#it's nurseydex but it's also about whiskey

[nursedexy]

The thing is I adore zimmbits, but i also really love reading about about them breaking up and Bitty bonding with Kent over their shared ex and love of pop music and them falling in love

[thoughtsofthegirlwiththecurl]

WIP Tag Game

Thank you for the tag @cricketnationrise!

Let's do this instead of trying to work on my data map before my caffeine's kicked in.

Rules: post the names of all the files in your WIP folder, regardless of how non-descriptive or ridiculous. Let people send you an ask with the title that most intrigues them, and then post a little snippet or tell them something about it! and then tag as many people as you have WIPs

Mass Effect - Joker

NurseyDex Go Skiing

RWRB Epistolary Publishing

RWRB Magic Vets

RWRB Theatre

WTF - Post Bitty Seeing Whiskey

We're getting weird in 2024! Also fuck titling!

Tagging @pendwick @appalamutte @vhenadahls @alocalband @thesleepyskipper @ohyoufool

[everwitch-magiks]

dance with somebody (ch. 1)

It’s the first kegster of his senior year, the first kegster after his first fucking win as captain of the Samwell Men's Hockey Team, and Dex just-

Dex needs a moment.

The porch is empty. Dex settles down, sets aside his half-empty can of beer. Looks down the road of frat houses, all in various stages of Saturday night festivities. The water polo frat, Dex thinks, is gonna have one hell of a post party cleanup.

Inside the Haus, someone’s put on I wanna dance with somebody. Dex almost smiles.

It’s maybe a little weird, how he doesn’t even have to be in there to know exactly what’s going on.

Bully and Hops are dancing, and Louis is definitely not. He’ll be off in a corner, talking to whoever will listen (Whiskey, most likely, since he’s always off to the side if he can help it) about how he can’t understand why he hasn’t been appointed officially in charge of all kegster playlists, yet. Tango, meanwhile, is probably still trying to get Farmer and her friends to explain all the rules of volleyball, in detail, unless Ford has staged her usual intervention. Chowder will be wherever Farmer is, the Scones are still riding that sweet, sweet high of their first NCAA victory… And then there’s Nursey.

Somehow, there’s always Nursey.

He’s there in the early mornings, when Dex thinks he’ll hit the gym before anyone else, his smiles casual and his chirps gentle. He shows up every so often when Dex gets out of class, with Dex’s favourite flat white from Annie’s and a wry smile, and drags Dex along to Founders where they’ll sit together in near silence and mostly not study. Or, actually, Nursey kind of studies for real. Dex… Well.

Lately, Dex can't say he's been all that productive, when Nursey is around.

It really shouldn’t feel as novel as it does. The elements of a crush were always there. If Dex hadn’t meticulously labeled those flaring emotions as something entirely different, those first couple of years, the two of them might've gotten here a whole lot sooner.

Because they’re finally kind of getting somewhere, aren’t they? Unless Dex has been reading Nursey completely wrong, lately. Except he can’t have, not really – the way Nursey’s been staying so close to him, out of choice, those soft smiles and clearly intentional touches. Earlier that same evening, Nursey had let his hand rest on the small of Dex’s back, gently and deliberately and not for the first time. Dex isn’t actually sure what might've happened between them if he’d turned towards Nursey, just then, and met his eyes directly.

Maybe, Dex thinks, he’s finally ready to find that out. To take that leap. See where they land.

The door opens, then closes.

“Hey. Sorry if I’m bothering you.”

Dex turns around, offers a brief smile. He nods towards the empty space next to him.

Whiskey walks over, and sits down.

Dex picks up his can of beer and holds it up towards Whiskey.

“Really good game, tonight.”

Whiskey clinks his bottle against it, almost dutifully.

Dex takes a long drink. Whiskey drinks, too. He’s quiet, which is completely on brand, yet for some reason he seems a little more restless than usually.

“You baked pie,” Whiskey says, after a moment.

Which is not what Dex expected, at all. But at least it’s something.

“Did you get a slice?”

“I did, yeah. It was pretty good.”

“Tried my best.” Dex shrugs. “Obviously, I’ll never live up to Bitty’s legendary baking legacy.”

“You don’t have to,” Whiskey says, and then he pauses, as though he’s choosing his words very carefully. “You don’t have to be the same captain Bitty was.”

“Oh, I could never be.” Dex sips his beer. “We’re similar, though, in a lot of ways. I think that’s part of why I’ve come to look up to him so much.”

“That’s… Yeah.” Whiskey looks away. “I mean, I voted for him, too.”

“You got his dibs,” Dex says, and it’s not quite a question. “That’s pretty cool.”

For some reason, that makes Whiskey grimace.

“Honestly? I’m still not sure why.”

Dex looks at Whiskey, then, really looks at him. Finds that the tension he’s so used to seeing in Whiskey’s shoulders isn’t quite there, anymore. Acknowledges that the usually guarded look in Whiskey’s eyes has given way to something tentatively curious, yet still hesitant. Above all, though, Whiskey looks like he’s so, so tired, like there’s something constantly exhausting him. Like every breath of fresh air just leaves him more drained than the one before.

And if that isn’t a feeling Dex finds all too familiar.

“You know, I actually voted for you,” Dex says. “As captain.”

Whiskey startles – no, flinches. Dex has never seen him look so bewildered.

“You bring a lot to this team,” Dex continues firmly. “You make our best plays, and you always look out for everyone on the ice. You don’t make a big fuss about it, but I always know you’re going to have my back, no matter what. You lead by example.”

“Bitty led by example,” Whiskey says – argues, almost. “By being loud, and proud, and one hundred percent unapologetically himself at all times. And I’m not… That's just not me.”

“You don’t have to be like Bitty, any more than I do,” Dex says, gently. “You know that, right? There’s literally one million other versions of being proud of who you are. It’s okay to find one that you're comfortable with. It’s okay if that takes time.”

Whiskey leans back, abruptly – he looks almost as if he’d very much like to take off, running, rather than acknowledge any part of what Dex has just said. Yet then he stills. Something shifts in his expression.

“You and Nurse,” he says, simply.

Dex draws in a breath. Whiskey is watching him intently.

"I mean, yeah," Dex says. Because somehow, he owes Whiskey this. "Me and Nursey."

Whiskey nods, slowly.

"Huh."

"It's not… We haven't really talked about it, yet."

That makes Whiskey look surprised.

"Some things take time," Dex adds, completely aware of how he’s repeating himself. "And, like, there's no rush. There's not going to be a finish line. No prize for getting there first."

“But you know what you want,” Whiskey says. His voice is a little hoarse, compared to before. “You know who you are.”

“You’ll get there,” Dex says, quietly but firmly. “Whatever that means for you. It’ll be difficult, and it might take time. But you’ll make it through.”

Whiskey merely shrugs.

They’re both quiet for a long moment, after that.

Then Whiskey gets up.

“Think I’m gonna call it a night.”

“Okay.” Dex smiles towards him. “See you at team breakfast, tomorrow?”

“Sure.” Yet Whiskey lingers for a moment, almost if there’s something more he means to say. “Thank you. I mean, for the company.”

“Anytime,” Dex says, and finds that he really means it. “You can always talk to me, Whiskey. About anything.”

Whiskey nods once more, his expression unchanging, before quickly heading inside.

Dex watches him go.

He’d like to keep a much closer eye on Whiskey, from this moment on. He can’t, though. Whiskey would realize immediately. And that’s no good – it’s got to be on Whiskey’s terms, or not at all.

It's something Dex knows from experience.

The door opens again.

It's Nursey.

"Whiskey just came in, looking like, super unchill." Nursey closes the door behind him. "Did something happen?"

"He's a bit stressed, but he's okay."

"Oh. Good, then." Nursey walks over, yet he doesn't sit down. Instead he leans against the banister in a way that’s probably supposed to look casual, and glances towards Dex from the side. “Are you okay, though?”

“Of course I am.”

Nursey frowns. “You seemed a bit out of it, earlier.”

“Earlier tonight?”

“Before the game.”

“Ah,” Dex says. Because of course Nursey would pick up on what Dex had been trying so hard to conceal. On the very reason why he’s come out to the porch, all by himself, while a seriously ‘swasome kegster is still going on inside. “I guess I’m just not really used to it all, yet? The whole captain bit.”

Nursey hums. “You’re not in this alone, you know. You don’t have to go through it alone.”

“Yeah. I know.”

“And, like, if you wanted to have an alternate? You could do that. I’m sure the team would be cool with it.”

“Actually,” Dex says, “I’ve sort of been thinking about that for a while now.”

Nursey grins.

“Oh, man. Chowder’s gonna freak out so hard, when you ask him.”

“What makes you so certain I’m not going to ask you?”

Nursey turns to stare at him, abruptly.

“That’s a joke, right? God, please tell me you’re joking.”

“It’s mostly a joke,” Dex admits with a slight grin, and there’s no way he’s gonna pass on the obvious chirp. “Chill, man.”

“You do not get to use that word in this context.” Nursey still looks decidedly unsettled. “Fuck, me? The A? Do you have any idea how many papers an English major needs to churn out his senior year?”

“Yeah, you poor baby.”

“Ha, ha. God, I need another drink.”

“There’s someone else I have in mind, actually,” Dex says. That look in Whiskey’s eyes, uncertain yet somehow still so determined, is fresh in his memory. “Someone who could grow into the role, maybe? Someone who needs an opportunity to learn more about themselves, and all they can be.”

Nursey frowns. “It’s not Tango, is it? Because if our pre-game ritual turns into twenty fucking questions, I’m one hundred percent blaming you.”

Dex smiles.

“No. It’s not Tango.”

“Well. Good.”

They’re quiet for a moment. Then Nursey looks over at Dex – really looks at him, meeting his eyes directly – before slowly (and intentionally, one might say) stepping away from the banister and sitting down in the same spot Whiskey occupied, earlier. Except Nursey might be sitting a bit closer to Dex. Maybe a lot closer.

It’s a little bit ridiculous, but does it still make Dex’s heart flutter? Fuck yeah.

“So,” Nursey says, his voice strangely calm – chill, even though the way he can’t quite make himself face Dex as he speaks gives him away completely. “Are we ever gonna, y’know. Have this conversation?”

Dex takes a deep breath. Then he reaches out, takes Nursey’s right hand in his. Laces their fingers together, softly yet very deliberately.

“Yeah. I think it’s time we do.”

(ch. 2)

[carcasstohounds]

every time i see a post that’s basically just “bitty is annoying and no one actually likes him” i lose 5 years of my life

[hashtagdex]

#10 or #34 with nurseydex 🤫

thank you em!! i love you i hope you like it <3 (also read on ao3)

Number 10 is Tequila Shots by Kid Cudi

Gotta take a minute, y'all, traveled far

Feelin' somethin', no, I can't ignore my instincts

[…]

Something 'bout the night that keep me safe and warm

Just me, the universe, and everything I think

If there's one thing Nursey knows, it's that time flies.

It feels like yesterday that he stepped foot on the campus at Samwell for the first time for the Taddy Tour, fresh-faced with quiet excitement thrumming under his skin as he took in Faber, the Quad, Founders. And now he has moved back into the Haus after summer break for the very last time.

This is it. This is senior year unfolding in front of him with every breath he takes and there's nothing he can do to slow it down, no matter how deep he digs his nails in.

In nine short months, Nursey is going to graduate and stumble into his post-college, adult life with a degree and no real plan of what’s next or where he’ll end up living. He knows his moms would love it if he moved back to the City, but he’s fallen in love with Boston to the point that the clear-cut definition of the City that he came here with has started to blur.

In nine short months, Nursey will never have to rush to class after practice or worry about his thesis again. He'll never lace up his skates in his cubby at Faber between Dex and Chowder again. He'll never glare daggers at the Lax frat across the street again, however half-hearted they may have become since Whiskey has cozied up to one of the probably-Chads. He'll never wander the Quad to drop down into an obscene pile of leaves to the sounds of Chowder’s gleeful laughter and Dex's grumbling complaints again. There will be no new batches of freshmen to haze or teammates to chirp. No more brunches or late night milkshakes at Annie's.

In nine short months, everything Nursey will have known for the past four years is going to change and he really isn't ready for it.

Maybe he'll never taste Dex's—or Bitty's, he supposes—baking again or wince at Chowder’s random, painful-looking splits or fine Farmer and him for some insanely saccharine PDA. For all he knows, come graduation, he'll lose sight of the rest of the Frogs and it'll be just him wherever the fuck he ends up.

The universe seems to hear him—the back door cracks open, through his thoughts that threaten to spiral again, and then it's Dex’s voice saying, "Hey, Nurse."

Nursey cranes his neck around to find Dex’s head peeking out through the screen door, illuminated softly by the warm yellow porch light Nursey left on when he came out here an hour ago. The sight of him settles something in Nursey’s turbulent chest. “Hey, Cap,” he shoots back and even in the dim light, he can tell Dex flushes at the nickname. Nursey’s stomach swoops pleasantly. “What’s up?”

Dex shifts his weight. “Mind if I join you?”

Being alone is probably not going to do him much good right now, Nursey figures. And he’s come to realize that something about Dex’s company makes him quiet, deep down. “Nah, go ahead.”

With a little grateful smile that Nursey can’t help but return, Dex steps outside onto the porch entirely, a bottle of beer in each hand, and pushes the door shut with his hip. He doesn’t sidestep that one creaky floorboard on his way over to Nursey.

The crickets are chirping and a comfortable breeze brushes past them as Dex plops down on the top step next to Nursey, close enough for their knees to knock together. Nursey doesn’t move away, doesn’t focus on the point of contact, doesn’t focus on the warmth of Dex’s skin against his. Instead, he accepts the bottle Dex passes over to him.

“It’s a really nice night,” Dex comments and fishes the Falconers bottle opener Jack left them last year out of his pocket, then leans into Nursey’s space a little to pop his bottle’s lid off. Nursey hums in agreement and watches Dex crack open his own bottle before he slips the opener back into the pocket of his shorts. It really is a nice night; the leftover warm summer air of the day sits on his skin like a gentle blanket and the sky above is clear, dotted with twinkling stars that Nursey could spend forever searching for patterns in. Dex probably knows a lot of constellations “What’s got you thinking so hard out here?”

They clink the butts of their bottles together and Nursey lets the question sit in the night air between them as they both take a swig. “Oh, you know,” Nursey says with a sigh and a vague back-and-forth tilt of his palm after he’s swallowed.

Dex bumps his shoulder against Nursey’s. “Enlighten me.”

“It’s just,” Nursey starts, then sighs again. No point in hiding it, not with Dex. “It’s all changing.” Next to him, Dex stays quiet, but Nursey knows he’s got his full attention. It’s his way of encouraging someone to keep going, he’s learned. “We’re seniors. This is our last year here, our last shot to make this memorable and go out with a bang, I guess. Who knows where we’ll end up after graduation, if we’re even gonna be in the same place. We just got back from summer break today, preseason hasn’t even kicked off yet,” he scuffs his shoe against the wood of the step below, “but I can’t help but miss everyone already.”

“I get it,” Dex replies after a moment and Nursey can tell his brows are drawn together when he sighs. “While we’re being honest, I’m wondering if I’ll even get to be a good captain. Like, what if everyone who voted for me last year was wrong and I crash and burn, you know? What if I can’t lead us back to the Championship?”

“Hey,” Nursey cuts in immediately, getting Dex to look over at him as he takes a drink, “you’re gonna be a great captain. You fight for us and with us and that’s what matters. Everyone respects you here.” 

Dex offers him a small smile. “Thanks. And you know what?”

Nursey hums. “What?”

“We may not be able to stop this, but not everything’s going to change either,” Dex tells him, bumping their shoulders together again. ”No matter what happens or where we’ll end up, you’ll still have Chowder and me. Frogs for life, remember? And besides”—then there’s Dex’s pinky finger, bumping into his on the wood of the step between them; Nursey hooks his around it—“not every change has to be bad, right?”

“Right,” Nursey replies. He moves his ring finger over Dex’s, squeezing once, and Dex squeezes back without hesitating. “Anyway, sorry for being a bummer.”

Dex shakes his head. “Don’t be. I’m glad you trust me with this,” he says with a sincere look on his face and links another finger with Nursey’s.

“Sap,” Nursey throws back around a grin and revels in the half-hearted eye roll he gets in response. “But thank you. Really.”

The smile Dex gives him is small, gentle, real. Nursey loves it. “So, is there anything you’re actually looking forward to this year?”  Dex asks.

Nursey hums and as he thinks, he takes a big sip of his beer. He could swear he sees Dex track the way his Adam’s apple moves when he swallows. “I’m gonna throw the best Kegsters yet.”

“Oh God,” Dex replies and slips on a fake look of concern, but a grin is cracking through anyway. “Do we need to bring back Nursey Patrol?”

“Fuck you, man,” Nursey shoots back with a laugh. They got rid of Nursey Patrol a year ago; Nursey’s gotten a lot more responsible with his tub juice intake. He doesn’t end up on rooftops anymore, anyway. And, well, Louis needed it more. “It’ll be a mad chill Halloween Kegster and I’m thinking about a throwback one? Like, with an Eighties theme, you know? It’ll be dope and I will get you to dress up.”

Dex laughs into his bottle, the sound reverberating in the neck of it before he takes a drink. “We’ll see.”

“We’ll see that I’m right. You’re the captain, you have to dress up too.” Nursey decides to count the grumbling coming from Dex at that as victory. “Oh, and I got some cool classes lined up that I’m excited for,” he adds.

“Yeah?” Dex prompts, “Like what?”

“Y’know, a couple poetry ones,” Nursey replies. “I’ll spare you the details, but one of my favorite poets is actually teaching a class this semester and I managed to get in, so that’s chill. There’s one on contemporary American poetry, too. And a workshop with that same poet.”

“That sounds cool,” Dex tells him and Nursey hears the I’m genuinely happy for you in his voice clear as the night sky above. “Don’t overwork yourself, though, yeah?”

When Dex goes to link a fourth finger with Nursey’s, Nursey turns his hand palm-up and intertwines their hands completely instead. This is far from the first time they’ve held hands in the last few months, but the other times were all platonic. At least Nursey thinks so. But tonight feels different. Charged, in a way. Like they’re standing at the cusp of something. Something more than this if they want it.

Nursey really wants it, so he pulls their hands onto his thigh as he says, “Sure, Dex.” He knows that Dex is going to be there, no matter what, with a freshly baked pie—or whatever else he’s baking that day, purely coincidentally—in hand to remind Nursey to take a break every now and then. He offers Dex a smile that Dex returns with a squeeze of their hands. “Is there anything you’re looking forward to, Cap’n?”

The flush that calling Dex any variation of captain procures will never get old, Nursey thinks. He wonders, briefly, what the skin would feel like under his fingers, his lips. “I know I said I’m nervous about the whole captaincy thing,” Dex starts, says it like he still can’t quite believe that he’ll get the C sewn onto his sweater in a week, “and I am, but I’m also kind of excited for the new freshmen. You know, getting to meet them and see what they’re like.”

“Oh, chill, yeah, definitely.” Nursey runs his thumb over Dex’s skin, where he knows a cluster of freckles sits at the joint of it. “Who’s gonna give them the tour of the Haus?”

Something shifts in Dex. When he catches Nursey’s gaze, Nursey can tell he’s even more vulnerable than before. Like he’s started to pry his ribcage open for Nursey to see. “I was thinking you, Chowder, and I could do it? Together.”

Nursey smiles, holding Dex’s beating heart in his palms. “Yeah, that’s chill. Can I show them the bylaws behind the boiler in the basement, though?”

Just like that, Dex’s gaze turns suspicious as he squints at Nursey. “I mean, sure. I guess?” Dex pauses for a moment and chases the look away with a drink of beer. “I was also thinking about maybe making a pie or two. It’s not a goodie bag, but you know. As a welcome thing.”

Nursey barks out a laugh. “Man, you’ve really turned into Bitty.”

“It’s a nice thing to do!” Dex defends, brows knitted together, but Nursey can tell he’s not seriously offended. “And it would feel weird to have this be the first year without one.”

“Chill, Dex, I’m just messing with you,” he says. He knows his voice is oozing with fondness; they’re lucky Whiskey is across the street and Chowder’s not here yet to fine them. “Do you know what you wanna call them yet? Because they’re gonna need a nickname.”

Dex sighs. “No fucking clue,” he admits, then immediately raises a warning hand before Nursey can even open his mouth. “Don’t even think about suggesting anything lobster related.”

“Rude,” Nursey complains and if he wasn’t busy holding Dex’s hand right now, he’d probably clutch his chest in mock offense.

“I was thinking of maybe actually going with Eggs, but I’m not sure yet.” Dex scrapes at the soggy label of his bottle for a moment before he turns his gaze back to Nursey, a soft smile on his lips. “I’ll figure something out. I don’t have to do it alone, right?”

Nursey smiles back. “Right.”

They fall silent then, with only the endless chirping of the crickets nearby mingling with the sloshing of the beer after occasional sips breaking through.It’s nice, being close to Dex like this. He really does make a fundamental part of Nursey just quiet; he manages to slow down his racing thoughts just by being here, manages to pull and keep Nursey in the present with him. Above, the stars twinkle on and as Nursey keeps running his thumb over Dex’s skin in nonsensical patterns, he thinks he really should ask Dex about any constellations he knows sometime. Just to watch his eyes light up the way they do when he talks about things that mean a lot to him.

Once Nursey’s bottle is empty, he sets it down next to his feet on the step below and clears his throat, angling himself a little more toward Dex. “Hey.”

Dex hums in acknowledgement, then tips his head back to get the last of his own beer out and leaves the empty bottle on his other side before he turns to Nursey with a quizzical look on his face. “What?”

“Is there something you haven’t done yet that you wanna do before college is, like, over for real?” Nursey asks, still calmly playing with Dex’s thumb.

“You mean like a college bucket list or something?”

Nursey shrugs. “Kind of, I guess, yeah.”

Dex doesn’t say anything for a moment; it looks like he’s searching Nursey’s face as he thinks. “Well,” he answers eventually and Nursey’s pretty sure he’s not imagining the nervous edge that’s crept into his voice, “there’s this guy I’ve liked for a while—”

“A guy, huh?” Nursey interrupts, a grin at home on his lips.

Something’s undeniably been growing between them over the summer. It probably started shortly after winning the Championship with Bitty, most likely, but it’s definitely blossomed over the summer. They’ve been clearly flirting over text ever since they left for break and that started to bleed into almost daily calls too. Not to mention all the Snaps they’ve sent each other after Nursey successfully pestered Dex into downloading the app within the first week. And if Nursey’s saved one or the other goofy, nostril-up or shirtless Snap Dex has sent him, then that’s nobody’s business but his own.

“Oh, you know, he’s so clumsy, it’s ridiculous,” Dex says and even though his voice is teasing, Nursey can still hear the fondness in it. “At the end of last year, we were at the dining hall for breakfast and he tripped over his own two feet and spilled his fucking cereal on one of Farmer’s teammates.”

Nursey cringes at the memory. The poor girl was drenched in milk with colorful froot loops hanging in her hair and dropping down onto her shoulders. If looks could kill, Nursey for sure would’ve dropped dead on the spot right then and there. He apologized to her profusely for a solid two minutes, even offered her his sweater. She still glared at him the next time Dex, Chowder, and he showed up at a party at the volleyball house a few weeks later.

He bumps into Dex’s shoulder and allows himself to linger there for a beat, his skin pressed against Dex’s shirt sleeve. “You’re an asshole.”

The laugh that tickles out of Dex is beautiful, Nursey wouldn’t mind hearing it over and over. “But he’s also really pretty. And kind and funny and smart. He always brings me a coffee to class if practice runs too late for me to stop by Annie’s.” His gaze drops to his own feet as he bites down on a grin, but he can’t fight the flush flooding his cheeks. Nursey figures it’s going to be a permanent thing now. Not that he minds; it’s cute. Dex brings his eyes back to Nursey’s and adds, “Today, I helped him move into the Haus and I almost caught my foot under a step going upstairs because I was staring at the way his arms flexed in that tank top as he carried a box.”

There’s only a faint recollection of this in Nursey’s mind; he remembers something like a dull thud and Dex swearing behind him while they were both hauling up heavy boxes of books, but he was too preoccupied with the thought of how bold Dex’s freckles are now after being exposed to all that sun over the summer. That’s not really news to him, what with all the Snaps and all, but seeing them in real life right in front of him when Dex’s grinning face greeted him earlier did throw him for a loop.

“He sounds like a real catch,” Nursey says, smiling. He’s aiming for chirping but lands about a mile north of it, squarely in lovestruck fondness.

“Yeah, he really is,” Dex agrees in a sure voice. Still, Nursey sees his nerves drawn all over his face, tucked between his freckles. “I think he likes me back and I’ve really wanted to kiss him for a couple months now.” 

Nursey can’t keep his own heartbeat from picking up as he leans a little further into Dex’s space, presses their knees together a little firmer. “Why haven’t you?”

“Well, I mean, I can’t just assume, right? There’s also a chance that I’ve read it all wrong and he doesn’t actually like me,” Dex reasons, serious like Nursey isn’t absolutely fucking gone on him for everyone to see.

“You haven’t,” Nursey says decisively, “Read this wrong, I mean. He’s just been waiting for you to make the first move.” He lets this sit between them for a moment, lets it linger until Dex is smiling at him, collects his own courage. He’s never felt more unchill in his life. “So if you really wanna kiss him, you should.”

Something on Dex’s face shifts until he looks almost giddy. Nursey feels it too, swooping low in his stomach and pumping in his chest. “You think so?” Dex asks, leaning closer to Nursey still.

“Yeah,” Nursey confirms with his eyes glued to Dex’s lips now, the air charged and crackling between them as he bridges another few inches, “yeah, I think so.”

Nursey’s heart threatens to leap out of his ribcage, right into Dex’s palms, as they both move in closer and closer, his eyes flutter closed when he feels Dex’s quick, warm breath on his skin.

But then Dex stops, a maddening fraction of an inch away from Nursey’s lips.

“You do know that I mean you, right?” he asks, his voice barely above a whisper, but it’s enough to get Nursey to huff out a laugh. This is so like Dex and Nursey is so fucking into him, it’s ridiculous.

“Yeah, I got a pretty good idea,” he assures him, lips pulling back into a smile, “so, are you gonna kiss me now or what?”

That’s all the reassurance Dex needs before he finally, finally crosses the last of the space keeping them apart and Nursey finally, finally gets to press his smile against Dex’s.

Dex sighs into the kiss, almost like letting go of a breath he’s been holding for a long time, like he can finally breathe freely now. It takes all of Nursey’s brain power to keep from smiling too wide and breaking the kiss too early.

The thing is, Nursey’s thought about this. He’s not ashamed to admit he’s spent a sizable amount of time wondering what it would be like to kiss Dex, what kind of kisser Dex would be, where he’d put his hands on reflex. He pictured it happening at a Kegster, urgent and a little clumsy with hands under shirts; as a natural progression of a reunion hug after break, desperate and hard like they’d die if they didn’t, arms wrapped tightly around waists; after winning the Championship again, a little too much teeth and a lot of giddiness with sweaty palms cupping faces. He even pictured it happening just because, at the Haus kitchen table, in one of their rooms while a random show or movie plays in the background.

He didn’t consider it would happen like this, out here on the back porch at night after pouring their feelings out, their joined hands sitting on Nursey’s thigh. He wouldn’t have it any other way, though.

When they pull back eventually, after another kiss or two or three, Nursey’s thoughts are swimming with Dex, Dex, Dex. Nursey’s pretty sure he’s never been prouder than he is when he sees that Dex needs a second longer to open his eyes.

If he’s being honest, Nursey really wants to get up and climb into Dex's lap right now, feel his hands on his back his hips his thighs, link his own hands behind Dex's head as they take each other apart kiss by long-overdue kiss, maybe even push his hands into Dex’s hair now that he’s let his curls come in a little more. He doesn’t, though, not this time. He wants to do this right. There will be plenty of times for that, he thinks. Hopes.

Instead, he clears his throat and says, "For the record, that would've been my answer too."

"Good," Dex replies with his voice still a little raspy, all self-satisfied and smug, and Nursey has to admit that it looks good on him.

It's not roaming hands on his back, but when Dex untangles their fingers and cups Nursey's cheek so gently with one hand and leaves the other high on Nursey’s knee, pulling him into another kiss, he couldn't wish for anything else.

They kiss again and again, slow and sweet, chasing after each other’s lips if they dare to move away a little too far. By the time Nursey’s hand is splayed against Dex’s side, Dex moves his own to the back of Nursey’s neck to keep him there, as if there’s anything at all that could convince Nursey to stop kissing him anytime soon. 

But then Nursey shifts, trying to get a better angle for their next kiss, and knocks over the bottle at his feet. It tears them apart and they watch it roll down the stairs with the repeated clang, clang, clang of an empty glass bottle until it lands safely in the grass below. When they turn back toward each other, they can’t help but laugh.

“Did I mention that the guy I like is a massive klutz?” Dex asks, sounding dazed. He’s got a dopey look on his face that Nursey’s absolutely obsessed with.

Nursey huffs out a laugh again. “Shut up,” he replies, but it’s lacking any and all heat.

“Make me,” Dex teases and Nursey just has to lean in for another lingering kiss and then, because the way Dex hums into it is so addicting, one more. 

He gathers all his willpower to pull back after a third one and stays strong even when Dex chases after him again. “Do you wanna go on a date with me?” he asks, dragging his eyes back up to Dex’s when they threaten to get stuck on Dex’s lips once more. The lips Nursey now knows what it feels like to kiss over and over.

With the hand that’s still on the back of Nursey’s neck, Dex runs his thumb over Nursey’s skin there, scratching softly at his hairline. He wonders if Dex can feel the faint goosebumps, can feel what he does to him. “Yeah, that’d be—” He clears his throat again. “That’d be chill.”

“Chill,” Nursey repeats, but decides to leave the chirping for later. A laugh still escapes him as Dex rolls his eyes in response. “I’m gonna romance the hell out of you.”

“I fucking hope so,” Dex shoots back, then lets his eyes drop down to Nursey’s mouth again. “Does that mean we have to stop right now, though?”

“God, no,” Nursey replies and cups Dex’s jaw with the hand that’s not on Dex’s side and reel him back in.

As they kiss again and again and again, to the sound of the crickets and with the stars twinkling above, Nursey pushes his hand from Dex’s jaw over his shoulder until he can spread it between his shoulder blades to hold as much of him at once as he can.

Senior year, Nursey finds, doesn’t seem so scary after all.

[backwardscapsmh]

some tango and dex friendship headcanons for day 6 of @omgcpanniversaryweek because i love them

- they start becoming friends by accident...

- it’s well known to everyone that whiskey is *technically* dex’s tadpole (with the quiet and slight brooding)

- but everyone knows that tango’s questions are never ending and he talks to literally everyone

- so one day when dex is fixing yet another kitchen appliance—the toaster this time—tango asks him what he’s doing

- dex, never having had anyone ask him the specifics about his hobby, absolutely lights up

- (thank god nursey wasn’t around for this, he would have probably had a crisis and/or written some dramatic poetry)

- so he starts narrating his process to tango, who listens as best he can

- he actually picks up some useful skills from dex, who occasionally lets him help

- so sometimes tango will help fix things around the haus

- and they become friends!

- but then bitty leaves and dex becomes captain and they get even closer...

- because then dex takes over bitty’s baking/cooking habits and so tango tags along sometimes too

- and then the kitchen usually contains dex, who, along with the captaincy, inherited bitty’s stress baking habit, and tango, who will sometimes help but also just chill with dex

- it’s there where dex introduces tango to the sea shanties....

- these two go absolutely BAT SHIT CRAZY when a sea shanty comes on

- it’s both a blessing and curse because they both look so happy but literally anyone else (besides maybe louis) is not a fan of hearing the shouted lyrics of “haul away joe”

- but they work well together: tango’s questions and dex’s short and precise answers

- plus dex warms up a bit, especially when he becomes captain

- his eyes soften and his shoulder receded from their usual place up by his ears

- it’s a good look for him and it may or may not drive nursey crazy

- but that’s a nurseydex headcanon for another time

[parseisflat]

@parvuls​ made this post! and then @ivecarvedawoodenheart​ made one based on it so now i’m copying both of you <3

1) a fic that made you cry actual tears

Ice Crew Please! by @petals42​ (t, 61.4k, zimbits)

this is probably one of those obvious fic recs because everyone has read this fic but... oh my god. it’s so incredibly touching and cathartic to read. this fic beautifully encapsulated everything i love about found family hhhhh

2) a comfort fic

The Decision to Act by @potrix-the-queerschlaeger​ (t, 2.1k, nurseydex)

i initially bookmarked this fic because it put me in a good mood! it starts off with drunk, tactile nurse and nursey patrol and it combines some of my favorite tropes (mostly hinging on their stupidity, of course). it’s a nice, short read and definitely something i would turn to to cheer up

3) free space

And Miles to Go (Before I Wake) by CoffeeStars (t, 6.5k, patater)

this one is a coraline au! it’s so insanely good, i vividly remember reading it and just being so entranced. it’s the best mix of heartbreaking, unsettling and even funny at times. it was also incredibly romantic.

4) a fic with a trope you don’t normally read but still loved

Inertia by @foryouandbits​ (t, 62.5k, zimbits)

not sure if this counts as a trope but this fic is an inter-dimensional travel au which is just, so creative? the worldbuilding in this one is so well done. i read so much fic it tends to blur together but i remember little details about this one, it’s so good

5) a fic that is angst but hurts so good

stones through stained glass windows by @omgpoindexter​ (t, 14.2k, nurseydex)

this fic is one of the best explorations of dex’s character growth/relationship with his sexuality that i have ever read. and the found family? this fic looked me in the eyes, x-rayed me and said hey, i know your pain because i’ve felt it too. this fic is a fucking lifestyle.

6) a fic that convinced you on a ship you didn’t ship before

The Dream of Having No Room by @omg-whiskey​ (e, 110.8k, whiskent)

there’s no way whiskey x kent would’ve ever crossed my mind had it not been for this author. this fic explores the intricacies of both of their characterizations with such detail and care.

7) a different meeting au

Real Gone by Moransroar (g, 11.3k, zimbits)

it’s a greasers au! something about the tone of this piece and the images it painted in my mind just really hit for me. the characterizations are really interesting, i was just really immersed in this one :)

8) a fic that made you laugh out loud

Say my name, say my name by @omgchyeahplease​ (t, 4.5k, zimbits)

a really hilarious fic focusing on the falconers and jack. it has some really great oc’s! the idea was that a very tired jack doesn’t register that “bittle”=“eric” and he’s like “who the fuck is eric” which elicits the obvious conclusion that they broke up and jack is now pretending his ex doesn’t exist :’( hilarious miscommunication, please go read it

9) a wip you read as it was updated

Baking with the Stars by sweetsoutherncuisine (g, 7.6k as of now, zimbits)

i rarely ever read wips, which should tell you something. i found it on its first or second chapter, it’s currently at 7/8. it’s a baking competition show au! and it’s so well done! the dynamic between jack and bits was so fun, but i really am enjoying the storyline, plus there were a few moments where i was so proud of the characters :)

10) a fic with a ship that isn’t your main ship

(the use of) nostalgia (for what didn’t happen) by @someobscurereference​ (t, 3.3k, jenny/mandy and holsom)

this fic is incredible. there was so many little funny moments (and sad ones as well), and i just fell in love with all of the characters. i will definitely be rereading this one. it’s an au where jenny and mandy are alive and ransom is the ghost. i’m not good at this just go read it trust me

[alobsterboatofcatholicguilt]

Okay so I don’t know Taylor Swift songs but I do know Hozier’s entire discography, so here’s my takes for OMGCP ships/characters as songs on Wasteland, Baby! I won’t be doing one for Nina Cried Power, because it honestly feels disrespectful for the meaning of the song and what it represents!

1. Almost (Sweet Music) - Unrequited Holsom and March/April, Holster is so in love with Ransom, but he’s sure that Ransom doesn’t love him. April is so in love with March, but she guesses if she’s happy she can make herself be happy too.

2. Movement - Nurseydex (Dex’s realization), this one has less of a story idea behind it and more of just general vibes. It sounds like Dex is getting swept in Nursey and he has the realization of, “Oh. I want to be moved by him.”

3. No Plan - Zimbits, specifically when Jack realized he loved Bitty at graduation and said, “Fuck it. No plan.” Jack is just such a planner, I feel like the decision to do something reckless like that would make him feel the way this song makes me feel. 

4. Nobody - Charmer, this one may seem weird at first, but I feel like Charmer is just so endgame and wrapped up in each other that when they’re alone they could get so wrapped up in each other, it seems like they think about each other all the time and always want to be together. 

5. To Noise Making (Sing) - March/April, okay so this song is for the lesbians and it also has been. i love the idea of March and April both seeing each other from the POV from the person singing this song. as someone who can do no wrong, as long they’re singing just to them. 

6. As It Was - Whiskey, this song has dark undertones that I feel match Whiskey’s vibes really well. Like not necessarily dark in a “you’re a bad person” way, but more like, “you’re sad and in a dark place and self sabotaging” type of thing. This is pre-Samwell, where Whiskey is moving away and decides to burn all his bridges. 

7. Shrike - Whiskey/Tango, this is after Whiskey goes through his As It Was phase, he’s been at Samwell for a couple of years, he is still going through his internalized homophobia but when he looks at Tango he doesn’t feel ashamed, he feels like he would do anything for him. 

8. Talk - Nurseydex (Nursey’s realization), so I think this is one of Hozier’s most romantic/poetic songs, and I think that matches so well with Nursey. One day he’s writing a poem and he writes the lines in this song, and halfway through he realizes he’s been picturing Dex the whole and it just makes sense. He’s pissed off about it, but it makes sense. 

9. Be - Alicia/Bob, I feel like Bob worships the ground that Alicia walks on, which I feel like what this song is about. Alicia and Bob love each other so much though, so I feel like this could be sung by either of them to each other. The situation this reminds me of the most is every hockey guy in a locker room making a joke like “my old lady hates me and i hate her” and Bob is like, “That’s not normal, go to therapy.” bc marriage makes him so happy :)

10. Dinner & Diatribes - Shardo, it’s about a man who wants to get pegged by an artist. self explanatory.

11. Would That I - Polyfrogs, intimate and heady. Everyone seems to understand that they could each break the others hearts, but none of them ever wanting to do that. This song just makes me picture all of them sitting together after they figured how much they care for each other, and now they’ll never be separated, but is that not terrifying?

12. Sunlight - Bully/Hops, I don’t really know how to explain this one except the vibe is there? The way they would probably get wrapped up in each other and drop the “masks” they might in front of other people to let the other person in. Idk!

13. Wasteland, Baby! - Jack & Shitty circa freshman year, so this song is about love but honestly I think Jack and Shitty are platonically in love with each other. I also think they’d walk into green sludge to make sure the other was safe, all they want to do is protect each other and make each other happy, even if it means being a little self sacrificial or picking fights with seniors as a freshman to get them to fuck off from bullying your friend. 

[the-lincyclopedia]

For the fic asks: 3, 8, and 23

3. What's been your most popular fic this year?

I hadn't looked at this year's statistics in a while, and apparently it's "Crisis Mode," by a pretty big margin, if we're going by hits (and it did well, though not necessarily best, by the other metrics as well). I barely remember writing that one, to be honest, and it's 7k, so not long, but not super short, either. I looked back in my Google Docs, and apparently it took three weeks from beginning to end, but basically I wrote a page, left it to sit, and then two weeks later picked it back up and wrote 17 more pages in four days. Huh.

Oh, in case you're wondering whether you want to read the fic, here's the summary: Bitty gets disowned during Jack’s 2015 trip to Madison. Jack tries his best to take care of him. This whole fic is from Jack’s POV and takes place over the course of 24 hours. (It's also my only fic in years to inspire a spin-off. Like, the last time I had spin-offs, it was 2014 or so and I was on FFN.)

8. What mood has been most prevalent in your works this year? Ex. angst, hurt/comfort, fluff, etc.

Okay, I don't entirely know how to answer this question--I think I'm usually a pretty fluffy writer, though I definitely also do angst and hurt/comfort, maybe more so this year, so instead of directly answering the question, I'm going to name some themes that came up multiple times:

Characters dealing with having bad parents: "A Few Things, Maybe Several Things" features a genderbent 18-year-old Jacqueline Zimmermann furious with her parents as her life falls apart; "Crisis Mode" features Bitty getting disowned; and "I Am Young and I Am Good" features Jack bailing Shitty out of a terrible family dinner, Chowder rescuing Dex from having to spend Christmas with the Poindexters, and Tango taking Whiskey out of church while he has a panic attack.

Trans characters: "who could ask to be unbroken (or be brave again)" is mostly a Zimbits fic, but it does feature nonbinary!Lardo; "You Won't Grow Out of It; You Will Find Clothes That Fit" is a Check Please/Harry Potter crossover where Ginny and Lardo are roommates at Samwell and both turn out to be nonbinary; "How to Buy a Binder, with Bitty and Lardo" is a ficlet featuring trans!Bitty and nonbinary!Lardo; "Hasty Technicolor" is a Shitty/Lardo fic where Lardo is nonbinary and Shitty is bisexual; and "Warmth" is a trans!Bitty fic.

Exes: I guess this is just two fics, but "Endings Come in Increments" is about Swoops helping Kent sort through his feelings about Jack and "Get It Right This Time" is about Kent and Whiskey getting back together (based on "This One Thing Is Always Supposed to Stay" by rickyisms).

23. What fic did you enjoy writing the most?

Okay, I thought this was going to be a hard choice, because I have so much fun writing Zimbits and I've written them a bunch, but then I looked back at my fics from the last year and it actually wasn't that hard to figure out. See, getting to nerd out about Swedish is quite possibly my favorite thing, or at least it has the highest enjoyment-to-frequency ratio in my life, just because the opportunity so rarely presents itself.

For that reason, my favorite fic to write was probably "Miscommunication: Swedish Edition." This fic has lots of fun things: Linguistics nerdery! Background Nurseydex with some smooth, smooth dialogue! An annoying Minnesotan frog! (If anyone likes how I write Louis, "Five Times Lukas Was Homesick Plus One Time He Didn't Have to Be" has a similar vibe.)

Get in on the ask game!

[wlw-omgcp]

june fic rec !!

i read a lotttt of omgcp fic so here’s 5 from this month that i enjoyed!! and yes it’s 11:58 on june 30th but that’s still june to me lol. if this gets enough (re: any) notes maybe i’ll make this a thing??

love finds you

ship: nurseydex

length: 168k (so far)

cool person who wrote it: @poindextears

summary: Things Derek expected to find on his summer vacation: a cure for his writer’s block.Things Derek did not expect to find: a warp 60 years into the past; a tiny Maine town full of surprisingly cool people; William James Poindexter.Or: Nursey winds up new in town, in a town that’s not so new. (Updates every Wednesday!)

my thoughts: I AM OBSESSED. O-B-S-E-S-S-E-D. genuinely cannot recommend this enough!!!!!

make my heart a double bed

ship: zimbits

length: 10k

cool person who wrote it: @flybittybooty (and gorgeous art by @novva!!!)

summary: Bitty arrives two weeks early to a room with so much CAUTION! tape over the door that he can’t even see inside, a captain whose face somehow conveys pure irritation and sincere apology at the same time, and a very stoned and very skinny Shitty. Or: the one where Bitty and Jack have to room together.

my thoughts: i love this so much(◍•ᴗ•◍)❤ it’s not only a stellar fic but it also has some amazing art!! what more could you ask for??

it’s really simple

ship: nurseydex

length: 3k (so far!!)

cool person who wrote it: @jam-heathen

summary: A few years after graduating Samwell, Dex and Nursey are still best friends and roommates. The question is whether that friendship can survive faking a long term relationship through a Nurse family event. -- An alternating POV story of two idiots doing the most because I don't know how to write anything else.

my thoughts: dex and nursey?? fake dating?? i’m sold. plus dex has a nice mom in this and he deserves that 10000%

take my hand

ship: kent/whiskey

length: 15k

cool person who wrote it: @cami-chats

summary: Bitty’s boyfriend flies them out to watch an Aces game in the playoffs, and Whiskey hooked up with Kent Parson, knowing that it wasn’t going to happen again. Except then Kent is asking if he wants to do this more often, and Whiskey says yes because he doesn’t have time for a relationship either. He should’ve known that nothing in his life would be so simple.

my thoughts: a rarepair?? *gasp* ok these were probs the 2 characters from omgcp i wish we had more info on/time with so if you feel the same check this out!!! 

under the summer sun with you

ship: nurseydex

length: 8k

cool person who wrote it: @omgdexnursey

summary: His dad’s been asking him to come along to the lake for years, but it’s never worked out for various reasons. When they realized it could happen this summer, his dad was so excited that it was all he could talk about for the weeks leading up to the trip. So, Derek wants this to go well. And it totally would, without a hitch, if it weren’t for one problem. Derek can’t swim.

my thoughts: YO. this is so cute. it’s so summer-y and so fun and so them. it’s like the beginning of hsm but so much better. 10/10 recommend

[sincerelyreidburke]

OC taddy masterpost!!!!!

Are you, as I am, struggling to cope with the end? Do you feel like shedding a tear? Are you going to miss omgcp so much?…………..

Yeah, me too.

BUT.

*Danny Devito voice* Can I offer you some tadpoles in this trying time?

From the studio that brought you love finds you and its expanded universe (aka myself and @hockeysometimes shouting at each other via text)………………. it’s time for the OC Class of 2021 tadpoles I promised I’d tell you about the other day!!!!

(By popular demand.)

FIRST UP!

Sebastián “Nando” Hernandez

Position: Defense

Jersey number: 43

Hometown: Tempe, Arizona

So the other day, I wrote this drabble from Nando’s point of view, because I just wanted an excuse to write some soft nurseydex shit involving one of the taddies. Nando is my sweet child and I would die for him. All of this started because hockeysometimes and I were talking about the frogs’ senior year and I was like, you know, there should be a baby gay freshman when Nursey and Dex are seniors, and then they love and cherish him like their child.

Thus: Nando. A good boy, and a soft one, even though he’s like 6′3 and a tank. He lives with his mama and his two little sisters, and they’re his whole entire world. He and Whiskey also definitely know each other, because I feel like it’s hard not to when you’re close in age and both play hockey in such a non-hockey-fixated area. (I know we don’t technically have confirmation that Whiskey lives in the Phoenix metro area, but stay with me.)

Nando is soft in that he wears his emotions on his sleeve, because he grew up in a family environment that fostered healthy emotional processing. (What a concept!) But he’s also very much a frat bro. He will get turned the fuck up at kegsters because he feels like having a good time. I would say Nando Patrol, but Nando doesn’t even really disappear; he’ll throw down his awful dance moves and questionable singing right in plain sight. Where Nursey will climb on the roof, Nando will just shout into a megaphone.

Nando is also gay, and at first he has a little trouble reconciling that with the fact that he’s about to play college hockey. Even though he’s been following Samwell in the news, and has been so inspired by Bitty and the legacy of LGBT athleticism at the school (that’s definitely one of the main reasons he chose Samwell in the first place), he has that fear because it’s been with him in hockey all his life. It quickly dissolves once he arrives to campus and realizes what a welcoming environment he’s gotten himself into. He and Tango get on like wildfire.

He studies sociology, gets quickly addicted to Annie’s, and calls his mama every day. Nursey wants to adopt him.

NEXT!

Remy “Touille” Tremblay

Position: Center

Jersey number: 20

Hometown: Quebec City, Quebec

First, of all, YES. That nickname comes from exactly the place you think it does. Pronounced “too-ie���. It happens like this:

(First night of preseason, in the bungalow. Mid-Frog pile.)

Nursey: I can’t believe we have a freshman named Remy.

Chowder: Like from Ratatouille!

Nursey: ............ We should call him Ratatouille.

Dex: No.

Chowder: YEAH!

Dex: Absolutely not.

Chowder: But Deeeeeexxxx, Ratatouille is a swawesome nickname!

Dex: No, it’s not. If I showed up at college and my teammates immediately started calling me Ratatouille, I would transfer immediately.

Nursey: Chyeah, because you’re lame.

Dex: We are not calling him Ratatouille.

Nursey: Boooo. You suck.

Chowder: C’mon, Dex! It’ll be fun!

Dex: No.

Nursey: We should put it up to a vote.

Dex: You can’t do that.

Nursey: Who says?

Dex: The bylaws.

Nursey: There’s no bylaw that says that.

Dex: Well, I’m making one. I’m invoking my captain’s privileges.

Nursey: Well, I’m rescinding my vote for your captaincy.

Chowder: Impeach Dex 2k17.

Dex: I hate both of you.

Chowder: :O

Chowder: :(((

Dex: Sorry, Chowder. I meant mostly Derek.

Chowder: :D

Nursey: 😘

Dex: >:(

Nursey:

Chowder:

Dex:

Chowder: What about Touille for short?

Nursey: (Huge celly.) YES! C, you’re a genius.

Chowder: I’m texting the group chat.

Dex: Jesus Christ, this poor freshman.

So there we have it. This poor child. I don’t accept constructive criticism and neither do Nursey and Chowder.

Touille is French-Canadian as fuck. That is the first thing you need to know. He definitely lives in a super old, nice townhouse in Old Quebec. His dad owns a tourist-trap crêperie where Touille works in the summers, and his mom is a nurse at the local hospital. He’s an only child, but his mémé, his maternal grandmother, lives with them, and Touille spends a good deal of time with her. She’s definitely like ninety years old, and speaks no English.

He scores a lot, and he’s smallish— not Bitty small, but his playing is definitely more about skill than physicality. He doesn’t brood, but he judges you in French. He’s never exactly a grouch, but he isn’t a morning person, so if you try to talk to him at morning practice it’s unlikely that you’re getting through to him.

And while he’s not exactly shy, but he’s more on the introverted side as far as frat bros go. He definitely did a year or so of juniors before college. He came to America school to play ice sport and also to have a good time. He definitely wheels a lot of girls, because they fall for his accent and also want to steal his varsity jacket.

(He never lets them.)

He majors in history, and could definitely go on to play professionally, like all good prodigal French-Canadian children. I’m realizing as I’m writing this that I’m sort of making him sound like a discount Jack, but please understand that a.) he doesn’t come from a hockey empire, b.) he doesn’t come from money at all, and c.) he doesn’t stuggle with any kind of mental illness. He just wants to hang out with his mémé, score goals, and learn about the French Revolution.

And last up!

Ben “Rhodey” Shaley

Position: Goal

Jersey number: 6

Hometown: Providence, Rhode Island

Ben’s nickname is Rhodey because he literally makes being from Rhode Island into a personality trait. You laugh, but this is a real thing. Hockeysometimes said he’s like Chowder with the Sharks, but with the Falcs, so I feel like that’s all you really need to know about Rhodey. (I jest. I’ll say more.) At some point during his SMH career, he definitely gets to meet a handful of the Falcs, and possibly passes out.

As a goalie, Rhodey is precious by default, but he’s also... a frat bro, and that’s dangerous. He and Nando are roommates their freshman year, and probably also in the years following, and the two of them at kegsters can get unhinged. Rhodey can and will dance with enough drinks in his system, and it’s bad. The playing of the Cha Cha Slide is permanently banned at Haus kegsters because of a particularly heinous incident in November of Rhodey and Nando’s freshman year.

Rhodey has always wanted to go to Samwell, because he grew up playing youth hockey in the area and therefore going to clinics there, and also because he has an uncle who’s a hockey alumnus. He comes from a big family— not Poindexter big, mind you, but he probably has about four siblings, including a younger brother who also plays hockey and a sister who comes to Samwell to play on the women’s team.

He and Nando are roommates and also best friends. He’s significantly more unhinged than Chowder but just as goalie-ish. He will fight, especially if someone is like, hey, man, Rhode Island is small and also sucks!!!!! Chowder feels the need to protect him. Also, he definitely gets Chowder’s dibs.

(Wait, that would be so soft, please picture Ford getting the dibs to the bungalow because Dex knows she covets that space, and then Rhodey gets Chowder’s and Nando gets Nursey’s and they’re hallmates and why am I crying in the club right now?)

As a freshman, Rhodey enters undeclared, but he ends up declaring a major in architecture. He’s probably going to live in Providence all his life, and he’s damn proud of it, thank you very much.

[insertatitlehere]

WhiskeyDex for the ship ask?

lol you know how to talk to my soul

i def ship it

What made you ship it?

i don’t even remember. i think i one day was scrolling on the tumblr tag at 4am and i saw a fanart and i was like “that’s it”. and then i read all 2 fics there were about them on the AO3 tag. Between the sacred silence is still one of my faves 

What are your favorite things about the ship?

i love the way their personalities vibe together ? they’re quite different (big angry tsundere and quiet judgmental bitch archetypes) but not clashing (which is something I don’t like with NurseyDex). it’s always a pleasure to write their interactions. You can get some good snarky punchlines out of it 

Is there an unpopular opinion you have on your ship?

everything is unpopular on my ship, the fact that i truly believe that whiskey and dex have more chemistry than dex and nursey being #1 

give those assholes a chance and you won’t be disappointed !!!!!!! also one of their ship name can be whisex and y’all hornies may be into that

[hashtagdex]

ok ok angst 18 and/or fluff 11 for nurseydex?

thank you so much for these! have Both prompts!

“Leave! Me! Alone!” and “I think I’m in love with you”

-

Usually, Nursey prides him on being a chill guy, but right now he feels like he's going to lose his mind.

He skips the tenth song in the past minute, Tango's knee bumping into his under the table for the third time. It's not like it matters, though. He can hear Tango, Whiskey and Chowder's conversation about last night’s Falcs game against the Devils clear as day even through the music. 

His head is throbbing from squinting down at his notes to try and decipher them, his hand is starting to cramp up as he finishes another page, and he can’t get any damn peace.

With a sigh, he puts his pen down, takes his glasses off, and squeezes the bridge of his nose. Studying in the Haus kitchen really wasn’t his brightest idea, but people would’ve come up to him at the library to talk to him and he wouldn’t get shit done upstairs either.

All he wants is to make it up to his room, crawl under his blanket, and not come out again for the rest of the week. But he can't do that, because he has more than twice as many notes left to copy as he's already gone through.

"Woah, Nursey," Tango starts as he wrestles open a protein bar, and the noise of the struggling wrapper grates even more on Nursey's nerves, "you okay? You look really unchill right now."

Tango's knee bumps against his again. Nursey's head snaps up to look at him, scowling as he forces out, "No, Tony, I'm not fucking okay. I have about a million more pages to do, all of my music fucking sucks, and I can still hear you guys through it! And then you just keep fucking knocking into me!"

Chowder reaches out to touch his forearm. "Nursey—"

"Please just leave me alone!" 

The moment the words are out of his mouth, Tango’s expression crumbles and Nursey’s heart sinks. Chowder draws his arm back with a sigh. He knows he has no right to snap at Tango, but now the words are out there and his frustration is still running sky fucking high.

Chowder sends him a hard look as he herds the Tadpoles out of the kitchen. He’ll apologize to Tango later, once he’s calmed down, but right now he's stressed and annoyed and there’s still a never ending pile of work left for him.

He swallows the guilt that rises up, slips his glasses back on, and returns to the next page of notes.

He gets about half a page in before he feels strong hands touch and then squeeze his shoulders in a way that's grounding instead of grating.

Dex. It has to be. No one else really knows how to help him when he's overwhelmed like this.

Nursey pulls out one of his earbuds and turns to face Dex. "I really have to get this done, man."

Dex takes his hands off Nursey’s shoulders—Nursey kind of, embarrassingly, misses the pressure—and fixes him with an unimpressed look. “How long have you been studying?”

Nursey’s eyes flick over to the clock on the wall and, wow, alright. “Uh, five hours, give or take?”

When he started, the sun was still up and the kitchen was deserted. Sometime around hour two or three, Chowder, Whiskey, and Tango showed and asked if it’s fine for them to join him. He grunted out a sure, deep in the notes he took in class earlier. Now it’s dark out.

Dex shifts his weight. “And how much of it are you actually absorbing?”

“Not much,” Nursey admits, crossing his legs under the table. 

“Okay,” Dex says with a nod, “time for a break then, c’mon.”

“No, Dex,” Nursey protests, “I need to get this done.”

“Nursey, you’re stressed out,” Dex reasons, and yeah, no shit. “If you keep going now, it won’t do you any good. If anything, it’ll make you even more miserable.”

Nursey huffs. “When did you start making sense?”

Dex just sends him a small, soft smile that Nursey only ever sees when they’re alone. “I know your next exam isn’t until next week. You have time, I swear. You can finish tomorrow. Or later, at least. Self care, y’know?”

Nursey tries to say no, he really does, but in the end, he’s weak when it comes to Dex. Yeah, he’s surprised too. “Fine,” he finally relents. Dex’s smile grows and Nursey has to look away.

With a defeated sigh, he collects his stray pieces of paper, puts his pens back into his case, and lets Dex pull him out of the chair, up the stairs, and all the way into his room.

Inside, Nursey drops his stuff on his desk, then pulls his phone out of his pocket.

“Do you want me to go? I can get you something for your headache or maybe a snack. I bet you haven’t eaten the whole time,” Dex asks, lingering by the door.

To his surprise, Dex has become one of the most calming presences in Nursey’s life. Dex and calming should be an oxymoron in and of itself, but here he is, craving Dex’s company. “Actually, could you stay?”

Dex’s smile returns. “Sure,” he agrees and steps back into the room as Nursey turns his attention back to his phone.

Nursey starts typing a text to Tango and out of his periphery, he notices Dex pulling something down from Nursey's bunk and settling down into his old bed.

"C’mere.”

Once he’s sent the I'm sorry for earlier, it wasn't chill of me to lash out at you like that, I’m just mad stressed right now to Tango, Nursey looks up. He finds Dex sitting against the board with a pillow behind his back, his legs spread apart, and Nursey’s comforter at the foot of the bed. "What?" Nursey asks as Dex pats the spot between his legs.

“I’m gonna help you relax, c’mon,” Dex says and pats the mattress again.

Nursey quirks up an eyebrow, but he drops his phone and glasses on his desk and makes his way over to the bed anyway. “Don’t massage my face, you’ll just clog my pores,” he warns.

Dex laughs and Nursey feels more tension drain from his shoulders. “I won’t, I promise.”

Once Nursey’s settled in, both of their legs under his comforter, Dex pulls him against his chest. “Is this okay?”

Nursey nods and leans more of his weight against Dex, pillowing his head near Dex's shoulder.

"Good," Dex says and Nursey swears he can hear the smile in his voice.

Dex takes Nursey's right hand into both of his and starts massaging it, applying just the right amount of pressure to ease the pain. Nursey allows himself to sigh and Dex begins to talk.

He launches into a story about his first time on his uncle's lobster boat, five years old and just barely taller than the traps. His voice is softer than it usually is, quiet and soothing close to Nursey's ear, as he tells Nursey about the gentle rocking of the waves. Listening to his steady heartbeat, it keeps getting harder and harder for Nursey to keep his eyes open.

Nursey lets him get halfway through the story, until Dex switches to his other hand, before he interrupts him.

"Dex?"

Dex pauses in the middle of his sentence and hums, but his hands don’t stop moving.

It gives Nursey the courage to go on. “Why are you always doing this? Helping me when I’m overwhelmed? How do you always know what to do?”

“I guess,” Dex starts quietly, it sounds like he’s hesitating, arranging his words carefully, “I guess I’ve been paying attention.”

The thing is, Nursey’s been paying attention too. He’s been paying attention to Dex frowning when he’s working at a particularly vexing project, to Dex’s hands kneading his stress into pie dough, to Dex looking so proud of the team after games and practices, to Dex’s loud laughter when Nursey or Chowder crack a joke, to Dex’s blush spreading across his whole face when Nursey winks at him.

Nursey thought he was the only one paying attention, though.

“Why?” he presses.

Dex’s hands still.

When Dex stays quiet, Nursey prods gently, “Dex.”

“I think I’m in love with you,” Dex whispers then.

“You think—”

“No, fuck that,” Dex interrupts, voice louder and more powerful, “I know I’m in love with you.”

Dex doesn’t move to leave and Nursey is grateful for it. His heart is beating in his throat, the words of I’m in love with you too on the tip of his tongue, but they’ll have to talk about this. Like, have an actual adult conversation about their feelings and what they want it to mean for the future.

Nursey also knows he’s way too tired to have it the way they really need to, so he just tangles their fingers together and makes sure Dex feels his smile as he presses a kiss to the back of his hand. After he pulls back, he squeezes it, and Dex squeezes right back.

“Tomorrow,” Nursey promises.

“Okay,” Dex agrees easily, running his thumb along Nursey’s.

“Do you have any more dumb stories?”

Dex digs out a story about a prank he pulled on his older brother when he was ten for Nursey as Nursey drifts off to sleep.

[everwitch-magiks]

Fic Writer Interview

thank you for the tag @omgchyeahplease ♡♡♡

Name: Evie

Fandoms: goodness, so many. currently, it’s Check, please! and Red, White and Royal Blue, although I’m honestly kinda gravitating a bit more towards rwrb right now. if you follow me for check please, and haven’t yet read rwrb... read it. just, do yourself that favor. it’s so good.

Where you post: AO3, where I go by everwitch, and occasionally just directly here on tumblr dot com.

Most popular one-shot: so I went through my AO3 stats and this one surprised me just a bit, it seems to be Big Dick Energy, my Nurseydex sex worker AU. which is one of my newer fics, hence the surprise, but also one I’m so so happy with and put a lot of time into, so that’s nice! ♡

Most popular multi-chapter: this one I don’t need to look into stats for, it’s dance with somebody.  for anyone who’s followed that and read my longer-and-longer rambling author’s notes you’ll know just how much that whole universe means to me. I’m still getting used to the fact that I’m now not writing this fic anymore - in my heart I still am, a little bit! like I still think about Whiskey and Miguel daily. it’s nice. it’s kind of been my happy place, this whole unbelievable year.

Fic you were nervous to post: I’m always a little nervous to post, but probably Big dick energy because of the, er, rating, and also If you feel the way I do, because it was my first rwrb fic and I wasn’t sure if I was getting the characters right and so on. I was so so happy with how that was received and well, me writing a lot more about Alex and Henry after honestly has a lot to do with that ♡

How you choose your titles: oh god, it’s a painful process. sometimes I know immediately but usually I, like, stare at my screen for hours. it was funny with Big dick energy - for the longest time, I called that Well Endowed in my drafts, and I would’ve gone with that if I hadn’t randomly thought, hey wait, maybe... For my current rwrb WIP, Heartaches and Cupcakes and Sunshine Boys, I initially referred to it in my head as The Waterloo Letters Part II, which was never intended to be the actual title but I still sometimes think about the fic as that. probably because the actual title (which I’m so happy with, and so thankful to the rwrb discord for helping me come up with!) is so long, and I can’t quite decide which word to zero in on if I was to give it like a nickname. probably cupcakes? but also maybe sunshine boys. jury’s still out.

Do you outline: not half as often as I ought to! I outlined for dance with somebody when I was about halfway through and that made everything so much easier, so when I started to work on Sunshine Boys (yeah, I think that’s the one that sticks) I spent literally a day on the outline and it’s made it so much easier to write. from here on out, guess who’s gonna outline everything always.

Do you take prompts: sure! if there’s something you’d like to see, feel free to send it my way! ♡

Complete: 9 fics on good ol’ AO3, 5 of them check please and 4 rwrb, plus a few check please short ficlets in my writing tag here on tumblr.

In Progress: Heartaches and Cupcakes and Sunshine Boys, a pretty big rwrb project about romance writer Henry and model-turned-photographer Alex who, after years of pining and an eventful fundraiser, end up with a major misunderstanding and an idea of a rivalry, which Henry must fix by rewriting the sequel to his bestselling novel in a way that redeems a certain character named Alexander completely. sounds complicated? I haven’t even mentioned the cupcakes, yet. it’s enemies to lovers and currently at two chapters out of approximately five.

I feel like most people I wanted to tag have done this already, so this just goes out to anyone who hasn’t - feel free to give it a go! ♡

[chaos-and-chill]

Check, Please! Ships as country songs I have saved on Spotify

Zimbits- Bless the Broken Road by Rascal Flatts

Jack and Bitty have both had their share of shit thrown on them in their lives, but they’ve become so much stronger for all of it. “I think about the years I spent just passin' through - I'd like to have the time I lost and give it back to you - But you just smile and take my hand - You've been there, you understand”

Holsom- Heads Carolina, Tails California by Jo Dee Messina

I don’t know why (maybe Niagra Falls and Myrtle Beach), but Holsom seems like they’d rather be road tripping together than doing anything else in the world. Also, this song is about going somewhere, anywhere, as long as you’re together, which is reminiscent of the whole post-grad “soulless corporate grunt work” debacle. “Where don't matter long as we're goin' - Somewhere together, I got a quarter - Heads Carolina, tails California”

Shardo- In Case You Didn’t Know by Brett Young

Okay, I’m kinda falling into fanon here, but that’s just how my life goes now I guess, so! This song is kinda that whole “I love you, I’m pretty sure you love me, and we don’t really talk about how much we mean to each other because normally we don’t have to, but I’m going to tell you I love you anyways” vibe, which is also (for me at least) very much Shitty and Lardo!! Like, “I can't count the times - I almost said what's on my mind - But I didn't - Just the other day - I wrote down all the things I'd say - But I couldn't”? Also “In case you didn't know - Baby I'm crazy 'bout you - And I would be lying if I said - That I could live this life without you - Even though I don't tell you all the time - You had my heart a long, long time ago” is totally Shitty being in love with Lardo since sophomore year.

Nurseydex- Somebody Like You by Keith Urban

Nursey and Dex both try to address their individual trauma/life experiences/prejudices and correct the assumptions they’d made of each other, and in just about every fic I’ve read, that’s what allows them to be friends/partners. “And I let go of all my lonely yesterdays - I've forgiven myself for the mistakes I've made” and “Sometimes it's hard for me to understand - But you’re teaching me to be a better man - I don't want to take this life for granted like I used to do” seem to reflect that really well.

Charmer- Stuck On You by Sugarland

Okay, they’re SoCal Sunshine Squared ™️ and I love them. That’s just facts?? But this song is just fun. It’s sweet, too—“You do that thing that makes me laugh - And just like that - There you go making my heart beat again - Heart beat again, heart beat again - There you go making me feel like a kid - Won't you do it and do it one time - There you go pulling me right back in - Right back in, right back in - And I know I'm never letting this go - I'm stuck on you - Whoa-oh, whoa-oh - Stuck like glue - You and me baby - We're stuck like glue” Basically they love each other with this child-like optimism? Chowder, I think, tries to go through life with that same wide-eyed wonder, because life is cool as shit sometimes, and appreciating the little things is the way to fucking go.

Anyways!!! That was that!! I don’t think I’ll do another set, but I might go different playlists at some point? Or if someone requests something, I’d love that. But this is probs a one-off; I have a (rather big) Check, Please! project I’m working on at the moment.

Inspirational credit to @omg-whiskey, I saw their Dex playlist post and absolutely ADORED it, and it got me thinking onto this track!!

[likeshipsonthesea]

okay so legit one of my first-ever nurseydex posts was this one right here and while i still agree with/hc parts of it i have to admit it’s a bit outdated for how i see nurseydex’s relationship now so i thought why not make a new “why i ship nurseydex” post three years later to explain my own rambling understanding of them??

so, anywho. imagine a dex-- back when he was just will-- growing up with this huge weight of expectation around him, about every aspect of his life-- expectation of what a man ought to be, expectation of what a student ought to be, a worker, a son, etc-- and despite what he wants and feels, striving to meet/exceed this expectation to satisfy his parents and make them proud and be who they want him to be. like, following his ma around when she does chores might be fun and helpful, but a man is supposed to be doing the dirty, heavy work, no baking or doing laundry (at least that’s what his brother says) and from the time he’s little he knows that college means money and they don’t have that, but education is also very important and college is how he gets a better life for him and his family, and so from elementary school he’s studying his spelling words and times tables and striving to be the best student he can be because scholarships and respect and expectation. and yeah, maybe there’s other expectations, around who he can and cannot like, and maybe that doesn’t always fit the way he thinks it’s supposed to, and he allows himself little indulgences knowing one day that he will do what is expected of him and make his parents happy, and the crushing weight of that-- of knowing what the future will force him into-- has him frozen between the need to be what he’s supposed to be and the want to be free, and these warring ideals within his own mind leave him grasping and uncertain and--and angry at everything (family, town, society, himself) for putting him there to begin with and then-- and then-- he goes to samwell

MEANWHILE there’s a little nursey, small and surrounded by smiling parents and nannies and love, and somehow, despite it all, he’s anxious. it’s his brain, probably, but at four, nursey doesn’t know anything about brains, all he knows is that his parents aren’t home and maybe that’s his fault and before he can understand how jobs work and how their importance doesn’t outweigh his parents’ love for him, he’s sitting at home wondering how to be better, how to be enough to keep them there, how to be good. and he excels in all his classes, gets bored sitting there with all his fancy private school kindergarten work finished on his desk, and his parents bring him to the doctor’s thinking it’s an attention disorder and he gets diagnosed with anxiety. at eight. and his parents-- mama gets mad (and nursey hasn’t yet learned to distinguish anger at the world and anger at him) and mom becomes focused, ready to fix it (not realizing, really, how nursey sees it as a need to fix him) and dad is maybe the best, he just buys some puzzles and makes hot cocoa and sits with nursey when the world gets too tough, and still nursey leaves thinking i’m a burden, he has to take the time to do this, i’m a burden, and he grows up with the idea that he has to be good, can’t be broken, has to pretend to be perfect even if he isn’t otherwise his parents will be sad and it will be his fault, and it works (until it doesn’t) and he thrives (until he doesn’t) and everything is happy and perfect and wonderful (until it isn’t) and things break apart and nursey decides perfection is impossible to fabricate but pretending to be chill, pretending to at least be okay is enough, and so he moves on with this veneer of okayness and this mess of anxiety and apprehension and worry underneath and it’s such a delicate balance he somehow manages to handle until samwell

(under the cut bc, well. it got a little long. oops?)

and there it’s like-- they’re both at the perfect point to just completely explode one another. nursey sees this walking ball of seemingly together person and pokes at it, this kind of self-projection thing really, trying to break the outside and see the mess within, and meanwhile dex looks at nursey and sees someone perfectly content with everything in life and turns on every probing question like it’s an attack, and maybe it takes a few terms-- maybe all of their frog year-- to start seeing past the cracks. maybe a few of nursey’s questions poke at places more sensitive than he’d meant to see, and maybe dex calls nursey out on things his anxiety has whipped out of control, and maybe after they lose the playoffs and dex is angry and violent and not enough and nursey sees that-- feels the ache of imperfection, too-- and somehow the knowledge that he’s not alone makes it better? and suddenly he wants to make it better for dex, too? and so they go into the summer after frog year with the beginnings of an understanding and things are-- tentative, but they know how to deal with fragility better than most, and it survives the break, survives the infrequent texts and tangential group chat conversations

and sophomore year they have rooms across the hall from one another, randomly. they walk together to practices, because why not, and tag along on team breakfasts (dex is a morning person, nursey is not, dex likes being helpful, nursey likes making it to bfast before holster eats all the waffles) and maybe they start talking-- actually talking, not barbs and banter and chirps just a bit too sharp to laugh at. it’s like an actual conversation for the first time since they’ve known each other, and c’s ecstatic and their hockey’s great and things are going wonderful.

until one of them catches feelings.

it doesn’t quite matter which one of them-- maybe dex falls in love with the way nursey gestures with his hands too much as he talks and how he waxes poetic about everything, but mostly nature and books and how it feels to smile without knowing it, and maybe dex falls in love with the way he feels around nursey, like he could say anything and nursey wouldn’t- he’d judge, maybe, because nursey likes doing that, but it would never be maliciously, it would always be out of a want for dex to grow, learn, be himself more. and seriously, that wouldn’t be hard to fall in love with

or maybe nursey falls in love with the weird bits of knowledge dex drops about any and everything, always attributed to an aunt or uncle, of which he likely has an unlimited stock, and the way that dex catches him when he trips on the sidewalk and the strong, sure way his hands curl around nursey’s body, and how when he gets flustered or embarrassed or angry or happy, his flush is a different shade depending on the emotion, and how nursey-- when he’s around dex-- doesn’t wonder if dex thinks what he’s saying is dumb-- he probably does-- because dex cares anyway and isn’t that just completely and wholly unavoidably wonderful?

so. one of them falls in love. there’s a dib flip. dex goes a little overboard. so does nursey. neither of them reacts accordingly and it’s nearly impossible to say which one reacts to the other’s overreaction. one person has their heart beat up (he still doesn’t like me, he still thinks i’m just someone to annoy) and then they lose before they even make the playoffs and then jack and bitty come out on live tv and dex’s parents infer things that break expectations and nursey’s parents start fighting (unrelated) and nursey wonders if it’s his fault (it isn’t) and they come back to samwell in the fall poised to break one another apart.

if in frog year it was an explosion, in junior year it’s a careful disassembly. they poke at the soft spots they’ve learned in the past year until the whole living situation comes crumbling down and, in the rumble, everything is silent and so much clearer. nursey is alone in a top bunk with a broken wrist, isolated from the team and his parents, scattered across the globe for work in an effort to get away from one another. dex is tucked away in the basement, sucking at hockey as his body refuses to get used to a different d-partner and his conversations with his parents consist of short sentences and loaded silences, and he has no idea what to do with either.

spring comes early that year. flowers poking up amongst frost-bitten blades of grass, birds chirping in the early hours of practices. nursey is back on the ice. he and dex don’t speak, except to work through plays. it begins to come back-- their understanding-- if only on the ice.

bitty starts visiting jack more on the weekends and chowder is off with caitlin and doing compsci homework and talking to recruiters. whiskey usually isn’t there anyway and tango is off doing everything and the waffles are cool but suddenly they seem so young.

on saturday nights, dex cooks and nursey sits at the table with him and complains, mostly to himself at first, about his writing prof. as the weeks wear on, dex adds his own complaints, too. sometimes nursey will throw in something good that happened. sometimes dex will tell a joke (usually a pun, usually horrible, usually inducing belly-aches in nursey regardless). afterwards they do the dishes. dex mentions how he used to love doing the dishes, how it calmed him. how his brother used to comment on it disparagingly. nursey mentions, another time, how his roommate at andover would hate the impromptu headphone dance parties he’d put on-- how it was something he’d do with his dad, when he was young. how it made things better, for a while.

(they never really talk about when happened, dex’s parents or nursey’s, the ache of loneliness that fall term, not until very later, after samwell, after-- well. it takes a while, but when they finally do talk about it, it hurts less if only because of the delicateness with which they’ve learned how to handle such things, by then)

 by the time the end of the year arrives-- when they win  the fucking playoffs and hoist bitty onto their shoulders with a burning pride in their chests-- nursey and dex would call one another friends. to their faces and everything. and then there’s a banquet and dex gets the c and-- as a twist-- nursey gets the a (maybe coach and hall approached dex before the banquet, explained how close the votes were, asked him if he’d mind, and dex gave the most honest answer maybe he’d ever given in his life-- it would be an honor)

they go into the summer with one another at the top of their messages. they call nearly every week, snapchat daily, about nursey’s internship at a publishing house, dex’s at a tech company in boston. maybe nursey panic-calls dex at three in the morning going on about the publishing process and how crazy it is and how i’m never going to be published and dex calms him down with some seriously misinformed words about the literary business that make nursey breathe easy anyway, and maybe dex goes home one weekend and there’s radio silence until dex calls him on the way back home and asks nursey to just talk and so from maine until massachussetts it’s nursey’s voice rambling about pears and children’s books and cooking equipment until dex gets back to the apartment his internship is paying for and simply says thank you

and they go into senior year this unquestionable team with a legacy to uphold. dex works through plays without hesitation, showing the baby frogs (juniors, they call them) the ropes and silently making the team a warm space, while nursey inspires and comforts and corrects the little things, and they run the haus in the same way-- nursey planning movie nights and board game nights (now that holster and jack are gone and there are strict rules in place) and dex is usually there in the kitchen, cooking and baking and willing to listen to anything the players have to say, and if you asked any of the baby frogs what they thought of dex and nursey’s relationship, they would’ve said that their captains had been friends for years (and maybe, in the right light, that would be true)

how they get together at this point is not important. whichever one didn’t catch feelings sophomore year found them, sometime afterwards, behind a box of forgotten things, forgotten only because they’d been there quietly for so long that no one had every thought to question their presence, and so, in senior year, when they are both in places where things are no longer fragile, where “broken” is a word easily thrown away, they come together with little fanfare.

over a pie, one softly raining afternoon, or in a slipped-into-snowbank on the way back from practice, or in the library over an open textbook or between laughter or in the moments before sleep embraces them on a roadie, or any number of other things.

that is not the most important part-- it’s important, of course, but not the most-- the most important part is that they were, are, together long before any moment like that occurs. because they both learned, grew from the volatile, fragile people they arrived as. grew because they forced each other, became better, stronger, with the guidance and comfort and assurance the other offered. because that is what makes a partnership, a bond of the souls, a love like theirs. it is not being perfect, not even being perfect for one another, but being there and willing to grow.

maybe it’s samwell-- got your back-- that puts them in a place where this kind of process can work. maybe it’s the nature of college itself. maybe it would’ve happened regardless of where they were. but it happened, and it’s wonderful, and that’s what matters.