#one thing i will say for 911 is that none of the reyes family looks ~ambiguous. the diaz family is kinda passing but the great thing about

[thewingedwolf]

every time something new with a latino lead pops up i think of that gina torres quote that’s like “hollywood prefers when it’s latinos look italian”

[tarlos-spain]

Flufftober Day 9

Prompt: Love language

Fandom: 911 Lone Star

Pairing: Carlos Reyes/TK Strand

Title: A quiet afternoon

TK was thankful that they had bought a sofa big enough for family emergencies, those stormy days when both Tomi and the twins shared a bad cold and they, on their holiday, were the nurses, with water, juice and milk with honey, perfect beds for one of the children to nap on when their fever broke and above all, the dads that the children needed, just because they were sick.

He was also thankful that he had made a purchase of all the vegetable creams that the children liked two days before and had almost inexhaustible stocks of boxes of tissues and children's paracetamol, as well as syrup for the snot.

Finally, he was grateful that they were able to marathon the Star Wars movies until the kids fell asleep from fever. But they always managed to make it through more than one movie until they took a nap, lying on the couch.

Neither of them enjoyed it when the kids were sick, but there was one small moment, when their three children were engrossed in rescuing Princess Leia from the death star. At that moment none of the children were coughing, there was no snot, they had finished their juices but they didn't need anything else, none of the children needed anything.

Carlos and TK looked at each other and both smiled, with a gesture that said "we are doing fine.".

As the movie progressed, Tomi was the first to yawn, but his favorite part came, the X-wings about to destroy the death star, so he recovered quickly and sat on Carlos' legs jumping for joy when one of the small imperial ships was destroyed, while his father tried to put the handkerchief on his face to wipe his snotty nose.

By the time the first movie was over, it looked like Gabriela had fallen asleep on TK's lap but, her father didn't have time to say that maybe they should save the movies for the next day Gabriel claimed to start the second movie because Hoth was his favorite planet in the whole Star Wars saga.

The afternoon was spoiled a bit when Gwyn had to run off to the bathroom because the toast with Philadelphia cheese hadn't been sitting well. TK went with her, while Gabi sat on Carlos' free leg.

"This is only because you have a cold. Tomorrow I won't let you torture like this."

The two kids burst out laughing as Carlos played dead on the couch and began to tickle her, until TK returned with Gwyn in his arms, somewhat pale from exertion and vomiting and in the mood for some warm tea.

The second movie passed quickly. TK and Carlos had made a bet to see which of the three children would fall asleep first. They talked quietly enough, so that none of the kids would realize what they were up to, as they watched the movie.

"Can't I vote for you?" said Carlos looking at his husband and TK murdered him with his eyes and stuck his tongue out at him. "You're the one who falls asleep watching movies and we slept badly tonight with the sick kids."

"I'm not going to sleep."

Carlos stifled a laugh at how cranky her husband was getting when TK knew he was right. He would wake up when the kids were already in bed and say that Carlos had been too quick making dinner, when in reality he didn't want to admit that he was exhausted.

Ultimately TK hated that her husband knew him so well, that no words were needed between them for Carlos to know what was going to happen.

However, it was the same with the children. Within the four walls of the house there were no secrets between them, but if there was one thing that knew everything, it was Detective Reyes.

"I think it's going to be Tomi, he was the one with the highest fever the last time we measured it."

"Okay, if I can only choose between them, I'll say Gwyn because he threw up." Said Carlos patting Gabi's head who was now lying on top of him.

In the end none of the three children saw how Han's rescue from Jabba's clutches on Tatooine ended and the truth is that none of the two knew exactly which of the three children had fallen asleep first, because exhausted from a complicated night, both TK and Carlos had fallen asleep with the opening letters of the last movie.

[chicgeekgirl89]

Sucker

Fandom: 911 Lone Star

Characters: Carlos Reyes, T.K. Strand (mentioned)

Summary: Carlos can't get his one-night-stand with T.K. out of his head. And unfortunately for him his cousin wants to know all about it.

A/N: If the Jonas Brothers' "Sucker" isn't the definition of Carlos' feelings for T.K....I don't know what is! Also a million trillion thanks to @bluenet13 for beta reading. I have never let anyone beta before and she was incredibly kind and helpful!

AO3

One night. He’d spent one night with firefighter city-boy T.K. Strand and Carlos Reyes was…well, the word “wrecked” came to mind. It had been fun. And sexy. And good as hell. Apparently city boys knew some things country boys didn’t. 

“What’s got you all distracted?” Adriana asked, bringing him back to the present. 

She’d coerced him into this lunch claiming he couldn’t possibly be “too busy for family.” When he’d pointed out that he saw her every Sunday at their tía’s house she’d insisted it wasn’t enough and she needed on some one-on-one time with her “favorite cousin.” Carlos had rolled his eyes and allowed her to drag him over here, partly because he really liked this taco truck and partly because he didn’t want to be admonished by multiple relatives at next Sunday’s dinner for blowing her off.

“Nothing,” Carlos said, trying to look innocent as he took another bite of his tacos al pastor. That wasn’t strictly a lie. T.K. had made it pretty clear he just wanted to have some fun and Carlos had taken one look at his face and…well he’d definitely had fun too. That he couldn’t seem to get past the one-night-stand of it all was his own problem. 

She raised her eyebrows. “You’re going to have to do better than that,” she said. “Come on. Spill.”

“It’s…nothing. I just had a really good night last night,” Carlos said, butterflies flittering around in his stomach as he thought back to a few particularly good moments. 

“Mmhmm, what’s his name?” she asked. 

“I didn’t say it had anything to do with a guy.”

“Your face said it all for you. So? Name?”

“That is none of your business,” he said lightly, grabbing a chip from her plate. 

“Oooh you really had a good time last night,” Adriana said in delight. “Come on. You have to give me something for sitting here putting up with your moony eyes for the last half hour.”

“I do not have moony eyes!” Carlos said.

“Oh you definitely do. I haven’t seen you like this in a long time.”

Carlos shifted uncomfortably in his seat. He did kind of want to talk about it. He wanted someone to tell him he was crazy, that he’d been suckered in by T.K.’s charm and to get over. That a one-night-stand was not a big deal and that the memories of it didn’t need to occupy his every waking moment.

“Fine,” Carlos said, clearing his throat. “I did…bring someone home last night.”

“Scandalous!” Adriana’s face lit up with teasing. “Did you background check him first?”

“I didn’t have to,” Carlos said.

Adriana’s eyebrows rose even further. “Really. That’s interesting. So someone you work with then?”

“Sort of,” Carlos hedged.

Adriana glared at him. “Carlitos,” she wielded his childhood nickname like a weapon, “really? You’re going to make me drag this out of you?”

“Well, RiRi,” he said, firing her own nickname right back at her, “he’s a firefighter. If you must know.”

Adriana squinted at him. “Like a real firefighter? Or the stripper kind?”

Carlos almost choked. “Adriana! Seriously? I have never slept with a stripper!”

“Well I don’t know what you get up to! No judgement or anything,” Adriana said, happy that she’d riled him up. “If you just told me what was going on then I wouldn’t have to guess.”

“This is exactly why I don’t tell you things,” Carlos said, annoyed.

“Okay so a legitimate firefighter then! What’s his name? Or don’t you know?” Adriana asked saucily.

“You are—” Carlos shook his head and decided it wasn’t worth it to finish his sentence. “His name is T.K. He just moved here from New York. He’s a Leo, he likes long walks on the beach, and his favorite food is sushi.”

“Wow, really?”

“No not really! I don’t know anything about him, it was one night!”

Her eyes widened. “Oh. My. God. Carlos! Did you have a one-night-stand?!”

He shushed her, glancing around to see if anyone nearby had heard her practically shout his business to the world. “Could you not? I didn’t say it was a one-night-stand, I just said it was one night.”

“Oh so you’re dating then?”

Carlos opened his mouth but came up empty. “I—”

Adriana grinned in triumph. “My cousin. The chaste and pious Carlos Nicolás Reyes Moreno had a one-night-stand. This is the best day of my life.”

“This is not a big deal. And if you tell anyone—”

“Can you imagine if Tía Maria finds out? She’ll have to pray el rosario so many times for your soul…”

“Adriana I mean it—”

“Okay okay! I will just treasure this knowledge secretly in my heart forever.” She grinned at him in self-satisfaction. “So it was good then?”

“It was…good,” Carlos said. “Really good.”

“Mhmm, keep going,” Adriana said, leaning forward her eyes sparkling.

Carlos threw a napkin at her. “I don’t kiss and tell.”

“Excuse me officer, I think that’s assault,” she mocked, tossing the napkin back at him. “Fine. Don’t give me the dirty details. So are you going to try and see him again?”

“I think the definition of ‘one-night-stand’ implies that we don’t see each other again.”

“Hello, yes, I know how they work. But you are not a one-night-stand kind of guy.”

“Maybe I’m trying something new.”

She looked at him hard and then shook her head. “No.”

“No what?”

“No you like this guy too much. And you want to see him again. And I think you should do something about it.”

His phone chirped and he looked down, instantly feeling hot all over. He hoped Adriana couldn’t see the blush rising in his cheeks. 

T.K. Strand: Hey I get off in an hour. You free?

“Oh my god is that him? Let me see!” Adriana grabbed for his phone but he snatched it back.

“It’s a work thing,” Carlos lied.

Adriana’s eyes narrowed. “Eres un maldito mentiroso.”

“¿Besas a tu madre con esa boca? Te voy a lavar la boca con jabón.”

She smacked the table in annoyance. “Carlos come on!”

“Why do you care so much?” Carlos said with an incredulous laugh. “It’s just a…thing! That’s all! It was one night, it was good, he left, that’s the end of it. People do it all the time!”

Adriana squared him with a look. “I care because I want you to be happy. This was not just one night for you. Maybe you thought it would be, but it’s pretty clear you’ve got some real feelings for this guy.”

God he hated how right she was. Carlos shrugged helplessly. “I feel…crazy. I barely know him. It was one night.”

She shrugged. “Sometimes one night is all you need.” She nodded toward his phone. “Are you going to text him back?”

Carlos looked down at the text again, the cursor blinking underneath his fingers. His heart beat rapidly at thought of seeing T.K. again. All it would take was a few words…

Yeah I’ll be home.

“Happy?” he asked.

Adriana sat back, a smirk on her face. “Very. Face it Carlitos, you’re a sucker for this guy.”

She was right. He was a sucker. And right now, it felt pretty damn good. 

[lonestarpost]

April 26, 2021~ Masterlist ~ Issue 12

Episode Review

by @lonestarbabe​

9-1-1: Lone Star’s ninth episode of season two breaks the hiatus with one of the season’s strongest episodes; in this episode,  the showrunners prioritize quality storytelling (many thanks to writer Tonya Kong), and while the episode focuses heavily on past events, it creates an atmosphere that allows extensive character development moving forward. The episode shows viewers Grace and Judd’s story, and it does so in a way that highlights their bright future and how they have built a healthy, happy future together by first creating a solid foundation for themselves. “Saving Grace” stands out because of its attention to detail and the complex dynamics it beautifully fleshes out. The episode is rooted in humanity; the characters are not perfect, but through those flaws, viewers see the power of interpersonal relationships and the ability of people to save one another in a myriad of ways.

Throughout the episode, Judd is lost, but one grounding force saves him from his demons: his wife, Grace Ryder. As the episode kicks off, Judd is a young kid joyriding with his friend. As Judd sits behind the wheel, a tragic accident causes his friend to die, and Judd is left with a wealth of guilt and self-doubt. Despite Grace being in grave danger after the accident, during the entirety of the episode, it is Judd who needs saving from the complex emotions that haunt him. When Judd is in danger, Grace is there for him, even when she is a hospital bed. Judd wants to take revenge on the drunk driver who drove him and Grace off the road, but then, Grace wakes up, and Judd comments that Grace has saved the drunk driver. Before that, before Grace and Judd have met face to face, they begin correspondence when Judd calls a Christian crisis hotline that Grace works at as she finishes school. Seeing their relationship develop over the phone shows the deep connection that the couple has, and in Judd’s darkest moments, Grace was there for him, and her voice saved him from his own self-destruction.

After reciting Psalm 31, which Judd has tattooed on his hand, Grace says, “None of us are perfect. It’s by Grace that we’re saved,” and this line expertly reinforces the themes of the episode. Just before he nearly beats the drunk driver who ran him and Grace off the road, we see Judd getting the tattoo, which shows Judd’s mindset. He is thinking about Grace and how she has saved him. Judd himself was responsible, at least in part, for somebody’s death; that guilt has made it hard for him to recover mentally, but grace has gotten him through. Even so, he struggles to extend forgiveness to the man who has hurt Grace. The reminder of his own trauma is fresh, but Judd is still a flawed, emotional person who needs tempering, and with Grace unconscious, he feels untethered. He’s back to being an angry person, who still blames himself for the death of his friend.

Judd once fought to make amends with Leigh-Ann, the mother of the kid who died in the car, and these parallels show how hard it is to forgive. But the forgiveness ultimately isn’t about giving a gift to someone who has done wrong; in this story, it is shown as a way of saving yourself. Instead of getting trapped in the bitterness, forgiveness allows the characters to heal themselves. Early in the episode, Leigh-Ann is hurt on the floor of her home; this portrayal represents how her son’s death debilitated her. She holds unto her anger, but as Judd makes amends by fixing Leigh-Ann’s fence (a white picket fence that represents the ideal American home, which has become dirty and has fallen apart since Cal’s death), and he takes a devastated property and makes it a home. After watching Judd work for a while as she recovers, Leigh-Ann finally gives Judd water, and not only does Judd make amends, but Leigh-Anne has physically recovered since we last saw her. She still has a sling on her arm, but she’s on the way to healing. Likewise, when Judd goes to see the man who nearly killed Grace, he is in the process of healing himself. He’s just gotten out of bed from his own injuries. His body is still battered, but as he backs away from the man because of Grace waking up, it marks that Judd is healing too, not just physically but he’s also learning to focus on what matters rather than the anger he feels. In the end, it is love and care that brings the character happiness, and it makes them happier to focus on the things that save them rather than what hurts them. Love, from the 126 and from Grace, keep Judd from self-destructing from his guilt and rage.

The title works on a number of levels. While it seems at first glance that the episode is about “Saving Grace” from the accident that has nearly killed her, the essence of the episode is that Grace is Judd’s “Saving Grace.” Not only that, but she is thousands of people’s “Saving Grace.” In her career, she has been a voice of reason and hope. Even when she can’t save a life, as with the astronaut in the season one finale, her voice still provides comfort and a sense of salvation to people who are hurting. It’s not just Grace that saves Judd. In many ways, Judd also sparks Grace’s own decisions. As Grace falls in love with Judd, she realizes that going to graduate school far away isn’t her calling. She doesn’t stay because of Judd, but there’s no doubt that her connection with Judd helped Grace realize that saving people was her calling. She decides to become a 9-1-1 operator, and for thousands of people, she becomes a “Saving Grace” on the other end of the line.

“Saving Grace,” is one of the best episodes of the series, and arguably, it is the most artfully written. It stands out because the details add up in a way that drives the plot and character development. It excels at showing rather than just telling the viewers the vital details of the story. Grace is an angel, and one of her greatest strengths is bringing people together and comforting them in their times of need. When she saves people, she then allows them to save countless others. Through Grace, Judd is a hero in his own right, but he is the kind that gets glory, while Grace’s role is more understated but just as important. The episode mostly focuses on Judd’s history, but when you look at it closely, the role of Grace, understated but poignant, is what stands out the most.

The Edits Edit

Some of the best edits this week that deserve all the love.

Carlos Reyes, 911 Lone Star 1.01 by @reyeslonestar is an amazing piece of fan art, and as usual, Alice is an amazing talent that we should all appreciate.

This Grace and Judd gifset by @ronenrubinstein is just WOW. I love looking at it and cannot stop!

Marjan Marwani by @alwaysablossom is soooooo pretty. I love the colors and all the details more than I can say!

SIERRA MCCLAIN as GRACE RYDER by @bucktks is an amazing edit that highlights Grace. You should also check out this one, which is equally good! Finally, take a look at this Tarlos set! (They all are amazing.)

Judd & Owen in 2x09 (Pt2) by @911dawnstar is such a well-done gifset, and I love seeing Judd and Owen being a wonderful duo. Also look at Part 1!

“We’re gonna have a new little Texan running around!” by @shoenaerts makes me swoon, and my heart can barely handle it because Grace and Judd are the definition of LOVE. This one is also beautiful.

the ryders + howdy. by @laurenkmyers makes my heart beat faster... I love it so much.

This Grace and Judd moment by @chrissiewatts makes me cry every time I see it AHHH.

These gifs by @strandtk is so amazing. I am in love with this edit! This one too!

This gif by @jessie-meili showcases Grace in the perfect way!

Group Hugs by @rafasilvas is one of my fave gifsets ever and highlights wonderful parallels of the 126 family. I’m in love.

The truth is, I think I just wanted to hear your voice. by @buckleys-diaz is soooooo dreamy and beautiful.

Fic Recs

remind us where we've been by @morganaspendragonss (hollyhobbit101)

Word Count: 564

Chapters: 1/1

“This is something, ain’t it?” Judd says, nudging Owen gently. Owen looks around Judd's backyard, taking it all in - TK and Carlos with their two kids, Judd's three milling around, their whole family gathered together in a future Owen's not sure he ever imagined even in his wildest dreams. "It's something," he agrees.

Home is wherever you are by @sixringss (buckscasey)

Word Count: 1651

Chapters: 1/1

A week after the fire, Carlos goes back to his home.Speculation for 2x12/13

Get Me off the Boat, I'm Ready to be on Land by @silvarafael (tiniestmite)

Word Count: 3966

Chapters: 1/1

Five times TK’s sobriety is tested after he arrives in Austin but he keeps it to himself, and the one time it gets so bad that he tells someone.

The Way Our Horizons Meet (chapter 1) by @chicgeekgirl89 (Writeallnight)

Word Count: 1500

Chapters: 1/3 (WIP)

Carlos' perspective through the aftermath of T.K.'s shooting. Follows the events of episodes 1x08-1x10.

You Found Me (Did You Ever Doubt I Would?) (Chapter 10) by @doctornineandthreequarters  (doctornineandthreequarters)

Word Count: 2736

Chapters: 10/? (standalone works)

Tarlos college au