#kath celebrates

[sweetgreenthings]

💜❤️💜

[orchestrahearts]

❄️ holiday starter call!

give this a like/reblog and i’ll yeet my muses at you with whichever holiday is relevant to them!

[thrashntreasure]

Ep110 Cuck of the Walk w/ Peter Rowsthorn! (AUS)

Look at us, Kimmy! Coz this week we're joined by Aussie comedy legend, Peter Rowsthorn! (Say what?! *faints*) Joining AW and Matt fresh from visiting Roxy at the Cook County Jail, the star of 'Kath and Kim', 'Crackers', and 'Chicago: the Musical' -currently touring Australia- brings his affable charms into our torture chamber for some Murderdolls' 'Women and Children Last', before we queue up to 'Ride the Cyclone' with the cult Canadian smash hit! Plus, we chat the current Chicago tour, Kath and Kim noses, Chicago again, The Comedy Company, Ownership of Characters, Mama Asabi in Chicago, Nike Moccasins, and even MORE Chicago: the Musical!

'CHICAGO: the Musical' Tickets: https://chicagomusical.com.au/ - Now Playing in Brisbane, then Melbourne (March), Sydney (June), and Adelaide (August).

-SOCIALS- Peter on IG: https://www.instagram.com/peterrowsthorn/

Matt: https://www.instagram.com/mattyoungactor/

***** Juxtaposing Metal with Musicals - joined by iconic guests from the worlds of Music, Broadway, Hollywood, and more! https://www.thetonastontales.com/listen -- https://www.patreon.com/bloomingtheatricals - https://twitter.com/thrashntreasure https://linktr.ee/thrashntreasure ***** Help support Thrash 'n Treasure and keep us on-air, PLUS go on a fantastical adventure at the same time! Grab your copy of The Tonaston Tales by AW, and use the code TNT20 when you check out for 20% off eBooks and Paperbacks! https://www.thetonastontales.com/bookstore - TNT20  *****

[thighguys]

Phan Fic Recs!!

here's a bunch of my absolute favorites for anyone who needs a distraction from the election <3 i will make a second post with shorter ones as well, this post will just be fics that are over 10k

Inheriting Love by Fictropes (22k)- Dan is a lawyer who executes wills in a small town in the English countryside, and Phil's aunt leaves him a house. One of the cutest fics I've read recently tbh, lots of banter and cows<3

Silver Arrows to the Heart by @evermorepeyton (137k, WIP)- How could i POSSIBLY make a rec list without including this masterpiece??? Dan and Phil are Formula 1 drivers, chaos ensues<3 sooooo much fun (and there are some really beautiful cool women in there too, just as a treat)

dancing on the blades (you set my heart on fire) by kishere (123k)- Dan is an amateur figure skater who scores a spot at the famous Lester training gym, where he meets the legendary Phil Lester and of course they fall in love... this one has sooo many cute fetus moments and wonderful cameos from Kath<3 absolutely love it

Like a Bowl of Oranges by cloej88 (@bitchslapblastoids) (47k)- Phil is a filmmaker looking to amplify queer stories in the media, Dan is a ghostwriter who's been writing a memoir on the side, you can guess what happens next. very VERY fun fic, lots of drama and lovely reflection, as well as the softest scenes between them. love this one (and the author :3)

The Odd Uneven Time by @yikesola (20k)- A 2009 fic from Phil's perspective, falling in love with a boy over the Internet. Absolutely WONDERFUL vibes, so so so cute (and it probably happened in real life ahaha)

Live Incidentally by yikesola (37k)- Phil makes novelty t-shirts and Dan buys them :) really funny, also some great Lester family moments

The Pianist Everyone Is Talking About... Is My Husband by @natigail (25k)- Dan is a famous pianist, Phil plays his songs on the radio, but nobody knows that they're actually married. Lots of chaos ensues, crazy fangirls can feel super represented, and Dan laughs at Phil about it all<3 this fic is so funny lol, highly HIGHLY recommend

Kick Me While I'm Down by jerserker (14k)- Dan and Phil join an adult kickball league! Phil just wants to make friends, and Dan... kicks everyone's asses <3 Really funny competitive Dan, fun times honestly :)

missing the obvious by Fictropes (14k)- Dan plays videogames in an anonymous Discord server at night, and during the day he goes to his boring office job and hooks up with his coworker Phil in bathroom stalls... I wonder how these two things could possibly be connected...

Our House by sierradeux (50k)- Dan is a real estate agent, Phil is a Youtube house flipper, they team up to cohost an HGTV renovation special and fall in love. With the house, obviously. But also with each other <3 this is one of my favorites guys I think it should be required reading for everyone on phannie tumblr

maybe this christmas by blackbirddan (13k)- it's November, im allowed to rec christmas fics now, right??? anyway, this one is HUGE for fans of the Lester and Howell families, just so so so soft and sweet and awesome<3

Strictly Come Dancing but make it GAY by natigail (176k)- i mean this one has a pretty self explanatory title... read for super hot dancer Phil, awkward celebrity Dan, and so so so many beautiful outfit and dance descriptions :3 seriously, I wish I could watch this season irl :( this is for sure in my top 3 fics of all time to be so honest

they grew up so nicely, didn't they? by natigail (15k)- Cornelia pov on meeting the boy Phil brought home, and then throughout the years. SO CUTE!!!!! really big for fans of outsider pov (me)

okie dokie<3 i will be making an under 10k rec list as well, so be on the lookout for that one!

[revivemyreverie]

Happy 1 year to the beginning of Toytoriya! To celebrate, I made a bunch of works on the dorm itself including comics, a dorm map, rooms, and an opinion chart of the other dorm leaders with Lotsie!!!

Thank you to everyone who’s enjoyed my sillies for the past year. Hopefully one day, I’ll be able to tell their stories in the fullest! Also if you wanna make your own custom room for the dorm just ask me i got tha assets :)))

( For comic cameos, Kath belongs to @br3adtoasty and Laz belongs to @mystery-skulls-ghost )

[livesincerely]

Jack panics.

Well, first he calls the restaurant and makes a reservation for two at 7pm.

But then, he panics.

He calls Katherine first, which turns out to be less than useless.

“Can you please stop cackling for three seconds and fucking help me?” Jack demands into the speaker, tugging at his hair in frustration.

But Kath just laughs and laughs until Jack hangs up on her in a huff. After about ten minutes, he calls her back—she’s still laughing.

He tries Tony next.

“You’re such a fucking moron,” Tony says, after sitting in dead silence for so long that Jack pulled the phone away from his ear to make sure the call hadn’t dropped. “I genuinely don’t understand how Davey’s put up with you for so long. I should send him an emotional-support fruit basket.”

“Quit with the wise cracks and help me,” Jack demands. “Davey’s, like, super fucking excited about this dinner an’ if I don’t figure out what the hell we’re supposed’ta be celebrating, he’s gonna kick me out before we even get moved in.”

“More like he’s gonna dump your dumbass and find someone who can actually remember an anniversary,” Tony snarks.

“He ain’t gonna— I’ve told you a thousand times, we ain’t like that,” Jack says, louder than he means to, flushed and flustered.

There’s another long, judgmental silence.

“Please seek professional help,” Tony says, flatly incredulous. “You are so beyond me, you’re orbiting fucking Saturn, Jackaboy—“

Jack hangs up on him too.

[phanfictioncatalogue]

Tooth Rotting Fluff (4) Masterlist

part one, part two, part three

a little bitter, mostly sweet (ao3) - antiadvil

Summary: Dan is a barista working the closing shift; Phil is the only customer who still drinks caffeine that late in the day.

for your eyes only (ao3) - blossomsphan

Summary: and they were roommates

(the fluffy tatinof bed sharing fic no one asked for in 2024… or did they?)

His World (ao3) - Sinninghowlter

Summary: Dan opens the door and before him stands his world.

He's finally home.

Home Is Wherever I’m With You (ao3) - howell_slide

Summary: “You being here is the best birthday present I could ever ask for,” Phil murmurs.

Or, Dan flies home from his tour to come celebrate Phil’s birthday.

Honeybee (ao3) - Scuddleduck

Summary: Dan sings a sweet silly song to Phil in the kitchen.

I missed you so much I dyed the towels green (ao3) - chuuyaswife

Summary: A few of Dan’s shows get cancelled while he’s on the WAD tour so he decides to surprise his boyfriend back home for a few days. Fluffy reunion ensues.

just stay here in this moment (ao3) - trademarkblue

Summary: After a few minutes of silence, Phil drawing patterns on Dan's arms with his finger, Dan pushed away from him. Phil looked up at him expectantly, his hair falling into his face. "We should film a house tour," Dan said.

lie with me (sew your heart to my sleeve) (ao3) - trademarkblue

Summary: You make me feel safe, Phil. I've never felt like that before. Safe like this. Not for a long time, at least.

A ficlet about comfort and new love.

Mistletoe (ao3) - undertalednp

Summary: Phil was a sap. And Dan basked in it.

Need (ao3) - orphan_account

Summary: Dan wants Phil's attention, but Phil is too busy editing. Dan decides that he is tired of waiting, and takes matters into his own hands.

New Addition to the Family (ao3) - mani_txt

Summary: Dan and Phil get a dog. Finally.

now i smile and face the girl who shares my name (ao3) - plinth_of_life

Summary: kath meets her newborn granddaughter.

one of those days (ao3) - nivi_chip

Summary: Phil has a dizzy spell and Dan takes care of him.

Or, Dan is the man with the plan (rip the stereo shows imy)

pigeons (ao3) - SylvesterLester

Summary: Dan is wondering if it’s too late to admit he really doesn't care for pigeons all that much.

Or, it's 2017, and the two just moved to the new flat which has a balcony and a new hyper fixation for Phil.

quiet morning (ao3) - Tarredion

Summary: Dan wakes up in the forever home, Phil breathing softly next to him

silent and sure, keeping watch in the night (ao3) - gaydreaming

Summary: Phil has always loved being on tour. The adventure, the sounds of the tour bus, the way his quality time with Dan takes on a different shape. On the road between Oslo and Helsinki, he sees some beautiful stars through the bus window and wakes Dan up in the middle of the night to enjoy them with him.

sweetie (ao3) - omgitshelena

Summary: a ficlet about pet names

The Guy Next Door (ao3) - Tarredion

Summary: Apartment nr. 7's new resident is a pretty, pretty guy about Phil’s age, height, and just his type... He also happens to be real charming and takes a liking to Phil - despite having (accidentally) just met, he's eager to join him in a Buffy marathon, as long as Phil doesn't eat all the popcorn beforehand. Maybe a date is in order?

the hoodie bow incident (ao3) - antiadvil

Summary: they were kissing.

The Phat (ao3) - gaydreaming

Summary: When Dan and Phil find an abandoned cat on a late-night walk to Dominos, Dan insists that they aren't going to keep him. After all, they know nothing about taking care of a pet. Dan will have the self control to put his foot down when faced with both Phil's big eyes and the cat's, right? ...Right?

three of us (ao3) - SylvesterLester

Summary: Phil is ready to make the next step. Dan isn't so sure.

-

Set after Dan comes home from WAD.

waking up to a dream (ao3) - queercatwithhat

Summary: "I missed you..." Phil mumbled against Dan's jacket, reveling in the familiarity of his smell. "I missed you more," Dan whispered warmly. Phil vehemently shook his head, "Not possible." Dan chuckled. Phil found that sound so sweet and endearing that he pulled him even closer.

You're the only story that I've never told. (ao3) - DumbGayVampires

Summary: Watching him, Dan felt the familiar grudging affection that came with a lifetime in each other’s company…

[ya-what--ya-erster]

newsies au where Davey is actually able to predict the future and what he sees is that the strike is going to fail, but as they go on javey occurs and as soon as Davey and Jack kiss for the first time Davey sees that they’re gonna win the strike. When Jack betrays the strike Davey starts to think maybe his special ability thing is broken, so he is sad about that and about Jack leaving. He almost doesn’t go find him afterwards (Something to Believe In with him instead of Kath cause I say so, and it’s Jack explaining why he did it) but then he does and Jack explains a plan that Katherine suggested, and Davey finds that he has hope in the strike again.

they win. there’s javey. celebration.

[secretsofthewilde]

Vera & Joan - saving each other

In celebration of it being the anniversary of the show’s final episode, and more importantly the iconic Freakytits rescue scene, I want to return to something I’ve previously touched on before – the parallels between Joan and Vera and how they have inherently changed one another – but specifically today I’m going to be talking about them saving each other in both the literal sense but also from their past selves.

Or in other words; let’s talk about how these two women have both saved one another from being choked to death.

In season 5 episode 11 Vera goes out of her way to try and save Joan from being hanged as a result from her own hubris and as retaliation for the sins of her past. Prior to this moment, Joan has spent the entire season trying to antagonise and stifle Vera’s newfound growth in her position as Governor – a position she only holds due to the path Joan put her on through their mentorship. Despite the fact that it was Joan’s efforts which helped Vera shed the timid mouse persona and put on the Governor pants, Joan can’t help but lash out and try to tear Vera down for the crime of being in the position of power which she covets. After a season of having her ex mentor actively manipulating everyone around her and antagonising them, Vera still see’s Joan being torn down from her new place of power and hanged by the (rightfully) vengeful inmates and knows she can’t let herself watch her die.

Despite her efforts she doesn’t succeed at stopping the other inmates from attempting their retribution, however she does manage to intercept and stop them from completing their attempt on Joan’s life. When it at first seems that she was too late to save Joan’s life, Vera refuses to accept this and begins an attempt to resuscitate her and succeeds – through sharing a part of herself and giving Joan the breath of life. This action is done out of selfless kindness and it’s something that Joan is unable to understand at first, but the action alone is enough for Joan to not only express gratitude to Vera but also confess her fear – an act of vulnerability which is something she never would have allowed herself to do before. Through this act of kindness Vera has already changed Joan in a way, though neither of them can really know this or acknowledge it properly yet.

In season 8 we then see this antagonistic role reversed, with Vera constantly lashing out towards Joan despite her former mentor's genuine attempts to become a better person and connect with her. This attempt at redemption by Joan is clearly influenced by her relationship with Vera; while suffering under amnesia as Kath, it’s Vera who she finds herself gravitating towards and wanting to reach out to; it’s this desire to be close to Vera that drives Kath and then Joan to continue her therapy and try to become a better person. As mentioned in my other post, Vera struggles to accept that Joan is no longer taking the antagonist role in their relationship and her refusal to see the genuine efforts of Joan is what leads to Vera taking on that role herself during this season. While this does prompt Joan to consider revenge against Vera at a point, she doesn’t follow through on it once she witnesses Ann verbally tearing Vera down in a way that’s not altogether dissimilar to how she once would have spoken to her. 

Witnessing this interaction between Vera and Ann – who is both a figure of authority to Vera much like Joan used to be, but also the last remaining tie in Vera’s life to who she was before working at Wentworth – reminds Joan to not fall into her old patterns of behaviour and instead helps her put aside her anger at Vera’s recent treatment towards her, enough so that in the next episode she is willing to sacrifice her own freedom for Vera through her confession at the trial. Vera doesn’t accept that Joan’s sacrifice in the courtroom was an act of selfless kindness and instead continues to question the woman’s motivations and believe the worst of her. She is willfully ignorant to the ways in which Joan has changed and that she has done so because of her – because she treated Joan with kindness she didn’t deserve.

So in the final episode, when the bomb goes off and Joan has one final chance at freedom, instead of disappearing without a witness she instead goes and finds Vera. When Vera is being choked to death by Ann – when the one remaining remnant of her past life tries to stifle her for daring to grow out of her submissive role – , it’s Joan who saves her life. Despite all the aggression and dismissive behaviour Vera has shown her this season, Joan can’t watch Vera be killed, because to her Vera has become the most important person in her life – even more important than revenge. And so Joan kills Ann, both saving Vera’s life and cutting her free from the past which was stifling her new-found strength, and then she carries her out of the rubble of the prison which defines them. After carrying her to safety Joan sets Vera down on the ground, confesses that Vera needn’t worry about her in the future, and then walks away, allowing Vera to rise to her feet unassisted and make her own path ahead.

While both of them had nothing to gain and everything to lose by saving one another, it is these choices they made which ultimately and irrevocably changed who they are as a person. In this way though they are now free to move on from Wentworth and create their own futures as better people, they will always be a part of each other.  

[autisticshadowthehedgehog]

Any sonic movie fancasts? I like the one of Wendy Malick as Rouge

IF we're fancasting celebrities/film actors and not the og VAs,

rouge - catherine zeta-jones

amy - kitana turnbull

tikal - madeleine madden

blaze - kelly marie tran. did you hear this bitch in raya she can fucking RULE this town

those are the only ones i'm passionate about. uuuh i guess zendaya did a decent kath soucie impression in space jam 2 so she can go for sally

oh i think that tekno the canary should be here and voiced by one of those queens from derry girls

and the last one is jenny slate as sticks, SOLELY so that she and sonic can do the "don't be suspicious" scene

[utronabalcone]

crystal castles: ‘doe deer’ review, april 27, 2010

“we are named after she-ra’s home – we play rough.”

as a statement of intent, the one belonging to toronto’s crystal castles is hard to beat. the anarchic electro-punks burst blood vessels when they first emerged in 2006, like an infant pulled out backwards from a wirey womb. their first full length veered from unhinged digital thrash to silkier, more svelte dance floor based-business of ‘crimewave’ and ‘air wars’.

since then, ethan kath and alice glass, the pair at crystal castle’s black heart, have resolutely adhered to their diy aesthetic and kept the hoods up, garnering as much acclaim as disdain for the confrontational dancefloor rage they peddle. some cite them as genius nihilist noise mongers, pummeling the corpse of new rave through the grave and into a different electronic dimension. some of us pine for their sounds to be smoothed with more melody – basically hook us up with a tune.

new single ‘doe deer’ will do nothing to unite the two sides. culled from the forthcoming second crystal castles album (again self-titled), this single, released to celebrate record store day, is more a visceral force than an actual song. full of distortion, big drums and hyperactive electronic twitching, it’s akin to the squeals of a robot in its death throes, desperately attempting to turn itself off, and it’s almost a relief when it crashes to a halt after barely two minutes of aural pounding. die-hards will be chuffed that crystal castles remain so difficult to love, others will continue to yearn for something less prickly. - by jim ottewill (factmag)

[orchestrahearts]

happy passover! i’m probably rather late for the other time zones ahead of me, sorry.

[crosby-interesting]

I'm very late with celebrating this little holiday! Thanks to everyone who subscribes and reads the Blog, but even more thanks to everyone who reads even though they're not subscribed! LOL

My dear gossips, tell me which of our scandals is your favorite? Exposing Kathy's fan page? OR Exposing the Carolina bunny? Confirming Emma-Kath's Instagram OR Tiktok tea? maybe LebangME era?

[h0t-p1nk-ch33tah-pr1nt]

☆☆☆☆☆☆☆☆☆☆☆☆☆☆☆☆☆☆☆

EEE ok a little snow prompt, I might write for more characters eventually but here's the first! (Feel free to replace my name (kat, kathryn, kath) with urs!)

🕸 A FOOLS HOLIDAY, INNIT? 🕸

- Honestly I feel like Hobie doesn't celebrate Christmas! Kinda lost the meaning behind hanging out with friends, to a capitalistic gateway to black Friday sales for cheap dinky lil gifts.

- He's always, always down for friend gatherings, free food. But he is very particular about gifts himself, he will accept anything.

- But he loves making gifts!! Adores it! We are forgetting this man made a watch out of scraps from the spider hq, C'mon this man is a craft nut.

- I like to imagine he made Kathryn a "Blanket" more less it's a bunch of scrap fabric he blanket stitched up, because all of the fabric he could find. So it's a bunch of granny squares just stitched with a hope and a lose thread.

- She absolutely loved it though. Hanged it on her wall like it was the next Van Gogh.

- Since then, he has made gifts for everyone, spider gang, his band, his black cat. No one is safe.

- He's more of the seasonal side of Christmas, and winter in general.

- MAN IS A THERMOMETER, if it's warm, he is warm, if it's cold HE IS FREEZING. Best excuse to wear Kathryn's sweaters, cuz he has to bundle up so much.

- waddles around like a emperor penguin.

- Him and Karl loves snow, snowmen, snow ball fights, Riri, or Kath usually keeps the score of "Who can make the snow man with the longest body." Or "Who can eat the most snow with out getting hypothermia."

- always gets snow in his hair, like icicles, Karl and him where dicking around until Hobie got knocked down into the snow, and his head felt numb for 2 days.

- In the end, he loves the snow, but is around his friends homes the most, mostly Kathryn's, with her cat Beatle.

- Hobie fucking loves cuddling, his iron grip during the winter is like super glue, you can't get him off.

- He mostly drinks more peppermint tea, "I'm gettin' in tha' spirit!", just mostly drinks it because it's the cheapest tea in the season, if he's feeling real crazy, hot chocolate with a bunch of mini mallows, or one big one.

- Also wears a lot, a lot of ugly Christmas sweaters, that say "SHUT UP, I SAW SANTA." or "TIS THE SEASON, TO PUNCH A PIG."

- But he loves Kathryn a lot, because she bundles up the most, lots of blankets and she doesn't have a fire, so she let's the stove run to warm up the home.

- THEM UNDER MISTLETOE? it's like that stereotypical scene of the guy holding it up like. "Wonder why that's there?" That's him

- He'd look so stupid, him in a ugly sweater with tight jeans, because he "could handle the cold" and her in her sweater, fuzzy coat and ear muffs

- OUUUGHHHH

Ok that is all thank you 😼

☆☆☆☆☆☆☆☆☆☆☆☆☆☆☆☆☆☆☆

[noxexistant]

CAN YOU DO LIKE A CUTE SWEET MOMENT BETWEEN RACE AND CRUTCHIE. LIKE MAYBE AFTER THE COPS BEAT EM UP THEY HAVE A REALLY LIKE AWWW INTERACTION ABOUT BEING BROTHERS LIKE HE AND JACK DO IN THE BEGINNING

i don’t know if this is as wholesome as you wanted oops but yes!! here!! some race and crutchie getting a brotherly moment to themselves after crutchie gets out of the refuge <3

—

send me newsies headcanon/writing prompts!!

—

Crutchie grits his teeth hard as he sits down. And, sure, he usually grits his teeth when he has to use his leg like that - bend it, put any amount of weight on it like he has to to get up or sit down - but he just grit his teeth hard enough to make that muscle in his jaw tic, and Race knows he never does that unless it’s bad.

None of the others seem to have noticed. There’s enough chaos going on, far too much for anyone to take stock of Crutchie hobbling unsteadily to a set of nearby steps and dropping down a little too hard to sit on one near the middle. Biting back his pain like it’s choking him, but still not expressing it outwardly in any way beyond that little involuntary movement, even though no one’s looking. Even with bruises all over him and blood staining his shirt, Crutchie sits quiet and breathes careful and won’t let go of his crutch.

He could easily balance it against the banister beside him up the steps - Race knows he usually would, taking any opportunity to have both his hands free and just not have to hold the weight for a little while. But he’s holding it, clutching it like he does when he’s about to use it to stand up, hand wrapped tight just beneath the handle. Like he might lose it. Like he thinks there’s a chance someone might try and take it from him. Again.

Race swallows. He tries for casual as he floats over - walking with an easy swagger in his step, pretending to examine his cigar and every dent it’d sustained tucked in his pocket during all the fighting - but maybe he misses the mark, because Crutchie already looks sort of grim when Race sits down beside him. Or maybe that’s just how Crutchie’s feeling right now.

It ain’t far from how Race is feeling too.

He thinks maybe they should feel better - or he should, at least. Crutchie’s got more reason to be sour. But they won. Front page of the pape, demands met - or…almost, or something, Race hadn’t really been able to follow Jack’s half-frantic rambling about it before he got pulled back in with Kath and Davey, but the strike’s over and everyone’s accounted for and they got bruises, sure, but they’re all alive to tell the tale. And what a tale it is.

Sales are gonna be up like crazy for a while. Hell, maybe they’ll be something like celebrities, now that they been in the pape and beat Pulitzer and even had Governor Roosevelt on their side. The famous striking newsboys.

Race ends up saying all of that out loud to Crutchie, who tries for a laugh and kind of misses the mark too. Crutchie can’t even quite smile right - looks like he took a hit to the jaw or something, his mouth’s moving kinda crooked - but he won’t stop smiling, even when his try at a laugh peters off quick into a strangled sort of sound. It’s like he don’t know what else to do, other than try and smile.

Seeing it, Race lets his own facade slip. He hadn’t even realised how big a farce it was until his shoulders sink and his eyelids droop and an ache settles deep into his bones like water soaking into wool. His eye’s throbbing, creating a pounding in his head, and one of his shins hurts something awful where he must’ve took a kick or something. Or maybe he tripped over a barrel. He can’t remember.

“God,” he groans, reaching down and rubbing it carefully through his trousers. “This how you feel all the time?”

And this time Crutchie does manage a laugh. It’s bitter and a little breathless, but it’s a laugh all the same.

“Bet it ain’t far off.” He looks down at Race’s leg, brow creasing a little. “‘S’it bad? Can you move it?”

Race bends his leg a couple times to prove that he can, even though Crutchie just watched him walk over, and that seems to soothe Crutchie a bit. He settles back against the steps, and Race watches him, his own gaze darting down to Crutchie’s bad leg where it’s lay motionless, hidden beneath the newly filthy and torn up fabric of his overalls. He jerks his head at it.

“What about yours?” he asks, quiet. “They got you bad, right? Jack said.”

Crutchie shrugs weakly.

“Least they couldn’t’a made it worse,” he jokes, not much stronger. “Can’t break what already don’t work.”

Race supposes that’s true in most cases, but it don’t feel right right now. Crutchie’s bad leg don’t work, sure, but they still could’ve broken it. And that’s the one thing it does work for - hurting. Crutchie can’t sell if it’s too bad, and then what was even the point of all this?

Maybe he was quiet too long, because Race is brought out of his thoughts by Crutchie knocking their shoulders together, and he ain’t smiling anymore but he don’t look quite so grim or distant either.

“Stop worryin’,” he says, like it’s an order. “Ain’t your job anymore, so quit it. Jack an’ I are back now. ‘S’all over.”

“It ain’t,” Race can’t help but argue, turning his cigar over and over between his hands, which still haven’t quite stopped shaking. “You’re hurtin’ still. And you got…”

He trails off, already half regretting what he was about to say, but Crutchie fixes him with a look and he knows he can’t drop it.

“You got this look in your eyes,” he clarifies reluctantly, hardly above a whisper. “Like you ain’t really back.”

He really does regret it then, because Crutchie goes quiet and sinks more against the step and suddenly he just looks so damn tired, gaze fixed on the ground at the bottom of the steps but clearly not really seeing it. Race feels his eyes start burning, because maybe he’s pretty tired too, and he really didn’t mean to make Crutchie upset when he’s clearly trying so hard to not be, Race just missed him so damn much and he’s been more a leader these last few days than he’s sure he’s ever been in every damn year he’s spent with the newsies and he’d been so sure, for a while there, that Crutchie wouldn’t be coming back. He hadn’t even been sure that Jack would. He’d thought maybe he’d be left alone to keep making calls by himself like he’s the one in charge, and without Crutchie and Jack he would be, and he don’t want that. Even taking charge and making everyone laugh in Jacobi’s, climbing up on tables to dance and sing and crack jokes like he weren’t half dizzy, Race had wanted his brothers more than anything. Had wanted to be able to climb down from those tables and sit quiet next to Crutchie like this, cracking jokes between themselves.

“You’re right,” Crutchie says, real quiet, and Race is startled out of his head again.

“What?”

“Said you’re right, Race. It ain’t really all over wit’.”

Race nods slowly, feeling sort of nauseous. He’s right. He’s right. Crutchie’s still hurting - but then he also leans against Race’s side and rests his cheek against his shoulder, slumping all his weight against him, relaxing, and Race can just barely see him smile, real soft. “But the worst is over wit’. The fightin’ an’ all that. An’ I’m back home. We made it through all that, an’ we’re all alive, an’ we’re all together.”

Home, Race thinks. Crutchie’s home. His brother’s home, home, home.

“I missed you so much,” he chokes out suddenly, like it just spilled out of him. “‘S’been so quiet, and I been tryin’ - everyone got real low after you got got, and I…I had to try and make ‘em laugh like you do, but I ain’t loud like you are. I don’t even got a whistle.”

Crutchie laughs again, and it’s a real laugh this time. Loud. He goes fishing in one of his pockets and comes out with his whistle - which Race supposes he must’ve stashed for safekeeping like Race did with his cigar, otherwise the Refuge guards surely would’ve taken it - and pulls the tangled leather strap of the necklace loose, hooking it back around his neck, back in its rightful place where it always hangs.

Then he puts the whistle in his mouth and blows, loud enough to make Race flinch back and cover his ears and laugh. He watches as everyone turns around, responding in a wave with their own whistles and whoops when they just see Crutchie grinning back at them, whistle dangling between his teeth. Finch whistles back as loud as he can, fingers at the corners of his mouth, so Crutchie whistles again and they go back and forth like that until someone hollers at them to shut up. Race’s head is throbbing worse than he thought was possible, but he’s still laughing, more grateful for his head throbbing from Crutchie’s noise than he thought was possible. He’d give anything to never have to hear quiet like the last few days again, and while Crutchie’s still giggling Race curls himself against his side, just like Crutchie’d done to him.

He picks his cigar up from his lap and puts it between his teeth, patting at his pockets. Crutchie must notice, because he goes through one of his own.

“You wan’ a match?”

“Yeah,” Race says, watching Crutchie dig out a matchbook and strike one lit, holding the flame to the end of Race’s cigar until it takes and he inhales his first lungful of smoke. “Where’d you get those?” he asks, as he blows the smoke back out in a neat stream.

Crutchie grins. “Swiped ‘em from Snyder,” he says, pocketing them again. “Now gimme that.”

“My cigar?” Race asks, affronted.

“Payment.”

Crutchie plucks it out of Race’s mouth and puts it into his own like he’d held his whistle, inhaling. Not quite as deep as Race had, and he coughs as he exhales the smoke in short little uneven breaths, but he finally relaxes that last little bit. He hands the cigar back.

“Thought you was havin’ it,” Race teases, taking another inhale. Crutchie bumps his shoulder again, almost hard enough to make him drop the thing.

“We can share.”

Race don’t like Crutchie smoking any more than he likes any of their boys smoking, maybe likes it less ‘cause Crutchie only smokes when he’s wanting it and can sound so damn fragile when he coughs. But, right now, Race has never been so happy to share a cigar in his life. He watches the smoke pour from his brother’s lips and thanks God he’s breathing.

Still swipes it back every time Crutchie’s taking too long on his drag, though.

[livesincerely]

[bits & bobs] common knowledge

aka the ‘Jack didn’t know they were dating’ fic

00000

One of the last things that gets packed⁠—right up there with the wifi router, the stuff for the bathroom, and Jack’s good pillow⁠—is the calendar. Davey carefully peels it from its place of honor on the front of the fridge, almost the whole of April carefully x-ed out.

“The 29th is on Friday,” he notes as he tucks it carefully away, smiling softly. “We should try and do something.”

“Dave, we are up to our ears in fuckin’ boxes,” Jack complains from his spot on the floor, a roll of tape sitting on his chest as he attempts to become one with the carpet. “We ain’t gonna get our deposit back if we ain’t outta here before the first.”

“You were out of town on a contract last year and the year before that we both had the flu,” Davey complains. “It’d be nice if we could actually do something to celebrate this year.”

It’s at this point that Jack realizes he has no idea what the fuck Davey’s talking about.

“Dave,” he says. “What the fuck are you talkin’ about?”

“The 29th,” Davey says, like that alone should be enough of an explanation.

“What’s so special about the 29th?” Jack asks.

Davey frowns⁠. And not just his Jack, you dumbass frown, but the full-blown, pinched-mouth, brow-furrowed, Jack, this isn’t funny, stop it frown that makes makes Jack’s soul want to shrivel up and die whenever it’s pointed his way.

So, Jack pivots. Hard.

“I’m kiddin’,” he lies quickly, alarm bells blaring behind his eyes. What the fuck is on the 29th? “‘Course we can do somethin’. What about dinner at that Italian place we saw on the corner? It looked like a nice joint.”

Davey’s expression clears.

“God, I would kill for some tiramasu,” he says with a wistful sigh.

“Hopefully, it won’t come to that,” Jack laughs, more relief than anything. “I’ll call in the mornin’, see if they take reservations.”

“Perfect,” Davey says, with a beaming smile that makes Jack’s heart lurch for entirely different reasons. “It’s a date.”

“Yeah,” Jack says weakly. “It’s a date.”

00000

Jack panics.

Well, first he calls the restaurant and makes a reservation for two at 7pm.

But then, he panics.

He calls Katherine first, which turns out to be less than useless.

“Can you please stop cackling for three seconds and fucking help me?” Jack demands into the speaker, tugging at his hair in frustration.

But Kath just laughs and laughs until Jack hangs up on her in a huff. After about ten minutes, he calls her back—she’s still laughing.

He tries Tony next.

“You’re such a fucking moron,” Tony says, after sitting in dead silence for so long that Jack pulled the phone away from his ear to make sure the call hadn’t dropped. “I genuinely don’t understand how Davey’s put up with you for so long. I should send him a medal. Or maybe a fruit basket.”

“Quit with the wise cracks and help me,” Jack demands. “Davey’s, like, super fucking excited about this dinner an’ if I don’t figure out what the hell we’re supposed’ta be celebrating, he’s gonna kick me out before we even get moved in.”

“More like he’s gonna dump your dumbass and find someone who can actually remember an anniversary,” Tony snarks.

“He ain’t gonna— I’ve told you a thousand times, we ain’t like that,” Jack says, louder than he means to, flushed and flustered.

There’s another long, judgmental silence.

“Please seek professional help,” Tony says, flatly incredulous. “You are so beyond me, you’re orbiting fucking Saturn, Jackaboy—“

Jack hangs up on him too.

00000

“Are you upset?” Jack asks tentatively.

“I’m still deciding,” Davey says in a thin, even tone that really doesn’t bode well.

….

“Jack,” Davey murmurs, close enough that he can feel the whisper of his breath against his cheeks. “Apparently you haven’t noticed, but we’ve been dating for years. Tomorrow is our three-year anniversary.”

Jack, who had been swaying towards the warmth of Davey’s body, towards the promise of a kiss, freezes dead in his tracks. “What?”

But Davey just smiles. “Three years,” he repeats calmly.

“No, no, I heard you the first time, I jus’…” Jack shakes his head, hard, as if that with somehow make any of what’s happening make any kind of sense. “What?”

“When’s the last time you had sex with anyone but me?” Davey prompts—impossibly patient, all things considered. “Or went out on a date? Gave someone your number?”

“Not in fuckin’ ages,” Jack sputters, offended at the very thought. “You an’ me, we’ve got a good thing goin’. I wouldn’t do that to you.”

“You wouldn’t cheat on me?” Davey specifies, tilting his head.

“Course not!”

“Why would it be cheating if we aren’t together?” Davey asks, pointedly.

Jack stares at him, trying to find the riddle hidden in Davey’s question. Because… Because…

“Oh,” he says blankly.

Davey laughs, curling his hands around Jack’s waist. “Oh,” he agrees.

“Three years?” Jack asks weakly.

“Jackie,” Davey sighs, apparently realizing that Jack needs this spelled out to him. “We live together. We share a bedroom. We spent last Christmas at your mom’s house and you introduced me to Charlie’s kids as ‘Uncle David’.”

“Oh,” Jack says again, because it really bears repeating. “How the hell have you managed to put up with my dumbass for three fucking years?”

“It probably helps that I’m madly in love with you,” Davey says, rolling his eyes even as another soft smile curls over his lips.

“Huh,” Jack says. It’s maybe not the best response, but it’s honestly a miracle he manages to say anything at all.

“You’re in love with me too,” Davey helpfully informs him.

“Well, I knew that part,” Jack huffs. Then, “How did you know that?”

“Because I know you,” Davey says, lacing their fingers together. “But feel free to say it aloud any time you like.”

“I love you,” Jack murmurs.

Davey’s smile is like the first days of spring: bright like sunshine, full of promise and full of hope.

And the taste of his kiss is even better.