#otp: perfect strangers

[bbaebii]

hello love goodbye [2019]

↳ ethan x joy moments pt. ii

[sammaggs]

(Trying a @syrupmap-style edit!)

3x10 Perfect Strangers // 3x12 Mountie on the Bounty Pt. 1 // 4x03 The Ladies’ Man | Neatness

Ray’s journey to becoming fully Canadian starts early. First, it’s too clean. But spend enough time around Fraser and suddenly… maybe you want everything to be Canadian clean after all??

Every time I get outside at Pearson now, I think: Clean. Too clean. Still is!

this is loud Canadiana but whatever [more]

[leslie057]

@we-love-jancy event day 3: pragma (mature love)

adoption is hard :(

love is easy

[dwobbitfromtheshire]

Summer of '84

Nancy walked into Steve’s house, ready to climb into his arms and sleep. Her mother always believed her when she was spending the night at Ally's, and she wondered when she'd figure out that she wasn't that close with Ally. Bitterly, she thought about the time her mother was more worried about the fact that she lied about having sex than the fact that her best friend was missing. No, she didn't deserve to know. Although she had forgiven Steve when he had been more worried about his dad than Barb, and after meeting his dad, she understood. She didn't understand why her mother was worried about her sex life. The more thought about it, she couldn't find anything wrong with having sex. She wished people would stop treating her like a naive little girl when it came to that. In the end, though, she did forgive her mother, but she still wasn't quite honest about being with Steve.

"Steve?" Nancy called out.

He obviously didn't hear her because he didn't respond back. Nancy climbed up the stairs with her overnight back and pushed open Steve’s bedroom door. She found him kneeling on the floor, the bat in hand, as he peered under the bed. He jumped up when she entered.

"Nance!" He yelled, and his eyes darted from her to the bed. "I was just making sure - "

"There was a spider, wasn't there?" Nancy asked.

"There might have been, and it might have crawled under the bed," Steve said.

Nancy smiled in amusement, dropped her bag, and grabbed a flashlight. She grabbed the glass from his end table that he usually used for water. She looked on the other side of his bed. It didn't take her long before she found the culprit and trapped it under the glass. She opened his window and quickly used a piece of paper to slide under the glass. Nancy picked it up and tossed the spider out the window.

"There! He's gone now," Nancy said.

"Oh, my hero!" Steve grinned.

"Hm, really?" She smiled.

"Yeah, I love it when my girlfriend protects me," Steve said. "Makes me feel safe."

Nancy walked over to him and pulled the bat out of his arms. She wrapped her own around his neck.

"What's my reward?" Nancy asked.

Steve smiled and leaned down to kiss her. Nancy grinned against his lips, sighing as Steve’s hands gripped her waste gently as he returned the kiss. She loved his soft lips. . .so soft and plump. She couldn't say how many times she watched him put on lip gloss. She nibbled on his bottom lip before pulling away.

"Thanks," Steve said softly.

She still couldn't believe that she'd been with Steve Harrington for the last five months. He really had changed since he decided to walk back into Jonathan's house that fateful night with the demogorgon. He had really stepped up, and he still does it now. He doesn't have to go with her to Barb's parents, but he does it, knowing how hard it is. It was only getting harder as time went by. He was just as soft as he had been with her before, and maybe even more so, now. He gave it all up to be with her. . .his popularity, his friends. . . everything he had known. She loved him for it. So, what's the cost of killing a spider compared to the sacrifices he made?

"No problem," she said smiling.

"Do you think that we could just sleep tonight?" Steve asked.

"Yeah," Nancy said. "I was thinking the same thing, honestly."

She pulled off her dress and bra before slipping into one of Steve's swim shirts. She climbed into the bed first and watched Steve change into his pajamas. There were just a pair of shorts, really. Nothing special except for the way they clung to his hips. It always made Nancy's heart skip a beat. Steve climbed into bed, and Nancy flopped onto her back, pulling the man into her arms. She loved it when he slept on her chest and she especially loved the way that the scent of his hair wafted into her nose, the softness of it brushing against her cheek as thought it was caressing her. Five months ago. . .well, actually, more like six, Steve was friends with Tommy Hagan and Carol Perkins. Now, here he was. . .

"I can hear the wheels turning in there," Steve said.

"Do you miss Tommy and Carol?" Nancy asked.

"What? What brought this on?" he asked.

"We've been dating for the past five months, you know," Nancy said and paused. "I just don't think I've ever asked you about giving them up."

"I miss Tommy, I'll always miss Tommy," Steve said. "I missed him when we were friends at the end, too. He wasn't the same Tommy that I used to know. He got really mean when he started dating Carol. It didn't matter how many times I told them to stop. There was nothing I could say or do could stop them from being assholes. Walking away from them was always going to happen. You coming into my life, just made it happen faster. I don't regret walking away from them."

"I'm just worried about you not having a whole lot of friends anymore," Nancy said.

"Nancy Wheeler, you're more than enough for me," Steve said, looking up at her. "I'm happy, okay."

"Yeah, okay," Nancy said.

Steve leaned up and kissed her before moving his head back to her chest. It felt a little overwhelming to know that she was the only good thing that he had in his life. There were his parents, but she wouldn't count on them, and neither would Steve. . .well, maybe his mother. Although, she seemed to be just as absent as his father, but Steve seemed to have rose colored glasses when it came to her. Nancy sighed. She loved Steve, and she wanted him to have more in his life than just her because what if something happened?

"Goodnight," she whispered and smiled when his snores filled the air.

The next day, Steve and Nancy got ready to head off to the community pool. Steve would be performing his duties as a lifeguard while Nancy would be sitting poolside reading. Although, occasionally, she'd look up to watch him look out for everyone's safety. The view wasn't so bad either. When they got to the pool, Steve gave her a kiss before heading to the back to change and relieve Heather Holloway from duty. Nancy was just about to stretch out in a lawn chair when she spotted her mother and her friends.

"Mom?" She asked softly.

Nancy frowned. Karen had told her that she had errands to run, and that's why they couldn't get their hair done today. Was this one of those errands? Karen and her friends were watching Heather as if they were anticipating something. They looked really nice. . .too nice to be sitting by the pool. Then it clicked. They were waiting for Heather to leave. They wanted to see. . .oh god, they wanted to see Steve. She wanted to vomit. Nancy got up and hurried to the locker room where Steve was in the middle of changing.

"Nancy!"

"Wear a shirt today," Nancy said.

She hoped he wouldn't be flattered when she told him.

"Why?" Steve asked. "I mean, I'll do it. . ."

"My mother and her friends are out there today," Nancy said. "And they're a little too eager to see you up there."

"Ew," Steve said, scrunching up his face. "I mean - "

"No, that was the correct response," Nancy replied.

She waited for him to finish changing before walking out with him. Standing up in front of everyone, Nancy pulled Steve into a deep kiss. She broke the kiss quickly, smirking at the goofy smile on Steve’s face. She moved back to her seat, ignoring the feeling of her mother's eyes on her. Nancy opened her book, but she couldn't read a single word of it. She stayed with Steve again that night, and when she walked into her house, Karen was waiting for her in the kitchen. Ted was at work, and Holly had been dropped at the Sinclairs. She assumed that Mike was at Will's.

"Can we talk?" Karen asked. "I made some coffee."

"I'm sure it will go great with the disgust I feel knowing that my mother is lusting after my boyfriend like she's a teenage girl," Nancy said.

"I didn't know you were going to be there. You told me that you were going to be at Aly's," Karen said.

"So, that makes it okay? I lied, too, so it makes it okay for you to do that?" Nancy asked with a scoff.

"Of course not," Karen said. "I'm ashamed of myself. I didn't want you to see me being so weak."

"You made it into such a big deal that I slept with Steve," Nancy said, rolling her eyes. "I didn't want to make you even more uncomfortable with the idea that I had a sex life, so I didn't tell you that I was spending most of my nights with Steve. The fact that you're drooling over him is the problem, the biggest, in fact."

"You shouldn't have to do that. You should be able to tell me these things," Karen said.

"And you should be able to deal with the fact that I'm having sex," Nancy said.

"I'm sorry about all of this, Nancy," Karen said. "You have no idea how guilty I feel about this. I really tried to ignore it, Nancy. I did."

Nancy huffed and fixed her a cup. She sighed as she took a sip. It did seem to help soothe her stomach. She stared out the kitchen window, trying to figure out how she wanted to deal with this. Men and women weren't so different, as much as they tried to pretend they were. A lot of women tried to deny that they wouldn't go on looks alone, that they're not as shallow as a lot of men were. Nancy was guilty about doing it on occasion. It was what drew her to Steve, but what really pulled her in was the fact that she felt it in her bones that underneath all that hair, Steve Harrington had heart. Society wanted them to have this barrier, that men should believe that they're better than women just because a lot of them, not all, are physically stronger. There was an air of superiority that women felt, that they themselves wanted to believe, that they're better than men because they don't view sex the same way they do. Standing in the kitchen with her mother, it wasn't true at all. Women and men were the same way in that aspect. She couldn't blame her for how she felt, but she could blame her for how she chose to act on it.

"I don't blame you for being attracted to Steve. He's a beautiful young man, inside and out," Nancy said as she turned around.

"Does that mean - ," Karen started to say.

"I'm not ready to forgive you yet," she said.

She wasn't perfect either. Nancy had her own struggles to deal with. Including her own attraction to Jonathan.

"Nancy," Karen pleaded.

Nancy sighed and sipped her coffee as she tried to gather her thoughts.

"You're the adult here, mother, and I'm not naive to think that you're not going to make mistakes but this. . .I mean, I totally understand not being able to control how you feel sometimes, but you knew how wrong it was. You're old enough to understand that openly gazing at someone who's the same age as your daughter, who's dating your daughter, is wrong! And you did that with your friends! You made that decision! Steve is a teenager, and he managed to tell his friends off and walk away from them," Nancy said.

"I'm sorry, Nancy," Karen said tearfully.

"I love you. You're a good mother. . .although this isn't a good look for you," Nancy said. "You and Dad have done so much for us, but neither one of you is perfect. There are times, however, that I feel more like the parent than you or dad. It shouldn't be like that. It feels a lot like that now."

"I don't know how I got here, Nancy," Karen said.

"I think you do, mom," Nancy said. "You don't want to admit it. We all have a problem with communicating in this family, especially with ourselves. You and Dad both know what you have to do, but you're choosing to ignore it."

"I'm sor - ," Karen started to say.

"You've already said that," Nancy said. "All the times that I've been with Steve, I never wanted to control myself. I never wanted to hold myself back because I knew there wasn't anything wrong with how I felt. It wouldn't have been wrong because I'm the same age, I'm attracted to him, and now I'm in love with him. Judging me for sleeping with him and then turning around to spread yourself out like that. . .that's what pisses me off. You're a hypocrite. . . But I think most, if not all, people are, though."

"Are you okay?" Karen asked.

"I'm trying to be okay with what you did," Nancy sighed.

"You really don't have to forgive me right now, be mad at me as long as you want to," Karen said.

"He's my boyfriend, mom, mine!" Nancy snapped. "I don't want to see you at the pool again."

Nancy finished her coffee and walked up to her room. She laid on the bed, hugging her bear and wishing that Barb were here. Women weren't infallible. They fuck up just as much as men do but this mistake doesn't wipe away all the good that she's done for them over the years. Nancy herself wasn't perfect either, but she refused to make the same mistake her mom did. She didn't want to hurt Steve the way she hurt Nancy or the way she almost hurt Ted. He wasn't perfect, but he didn't deserve what Karen almost did. She wasn't going to be like her mom or her dad. . .well, she wasn't going to be the worst part of themselves, anyway. The problem was that they couldn't admit that they're no longer in love. She also knew that sometimes things hurt so much that you can't just seem to let go of what's safe.

"Fuck," Nancy whispered, wiping her eyes, and wished once again that Barb was here.

It took a couple of days for Nancy to even start speaking to their mother. Another couple for Nancy to realize that Karen didn't get there on her own, that maybe she had transferred her feelings of loneliness into something else. It wasn't just Ted but their responsibility as well. At least she hoped it was only a pseudo attraction and not her mother actually being attracted to men the same age as Nancy. Either way, Nancy spent the next couple of weeks trying to work on her relationship with her mother and father. She went shopping with Karen and when she wasn't shopping with Karen, she was watching TV with her father and talking about books. Books were actually one of the things she had in common with Ted and one of the things she could talk about with him. Although getting her mother and father to actually speak to each other was the trickiest part. It was hard to do when her mother found fault in everything that Ted did. No wonder Ted stopped trying. Holly was the easiest one to talk to, but Mike was the hardest to reach. He was still pretty angry over the fact that El was gone, and despite the fact that she knew what it was to lose someone, she didn't know how to talk to him.

"So, how is everything?" Steve asked as Nancy curled up against him.

After spending time with her family and being driven crazy, Nancy finally decided to spend time with her boyfriend. His parents were gone once again, so she was relaxing from the drama by watching TV on Steve’s couch.

"Still very tense at home. I can't get mom to talk about what she really needs to talk with dad," Nancy sighed. "I think she's scared of going out on her own. . .I mean, without dad for her to lean on."

"Yeah, after being married for so long, I get that," Steve said. "I think if anyone can inspire her, it's you."

"You think so?" Nancy asked.

"I know it. You're an inspiration, Nancy Wheeler," Steve said. "You inspire me everyday."

Nancy smiled and kissed him deeply before tucking her head into his shoulder.

"So, how's it going making more friends?" Nancy asked.

"I don't want to talk about it," Steve frowned.

"Steve, come on, talk to me, please?" Nancy asked.

"Well, I tried to approach Eddie Munson about joining Hellfire," Steve said.

"Really?" Nancy asked.

"I was curious about all of that Dungeons and Demons game your brother plays," Steve said.

"Dungeons and Dragons," Nancy said, laughing. "And how did it go?"

"Well, he laughed at me and then told me to fuck off. No matter how many times I told him I was serious, he didn't believe that I wasn't just fucking with him like Tommy apparently used to," Steve said.

"Do you want me to beat him up?" Nancy asked.

"That would be hilarious for Munson but no," Steve snorted.

"Aren't there any potential players on your team?" Nancy asked.

"Patrick Mckinney is nice, but he also shadows Jason Carver, who's not so nice," Steve said.

"Well, you used to hang out with Tommy and Carol," Nancy pointed out.

"That's true," Steve said. "I suppose I could give it a shot."

"It definitely wouldn't hurt to try," Nancy said. "Which I think you should."

"Why are you trying so hard?" Steve asked.

"I just don't want you to be alone if anything happens," Nancy said.

"Hey, you're going to be okay, and and so am I," Steve said. "I am okay, Nance."

"I just worry about you, sometimes," Nancy said.

"I like that you worry about me," Steve said and kissed her. "I worry about you, too."

"I'm okay," she whispered, and then her eyes lit up. "Jonathan!"

"I'm Steve," he replied.

"Shut up!" Nancy laughed and slapped his chest. "I should set up a play date between you and Jonathan!"

"Okay, never call it that again, and do you really think that Jonathan would want to be friends with me?" Steve asked.

"Yes! He needs to see how great you are," Nancy said.

"Alright, if you can convince him," Steve said. "I'll do anything you ask me to."

"Really?" She asked with a mischievous grin.

"Within reason, I'll do anything you ask me to within reason, and so far, everything you've asked of me sounds pretty damn reasonable," Steve said. "Although, don't be surprised if it doesn't work out."

Steve grabbed the remote and changed the channel.

"Hey! I was watching that!" Nancy exclaimed.

"No, you weren't. Besides, Magnum is on," Steve said.

"Ooh, I do love Tom Selleck," Nancy said and squeezed Steve’s thighs. "He's got great legs like someone I know."

"Hm, he's got a great mustache, I definitely would give it a ride," Steve said.

"Steve!" Nancy giggled. "Hopper has a mustache."

"Mm, yeah, he does," Steve said, and Nancy buried her face in his chest as she giggled some more.

"Stop," she said.

"Don't worry, baby, you're definitely hotter than Tom Selleck," Steve said.

"You take that back," she said with a gasp.

Steve laughed as they snuggled deeper into the couch, propping their feet up onto the coffee table, their matching painted pink toenails shining under the light. For once, neither one of them were trying to be perfect. . .just live in the moment.

"Hey, do you think it's too soon to joke about you and your mom having the same taste in men?" Steve asked.

"Yes, asshole!" Nancy shrieked, sitting up.

She grabbed a pillow and hit him repeatedly. Steve laughed as he shielded himself with his arms. He grabbed the other pillow and hit Nancy. She shrieked with laughter as she fell back onto the couch. Steve rolled off the couch and took off. Nancy ran off after him, trying to hit him with her pillow. Steve dodged and weaved.

"You don't have a chance," Steve taunted.

He turned around and hit her bottom with the pillow. She tried to hold in her giggle but failed. She managed to hit him back. He responded with another hit, and she fell back with a fake gasp.

"Steve!" Nancy yelled in mock outrage.

"Shit, Nance, I'm sorry," Steve said.

He hurried over to her and gave her his hand. Suddenly, Nancy gave him a wicked smile and grabbed his hand. She yanked him onto the floor next to her.

"Gotchya!" Nancy exclaimed.

"You tricked me," Steve said.

"Of course I did," Nancy said and straddled his waist.

Steve’s hands went to her hips, holding her steady and her smile wide.

"I love you," he said.

"I love you, too."

Nancy leaned down and kissed him, enjoying having him underneath her. Outside, the pool where Barb died still resided, a constant reminder that she was gone. That thought constantly lingered in her mind, whispering to her that it was her fault, especially the closer it got to the one year anniversary of Barbara's death. She didn't want to think about that, though, or the fact that she had feelings for Jonathan. All she wanted to do was live in this moment with Steve and enjoy the fact that she was in love with him. . .that neither one of them was alone.

[emily-mooon]

Did a sketch of Jancy kissing in my Titanic AU

(Pose reference under cut)

[timothyslucy]

i feel like if any one person had the privilege of knowing about chenfords secret relationship it no doubt would have been jackson. i mean, there’s honestly no hiding it from him, not with the way lucy comes home smiling like a lovesick puppy after every date she has with tim.

[adrift-alone-apart]

you should've been in a dress!

happy 10th anniversary to the dc preview of if/then!!

[salvatcrechild]

because sometimes boyfriends take summer trips with their best friends who are also boyfriends. 💖💖💖 jacob salvatore + maxwell sinclair && evan wright + josh rosza @frxgmcnts, @alwayslcyal, @salvatcrechild

[sammaggs]

BE MORE OBSESSED WITH EACH OTHER OMG

Fraser and Ray -and a tiny bit of Welsh- in Perfect Strangers

Hey!

Ok ok, he was there too

[bbaebii]

hello love goodbye [2019]

↳ ethan x joy moments pt. i

[sammaggs]

3x10 Perfect Strangers | Distance

Unlike Americans, who measure colloquial distance spatially (eg. “I’m only 5 miles away,” “It took me an hour to drive 10 miles,” etc.), Canadians, for the most part, measure colloquial distance temporally (eg. “I live two hours away from Toronto,” “My house is three hours to the border,” etc.)

When the speed limits are 100km/hr on every highway, it gets real easy to divide distance up by hours instead of by clicks.

Fraser does it here in Perfect Strangers in a little throwaway line about the distance of the alleged perp from his victim at the time of the incident: he says Buffalo is “only two hours” from Toronto, instead of the American “only 100 miles.”

Fraser is closing the distance between himself and Ray here physically and conversationally, bringing Ray into his own way of thinking about distance and time.

Quiet Canadiana in due South [One] [Two] [Three]

[userautumn]

#something something instead of being her replacement abby is the one who mentored maddie when she started working at dispatch.#they became friends outside of work which is how maddie and tommy meet. long after abby leaves los angeles maddie and tommy remain friends#maddie is there when tommy comes out. tommy is there when maddie gets kidnapped#(and personally gives howie his endorsement. he's a good guy and he thinks he's perfect for maddie)#but somehow his path doesn't really cross with buck until after everything with doug. maddie's in the hospital and tommys lingering outside#her room and sees this kid sitting on the hospital floor. he's shaking and crying and doesn't look like he's aware of either of those thing#he's all bloodied up and tommy *aches*. so he goes over and sits next to him. doesn't say anything. just sits and offers support to this#person who is technically a stranger but who *feels* familiar#and buck holds it together for five seconds more before he's leaning toward tommy and sobbing on his shoulder.#it's one of those intimate moments with strangers that are supposed to happen and then become a memory.#neither of them are supposed to see the other again and they don't think they will because they don't exchange names or anything.#but then there's a welcome home party for maddie and chimney at bobby and athena's house and tommy sees him across the room#and it's like magnets pulling them together. they're inseparable for the rest of their lives after that#tv: 911#otp: eye of the storm

can we please have more of this?????? i am on my hands and knees. i am begging. even if it's just bullet points. it's soooooooooooooo.

you asked so nicely, i will give you anything. <3

so. as i was saying. tommy sees buck across the room, and he doesn't... really know how to react. that memory of him, of them, sitting together feels like something precious. it's something he holds in the palms of his hands and looks at during nights when he's feeling fragile and alone and he doesn't really understand why. or. well. he kind of does. no one has ever... needed him for things like that. no one's ever really needed him at all, but no one's ever sought him out for comfort. no one's ever thought he was made of gentle things, that he could be a comforting presence.

so seeing this kid across the room feels... disarming. it also, irrationally, feels unfair. because tommy was so caught up in his feelings about the memory that he almost forgot it's a memory he shares with someone else.

someone who, apparently, can just show up in his life whenever they want.

he ducks away before the kid can see him. they're outside on the patio. he touches maddie's arm - gently, because he can't shake the sight of her in a hospital bed - and nods toward the house where the kid is still visible through the glass doors.

"who is that?"

her brow furrows. she follows his line of sight and the way her face breaks open into the softest, most loving smile tells him everything he needs to know.

"that's your brother," he says before she can.

"yeah." she turns toward him. "wait, have i never introduced you guys before?" tommy's eyes widen as she waves a hand. "buck, come here."

"oh." tommy is panicking. "oh, we don't... we don't really have to do that."

"hush, it's fine."

and that's all she's able to say before buck appears at her side. tommy clocks the moment he recognizes him. it happens the minute buck lays eyes on him. his face turns this beautiful shade of pink that has tommy's heart practically wrenching in his chest. he swallows, his hand tightening around his soda can.

"tommy, this is my little brother. buck, this is tommy." she looks between them. "it's kind of weird how you guys have never met before."

and all tommy can think of is the weight of this kid against his side. the smell of his cologne twining with the copper stench of blood. the protective arm tommy had curled around his shoulders as if daring the world to try to pop the bubble they'd built around themselves.

"yeah." tommy's laugh is thin, brittle. "weird."

buck recovers first and far faster than tommy himself. he holds out a hand. "evan."

tommy shakes his. "tommy."

maddie raises an eyebrow but before she can ask, her attention is being called away by someone or something else. evan nods his head toward the house, and tommy follows. it's quiet inside, everyone except the kids crammed out onto the cement and grass.

here in the kitchen, alone, it kind of feels like their bubble has made a return. it makes the atmosphere far too close, far too intimate for someone tommy's only shared a combined total of fifteen minutes with.

his breath catches in his chest when evan looks at him.

"so," evan says.

"so."

evan ducks his head. oh, he's shy. without the barrier of maddie's kidnapping looming over them, evan is awkward, and so damn sweet he could rot right through tommy's teeth. his heart twists again.

"yeah, so, listen, about the other day..."

"we don't have to talk about it, if you don't want to." evan looks up, eyes wide and surprised. did he think tommy was going to make him? "i mean it. we can just forget about it if you want."

"no. i-i mean, i don't... want. i mean." evan huffs in a way that's supposed to be a laugh but falls flat and circles around to uncomfortable, unsure. "it's - my captain, bobby, he's... he wasn't answering his phone that day. and he's... he's more than just my captain, he's like... he's kind of like my dad, i guess. and he wasn't answering his phone. eddie wasn't answering his phone. my sister almost died -" his tongue trips over the word even now "- and i... i needed somebody. and you were there." he looks up at tommy and meets his gaze head-on, and it's at that moment that tommy learns that evan is, was, and always will be braver than he will ever be. "so, thank you."

tommy's soda can has gone warm in his hand. he knocks back the rest of it, if only for want of something to do, and sets the empty can on the counter.

evan watches him throughout the entire thing.

"i don't - i mean - it was nothing. i was just... doing what anyone else would do."

evan turns his head, a little half-shake like it's an argument he wants to have but won't. together, they look out toward the patio. howie sits beside maddie, his arm thrown over her shoulder, her hand on his thigh. they treat each other so gently, like they're both fragile things that deserve to be cradled. it's beautiful. tommy wants that one day.

when he turns, evan is already looking at him.

evan nudges his shoulder with his knuckle. "well, thanks, is all i wanted to say."

tommy shakes his head before the words are even finished leaving his mouth. "you don't ever have to thank me for that." it scares him how much he means it. "but, thank you for..." for letting me hold you, for letting me take care of you, even if just for a moment. thank you for letting me be the type of person i've always tried to be. tommy clears his throat. "just thank you."

evan's mouth turns up into a tiny little smile. he changes his voice to mimic tommy's and says, "you don't ever have to thank me for that."

tommy laughs. oh this one's sweeter than pure sugar, isn't he?

they look back out over the party for only a moment before bobby peeks his head in.

"cake time," he says before he disappears back outside.

cake time it is, then.

tommy gestures for evan to go ahead of him and, halfway to the backdoor, evan turns to make sure he's still following him. how silly. of course tommy's still following him. he's starting to think that this is becoming a recurring theme in his life. evan will march somewhere, and tommy will follow close behind. he winks and gives him a small smile, one that evan returns before he turns around again.

the cake is half-chocolate, half-vanilla, quite literally split in two because maddie and howie are the same in all the ways that matter and vastly different in all the ways that don't. evan hovers at his back and takes a paper plate when tommy offers it. they stick to each other's sides like saran wrap until the evening blends from dusk to nightfall, barely speaking to one another but never straying far from each other's orbits.

it's the damndest thing. years later, tommy still won't be able to explain it. when asked, the only word he comes up with is magnetism, something fundamental and cosmic that always, always pulled them back to each other.

they're the last to leave at the end of the night.

tommy watches from the driveway while evan hugs bobby and his wife goodbye, and then they're alone. it's not awkward, it can't possibly be when they've shared so much yet so little. but it feels... weighted. warm. heavy and scary, like holding a ten pound weight while balancing at the edge of a cliff. one wrong move, and you fall, and fall, and fall...

evan leans against the side of his jeep and faces him. "well."

"well."

"it's getting late, i guess i better leave."

"i guess so."

neither of them move. in both of their hands are tupperware full of cake and enough food that tommy won't have to cook for at least two days. having his hands full is not conducive for what he wants to do. what he wants to do is lean in, breathe evan's air, drag his nose along the line of his neck, and jaw. press his lips to evan's to see if they really are as soft as they look. but. well. he can't kiss someone he's just met.

can he?

"listen." tommy finds his mouth moving without his own permission. "i work down at harbor. you should come by sometime, i would love to show you around."

evan's eyes brighten. "really?"

"yeah. maybe i can even take you up in the air."

"i - yeah. yes, that sounds awesome, i -" he softens. "i would love that."

tommy swallows. his heart hammers in his chest. he clears his throat. "so, ah. it's a... it's a date then?"

evan's cheeks flush that lovely pink again.

"yeah. yeah, i - i guess it is."

a beat passes. tommy really does have to go. his hands are cramping from holding his goodies and he's got work in the morning. but before he can say as much and take his leave, evan swoops in. he presses a quick, barely there kiss to his cheek and then steps back. his eyes are wide, like he's surprised by himself, but he looks giddy. mischievous. precious.

he nods his head back toward his jeep. "okay. i'm going to go now."

tommy nods. his face is on fire. "okay."

"okay. i - bye."

tommy's face softens into a smile. "bye, evan."

he steps back while evan wrestles with his car keys. evan all but tosses his goodies into the passenger seat and then waves goodbye. tommy watches as he backs out of the driveway, watches as evan waves again before he pulls off. and then tommy's left in the still silence of a los angeles night, a feeling in his gut like something is pulling, tugging, drawing him toward the brake lights at the end of the street.

something like magnetism, isn't it?

[dreamingofmaidensandmonsters]

You just can't give me nsfw hellcheer fanart these days. It's like feeding a monster or pouring water on a gremlin!!! I'M LOSING MY MIND RN!

Long live the Queen

I warned you.

I'm feeling the Hellcheer vibe tonight.

Been for a while thinking that this queen over here deserve nothing but nice things. Luckily for her, Eddie is dying to show how nice he can be to her.

[aftgficrec]

Can't believe I caught this open. I love your page. Was just wondering about fics centered around medicated Andrew. Like the foxes realizing that the drugs were more harmful than helpful. Thanks!

Medicated Andrew is an AFTG hot button theme with a good amount of fandom meta, discussion, and umbrage to be found. Some fic writers go the fix-it route with time travel aus or canon divergent stories with different or zero meds (here's the ao3 unmedicated Andrew tag). When Andrew is on the problematic medication it’s usually Neil who wants it gone, but sometimes other foxes see it too. We also found aus with unexpected people wanting Andrew off the meds…can you say Tetsuji Moriyama or Fox!Harry Potter? We have a good amount of Andrew’s pov, and fanart that’s like whoa. What I’m saying is, buckle up for a wild ride, rabbits. -A 

previous recs:

Andrew’s meds here

‘They All Burn the Same’ here (updated)

‘take two’ here

‘Deals With Devils’ and ‘The Sun Still Rises’ here (both updated) 

‘The Sphynx and the Hare’ here (completed)

‘Hope Was A Dangerous, Disquieting Thing’ here (updated)

‘i'd die for you (that's easy to say)’ here

‘California Drifting’ here (updated)

‘Of Ocean Tides’ series here

‘This Is What Hollows’ here  (completed)

andrew pov:

‘The Court-Hole Fox’ (completed), ‘Fuck the Game’ series, and ‘oh be cautious, do not stand too near’ series, plus ‘Monster’ and ‘Monster 2.0’ (both updated) here

‘Fold me in your palms’ here

‘Therapy session’ here

‘Odd Eye’ here

‘Stranger To Stay’ here (updated)

‘The Real Thing’ here

‘And we’ll be running’ here

‘One More Time (With Feeling)’ here (updated)

‘we destroy everything we need’ here

you may also like:

post easthaven andreil reunion here

foxes revise opinion of Andrew here

‘Live Once More (This Time Will Be Better)’ here

‘Inked Truths’ series (parts 1 and 2) here

‘The Unkindness of Ravens’ here (updated)

I hate your smile by PateticabutBunny [Not Rated, 2066 Words, Complete, 2022, Locked]

One day on the relationship between Andrew and Neil And the drugs

tw: vomit, tw: addiction, tw: mania, tw: medication side effects

Another Raven in the Nest by 0bsessednerd [Rated M, 4051 Words, Complete, 2024]

“Minyard will cooperate, I’ll find a way.” Kevin ensured them. and Riko gave him a dangerous look. “If you don’t I will.” Riko said coldly, and everyone knew he would. Kevin better keep his promise, thought Neil, or Minyard was going to not have a good time. No one spoke for the rest of the flight. ~~~ Neil has a nightmare of Andrew being in the nest and part of the perfect court. As imagined it doesn’t go well

tw: nightmares, tw: implied/referenced self harm, tw: implied/referenced rape/noncon, tw: implied/referenced csa, tw: abuse, tw: torture, tw: ptsd

I would choose to live all this a thousand times, if in the end, I had you by FayeS2 [Not Rated, 42517 Words, Incomplete, Updated June 2024]

After almost a decade together, Neil and Andrew travel back in time to Neil's first year at Palmetto. Now, they must relive demons from the past. But at least they still have each other.

tw: drug use, tw: homophobia, tw: violence, tw: blood

Good Men Lie Too by heybabyricecake [Rated M, 100678 Words, Complete, 2024]

Me: Andrew and Neil are perfect for each other <3 their love story is iconic and they are otp and it's a crime to ship them with anyone else!!!!! Also me: Anyways here's a KevNeil fic :) Canon reimagined as if it were Kevin and Neil falling in love!! I take some of the story line from the original series but there's also very different plot points for Kevin and Neil for obvious reasons! Not Kandriel sorry. This fic answers the question: What happens when two Exy obsessed idiots fall in love???

tw: implied/referenced abuse, tw: nightmares, tw: nonconsensual drug use, tw: vomit, tw: canonical character death, tw: recreational drug use, tw: implied/referenced torture, tw: homophobia, tw: involuntary outing, tw: assault, tw: blood, tw: attempted rape/noncon, tw: kidnapping, tw: alcohol abuse/alcoholism

Glow In The Dark by Anonymous [Rated M, 20984 Words, Complete, 2024]

If Riko Moriyama is Exy's number 1, Kevin Day is number 2. But, if Riko Moriyama is King of Exy, Andrew Minyard is the opposing pawn who’s crossed the board to become Queen. Andrew has spent far too long denying Riko what he wants and Riko has spent far too long fantasising about the day Andrew finally breaks to leave things as they are. And if you want a job done right, you really do have to do it yourself it seems. So RIko invites Andrew to Evermore for the holidays.

tw: graphic depictions of violence, tw: implied/referenced rape/noncon, tw: implied/referenced csa, tw: implied/referenced self harm, tw: implied/referenced medical abuse, tw: threatened rape, tw: abuse, tw: torture, tw: blood, tw: emotional abuse, tw: nonconsensual drug use, tw: nonconsensual restraint, tw: nonconsensual nudity and photography, tw: internalized homophobia

Vivid by Anonymous [Rated M, 6884 Words, Incomplete, Updated Feb 2024]

Andrew returns to Palmetto State after his spending his winter break at Edgar Allan. And he's fine. Totally fine. Obviously. Hello. Welcome or welcome back. Vivid is finally here and got longer than I expected. So technically, this is a sequel to Glow In The Dark but you don't need to have read it to understand. Everything important is either there in the summary or will be explained in the fic.

tw: implied/referenced rape/noncon, tw: implied/referenced torture, tw: implied/referenced self harm, tw: implied/referenced medical abuse

A collection of Andreil one-shots by Auviic [Rated E, Collection, Incomplete, Updated Jan 2024]

Chapter 1: Andrew Minyard's mistakes [6567 Words] Andrew and Neil find themselves amidst a zombie-apocalypse.

tw: graphic descriptions of violence, tw: blood/gore, tw: implied/referenced suicide, tw: gun violence, tw: drug addiction

Chapter 3: Tongue tied [5125 Words] Nathaniel Wesninski is paired with a new partner.

tw: graphic depictions of violence, tw: torture, tw: blood/gore, tw: implied/referenced abuse

Sunrise by DeeLeBee [Rated E, 26499 Words, Complete, 2023]

Part 1 of Sunrise, Abram, Death 

Listen. All fans of All For The Game hate this fucking series just as much as they love it and I am no exception. Nora's writing doesn't make sense in so many parts, there are plot holes, WHAT ARE ANDREW'S MEDS ABOUT, and Nora was a coward because she planned to make Kandriel a thing but chickened out. (Love you , Nora.) Anyway, I am here to remedy all these ailments.

tw: violence, tw: implied/referenced torture, tw: implied/referenced abuse, tw: recreational drug use, tw: nonconsensual drug use, tw: nonconsensual kissing, tw: canonical character death, tw: self harm

We work well with crazy. by MBlack93 [Rated E, 45145 Words, Incomplete, Updated May 2024]

Neil is on the run for his serial killer father and apparently a Yakuza family with delusions of grandeur. Harry is on the run for the Dark Lord, the Light Lord, and practically the whole Wizarding World, except for the Goblins. Because Goblins are awesome.

tw: implied/referenced child abuse, tw: implied/referenced csa, tw: implied/referenced rape/noncon, tw: implied/referenced food withholding, tw: homophobia, tw: implied/referenced torture, tw: implied/referenced human trafficking, tw: nonconsensual drug use

Andrew pov:

A Monster, A Defender, A Psychopath (You Maniac) by Lytta323 [Not Rated, 1953 Words, Complete, 2022, Locked]

Andrew has a bad psychotic episode due to his medication and gets the help he deserved sooner.

tw: self harm, tw: blood/gore, tw: mania

What if I’m the Monster? by 0bsessednerd [Not Rated, ​​1130 Words, Complete, 2024]

The pills sat on the counter taunting him. He really didn’t want to take these. But when had Andrew ever gotten anything he wanted in his life? It was his fault he had to take them. That’s what everyone told him. If he hadn’t gone too far, if he hadn’t been a problem he wouldn’t have to be on these. He wouldn’t have to be high out of his mind every fucking day. He wouldn’t have to give in to the addiction. He wouldn’t have to go to therapy. He wouldn’t have to be reminded he could never be free. He wouldn’t be a monster. ~~~ Andrew taking his medication for the first time and how he felt doing it. And how he felt after the effects kicked in.

tw: implied/referenced hate crime, tw: implied/referenced violence, tw: negative self image

a foxhole collection: on possibilities and digressions by vicariously kingly (pelted) [Rated T, Collection, Last Updated 2016] 

Chapter 21: andrew minyard in wonderland [734 Words]

for the prompt: pre-andreil snippet. in summary: andrew on drugs.

Feet Don't Fail Me Now by freefromenvy [Rated E, 56824 Words, Incomplete, Updated May 2024]

Neil was an exceptional runner until his past caught up with him. After years on the run, he was taken back to the Nest where he had to learn how to survive all over again. After Neil helps Kevin and Jean escape the Nest, Riko sends Neil to Palmetto to inform the rest of the Foxes that he will keep attacking their team, just like what happened to Jamie Smalls, unless Kevin and Jean return to the Nest. If Neil fails in his task, the Moriyamas will giftwrap, and hand deliver Neil to his father after he is released from prison. Neil has always known he has lived on borrowed time. He lived Alex's life, Stephen's life, James's life, and many more. Now all he wants to do is to be able to die as Neil and not as Nathaniel Wesninski.

tw: violence, tw: abuse, tw: blood, tw: implied/referenced child abuse, tw: implied/referenced self harm, tw: implied/referenced rape/noncon, tw: implied/referenced torture, tw: implied/referenced human trafficking, tw: blood/gore, tw: mutilated dead animal

Apathy by Marquee [Rated G, 144 Words, Complete, 2023]

Andrew thinking about people in his past. Including but not limited to awful foster homes, people who him on the drugs, people calling him crazy, just yucking people in general

tw: implied/referenced rape/noncon

Love Bites, Hate Bleeds by kongruenz [Rated M, 6286 Words, Incomplete, Updated May 2024]

Andrew's at juvie with nothing to look forward to, no life, no passion, just the constant need to be numb and bury what happened, to forget. Until Coach Wymack, Kevin Day and Neil Josten appear in his locker room to recruit him to the Palmetto Foxes. _ An AU in which Neil joined the Foxes before Andrew, and Andrew looks at Neil for protection instead.

tw: implied/referenced self harm, tw: implied/referenced torture, tw: violence

I don't want to by The_7th_Void [Not Rated, 3017 Words, Complete. 2024]

Andrew runs late night errands with Neil and tries to fight his drugs. Neil is confused but helps him anyway. Or Neil lies. Andrew is honest.

tw: vomit, tw: addiction

I took the pills for these empty nights by All_for_the_andreil [Rated T, 6013 Words, Complete, 2022]

He gazes at Neil and thinks about all the questions he’s too afraid to ask. Would you still want me when I’ll be a mess? Would you stay even after you see how fucked I am? Would you hate me if I stopped playing exy for good? And perhaps the most important one: Will they kill you if we fail this season because of me? -or- Andrew gets diagnosed with bipolar disorder and is prescribed medication. Given his history with that, he has some issues.

Träumerei by Sashe [Rated E, 12038 Words, Incomplete, Updated May 2024]

Andrew never planned on joining the Ravens, not when Riko and Kevin demanded it, but Coach Moriyama is willing to bargain. And he sees right through Andrew in a way no one ever has before. He’s offering Andrew a home, people who believe him, a family who will never abandon him, and a chance at something to build his life around – something to live for. All he has to do is play Exy for him for five years.  or Just another Raven!Andreil AU

tw: graphic depictions of violence, tw: implied/referenced rape/noncon, tw: implied/referenced torture, tw: implied/referenced self harm, tw: emotional/psychological abuse, tw: implied/referenced child abuse

We will survive to live by Whyreme [Rated M, 20663 Words, Incomplete, Updated April 2024]

Andrew had been a Spear since the age of thirteen. He endured a lot, but he had a mother, a father and a home. Until it all fell into ashes and his world was turned upside down. He fought back and lost everything, earning himself mandatory medication in return. So when Riko Moriyama and Kevin Day offered him a tempting deal, he couldn't refuse. He'd be a Raven, but that was a bigger cage than his alternative, right? or AU where Andrew never met Aaron and Nicky, was adopted by the Spear and has a very good reason to be a Perfect Court member. (Raven!Andrew and Raven!Neil AU)

tw: dark, tw: graphic depictions of violence, tw: hallucinations, tw: horror, tw: blood/gore, tw: implied/referenced child abuse and neglect, tw: implied/referenced csa, tw: implied/referenced rape/noncon, tw: implied/referenced self harm, tw: medication addiction, tw: torture, tw: murder, tw: vomit

The Avarice Never Ends by stuntinf8 [Not Rated, 1341 Words, Complete, 2022]

Andrew liked Neil Josten in the way that a cat might like a mouse: easy to tousle by the tail, quick to fuss, simple enough to rattle. The meds made it even easier. (OR A medicated Andrew reflects on the anomaly that is Neil Josten.)

fandom thoughts and meta:

Dependence and Addiction in All for the Game meta by @the-greater-grief [Tumblr, 2022]

I need to talk about Andrew's medication meta by @deadliestpieceontheboard [Tumblr, 2021]

if Andrew wasn't on anti-psychotics, what was he on? meta by @amiandthechaos, @sinistercacophony [Tumblr, 2021]

why abby was so vehemently against committing andrew to rehab early? discussion by @bookmarkmyword, @deadliestpieceontheboard [Tumblr, 2022]

Andrew -Medication or Incarceration ? meta by @lemonboyjosten [Tumblr, 2021]

thoughts about Andrew…his mental issues and medication? by @palmettomonsters [Tumblr, 2017]

Andrew’s meds make me so fucking angry by @kazzyboy [Tumblr, 2021]

Happy Pills by Weathers song analysis by @meanie-boy-minyard [Tumblr, 2019]

Art

Alien Blues art by @fortheloveofexy, on ao3 here

“It’s a cruel world” art by @swarenar

Put on a happy face :) art by @allfortheslay25

bloody smiles art by @rhyva

meds art by @/rhyvva on twitter

I'm not okay art by @creekgods

apathy is a tragedy art by @doesephs

medicated Andrew art by @yolkylemon

sober vs medicated Andrew cosplay by @/csplyxeva on tiktok

aftg-tober day 4 art by @i-did

[miiv12]

OTP questions: SolarxRuin

What is each member’s love language? Solar: Acts of service Ruin: Physical touch & Words of affrimation

What would they describe as their perfect date? Just a chill day/night to watch something or play games and just talk.

Who made the first move? Ruin is more open with affection and such so they did

Who is more sentimental? Ruin

Which member calls the other in to kill the spiders? Ruin does, though Solar moves the spiders instead of killing them

Who falls asleep first? Solar does, most of the time he's out like a light the second he lays down

Who wakes up first? Solar, he has a lot of stuff to do throughout the day

Who is more more relaxed/carefree? Solar is calmer and better when it comes to sudden changes and planning around them,but he has a hard time actually relaxing. Ruin is more anxious but also knows when it's time to step back and take a break.

What’s one way their personalities compliment one another? (Is it opposites attract or are they pretty similar?) Previous answer.

Who is always cold? Don't understand the question?

Which member is always trying to bring home stray animals and which member always has to say no? Ruin would try to,and maybe Solar ends up saying okay to one or two pets.

Who worries more? Ruin does

What are some non-sexual activities they do together? Watch movies/shows/musicals, play games, cuddles, sometimes they build stuff together.

Who would be able to talk their way out of a speeding ticket? I feel like Ruin would confuse both the cop and Solar

Who is the better cook? Solar, though he doesn't do it very often

What are some things they don’t agree on? They have different tastes in music

Which member is more physically affectionate? Ruin

Which member is more verbally affectionate? Ruin again

How does each member feel about PDA? Ruin absolutely loves it,both giving and receiving. Solar is a more subdued and it's one of the ways to actually get him blushing, but he's okay with it as long as it doesn't go too far and not in front of strangers.

Who’s the safer driver? Solar, Ruin is a good driver in a sense but once he gets going there's no stopping the guy.

What’s each member flirting style? Dunno

Which member steals borrows the other ones clothing? Ruin mostly, though Solar does also do it now and then

Who is the cuddle initiator? Most often it's Ruin

Are they an introverted couple or an extroverted one—AKA would they prefer to go out to a party or event together or would they rather stay in? 99% of the time they stay in, the last 1% is either spent with friends/family or just them in a secluded place

Who is the big/little spoon? Solar is big spoon, Ruin has tried too but it wasn't as comfortable

Who is more likely to make an impulsive decision and who is the voice of reason? Ruin is definietly more impulsive, but Solar usually let's things happen unless someone can actually get hurt

Who’s more likely to laugh at their own jokes? Ruin does

Who takes longer showers? Solar, but only because he's dirtier after work

Who is “more loved” by the in-laws? Question doesn't really work here..

Who is more likely to get jealous? Ruin actually

What was the most surprising thing they learned about one another once they started dating? Dunno yet(might edit later)

Who stays up way too late and who tries to drag them to bed? Solar will never fully stop with his overworking tendencies no matter how many times Ruin has to drag him to bed to charge

Who’s messier? Solar, Ruin has similar habits as Sun when it comes to cleanliness

Which member is more likely to accidentally spend $300 at Target? Solar is the type to calculate the cost before hand, while Ruin throws extra things into the cart

Who wanted/would want kids first? Ruin, i imagine Solar would be a lot more unsure about the idea

Who gives piggy back rides to the other? omg Ruin saw Solar doing it for Lunar and he just had to get a ride too!

Who fell in love first? Probably Ruin OG Post: https://www.tumblr.com/lavenderotpprompts/658745255432241152/assorted-otp-questions?source=share

[yuribeamed]

monbisou's mlb fic rec!! mlb fics recced by monbisou(me)!!

okay let’s get crackin!!

There’s Something About Marinette by ThoughtWarfare

im telling you this fic is so funny and honestly kind of the reason i got pulled back into ml fandom after thinking i’d finally moved on with my life. ever since i read this, marinette x ladybug has been my otp.

Girls Talk Boys by LNC

the core four and adrienette being oh so charming. to be honest, i would recommend everything and anything by LNC, this just happens to be my most recent read.

golden (like daylight) by okayanna

in my mind everyone has already read this because it’s so perfect and classic and lovely. also, well written! adrien is so well characterized. what else can i say. ummm 10/10.

Who Kissed Dupain-Cheng by Ridiculosity

sometimes i think about the marichat dynamic in this fic. actually, who am i kidding. i think about it all the time. constantly. i’m obsessed with the marichat dynamic in this fic.

Friends by meeble

short and sweet and deadly. god i love adrienette.

final girl by picayunewrites

could i do a fic rec and not mention final girl? could any honest marichat lover stay silent in the face of the work that is final girl? i recommend this. i recommend it so so hard.

comfort food by Reiaji

marinette cooks for adrien. marinette teaches adrien how to cook. marinette loves adrien. she loves him.

Trying to Get Bi by breeelis

adrien is ladybugs celebrity crush. is he your celebrity crush chat noir?

bon voyage by gentlefist

set more recently in canon! adrien and marinette are dating! they are dating one another! “dang it!” says chat noir.

Mr Perfect Disguise by caprisuns(marimbles)

ladybug wearing a very big floppy hat. adrien agreste wearing slides. romance!

baker “enemies” comic by buggachat

okay, you’re on tumblr, you’re a ml fan. i’m sure you’ve read or at least heard about buggachats comic. i think my favorite thing about buggachat is their portrayal of the core four. or maybe it’s their adrien? maybe it’s their ladynoir. i love buggachat so much.

oeuf ouch owie by miraculousumflower (ominousunflower)

hahahahahahahahahaha:):))

daydream by a_miiraculer and clairelutra

marinette and adrien are so so into eachother. also, he’s figuring out who ladybug is.

But All I’m Seeing Is You by chealseababylove

for a while i was like, “idk man i’m not sure i’m a ladrien type of guy” but that was before i read but all i’m seeing is you by chelseababylove.

The Dating App by leadernovaandthemacabre

chat noir and marinette. marinette and chat noir. they text eachother and analyze eachother from different angles. ps! a lot of sexy talk! for those who are opposed!

for the record by peachcitt

adrien and marinette set the dating record straight! as friends!!!! prpr

telepathy by thelibraryloser

sometimes you just want a good reveal fic. this one is really good.

A Partir De

something i’ve noticed in ladrien fics so far? a lot of very silly disguises. i’m talking extremely silly.

Strangers in the Bright Lights by poodles

poodles you cook my metaphorical noodles. also, this fic is wondrous.

and that’s it!! for now!!! more coming soon i suspect but then again, who knows?