed, included, and part of something bigger. He doesn’t like the idea of shutting himself off and being secretive. He rather likes being vulnerable and telling someone things about himself that others would seemingly ignore. It’s exciting, it’s different, it’s daring. It’s something his team would never consider doing, but the risk in opening up feels a lot more fun than staying closed off. Count on Ivan to be an excitable partner that would is excited to learn about you and have you learn about him.

STEVE:

He’s always been concerned with power. With power comes a need for control, a need for dominance, a need for maintaining a sense of stability. Steve has always had those things and never hesitated to show them off, both in and out of the ring. However, once he injured himself, he realized just how quickly all of that power can leave him and it makes him question if he even had that power to start with. If he did, why was it so easily taken from him? Steve carries with him an extensive amount of frustration, much of which he places on himself. Steve engages in self-harm, whether he realizes it or not. During physical therapy, he pushes himself to the point of continuously damaging and weakening certain muscles. Although he’s trying to rebuild himself, he doesn’t realize how much he’s punishing his own body for a simple mistake. Steve is way too hard on himself... The worst part is, because his team was traveling, he didn’t exactly get a chance to vent or talk through his thoughts. Even his best friend Eddy wasn’t available and his pride prevented him from reaching out via phone call or text, because he didn’t want to worry/concern/distract him from the matches. Despite how cocky Steve appears, you really have to wonder just what he’s been through when he’s away from his team. He constantly questions if Judy or anyone else on the team was thinking about him or if they wanted him back. The boy has a lot of physical and mental rebuilding to do and he feels like he has to do it all on his own.

When it comes to love, Steve used to be openly flirtatious and overly confident. However, upon receiving his injury, Steve has built up some walls. He feels as if others see him as a failure, so he focuses more on improving himself instead of seeking out affection. However, upon finding someone of interest, he’ll be forever indebted to their patience, light-heartedness, and desire to work with him on such a difficult journey of basically getting his life back together. The relationship would be rather difficult every now and then. Steve does his best to avoid seeming like a burden, so he avoids asking for help with certain things, even when he desperately needs it. His partner reminds him of how it’s okay to be vulnerable and how there’s power in letting someone see you at your self-identified worst. That just means there’s trust. Steve honestly learns a lot from those very soft and meaningful moments with his partner. He’s also learned to appreciate moments of silence where he can simply sit with his partner and just...be...without feeling pressured to overcompensate or act bigger than he is.

ZEO:

Probably one of the most complicated characters there is - and for good reason (the manga and anime are a fucking TRIP when it comes to his background). Zeo has undergone an extensive amount of trauma - from being manipulated to struggling with his identity (both of which go hand in hand). When the battle with Tyson was over and he lost, Zeo was basically abandoned all over again and left with the burden of starting anew. He doesn’t resent Tyson for this, because he knows he has to find out who he really is on his own. The journey is difficult - does he retreat to being comprised of enthusiasm and kindness or does he cling to wrath and violence? One seems so fake while the other is emotionally exhausting. Zeo only knows that he’s tired and that seems like a safe place to start. What aspects can he pick that make him feel less drained? What’s easy to wear and comfortable to exude? He drifts towards a softer side and finds solace in playing instruments that awaken his ears. He likes hearing noises that don’t resemble talking. He’s not quite fond of lectures anymore or drawn out conversation. Discussions have lead him down dangerous paths, but he realizes how much beauty can be communicated through music. Music... He wants to make music. He’s settled on that path and it makes him more comfortable with communicating with others again. He’d rather avoid competitions or anything that could pit him against others. He’d rather continue to find beautiful things in all that surrounds him rather than someone to destroy.

In terms of romance, that’s another complicated journey. Zeo has had to devote a lot of time towards learning to love himself again. If he can’t love himself, how can he possibly love someone else? With good reason, he’s hesitated being in the company of others. There’s a fear they’ll hurt him or that he’ll hurt them. But he’s learned a lot through company that likes his music. In fact, his partner is probably the one who trained his ears to hear changes in pitch and how to gracefully transition notes. It’s so easy for him to fall for someone who’s taught him such a tremendous gift. He tends to cling to those who give him something monumental - in this case, it’s the gift of really hearing the world around him. As a partner, Zeo is quite gentle, subtle, and observant. He always takes into consideration his partners comfort and finds himself looking at them while he’s playing the violin. Their appearance inspires the most beautiful noises and they serve as his muse during his artistic journey. He doesn’t always give compliments, but he treasures all the ones given to him by his partner. There’s no denying that the man loves praise, but he needs it if he’s going to make sure he’s on the path he needs to be. In time, he begins to find comfort in physical displays of affection. He loves wrapping his arms around his partner, as if to silently reinforce the idea that he has something (or someone) of his own. He loves the feeling of arms around him as well, just keeping him safe and forgiving him for the strange trials he’s endured.

[90simaginesandfanfics]

Cradle Broken Glass - Chapter Sixty One

“For fucks sake!!” Layla screamed in frustration as she pulled the zipper up of the dress she was supposed to wear to dinner. Apparently it had looked nice in the store, but standing in front of her mirror now, she was beyond pissed that she’d even paid for it. She was still coming off the high from buying the perfect bridesmaid dress that she had gone shopping again the week after. But clearly it wasn’t working out for her.

“Let me pick something out for you. I know you have plenty of things you look great in.” Ash called from the other side of the bedroom door and Layla sighed before turning around to open it and letting her over enthusiastic friend into the room. She was soon twisting her way through the wardrobe while Layla sat on the bed watching her, still completely caught up in her own mind.

She was going to see him tonight, and she wasn’t fucking ready.

Not one bit.

Shortly after they had picked up the bridesmaid dresses, Ash had told her that her and Jeff were planning on taking the whole wedding party out for dinner the week after so that they could all have a good time and discuss anything last minute. She wanted it to be a mini-celebration before the wedding.

And a celebration it would be indeed.

It would celebrate how fucking pathetic Layla was for still caring what Eddie thought about her.

It was why she was so stressed about finding something to wear. She knew she needed to look good for the wedding, but she needed to look amazing tonight as well. She needed to act like she didn’t care and that her life was going amazing without him. She had decided to take Jeff’s advice and simply be indifferent, but that was going to be hard since she had no idea what he was going to do. Act like nothing had ever happened? Ignore her? Try to make awkward conversation? It was all a bit too fucking much.

“What about this? You’ve never worn this and it will make you look like a fucking bombshell.” Ash called out and Layla turned her head to see her holding up a black midi dress, with a sweetheart neckline. However, it had turtleneck and long sleeves made out of mesh. It was something she had bought while on tour with Nine Inch Nails. She has needed to buy something more dark and seductive to attend some of the dinner meetings in, since Trent insisted that if everyone dressed in a similar fashion to him, then they would intimidate all the corporate assholes that had called the meeting. And it had worked. But looking at the dress now, she couldn’t help but feel like it would look good on anyone but her.

She made eye contact with Ash, but her best friend simply threw the dress at her, before telling her to be ready in five minutes and then left the room. She put the dress on as well as some tall black pumps, and glanced at herself in the mirror, her mouth tilting into an almost smile as she took in her appearance, not completely dissatisfied with what she was seeing.

Her and Ash were going to be late anyway. Might as well make a grand entrance.

*****

The restaurant was packed as they walked through it. Layla felt out of place in such a high class place, but she knew that she at least looked the part. They had booked a concealed table in the private part of the section so that no one would interrupt the dinner and they could eat in peace, something she was grateful for. The last thing she needed was rabid female fans throwing themselves at Eddie in front of her.

“Babe, over here!” The sound of Jeff’s voice rang out and they turned to where it had come from. Layla kept her eyes trained on Jeff as she approached the table with Ash, not ready to look at anyone else, and hoping that by keeping her head held high she would look like she had her shit together. She could feel everyone’s eyes trained on her as Ash walked next to Jeff and planted a kiss on his lips.

“Geez, Layla, you look amazing.” Came a voice which she had missed. She turned to see Stone smiling at her and she mirrored his expression. At least now she could be confident in her appearance tonight.

“Thanks, Pebble. Haven’t seen you in a while.” She replied, almost kicking herself for mentioning the semi-estrangement she had from her friends. She walked closer to the table and sat in the seat he offered her, before turning and acknowledging Ash’s cousins, Sienna and Isabella, who, despite being teenagers, were bickering between each other like children. Her gaze then went to Mike, who smiled and told her how good it was to see her. 

Finally, she turned to the man sitting across from her.

His hair had changed, it was shorter. It made her remember the day he had practically forced her to cut it, but she shook away the memory quickly, not wanting to feel nostalgic in the slightest. His hair now was just below his chin and less curly than it was before. His eyes were still as blue as they had been the day they’d met, and his eyebrows still creased together in the way she loved when he was concentrating on something. Overall, he looked amazing and it completely unnerved her. In fact it pissed her off. At least if he’d gained 100 pounds and injected himself with botox then she wouldn’t have to deal with the fact that she was still attracted to him.

Their eyes met and she gave him a nod, without a smile and he did so to, before looking away. Ignoring it was then. This evening was going to be fun.

A waitress came over shortly after and started taking everyone’s drink orders.

“Vodka and coke.” She ordered, knowing that she would need some liquid encouragement in order to survive the evening with dignity.

“Just water please.” Came the deep voice across from her. It caused her to clench her thighs together, even as a strange sense of sadness washed over her. She had forgotten what he sounded like. But then she looked up after she realised what he had said. He had ordered a water. Nothing alcoholic. The old Eddie would have never entered anywhere without a beer in his hand at least, so the fact that he wasn’t gave her a small sense of security, knowing that he wasn’t as bad as he used to be.

The night continued on, everyone having a good time. She didn’t feel as awkward around the Pearl Jam guys as she thought she would, but she noticed that there were always two separate conversations going on. One involved Eddie, one involved her, and neither of them attempted to talk to each other. But every now and then she could feel him looking at her out of the corner of her eye, and she was also making subtle glances his way.

Everyone finished up and Mike and Eddie got up to leave, saying goodbye to everyone. Ash soon turned to her and let her know that they were going to leave in a minute.

“I’m just going to go for a smoke first, if that’s alright?” She asked and her best friend nodded before turning back to her fiance. Layla walked to the side of the restaurant and asked the maitre’d where the exit to the side street was. Once she got that, she walked outside, closing the door behind her and taking in the cold around her. Seattle weather was a bitch. As she fished into her coat jacket for her pack of cigarettes and lighter, she heard someone shift their feet to the other side of her.

“You look good tonight.” Eddie said, leaning up against the wall of the restaurant with a half-finished cigarette hanging out of his mouth. Layla cursed herself for not checking if anyone was out here. She paused, not knowing how to respond to the compliment.

“I thought you’d left.” She finally settled on, knowing it sounded accusatory, but not caring at the minute. Eddie took another drag and puffed out.

“Mike’s still trying to get his car, apparently the valet messed up the number he was given.” He replied, still staring at her intently. She began smoking next to him, neither saying anything.

“Where did you go after you left California?” He asked all of a sudden, and Layla had to stop herself from choking on the smoke she breathed in at his question. She knew he meant when she left him and got on a plane. And she didn’t know how to respond.

“You know, cause I tried to find you everywhere but Ash would never tell me anything. Just curious, now that it’s all over and done with.” He continued, and she mentally flinched at the final part of his sentence.

“I stayed with Cindy for a while, then I got a job.” She replied awkwardly.

“What do you do now?” 

“I’m a tour manager. Nine Inch Nails.” She replied, with more pride in her voice. She saw him take a quick breath and the surprised look on his face made her gloat. She wanted him to feel bad. She took one last drag and then squashed her cigarette on the floor with her shoes.

“Luckily, this time around I didn’t need to fuck the lead singer to get it.” She said and then turned around and stormed back into the restaurant, feeling his eyes on the back of her. She knew it was a low blow, but she wanted him to feel like shit, and she wanted him to know that she was doing just fine without him.

She walked back to the table and said her goodbyes before her and Ash left

***** 

First time seeing each other since the breakup and I think there was just enough awkwardness to make it worth while. How do you feel about both Layla and Eddie and how they’ve changed? Put an ask in my inbox and let me know! Hope everyone is doing great and sending loads of love and positive vibes out there xxxx

[jy4life]

Rocka My Soul

Rocka My Soul

“Rocka My Soul in the Bosom of Abraham” is a song about being close to and in the comfort of God.  It is primarily sung in African-American churches, but on the night of December 12th, 1981, the majority of the 76,000 plus fans at Rice Stadium, black and white, were standing, singing the song in unison. They were singing to inspire on the Jack Yates High School Lions, who were seeking to become the first all African-American football team to make it to the Texas state championship since high school sports were desegregated in 1969.  

If you were fortunate enough to be at Rice Stadium that night, you just knew that it was more than a football game – it was a celebration of a transformative journey. The energy in the stadium was powerful in the most beautiful of ways - it hit you in your heart and in your soul. It emanated love, passion, resilience, redemption, and the power of community

Background

John Henry “Jack” Yates, for whom Jack Yates High School was named, was a leader, educator, a community builder, and man of vision. Born into slavery on July 11th, 1828 in Gloucester County, Virginia, Jack Yates taught himself to read and write, and also mastered carpentry. When Texas became the last state to end slavery on June 19th, 1865, Jack Yates and his wife Harriet moved to Houston. He became the first minister of Antioch Missionary Baptist Church, the center of political, cultural, social and educational life for the flourishing community of free black men and women. Deeply committed to building community and to empowering that community through education, Reverend Yates founded the Baptist Academy (the forerunner to Texas Southern University), which focused on preparing students for careers in business and the ministry. Jack Yates Colored High School opened its doors in 1926. In the early 1980s, the school was at the center of a vibrant, engaged ecosystem of teachers, students, parents, alumni and the broader community. And the bonds that were the basis of the Jack Yates community in the 1980s are as strong now as they were back then. There is a frequently used expression “JY4Life” which captures the essence of what it meant and still means to be part of the Jack Yates community. It is hard to overstate the pride and deep sense of connection that Yates alumni still feel towards the school and towards one another.

Lori Dee Mack, a criminal defense attorney in Houston, was a cheerleader and editor of the yearbook at Jack Yates in 1981.  “Yates just had a special vibe to it, we were the cool school,” Ms. Mack said. “Part of what made it so special was the involvement of the community. We were expected to make something positive out of our lives, and those expectations were reinforced by our  community.” Jackie Clark was a senior and the majorette on the acclaimed Jack Yates marching band in 1981. “Our parents and our teachers knew one another, expected a lot from us, and they worked together to ensure that we performed in the classroom and were good representatives of our community,” Ms. Clark stated.

The Yates sports teams were the focal point for community engagement, football in particular. From the beginning, the school was successful in football, wining four Prairie View Interscholastic Negro League state titles. Since the end of segregation, however, only once had the Lions advanced past the first round in the playoffs.

In spite of the playoff history, expectations were high going into the 1981 season. Several starters at key positions returned from a team that went undefeated during the 1980 regular season  - quarterback Thomas LeDet, offensive linemen Rodney Henry and John Simmons, wide receivers Jeffrey Fields and Keith Burnett, middle linebacker Sebastian Harris (who made All-City his junior year), defensive linemen Stephen Baker and kicker/safety Lemuel Moton. That core group would be bolstered by several key additions, including defensive lineman Eddie Gilmore (who had to sit out his junior season after transferring from Sterling High School) and running back/wide receiver Randolph Wilburn, who transferred from Lincoln High School which closed in the spring of 1981. Preparation for the 1981 season began in May with spring training, and continued throughout the summer. LeDet, who came into his own at the end of the 1980 season, wanted to make sure that he and his teammates were fully prepared going into the 1981 season.  He organized practices with his receiving corps that summer. “I wanted for us to get comfortable working with one another and to get our timing down,” LeDet stated. High school teammates working out together during the summer is now routine in Texas, but in the early 1980s it was not common. Little did LeDet or his teammates know how prescient these self-organized summer sessions would turn out to be.

The Season

The season began as expected, with a win over Worthing High School. The following week the Lions suffered a stunning and crushing defeat at the hands of Smiley High School.  That loss, however, would prove to be the turning point of the season. “We needed that loss,” John Simmons stated. “It made us realize that we were not as good as we thought we were, and that we need to get focused if we were going to accomplish our goal, which was to win the state championship.” In that game, Smiley RB John Stewart ran roughshod over the Lions defense. To this day Sebastian Harris is livid about the loss to Smiley. Harris is a smart, thoughtful, proud man who still looks like he could level an NFL running back. “We were out hit that game,” he says, with both surprise and disappointment. John just ran all over us, we had never experienced a running back with such speed, power and determination. The gentlemen just set the tone and had his way the entire game.”

The next week in practice 2nd year linebacker coach Coger Coverson, a former Washington Redskins offensive guard and Yates alum, declared that every position on defense was open. Practice started with the intense and savage bullring drill (this is the drill where one player is in the middle of a ring and takes on other players in rapid sequence). It was perhaps the most intense week of practice during our time at Yates.”  That week set the tone for the rest of the season, as the Harris, Stephen Baker and Eddie Gilmore led defense would pitch 5 shutouts on the way to allowing just over 10 points per game the rest of the season. Offensively, Smiley had stacked the line of scrimmage, daring the Lions to beat them with the passing game. Yates was historically a power running team, and Coach Luther Booker was loath to abandon the run. The Lions finally began passing in the 4th quarter, but by then it was too late. Yet Booker saw enough that game to convince him to let LeDet and the passing game become the focal point of the offense.  “We discovered that we had good quarterback that game,” John Simmons said. The investment LeDet and his receivers made that summer was about to pay-off in a profound way. Under LeDet’s leadership the offense exploded, averaging almost 30 points per game the remainder of the season. In an era where the running game was focal point of most offenses, the Lions wide-open and vertical passing game was novel and exciting. In addition to Fields, Burnett and Wilburn (who had moved from running back to wide receiver), LeDet had wide receiver Rayfield Gee and powerful tight ends in Sylvester Morgan and Leonard Moon. LeDet would go on to have the sixth most productive passing season in Houston high school football history. As the season progressed and the Lions advanced in the playoffs, the city of Houston began to take notice. The Lions explosive offense, dominating defense and high-flying marching band were a weekly show that was hard to beat. “As we started winning everyone wanted to be associated with us,” Harris said. “Radio stations, newspaper reports, television stations – they were around us all of the time.” From a purely entertainment perspective, the highlight of the season came when the Lions went head to head with the famous “Who Shot JR” episode of Dallas, which at the time was the highest viewed television show in US history.  “I remember Saturday November 21st - that was the night that the “Who Shot JR” episode aired, Mack said. “We were playing Booker T Washington in bi-district at the Astrodome and the stadium was packed. We went head to head with one of the most watched television shows of all time and won,” she said laughingly. Blacks and whites lived in separate worlds during those days in Houston. When their worlds intersected, it was often confrontational. There was a clear lack of trust and understanding between the two communities.  Yet somehow the Lions performance was able to transcend race and bring those two worlds together, at least for a period of time. “When I was a teenager, I did encounter some forms of subtle prejudice, Thomas LeDet said. “However, I learned to ignore it. But for many of my teammates and friends, racism was hard to ignore. The stares we encountered when we entered a sporting goods store, personnel following you around, etc. But that changed when we beat Aldine in the quarterfinals.” “ I remember walking into Foleys’ department store with my teammates Jeffrey Fields and Kenneth Wiley after we beat Aldine in the quarterfinals. We were wearing our letterman jackets. As we entered the store, we noticed a distinct change on the part of the personnel - instead of suspicious and concerned faces there were smiles accompanied by quick service and people asking us if they could help us. Shortly after entering the store, a middle age white woman hurried over to my side and pointed to a Volkswagen size photo on the upper banister right in the entrance of the store. It was a picture of the entire team and staff of the 1981/82 Jack Yates football team!  Needless to say, we stood speechless for a moment and then were elated. We knew at that moment that we were something special not just to the black community, but also to the entire city. “ “I remember during the playoffs a very popular white radio station (104 KRBE) was broadcasting live from the Jack Yates School of Communications.  Quite a few students told me as I walked towards the lunchroom that the DJ was looking for me. As I approached, he announced, "Here he comes the man of the hour.... Mr. Thomas LeDet, the quarterback for Jack Yates High School.  He began to ask me questions about our season and if I thought we were going to go all the way. It was exciting and fun, and at the end, the DJ asked me, what was my favorite radio station.  As we both chuckled.... I said, as of today, KRBE is one of my favorites.  And then the DJ playfully asked me if I had ever heard of 104 KRBE.  We both laughed and I said no.  At that point, he presented me with a trophy of a giant #1 symbol with the radio station call letters and “Congratulations on a Great Season” engraved. He went on to say that the radio station and the entire City of Houston were cheering for us in the upcoming regional championship.  I was left with a feeling of joy and the sense that our team meant more to the city than just football.”

The Breakthrough

The Lions marched through the playoffs, defeating Booker T. Washington in bi-district, Houston Madison in the regional finals and Aldine in the quarterfinals. Next up? Perennial power San Antonio Churchill in the state semi-finals

The Chargers, who were led by quarterback Cody Carlson (Carlson would go on to star at Baylor University and play seven years in the NFL) and had a glorious history of advancing deep in the state playoffs, including winning the championship in 1976.  They were heavily favored to defeat the Lions and advance to the state championship.

Fittingly, Rice Stadium was chosen as the site for the game. On September 12th, 1962, President Kennedy delivered his famous “We choose to go to the Moon” speech at Rice Stadium, a vision which was realized with the Apollo 11 mission in July 1969.  Now, 19 plus years later, the stadium was again the site for another potential pivotal moment – if Yates could defy the odds and beat Churchill, they would become the first all African-American team to make it to the state championship.

The week leading up to the game was frenetic. “The whole community rallied behind the guys,” said Nanette “Nettie” Simmons, a cheerleader in 1981. “And it continued to and throughout the game. It was a cold and wet night, but I remember the stadium overflowing and people sitting on the grassy hill outside the stadium to watch the game.”

Churchill jumped out to a 14-0 lead, thanks to some great running by Doug Hodo, pinpoint passing by Cody Carlson, good play calling, and a bit of luck – the headsets on the Yates side were not working until the second quarter so Yates was not able to make defensive adjustments to counter the Chargers. Sebastian Harris rallied the defense, the Lions made adjustments and held Churchill scoreless the second quarter. Thomas LeDet and the offense got untracked, with LeDet throwing touchdown passes to Rayfield Gee and Keith Burnett. Churchill scored a safety to make the game 16-14 at halftime.

The week before Yates had trailed Aldine 14-0 before exploding for 42 straight points in a 42-14 win. But this game had a much different feel to it. “We knew we were in a fight. Those guys – Churchill – were tough and would not quit,” said both running back Artie Mitchell and punter Ronald Davis.

The second half was like a classic heavyweight boxing match, a la Rocky Balboa vs. Apollo Creed, with Yates ironically playing the role of Rocky. Churchill scored to go up 23-14 and looked to be on the verge of blowing the game open, when Harris rallied the defense and LeDet the offense. LeDet hit Keith Burnett with a 69-yard touchdown pass, ran for a score, and Harris forced a fumble which led to a Moton field goal. Suddenly Yates was up 31-23 with under 5 minutes left and it looked like they had all of the momentum.

Carlson and Churchill responded by driving to mid-field. Harris and the defense forced a 4th and 10 and a time-out was called by the officials to confirm the game statistics. In those days there was no overtime, in the event of a tie the team with the most 20-yard line penetrations and first downs advanced. Churchill was ahead in both.

On 4th and 10 Carlson completed a 47-yard pass to Harold Huggins. Three plays later Churchill scored to trail 31-29. Churchill then made a 2-point conversion on a tipped pass, and the score was 31-31. Less than 2 minutes remained.

LeDet led the offense to the 45-yard line, where three straight long passes to Burnett and Fields were incomplete. It was now 4th and 10, and arguably the most important play in the history of not only Yates football but perhaps for inner-city schools across the state of Texas was forthcoming.  Since segregation in Texas high school sports ended in 1969, a widely held perception was that an all African-American football team lacked the intellect, discipline, mental toughness and adaptability to advance far in the playoffs. The Lions had been shattering that myth all year, winning by playing smart, disciplined football and adapting at key points during the season. Fittingly, for them to advance to the championship, they would once again have to call on these traits to convert, score and then hold Churchill in check.

“I told Thomas and Coach Booker that I was open underneath all game long,” said Randolph Wilburn. “Thomas and I convinced Coach Booker that Churchill would double cover Keith (Burnett) and Jeffrey (Fields), and to pass to me on an underneath route. We were confident that we could get the 10 yards and convert.”

Everyone was on their feet as LeDet approached the line of scrimmage. LeDet dropped back, avoided the Churchill rush and made a perfect throw to Wilburn, who caught the ball at the Churchill 45-yard line. Wilburn then put his running back skill to use, and thanks to blocking from Jeffrey Fields advanced the ball to the Churchill 20-yard line.

The Lions were well within kicker Lemuel Moton’s range, but this game was about making history, and they were not going to let a field goal determine their fate. “We had momentum and believed we could run the ball to victory,” said John Simmons. Behind crushing blocks from Simmons, Rodney Henry, Byron Strain, Phillip James, James Jackson and Sylvester Morgan, the Lions ran the ball 4 straight times, with LeDet scoring to put the Lions up 38-31.

However, there were 40 seconds left on the clock. And Churchill & Carlson had countered Yates all night long with big plays of their own.

As Ronald Davis lined-up to kick-off, the energy in the stadium as frenetic. There was no way that these fans and the spirits of the African-American men and women who paved the way for this moment were going to let the Lions falter. Reserve linemen Tracy Sandles pinned Churchill inside their own 10-yard line on the kick-off. On the ensuing play, Carlson never had time to get off a pass –Gilmore, Baker, and the passion and energy of the city of Houston sacked him in the end zone for a safety. Yates 40 Churchill 31!

As LeDet ran out the clock, students, teachers, alumni, and fans – black and white - from across the city of Houston poured onto the field to celebrate with the team. Rice Stadium was again the setting for a historical moment. It was not just that Yates become the first all African-American team to advance to the championship, it was how they did it. They shattered long-held racist myths about African-American teams lacking the intellect, character and discipline to advance.

LeDet was also a terrific role model for a new generation of African-American quarterbacks. Historically, when African-Americans were allowed to play quarterback it was as an option quarterback, not a pro-style quarterback. Barry Switzer at Oklahoma and Bill Yeoman at Houston were pioneers in allowing African-Americans to play quarterback, but those were in running offenses where the quarterback was essentially a running back. It seems hard to believe but the perception that African-Americans could not lead a pro-style offense (where the quarterback was responsible for making all key decisions – passing and running) delayed Hall of Fame quarterback Warren Moon’s entry to the NFL by 6 years.

The Aftermath and the Present Day

The Lions would go on to lose the state championship 19-6 to Richardson Lake Highlands the following week. The Lions had 8 turnovers and offensively were in a funk all game long. The Harris-led defense dominated Lake Highlands, effectively hold them to 12 points on 4 field goals. But it was just not meant to be.

However, the victory of breaking through and making it to state in the way they did had a powerful impact, one that went beyond the football field.

The relationship between educational attainment and Texas high school football is more often than not negatively correlated. However, the 81 team, in the spirit of Reverend Yates, helped reversed this relationship by helping awaken their community to educational possibilities.

“At first colleges sent athletic recruiters to Yates because of the success of the football team,” Lori Dee Mack said. “They quickly followed by sending academic recruiters, and all of a sudden we started to hear about schools like TCU, which we did not know existed.  At the time we thought the only college options were local schools Texas Southern and the University of Houston. All of sudden were aware of all of these other schools – this just would not have been possible had the team not done so well and attracted the attention it did…” “I wound-up going to TCU with 3 of my girlfriends, and other friends went to the University of Texas, Texas A&M, etc. It was really incredible how the team’s success opened doors for us students, “Mack stated. “It was also very comforting knowing that people from our community (Thomas LeDet and Keith Burnett went to TCU with Mack and her friends) were going to these schools.”

And the football team also set an example for the students. “I remember Coach Booker saying that 90% of the players he coached went-on to college,” Randolph Wilburn noted. In 1985 the Lions would go undefeated and win the state championship, becoming the first all African-American football team to win a state championship in Texas post segregation. That team, which was led by running back Johnny Bailey, is widely considered to be the best team in the history of Texas high school football. The path for the 85 team had been paved 4 years earlier by a remarkable group of young men. “The players on the 81 team had a sense of humility about them,” Mack said. “They didn’t let the attention go to their heads, and you just knew that they were going to do something positive with their lives.”

The magic of the 81 team’s journey continues to resonate to this day.  Stella Hall, a cheerleader in 1981, currently works at MD Anderson Cancer Center. She was recently at a conference in Wisconsin and was speaking with a man who, when he found out she went to Jack Yates, asked her if she knew Thomas LeDet, Sebastian Harris and Jeffrey Fields. “He somehow knew about our school, the 81 team and the key guys on that team,” Stella said, shaking her head in disbelief.

Thomas LeDet was recently approached on two separate occasions – one by a former Yates student who graduated in the 1990s, the other by a former cafeteria worker from the University of Houston (LeDet worked at the University of Houston cafeteria while in school, serving the likes of Hakeem Olajuwon and Clyde Drexler). Both individuals wanted to tell LeDet how much the 81-team inspired them. “At times it just seems incredible, he says, reflecting on the impact of the 81 team. We were just focused on winning on the field. It is really special to know that we inspired people.”

[lyricalt]

[ovw] House Rules (1/??)

Rating: T Characters: Jesse McCree, Gabriel Reyes. (More cast to come.) Summary: An AU where McCree joins Blackwatch after Genji.  Everything is mostly the same, just a little bit worse.

Thank you, Eddi, for suggesting the AU and then when I said “I don’t think much would change”, responded with a single DM that kind of destroyed me? Anyway, to quote her, she wanted something like “[…] seasoned blackwatch agent genji under orders to whip an older but no less bratty deadlock mccree into shape”. She also asked me if it was hot or not. Maybe..?  Maybe. 

Happy (early) birthday, Eddi. Fiend.

Notes: 

Ages are the same, only Genji has seniority over McCree as an agent.

Genji was recruited to Blackwatch at 20.  He is now 25. (edit: with Retribution canon released, I’m throwing up my hands and following Blizzard’s example with being super vague about dates. Genji is still 25.  McCree is 27.)

I’ll try to update once a week, or more. I have written… a lot of it. I’ll move it over to AO3 once I’ve got… hopefully… more chapters.

[part 1 | [part 2]  | [part 3]

It was McCree’s own fault that he ended up in Blackwatch. Twenty-seven years old and thinking he was all subtle cleverness when he demanded to see whoever was in charge, and in came Commander Gabriel Reyes without a smile.

“You wanted to see me?” asked the Blackwatch Commander. He sat across from McCree, the little room bright with white walls and a soft light that wasn’t too harsh on the eyes. It felt more like an office than a cell for prisoners.

McCree shifted his hands, chained to the table where he rested them. Of course, most offices didn’t have furniture with metal fixtures and bolts, and a door made from both steel and hardlight. He took stock of Reyes, making a judgement call to keep his face as serious as possible. It wasn’t going to be like bargaining with the other lowlife gangs where McCree could get away with a cocky grin and a hand to his gun. Reyes didn’t look the type to respond well to humor.

“I’d like to make a deal,” said McCree, confident but not desperate. Like he knew what was what, and that his offer wasn’t just some panicked grab for freedom.

Reyes snorted, expression still unsmiling but there was a spark of amusement in the way his eyes crinkled. “You’re in no position to do that.”

“Whoops. ‘Scuse me, guess I worded it wrong. Believe me, I know I’m in no position to make any demands, but I figured I throw out an offer anyway,” McCree said, ducking his head a little. Made him look contrite and embarrassed for the most part, and in a way, he partially was—though he kept other tics to show for it.

“I see. Well, since I’ve got so much time on my hands,” Reyes said, voice a slight drawl to indicate that he did not, in fact, have a whole lot of time on his hands. “Let’s hear it.”

McCree inwardly winced, knowing somehow there were going to be repercussions for him if he ended up wasting Reyes’ time. But repercussions didn’t mean shit when he was already cornered and bookended. He had been too high up on the Deadlock chain of command to get off scot free, and too old to go anywhere but prison. He thought of Joel, who was seventeen when the raid caught them, and after asking around found out the boy was going to be tried as a minor. McCree felt a little relieved at that; Joel hadn’t killed anyone, was only a runner boy when it came down to it.

It was a shame now that McCree hadn’t been in the same boat; he had killed at least a dozen of Overwatch’s agents during the raid before a stray bullet had caught him in the chest and he’d blacked out with a sudden sharp pain between his eyes. As for the rest of Deadlock, McCree assumed most of them were dead or half a step away to rotting in prison like him.

He leaned forward, ignoring the way the tacky bandages shifted across the wound over his chest.

“I’ll be honest, if this doesn’t work out, you can count that I’ll go to court, guilty as charged. I ain’t stupid enough to think I’ll get away with anything,” McCree said. He threw Reyes a considering look, calm settling in his bones. He wasn’t as good with his words as he was with his gun, but the leveled feeling was the same. “And I’ll serve my time for that good long while, for everything I’m convicted of. Quiet and meek as a mouse.”

Commander Reyes’ eyes narrowed. “You have information.”

“Sure I do. I’ll tell you everything related to my trial, of course. I know what I’m guilty of. I’ll cooperate.”

“You have no choice but to cooperate with us, but I appreciate the willingness.”

McCree figured Reyes for a smart man. The commander knew how to negotiate between the lines and it showed in the way he was conscious of allowing McCree to speak obliquely. He trusted the white room to be monitored, though he wasn’t sure what kind of hold Reyes had over the bureaucratic end of Overwatch—and McCree did believe Overwatch had a hand in with Blackwatch. And Blackwatch, he knew, was just as legal as Deadlock, only with a bit more funding and friends in the right places.

“I do love to be useful,” McCree demurred.

No legal organization would fight the way Blackwatch did during the raid. His heart ticked upwards, remembering how they painted the Deadlock walls red with blood.

Reyes didn’t answer him right away, but neither did it look like he was contemplating it very much.

Unable to help himself, McCree raised an eyebrow. “Now you’re just wastin’ your own time here.”

Reyes didn’t seem pleased by his comment but he wasn’t baited. “I’m just wondering how useful you’d be.”

McCree let out a short breath. He’d been holding it, and Reyes’ gaze flickered, ever observant. Damn.

“Tell you what, I’ll give you an example right here, right now,” he said, pushing forward. No use holding back now. “I happen to know that Deadlock had a planned shipment with Los Muertos sometime later this week. ‘Course, they’ll know that Deadlock’s outta the business by now, but play your cards right and you might be able to catch some of ‘em hanging ‘round their safehouses nearby.”

Reyes’ started to look a little more attentive, which McCree thought was already excessive. The man had eyes like a hawk.

“Locations,” Reyes said, with all the ease of a commander used to giving orders. It certainly hadn’t been a question.

So McCree gave them.

“I’ll see you in a week,” he said, once Reyes got up from his seat.

“Don’t hold your breath,” Reyes said, and left McCree to wait in his cell once more.

   It was two weeks before McCree saw Reyes again. By then McCree was bored out of his mind and halfway to being stir crazy. Prison was going to be a downright bastard of a time if he couldn’t bargain his way into Blackwatch.

“So? How’d it go?” McCree asked, bored enough to have the suicidal impulse of acting cheeky. He was back in the white room. Same table but no cuffs. He took it as a good sign.

“You are useful,” Reyes said, sounding so surprised that McCree could only assume he was being condescending. He dropped a tablet in front of McCree, reports and images projecting into the air between them.

There were pictures of bodies, lists of inventory, and a roster that seemed to imply casualties on the Los Muertos’ side—plus a few names that rang familiar in McCree’s mind, though he could’ve sworn they had belonged to other gangs. This was more than a few safehouses, more than what McCree had told Reyes two weeks ago.

“No bullshit this time. I’m gonna speak plainly,” Reyes said. “Your information was very good. We were able to extrapolate a few more locations from other sources, using your information as a guide.”

McCree shrugged. “Figured you guys might. And?”

“Ruthless, aren’t you?”

“Useful,” McCree corrected with emphasis.

For some reason, Reyes didn’t look too satisfied by the answer, only more wary. “You think you can keep being useful?”

“Even more so, if you good folks are recruiting.”

“We might be,” Reyes replied blandly. “You got any terms? I want to make sure we’re on the same page here.”

“Wouldn’t dream of making demands,” McCree murmured politely. “I’d be happy to just not rot in prison.”

To his surprise, Reyes stood up from his chair.

“I thought so,” Reyes said. He motioned to someone outside the cell, and the hardlight door flickered for a second, allowing a duffle bag to be tossed into the room. Reyes picked it up and let the whole thing drop into McCree’s lap. “Get up. Put on the jacket.”

McCree clutched at the bag, unable to move. “What?”

“The jacket’s in the bag,” Reyes said patiently.

McCree unzipped the duffle bag and pulled out the jacket, the Blackwatch symbol pressed to one sleeve. He stared.

“I thought… maybe this would’ve taken another week,” he tried, glancing back up.

Reyes scoffed. “I was planning to recruit you two weeks ago when we first met, but you started talking all on your own. Didn’t think you’d be an informant at the time.”

McCree could feel his blood run cold, hands gripping over the Blackwatch uniform. His new uniform.

“I like your initiative though,” Reyes added, though it was like pouring salt on the wound. “And you are very good with a gun.”

The shock was wearing off. McCree knew he ought to be grateful, but instead he was angry. He glared at Reyes. “So I’m in? Just like that?”

“Well, you didn’t have any terms, and I did ask. Lack of negotiations tends to speed things up,” Reyes said. To his credit, he didn’t laugh or look too smug about it.

McCree opened his mouth, wordless, and then snapped it shut. It wouldn’t do any good to state his terms now. He’d been so focused on trying to not go to prison, he hadn’t thought beyond getting into Blackwatch. And it had been that easy, at the high cost of his pride.

Reyes must have noticed his furious silence. With something that sounded suspiciously like sympathy, he added, “Word of advice; next time, don’t try to mess around so much with Overwatch. You’re a gambling man, yeah? So go ahead and play your cards right, but you should know by now the house always wins.”

More silence. Reyes waited.

McCree pulled the jacket over his shoulders.

[part 1 | [part 2]  | [part 3]