#hen party activities

[toopeanutcrown]

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[cassiefairy]

12 Fun and classy ideas for a hen party on a budget

Planning a fabulous hen party doesn't have to break the bank. This guide has twelve budget-friendly hen party ideas that combine excitement with affordability... 

Advertisement feature With creativity and a little pre-planning, you can throw a memorable celebration that resonates with fun, class, and camaraderie, no matter what type of guests you plan to invite. From DIY spa days to sophisticated picnics, these options ensure your guests have a blast without burning through your budget. Here are 12 fun and classy hen party ideas to try… 1. DIY Spa…

[didhewinkback]

camaraderie

a little something old blurb for @harry-on-broadway's short n' sweet fic challenge + a request from agesssss ago (literally august 2023) The mc in something old decided to get a tattoo for Harry too..

word count: 2.5k ya girl saw the prompt and said let me do 5x that 🤦‍♀️

---

You blame the wine. 

Well, the wine combined with the way he’d been acting all dinner, searing gaze never leaving your face, his eyes drifting down to your lips when you were in the middle of telling a story. How in between courses he reached below the table, wrapping his hand around the bottom of your chair and pulling so you were side by side, his arm resting along the back of it, fingers drawing patterns on your shoulder. How somewhere between glasses two and three he leant in to whisper in your ear about how fucking good you looked, pressing a few kisses along your neck before pulling back to focus on his own plate. 

He’s always handsy but it takes on a different nature when he’s been drinking. His grip is tighter, his eyes linger for longer. He’s got to have his hands on you in some capacity, his attention never wavering from your orbit. Most social norms that he would typically follow are out the window; he won’t give anyone else an ounce of attention. Doesn’t care about being polite or upholding his usual good manners, not when his focus is on one thing and one thing only. 

You. 

So you can’t blame yourself for ruining the surprise you had been planning for weeks now, the one you took great lengths to hide, to save for the wedding day. You’re good at surprises, you know you are, you pulled off that 30th birthday surprise -  which took weeks of planning thank you very much. You’ve managed to surprise him on tour multiple times - nothing quite compares to seeing him walk into his dressing room and freezing in absolute shock when he sees you before instantly wrapping you up in his arms, holding tight while murmuring thank yous into your hair. 

So you thought you had this one in the bag. This surprise tattoo you got in the middle of the night at your hen do, all your girls taking bets on how long it would take before you revealed it to him - Jenna said you were going to show him the second you got home and you just about cut her out of the bridal party. The audacity. 

You had facetimed him that night, absolutely drunk off your arse and making him laugh so hard his eyes crinkled. You were stood outside the bar, showing off your obnoxious bridal sash while you slurred out that you just wanted to see the face you were going to love for the rest of your life. It made his face bloom into the greatest shade of pink you’ve ever seen. And even then! You said nothing. 

But how can you blame yourself now, when he guides you out of the restaurant with a hand on your lower back, the heat of it burning through your dress. When he takes your hand as you navigate your way through the busy Italian streets, bustling with activity, the excitement of early summer days in the air. He pulls you down a quieter side street, where it’s just the two of you and the cobblestones and street lamps lighting your way home. 

He pauses and turns to you, face flushed from the alcohol, his eyes grazing over your features as his lips twitch up into a soft smile, his hands coming up to cup your face, thumbs rubbing against your cheeks.

He takes a deep inhale, shaking his head almost in disbelief at the sight of you, which has you swaying on your feet more than you already are. He leans in slow, mouth inches away from yours, eyes closing as he breathes you in. 

He seems content to just stay there, mouth inches from yours, just teasing you. You can’t help but whine, impatience eating away at you. He huffs a laugh at the sound, eyes fluttering open to lock with yours before he brings your mouth to his and just kisses the hell out of you, tongue gliding into your mouth as he holds you close to him. You wind your arms around his neck, hands catching on the sweater he’s got draped across his back -  the one he swore he brought for himself but you know he only brought it just in case you got cold. 

He moves one hand down your body to wrap his arm around your waist, pulling you impossibly closer as he slides his hand up into your hair to hold you in place while he slowly takes you apart with his lips, his tongue sliding over yours in a smooth pass, hand tightening in your hair when you softly moan. 

He pulls away slowly, if only to breathe, not letting go of you for a moment as he presses kisses along your cheek, your bodies so close together you can feel the way you’re both catching your breath. 

“Wanted to do that all night. Couldn’t believe this gorgeous girl was sat at my table,” he says, lips dragging against your skin. “All mine.”

“I am,” you gasp out and you can feel the words leave your mouth before you can stop them. “Got something to prove it.”

His hands tighten on you. “That ring, yeah?” he asks. 

And there’s your out. But for whatever reason - be it the wine, the dinner, the way his hands are holding you tight, the way his breath feels against your neck -  it just makes you want to give him everything.  You shake your head and he freezes. And then you freeze. 

Shit.

“Don’t go all shy on me now,” he mutters against your neck, pressing a kiss there before pulling his head back to look at you. His curious eyes roaming over your face, lips twitching into a smirk. 

You scrunch up your face, cringing at yourself for letting it slip so fucking close to the finish line. 

“Was trying to wait to show you until the wedding.” you say and his eyes light up, a man on a mission you already know you lost. “I blame you. If you weren’t so…”

Your hand gestures in a circle at him, not stopping at anything particular, just at his whole overall aura. His vibe. Him.

“Bloody irresistible?” he says, fully smirking now and you try your best to fight your smile, shaking your head at him. 

“That’s one word for it.” you deadpan and he honks out a laugh.

“Was working wonders on you a few moments ago.”

“Clearly.” you say and his gaze darkens, refocusing on the task at hand. 

He tightens his hold on your hips and walks you backwards until your back presses up against the terrace wall, his hand coming up to cradle the back of your head to soften the blow, though he really is being gentle. You place your hands on his chest, feeling the steady beat of his heart. It’s just the two of you tucked in a corner of the street with the glow of the nearby streetlamp casting shadows on his face, twinkling eyes never wavering from yours. 

“Can I see it now?” he asks softly, smile creeping on his face like he already knows the answer. He presses a soft kiss on your jaw, then the corner of your mouth.

“Please, baby,” he mumbles, the words barely out of his mouth before he’s pressing it to yours, kissing you slowly, thoroughly, the way he knows you like it, the way he knows makes you melt in his hands. 

He pulls back slowly, breathing out a laugh when your lips try to chase his but he keeps his distance so he can look right at you. 

“‘S it at home?” he asks, gaze darkening when you shake your head. You can see him swallow, your eyes catching on the way his throat moves as you try to slow down your racing heart, the way your heartbeat is thundering in your ears. Now or never. 

You keep your gazes locked as you bring your thumb up to your mouth, tongue darting out to lick the pad, heat flushing through you as his eyes track the movement. You lift your right hand and start rubbing at your ring finger, quickly licking at your thumb once more until you remove all the makeup covering up the tattoo. 

You can feel his eyes practically burning a hole through your hand, desperate to see what you’ve been hiding all this time. Once all the makeup is cleaned off, you look back up at him and hold out your hand. His brow is furrowed as he looks down and then he sees it. 

It’s not small, as far as finger tattoos go. A single H, in his handwriting, taking up the space between the lower half of your ring finger and your knuckle. Big enough where it’ll still be partly visible under the ring in a few weeks. Big enough that there is no doubt who it's for. Who you belong to. Who belongs to you.

You dreamt of this bit, what his face would look like when he saw it. What his reaction would be. For every day of the last month. And still you couldn’t have predicted this - the way all his breath leaves him in a rush, blinking rapidly as he grabs your hand and holds it up in the light, rocking back on his heels, practically swooning. 

“‘S that - that’s….” he cuts himself off, thumb rubbing over the tattoo. He sniffles, frozen on the spot as he stares at your hand. He takes a deep breath and looks back up at you, eyes a bit glassy, lips twitching as he tries to get ahold of himself. 

You bring your free hand up to cup his face, palm resting on the stubble, thumb dragging along his cheeks as he looks back at the tattoo. 

“Got a tattoo for me?” he croaks out, leaning into your palm. “Got inked up for me, baby?”

“I did.” you basically croak back, the look on his face making your stomach somersault. 

“Y’ said you’d never -”

“Changed my mind.” you say. “Really liked the idea of having something permanent for you on my skin.”

His grip on your hip tightens as his head falls to your collarbone, seemingly overwhelmed as he all but whimpers. His thumb hasn’t stopped slowly rubbing over the tattoo. You slide your hand up into his hair, nails scratching against his scalp and he leans up to kiss your cheek.

“Tell me about it?” he mumbles against your skin. “Please. Want the whole story.”

So you do. All the hazy details. How when you were on a pub crawl, making your way to the final destination of the evening, you passed a tattoo parlor and it felt like fate. You had known you wanted to get this done for ages, had photos on your phone of the proper lettering and size and no time seemed more appropriate than when you were out with your favorite girls in the whole world, all there to hold your hand through it.

How all you could picture when you got it done, when you were sitting through the sting of it, was the look on his face. How you’ve spent the last few weeks feeling quite stupid diligently covering it up, even over the covering and the nasty peeling which felt a bit insane. How all you’ve wanted for the last month is to tell him about it, to show him and to see this look on his face but you were waiting for the wedding day. How none of that matters now because you’ve got him looking at you the way he is and it's better than you could’ve ever dreamt. Has you feeling like you’re burning from the inside out.

“‘M glad you told me now,” he says, eyes still glimmering with emotion as he looks at you, still holding onto your hand, thumb over your finger. “Wouldn’t have been able to focus on the day. Can barely focus now.”

“You like it?”

“Like it? Are y’ joking?” he asks incredulously. “Baby, I love it. Feel like ‘m losing my mind.”

“Yeah?”

“Yeah,” he says, huffing a laugh. “Y’ know what mine mean to me…’s like I carry the people I love with me wherever I go. A reminder of how loved I am. ‘Nd how much I love them in return. And you doing this for me? I -”

His voice cuts out, thick with emotion as he swallows, taking a shaky breath as he blinks rapidly, holding your hand tightly in his. He huffs a shaky laugh when your thumb leans up to wipe away the errant tears that have slipped out. Shaking his head as if to clear it. Taking another deep breath before he speaks again.

“Just the thought of you… you going through the pain of this - wait, how bad did it hurt?”

“Really not that bad,” you say, softly giggling at the concern on his face. “Stung a bit but was nothing. Worth it.”

“My brave girl.” he says and you roll your eyes as he presses a kiss to the tattoo. “God this is the greatest thing ever. Can’t decide if ‘m gonna burst into tears or fuck you against this wall.”

You honk out a laugh at that. 

“Both works for me” you shrug, making him laugh just as hard.  “You've always been a great multitasker.”  

He wiggles his eyebrows at you, smiling when you laugh again. His eyes roam over your features as the laughter dies down, his expression growing more serious as he shifts his gaze from your face to your hand, thumb moving along your skin as if to prove it’s permanence and then looks back to you.

“Christ. I love you.” he says sincerely, the look in his eyes making your breath catch in your throat. “I love you so much, you know that right? Almost can’t put it into words. I just. Can’t believe y’ did this for me. My girl with my handwriting on her body. Forever.” 

“Yeah,” you say, just as sincerely. Feeling it deep in your bones. This is it. It’s him. Always has been.  “Forever.”

You see the way the word hits him, how he blinks back against the emotion as he takes a deep breath, looking back at the tattoo on your finger, lips twitching up into a disbelieving smile. 

He presses a soft kiss to it before placing your hand on his shoulder and slowly kissing his way up your arm, hands falling to your hips as you slide your hand into his hair. He moves along your shoulder, infusing his love into your skin with every press of his lips. He lingers on your neck as he presses his body right up against yours, hips pressing into yours as he sucks a mark into your skin. 

He kisses his way up to your jaw, eyes locking with yours before he pulls you impossibly closer and kisses you so deeply it makes your head spin. If there was any doubt in your mind about how he felt about you in this moment, it's answered in every press of his lips against yours, the way his tongue slides over yours, the way his hands come up to cradle your face when you sigh into his mouth, holding you so gently despite the way he’s kissing you so hard, his beard and mustache scraping against your skin but you lean into the burn. 

“Let me take y’ home and show you how much I like the tattoo, baby.” he says, panting into your ear when he pulls away. “Would show you right now but the things ‘m dreaming up -”

He cuts himself off with a groan, hands tightening on your body as he bites down on your neck. 

“Want to make y’ feel as good as this makes me feel.” he says lowly and heat flushes through you. You’d give him just about anything.

“Yeah,” you quickly agree, barely getting the word out before he’s claiming your mouth again, hands sliding all over your body, squeezing as they roam. 

“Let’s go home,” he says when he reluctantly pulls away, taking your hands and pulling you off the wall and into his arms. He wraps one arm around your waist, splaying his hand across your belly to hold you against him, low, possessive. 

And if the walk home takes twice as long because he keeps stopping to press you up against the nearby scenery, dragging his lips against your skin until you melt in his hands, so be it. 

You’re right where you want to be. In his arms. Forever. 

---

a/n: lmk what u think! the original request was for a much sexier tattoo placement and lots of smut so i hope this was still alright! just felt right for them. if i wrote the smut this would be like 6k l o l . let me know what u think! love u bye

taglist:@tobesolovelysstuff, @louyoursins, @daydreamingofmatilda, @jojo-blog53, @marzhshaim, @devilsqueen722, @just-happiness-only,@lomlhstyles, @feestyles, @spock4presidnet, @sunshinemoonsposts, @indierockgirrl, @jerseygirlinca, @kissitnhekitchen, @goldnrry,

[canichangemyblogname]

Actually, no. The shippers in the 911 fandom who primarily complain about Tommy and his past don't actually care about Tommy's past or his actions that contributed to the previous toxic workplace environment and harassment at the 118. Not everything is about a fucking ship, believe it or not, yet the only time they bring up his behavior is in relation to shipping. And because the only time they bring up a valid critique of Tommy's character is during shipping "discourse," I'm convinced it's not brought forth in good faith. Finding a way to tie everything to a ship—especially things like racism and misogyny—is cheap and tasteless. Not everything is about "shipping;" shut up about the shipping.

I don't think they actually want to discuss how white queers contribute to the marginalization of others, including other queer people, by weaponizing the patriarchy and/or white supremacy in their favor because so many of them are fellow white queers themselves. They don't care about how Tommy inadvertently, because of his past, provides a realistic portrayal of how white queers divide or hurt the larger community because of an inability to find solidarity with people of a different background, culture, or race (especially if it would "inconvenience" them or if it does not directly benefit them, like Chim saving Tommy's life). White people would rather choose misery and isolation over standing with or up for non-white people. White people are generally not willing to put in the work to build community; they'd rather contribute to the system or fly under the radar to avoid being shunned by the structures they, and the Ol' Boys Club, benefit from, like white supremacy or the patriarchy. Most white queers would rather be complaisant, complacent, and complicit. It's the white queer's adherence to oppressive systems that divide the community, not people's calls to tear those systems down. And it's only the white queer who can change their perspective on this.

Tommy only has himself to blame for his jealousy and alienation from a supportive and familial community, and only he can take the steps to ameliorate the situation. Tommy was an absolute fucking dick to Chim and Hen, and that has had long-term consequences on his life. Only he can correct for his behavior. He contributed to a toxic work environment, referring to Chim as a Chinese takeout delivery man, actively participating in Chim's hazing, and telling Chim that he did not like the man (mostly because he didn't know him). He would later call Hen "bitchy," and the men of the 118 would leave the "domestic work" to her as they did Chim, actively contributing to her hazing. He did not (verbally) stand up for her, iced her out, and also contributed to a homophobic work culture that made same-sex attraction the butt of jokes. He contributed to this toxic culture to fly under the radar, and that directly hurt people he should have extended a hand to.

Unfortunately for most of the fandom, this is, ultimately, a show that loves stories about redemption and resolution. And there is actual, explicit (meaning, non-subtextual) evidence that Tommy has put in some work to remedy what he did and who he was (including being able to 1.] own up to his past actions, 2.] understand how he hurt others, 3.] recognize why he did what he did and how that it is an explanation, not an excuse, and 4.] begin to make amends or rectify the situation, like reporting Gerrard and changing his mind about Hen and Chim). Hen and Chim would not have invited him for drinks regularly if they thought he was "irredeemable." The 118 would not have thrown him a going away party if they disliked him. Chim would not call in favors from Tommy on more than one occasion or even describe him as "so cool" if they weren't—well—cool. Eddie wouldn't enjoy ring-side fights and basketball games with Tommy if he didn't enjoy the man's company. Tommy also clearly refers to the type of man he was in the past tense, implying change over time. It can be argued that he has not put in enough work, but that's not what's being argued. We're getting bad faith arguments that Hen, Chim, and Eddie hate Tommy or bad faith arguments where Tommy's past actions are only brought forth as some sort of "gotcha" when a fan prefers canon representation over homophobic fan fiction tropes. You don't have to like Tommy, but making up non-textual reasons to dislike him is absurd.

Tommy, as a character in a narrative, provides a lesson for the general audience (GA), the majority of whom are white. It's not just important to see queer people on screen; it's important to see white people learn and change and admit they were wrong. It's also important that the show—well—shows the GA that whiteness and man-ness affect people's perception, position, and treatment. Tommy isn't just a gay man; he is a white gay man, and this has had a direct impact on how he navigates the world and how the world interacts with him. Gerrard treats men like Sal and Tommy differently than men like Chim or women like Hen, and staying in Gerrard's good graces—like the good graces of oppressive power structures—requires one to conform to a very narrow definition of a "real man," like being straight, white, palatable (like... not kinky, not risqué, not queer, all the things the fandom seems to actually hate Tommy for), and not helping oust regressive figures from positions of authority for the way they treat your coworkers. The audience got to see how Tommy went from being the prodigal son to being openly mocked by men like Gerrard. And it's important to show the GA that someone can and will be happier if they go against the grain and that admiration from men like Gerrard means very little in the grand scheme. Tommy is happier now after having been "rebuked" by men like Gerrard than he was when he strove for their praise and acceptance.

It's also important to show that men like Gerrard and his beliefs belong in the past, even though they exist in the present. This is a network TV show. A non-zero number of men like Gerrard catch this show weekly. It is still important to show that Gerrard is not the "type" of man anyone should aspire to be. His beliefs and actions are not commendable, and the show is very heavy-handed about this. The show is going to once again compare Gerrard ("bad captain") and Bobby ("good captain") to show how Bobby has created a good legacy at the 118. It began this parallel with Bobby Begins Again, continued to reinforce Bobby's good legacy in Buck's coma arc, and then revisited how Bobby has had a positive influence on the lives of the 118 in his season 7 montage. Now, the show is going to compare and contrast him and Gerrard to reinforce how important Bobby is to those around him. The show will also continue its inadvertent parallels between Buck and Tommy, showing how Buck is a different man under similar circumstances because he has had good influences (re: Bobby, Hen, and Chim) in his life. Buck and Eddie's relationship was shaping up to be very similar to Tommy and Chim's relationship: oppositional because of one-sided disregard and dislike, but it didn't because they had a good influence: Bobby (given the rather... fucked timeline, Tommy was likely newer to the 118 when Chim joined and, like Buck, his hostility and posturing were also likely influenced by insecurity and a desire to secure his position at the table).

Most unfortunately for many, the show is also going to show how Tommy has changed due to the same influences (re: Bobby, Hen, and Chim). They wouldn't have re-introduced both Tommy and Gerrard and mentioned their dynamic on more than one occasion if they weren't going to do something with that. Season 7 set up Tommy's upcoming arc very nicely. He knows the man he was, he knows the man who shaped him into that, and he knows how and why that was wrong. We'll get Tommy confronting his obvious daddy issues, jealousy, and desire for community (and why he didn't get a family-like dynamic at the 118, re: Gerrard *and* Tommy's own behavior). Tommy has been explicit about this, literally telling Buck that he envies the relationship the people at the 118 have and mentioning that he was not a good person, and this played a part in why he didn't have the same rapport.

9-1-1 is not a perfect show, but it does reflect some of the positive changes of our time. It's important to see representations of comp-het—like Buck, Tommy, and Michael—and how it negatively impacts people's character or relationships, and then how they—the character—can amend that. It's important to see stories that depict how silence is complicity and how refusing to be silent—as Hen refused to be—makes change and changes minds. It's important that the show reminds the audience that Hen is a black lesbian and that this has impacted how people see her and treat her, but that she is just as capable, if not more so. This includes men like Chim. Because I see nearly none of the people who "critique" Tommy in the name of "shipping" ever bring up how Chim has leaned on the patriarchy for support and a position at the table. He may have been the kindest to Hen, but he was by no means normal about women. And it is important to see how non-white men benefit from the patriarchy even as they are victimized by white supremacy. It's also important that the show shows the GA that non-white men are not affected by white supremacy equally, as Michael and Harry have had discussions about blackness and police brutality, a conversation that Chim is never going to have to have with his children, but that doesn't mean that Chim won't have to one day have a discussion with Jee-Yun about how and why some people treat her differently.

But the fandom approaches everything in a very... Catholic way. They don't approach this from the view that people can change and should be pushed to change; rather, they shun people like they've been marked by original sin. The structures we live under have deeply affected each and every one of our worldviews. "You are not immune to the propaganda" includes your personal philosophies and ideologies as well as the things you were taught since you were a child, consciously and "subconsciously." But, people would rather condemn everyone else as "irredeemable" than look critically at their own behavior out of fear of being "one of the bad ones." They'd rather *not* accept the fact that everyone has learning and changing to do as that would reflect upon them, too. This leads to being very resistant to being told that you're mistaken, you've hurt others, or that your behavior and beliefs contribute to repressive, dangerous, or toxic ideas (and we've seen a lot of that; y'all do not create safe online spaces). This leads to a lack of personal change as well as a lack of change at the interpersonal level because rather than teach or challenge, they stick up their nose and turn the other way. "Their barbaric bigotry; my enlightened neglect."

So, really, they've learned nothing from a character like Tommy.

[ink-n-shadow]

If johnny’s not the dm he’s rolling to seduce EVERYTHING they come across

“This is a magical book , pay the right price and it will tell you the secret you search for”

“Can the price be steamy hot sex? I roll to seduce the book”

“Johnny FOR THE LAST TIME-“

no because johnny and kyle are literal heathens. you can’t throw anything in their path without one of them (sometimes both of them) immediately trying to roll to seduce the creature or object. you try your best to maneuver the story so that simon or john are the ones to encounter the enemy first, but even that doesn’t deter them sometimes.

“s’not too late tae roll fer seduction, is it?”

“you’re aware that your party is in active combat right? wouldn’t it make more sense to…i dunno, attack the enemy?”

“you underestimatin’ my abilities, hen?”

to which he proceeds to roll a critical failure and nearly dying (he has to beg simon to heal him)

[karenandhenwilson]

I love how in 8x05 we see the start of Tommy's journey to be integrated into the 118 family. Something we haven't seen happen with any of the LI of Eddie or Buck (who are coincidentally the only ones who'd ever had to deal with LI outside the 118 family since it existed the way it does now).

We were reminded of the friendship between Tommy and Eddie this episode for everyone who forgot how that went in 7x04 and somehow missed the fact in 8x01 when Tommy was there for Chris' birthday as someone who actively helped prepare the decorations and not just some random and out-of-place guest. The only time in the past when we saw anyone trying to be integrated into the Buckley-Diaz dynamic was with Taylor. In the first scene of that (Treasure Hunt) Eddie was clearly the third wheel in the situation. In the second scene of that Taylor and Eddie's discomfort was so glaring it hurt.

This time with Tommy, though, all three bounced off of each other, interacting in a very easy and open way. No one was left out of the scene, even when Tommy and Eddie fell over themselves laughing about Buck believing he was cursed.

There has only been one time (other than Abby, but that's a different story) when they tried to show either Buck or Eddie's LIs interact with the 118 family group. That was when Ana came to the 118 during the blackout. And what we got from that scene was how uncomfortable Eddie was with having her in that space, foreshadowing even more where that relationship was heading.

This time with Tommy, though, no one was uncomfortable with him being at the hospital while they all waited for news about Denny. We also saw another moment of the Eddie and Tommy friendship. And we saw Tommy sitting in the middle of the group with the way Buck and he were seated.

And yes, sure, we were also reminded that Tommy isn't (yet!) fully part of the group when everyone got the text from Hen. But in the whole context of the episode, that moment actually has two purposes: First, it leads Buck to understand how he can lift his curse. (You know guys, this would be a proper point to use the term "plot device" ;) ) Two, it's prime foreshadowing that we're heading into the journey of Tommy fully integrating into the group, more than he already was with the placing in the waiting room.

Not feeling as a part of any group has been a recurring theme for Tommy in season 7 and season 8. And considering we how saw Hen and Chimney going out for drinks with Tommy in the flashbacks of season 2, Tommy and Chimney excitedly playing off of each other with movie quotes, and Hen throwing him the kind of party she likes to throw for her friends, it's something I think Tommy feels about himself without it being quite true. I think it might very well be something we'll learn more about, and hopefully, even something we'll see Tommy overcome with the support of Buck and Eddie and the 118 family.

[visbabygirl]

𝖎'𝖒 𝖏𝖚𝖘𝖙 𝖍𝖊𝖗𝖊 𝖙𝖔 𝖍𝖊𝖑𝖕 𝖞𝖔𝖚 𝖑𝖊𝖆𝖗𝖓.

summary — your new to the whole 'sex' thing and when your cousin's hen party strolls into a sex store, life gets a whole new meaning - storeclerk!rhea au. pt.1

warning(s) — none, lowercase intended!

wc - 5.4k

you didn't know how you ended up here, but you hated it already. you'd never been the party girl type and the most alcohol you'd had was a small sip of beer at your dad's birthday party. and that was only to make the whole thing more bearable. and now here you were in the middle of a bar crawl in Perth with your cousin ariana and four of her friends from high school. you grew up in the same town as everyone else, but you were homeschooled and kept far too busy with daily activities to have much of a social life.

"come on, keep up!" harper turned back to face you, giggling, nearly stumbling over a crack in the sidewalk. harper was ariana's maid of honor and this whole bachelorette bar crawl thing was her idea. it didn't seem like ariana's scene either, but even the redhead was having more fun than you were.

you just held your purse tighter against your side as you stepped carefully around a subway grate in your five inch heels, trying to keep up with the small group of inebriated women.

"oh my god." you picked your head up at the sound of tara's chuckling voice, nearly bumping into her as they all came to a stop. you really needed to stop looking at your feet when you walked. but you felt so uncomfortable in the tight mini dress, surrounded by cat-calling men around the busy sidewalk.

"no," ariana giggles, blushing as she shook her head, her ponytail swinging slightly behind her head. "guys, come on-"

"excuse me, i'm your maid of honor, i choose what we do." harper stated firmly, starting to tug on her arm towards the nearby door.

Aphrodisia

Adult Toys, Videos, Novelties, and More!

"come on, we'll just look around and then head to the next bar." leona ushed ariana towards the door with the help of harper, tara and naomi. and you had no choice but to follow, or else you'd be left alone with the creeps.

entering the store, the giggling from the group of tipsy twenty-three year olds overpowered the soft rock that came from the speakers. the store was much bigger than it looked on the outside. a winding staircase near the entrance leading to the second floor. the lighting was dim and it smelt like burning incense, which actually put your mind at ease for the briefest moment.

"welcome to aphrodisia," a bored female voice came from a few feet away. you turned your head to see a girl sitting at the small, glass checkout counter, aimlessly scrolling on her phone. you bit the inside of your cheek slightly as you let your eyes roam over her face, grateful she hadn't looked up since you came in. she was wearing an oversized dark grey tee with what looked to be a band's name across the front. she had a few tattoos on her arms, and a few peeking through the gaps on her black ripped jeans. maybe it was the poor lighting but you could swear her dark hair had been dyed blue underneath.

"hello? is anyone home?" harper joked, tapping against your forehead as she appeared in front of you. "come on, we're going to look around."

"right." you nodded, turning away from the dark haired beauty at the counter, "sorry." you ignored the look harper gave you, grateful for the dim lighting that hid the blush that rose to your cheeks. god forbid she caught you drooling over the counter girl. but you shook it off, tucking your hair behind your ear, following the rest of the girls around the store.

so far, it was nothing but novelty toys and gag gifts such as penis-shaped lollipops and party hats for bachelorette parties.

"please don't buy them and wear them around," you cringed at the though, but turned your lips up slightly as the rest of the girls giggled over everything. you were not wearing a penis hat. not in public. you had no interest in the male anatomy and definitely did not want to wear it on your head.

glancing around, embarrassed, you watched as a man walked nonchalantly through the room towards the back, going through a beaded curtain into the next room. you didn't even want to know what was back there. though, you assumed it was the video section, which made your skin crawl. your only time seeing porn was a complete accident. your sophomore year of college, you had been doing research for an assignment on your laptop when suddenly your screen was covered in naked and scantily clad women, touching themselves or each other. you remembered snapping your laptop shut faster than the speed of light. and as much as it made you blush with juvenile curiosity, you'd made sure to install the highest rated pop-up blocker you could find.

"let's see what's upstairs," naomi lead them to the staircase after they'd looked around and laughed at every blow-up doll and penis-shaped toy in sight. apparently, they were skipping over the lingerie section across the room, which you were fine with. your choice in undergarments weren't completely modest, but you didn't exactly have a need for the sheer nighties and crotch-less panties you were sure this store had to offer.

heels clicked on hardwood floors as the six of you walked up the stairs. you kept your arms crossed tightly against your chest as everyone else looked around, giggling as they picked up some of the dildos and vibrators that were on display, playing with them and laughing like a bunch of twelve year old boys looking at a Playboy for the first time. you just glanced around, your blush increasing as your eyes took in everything around you. the store seemed to be divided into different departments like some kind of kinky walmart. the room they were currently in had a whole wall of toys of different shapes, colors, and sizes, no two were the same, but they all served the same purpose.

you wandered away from the girls, biting your lip as you glanced at the selection in front of you. you were no stranger to self-pleasure, but you weren't exactly a connoisseur either. on the rare occasion that you did decide to explore yourself and give yourself some much needed release, all you knew were your own hands. which worked fine for you, but the array of toys in front of you had you curious about what was so special about them. this little black one didn't look too scary...

"need any help?" a male voice made you jump with a slight yelp, retracting you arm that had been reaching for the small black bullet vibrator.

"no. thank you. just browsing," you nervously tucked your hair behind your ear and straightened out the wrinkles in your dress, not making eye contact with the man who would probably be about your height if you weren't wearing these heels.

"okay. well, my name is dominik. i'm working the floor, so just holler if you have any questions," he smiled politely.

"dominik?" you quirked an eyebrow, admittedly looking a little judgmental.

"it's spanish," he waved a hand with a shrug before walking off.

that was definitely a sign that this just wasn't for you. with a deep, cleansing breath, you walked across the room to where the others were playing with a fluffy pair of handcuffs. you just wanted to leave. this place made your skin crawl. there was a fucking bed in the corner with different restraints wrapped around the four corner posts. apparently for people wanting to test them out before buying them. a chill ran down your spine as you tightened your arms across your chest. you felt like such a prude, blushing at every little thing you saw while the girls were completely comfortable making jokes about it. you already knew that you were the only virgin in the group. and the only lesbian, since all the others seemed to think this was the perfect time to discuss and compare their boyfriends' sexual stamina.

"ariana. i'm gonna go see if they have a bathroom downstairs," you interrupted the fit of girlish giggles.

"okay, we should be right down," the blushing redhead smiled before you turned and walked back down the stairs. you were tempted to grab the black toy you'd been eyeing and subtly buy it quickly and hiding it in your purse. but then you would have to face the girl at the counter. and there was no way you were going to put yourself through that embarrassment.

holding onto the railing on your way back down, your heart leapt in your chest when you spotted the dark-haired girl near the bottom of the stairs, fixing a crooked display of body jewelry with the same bored expression on her face.

"finding everything all right?" the girl looked up at you with what you could only assume was her customer service face. but she had an enchanting smile nevertheless.

"yeah, just waiting on my cousin and her friends," you ducked your head a bit shyly as you reached the bottom step, subtly taking in how good this girl's ass looked in her baggy black jeans.

stop it.

"bride squad?" she chuckled.

"how'd you guess?"

"years of experience. drunken bridesmaids in the middle of their bar crawl are basically the target audience here. only thing i see more than that is middle-aged dads who run straight back to the video section," she crossed her arms over her chest with a shrug.

you just breathed a light laugh as the pink tint refused to leave your face as you ran your hand nervously up and down your arm. "that must get annoying. especially if they're all like my cousin and her friends."

"well, if your cousin and her friends are anything like a majority of the bachelorette parties that come through here, you're leaving here with something dick shaped," the considerably taller woman quirked an eyebrow, "for your sake, i just hope it's not the hats."

you laughed through an obvious cringe, shaking your head, "god, i hope not." you bit the inside of your cheek, noticing deep blue eyes looking you up and down before your body suddenly went numb. but like a rude awakening, the sound of your loud crew coming down the stairs behind you made you stiffen up and walk away from the dark-haired goddess. with how invasive and nosy harper was when she was tipsy, you knew if you had gotten caught chatting with the employee, the maid of honor would be giving you hell for it.

no one knew for sure that you liked girls, though you were sure they all had their suspicions. you always chalked your lack of relationship experience up to the fact that you wanted to focus on school. which was partially true. being a psychology major, you spent most of your time studying. but being a closeted lesbian made dating much more difficult, and you weren't exactly the type to put yourself out there.

"we're going to pick out lollipops, come pick out a flavor or i'm choosing for you," harper grabbed you by the elbow to lead you to the array of penis shaped lollipops. you turned back to the girl with the dark hair, smiling a little at the wink and shrug you received.

after what should have been a much shorter decision, the girls all brought their ridiculously shaped candies to check-out counter. it took everything you had not to stare at the nameless woman in black. if only she were wearing a nametag or something. but maybe it was better this way. you weren't from this area and they were only here for the weekend. names would lead to attachment.

"have a good night, be safe out there," she bagged up their purchases and handed the bag to harper.

"thanks, uh..."

"rhea," she smiled politely at the raven-haired bridesmaid, sending a subtle glance in your direction.

harper grinned with a nod before gesturing to herself. "rhea, i'm harper. this is tara, naomi, and leona. that's ariana, she's getting married next week," she slurred a bit and pointed to each of the girls before finally landing on you off to the side, "and that's ariana's cousin."

"nice to meet you," she chuckled at the talkative girl before smiling in the blonde's direction, "and congrats, ariana."

harper thanked her politely before the girls started making a beeline for the door, filing out one by one. you, the last one out, glanced over your shoulder and lifted your hand for a slight wave. "bye, rhea," your voice was just barely above a whisper, but the girl at the counter heard you loud and clear, mirroring her wave with more confidence.

"bye, darlin'."

you rarely ventured to perth. you went to school in albany, but it was rare that you traveled outside that area. but for the past few days since ariana's bachelorette party, it was like the mysterious downtown area had been calling your name in rhea's raspy voice. it was stuck in your head along with everything else about her. her smile, her laugh, her bright eyes and the way they made you feel when they traveled along your body. she even invaded your dreams. and you took advantage of the time your roommate was out to make yourself writhe under the covers with your newest romance novel in your free hand and rhea in your thoughts. it was getting to a point where you couldn't even focus in class.

stepping out of the subway train car, you held your purse tightly to your side as you made your way to the exit, climbing the stairs that lead to the sidewalk, following the route they had taken the other night to get to the strip of buildings and lower level stores, bars, and restaurants. it's a good thing you decided not to drink with everyone else that night, otherwise they probably would have never made it back to the plaza.

it looked different in the daylight, but it made it much easier to find your way around. and before you knew it, you were standing in front of aphrodisia. adjusting the beanie on your head, you took off your sunglasses as you entered, glancing nervously at the counter.

"welcome to aphrodisia," the dominik guy from that night greeted you cheerfully.

"thank you," you muttered, heading straight upstairs. at least you had plans to buy something so this wasn't a total stalking mission. but if rhea wasn't at the counter, you were starting to worry that she wasn't even working today. or at least right now.

biting your pink bottom lip, you headed for the wall of vibrators, looking for that little black one again while you subtly glanced around for the dark haired girl that had been running through your mind for days. sighing, you picked up the small box that held the bullet vibe inside, reading over the description. it didn't look like it would do much, but the box bragged about multiple speeds and vibration patterns, making you blush as you read over each one.

"finding everything all right?" you gasped and flinched as a voice sounded from behind you, making you drop the box. people really needed to stop sneaking up on you in this place.

picking up the box, you turned around almost furiously, but her anger quickly diminished when you saw familiar blue eyes looking back at you with a smirk that made you want to melt into a puddle on the floor.

"sorry, didn't mean to scare you. long time, no see," rhea chuckled as you held a hand to your pounding heart, the adrenaline masking your embarrassment. for now, at least. "for real, though, are you finding everything okay?"

"yeah, i just came for, um…" there was the embarrassment. "this," you held up the box you had dropped quickly.

"can i be honest with you?" rhea leaned in to ask quietly, making you mirror her actions unconsciously.

"yeah…?"

"that's a cheap piece of plastic, it'll probably die after a few uses. especially if you use it on a high setting or one of the patterns. not to mention it's loud as hell," she stated simply, walking around you to glance around the shelves. she scanned them determined until she found what she was looking for, her tongue poking out slightly as she furrowed her eyebrows in concentration. you couldn't help but notice the glimmer that reflected off her piercing under the dim lighting. "this," she picked up a small blue one that looked just about the same, "it's a little more pricey, but does all the same stuff. it's quiet, it's plastic with a rubber coat so it's softer and more comfortable. plus it's waterproof, unlike the one you picked out."

"oh." your mouth hung open a bit.

"were you looking for something more small and compact specifically or…? what made you pick that one?"

"it was black," you blushed, giving her an honest answer, "it just seemed more…simple than everything else."

"have you ever bought a vibrator before? for yourself?"

you looked around, biting your lip before shaking your head, blushing furiously.

"hey, it's not a big deal. this is a judgment free space," rhea rested a hand on your shoulder with a reassuring smile, "but i get that it can be tricky and fucking embarrassing picking something out for the first time, so i'm here to help. i don't work on commission or anything, so everything i suggest to you is for your own benefit, not mine. okay?"

you searched her eyes for signs of insincerity, though you didn't know why this girl would have any reason to be insincere with you. you were still nervous, but you nodded, watching as rhea's pink lips curled up into a bigger smile, showing off her pearly white teeth. "so first things first, are you on a budget?"

"not really," you murmured, "i'm not looking to spend hundreds of dollars, but i don't want to get anything too cheap."

rhea nodded and clasped her hands together. "well, like with anything, vibrators go through regular wear and tear if they're not cleaned properly or if they're used frequently. some hold up better than others, but obviously those ones are gonna be more expensive." you nodded, following her around. "so, if you're comfortable telling me how often you masturbate, that'll point us in the right direction of what price range we'd be looking in. if not, we can still figure something out."

you nearly choked on your own tongue as your eyes widened, jaw slacked as you tried to find the words. you didn't really even have an answer to that question. it wasn't like you had a set schedule. but you'll admit that it had become more frequent in the past few days. all thanks to the girl who was standing so patiently in front of you, waiting on an answer.

"i-i guess normally it's once every week or two," you stammered shyly, averting your eyes. you didn't know what she expected, but seeing rhea just nod and glance back at the boxes on the shelves gave you a sense of relief.

"okay. so you wouldn't be looking for something to use too frequently. so you said you were drawn to that first one because it was black?"

"i-it's my favorite color," you laughed nervously.

"okay, good to know," rhea laughed, "so it wasn't the size or anything that you were specifically going for?"

"i guess not…i saw it the night i was here with my friends, i figured the smaller the better so i could hide it from them until i got back home."

"so another personal question, but when you masturbate, what do you like?"

"what do you mean?" you swallowed thickly, feeling your palms start to sweat.

"i mean, do you prefer clitoral stimulation, penetration, anal play, or a mix of anything?"

you were sure that your face was as red as a tomato. But you cleared your throat and straightened up, trying not to look so nervous. "i guess just…c-clitoral. penetration only sometimes…"

"when you're in the mood for it?" rhea asked, watching you nod, "well, we have anything that can suit any need, honestly. but if you mainly focus on clitoral stimulation, but enjoy penetration sometimes, i recommend one of these." She lead you to a shelf of straight rod vibrators, some rubber, some silicone, some a mix of the two. She reached for one of the ones on display, it was soft blue plastic with a thin rubber coating, smooth to the touch and not scary looking at all. "this is a good one. and it comes in black," she handed it to you with a smile, "you can turn it on if you want. it has a few speeds."

you nodded and bit your lip, pressing the button towards the bottom and flinching when the toy came to life, vibrating gently in your hand. it was quiet, which would come in handy.

"hold it against the tip of your nose," rhea instructed.

"what?"

"i know it sounds weird, but trust me. and don't worry, it's clean," the taller girl chuckled, watching as you did as she said, holding the vibrator to the tip of your nose. "how's that feel?"

"weird. is this some kind of joke?"

"surprisingly no. actually the tip of your nose is just as sensitive as your clit, but without the extra nerves. so if a certain vibration speed feels too strong or intense on the tip of your nose, it's gonna be too much for your genitals," she explained, "it's just a little trick to keep in mind."

"oh."

"so is it too strong?"

"no, it's okay," you pressed the button again, feeling like an idiot holding a vibrator up to your face. but at least you were learning without judgment.

"cool. and the good thing about those is you can use it on your clit if that's all you're looking for, but you can also use it for penetration if you decide that's what you wanna do at any given time."

you took the toy off your nose and nodded, biting the inside of your cheek. how could this girl be so carefree in how she spoke about sexual stuff? you found yourself blushing if you even talked about kissing.

"i like girls, so i-is it normal for me to like…um…"

"what? penetration?" rhea quirked an eyebrow at you, "totally normal. you don't have to be attracted to guys to enjoy penetration. the attraction is in your mind. your body just wants the pleasure. just like guys can enjoy anal penetration without being gay. this is why toys were made."

you nodded, remaining quiet. you could feel your body heating up, but you remained as neutral as possible. rhea didn't need to know that your heart was beating a mile a minute in your chest.

"did you wanna look around some more or do you think we have a winner?" the dark-haired girl cocked her head to the side curiously.

"i think i'll stick with this one," you whispered involuntarily. your voice was slowly disappearing and you just hoped your roommate wasn't in when you got back to your dorm.

"do you want the black one?" rhea smirked, putting the blue one back on display, already reaching for the redblack one on the shelf and handing it to you. you thanked her quietly as she lead you back downstairs. "i can check you out, i've gotta relieve dom for his break anyways."

you watched rhea's hips sway as she made her way behind the counter, shooing the pale-skinned man away for his break before typing into the computer and scanning the box.

"did you wanna sign up for a loyalty account? totally free and you'll already earn a ten dollar credit for next time you come in for purchasing something over fifty bucks," she looked up you, a small smirk painting her lips at you fidgeting slightly.

"sure," you nodded. you weren't sure how often you would be back in, but as of right now you weren't thinking clearly at all. As much as you were enjoying rhea's company, you wanted to get home.

"just fill out this info, i'll put it into the system," rhea traded you a piece of paper for your credit card, doing the transaction while you filled out the information slip.

signing the receipt after finishing filling out the paperwork, you took the bag from the taller girl and bit your lip gently. "thanks for your help, rhea."

"anytime, angel. you should get an email about your account in about an hour," she smiled, eyes shining.

you smiled shyly, ducking your head briefly before showing yourself out.

you sat in class the next day, admittedly feeling much better than you had been in the past few days. your mind was clear and you were able to focus, though the image of rhea still popped up in your head. you didn't know how that woman knew so much, or how she was able to talk about it with a straight face, but you certainly appreciated it. you'd never met anyone like her before. the only person you'd really talked to about sex was ariana. but the blonde, like yourself, would just blush and try to change the subject. god forbid the topic ever came up around harper or tara, they spoke so explicitly and made such a big deal out of it.

but with rhea, while it was still embarrassing for you, she made it seem so normal and made you feel like there was nothing to be embarrassed about. then again, it was her job to help people find what they're looking for. she probably just talked about it so much that it was boring to her now. but you couldn't help but wonder what else she knew…

"miss?"

"hm?" you flinched, picking your head up. apparently you'd been unconsciously doodling again.

"your presentation?" your professor quirked an eyebrow at you.

"oh, right," you shook your head quickly to wake yourself up a bit, retrieving your notes and making your way to the front of the class.

a few hours later, you were sitting towards the back of the lecture hall, trying to stay awake. you loved majoring in psychology, but this professor had such a boring, monotone voice. you tried to keep your phone in your purse most of the time, wanting to focus on the information that you were learning, but if you had to listen to this man speak another sentence in his low, boring tone, you were going to lose it.

your brows knit together in confusion at the group of missed texts from an unknown number, glancing around before unlocking your phone.

rhea: hey this is rhea from aphrodisia. rhea: i know this is really invasive and creepy of me, but i just think you're really cute and i was gonna see if you wanted to go out for drinks or something. rhea: you can totally ignore this if you want or just tell me to delete your number and i will

you could feel your heart pounding rapidly in your chest and you honestly wondered if anyone else could hear it. it was like a percussion band in your ears as you read over the texts over and over again, your palms starting to sweat as you typed out your reply.

hi. how did you get my number…?

you watched with high anticipation as a little grey bubble appeared on the bottom left of the screen, adjusting yourself in your seat so you could sit up straight.

rhea: you put it on the loyalty account info slip yesterday.

oh right, you forgot you had signed up for that.

rhea: which i know it's super unprofessional for me to do that, but you said you liked girls, so i figured i'd shoot my shot. rhea: plus i didn't know if i'd ever see you again to ask for your number in person.

a blush came to your cheeks as you bit your lip. even through texts, this girl had the power to make your face flame up.

is this how you pick up everybody you take a liking to?

you bit your lip harder as you tried not to giggle to yourself at your own boldness.

well, i suppose i'm flattered. but…why me?

nervousness continued to rage like a fire in your chest as you watched the grey text bubble pop up again.

rhea: honestly, you just seem really sweet and easy to talk to. plus did you even SEE yourself in that black dress last weekend?

if it was possible for the flush on your cheeks to get more intense, it was happening right now. and you were sure that you would draw blood if you bit your lip any harder. a small smile painted itself on your lips as the grey text bubble popped up once more.

you're easy to talk to, too. but i know it's probably in your job description to make people feel comfortable while they're shopping.

rhea: i mean, yeah, no one's gonna feel comfortable buying dildos and handcuffs if we make a big deal out of it. but you learn after a while that we're all just human and pleasure is nothing to be ashamed of. but i didn't feel like i had to use my customer service voice with you.

rhea: to be honest, while we were talking, i forgot you were even a customer for a second.

you clutched the phone harder in your hands as you resisted the urge to tell her how pleased you were with the purchase you'd made yesterday. rhea didn't need to know that. you barely knew her, and regardless, they were having a personal conversation. you didn't need to treat this girl like a rate and review page on amazon.

rhea: you still there?

yeah, sorry i'm in class.

rhea: oh sorry! i'll leave you alone. but how bout that drink?

rhea: no pressure.

you closed your eyes in deep thought. what harm could one drink do? were you really willing to go out with the random dark-haired girl who sold you a vibrator just yesterday?

when are you free?

rhea: i work pretty much every night :( and i'm sure you have classes during the day if you're in one now.

rhea: do you have anything you would need to be up early for on saturday morning?

not to my knowledge.

rhea: the store closes at 11 friday night if you wanna meet here? we can just walk over to one of the bars nearby if you want.

you bit your lip as you thought it over. it was obvious that you liked this girl, and she seemed to like you back. but…what happened if things worked out between you? your mother would never approve. when would you be able to make time for each other with your schedules being so different already? what if rhea got bored of you or vice versa? what if rhea was just using you?

you're thinking way too deep into this. it's one night, one drink. you're gonna regret it if you don't.

rhea: your hesitation is worrying me, pretty girl.

just say yes, dumbass. who knows the next time you'll meet a pretty girl who not only likes you back, but makes the first move? you deserve this.

i'll be there. of course.

rhea: okay! i work the floor friday night, so if you get here before closing just come find me upstairs.

okay :) can't wait.

rhea: me either :) see you then, darlin'.

placing your phone down on your desk, you pursed your lips together in a tight line, trying to contain the smile that threatened to take over your entire face. thankfully your excitement overpowered your apprehension. you were sure that when the dust settled you would be more nervous than ever. but for now, you were floating on cloud nine.

[hisbucky]

*party at the new Grant-Nash residence* Buck, hosting: Fueled by trauma and insecurities, I present to you our special activity for the night — a quiz based on me, my life, and things I love. Tonight, we will find out who truly loves me. Chimney, deadpan: Buck, this is not that serious. Tommy, muttering: Speak for yourself, me and Eddie are here to win this. Eddie: You tell him, babe. Ain't no way we are going to let anybody show us up. Nobody knows Buck better than we do as his boyfriends. Bobby: You sure about that? Would be a shame if the two of you lose after all that smack talk. Maddie: Enough yapping. I'm ready to crush all of you. Buck: Now before we begin, introducing our special guest for the program - Christopher: Prepare to be humbled, fam. *on the other side of the house* Hen: Didn't want to join in the fun? Athena: Buck knows better than to question his momma’s love. The boy knows I'd rather have a relaxing night of wine and gossip. Karen: Cheers to that!

[iphyslitterator]

I am enamored of @mannafromtevan's Airport 1975 theory, and here's the number one reason why:

TOMMY AND ATHENA TEAM-UP

We have no information on how Athena feels about Tommy, and she's the only main character of whom that can be said. They've never really interacted in canon. Their potential dynamic is severely underexplored in fandom. I've been saying all along that integrating Tommy with the rest of the firefam, especially in ways unrelated to Buck, is necessary if they want him to be endgame and would be one of the surest signs they're considering it - pairing Tommy with Athena for the opening disaster would be huge.

Also, this isn't the only possibility, but I've been toying with the idea that Athena is the only one who actually is skeptical of Tommy. You know how Hen told Chim about Tatiana, "I'm your best friend, I get to hold a grudge about her til I die"? Athena was there for Hen's early days at the 118. Hen must have vented to her about the lack of support (at best) she was getting from her coworkers, including Tommy. And even after Gerrard left and Hen and Tommy became work friends, I can see Athena being the type to carry that grudge on Hen's behalf. I don't think she'd be actively trying to break up Buck and Tommy or anything, but she could be side-eyeing the guy, and since Bobby's totally on board with Tommy, she could see it as her job to remain suspicious - Bobby, after all, didn't know Tommy in the Gerrard days. If the show wanted to go this route, they could have Athena and Bobby touch on it briefly toward the beginning of 8x01.

Whether Athena has reservations about Tommy or just doesn't know him very well, crashing a plane together would be a chance for her to see that he's competent, tough, and loyal - as well as a bit unhinged, and with a caustic sense of humor that honestly kind of matches hers. And if they get the 118 on the line and she gets to witness the first I Love You?? *chef's kiss*

On the flip side, Tommy gets to like and respect Athena for all the same reasons. Plus if Athena has to make some sort of ethical decision about the "person from her past," I would loooove to see her talk to Tommy about it. I'm not saying Tommy should be central to the problem or solution - I'm picturing them sitting in the cockpit during a lull in the action, Athena taking the opportunity to discuss the issue with a neutral third party, maybe with Tommy offering a nugget of wisdom, in a scene that tells us something about both characters.

And IMAGINE the REUNIONS - think about it, Buck and Tommy's first Moment came when they watched Bathena reunite at the end of 7x03, so imagine a parallel at the end of 8x03!!! Tommy and Athena emerging from the plane, Bathena gaze at each other, time slows, maybe Over the Rainbow is playing idk, they run into each other's arms, AND THEN we cut to Bucktommy, but THIS time they're ALSO embracing and delivering their most scorching kiss since the hospital, ohhhh my god I'm chewing glass!!!!!

And then as enumerated by @a-mel0n, rappelling out of a helicopter into a jet was the hottest thing Buck's ever seen and he has to fuck him about it immediately amen.

[a-deep-ocean-of-secrets]

What do we think Tommy's dating history is?

We are all very familiar with Buck’s extensive dating history and his serious relationships, so I thought we’d throw Tommy a bone and speculate a bit on his past. Let’s start at the beginning. 

In 7x10, he revealed to Buck that his father was a lot like Gerrard, so Tommy essentially grew up in a homophobic household. When did Tommy start realizing he had feelings for guys instead of girls? Middle school? High school? And, with the bigotry he would have been facing at home, would he have acted on those feelings at all? Or do we think he tried to push such desires aside and have girlfriends instead? Did he ever have a crush on a boy at school? Maybe he would have kissed one and claimed it was a ‘drunken mistake’ at a party, or under the guise of a dare he might have kissed a boy under the bleachers. Or maybe he had one close guy friend and they would ‘help each other out’, but would staunchly proclaim ‘no homo’ afterward. 

Next is his time in the army. It’s a sad thought that he might have viewed joining the army as an escape from his father but would have ended up in an even harsher environment under DADT and with COs who most likely shared traits with both his father and Gerrard. He would have had to actively hide his sexuality (if he had even made peace with it yet, which is unlikely since he probably went into the army right at 18). Do we think he would have let himself explore any potential feelings he might have had for his fellow brothers in arms? I know some theorize that the reason he left the army could have been a dishonorable discharge due to DADT, but he didn’t express any negativity when briefly speaking of his time in the army to Buck. I think he would have kept a tight lid on his feelings, and maybe continued to believe he was straight. 

Assuming right after he left the army he went into firefighting, that puts him at the 118 with Gerrard, who was terrible. So he was once again under the thumb of a bigot. From “Chimney Begins”, we know he claimed to have a girlfriend, but he was quick to have an excuse for why she couldn’t come and cook for the 118. Was the girlfriend real or just a lie for Tommy to pass as straight? If she was real, were they in a genuine relationship or was Tommy using her as a beard? And if Tommy was secretly single, was he exploring his feelings for men on the down low? Going to gay bars or clubs? Hooking up, but never taking it further than a one-night stand? How much self-loathing would he have been dealing with? 

Jump ahead to Hen arriving at the 118 and being unapologetically herself, which helped in getting Gerrard ousted. A few years pass as the 118 cycles through captains but has a better workplace environment. Even as Tommy has become closer to Hen and Chimney, he still doesn’t feel comfortable coming out, probably due to the lingering effects of Gerrard. But in that time, do we think he has taken more steps in accepting being gay? Maybe he has tried dating instead of just hooking up. Or was he still firmly in the closet? 

He told Buck on their first date that it wasn’t until he left the 118 that he felt ready to fully embrace his identity. So, in universe, he has only been out of the closet for six to seven years. What did that look like when he finally accepted that he was gay? Did he have a Buck 1.0 phase where he sowed his wild oats? Did he want something serious right off the bat? We know, just like Buck, he’s dated people he’s met on calls and that it never ended well. 

Has he had a serious boyfriend? Do we think he’s ever exchanged an ‘I love you’ with someone? Moved in with someone? Maybe he even planned to one day marry one of his partners? What is his type? We know he doesn’t like dark and broody (case in point: Buck). What was he looking for when his old pal called him up and asked him to fly them into a hurricane to look for a lost cruise ship?

[haveihitanerve]

Steph and Bruce things-

Bruce once said- “when I die I want you to be the one who lowers me into the grave so you can let me down one last time” and dick gaped at him in horror, jason exploded into laughter, and steph glared at him before giving him a high five

Steph ends every argument with him with “i won this argument” even if she- especially if she very clearly did not

When she gets injured Bruce forces her to stay at the manor. Its the only time he is permitted to actually parent her because she is injured and needs to recover, but thats not to say she doesn't break into the cave and annoy him during work and force him to take her with him everywhere

Steph has all the codes and keys for everything in Wayne Manor/Batcave, but still breaks in everytime she comes over. It drives Bruce insane

When bruce gets injured shes one of the kids who sits at his side the whole time, especially if its because of her or its a big injury(dick is usually the other one)

When he gets sick she forces him to sit on the couch with her all day and folds him into a burrito blanket and eat junk food and slightly burnt soup with bread and watch trashy tv

When she gets sick bruce wraps her in a blanket burrito that she actually cannot escape from and takes her everywhere with him, just carting around his technically not daughter who is forced to be there and take the medicine he gives her and food and everything because shes wrapped in a straight jacket blanket

He picks her up from school and will have the most embarrassing songs ever playing, or will call out something awful like “is that the boy you have a shrine of in your room?”

Will lecture her in front of her friends

Steph changes all his contacts frequently so he always has to spend some time deciphering who it is based on what she called them, or he just starts every conversation with “who is this?”

She once forced him to come to a concert with her and buy matching t-shirts and merch and whenever shes feeling down he wears the shirt as like.. Solidarity and it makes her feel better

Every year for her birthday or christmas or something he sends her a bat symbol, either in purple or black or some other color and every year on his birthday she actually wears it for one day and lets him “claim” her as a bat

She was the first one to visit the League and gave everyone whiplash and made Batman actually break composure

Bruce will actively go on the patrol route she goes on and throw water or like snacks at her while screaming “Hydrate or diedrate!!!” and it is common to see a screaming Spoiler sprint away from Batman across rooftops

They have a snowball fight every year and she recruits every batkid to help

When shes on her period bruce “grounds her” from patrol and forces her to accept his mother henning just once a month. Steph doesn't actually mind. 

Steph gives him actually useful dating advice

Since shes not actually his daughter she lacks the baggage of being his child and tells him when hes messed up and he and Babs have like meetings with him to explain what hes done wrong with his kids and how to fix it/be better. Dick is also sometimes involved in these meetings when he is not the offended party

thats all i could think of rn but please feel free to add more 💗

[exhuastedpigeon]

I want to be your fantasy (maybe you could be mine)

Buddie | Explicit | 7.2k Bachelor party, former stripper Eddie, pole dancing, lap danced, smut, getting together

“Let me get this straight,” Eddie asked, voice as deadpan as Buck had ever heard it. “Chimney wants a classic bachelor party, but he doesn’t want to go to Vegas and he doesn’t want to go to a strip club and he thinks we’re too old to go to a regular club.”

“Yep,” Buck had his feet kicked up onto Eddie’s coffee table, a beer held loosely in his hand, his thigh pressed against Eddie’s even though Chris wasn’t there tonight so they didn’t actually have to sit so close. 

“Which is why you made us watch The Hangover.”

“Correct.”

“Even though Hen is his best woman and she’s the one in charge of planning the party.”

“She asked me to help. I-I’m pretty sure I’m getting on Maddie and Chim’s nerves trying to help with the wedding and they asked her to give me something to do.”

“Well, did you learn anything about bachelor parties?” Eddie asked, voice no longer deadpan and instead a little teasing. Buck couldn’t help the flutter in his stomach when Eddie smirked at him, but he could ignore it.

“Maybe we can just go golfing?”

“Yeah, that could work,” Eddie took a sip of his beer. “Make a whole weekend of it and stay at one of those fancy ass golf resorts.”

“T-that’s actually a great idea,” Buck pulled his phone out to text Hen. “Getting drunk on a golf course feels like a very classic bachelor party.”

“It’s what we did for my cousin Diego a few years back,” Eddie smiled at him as he spoke. “We also went to a strip club that night though.”

“No strip clubs,” Buck said with a sigh. “This would be so much easier to plan if he wasn’t marrying my sister and if he didn’t have so many requirements.”

“You’re the man with the plan, you’ll figure it out,” Eddie said, clinking his beer bottle against Buck’s with a cheeky grin. 

Buck sighed when Hen said no to the golfing and texted her back that maybe they should just go to a Dodgers game, Chim loved baseball. Baseball could be a bachelor party activity. 

Read on ao3

[bekolxeram]

We may or may not get a trailer in less than a day, so before that, I want to get something disk horse-y out of the way.

The number one criticism against Tommy I've seen is that he is dismissive of Buck's feelings and interests, citing the bachelor party as evidence. One of the most popular posts in the anti-Tommy tag even goes as far as imagining Buck's parents taking a liking to Tommy, because he would agree with them that Buck should tone down his excitable nature.

We've already gone through this part at least 10 times. Yes, Tommy didn't dress up for the 80s theme party, but neither did anyone except Hen (dressed for the wrong decade) and Eddie (dressed as the wrong character). Tommy at least had the excuse of being on standby and accepting the party invitation last minute. Look at Buck's big old smile telling Tommy "glad you could make it" then waddling towards him with opened arms like a penguin. He probably didn't know whether Tommy would come until he actually showed up.

I don't see how Tommy is supposedly dismissive in the rest of the scene either.

Yes, Tommy made a joke instead of falling to his knees and begging for forgiveness. He wasn't even wrong. He was alive in the 80s, he knew how people actually used to dress better than Buck and Eddie. As I mentioned above, the others didn't even try to explain their decision to not dress up. Ravi straight up started eating the food the moment he went through the door without even asking.

Tommy haters might interpret the Wedding Singer line as him looking down on Buck and Eddie's costumes? I think he was genuinely confused. Crockett and Tubbs' outfits don't really stand out that much to begin with, Buck and Eddie's jackets were also too fitted. The 80s were all about oversized clothing. Our Crockett² here just made it more puzzling. Maddie couldn't tell they were supposed to be Crockett and Tubbs either, when they showed up to the wedding venue.

If you only listen to the naysayers, you may think Tommy's reply would be something like "I don't care", "You guys are too extra", or "You don't look like Miami Vice". But his actual reply was:

After knowing Buck and Eddie were supposed to be Crockett and Tubbs, Tommy asked which one was Crockett. Not only did he not dismiss any of their excitement, he actively showed interests in Buck's enthusiasm. Look at Buck and Eddie's death stares when they realized they both dressed up as Crockett, they obviously hate each other. See? I can do it too.

I just don't understand why not wearing a costume and making a joke about Henleys in the 80s somehow cancel out the effort he made to keep his promise and show up both times despite having to work. I don't understand either why Tommy has been painted as this uncaring villain while other characters in the same scene do not get the same treatment.

You know what? There was indeed someone in this scene who kind of rained on Buck's parade, basically telling him off for being too excited:

IMO, she was right and Buck needed to hear it.

[sealaficionada]

There was a painting activity as part of my sister's hen party: I haven't painted since school, but I made this little dapper fellow!

[rdng1230]

Any SalTommy headcanons?

Thanks for the ask I have literally So many! ok I’m putting these into categories. The first is happy fluffy fun, the second and third is something I’ll probably have to discuss in therapy next week 🙃. For reals, I almost deleted those last paragraphs because here this nice person has come to my ask box and my brain has decided to reciprocate with the most hurt no comfort shit it’s ever concocted. Ok happy stuff first!

Saltommy as besties:

they are attached at the hip and their two favorite activities are Muay Thai and action movie marathons. At some point they get overly into the Guy Ritchie British gangster type movies and Hen has to institute a “stupid British accent” jar for the two of them.

Tommy and Sal don’t hang out that often once they leave the 118. But Tommy is ride or die for Sal’s daughter. He’s the fun uncle that isn’t constantly there but when he is he does something insanely awesome like build her a treehouse or a bottle cannon or something.

The reason Gina dragged Sal to twilight was because she is bisexual and just as into Kristen Stewart as he is. When Tommy *finally* comes out it’s actually Sal that suggests Gina take Tommy to his first pride. Sal stays at home with his daughter so Tommy and Gina end up having a very fun and alcohol filled night a la the bachelor party that wasn’t. (goddammit I think I just gave myself another fic in the series to write.)

k well that’s enough happiness this is about to get insanely angsty for no fucking reason besides apparently that my brain wants me to suffer today. If your brain does not desire to feed the angst demon inside of you, for the love of god stop reading now. I will NOT be offended because I wrote the damn thing and I think I took it too far. Also it gets a lil NSFW from here.

Evil toxic fucked up Saltommy:

Tommy’s fucked up dad and then fucked up army superiors and then fucked up captain Gerrard taught tommy he was safer following the big tough guy. He knows Sal is bad for him, knows Sal doesn’t love him, but he figures being useful is good enough when he knows he won’t be wanted. He lets Sal take more than he should, usually discreet hand/blowjobs in the showers or broom closet (yeah the metaphor isn’t lost on him)

They have a horrible call where the one person they did manage to rescue suddenly codes in the ambulance. A version of Sal that Tommy’s never seen before shows up at Tommy’s house. It’s the only time Sal ever lets Tommy fuck him and after it’s over, Tommy holds him and runs his hand through Sal’s hair. They fall asleep together but when Tommy wakes up Sal is long gone. The following week Sal is absolutely vicious to everyone. He ends up getting hurt and Tommy patches him up. As Tommy sterilizes a wound just above his eye, Sal grabs his arm and stares at him. It’s an apology, and it’s also an ending. Tommy still follows Sal, always one pace behind, but they’re never intimate again.

Idk I guess doomed lovers Saltommy? Sal’s not as much of a monster but they’re still not healthy:

There’s always a heat to Tommy and Sal’s banter and Tommy genuinely wonders if someday Sal might tip them into something more. One of the 118 probies dies and Sal on some level believes it’s his fault. The night of the probies funeral Sal’s just numb and Tommy suggests Sal crash his couch. Tommy hates seeing Sal in pain like that and hovers in front of the bedroom door wondering if he should go to him. He’s shocked when Sal opens the door and suddenly they’re in Tommy’s bed. He’s surprised by how cuddly Sal is. (And if you’re like hey that sounds a bit like Booth & Brennan shhhhh you saw nothing)

after that they start sneaking around. At this point Gerrard is gone and they’re in the revolving door of captains stage. Tommy starts talking about potentially telling Hen and Chim, and Sal just knows deep in his gut that Tommy is the braver of the two of them, and Sal won’t be ready in the time Tommy needs him to be. Sal starts picking fights hoping Tommy will run off on his own. Eventually they do stop seeing each other romantically but Tommy’s still so *close* it’s driving Sal insane. He wants to run away with him and he wants to run away from him at the same time. When Bobby shows up and doesn’t know his ass from his elbow a lot of the time, Sal let’s all that anger and tension bubble up, on some level he knows he can’t bring himself to leave Tommy, so he pushes Bobby into sending him away by force.

After he moves to the 122 he buries himself in the work. He makes captain, even starts dating men, but still in the shadows. He hears through the grapevine that Tommy is dating the 118’s hotshot. He sees a photo of Tommy and Buck at the medal ceremony in the morning paper, looking so obviously head over heels for one another, and it’s the first and only sick day as a captain he ever takes.