#mateo loves you more alberto

[northbndtrain]

I'm being serious -- just be careful.

[rouletvilla]

OC Songs

thanks @mrs-mquve for the tag!

General songs that I think he'd like:

Izabella by Antônio Carlos Jobim

Samba Saravah - Pierre Barouh

If You Were Here Tonight - Alexander O'Neal

Rio - Duran Duran

Bossa per Alberto - Piero Piccioni

Señora Diana La - Eduardo Mateo

Out of Nowhere - Al Bowlly

Let's Face The Music And Dance - Roy Fox & His Band

La Vie en rose - Edith Piaf

Girl in a Sportscar - Alan Hawkshaw

Femme Fatale - The Velvet Underground

Some genres would be cocktail jazz, easy listening, new wave, r&b

Some songs with explanations:

Non, je ne regrette rien - Edith Piaf

I associate it especially with Nicolas and Love's relationship since when everything goes to shit (aka Anais finds out and leaves with the kids, Love can't cope with the fallout and goes back to Sweden) he doesn't really have any regrets because what he and Love had was probably the most important thing he's ever had, regardless of whether he lost it or not

Sulk - Radiohead

I associate this one with him because of the lyric "Just like your dad you'll never change". I sort of imagined it to be an insult Love would probably throw at him during an argument. Nicolas' coldness comes from Richard (his dad) but refuses to do anything to change that

Dogs - Pink Floyd

Not necessarily any meaning to this one other than I perfectly imagine it being a song he likes to unwind after work to with a glass of whisky

·.¸¸.·♩♪♫ nicolas' playlist ♫♪♩·.¸¸.·

General songs that I think he'd like:

Sunday by Sonic Youth

Tour de France '03 V2 by Kraftwerk

Protest Song '68 by Refused

Misery Business by Paramore

Tornado by MSI

A Box Full Of Sharp Objects by The Used

Noise and Kisses by The Used

Root by Deftones

DINNER! by femtanyl

General Release by Mike Klubnika

Missed the bus! by Vertigoaway

Ginger Claps by Machine Girl

New Pin by Oceansize

Genres are mainly depressive black metal, digital hardcore, grunge, nu metal and rap metal

Some songs with explanations:

Temptation - New Order

Not about the lyrics this time, but more the melody. Gives me coming of age movie vibes. And I picture him and Love running through the streets of their hometown just being teenagers with some cheap vodka without a care in the world XD

·.¸¸.·♩♪♫ eivor's playlist ♫♪♩·.¸¸.·

General songs that I think he'd like:

Teenager by Deftones

To Forgive by Smashing Pumpkins

Prove Yourself by Radiohead

You're Not The Only One I Know by The Sundays

Om jag dör i natt by Camouflage

Allt Är Sig Likt by Apati

Silk Hands Wrapped In A Masquerade by Calm

No More Like That by Eiafuawn

Star Roving by Slowdive

Regret by New Order

Untitled by The Cure

Waltzing Back by The Cranberries

Mayonaise by Smashing Pumpkins

Genres are slowcore, space rock, pop rock

Some songs with explanations:

The Boy - Smashing Pumpkins

'Every little part of me is a part of you I can't stop, I can't breathe, I can't think I'm in love again'

He loves way too much, to the point his whole personality and self can be consumed by just one person, and can almost be obsessive in a way

Married With Children - Oasis

Self explanatory if you're familiar with both Love and Nic's relationship XD ("yeah i dont have a wife and kids")

·.¸¸.·♩♪♫ love's playlist ♫♪♩·.¸¸.·

[marjansmarwani]

we’re not broken, just bent

7.1k || ao3

When the school year started, Carlos Reyes had not been expecting to fall for the new English teacher. When he met TK Strand, Carlos had not expected to find the love he had always wanted so close at hand. Now that they have each other everything seems just a bit brighter, and a bit lighter. Navigating the twists of turns or life and teaching and relationships isn’t always easy, but if Carlos gets to keep TK Strand in his life, he will do anything to make it work - even if he doesn’t always get it right on the first try. 

Or, Teacher AU, Part 2

Revisiting one of my favorite AUs for Day 6 of Carlos Reyes Week. Find the first part here. 

------------

“You would think that by now you would know better than to have your phone out at my table, Carlos Alberto Reyes.” 

Carlos looked, startled, from his phone to find his mother looking at him pointedly while his dad tried not to look too amused from his seat across from Carlos. He blinked, before realizing he must have been staring at his phone for longer than he had thought before hastily sliding it back into his pocket. “Sorry,” he offered sheepishly, “were you saying something?”

His father didn’t even bother to contain his laughter at that and his mother rolled her eyes, “I was, but now I’m more interested to know who this boy that has you glued to your phone is.”

“Who says it’s a boy?” Carlos said defensively, ignoring the feeling of heat climbing up his cheeks. 

“Unless something significant has changed in the past 2 weeks I’d say it’s a pretty safe bet, mijo,” his mother deadpanned. “He must be something special to make you smile like that.”

“I wasn’t smiling.�� 

His mom looked unimpressed, but his dad snorted outright, “it’s a good thing you’re a good teacher kid, because you would make a lousy actor.” 

“You know if you guys are just going to keep ganging up on me I might just stop coming over for Sunday lunches.” 

“It’s not wise to make empty threats Carlos, we all know you can’t resist my cooking.” 

“I wonder what it’s like to have nice parents.” 

Both of his parents ignored his jab. His dad returned his attention to his lunch while his mother leaned closer, “you know I have to tease you, Carlos, it’s my job. But if this boy makes you as happy as those smiles seem to indicate, then I am happy for you. I’d also like to meet him,” she added almost as an afterthought. 

“Mom.”

“It’s a mother’s prerogative, Carlos. You should bring him by for lunch one Sunday.”

His mother was looking at him earnestly, but Carlos turned his gaze instead to the food on his plate, “things are still pretty new,” he admitted, “I don’t want to move too fast. He’s still a little gun shy from some past experiences, I want to make sure we go at a pace that works for him.”

He could feel the gaze of both of his parents on him now, but he kept his focus on his plate. It was something that he had been reminding himself of every day. TK had opened up to him, had told him everything and all the ways his ex had hurt him. He had made huge strides and put so much of it behind him, but Carlos was still wary. He didn’t want to push too hard; he didn’t want to risk what they were starting by being too hasty. What they had right now was so good, and if being patient and a little cautious meant he got to keep it, Carlos was okay with that. 

He knew his mother was studying him without even having to see her face. When he did look up and meet her eyes, she gave him a smile, “You have always had a big heart mijo, it’s one of the things that makes you so special. You’ve spent your life always looking out for others, so I just need to ask: is that what you want too? Is that what is going to make you happy?” 

He holds his mother’s gaze, and can feel his father watching them both. They’re waiting for him to answer, giving him time to think about it, but he doesn’t need to: “Yes Mom, he makes me happy.” 

She smiles wide and reaches out to place a hand on top of his, “Then I am sure we will love him, whenever we get to meet him.” 

-----------

“How was lunch with your parents?” 

Carlos looked up from the coffee machine on TK’s counter to see his boyfriend watching him from the table. Carlos shrugged as the pot finished brewing, pouring the fresh coffee into two mugs, “Pretty much the usual, but with the addition of them giving me shit about being on my phone because someone was texting me.” 

“I refuse to be guilted for wanting to talk to my boyfriend,” TK declared as he accepted the offered mug, “besides, if I had to suffer through Mateo’s niece's softball game, I wasn’t going to do it alone.” 

“Good to know I could bring you some comfort in such trying times.” 

TK rolled his eyes at him as he settled into the seat across from him and he grinned. He studied TK for a moment, taking in how at ease he looked. It was a far cry from the man he had met back in September, with walls a mile high and still living out of boxes because he was too scared to put down roots. Looking around his apartment now, you would never know. 

The bookshelves were haphazardly arranged with books and mementos, and the walls were covered in pictures. Some included the backdrop of the Big Apple, but more and more were of his new life here in Austin. There were pictures of TK and his team on trivia nights and bowling outings. There was a picture from the faculty-student volleyball game, and more than a few of TK and Carlos. It was a physical reminder of how far they’d come; a visual representation of their journey together. 

Not that Carlos had forgotten a single moment of it, but it was still nice to see it memorialized. 

That reminded him of his mom’s question earlier, and his answer. He hadn’t needed to think about it and here was the proof: he was happy. It had only been a few months, but being with TK Strand was everything Carlos had always wanted, but had been becoming less and less sure he would ever get. 

“They asked about you, actually,” he finally said, breaking the comfortable silence. 

TK looked up abruptly, surprise written all over his face, “They did?” 

Carlos nodded, “They, uh...they want you to come over for lunch with me some week.” 

“Oh.” 

The response was soft, but it set Carlos’s nerves on end. They were in such a good place, he didn’t want to ruin this. He should have never brought it up, “I told them it was too soon,” he said quickly, “that we were taking it slow.” 

“Oh,” TK said again, voice still quiet, “okay.” 

There was something in his expression Carlos couldn’t quite identify, but before he could dive deeper into it, TK changed the subject. 

“Remind me again why we always seem to save all this for Sunday night?” 

Carlos glanced down to his abandoned stack of papers waiting to be graded and back to find TK looking at him mournfully beside his own stack. 

“Because we are responsible adults who understand time management?” he offered. 

“Sounds right,” TK agreed, turning his focus back down to the paragraph he had been reading. Carlos finished the paper he had been on before he decided they needed fresh coffee and reached for the next one in the stack, only to frown as he read the first line: In the novel Things Fall Apart, the main character Okonkwo…

He doesn’t read the rest, because his classes don’t read Things Fall Apart. He holds it up to TK instead, “I think this is one of yours.”

TK scowled at the offending paper, “Do you want to grade it?” 

“I do not.”  

“And here I thought you liked me.” 

Carlos gave him an unimpressed look and pushed the paper towards him. TK took the offered paper with a dramatic sigh, “I love teaching, I really do, but every time I let the grading pile up I question my life choices all over again.” 

“I guess that is on us for deciding to teach English,” Carlos mused, “I hear other content areas don’t have to grade piles of writing each week.” 

“So you’re saying we should switch content areas? Just show up tomorrow and tell Judd we’re teaching new stuff now?”

“Gym teacher always did sound kind of appealing,” Carlos admitted wistfully, “it would be a lot less grading.” 

“Now that is an idea I can get behind,” TK said appreciatively, running a suggestive gaze over Carlos’s form, “does it come with those little shorts?”

Carlos gave his boyfriend an exasperated look before reaching over to grab a pen, which he threw at him, “Focus, Strand. Work now, play later.” 

“Authoritative too - I’m liking gym teacher Carlos more and more.” 

“You’re incorrigible.” 

“Prepping for your SAT tutoring sessions?” 

“Yes, actually. Which is why I really need to get this done, if you don’t mind.” 

The words had far more bite than he had intended and he regretted them the moment they were out of his mouth. TK’s expression softened as he handed the pen Carlos had just tossed at him, “I’m sorry Carlos, I know you have a lot on your plate right now. I didn’t mean to distract you.” 

“No,” Carlos countered, running a hand through his hair, “you’re fine, I’m sorry for snapping. I’m just a little tense, I think.”

“Can’t imagine why,” TK said lightly, “it’s not like you were asked to take over SAT prep for the entire 12th grade on top of everything you already do or anything.” 

“Not the whole thing, just the English portion.” 

“That’s enough Carlos. And you’re going to do great with it because you're an amazing teacher. And I’m going to help you, however I can - starting with shutting up and getting my work done so you can get some work done, I promise.” 

TK gave him a smile and Carlos watched as he returned to his work, biting on his lip absentmindedly as he read, reaching down occasionally to write something in the margins. As he thought he gently tapped his pen against his mouth and when he went to stretch his shirt rode up ever so slightly, giving Carlos a peek at his toned chest. As all this was happening, Carlos made a decision. 

“One more hour, then we put it away,” he announced. 

TK glanced at him in surprise, “You sure? We still have a lot to do.”  

“Nobody’s going to die if these assignments aren’t graded tonight,” Carlos reminded him. “Besides, I can think of many other things I would rather do on a Sunday night when I have you all to myself, Mr. Strand.” 

TK confused expression melted and a coy grin took its place, “Oh, is that so Mr. Reyes?”

“I guess you’ll just have to wait an hour to find out.” 

-------------

“Remind me again what we’re doing?” 

“We’re putting up a bulletin board of 9th graders who have been on the honor roll for the first two quarters.” 

“Uh-huh. And why am I - someone who does not teach 9th graders - the one helping you?” 

“Because Marwani and Chavez get too distracted during this kind of stuff and while your boyfriend would usually be my choice, he’s grading essays. And you know how he gets when he’s grading essays. Besides, don’t pretend like you’re hating the chance to get to see some more of my face, Reyes.” 

Carlos rolled his eyes at Paul as he handed him the next stack of papers to be stapled to the bulletin board in the front entry of the school, “That is blatantly false, I object.” 

“Then maybe it’s the fact that you’re too nice to tell me no.” 

“I am not too nice to leave you stranded here with no help Strickland, don’t tempt me.” 

“It always does my heart good to hear the dulcet tones of inter-grade level cooperation,” a new voice said wryly and Carlos twisted around to see Judd Ryder approaching. “Do y’all need a babysitter or can you play nice?” 

“I think we can handle it,” Carlos assured him, “but if not I’ll let you know.” 

“Please try not too, I have so much paperwork to catch up on.” 

“Ah, the glamorous life of an administrator,” Paul noted as he stapled more student names up onto the board, “next you’re going to wow us with tales of your endless meetings.” 

“You laugh now, but give it a few more years and you might just decide to give it a try yourself. I think you'd have a knack for it - both of you.” 

“But if we took you up on that you’d be down two teachers,” Carlos pointed out, “better not risk it.” 

“Besides,” Paul added as he climbed down from the chair he had been standing on, “I greatly prefer only having to deal with misbehaving teenagers. You can have all the problem-causing adults, thank you very much.” 

“I’d try to argue, but you’re right. Sometimes I miss the days where the kids were the only ones I was responsible for. Since I’ve got you here though Reyes, I wanted to check in - how’s the SAT prep going?” 

Carlos shrugged, “we’re having our first session tonight, but the signup sheet makes it look like there should be a good turn out.” 

“Good. Thanks again for taking on the extra work, I know it can’t have been easy.” 

Carlos shrugged again, “if it helps them then why not? It’s only a few sessions, not a big deal.”

Judd nodded and gave him a smile, “Still, I really appreciate it. I do actually have stuff to do so I’m going to head back to my office, try to behave yourselves out here.” 

With a wave to them both he was gone, and Paul turned to Carlos with raised eyebrows, “It’s only a few sessions, not a big deal? Man, talk about brown-nosing: you have been a walking stress headache since you took that on.”  

“Yeah, but that was all the prep work. Running the actual sessions should be fine.” 

“Either you’re Superman or you’re lying to yourself.” 

“How are things going in the 9th grade wing? I’ve been so busy I haven’t had a chance to stop by in a while.” 

Paul’s look clearly stated how much subtlety Carlos lacked, but he answered regardless, “Pretty good. No major drama for the past few months, thank god. Just a lot of the typical teen drama.” 

“Then I guess they don’t change all that much because that’s pretty much how the Seniors are, with the added bonus of college applications. How’s Seth doing?” 

“Better. He’s been doing some one on ones with TK and I think they’ve really helped.”

“I think they’ve helped them both,” Carlos admitted, “I think being able to see his past as something to help someone else has been a good thing.”

Paul smiled sadly as he began to gather up the extra supplies, “I’m happy for him. I hated seeing him so ashamed about it, and no amount of saying it was fine ever seemed to get through to him.” 

“Are you calling TK Strand stubborn Paul?” 

“Perish the thought.” 

Carlos laughed as he helped Paul gather the last of the supplies and they turned back towards the 9th grade wing and Paul’s classroom. They walked in silence for a bit before Paul spoke, “Are you sure you don’t need any help with these extra sessions? I don’t know how much help I would be with the actual content part as a science teacher, but if you just want another body in the room or something all you have to do is ask.”

Carlos shook his head and gave the other man a smile, “I’m good Paul, really. Besides, TK has already offered at least 6 times.” 

“Still, if you need anything...” 

“If I need any help with a bulletin board, I’ll know exactly who to call.”  

Paul rolled his eyes but made no comment as they neared his classroom. As they walked by the door to TK’s neighboring room Carlos paused. TK was walking through the room, glancing at student’s papers as they worked. As Carlos watched he paused and crouched down next to a student desk, looking at something on their paper, listening as the student asked their question. He answered, but as he was getting back up he looked towards the door and gave Carlos a smile that warmed him from the inside out. 

Carlos smiled back, hoping that even a fraction of the affection he felt for the other man showed in the simple gesture. He lingered for only a moment more before he stepped out of the doorway, hoping he had left before he was spotted by any of his boyfriend’s students. The last time they had caught him in the doorway they hadn’t stopped teasing TK for a week, which meant that Carlos had gotten to hear about it for a week. 

Paul noticed his hasty retreat and snorted, “Scared of some 15-year-olds, Reyes?” 

“Not willing to deal with my annoyed boyfriend if said 15-year-olds drive him nuts for a week.” 

Paul shook his head as he unlocked his classroom door, holding it open so Carlos could follow him in. They dropped the supplies on a table in the back before Carlos glanced at his watch. 

“And I have a class starting in 3 minutes. Guess this is goodbye then.” 

“Yeah, but try not to be such a stranger. I know you may not like us all as much as your boyfriend, but we’re still here you know.” 

“Who are you again?” 

Paul rolled his eyes, “everyone’s a comedian,” he muttered. 

Carlos grinned, but paused right before he stepped out the door, “we should try to do something as a group after school, soon,” he amended, and Paul smiled at him. 

“Apology accepted Reyes. Now get lost before you’re late for class.” 

--------

At the end of his first SAT prep session, Carlos gathered his bag and headed out of his room, locking the door behind him. It had gone better than he had expected because, despite all his insistence that it would be fine, he had been nervous. But it had gone well, really. Yes, the extra prep work wasn’t ideal and it did cut into his free time, but now that the first one was done he realized that he had actually enjoyed it. Which was certainly not a realization he thought he would be having today. 

If he was being completely honest with himself, he had been hesitant from the moment Judd had approached him. He wasn’t a fan of the concept of the SATs as a whole to start with, but like them or not they were a part of the college admission process, as Judd had reminded him. More than that, there were scholarships that were dependent on SAT scores. They were a necessary evil their students who were applying to college needed to face, and while maybe some could afford private tutors, most couldn’t. 

Looking at it from that perspective, of trying to give students a leg up in an unfair situation, had helped to justify the extra time spent to himself. Now after their first session, he realized that he should have done it regardless. This was nothing more than kids wanting to learn, and he could never say no to that. 

He left his room but instead of heading towards the exit, he turned towards TK’s classroom instead. He had told him that they could meet up after he was done, but TK has been insistent that he would wait for Carlos, that he had more than enough work to keep him busy while Carlos was working. Objectively Carlos knew that was true, but the thought that TK had wanted to wait for him to continue their habit of leaving together each day even when his day was significantly longer than usual filled him with such affection he couldn’t even put it into words. If he had to though, he would say it felt a little bit like love. 

But he quickly abandoned that thought process. They hadn’t said those words yet and Carlos didn’t want to push. Slow and steady was their pace, and Carlos was loath to do anything to jeopardize what they had. 

When he turned the corner into TK’s hallway to find the lone light of his classroom shining into the dark corridor, he was surprised to hear voices coming from the room. He approached quietly, peeking his head into the room and surprised to find his boyfriend sitting at his desk alone. 

TK looked up at the sound of his footsteps and smiled at him, holding up his phone so Carlos could see that it was on, and on speaker. There was an unfamiliar voice coming over the line and TK indicated for Carlos to wait a moment before he turned his attention back to the phone, “Dad, I’m going to have to go now, but I’ll talk to you soon.” 

“Okay, kiddo. Love you.”

“Love you too, Dad.” 

With that TK hung up the phone and beamed at Carlos, “Hey babe, how’d the session go?” 

“It went really well, actually,” Carlos admitted as he entered the room. 

“I told you it would, but I’m still proud of you.” 

Carlos smiled even wider at that, “Thanks, TK.” He watched as TK got up from his desk and began to gather his papers and begin piling them into his bag. “How’s your dad?” 

“He’s good,” TK said absently as he searched his desk for something. He made a triumphant noise as he found it, placed it in his bag and zipped it, hiking it up on his shoulder as he turned to face Carlos, “He’s coming to visit.” 

“Oh?” 

“Yeah. He has a good amount of vacation time saved up and figured escaping a New York winter for a bit might not be such a bad idea.” 

“Any idea when?” 

“Three weeks from now.” 

“Wow, that’s exciting,” Carlos said, but really all he felt was panic. He didn’t know how they were supposed to approach this. He wasn’t sure if TK was ready to cross the “meet the parents” bridge, and he didn’t know how to ask. He also wasn’t sure how to avoid it if he wasn’t. 

His anxiety spiral was interrupted by TK crossing to him and taking his hand before leading the way to the door. “He can’t wait to meet you.” 

“Oh,” Carlos said, unable to hide his surprise, “is that what you want?” 

TK froze at the doorway, turning to face Carlos with a furrowed brow, “Of course it is. You’re one of the most important parts of my life, of course I want you to meet my dad. Why, do you not want to?” 

“No!” Carlos said hastily, “No, I don’t mind. It’s just, with the whole taking things slow and everything I wasn’t sure…” 

He trailed off and TK’s expression softened as he dropped Carlos's hand and instead reached up to cup his face, “Carlos Reyes, you are somebody I am proud to be with, and I cannot wait to show you off to my dad.”

The intensity of his expression took Carlos’s breath away and they stood like that for several long moments: TK’s hand on Carlos’s face as they stood alone in the evening silence of the empty high school. 

All too soon TK lowered his hand and gave a lighter grin, “Besides, think of all the embarrassing secrets you’ll get to learn, if you want to come that is.” 

Carlos reached out and took TK’s hand in his own and gave him a warm smile, “Well, how could I possibly turn down an offer like that?”

---------

“Are you sure it’s not too soon though?” 

“Carlos,” Michelle said, exasperation evident in her tone, “it’s been 3 months.” 

“Yeah, but-” 

“But what, Carlos? It’s been 3 months, you guys are solid, his dad is coming across the country to visit him and he wants you to meet him. It’s not that complicated.”

He scowled at Michelle who turned her attention back to her salad, jabbing at the arugula with more force than strictly necessary, “You’re mean today.” 

“I am not mean, you are insane. He likes you, Carlos! He wants you to meet his dad! It’s not weird so stop trying to make it seem like it is!”

Carlos groaned and ran a hand across his face, “It’s just that we agreed to go slow, because he wasn’t sure if he was ready for anything else and meeting the parents seems like it might be surpassing the ‘going slow’ plan. I already got around it with my parents and I wasn’t expecting it to come up on his end.” 

“Your parents want to meet him?” 

“Yeah, they mentioned it at lunch a few weeks ago.” 

“Did you ask TK about it?” 

“I mentioned it.” 

The look Michelle gave him was withering, “I would throw something at you right now but I don’t think anything in my salad would make enough of an impact.” 

“There’s no need for violence, Michelle.” 

“There’s no need for someone as smart as you to make such idiotic decisions either, but here we are.” 

Carlos gave her a baffled look and she rolled her eyes before setting down her fork to explain, “When you mentioned that your parents wanted to meet him, what did he say?” 

“He didn’t. I mentioned it and he looked kind of like a deer in the headlights, so I told him that I had already told them it was too soon.” 

Michelle stared at him for a moment before dropping her head into her hands with a groan. When she looked up again a few seconds later her voice was measured as she spoke, “Did you even ask him if he wants to meet your parents before you made up your mind?” 

Carlos held her gaze for several long seconds before he admitted, “No.” 

“Carlos Reyes, I love you, but sometimes you can be an idiot.” 

---------

Carlos rang the bell and waited anxiously outside the door of TK’s apartment, twisting the paper bag in his hand nervously. TK had texted him that they had gotten back from the airport and that he had picked up stuff for dinner, so logically he knew everything should be pretty much normal. But there was also a huge addition that made everything seem so far from normal Carlos could barely wrap his head around it. That was probably his anxiety talking, but the fact remained. 

The door swung open to reveal his boyfriend but rather an older man with a striking resemblance to his boyfriend. Their eyes met and after a moment of confusion Owen Strand - for that had to be who this was - stepped forward with a smile and an extended hand, “You must be Carlos.” 

Carlos matched the man’s smile and took the offered hand, “Yes sir.”

TK’s father stepped aside to let him in and waved off his formalities, “Please, call me Owen.” 

“Well then Owen, it is a pleasure to meet you.” 

“Likewise, Carlos. What do you have there?” 

“Oh,” Carlos said, suddenly remembering the bag in his hands, “Biscuits from Olamaie - a local restaurant.” 

“You didn’t have to bring anything,” Owen assured him, “but judging by the smell of those I think I’m glad you did.” 

Carlos smiled at the older man, who stepped further into the apartment, clearing the entry hall for Carlos could enter as well. As he steps into the main room his eyes find the kitchen, where TK is pulling a stack of plates from the cupboard, “Hey Carlos, I’m just getting dinner together. Why don’t you and my dad get settled at the table.” 

“Are you sure you don’t want any help?” he asked, partially because anytime TK stepped into the kitchen it was a cause for concern in his experience, and partially because Carlos dreaded the idea of having to make small talk with his boyfriend’s father. 

TK paused long enough to roll his eyes, “it’s already cooked, all I have to do is warm it up and get it on plates. Pretty sure I can handle that.” 

“Okay, but if you change your mind…” 

“Go,” TK said with a laugh and Carlos grinned before heading to the table and joining Owen. He sat down and looked at the other man, who was clearly appraising him. “How was your flight?” he ventured, not sure what else to say.

“Good, it was good,” Owen said with a vague nod. Carlos nodded too and they lapsed into silence. He was searching his mind, trying to come up with something to say, wishing he had done a google search of “conversation starters with your boyfriend’s parent” before he came when Owen broke the silence. 

“Listen, Carlos,” he said, glancing over at the kitchen where TK was still intently assembling dinner, “I know we just met, but I wanted to make sure I got a chance to say thank you.” 

Carlos frowned, he had absolutely no idea where this was coming from, “Thank you for what?” 

“For being there for TK, for helping him find himself again. He wasn’t in the best place when he came down here, but I can tell from our phone calls and now seeing him again that he is happier than I have seen him in far too long. And I know that a good part of that is because of you, so thank you.” 

“I’m happy you think he’s happy with me,” Carlos countered, “but I didn’t do much. Everything he did, all the healing and growing, is because of what he did, not anyone else. I was just in the room when it happened.” 

He wasn’t sure what reaction he expected from the older man, but a beaming smile was not one of them. “I really am so glad that you found each other,” he said, voice thick, “and I am so glad he has someone like you.” He paused and gestured to the pictures lining the walls, “having my only kid move across the country has been hard not only because I miss him, but also because I was worried about him. Coming here and seeing this, seeing you with him, makes me feel so much better. So thank you, really.” 

Carlos doesn’t know what to say to that, but he is saved by the arrival of TK bearing a platter of food and a stack of plates. He jumps up to help him carry them to the table and sits down with him. 

“What have you two been talking about?” TK asks as he serves food onto plates for everyone. 

“Oh, just getting to know each other,” Owen responded breezily, “and I think I like this one TK.” 

“That’s good dad,” TK quipped, meeting Carlos’s eyes, “because I like him too.” 

Carlos smiled back at him and as the food was passed around, the conversation morphed. Soon enough it was Owen holding court, filling Carlos in on all of teen TK’s antics while TK grimaced from his seat. 

“And then,” Owen was saying, already laughing, “he decided…” 

“Okay!” TK interrupted, face going red, “I think that’s more than enough for one night. Pace yourself dad, you’ve still got a couple more nights here. Wouldn’t want to use up all your material.” 

“Oh, don’t worry kid: I have no intention of leaving any stone unturned or any story untold.” 

“Great,” TK deadpanned, “remind me again why I was excited for you to visit?” 

Carlos chuckled and TK turned his attention to him, “And you are enjoying this far too much.” 

“I would say I am enjoying it the appropriate amount, actually,” Carlos corrected. 

TK narrowed his eyes at him but Carlos just laughed before glancing at his watch, “it’s really late, I should go and let you two get some sleep too.” 

“See you tomorrow, Carlos?” Owen asked as Carlos rose from the table. 

“Count on it,” Carlos assured him, “there are so many more stories I still need to hear.” 

“I’ll walk you out, you traitor,” TK said with a roll of his eyes. 

Carlos waited until they were at the door before he spoke, “I really like him.”

“You only like him because he provides you with premium blackmail material.” 

“True,” Carlos mused, “but I also like him because he’s a lot like you. Besides, when you meet my parents it will be exactly the same, I assure you. I’m just enjoying this before the tables are turned.” 

TK's gaze was piercing as he studied Carlos, “When I meet your parents?”

Carlos nodded, “When. As in, whenever you are ready. I realized I should have asked you if you wanted to before just assuming you didn’t. So the ball is in your court: if you want to, I’d be honored to bring you home to my parents.” 

TK smiled and leaned in to kiss him. When he pulled away - far too soon for Carlos’s liking - he smiled, “I’d like that a lot, and I think we should. Maybe next week, after my dad leaves?”

Carlos nodded, “consider it a date, Tyler Kennedy.” 

“Oh he did not tell you that!” he exclaimed, throwing a glare back to where his father was still sitting. 

“I like it.” 

“And you’re lucky I like you, not everyone can get away with using that and live.” 

“Oh, so I’m special?” 

He said it as a joke, but the way TK held his gaze nearly toppled him. There was so much more intensity in his eyes than Carlos had been expecting, “You’re very special to me, Carlos Reyes.”  

They head each other’s gaze in the doorway to TK’s apartment in the late hours of the night and Carlos could practically feel all the things going unsaid between them. Now wasn’t the time to say them yet, but maybe, he thought, that time could be soon. 

----------

Carlos checked the clock on the wall above his desk. 8:01, the exam had just started. He leaned back in his chair with a sigh, running a hand through his hair. He knew that there was no reason to be here, he knew there was nothing more he could do. He had spent 5 weeks preparing these kids though, and had offered to come in early on the Saturday of the exam for any last-minute questions and pep talks. There had been more than a few takers but now they were all in the gym, opening their test booklets and Carlos was left with nothing more to do but wait. 

Logically he knew he could wait and worry just as well from home, but somehow being here made him feel a little better. He pulled a stack of papers from the turn in tray on his desk on the pretense of grading them while he waited, but he knew that he wouldn’t get anything done. He was just considering maybe attempting to organize something instead when there was a soft knock at his door. He looked up to see TK, standing in the doorway with a tray holding two paper cups, a bag, and a warm smile, “Hey you.” 

“Hey yourself, what are you doing here? Not that I’m not happy to see you,” he added hastily, “I just wasn’t expecting you.” 

“Why, because it’s Saturday before 9 am and you're in your classroom?”  

“More or less, yeah.” 

TK grinned as he entered, setting down the bag to drag one of the chairs up to Carlos’s desk so he could join him. 

“Usually you’d be right,” he admitted as he pulled two foil wrapped burritos out of the bag and handed one to Carlos, “but I knew you would be here, and I knew you’d spend the whole time worrying. So I figured you should at least have breakfast while you worried. And coffee,” he added pressing one of the cups into Carlos’s hand. 

Carlos was too stunned to say anything, so he took a sip of the coffee. It was perfect, exactly the way he liked it. He set down the cup and studied TK, who was sipping his own coffee. 

“You’re perfect, have I ever told you that?”

“Maybe, but a guy can never get too sick of hearing it.” 

“So modest too.” 

TK rolled his eyes but smiled as he settled into his seat at the corner of Carlos’s desk, unwrapping his burrito. 

“Thanks for coming, I appreciate it. I could really use the company.” 

TK nodded, “I figured as much. Besides, I kind of like spending time here, it makes me a little nostalgic.” At Carlos’s questioning look he explained, “this is where we had our first real conversation, and where I decided that you were someone I should risk getting to know, even though I was afraid of it ending up exactly where it did.” 

“Oh, so you were scared of me?”

“Eh, I was,” TK said dismissively, “turns out you’re not that scary. And,” he added, voice going more sincere, “it turns out I wasn’t as broken as I thought. I just needed someone to help me see that.” 

Carlos smiled at him, but soon enough his eyes were pulled back to the clock. It was 8:05 now. 

“Okay, spill.” 

“What?” Carlos asked, looking over at TK with a bewildered expression. 

“Spill. I know you’re nervous, but maybe if you tell me why, I can help.” 

Carlos took a deep breath and let his eyes wander to the clock one more time before turning his focus back to TK, “I know I’ve done everything I could think of, but this is still an important test. Most of the kids taking it today are taking it again in hopes of raising their scores so they can qualify for more scholarships. There’s so much riding on this; it could determine some of their futures. And, I just don’t know if I did enough - if I was enough.” 

“Carlos…” 

“There are so many other people in the department TK, I don’t know why they asked me. I’m not anything special, and this whole time I keep thinking that someone else could have done a better job. I’m worried that I let these kids down.” 

“Carlos,” TK said again, more forcefully, “you are special. Don’t ever say you’re not again. You were asked because you are an amazing teacher. Don’t deny it,” he said when Carlos opened his mouth to interrupt, “because I’m right. I’ve seen you with your classes. They don’t only respect you, they trust you. They feel safe enough to ask you questions, to show that they don’t know something. And you have never responded to any question with anything less than understanding and compassion. You always find a way to help. That’s why they asked you - because you are the best at this. Sure, maybe someone else might be better with the technicalities, but no one can hold a candle to Carlos Reyes when it comes to helping students grow. It’s one of the things I love about you.” 

Carlos could already feel emotions building within him at TK’s words and the sincerity with which he said them, but his last sentence froze him in his tracks. He was pretty sure his brain was short circuiting; it kept playing the last sentence on loop: It’s one of the things I love about you.

“Carlos?” TK asked, expression furrowing in concern, “are you okay?” 

“Do you mean that?” Carlos asked instead. 

The look he gave him in response was truly baffled, “mean what?” 

“You said ‘it’s one of the things I love about you.’”

TK’s eyes widened for just a second, before he smiled, “Yes,” he said softly, “I do. I love you, Carlos Reyes, because of all of that and because of so many other things.” 

Carlos blinked rapidly, trying to clear the tears that had tried to sneak out without his permission. This was everything he had ever wanted; TK was everything he had ever dreamed of. He had wanted this for so long, and he had felt the same way for TK for months now, even if he had been denying it. To hear that his boyfriend felt the same way meant more to him than he could ever possibly say. 

So he settled on the next best thing, “I love you too, Tyler Kennedy, more than I have ever loved anyone. More than I thought I could ever love anyone.” 

TK rolled his eyes, but it did nothing to detract from his beaming smile, “You just had to use the full name, didn’t you?” 

“Unfortunately for you, I love it because it’s yours; and I happen to love everything about you.”

“You are a sap Carlos Reyes.” 

“Yeah, but that’s one of the things you love about me, right?” 

“Definitely,” TK agreed, before glancing at the clock. Carlos followed his gaze; it was 8:15 now. 

“We still have 3 hours,” TK noted, “I think that might be time to get through some of the other things, if you’re interested.” 

Carlos leaned forward to give him a quick but tender kiss. He took a moment to rest his forehead on TK’s, savoring the feel of the contact for another moment before he pulled back and grinned at him, “I’m interested in anything, as long as it’s with you.” 

-----------

The next afternoon Carlos pulled into the driveway of his childhood home. He put the car in park and turned to look at his passenger. TK was fiddling with the collar of his shirt and anxiously smoothing it for imaginary wrinkles. Carlos reached over and grabbed one of his hands. 

“Hey,” he said, “stop worrying, you look perfect. They’re going to love you.” 

“Are you sure?” TK asked and Carlos’s heart hurt to hear his voice so small and full of doubt, “I can’t imagine that too many parents would love the idea of their child dating an addict.” 

“What matters is that you have overcome it,” Carlos said firmly, “and that I love you. That’s all they need to know, and it will be enough.” 

They had said those words roughly a hundred times since TK had first let it slip in his classroom yesterday morning and each time Carlos could feel his heartbeat just a little bit faster. He loved TK Strand and he was loved by TK Strand. Nothing in the world had ever felt so good. Now he was going to take TK inside to meet his parents where he would undoubtedly learn all sorts of embarrassing stories and become that much further entrenched in Carlos’s life and in his heart. He couldn’t think of a better possible next step than that. 

He leaned over to press a kiss to TK’s lips, smiling when he felt some of the tension melt from the other man. When he pulled away he met TK’s gorgeous eyes and squeezed the hand he was still holding. 

“It’s going to be fine and I’m going to be right beside you, no matter what.”

“Promise?” 

Carlos nodded with a smile, “Yeah, I promise. There’s nowhere I’d rather be.” 

[chicagocityfclanspromoblog]

Mateo Ramos → Alberto Rosende  → Hunter

→ Basic Information

Age: 26

Gender: Male

Sexuality: Straight

Birthday: September 4th

Zodiac Sign: Virgo

Religion: Catholic

Like Mateo? Consider taking him in our Hunter Giveaway Event! We will be waiving applications para samples, personalities and histories requirements for all canon hunters. Just send in the first and last name of the hunter(s) you would like to the main.

→ His Personality

(one to two paragraphs)

→ His Personal Facts

Occupation: Tracker and Hacker

Scars: None

Tattoos: None

Two Likes: Computer Coding and Eating

Two Dislikes: Creepy Crawlies and Smoking

Two Fears: Brahmin Moth Caterpillar and Being Bitten

Two Hobbies: Learning a Foreign Language (French) and Collecting Comic Books

Three Positive Traits: Imaginative, Clever, Modest

Three Negative Traits: Frugal, Rebellious, Cold

→ His Connections

Parent Names:

Hector Ramos (Father): Mateo was really close with his dad. He thought he had everything figured out. It was until he saw Hector killed in front of him that he had doubts. If he’d gone into the conversation with a weapon, or at least the thought of defense in his head would he still be alive? He remembers all his dad’s speeches about vengeance, no matter what Yolanda says, he’s just not sure he believes in it anymore.

Guadalupe Ramos (Mother): He and his mom have gotten closer since Hector died. He wanted to stand up and be the person she could rely on, and he thinks he has. Mateo has pushed himself to advance with his tracking and learn complex hacking and coding from his uncle in order to help her take them down.

Sibling Names:

Yolanda Ramos (Sister): He and Yolanda have been getting in fights constantly lately. She accuses him of forgetting everything their dad wanted. He thinks she’s acting like a spoiled brat. He left everyone he knew too, but it was for a just cause. She stamped her feet and pouted until Lucas came too.

Children Names:

None

Romantic Connections:

None

Platonic Connections:

Lucas Garcia (Good Friend): He likes Lucas, but does not understand how or why he goes along so willingly with what Yolanda wants. Lucas is a trained hunter and can be as brutal, if not more than Mateo is being, yet his sister misses all the hypocrisy in that.

Ximena Ramos (Aunt): He’s started to understand his Aunt’s way a lot more and she has been a big source in normalizing how he feels. Mateo also feels the respect she’s giving him and thinks she sees him as a true essential in the family.

Gloria Ramos (Aunt): Gloria is treating him with kid gloves still and it’s annoying. He knows he is capable, he’s just not sure what it’ll take for her to see that.

Jose Ramos (Uncle): Jose has been supporting the growth that Mateo has been going through, although he does tend to push for him to get out in the field more.

Rafael Sanchez (Uncle/Mentor): Mateo thinks he actually found someone in his family who gets him. He gets the geeky references and his love of data and numbers. Plus he never tries to push to get him out into the field.

Hostile Connections:

Megan Colt (Mark): Rafael has been teaching him how to undo all of Megan Colt’s security and steal from their accounts. It’s been an amusing game to try and beat whatever new protocols she has put in place.

The Colt Hunter Family (Marks): Mateo wants the entire family dead. Unlike the rest of his family, he won’t be happy until everyone is gone.

Pets:

None

→ History (paragraph(s) on background) → The Present (paragraph(s) on how the character connects to the plot)

→ Available Gif Hunts (we do not own these)

Alberto Rosende  [1][2][3][4]

[oldmcncy]

follow mateo garza while he attempts to find true love! 

mtv presents its best bisexual reality show ever since a shot of love with tila tequila, starring everyone’s favorite party boy and mtv’s reigning star. in this show, eight people will compete for a shot at being mateo’s one and only. forget flavor of this, this is the new shining star of dating shows.

(   the brochelor is a discord based group situated in the brochelor house. for more information read below   )

rules and info because they're important!!!

this is a discord based group meaning most interactions will happen on a discord server!!!

everyone can participate since mateo is a bisexy icon that has love for everyone! all producer steph asks is that all participants must be over twenty-one years old

please no people with nasty t*boo blogs. your content is a mess and you’re not welcome here. while this group is about a messy reality tv show, the purpose of this is to have healthy fun and make friends. if you write questionable content such as sexual abuse, incest, and the like please abstain from applying

this is open to everyone!!! mutuals or not!!!

while the point of the show is that mateo finds love that doesnt mean other charas cant date each other. that would create more drama which is excellent!

when a character is not given a joint (meaning they havent been chosen by mateo) they will go to the guest house where they will wait along with other expelled participants until it’s time for the reunion show

if you got any more questions, shoot me an ask and i will answer you asap!

apply by filling out the following form!

CHARA NAME is looking for love. they look like FC, are AGE years old and work as a JOB. this castmember is played by YOUR NAME

castmembers!

mateo garza (tyler posey) played by steph aka oldmcncy

florence chase (jessica henwick) played by mich aka  lcvelier

liberty laurent (sophie turner) played by ellie aka  coolwxthyou

adam painter (matthew daddario) played by lina aka distortedpalace

masonmahir (avan jogia) played by pace aka birdcagehearts

lilith almeida (barbie ferreira) played by spence aka frghten

buffy manoir (alexa demie) played by darling aka indiekings

julian moreno (alberto rosende) played by fuzz aka slwdancing

christopher fonseca (francisco lachowski) played by roni aka erroda

vincent li (jackson wang) played by stem/c aka mcngolove

toni almeida (barbie ferreira) played by binx aka orbiit

brooklyn ian (diana silvers) played by binx aka orbiit

[fyeahgranhotelandvelvet]

Some people did not like season three of velvet they also think that it was not well written but I disagree I thought it was better writing than what we got in season four I loved season three the only reason why ratings dropped in Spain is because MS left towards the end what they should have done instead of Alberto leaving add more episodes in which he and Ann found out that they are expecting a baby they make up and get married and end a beautiful love ❤️ story the right way. What do you say

You know what, I enjoyed season 3. Not only did we get some great Ana and Alberto, Clara and Mateo scenes, Patricia was growing as a character, we got some insight into Raul, we got to see Pedro and Rita overcome some real struggles, and I think the main thing that ruined not only the ratings, but the story was MAS leaving. The last few eps of season 3 just lost that Velvet feeling as it should have because no show is ever the same when it’s main lead leaves.

I think season 4 could have been written better had they had MAS back for the full season. I still think they should have waited until he was available to film for a whole season, I think as unfortunate it would have been to have had to wait longer for season 4, I think had they done that, this final season would have been more rewarding. 

[tipsoctopus]

Chelsea ace who aimed to emulate Lampard now has golden chance of career revival - opinion

Frank Lampard’s tenure as Chelsea manager is only a matter of games old, yet there is a palpable air of excitement surrounding the Blues; the buzz is truly back at the Bridge.

A 1-1 draw in his inaugural game in charge against Bohemians was coupled by a thoroughly dominant 4-0 triumph against St Patrick’s. In truth, the margin of victory should have been higher, and the Blues, notably the XI in the first half, impressed with some magnificent free-flowing football.

Since seizing his dream position as Chelsea boss, Lampard has repeatedly spoken of his eagerness to give everyone a chance to impress, with the term ‘clean slate’ becoming a familiar soundbite.

To his credit, the 41-year-old played with a different starting XI in each of his first four halves in charge, while also alternating formations. Chelsea played with a diamond in midfield in the first half before switching to 4-3-3 in the second period against St Patrick’s.

The Chelsea icon has stayed true to his word and has adapted strategies to accommodate his players’ strengths – a quality that was seldom seen during Maurizio Sarri’s tenure.

Naturally, pre-season denotes an opportunity to experiment and predict fortunes for the coming season, and one player that could benefit significantly from Lampard’s presence is Ross Barkley.

Despite earning his breakthrough season at Chelsea under Sarri’s guidance – a hamstring injury had mostly hampered his involvement to a mere four appearances under Conte.

Barkley only started 13 of his 27 league appearances last season, contributing towards a middling total of eight goal contributions.

That said, Sarri relied on the Englishman heavily last campaign, as he made 48 appearances in all competitions for the Blues. Furthermore, Barkley even proclaimed that he would be a better player had Sarri managed him sooner, and yet, concurrently, it seemed that the Italian’s rigorous system curtailed his greatest attributes.

As Eden Hazard identified following Chelsea’s 3-0 triumph against Southampton last season, one of Barkley’s most potent attributes is his dribbling ability. Hazard said, as reported by the Evening Standard,

“If you give him the freedom to play and the confidence on the pitch, he can be one of the best in the world. He is powerful, can dribble, he is clever, can shoot and score — he has everything.

“I think he is a fantastic midfielder and if he has the players around him to help him play, then he can be one of the best.”

Freedom being the operative word in the Belgian’s assessment.

On far too many occasions last season, Barkley was forced to comply with Sarri’s stringent system, where contributing towards passing sequences took precedence over creative expression.

Aside from Hazard, most Chelsea players were forced to adhere to the system’s demands rather than display their intuition, thereby hindering Barkley’s attacking influence.

Upon joining Chelsea, the 25-year-old revealed in his first interview his aptness of playing in every midfield position; a quality enabled in part by his superb dribbling qualities. However, he was restricted to 0.6 dribbles per game in the league last season, hardly befitting of his skill set.

His move to London has secured his return to the international scene, and many followers of the game have observed that Barkley plays with more freedom for England than Chelsea.

Love how many players are better for England than their clubs under Southgate. First time in about 20 years that has been the case.

Ross Barkley actually looks like himself out there rather than the badly programmed robot he is at Chelsea.#engcze

— Sam Street (@samstreetwrites) March 22, 2019

Even with 4-2-3-1, Jorginho was top class today. Earns MoTM imo, Barkley looked more like the player we’ve seen in an England shirt in the No.10 role.

— ♠ (@ChelsExperience) July 23, 2019

Anyone that watched Barkley play for England last year has to be optimistic for him on this new formation. Two totally different players from one system to the other one.

— Alberto De Armas (@AldearmasCFC) July 25, 2019

He really isn’t he looked lost last game, Barkley was putting in masterclasses for England playing as a 10 and Chelsea fans last season was saying why doesn’t he do that for us, you will see this season if he plays as a 10 he is going to be one of our best players.

— JF5 (@ChelseaJF5_) July 23, 2019

Interestingly, for England, Barkley averaged four times as many dribbles per game (2.4) last season than at Chelsea, while also averaging more key passes per game (0.8 for Chelsea, 1.2 for England).

In his first two games as manager, Lampard has displayed commendable tactical versatility and openness to altering strategies; such a progressive mindset could be of immeasurable benefit to Barkley.

A total of five goals in all competitions is patently insufficient for a midfielder regarded for his attacking prowess, but who better to nurture Barkley’s goal-scoring capability than a man revered for being the greatest scoring midfielder of his generation?

Conceivably, the former Everton midfielder could be the primary beneficiary of Lampard’s move to the Chelsea dugout.

This isn’t an attempt to delegitimise the quality of Chelsea’s other midfielders or depress Lampard’s ability to utilise his creative stars, but one senses that Barkley will be truly liberated, and, resultantly, able to demonstrate his best under Lampard’s guidance.

Mason Mount – who has signed a new five-year deal at Chelsea – has already reaped the benefits of Lampard’s expertise, proving to be an instrumental member of the Derby side that reached the playoff final, where he contributed towards 15 league goals, nine goals and four assists.

The task for him is to demonstrate his worthiness to play for the Blues this coming season.

Similarly, Ruben Loftus Cheek – who is sidelined through injury until December – enjoyed a tremendous campaign last season, scoring six in the league, clearly benefiting from Sarri’s ability to maximise output from creative players, as Pedro and Hazard‘s increased attacking contributions can attest).

The 23-year-old scored ten goals and registered five assists in all competitions last season, a fantastic return for a midfielder. Lampard will be expected to help the midfielder maintain, and challenge him, to better his attacking contributions once he returns to fitness.

Unlike Mount and Loftus-Cheek, Barkley doesn’t begin the season from a position of strength.

Towards the latter stages of the campaign, Barkley was an unused substitute in five of Chelsea’s last ten league games, with Sarri favouring Loftus-Cheek (before his injury) and Mateo Kovacic ahead of the English international.

The 25-year-old needs rejuvenation, and given the immense competition that he faces for a place in Lampard’s midfield, it wouldn’t be hyperbolic to suggest that he’s fighting for his Chelsea career.

With Ruben Loftus-Cheek injured until Christmas, and considering that Kovacic, Kante and Jorginho aren’t renowned for their goal-scoring mastery; there is a genuine opportunity for Barkley to establish himself as the Blues’ leading attacking midfielder.

In his first interview with Chelsea, Barkley spoke of his desire to emulate Frank Lampard.

Now, the Blues legend is the man to propel Barkley’s career and help the Englishman to realise his unfulfilled potential.

from FootballFanCast.com https://ift.tt/31aZROr via IFTTT from Blogger https://ift.tt/2Gy2amI via IFTTT

[prodxgaliron]

robbie + lana

If they had a kid meme || anon || (mention;; @rcbctracing )) send me a pair name and I’ll tell you what I think it would be like if they had a child.

LONG POST, this one has been sitting in drafts for like months so- been thinkin on this one. 

Name: Mateo Alberto Reyes

Gender: Male

General Appearance: There’s no information about who his birth mother or father is, police never found any aligning reports of kidnappings, so it was assumed that he was born into human trafficking and came from mixed parents. He’s a relatively small framed boy with curly hair and big brown eyes, his face has a soft features and after coming out of his shell and integrating into a family dynamic, he’s grown to always having the faintest of smile no matter what he’s doing. He prefers sweaters and comfortable clothes out of his closet despite the weather, many of his clothes are cartoon Tee’s and actually some of Gabes old clothes. Mateo also likes to pretend and dress up, frequently wearing different costumes throughout the week depending on who or what he likes to pretend to be, ofc his parents have no quarrels with whatever he wants to wear and let him choose freely. At least twice  he’s dressed up as his dad and once as Johnny, insisting on wearing their jackets throughout the house despite how massive they were on him.

Personality: Mateo is a reserved and quiet child, all with valid reason considering how his first six years of life had gone. He doesn’t trust easy, and will only get close to certain people, it has taken him some time to adjust to the rest of the family (outside of Robbie, Lana, and Juliana). Robbie and Lana were very cautious and slowly introduced him to his grandfathers and uncles/aunts. Once passed the trust threshold he’s really an enjoyable kid to be around even if he doesn’t talk much, he plays a lot and expresses with pointing and charades. His imagination seems endless and he’s taken a strong liking to books as he’s learning. On the rare days he becomes talkative he’ll want to talk about little facts he learned from educational shows and retell stories in his own rendition. From his first day coming home to a year later he’s bloomed and grew into a bright and happy kid.

Special Talents: While his sister is very smart and a builder like her parents, Mateo is very creative and has a knack for drawing and coloring. He expresses how he feels through doodles and for him its kind of like a diary-- drawing out how his day went or the things he learned. The Fridge is always covered with something new, and There’s no doubt Robbies work bench is covered with his artwork, he always has a new picture to show his Dad when he comes home from work. The first drawing Mateo had shared with Robbie was his view of the night Robbie had saved him from ‘the bad men’, the largest drawing on the page being a giant heart besides what looks like Le Leyenda.

Who they like better: Mateo is very very close with both his parents, they have all his trust and love equally as he’s watched them do nothing but the most to protect and care for him. Though if a situation arises he does stick to Lana’s side. Ilana dropped everything, taking a sabbatical from her worklife to care for their first child but once Mateo was brought home she was more than ever committed to being a stay home mom to teach, care, and love their son as he deserved and needed. Mateo is always near or beside her if no one else is home, they do almost everything together, and it’d had also been brought up that Mateo’s attachment to his mom is connected to his lack of a maternal bond as a baby. Plus mama lets him get away with a lot.

Who they take after more: Despite his attachment to his mom, He is like Robbie in all the best ways, and listening to his uncle tell old stories about Robbie only makes him admire and want to follow his dads steps more. Lana notices it quiet often, especially in their back and forth’s, ‘ you sound like your father’ is the frequent phrase thrown around the house.  

Personal Head canon: Ilana and Robbie want their kids to be open and in touch with other cultures and the world, when they can they do take trips to visit other countries to learn and see the beauty all across the globe. Their trips aren’t solely for leisure, a lot of them are for charity work, which the kids actually love, Mateo has made pen palls because of these trips and it feels like almost every other day he has letters that need to be sent and letters coming in. He has his own little mailbox that sits by the front door and when his parents check the mail they make sure to put his letters in his box.  

Face Claim: DO YOU KNOW HOW IMPOSSIBLE IT IS TO FIND AN FC.

[northbndtrain]

Do they ever explain why Alberto didn’t come back to Madrid during the 5 years? When mateo asked him he seemed to avoid answering the question.

Hi, anon! I’m sorry for the delayed response to this ask -- I was on a hiatus from my blog.

This is actually a sore subject for me because I thought the show didn’t do a good job ushering Alberto back onto the show. Part of that was out of their control -- MAS was obligated to work on Sense8 and was only really returning to Velvet as a favor to wrap up Alberto’s story, so they had to work around his Sense8 schedule -- but I wish the writing had been stronger.

Anyway, there are two answers to your question:

1. Alberto stayed away because he did not hear from Ana and was upset about it: You’re right that he avoids answering Mateo’s questions, which I assume was because the writers wanted him to tell Ana first, and he does get into it a little bit in this exchange when they reunite toward the end of 4x10:

Alberto: I left this place convinced that you had left me. I've traveled the world trying to reinvent myself and I...haven't been able to forget you. Ana: Why didn't you write to me? Why didn't you call me? Alberto: I wrote you for a long time. Since you weren't writing back, I assumed you didn't want anything to do with me. Ana, I swear to you. Ana: When I was a child, my uncle would hide my letters. But now, what? Alberto: I've been waiting five years for a letter, a call, anything, any excuse that would give me a reason to come back. Ana: I thought you were dead. Alberto: And I was.

IIRC, that’s about as much of an explanation as we get. If we’re super generous, we can keep in mind, I guess, that Alberto was already in a really bad headspace when he left in Season 3 (I call him Dark Alberto), so maybe it makes a little bit of in-character sense that when Ana didn’t respond to his letters, he just decided she was ignoring him on purpose.

2. Alberto was also apparently enjoying running Silk, his fashion house in NYC: The show doesn’t really get into this either, but there’s a book about it that I get into in this other ask on the blog here. Alberto’s whole deal in traveling the Silk Road was getting back to the roots of fashion, and then when he started Silk in NYC it represented an opportunity to start something of his own and not his father’s. So I’m sure that he found that professionally fulfilling.

I mean, Alberto’s excuses are flimsy. That’s just facts.

But the bigger problem is that the show offered up these excuses and then didn’t leave itself time to flesh them out and make them even a little more understandable and dramatically compelling. As I noted above, the Alberto we saw toward the end of S3 was, psychologically, a mess, and then when we do see him again he...still seems like a mess, what with the admission that he’s been obsessively trying to “reinvent” himself, has felt “dead” inside since leaving Madrid, and apparently has gone YEARS believing that Ana and Mateo were both ignoring him. And in all the lead-up to Season 4, the show and the interviews are all, “Oh, it’s the new Alberto...his time away has changed him....” Yes, Show, we all get that, not least because you commissioned a book where he has sex with a bunch of married women because he is incapable of committing to a relationship if it’s not with Ana.

That’s not a character who’s had an emotionally healthy sabbatical. That’s...still Dark Alberto. Which, to be clear, I’ve got no problem with (Alberto’s breakdown in S3 was like A+ viewing material), but, Show, if you want to go there, then GO THERE. Let’s explore it!

But that would have taken another season or at least a handful more episodes than what we got, so...we just have to fill in the blanks on our own.

Anyway, thank you for the ask! Even though I was frustrated with S4, I really do love the show and these characters, and I so enjoy discussing them!

[leavenworthwa]

SEBASTIAN ESPARZA:

full name: sebastian mateo esparza

nickname[s]: bash. seb

age: twenty-three

sexuality: straight

occupation: accounting student/band member

relationship status: single

face claim: alberto rosende

CONNECTIONS:

abbie masek: sebastian and abbie have been friends since they were in high school, the two were inseparable growing up, he was always with her, she was always with him, their parents knew if you saw one that the other wasn't far behind. they decided that when college came that they were gonna get an apartment together and save money that way and not worry about hating their roommates and just stay together like that always had. things were great at first, they were able to stay up all night talking, playing boardgames, watching movies, the thing they loved doing together. however things became a little tougher when sebastian began to realize that he had feelings for his best friend, that he had always had feelings for her, he just didn't know it. as of recent, it's gotten more deep and it's been making him avoid her more and more because he doesn't want to make things awkward between them, but it's only making her upset because she feels like he's pulling away from her and she feels like she's losing her bestfriend, he has no idea this is how she feels, he thinks he's protecting their friendship, not ruining it. 

skye hawthorn: sebastian and skye have been friends since they met at a party in college, they connected because they are both low key nerds, he found out she was a video game graphics designer and asked to see what she did. she was excited to have someone to geek over things with. they go to cons together, midnight premieres of superhero movies, wait for games to release together, and then spend all night playing video games together. they have a very easy and simple friendship together, it's never awkward, it's never hard, they talk, they laugh, eat junk food together, and have fun.

[fyeahgranhotelandvelvet]

Anonymous here! Back again after a brief absence! Sooooo... I started Velvet at the beginning of September and OH MY GOD I love it! Mateo and Clara... dear God help me. Ana and Alberto... drama. Pedro. Oh Pedro. And my mans... Llorenç as Jonás! Swoon. His character is so different from Andrés tho! He’s so... arrogant. Especially when he’s chewing that gum! And pigheaded. And like... oddly obsessed with every woman he encounters lol especially Luisa, who really ain’t havin it right now😂

Yay! I’m so glad you decided to watch! Yeah AyA and MyC are the BEST! And good news is we still have one final goodbye with them to close out the year. A lot more content compared to Gran Hotel, which is unfortunate we didn’t get as much with that show but at least we still get to see some of the same cast. 

Yes Llorenc is swoon worthy as always. lol But yes a very different character from Andres.