#this is my first time writing cody since i was a teenager

[rvyalfamily]

╱╱ hi hii, if anyone wants to plot / write pls send memes or give me a dm! <33 OR alternatively i can send you memes

[tragedycoded]

Well since I can't actually write today but typing keeps me from losing my fucking mind, I'm going to talk to myself about what I would be writing if I were locked in and writing.

Usual "Jamie is high and talking to himself" warnings below. Spoilers, no guarantee it'll make sense, things are subject to change bc this is a zero draft, etc.

There is also frank discussion of fatal injuries inflicted on fictional characters. An unholy combination of my past experience as an EMT, what I've learned about cave diving, and my death metal imagination are informing these injuries. Don't read this if you don't want to imagine explosive decompression while you're eating.

Anyway so far in the draft:

Cody and Hayes make their first dive. I'm keeping it in media res for the purposes of not infodumping on the reader in the first three pages. They find Kurt's body 75 meters down at the mouth of the sinkhole, find "DON'T GO TO THE LIGHTHOUSE" written on a dive tablet, and realize they can't recover the body without a body bag bc when the decomposition gas in his guts expand, he's going to pop like a meat balloon.

Second chapter was originally written as them going to the police station in-town to report the body. Now the missing boat captain's wife Frances is involved, so the chapter has been rewritten so that she's the one who took them out on their charter. [1]

Third chapter was Cody on the phone with his bestie Balan; I've rewritten it so Balan and Hayes' sister Naomi are also on this trip, but they're several hours away in Dublin having a normal vacation while the lovebirds are off having one of their weird open water diving excursions on the northwestern coast.

Hayes' criminal record means he can't go to places that have strong diplomatic ties with the U.S. He allegedly fragged his CO and dipped out of Vietnam with three other dudes in 1969 [2] so if he ever steps foot near U.S. territory again he's got a one-way ticket to Leavenworth.

At this point the following needs to happen before they dive again:

The coast guard needs to come out and rendezvous with Cody and Hayes.

Cody is going to volunteer to dive a second time since he and Hayes are still in their wetsuits and have practically full tanks. The coast guard is like "Well here's a body bag we sure do appreciate your service."

They go back down, body has either burst due to decomposition or something else disturbed it enough for it to get caught by a downward current and sucked into a freefall into the sinkhole.

They set up a guideline and dive to around 130 feet looking for Kurt's body. They find Karlee's, and her location is tagged. [3]

Cody gets narked. This has not happened to him since he was in PJ indoctrination as a teenager. Hayes has to stop him from diving deeper than 130 feet, which will kill him.

They come back up, relay the situation to the coast guard. Coast guard commits to making a thorough search of the sinkhole. Frances puts them up in her house for the night. When the coast guard isn't able to locate anyone other than Karlee (who was already located and tagged) a lieutenant comes to talk to Frances.

Coast guard can't find her husband's body, is the gist of the conversation. They nearly lost a guy and are calling it off until they can get their guys rapid-trained.

Balan and Naomi arrive around dawn (they have to leave Dublin at like 4 in the morning) with dry suits. I'm not trying to get hung up on logistics. This isn't a manual for how to execute a 300-foot technical dive to recover multiple bodies, it's a story about how a guy tries to do it with his dive partner and loses his dive partner bc none of them should have been anywhere near the fucking thing to begin with.

So my pacing is slightly fucked up, because I was originally aiming for 70k words, but then I realized it's actually not beneficial to spend that much time with the characters when it's a tragedy. This isn't a situation where I want my readers attached and then completely devastated. It's a horror novel, and I have to approach it differently than I would if I were planning to write something like DMLS.

I didn't plan DMLS. DMLS was "supposed" to be a quick in-and-out "I've got a Lawful Good cavalryman literally and figuratively shackled to a Chaotic Evil gambler and a mystery to solve let's see what happens" situation. Hofer wasn't in the first two drafts. A version of Westerberg was the third person in that draft, and he died at the end, so when I went "Royston is dogshit Sullivan needs a friend and I'll throw Royston into the rift instead" and wrote Hofer into draft 3, it was a literal cut-and-paste job. Draft 4 I had to completely rewrite so that Hofer didn't feel like a C&P job. Part of the problem with "flashlight writing," or feeling my way forward a scene at a time, is unless I have a clear ending in mind, I literally don't know where I'm going. Once I started thinking of zero drafting as building a reference for myself so I completely understand the story vs "writing an outline," it started getting easier. Now it's more like "I have several thousands of words of plot summary and a vague idea of what themes/motifs/etc. are appearing and why the characters are doing what they're doing, all I have to do is go back in and write the chapter." DMLS I didn't realize Sullivan and Royston actually love each other until draft 2. The amount of work I had to do to get from book 1 draft 3, where Hofer sacrifices himself to save Sullivan, to book 2 draft 1 where Royston tells Hofer "I like him. I want him around. I didn't think we were discussing a calculus problem" is actually staggering. It took 700 fucking pages, five drafts, and roughly three complete nervous breakdowns. And I still have another 500 pages minimum to give Sullivan his Golden Ending. Fuck that. I'm never doing that again. Character development is for fanfic writers /JOKE. JOKE. THIS IS A JOKE.

Anyway, that's what I'm doing today. If I can't actually write prose that is nice and shiny and can be shared for tag games, I'm just going keep pecking away at the plot summary.

---

[1] Her husband was supposed to take them that morning. She was driving by on her way to church services when she saw them in the rental office parking lot and realized "Oh jesus this is the American pararescue diver and his partner."

[2] This was frequent enough that it has its own Wikipedia page. Look up "fragging" if you want to know more.

[3] I'm still working out the flow dynamics of the sinkhole, but she basically got caught in a whirlpool that sucked her through a craggy, narrow crevice in the sinkhole. She's a teenager, and she's small, so she either bent in half or got sliced up or both. It's also possible her tank banging against the rock caused the compressed air to explode. They were not meant to dive this deep and I've seen a liter of O2 fly across a parking lot bc someone dropped it wrong. Like, watch this:

[not-so-mundane-after-all]

Now I'm gonna be predictable and ask you for Dick and Rachel for the character thing 💙🖤

My two favorite birds!!!!! Okay *cracks knuckles* here we go

DICK GRAYSON

First impression:

Hot, mysterious, "hmmm I know that face", had this edge about him that had me lean closer to my tv and go "okay, interesting, go on"

Impression now:

The love of my life, a mark on my soul, the blueprint for a Comfort Character™, my #1 TV Dad, must be protected at all cost mostly from himself

Favorite moment:

How can I pick just one? My favorite kinds of his moments are when he gets feral protective over his baby girl (like in 1x07 or 4x08) or any alteration of "I won't let anything happen to you" because all I hear is "I love you"

Extra kudos for all the shirtless scenes 😏

Idea for a story:

One that has been recently lurking at the edge of my mind is giving him an AU where basically everything is the same except his parents are alive — mostly because I want to write them interacting with Kory and the kids

Unpopular opinion:

He gets waaaay too much crap from the fandom, for even the littlest things. He's a flawed character who makes stupid mistakes sometimes. If he was perfect all the time, he'd be boring. He doesn't have to be the best leader, an A+ father figure 100% of the time or constantly kissing the earth the woman he loves walks on to be a good character. Don't like his storyline? Shit on the writers, it's their fault.

Favorite relationship:

There's only one answer to that, always will be.

His light in the darkness. His turning point. His true north. He wouldn't be the man he is now if it wasn't for this one little girl throwing a brick at a cop car and getting herself brought to his station. You can't deny that. The show doesn't. It reminds you, time and time again, who is his anchor. Who keeps him from slipping back into the dark.

Favorite headcanon:

He knows how to play guitar and a little bit of piano because the Haly Circus crew used to jam out all the time. His dad taught him the guitar, Clay was a master of keys and his mother had the voice of an angel and wrote her own songs.

RACHEL ROTH

First impression:

OHHH SHE'S A BABY!!!! I was instantly protective of her and related to her in her loneliness.

Impression now:

FOREVER MY BABY GIRL. Always proud of her, always protective of her. My best girl, my favorite witch. Daddy's Girl and The Best Big Sister-to-be™

Favorite moment:

That walk?! The confidence?! Making dad look all proud in the background?! COME ONNNNNN

Idea for a story:

A while back I wrote down some notes for a concept about adult Rachel and her relationship with teenage Mar'i, inspired by my own relationship with my older sister. There's 19 years between us and the difference between Rachel and Mar'i could end up being similar. I was thinking of writing her as a bestie but also the second mother, ride or die and voice of reason, "dad's gonna kill you" but also "dad's gonna kill both of us if he finds out so we're not gonna tell him". A lot of shenanigans, a lot of heart-to-heart.

Unpopular opinion:

She should have had the final fight with Brother Blood, since this whole thing was about and came from her brother, her heritage, her prophecy.

Favorite relationship:

The simplest reason is because I was just happy to see this child finally being loved. Finally having someone to believe in her and protect her. Finally knowing what it's like to have someone who cares. Finally being held and comforted and understood.

Favorite headcanon:

Girl can SING. But is shy as hell about it. Only Gar knows about it and only because he found out by total accident when he heard her belt out those Ariana Grande whistle notes like it's nothing. They keep it secret until Dickkory's wedding, where she gives a performance of a lifetime.

CODY I LOVE YOU! THANK YOUUUUUU

[rythmicjea]

Can you write an Lody endgame analysis

This is a very interesting ask to me for many reasons. I have only ever watched the show, in its entirety, once. And I only did it to see how close I was to it after writing the majority of The Suite Adult Life. When I was a teenager, my grandmother said to me, "a good writer can take something they don't want to write about and turn it into something they do." I've kind of lived by that since. Did I want to write a Z&C fanfic? No, I did not. Did I want to write something that would aid me through the grief I was experiencing? Yes I did. And voila! TSAL was born.

So, I'm going to answer this, but it won't be in the way it is requested. This will be split into two parts. The first is addressing the characters directly and the second will be addressing the tropes the characters represent.

Lody...

The pairing of Cody and London within the Suite Life universe was never a possibility. This is for a multitude of reasons. The first, and the most important, is that Brenda Song, the actress of London is five years older than Dylan & Cole Sprouse. When the pilot aired it was just before Brenda's 17th birthday. The twins were thirteen but they played the ages of eleven (because they were so small). By the time the twins were of an age where any romantic storyline could be portrayed it would literally be breaking the law. The law of consent in California is 18. Disney, being the family oriented network that it is, would never cross that line.

Another example of this is Zack's crush on Maddie. Ashley Tisdale is seven years older than the twins. The show does a wonderful job addressing how such an age difference is inappropriate (even though they are only supposed to be three years apart - Maddie is in high school and the twins are in the 5/6th grade). Zack tries to flirt, she always turns him down.

Disney channel shows are not very complex and overall continuity in sitcoms were still a relatively new thing. Speaking of continuity, a little factoid that doesn't get mentioned is that London is twenty-one when she finally graduates high school. She and Maddie are the same age. Maddie, from what we can discern does graduate high school but London, due to her absences and lack of comprehension of the material continues to get held back. (In the series finale, London learning Spanish is an homage to the play The Miracle Worker about Helen Keller. "Aqua?" refers to Helen Keller learning how to speak and her first word is "Water?") So, with London being able to legally drink and the other students of her class being younger than the legal age of an adult definitely makes this problematic.

These legal issues are why actual teenagers are never (if rarely) cast in teen dramas like Riverdale. The actors being adults allows for the showrunners to explore situations and themes that teenagers get themselves involved in but without the legal consequences.

Because of this, London was never coded to be endgame with any of the other cast. It was morally, ethically, and legally wrong to even chance going down that path.

The Beauty and The Nerd...

However, if the characters were adults (during college for example) then this formula is time-tested and generally approved of. You have a character who is not very bright academically, but smart in their own way. They generally have a street smarts about them or they have been exposed to a social climate that the other has not. And then you have the quintessential "nerd". The person who is ranked first in the class, has hobbies that are considered "weird" and the like.

The reason why these two characters work is because on the surface they seem like opposites. The "dumb" one is attractive and the "nerd" is ugly (even though they never actually are). One is into what people consider "superficial" and the other is into "science" or academically challenging subjects. But that's about where it ends. Because when you look past these trivial issues, you see that the two characters are considered outsiders. They are either misunderstood by their peers or they are isolated from them for various reason. And because of that shared ostracization they are able to find common ground. They are able to change and grow to fit in with society better and expand their worldview thanks to the other has brought (an example of this is Penny and Leonard from The Big Bang Theory).

If we apply these two tropes to the characters of Cody and London we can see how, in other circumstances, the writers might have put them together and why. Cody and London basically grew up together so they have a history. London might have a mean streak she is not a mean girl and the same with Cody. Cody is kind of a dick when he gets older, leaning too much into his ego, but he still has a kind heart. He doesn't have the mass appeal that his twin does, but he does have an endearing quality about him. The same with London. London is portrayed as "very dumb". She does things that make no sense (because they are mostly written for comedic effect) but she has an affinity for animals and is incredibly sharp when it comes to them, fashion, and business. Overall, the pair compliment each other quite nicely. They would certainly have their conflicts but nothing that would be so detrimental to a relationship to end it.

Conclusion...

In conclusion, there's no evidence to support a "Lody" endgame theory. They were never written to be romantic interests to each other for many reasons. So, the writers never inserted any clues in the background or dialogue to support the pair. However, if you do what I did, which was age them up ten years, and put them on more equal footing, it's easier to create a narrative with the tropes they represent.

As for any other alternative pairings within the show, because of the age of the actors and the network it was on, the show was very straightforward with its intent. Best friends are best friends, romantic interests are stated at the beginning, etc.

[faemorningstar]

Who's your least favorite Ballad of Fae Morningstar character? Like you have a scene with them and you're like "Ugh this fucking guy." Villains that are fun to write don't count.

A chance to talk about my fanfic??? thank you bestie <3

As for characters I don't like writing, there are more than a few. But first I need to go over some criteria:

There are mainly two reasons why I don't enjoy writing some characters more than others:

They are difficult to write

Their dialogue/actions annoy me

Let's start with All the Characters I Don't Like Writing:

Chris

Beth

Blaineley

Cody

Courtney

Duncan

Trent

Cameron

Jo

Amy

Leonard

Dwayne Senior

Jacques

Josée

Stephanie

Since you excluded villains and antagonists, that leaves out most of the Characters mentioned above, leaving us with:

Beth

Blaineley

Cody

Trent

Cameron

Leonard

Dwayne Senior

Then we can separate them into categories. First, Characters That Are Difficult to Write:

Trent: specifically Season 1 Trent; he's charming and radiates this Cool Guy aura that I have trouble nailing down, especially when it comes to dialogue.

Cameron: he's smart. Too smart, for me, anyway. I have a hard time writing him in a way that doesn't reveal how stupid I am.

And second, Characters That Just Flat Out Annoy Me:

Beth: for the most part, her annoyingness is the point of her character, but she's also just... painfully average in a way that hits too close to home. Of course, I never wore a side ponytail, but there's just something about her that just creases me, especially when she tries to seduce two guys when she has a honey back home.

Blaineley: again, her cattiness is the point of her character, but seriously. She is a grown-ass woman swooning over teenagers. That squicks me.

Cody: this fucking twerp i swear to god. i want that twink obliterated.

Leonard: much like with Beth, Leonard is written purposefully to be irritating, however there is an extra layer of difficulty due to the fact that I have chosen to make him semi-important to the plot. I could've have gone the easy route and not done that, but I did because it was the funniest option. Just like Leonard, I am committed to the bit to my own detriment.

Dwayne Senior: like many of the characters on this list, he is designed to be infuriating; he's meant to be a dad that doesn't listen to his kid, that fails at basic tasks, that assumes he knows what's best for the team when he doesn't know jack shit. However, part of his character development is learning to try harder, and that brings his arc to a satisfying conclusion.

And that's that! I did not mean to turn this into an essay, but this wasn't exactly an easy question.

pwease send more asks?

[msflowerpot]

For those of you who would looooove content that is just straight badass Mando (not that there is something wrong with smut but come on??)

(Re)convene Time travel, whole gang of Ezra, Din, Boba, Fennec, Omega, Ashoka, we go fuck palp up!

According To Creed Every chapter is like a new episode of The Mandalorian, kinda awesome ;3

All hail the Mand'alor (by: Derek_the_Dalek) Wholesome badassory, where everything is great <3 Now this one is a little tricky with it’s chronological order. I don’t really agree with the authors choice. I might be wrong, but here is how i would read it;

The found The name (first chapter) The council The historian The legend The temple The name (fourth chapter) The name (second chapter) The name (third chapter) The name (sixth chapter) The leader The name (fifth chapter) The son The name (seventh chapter) The name (eighth chapter)

All help us survive Din forces Boba to be part of the mandoade 😆 Aliit ori'shya tal'din A uncompleted story about a dad failing to not adopt every child he meets.

An Unworthy Hand Seconds after Grogu was taken away by Luke, what was going on in Din's mind?

All the story's A ridiculous and comedic story of "what happens after Din leaves with Grogu after Tattoine". Sadly, the author discontinued the story since the didn’t know how to keep it going...

Back in Beskar Another hilarious story of what happens after Grogu and Luke takes off in season 2. XD

Mand'alor'ika DIN IS TINY!!! I REPEAT, DIN IS TINY!!!! (adult mind in tiny body back in time)

Blow in Like a Hurricane (Everyone Will Know my Name) Nobody seems to realise that the unsuspecting Din is actually Mand'alor. Including Luke and Leia XD Buir Everyone’s POV on the Dadalorian and Grogurt.

Clones and Kings Rex gets a task from Ashoka, "Take care of this dude. He is a magnet for disasters" Curse and Cure Din takes (tries) his role as the Mand'alor with some help from Luke, Leia and other members of the universe. Demons Run When a Good Man Goes to War Evil people has done something bad to someone (it's Grogu, always is), and Din is royaly pissed off. Din Djarin and the Terrible, Horrible, No Good, Very Bad Time Travel Incident Time travel, Din meets Anakin and Obi. Anakin is convinced that Din is some oooold Mandalorian.

Filling the Empty Nest Din figures out what to do with himself after season 2, misses Grogu, and somehow ends up rebuilding Mandalore. From Foundling to Father Din is eight. Gets rescued. His dad learns how to be a dad to him. (I seriously wish the author will continue the story T.T) Short works Some sad some interesting. Honor thy Clan What would happen if most of the survivors after the purge was children? General Mudhorn (and the time traveling bush) Just like the title says, plus som time travel Grogu's Adventures in Acquiring a Buir Grogus POV from the beginning to the moment Luke takes him away. Homebound Ain’t some teenage angst Ben Solo going to stop the might Grogu! if love is the answer, you're home Din is just being a dad, missing his son. And then there is Luke who is really bad at tracking.. In harmony The ehh.... the armor is alive... The Mand’alor and the Jedi These stories are by faaaar the best ones out there. I can’t give the author enough love. The writing, the pacing, all the characters that stays.... I can’t recommend it enough! If you love The Mandalorian, then you will DEFINITELY love these works!!!!!! Lost in time The clones Rex, Cody and Fives travel forward in time. Din's dad instincts kicks in. Mandalorian Menace Time travel, Din adops Anakin. F*** you Jedi more alike than apart Din and Sabine doing a heist and become mandosiblings (boba and Din are bros)😎 My Neighbor, My Neighbor, and Me Modern AU Din and others No Holy Cities Around the time when Din is introduced to the mandalorians. Nowhere King Time travel. Din has been Mand'alor for a long time, and then... the most horrible happens... he comes from nowhere and plans to fix the galaxy. Only the Parent You Will Be Hera Syndulla and Din Djarin's children call to each other and then stuff happens. Oya Manda'lor! (15 years and up (cus this ain’t america), warning of smut) This one is mostly 98% badass buuut... ehh... there is mentioning of smut.. and the other works of the same person... is hella ssmutty 😳 Time travel, Din meets Jaster. Phoenix Rising: Stronger Together Duology (15 years and up (cus this ain’t america), warning of smut) This one... again, mostly badass, around 89% badass. There is smut😑 Din is in pieces after Grogu left with Luke. Ashoka comforts him and Bo-Katan is a bitch. Ring out the song of the Midnight Blade Din and the darksaber takes on the empire. Highly recommend that you listen to the song at the same time you read this one. https://youtu.be/toJD2eJ4zvo Suddenly, I'm Respectable AU in which Bail and Breha Organa have a backup plan in place for Leia's rescue. The Consequences of Wearing a Touchy Mystical Laser Sword Din (and some others (not gonna tell😉)) shrink to their child sizes and try to fix the galaxy. Some humor, hehe. The Deserter Okey... everyone is allowed to pine for Din, but Din is as sexual as a brickwall!!!! The Pros and Cons of Time Travel and Force Visions Time travel. Mando being (as usual) a himbo, while senators and Jedi try to understand the situation... The Way of Conquest Time travel. Me, the force, Yoda and the author are giggling like maniacs 8D Truth and Consequences Okey soooo this one doesn’t really have Din in it... much... Tor Vizla and Jaster Mereel gets bonked on their heads by their grandchildren. The Mandalorian and the Rebel Spy Cassian gets adopted by Din's buir and they, sort of, grews up together. They're Gonna Give You Hell This one is by far the funniest shit ever🤣 do NOT read where you need to be quiet!! (i accidentally laughed in a quiet auditorium...) Time is a social construct Time travel, Din adopts Satine and Obi. Trust Luke travel to Mandalor and training begins. Vortex Amnesia for Din, he only remember that Grogu left. Nope. 2 years have gone by! You Can Worship the Ashes Time travel. Din saves Fives. you were only waiting for this moment to arise Rey gets (sort of) adopted by Din.

Edit: For some bloody reason, some of the shortcuts has been mixed up. Which would me that I will have to redo the whole list… I will (maybe) fix it in the future. But during that time, i highly suggest that you search for the name on ao3.

[swanimagines]

Hello! Could you please do Kaz Brekker + Eleanor Rigby by Cody Fry? Thank you very much!

THE FREDDY EVENT HAS ENDED! Thank you everyone who requested during it! Freddy's characters preferences and requests for Jason, Tom and Ellis will stay open as I promised, they weren't exclusive to the event.

The Kaz taglist will apply for the remainder of content which came during the event, but after that it won't be used anymore and Kaz pieces will have the general Netflix show Shadow and Bone taglist, which contains the rest of the Crows, Alina, Mal, Genya, Darkling etc.

A/N: The song sounds like reader is dead during the fic but I don't write full angst anymore because I can't take it so this might not fit the song very good, and tbh I kinda had to force another idea out and used the "lonely" in the song as the main prompt for this rather than using the whole song as I usually do. Honestly, the song just makes me think of an idea where reader has died and Kaz blames himself for not being there for them more but I can't do that because writing that would trigger me. And the idea I originally had for this kinda went away because I forgot what I was gonna write and this is a bit more fluffy than I intended, I meant to write hurt/comfort at first where Y/N feels lonely and Kaz + the Crows make them feel less lonely. 😬 Sorry.

Word count: 800

You had always been a lonely person, and used to being alone. You weren't exactly a loner, you did crave to have friends, but you had never had the luxury for them. You weren't bitter about it, you thought it was just how your cards had been dealt.

After moving to Ketterdam, things changed for you though. You began working at the Crow Club, a nest for a notorious gang led by a young man who had been in charge since he had been a teenager. He also happened to be the most feared man in all of Ketterdam, and now he was your boss. Your work hours were long, usually ending after midnight or very early morning, but those shifts didn't bother you, it was nice to be out of your room, see people, talk to people, feel useful. The pay was fair, and then some. And you would get free food, drinks, sometimes nice customers brought you gifts... it felt good to be liked.

Kaz seemed to be happy with your work too, coming by the desk to have a drink and occasionally, you could even get a "good job, Y/N" out of him. You thought nothing of it, but one time Jesper's face when he heard Kaz say that made frown in question. Jesper looked back at you, and shook his head.

"Nothing, love. He just doesn't compliment anyone often, if ever. So it's strange to hear him say that to anyone." he explained, downing his shot. Then he looked at you again, leaning forward slightly. "Well, it's been a few months now working and living at the Slat. How you've settled? Newcomers always get spooked about fights and cheaters being thrown out, but you took it calmly enough."

You shrugged. "Pretty good, I guess. Nothing I can't handle, at least not yet."

Jesper nodded, smirking as he glanced over his shoulder. "And how you've liked the people?"

"You all make me feel like I have a family, honestly." you smiled softly at the charmer in front of you. Then your eyes automatically wandered over to Kaz, who had gone to sit at the dark corner of the Club, writing something. "I don't know what to think about boss, though. He's... uh, I just, um..."

Jesper stared at you for a moment, frowning, and then his mouth opened a little. "Oh, love, don't say you have feelings for him."

You felt your cheeks heating up furiously and immediately dropped your gaze on the glass on the table Kaz had left there, hastily polishing it. "I know! He's my boss, and on top of that, seems like a cold person, and I heard people talking that he has buried his heart somewhere so he wouldn't have an ability to feel empathy or compassion or anything. I mean, that's not possible - I think - but you can see from a mile away that he's broody and gloomy and threatening, people were calling me crazy for starting to work for him without any criminal background or skill, and they told me he could just slice my throat open just because he's annoyed with me, and... and that his hands are black, have long bird-like claws and permanently bloody, and... and it sounds insane." You finished lamely.

Jesper snorted. "Half of that isn't true, but it's true that he's a hard person to love. And I always believe in true love, but with Kaz... love could be a very long and rocky road."

"But to be fair, you and Kaz could actually have something," Nina popped up suddenly, and you automatically made her a drink. "His heart went on an overdrive a few weeks ago when Y/N was almost punched by that old drunk guy."

"What?" Jesper and you said in unison.

Nina shrugged. "He's falling for you hard, Y/N, even when he's trying to deny it. I've seen the way he looks at you, like you're the only one in the world he wants right now."

"Really?" You blinked, then smiled a little at the thought, feeling your cheeks heating up slightly again as you glanced up at Kaz. He wasn't looking at you, he was staring at the blueprints in front of him, and you wondered why he wasn't up at his office. Nina smirked again at your expression.

"I think he comes down here because he likes to keep an eye on you while he works." she half-whispered. "Because of that situation with that drunk."

You blinked at the Heartrender, and then you were popped out of the bubble as new customers came at the counter and you were serving them in the matter of seconds.

Suddenly, Dregs felt even more like a family, a home - and like you would never have to be lonely again.

---

Tags: @scandalous-chaos @brekkers-desigirl @bb-skyrunner @ellora-brekker @hanabihwa @animalistic0 @story-scribbler @lovemenotplz @writingmysanity @directioner5life @thevipers-world @imaginesfire // send in an ask to be added, and specify which of Freddy's characters do you want to be tagged on! (This taglist is for Freddy event only, I won't take character taglists for anyone else than Freddy's characters. And note: after the event, Kaz pieces will get the full SaB taglist again, this taglist applies only during this event) ALSO IF YOU WON’T INTERACT BEYOND LIKING, I’LL EVENTUALLY TAKE YOU OFF THE LIST!!

[just-my-type-x]

From enemies to lovers- Dylan O'brien

In which y/n doesn't really get along with her co-star, Dylan

Disclaimer - very long, I'm sorry, smut (it was my first time writing it, please be gentle, I'm sensitive to criticism), curse words

Italics - acting

Gif not mine

It was amazing working on Teen Wolf with all the people involved. I made great friends here and a new family was formed. Even tho i came in this show at once with Cody, who plays Theo, because i play his love interest, i feel like I've been playing this show since the beginning, since they all greeted us with such warmth. At first, obviously, i was pretty close to Cody since we were both the "new ones". We weren't actually new, because we've all seen movies of one another, it was just weird to get in the middle of a on going show and act like everyone is already your friend. After a few days, we all grew close to each other. Maybe all except for one.

Dylan and i don't get along at all. It's not like something had happened. I think it was just a mutual thing. When we first saw each other, it felt like a heavy rock above my head and ever since then i feel like he is the most arrogant person I've ever met. Holland was the first one to notice something was off with us and yet, when she asked us why, neither of us could give her an answer.

"Hey, watch out!", i yell towards Dylan as my football ball flies too high and almost reaches his head

"If you don't know how to play, leave it", he yelled back and left the ball to fall a bit further from where he was standing, leaving the trailer parking lot to the set

"Asshole", i say under my breath and make Tyler Posey and Hoechlin laugh. I smirk as well and wait for Posey to pick up the ball so we could continue playing

"Don't bother, nothing's gonna change between you two." he says as he throws the ball to Tyler

"Yeah i can see that. I mean, i saved his life and he's still an asshole", i catch the ball and keep it in my arms. "I tried to be nice the whole week.",i throw the ball to Posey, who catches it immediately and copies my hold of the ball

"You mean you were nice when you yelled at him at lunch that the last piece of banana bread was yours and when he ate you, you drank his whole vitamin water that he actually needed?"

"Or when he was on set and he had a really serious scene and you came up with the idea to go amd scare him along with Shelley? By the way, i liked those masks", H laughed and I tried to process the fact that i may have not been that nice after all.

"Ok, yeah, maybe you're right. I'll think of something. We're already on our 5 last episodes, i don't want to end this season with us still fighting over God knows what", i nervously bite my lip and put the ball next to a trailer after Samantha, Jeff's assistant tells us to head on set for filming.

"So, i have a slight change in this episode. It is last minute, i know, but i also know this 4 of you who are involved in the change can memorise new lines in half an hour. So, three of the actors who should've played this scene cannot make it here for this episode, i also changed some lines for tomorrow, since we're greeting them later that day. Now, i need Dylan O'brien, Susan, Cody and y/n to step forward. These are the new lines. Long story short, y/n, you and Stiles have to get something from Natalie Martin's office, but you can't get caught by her. As a distraction, since you're teenagers, you will act like the both of you didn't find another room to-"

"You want us to have sex in the office?", Dylan asks, frowned, holding the page of the new scenario

"No, not really. The idea is: y/n is on the desk, you're between her legs and you're kissing, but when you hear the door opening, you're going to put your hand under her skirt so it would look like an ongoing thing", Jeff says and i laugh, looking towards Dylan. He looks back and i shrug my shoulders, and his frown disappears. Dylan nods and tells Jeff that he understood the new assignment. We all took a 30 minute reading session, trying to memorise the new lines. Not gonna lie, the scene lools hilarious and it's much better than the drama that was supposed to happen.

After those 30 minutes expired, i went to the dressing room with Shelley, as she wanted to pick me an outfit, which made Krista, our "designer" a little mad. She chose a black short and loose skirt, which easily highlighted my round bum and defined my waist. As a top, Shelley chose a white, short and tight V-neck t-shirt, that stops right above my belly button. I took a pair of white AF1 and headed back on set, where the guys and Susan were already ready for shooting. Cody smirked when he saw me and i blushed, but i cheekily waved a hand through my hair, like a little diva. I always liked his flirty side and i always answered to it the same way. I guess this is how we got so close. Susan came next to me and put her hand on my back, saying that i look really beautiful and that she would kill to have my age to wear an outfit like this.

I looked at Dylan who was checking me out, head to toe and toe to head. He rested his chin on his hand and sticked his tongue out to water his lips. I blushed and moved my head in another direction, so he wouldn't see that i noticed what he was doing.

"Please go back to your seats", Jeff yells from his chair and Dylan and I go to the beginning of the hallway.

"Try to survive next to me, will ya?", i make fun of him but his answer is cut off by Jeff yelling "action"

"Where do you think it is?", i turn my head to Stiles and dodge a freshman on the hallway

"You mean where is the list that contains the seven deadly werewolves known in Beacon Hills?", Stiles asks sarcastically as ever and i roll my eyes before i stop in the middle of the hallway, other teenagers passing by

"No, the list with the seven deadly sins. Of course that one, dumbass", i sarcastically answer and add a little extra with the dumbass, which Dylan answers to by giving me an annoyed look. I hold back a smile and continue walking with him, until we reach Natalie's office door.

"Didn't Lydia mention something about her mom doing a lot of research lately? You know, like the most known witches, or if vampires are real, type of stuff?", i ask and i come a little closer to Stiles, so i could talk to him without being heard by other people." I know it's illegal, but"

"Oh, my God no!", Stiles stops me before i finish my idea. "we're not breaking in. I saw my dad way too many times this week. Only at school", he throws his hands everywhere and i dodge one of his hands that almost hit me, which I'm not sure was on purpose or not.

"No, silly. We're not breaking in. Because... I have a copy of that key"

"You have what?", he asks in disbelief and even tho it's just acting, i find him really cute

"Yeah well, you know how Malia was failing her exams last semester?", i waited for him to nod so i could continue, "i made a copy of that key so i could go inside and change some of her grades on Natalie's computer.", i bite my lip, as scripted and Dylan stares at my lips, stuttering for a moment. I try not to smirk so i fake scratching my cheek, so i could hide my reaction.

"Wow, you're such a devoted friend. You know, in return, she would want to eat you"

"It would be my pleasure", i snap back and give Stiles the books i had in my arms so i could find the key to the office. Once i find it, i quickly unlock the door and enter when nobody seems to be paying attention.

"Oh wow we really did that. Lydia's going to kill us. Or maybe just you, she likes me", Stiles says as he's already searching for the piece of paper.

"Keep saying that to yourself Stilinski", i laugh and help him with the stack of papers from her desk.

We quickly go through hundreds of papers, until i finally reach for the one.

"I got it!", i happily raise it in the air and we both freak out when we see through the window from the door that Natalie is approaching fast.

"That's not good. Here, i know", Stiles says and starts to throw on the floor some papers, ignoring my desperate voice. "Sit here", he demands and i jump on the desk and he comes in between my legs. I shiver when his hands get on my lower back, but they're so back that he actually touches my ass. I blush at the sudden close space between us and I'm taken aback by his lips, that crush hungrily on mine. As i remember, this desire of kissing me wasn't in the script. I take a moment to realise how soft his lips are and what a great kisser he is. Stiles moves his hands on my thighs, dragging me on the desk so i could be closer to him. I moan softly when i reach him, my inner thighs touching his waist. The moment is perfect for him to stick hia tongue in my mouth and i take it happily. Stiles let's out a breath when my tongue is fighting for dominance with his. He pulls away, making me ache at the sudden stop. We make eye contact and i know it's his way of asking if it's ok for him to put his hand in between my thighs. I blink once and he gets the message, and he starts sliding his fingers under my skirt, very close to my area, and starts kissing my neck in the same time. Stiles places a few wet kisses on all my sweet spots, which causes goosebumps all over my body. He slightly touches my inner thigh with his index finger, looking deep into my eyes, before crashing his lips against mine again, more passionately than before. He wastes no time in using his tongue now, thing that makes me go crazy and i involuntarily drag him by the collar of his shirt and make him lean over the desk. The door shuts open and Natalie is there, shocked, looking how we're making out on her desk. We both stop and try to act surprised and shocked.

"What are you two doing here? For the love of God, Maya, get down", Natalie asks and crosses her arms at her chest

"We're sorry, we were just trying to find a spot", Stiles scratches the back of his neck and i look from him to her and from her to him

"How did you even get in here?"

"Oh, it was unlocked. That's why we used it", i say eagerly and motion to the door so Stiles could get the idea of leaving. We're sorry, again "

"Weren't you dating that guy? The new guy? Raeken?", she asks and i palm my forehead, oh yeah, one little forgotten detail

"Please don't tell him", i say with a high pitched voice, which makes her roll her eyes. She closes the door and we hear her wondering how long will it take her to get all the papers on the desk.

As we get further from the office, Stiles takes the list out and we start checking it out. Before we take a right on the hallway, Theo appears and grabs Stiles by the collar.

"Why were you kissing my girlfriend?", he asks angrily and i try to make him to let go of stiles

"Did your chimera senses tell you that? Or the toxic relationship you two have?"

"I can kill you right now and i don't have to be a chimera to do it", Theo says and slams Stiles on the lockers, freeing him

"Babe, that's enough, we got the list", i say and Jeff yells "cut". We immediately relax amd Cody apologises to Dylan for hitting him.

"Hey", Dylan approaches me at my trailer, as i was inhaling the midnight fresh air, trying to clear my thoughts

"What are you doing here?", i ask surprised

"I live 2 trailers aways, is that really a question?", we both laugh slightly and look at each other for a few moments. "It was nice today"

I tense when i hear him say that and i feel a sudden change of temperature.

"Yeah, it was. I appreciated your little 'ask', before you went in between my legs", i laugh and i immediately blush. And i think he did too

"Don't make it sound so outrageous", Dylan laughs and looks at me, checking for a certain reaction. "I'm sorry for being a jerk. I'm just.. I don't know. You came along and I'm in this weird place, relationship wise, and i knew i would fall in love with you. I tried to be as far away from you as possible.. I just got out of a long-term relationship and having you around made things complicated. Oh my Gosh it's so hard explaining ", he rambles a lot and arranges his hair nervously.

"Breath, and then continue. Take it slowly", i assure him and i put my hand on his knee

"I've seen you in every movie you ever starred in. You've been my celebrity crush for a while now and seeing you here makes me fall in love with you. And i don't think I'm ready for that. I know you're going to say that maybe we wouldn't even have gotten to that point, but i know i would've had. I know that at some point i would've taken you out on a date, i would develope feelings, maybe you too for me, but i would've ended everything because I didn't feel prepared. ", he inhales deeply and all i do is grab his face and kiss him hard.

Dylan is taken by surprise, but kisses me back instantly and slides his tongue in my mouth. I moan at the soft feeling and i deepen the kiss as well. I motion him to stand up amd he does so. I follow him and we get inside my trailer, where he quickly finds the bed and sits on it. He grabs my waist and pulls me on his lap. I obey immediately and as i sit down on him, i take off my t-shirt. He gasps when he sees my pastel pink lace bra, and immediately starts kissing my breasts. I moan loudly when he starts kissing on my collar bone and neck. Itake off his t-shirt and i push him on the bed, as i start kissing and biting on his soft neck skin.

"So you're fine with everything?", he asks breathing heavily

"More that fine", i say as i leave a trail kf kisses on his abs. I get to his pants and start undoing them, but as I'm about to pull the down, his hand reaches my chin and he motions it up so i could see him

"No, don't do that. I want you now, y/n."

I gasp when i hear his words and he starts kissing me again. His lips feel so amazing on mine, the years of experience on the screen showing their perks. He bites my lip softly and i get on top of him, rocking my hips on his hard member. He moves his hands on my ass and i smile into the kiss when he squeezes them.

"Just like that babe", i moan loudly at his words and melt in his embrace. Dylan grabs me and switches positions. He's on top of me, quickly taking off my skirt and he also takes care of his jeans. "Fuck, you look amazing"

"Am i good enough to get fucked good enough?", i ask innocently and Dylan's pupils dilated

"You're not gonna be able to walk tomorrow. This is how good you are and look", he quickly takes of my panties and i take off my bra. He gasps at the sight of my naked body and i bite my lip.

"Your turn", i smile and i look down at his boxers, his length being well shaped by the tight boxers. He was right when he said I won't walk the next day.

Dylan takes his boxers off painfully slow, but i have time to adjust my sight to the sight of his dick. He chuckles, realising how surprised i am.

"Do you mind of you go slowly? It's been a while", i plead, making eye contact with him. The lust in his eyes was undeniable and i was melting under him. I needed him. He kissed me shorty

"Of course. Tell me what you want or need. I'm gonna give you that", Dylan kisses my neck while he positions himself at my entering. He runs a finger between my folds, making me squirm under his touch at the sudden action. "Babe, you're so ready to take me". My eyes widen at his words, and i get turned on even more.

"Dylan, please", i plead again and a smile appears on his face

"Say my name again, babe"

"Dylan..", that's all it takes for him to put it in. The feeling of the bare skin makes us both moan loudly into each other's mouths and Dylan is eager to enter me all at once.

I gasp when he's half way in and he stops moving until i adjust to his width.

"Move", i say and he immediately resumes his entering. When he is fully in, he starts moving slowly, making both of us go crazy. As if he heard my thoughts, he takes it all out and puts is back in all at once, pounding in me. He grabs my hips and pins me onto the bed with his hands, as he is also holding himself up. "Fuck, right there", i say as he reaches the best angle to hit my g-spot.

"y/n, Gosh, you make me go so fucking crazy", Dylan moans in my ear. He stops and slips it out of me and he gives me a sign to turn around, on my all four. I position myself and he grabs my hips to get me closer to him. "You ready?", he assures and i nod. I grab the frame of the bed when he enters me nonchalantly. I hold onto it while the sound of our skin touching each other gets me closer and closer to the edge. "You're so wet for me", he moans and slaps one of my cheeks. As he said that, i really feel my juices coming down my inner thighs.

"Dylan, you're going to make me cum", i cry out as his length keeps finding its way deeper and deeper inside me. "Don't stop"

Dylan's grip on my hips tightens and i know I'll have bruises in the morning. His thrusts become sloppier and messy and i feel him harden inside me, signaling he's close too.

"I need you to fill me up", i moan as one hand chockes me, pulling my body closer to his chest. I start riding him from that position as well, our actions meeting in the middle, creating a much greater sensation

"I want you to drown me as you come for me babe", Dylan's voice is raspy, demanding. He moves one of my legs so they're creating a tighter spot for his dick. "Fuck, just like that. Oh yeah"

I rock my ass on his shaft as one of his hands is still around my neck and one is holding my breast. I lose it when his hand travels down my body and starts playing with my clit.

"Say my name, I'm so close babe"

As i hear his words, i feel myself getting to the edge.

"Dylan, baby.. Fuck, I'm cuming", my body starts shaking, making it impossible for my legs to still keep steady. "Dylan, please, i need you", i say as i drop back on tje bed and Dylan holds my ass up as he thrusts harder and harder in me. With a loud groan, i feel him cuming, his hot load driving me crazy. He collapses next to me, breathless and sweaty.

"i would've done the same on that desk", he says and we both laugh

"i think we should try it next time"

[noco7]

nocovember prompt 2

they’re in an arcade, and i changed my writing style in an ode to “A Concert for Twenty Fingers” a noco fic I read early into my noco obsession

It’s the 27th of June, 2009, and I’m in a lousy arcade, everything neon, loud, and overwhelming. "This one's for you babe," Cody repeats for the millionth time. There's a mini basketball in his hand, obnoxious red sunglasses perched on his head, and an unearned grin on his face.

Maybe I’d be appreciative if he hadn’t missed every shot he's taken.

I snort. "Unless your aim has magically gotten better, doubt it.”

Cody shoots. The basketball bounces off the rim and thuds against the cracked plastic base of the machine, rolling back down pathetically - like it too knows how futile it is. Cody scoops it back up. 

"Okay, maybe not that one. But this *next* one's for you babe," Cody promises again. 

I just let my arched eyebrows answer for me, and lean against the machine. You might be wondering why I’m here, and that’s a good question. I don’t like arcades. Which might seem odd, given my well-documented love for video games. But there’s a huge difference between playing a challenging game in the comfort of my own home with a fascinating and complex story, and spending a few miserable minutes playing one cheap tacky game after another, surrounded by chattering children and their screaming parents. So no thank you. The actual answer to the question is that my boyfriend dragged me here, and since I had chosen the last date location - a respectable library filled with soft lights and even softer sounds, it was now Cody’s turn. And of course, he would choose something as juvenile as an arcade. The only blessing was, and not to be unbearably cheesy, that Cody was here with me. It was entertaining to see him fail every game he tried, in a sort of America’s Funniest Home videos way. But even Cody’s slapstick humor had its limits. I’d gotten bored after his first five throws. Hopefully, this whole ordeal would end soon, and we could go back to better things, like making out. Hey, just because I’m gay doesn’t mean I’m not a teenage boy! But instead of doing anything fun like that, I was left tapping my foot, a spectator to failure. If I had been the one throwing the balls, it would have ended after the first missed throw. I don’t have much tolerance for my own failure. Which sounds a little perfectionist, but I’m far from being Courtney. I just know when to stop. Cody doesn’t. Yet, paradoxically, seeing my boyfriend fail almost made me want to try. It was probably the lack of real competition, I decided. Jocks, with their lean-and-mean dispositions and their unattainable strength, had always left me a little intimidated. But Cody, sweet pathetic, Cody was reassuring in his mediocrity.  No matter what the red SUPREME logo on his shirt says, there was practically nothing supreme about him. And that was comforting. Perhaps we could try this game again, and I might actually win something non-academic for the first time in my life.

Another miss, another thud. Cody’s grin falters, only to return as quick as it left. It’s good to know that my boyfriend isn’t completely oblivious to his own failure, but I can’t help but feel a little mournful. This is probably how it felt to see Icarus’s wings melt. He shoots again, and the kids walking past us laugh. I’m filled with the growing dread that I have gotten with a *loser*, and worse that people can tell. It’s not that I’m one of those pretentious twinks who set their sights high on the most alpha of men, and for all his flaws, Cody satisfied me well enough in that department - *but*, and this was a big one, it was something different when other people commented on it. I might be satisfied dating a wannabe, but it was another to have people *think* that it was the best I could do. And I know, I know, that when it came to worries, this was one of the most shallow, that I should be grateful to have a guy into me in the first place, let alone a cute one. Still, I stepped away from the machine, distancing myself. Another promise, the words faltering this time. Another miss. It’s as if Cody wasn’t aiming for the machine at all, but my heart. For a moment I consider if this is some pity play level of manipulation, and just as quickly I discard the thought. Cody isn’t the type. There are only a few seconds left. At this point, I’m not quite sure if Cody actually believes he can achieve something, or is just falling victim to the sunken-cost fallacy. The line between dumb optimism and stubborn determination is a bit blurry when it comes to my boyfriend.

Cody rubs the next basketball into his jacket, caressing it like a good-luck charm. As if that’s going to do anything.

I can’t bear to look. "I DID IT!"

I have only a millisecond to take it in, to recognize that satisfying swish sound for what it is, to realize that Cody has indeed ‘did it’, and then I’m being grabbed by Cody’s hands, my sides squeezed, enveloped in the warmth of success.

The sudden rush of happiness takes me off guard.

"Put me down!"

Cody beams at me, and I’m compelled to smile back. It’s hard not to give in to instincts, when, and forgive me dear readers once again for being corny, my boyfriend smiles with the force of the sun. Eventually, he puts me down though I could have used more time in the air.

"Congratulations,” I say. “You landed one shot and now you think you're LeBron. Should we get out the gatorade for you? Really celebrate the-" I look past him and at the scoreboard. "Three points you got? The top score is 54 by the way." I know I’m being mean, but I can’t help it. I can’t stay long in the garden of Eden, no matter how much I try.

Thankfully, Cody is used to it. "Yeah yeah,” he says, still high on glory. “Scoff all you want, but I still got the points. And *you* didn't."

"Because I wasn't trying." I point out.

"Miss every shot you don't take," Cody says, wagging a finger. "It's my personal motto."

I scoffed. "With your history, I think you could stand to take a little less shots." Gwen is a stunning example.

Cody frowns, but he doesn't say anything and for once, I choose not to elaborate. We’ve argued about Gwen too many times already, and it gets personal fast. Besides, we’re surrounded by people. If we argued about it here, we’d look like one of those couples, one month and already on the brink of divorce, so full of hatred that it seeps out of the private and into the public. I don’t want to be one of those people.

"You know," Cody says finally. "As your champion-"

"As my champion?" I echo. Champion? It was one shot.

"As your champion," Cody repeats, and that’s his stubbornness coming through as always, - "I think I should get a kiss." He waggles his eyebrows. "You know, as a reward."

"We're. In. Public." I say, gesturing at the space around us. It couldn't be clearer. Even if Cody was blind, which he wasn’t, it'd be hard to miss the demented chatter of children and their high-pitched screeches of laughter. I had to wonder if parents had stopped teaching their kids manners. The newer generation was truly lost.

"Riight," Cody says, and then he grabbed my wrist, steering me behind a nearby machine, and oh. It's darker here, where the neon lights can't reach, and it’s like the world has slipped away.

Cody's blue eyes meet mine. It’s hard for them not to, not in a space like this where there’s nothing else to look at, and there’s hardly any room between us.  "No one can see us here," he says, voice low, before his eyes dip even lower.

I feel like a virgin. I’m not, for your information. I’ve kissed guys and girls alike, and I’ve even kissed Cody a few times too, and yet butterflies still flap their wings in my stomach. It’s the taboo delight of doing something you shouldn’t, and I’m human enough to recognize it. 

"Okay," I said, my voice coming out more breathy than I liked. I darted forward to kiss my boyfriend, who rises up to meet me. Did I mention that he’s still shorter than me? Because I should. My boyfriend is a manlet, or as he prefers to call it, a ‘short-king’. But he proves his worth, his hands moving instantly to pull me close, clutching me tight as if I were planning to escape. But I’m not, and I don’t want to, not when his lips are pressing against mine, not when his hands are warm and roaming my body. My champion, indeed, I think.

Still. We’re in the middle of an arcade, so I break away before it can get too steamy. Cody pouts - like always, but I’m not going to give in. Unlike some people, I don't want to get charged with public indecency.

"When you think about it, I got three points,” Cody says, already leaning back in.  “So I should get three kisses, total. Just makes sense."

I give him my best unimpressed stare.

"It makes mathematical sense," he protests, flinging his arms out in dramatic flair, only to bang his hand on the back of the machine.  “Ow!” I snort. "And now you're going to say that you're injured, and I should kiss it better?"

Cody pauses. "I mean you said it, not me."

“The lighting must have gotten you confused Cody.” I roll my eyes. “This is an arcade, not a nightclub. We're here to play games, not play with each other."

Now it's his turn to laugh. "I mean you weren't playing much of anything back there. Come to think of it, you don't play most games at all. I mean remember the dodgeball?" "Be quiet." I hiss. Not the dodgeball episode. Not that stupid episode.

"Make me," Cody smirks. "With your mouth, preferably."

My boyfriend is a menace. Strike out dumb optimism, it was now sheer gall.

"I mean, you said I had no aim," he continues. "But I did get two girls out. And Harold didn't hit anyone with the ball, and he still-"

I kiss him just to shut him up, and I can feel Cody's smile against my mouth. Bastard.

"Keep talking,” I say, “and I'll never kiss you again."

"Yes sir!" Cody salutes.

Have to maintain order somehow.

"Can’t help trying to kiss my boyfriend whenever I get the chance. “ He smiles, showing off the gap between his teeth. “Sorry." Despite the cocky nature of the words, his look is a little too earnest for it to be some joke.

The sincerity makes me stumble over my own words. "I - I guess. Whatever." I avert my gaze, making sure he can’t see my cheeks, just in case they look less like normal human skin, and more like ripe tomatoes.  As if Cody needed any more proof that I liked him. And that made me doubly glad for the privacy of our dusty little nook - *no one* could tell. I didn’t need people thinking I was some blushing anime boy, or a tsundere, or anything else saccharine and banal that fangirls liked. As if! When I looked back up, I was met with Cody’s smile. "Whore,” I blurt out.

Cody chokes in laughter.

"Let's get back to playing those games," I state. Maintain order. I brush my hair out of my face and head back into the rest of the arcade. "Can't wait to spend fifty dollars in tokens to get three stickers and a temp tattoo of a mouse."

[pear-pies]

XL Magazine - Year 2 Issue 7 March 2007

This scan was shared by the incredibly generous @shinybrandon 💖💖💖

Translation under the cut

XL year 2 issue 7 march 2007

Caption under pic: “Andy Warhol was right: press shouldn’t be read, but judged on weight. It doesn’t matter what they write, only that they write. At this point i only look at the pictures”

Despite the recent fatherhood the singer didn’t change: he hates the press, takes care of his appearance and still writes lyrics like a teenager with an identity crisis (mostly sexual). And threatens: “we are like those bad aromas that won’t go away”

PLACEBO

Brian Molko is now a dad (how come, wasn’t he gay?)

By Simona Siri

Glancing distractedly at Brian Molko you wouldn’t tell that almost a decade passed since their first single Nancy boy. You need to take a more careful look at his hair - way less thick than once - and the foundation in excess to cover the first wrinkles and that makes him look like a doll (speaking of which: i wonder how no toy manufacturer never thought about making a doll with his resemblance like beyoncè with barbie. In my opinion it would sell). 

Even if years have passed, the granitic determination in which Placebo have gone through this period of time staying basically identical to themselves is a quality that should be acknowledged. Despite the appearance still too much resembling a teenager with a sexual identity crisis, Molko just had a son, Cody, with his partner, the photographer Helena Berg, and spends most of his free time navigating between nappies and baby bottles (“it’s like juggling: you need to learn how to throw multiple balls in air simultaneously. In a way it’s fun”). He still attends parties, “the issue”, he says, “is that now to recover from an all nighter i need double the time. Compared to the past I also work more and there’s less time to have fun”. 

In fact he seems like someone who isn’t having fun at all. He talks with the same passion of an accountant telling you the amount of how many taxes you need to pay. He’s docile and tame, that for sure, so far away from the hot head everyone paints him but you can also tell he couldn’t care less. I try to tease him by asking him what is the secret of their longevity, ten years doing music isn’t for everyone, but he doesn’t react. He shrugs and says that the only true secret is to ignore the press. “I think like Andy Warhol: press shouldn’t be read, but judged by weight. It doesn’t matter what they write, only that they write. I don’t even read the articles about us. I only look at the pictures. If they are good then everything is fine for me”. 

A brilliant idea, only if it works both ways: they can ignore the press and we can ignore what they write in their songs. Except you end up reading their lyrics eventually and you can find all the Placebo thinking as we know it with their most classic themes: solitude, teenage confusion, depression and substance abuse. But what, wasn’t being told they grew up and now that they are adults their priorities changed? 

“Life changes, but your fears and insecurities not so much. The things that make you angry or vulnerable don’t change. And I don't think there’s a direct link between your state of mind and your life”. Perhaps Placebo and in particular Molko grew fond to their imagine so much they got suffocated by it and fell into the most trivial of sexual ambiguity cliché. “Truth is there isn’t anyone who is going to hand you the handbook on how not to turn into a cliché. The only way to not look ridiculous is to work hard, being in a band is not enough. We are all cliches as human beings, including myself”. 

Resign yourself that even if Molko is now a thirty something with a 5 months old son he writes sentences like “It’s in the pills that you pick up” or “I’ll find no solace in your apology”, the most striking news is perhaps the music itself. The new album (called Meds and that has to do with all the kind of anaesthetics people use to make their life more bearable) seems to go into a different direction compared to the previous ones. “We discovered a simpler way to make a record and this gave us great satisfaction. We wanted to discover the pleasure of playing together again. Perhaps we make ourselves more vulnerable but we feel we are strong enough to do so”. 

Now that even the most hated British press seem to take them seriously, changing paths is a brave choice. “We never followed trends. After all, how can you be trendy for ten years? Our only quality is to always be here, like those bad aromas that never go away. Translated: in ten years we will still be here, get used to it. 

[bluekat12345]

Oldest Child Cody OC

I mentioned a while ago that I planned on creating an OC for my Oldest Child Cody AU, basically a reoccurring character to serve as Priscilla's romantic rival for Cody. Here's what I have so far:

Her name is Brooklyn Blake.

She would have dark blonde hair in a braid and blue eyes. She wears a short-sleeved yellow flannel shirt with a white undershirt, light blue jeans, and brown boots.

Many people would consider her quite beautiful.

I imagine her working at a Bakery. She specializes in desserts, such as cakes, cupcakes, and cookies. She's a talented baker/cook.

I also imagine her doing catering jobs too, especially for weddings. Her favorite is baking wedding cakes.

A believer in "The way to a person's heart is through their stomach."

Personality-wise, she would be pleasant. She's friendly, gentle, a bit shy to strangers. Those who know her best can say she's charming, creative, generous, and a total romantic.

But due to her daydreamer personality, she can sometimes get caught up in her fantasies and only see she wants to see, which sometimes doesn't match reality.

She and her parents moved to Griffin Rock when she was a teenager and she had a tough time adjusting, since she was shy and didn't know anyone.

She met Cody on her first day of high school. She was a freshman, and he was a junior. Cody, who was already presenting himself as perfect, helped her during her time at school, showing her around, helping her make friends, and gave her the confidence to participate in school events and clubs.

Since then, she's seen Cody as her knight in shining armor and has had a crush on him.

It wouldn't be after graduating that she would try to pursue Cody. She would bake special treats for him, invite him to get coffee, or invite him to a party with her friends in an attempt to get closer to him.

Cody would think she's a nice girl but would politely reject her.

But she doesn't give up. Deep down, she believes Cody is the only one for her and the fact he gently turns her down tells her that if he got to know her better, he might like her.

The sad truth is that she doesn't really know him, she only knows the perfect facade he presents himself as.

Cody's family like her and would try to convince him to give her a chance. And I imagine some people knowing she likes him and sort of expect them to eventually date.

A part Cody thought about going out with her since plenty of people sort of expect him to. But he wouldn't, mostly because he knows it wouldn't be fair to her to simply date her because others want him to.

This is what I have for her so far. I'll write more about her in the future, such as her rivalry with Priscilla and maybe more.

[katierosefun]

convoluted superheroes but make it disaster lineage au, some thoughts on their origin stories and how they would become a team: 

“caroline shouldn’t you be writing or reading for your irish lit class” 

“yes but i had a thought” 

no, this isn’t necessarily a marvel au because i feel like crossing.......the mcu and star wars, which are already big franchises, just messes with my head? plus,,,,the mcu just has such distinct character archetypes that i can’t really fit neatly with the clone wars, so here’s just a super convoluted au that could honestly just work as an entirely different story on its own and probably only has enough in common with tcw by like,,,,a thread, but ANYWAYS I AM HERE WITH MORE THOUGHTS OF AN AU AND YOU JUST HAVE TO SUFFER WITH ME!

okay, so anakin’s story is kinda bizarre: 

i mean, he’s the chosen one in star wars and all that with all these freaky far-reaching abilities with the force so i’m not gonna take that away from him--so idk in this universe i’m just gonna say that he’s gonna be like....a mimic. i feel like he would be the kind of person who just steps into a room and absorbs / can mimic the abilities of any other powered human in the room, only like,,,amplify it. he’s tricky to catch because of that, because no one knows what power he might absorb next. 

but i feel like while anakin can certainly show off with this, i think he’ll also at least attempt to be a little private about this? (lmao we know he’s gonna fail though, because  ily anakin  but you’re the worst at keeping secrets). i feel like he would compensate for all the fancy gadgets + stuff, or sometimes just swing into rooms and be like “anyways guys i came up with a new thing” and everyone always stares at him because for some reason, everyone forgets that anakin skywalker is, in fact, a genius who doesn’t necessarily need his powers to be extraordinarily powerful. there’s more to him than just his weird powers, you guys. 

right, so obi-wan: 

every superhero team needs the wise intellectual, and i feel like obi-wan will always be that one person. i feel like his powers would have to complement anakin’s rather well though, since they’re,,,y’know. the team. oh wait shit-- 

okay okay okay (sorry, this is me really just kinda liveblogging my stream of consciousness), but like?? if anakin can amplify powers, i think of obi-wan being the one to muffle them. like, i feel like just touching someone and suddenly boom, no more powers. you’re now forced to fight obi-wan on even ground (lmao). obi-wan doesn’t necessarily absorb the powers like himself, he just...knows how to quiet them enough so that for the next little while, the opponent is absolutely useless. 

i feel like a lot of people wind up underestimating obi-wan that way,,,at first. everyone makes that mistake, but then everyone realizes that oh yeah, anakin skywalker? dangerous dude. but obi-wan kenobi? if you don’t catch where you’re looking, you could very well end up dead if he wanted. 

our feral gremlin ahsoka: 

well, every team needs the youngster who everyone on the team loves, right? idk maybe it’s because of the togruta biology and something about togruta being more balanced than like,,,humans that makes me want ahsoka to be the ultimate stealth person. when i say this, i mean like duh she’s got incredible balance, but i think it would be super cool if she was able to just like.........move through walls. no one ever sees her coming because first of all, she’s kinda small, but second of all,,,,again: you could just be chilling at your computer and suddenly there’s a short girl standing behind you because she just phased through the wall what the-- 

like most teenage superheroes, ahsoka def. seems kinda excited about being the superhero? also mildly exhausted. idk dude, you try doing calc homework and writing a history paper when you’re also trying to keep the world from being taken over by....robots or zombies or whatever. 

some other thoughts that i have but have yet to flesh out because i should probably actually get back to work now: 

rex also absolutely has superpowers, but don’t you dare call him a sidekick. idk why, but i kinda want rex to be one of those people who creates literal earthquakes, kind of like quake from agents of shield. 

cody’s sole superpower is putting up with all the bullshit the rest of the team has. he doesn’t really care he doesn’t have powers, and tbh, everyone’s mildly terrified of the day cody ever gets hit with a freak accident that might make him have powers. 

well, every superhero story needs some reporter of some kind, right? ceo of some big news company padme amidala, who occasionally talks to anakin skywalker and absolutely knows his secret identity within like 2 minutes. 

actually, i totally forgot about whether the superheroes in this world would have secret identities.

i’ve decided. they all have secret identities. 

anakin’s the disaster engineer research person. no one really takes him seriously at work because he’s so freakishly young, but joke’s on them, because he’s saved everyone from evil robots at least ten times now. 

obi-wan by default is always going to be the tired english professor. he knows anakin because anakin’s research facility is literally within the same radius of the university campus. 

ahsoka goes to the high school nearby the school. she absolutely did not mean to meet anakin and obi-wan and rex, but okay, she just saw the fire in the school library and someone had to pull the students out, so it had to be her, and she might have tried to pull obi-wan and anakin out before obi-wan accidentally muffled her powers and then anakin got her powers, and then they were all SCREECHING AT EACH OTHER BECAUSE 

“WHAT THE HELL DID YOU DO” 

“I DIDN’T DO ANYTHING” 

“WAIT YOU HAVE POWERS?” 

“WAIT DO YOU?” 

“CAN WE DO THIS LATER???” 

[sirikenobi12]

This Capt' goes down with her Ship

I’m honestly amazed at how many messages I receive both here and on Twitter that ask me why I ship Obi-Wan with Siri Tachi over Satine Kryze. I guess I’m mostly amazed because I can’t believe people actually care enough to take the time to message me about my character preferences, that’s just really fascinating to me. 

But, since I’m getting tired of writing this out in individual messages I thought perhaps a blog would be a good idea so that way I can just reference/link them to it later - it’ll be much easier. So, bear with me while I get a little self indulgent (and Satine stans please don’t come at me, I will explain below how I really have nothing against Obitine). 

This is going to be really long, and I’m not expecting anyone to actually read this, but here we go! 

I’ll begin by answering questions that are sitting in my inbox:

1. Who the hell is Siri Tachi?? For those who don’t know the character of Siri Tachi, she was a female Jedi who was two years younger than Obi-Wan. She was originally from the Legends young reader book series Jedi Apprentice and Jedi Quest (written by Jude Watson). She was in many of the same Padawan classes as Obi-Wan even though she was two years his junior because of her advanced skills. She could hold her own against him in a lightsaber duel even as they grew up. She was chosen as an apprentice to Jedi Council Member Adi Gallia at age 11 which was very impressive given how young she was and the fact that a Council Member chose her.

(I don’t know why she looks like Brittany Spears in this drawing, not my fave)

She did have a hard time fitting in with her peers when she was younger though because she was so focused on her career as a Jedi which didn’t always make her the friendliest person to be around (it was really her masking her insecurities) and it was only after she was paired on several missions with Obi-Wan that they even became friends. 

She and Obi-Wan over the years grew very close and eventually discovered their feelings had crossed the line from friends to something more while on a mission when they were older Padawans (Obi was 18). They had been separated from their masters and nearly died while on that mission. So, before they “died” they each confessed their love to the other, but when it turned out they didn’t actually die they decided they’d wait and figure out what their relationship actually meant once the mission was over - putting duty above their feelings. But Qui-Gon and Yoda intervene before the two of them could have the conversation and the Masters reminded Obi-Wan of his dedication to the Jedi Order. Obi-Wan argued that he and Siri would be able to find a way to be together while still being active Jedi, that maybe they could be an exception to the rule or even change the rule entirely. Both he and Siri did end up choosing their commitment to the Jedi over their relationship in the end, because each of them realized they’d regret not being Jedi more than anything, but it did put a strain on their friendship for many years. 

At 23 Siri was secretly knighted and her first solo mission was sent undercover to infiltrate and take down a huge pirate slaver operation and she spent 4 years on that mission, all on her own with limited communication with the Council.

In order to do this she had to pretend to have a falling out with her Master and “leave” the Order entirely, everyone thought she had fallen to the dark side. Obi-Wan was devastated, and he spent several months looking for her because he refused to believe she’d actually fall. It was also clear that he was heartbroken that she left, especially knowing what they had given up in order to be Jedi. Upon ending the mission she returned to the Jedi and was then often sent on other undercover missions throughout the rest of her career (including one where she and Obi-Wan had to play a royal married couple which was super cute). Her actually being a Jedi Shadow is not official and is a fanfiction creation - but, it’s one that I 100% headcanon because it just makes sense. 

Siri was very different when she returned from her long undercover mission, she had lived as a pirate for 4 years and so she was not as uptight and rule bound as she had been in her youth. She began to wear tight unisuits/flight suits instead of the traditional Jedi tunics and she had grown to be a bit more irreverent - even showing up late to Jedi Council summons.  Obi-Wan didn’t seem to mind the change and the two became a formidable pair as Knights and they were sent together (with their Padawans who hated one another) on several missions.

Obi-Wan and Siri were always written as being equals, never one more powerful than the other. They often shared flirtatious banter (nothing new for Obi-Wan) and they seemed very much in sync on missions that it was clear they shared some kind of bond. They never seemed to let their failed romance stand between them and their duty, and only brought it up once more as adults to admit that they still loved each other, but were content to just be friends because it would be selfish of them to turn their backs on the Jedi simply for their love. Then upon Siri’s untimely death (she of course died in his arms) she told him that she’d always be with him. And he nearly fell to the dark side due to his anger, but stopped himself from killing the man who was responsible for Siri’s death because he knew she’d not want him to fall because of her. 

In canon there isn’t much about her (yet), except that Siri is said to be the girl Obi-Wan would hold hands with under the table during mid-day meals which suggests that they had a bit of a secret affair/flirtation for many years.

2. Why don’t you like Satine? This is a bit of a loaded question because even though I tend to write fics centered more on Obi-Wan and Siri’s relationship doesn’t mean that I don’t enjoy the character of Satine or that I don’t swoon over their relationship from time to time thanks to some very well written fics ( @mahizli​ I’m looking your way). I just tend to write Siri more than Satine because I can relate to Siri more as a character, but in truth I also feel Siri and Obi-Wan’s relationship is a bit more well rounded than his and Satine’s 

*ducks to avoid things being thrown at her*. 

Satine and Obi-Wan have a beautiful love story, don’t get me wrong. But for me personally I am a little sick of the Romeo & Juliette/star crossed lovers angle. And that’s totally what they are - She’s a Mandalorian, He’s a Jedi, it’s a forbidden love not just because of his code, but because their “families” were mortal enemies. And I guess I’m just not super inspired by it. Not to mention that they met as children (apparently only 15 years old according to canon), confessed their undying love for one another after a year of knowing one another in a life or death situation and then pined for each other for the next 20 years until they were reunited...I just have a very hard time finding this story relatable (and hate to say it, plausible). Not that they couldn’t have felt love for one another as teenagers (especially in that situation), but that they still felt that same level of love 20 years later without ever seeing one another...at least with Siri they still had to interact with one another on a regular basis so it would be harder to push those feelings aside. 

The other reason I have a hard time writing Satine and Obi-Wan is because the romantic love they seem to have in TCW is written to be very one sided in my opinion. While Obi-Wan clearly cares for her, and admits to having feelings for her at one time it’s only ever Satine who actually seems to want something with him in the current sense. Which honestly makes their relationship feels a bit cringy to me, it doesn’t feel like it’s on equal footing - and makes it seem like Satine is a bit obsessive (I don’t blame her, it is Obi-Wan after all). This is a similar argument I have about Padme’s character, I feel like we’re presented with these incredibly strong women characters who for whatever reason still fall apart when it comes to love...I think it’s a reflection of men trying to write women and it ends up being a bit of a fantasy (the sexy/badass woman who secretly needs a man to save her). So, to sum up - I really do  love Satine’s character outside of her relationship with Obi-Wan. 

Again, this is just MY interpretation of Satine and Obi-Wan’s relationship...I get other people tend to feel very differently and that’s wonderful!! 

I will say, the thing I do like about Obi-Wan and Satine’s relationship and very much appreciate is how it is an opposite parallel to Anakin and Padme’s relationship. And it shows what a Jedi should’ve done - how you can’t have both a commitment to the Jedi Order and a marriage, but you can still care deeply about another person. I do very much appreciate that aspect of their relationship and it’s very well done from that perspective.

3. So, why SiriWan after all these years? Well, I’m drawn to Obi-Wan and Siri’s relationship for several reasons, but mostly because they are written as equals/partners (as I had mentioned above), both have moments where you can see the love they hold for one another - their feelings are very much shared and not one sided, but above all it’s not the main defining factor of their relationship. They are Jedi and friends before anything else, and I love that! It may not be as flashy or maybe even as passionate as say Satine or Cody but to me it’s more full and well rounded. I can also see their relationship growing and changing over the years, they aren’t stuck in one place or in the past.  

I also tend to find the Jedi culture more fascinating than the Mandalorians. I know, I know, I’m a heretic. That’s not to say, again that I don’t think Satine on her own isn’t fascinating, I just am a little tired of Mandalore’s importance in virtually every aspect of Star Wars these days and I feel like there is only so much you can do with Obi-Wan having feelings for a Mandalorian, where as him navigating a relationship with another Jedi is more interesting. The Jedi are allowed to be intimate with people, contrary to popular belief they are allowed to love, they just can’t become possessive/attached - I feel like two Jedi would have an easier time navigating that than someone who wasn’t raised with that same code. I think Siri and Obi-Wan have more opportunities to have a more realistic and adult relationship and I like writing/exploring that. 

The other thing I like about Siri and Obi-Wan specifically is the fact that neither ever really considered leaving the Order for the other. They knew how important being a Jedi was to the other, and I think having a love interest that Obi-Wan didn’t consider leaving for is an important distinction. 

Instead he thought they would be able to change the rules/code because he assumed it would be obvious that their love was pure and not an attachment. Now, obviously they both realized later that it was just foolish/young love talking (because I’m sure teenagers have to be extra careful of forming attachments), but what I really adore the concept that Obi-Wan “by the code” Kenobi had loved Siri so much that he’d even remotely consider the idea that he’d want the rules to change for her/them (and Siri “by the code” Tachi felt the same about him). There is something incredibly romantic about that - naïve, but romantic. 

I also believe that romantic love doesn’t automatically equal “true love”. I personally feel that Obi-Wan and Siri have a love that is on such a deep level that their relationship doesn’t always have to be romantic. They simply just love one another, in whatever form that takes at any given period in time throughout their lives, sometimes it takes the form of just friends, sometimes lovers, sometimes romantic. And I wish we saw more relationships like that in various media. But I get why we don’t, they are harder to write and less overtly sexy/dramatic.

Also, when someone says the phrase:

“Forgive me if I still think I know you better than anyone.” (Siri)

And it’s followed immediately with:

“You do”  (Obi-Wan)

My heart just melts, because that to me is love!!

4. So, you actually think Obi-Wan loved both Siri & Satine? Yes, I do...100%. I think they all loved other people at different points in their lives. I personally feel that most of Obi-Wan’s various ships (with exceptions of Master/Padawan ships...sorry, just not my bag) actually happened. I could see a young Obi-Wan having a fling with Quinlan Vos (I doubt they could handle more than that), I could definitely see him have an attraction/affection towards Cody (I don’t think given the power dynamic Obi-Wan would ever allow anything to actually happen between them though), I even believe he and Ventress had a rather confusing and passionate night together (maybe even more than one), I can see him easily having a relationship at one point with Taria Damsin (to which Siri would give him endless crap about because he seems to have a thing for Jedi Shadows). I’m sure he even had a relationship with Annileen on Tatooine to help find some comfort during his exile. To me all of that makes so much more sense than him (and Satine) pining away for one another for 20+ years. 

Allowing Obi-Wan to have multiple loves in his life also helps showcase the idea of non-attachment. It’s not that Jedi promote promiscuity - though they won’t judge anyone for it (I see the Jedi very much in the mindset of: it’s your body/your choice) it’s that the idea of attachment means possessing someone, thinking you own someone and also putting that person’s value over others. The idea that Obi-Wan could find love and value in a multitude of lovers to me shows him capable of loving without attachment - He is able to let these people go when the relationship has run its course...it’s very healthy. 

Not to mention that realistically people tend to have multiple relationships and loves throughout their lives. To only ever love one person is incredibly unrealistic, unhealthy and frankly screams attachment to me *cough Anakin, cough*.

In conclusion: If you’re still reading this (did you not have anything better to do with your time???) I do hope you have a bit more of an understanding why I personally like to write Obi-Wan and Siri’s relationship instead of his and Satine’s. Though if you read my fics (thank you if you do) I hope you realize that I try to not make the stories all about their relationship - yes, it pops up here and there, but I try not to make it the focal point. I believe both Obi-Wan and Siri are so much more than just a romance and that’s what I really love writing. 

But I raise a glass and toast all of those who prefer to ship Obitine or CodyWan or Ventrobi (or whatever Obi-Wan and Quilan’s ship name is) - I love reading your take on those relationships and I hope you don’t mind if an old SiriWan shipper joins the fun!

Phew, rant over...man, does anyone else have to defend their OTP preferences to strangers?? It’s just so odd to me! 

Thanks for reading, and if you’re a Siri, Obi-Wan or SiriWan fan drop me a line - I can seriously talk about them for hours! 

[onesussybaka]

Blurry Vision (Noco fic)

This is just an AU drabble that I wrote last night to satisfy an urge to write again. I might make this into a fic series, but I doubt it will be told in a linear fashion (A lot of fiction is written with a clearly defined linear narrative, so I figured this was important to mention). 

About this AU: 

Gen 1 are around 24-26. 

Only seasons 1-3 are canon. 

Cody is an accountant at an accounting firm while Noah is a hotshot celebrity writer.

Anyway, hope y’all enjoy it. 

The last time Cody was this stoned - actually, it had been so long ago, he completely forgot the feeling. 

He was sitting on Noah’s floor, his back leaning against his couch. He sighed. He hadn’t felt this carefree since college, probably even earlier. He was tempted to snag some corn chips from the coffee table, but was drawn to the book that laid there instead. It was one of the books Noah wrote. He grabbed the book and propped it open on his upper legs. It was the first one he wrote, too. Only a year and a half after Total Drama World Tour had finished. 

The narrative itself was something straight out of an apocalyptic nightmare. The depravity of the world he wrote portrayed a sadistic game in which peer was pitted against peer. In the end, however, only the mentally fittest were able to outwit the devious show runner. 

For some reason, it never sat well with Cody. 

“Huh. I knew that book would be a ticket to my success,” a droll voice interrupted his thoughts, “I knew going on three seasons of hell would finally pay off.” 

Cody turned to see Noah sitting on the couch, his leg crossed as he sipped on a martini he fixed in the kitchen. “Hey, Noah, I was just wondering...why does the smart character always win in your books?”

Noah looked puzzled. “What do you mean?”

Cody rubbed the back of his head. “Uhhh...you do remember how it all went down, right? No one ever tried to stop Chris back then. Like we all went along with the idea to just play the game and be humiliated on TV.” 

Noah sighed, his trademark surliness returning in high gear. “Alright, Cody. I think you’re a little zooted for your own good.” 

“Huh? No, I’m just asking you a question, man.”

Noah set his drink on the coffee table, trying to feign vapid annoyance. Underneath the disguise, however, he was surprised and caught off-guard by Cody’s intrusion of his privacy. He knew he could fix this situation without making a larger mess. 

“Uh, there’s no real reason. Trust me, don’t look too deep into it. People try to assign meaning to everything, Cody. It’s a dense way of looking at life.” 

Cody concentrated on the other young man’s words for a moment, allowing them to sink in before his focus was shattered. “Anyway,” Noah interrupted, “Don’t eat those corn chips. Let me treat you to a feast prepared by one of the best chefs in the whole country.” 

Cody managed a smile. Still as goofy looking as he did as a teenager. “Oh, really? You’d do that for me? Awesome! Thanks, Noah!” 

For Cody, it was painfully clear that Noah thought his question was bullshit and something he didn’t want to aggravate the issue further.

[calif0rnia-lovers]

safe haven.

A/N: Don’t mind me, just giving J a normal high school romance--one where his family is not involved. Set in S1 of Animal Kingdom. First time writing for this guy, so let me know what you think 

Pairing: Josh Cody x Black!OC

Rating: 💙 A soft piece with the youngest Cody, and the girl he tries to keep secret from his new found family. 

Request: Convincing J to study bc he's too caught up in the family business to worry about midterms

Words: 3.3k

Josh tightens his grip, crushing the letter in his hand. Left inside the unaddressed envelope, the letter remains unread. There is no point in reading it. J got the gist of the letter from the conversation with the counselor. He discards the crumpled mess in a nearby trash can.

The end of the school week produces a flood of excited teenagers emptying into the parking lot.

J's mind is on the previously discarded letter.

It was a letter of truancy, addressed to his grandmother, his current guardian. It has been months since the passing of J's mother. The school's patience has spread thin. His grades have not dropped, but his attendance has.

His mind is on the letter when he fishes his keys out of his front pocket. His pace slows before he comes to a complete stop a few feet short of his truck. The truck is where he left it, but there's a new addition.

It now has a powder blue backpack on the hood. Seated beside the backpack is the prettiest girl in school.

Cori Edwards has a familiar pair of black shades concealing her dark brown eyes -- now J remembers where he left them. She has abandoned the denim jacket he caught a glimpse of her in earlier. A knowing smile spreads across her face as she watches his eyes linger on the sundress she wears. As his eyes return to hers, J can't deny the smile on his lips.

The last time he saw Cori, for longer than the brief seconds they pass in the halls, was a month ago. This year, it appeared fate wanted to test the two. They had the same classes, the same teachers, but never at the same time. A few months ago, this meant they spent all of their free time stealing kisses at lunch and in the halls. They would then make up for lost time as soon as the school bell rang.

But things have changed too much. 

J's mother didn't keep track of his movements. His grandmother and uncles, J came to learn, analyze his actions. Keeping secrets has become second nature to him since moving into the Cody House. The one secret he swore he'd never reveal was Cori. He hasn't introduced her to Smurf or his uncles. He hasn't shared much about how his life has changed, upon his moving into their house, with Cori.

After so many vague responses, Cori understood it was better not to ask questions. She didn't want to spend her limited time arguing with J. Only, in the last month their limited face time has dwindled. Fizzed out to nothing.

A few texts here. A few long spread out phone calls there.

It was after one of those texts that their last reunion had taken place.

J might have been slightly drunk -- sober enough to drive, and park his truck a block from Cori's parent’s house. He had climbed through her bedroom window. The act itself was not graceful. His tumble through the window at three am woke her dad. Her dad came in to find Cori “still sleeping,” the toppled over AP Calculus and Physics books on the floor enough incentive for him to return to bed.

Once the coast was clear, J managed to strip before climbing into bed alongside her. All she received was a quick kiss before his arm was around her. He was out before his head hit the pillow. He left Cori with no time to inquire about his reasoning behind showing up drunk. Or about the black eye and busted lip. He had to sneak out in the morning before her parents got up.

Rumor has it J’s been showing up to school, even if Cori's rarely seen him there. He shows up for three days, almost like clockwork. Technically, it is enough to stop the school from legally reporting him for truancy. Until the counselor concluded it was time J stopped playing that game--which brings us to J's current situation.

He's standing in the parking lot, keys in hand, staring at his girlfriend -- at least he thinks she's still his girlfriend. Is it weird if he leads with that question?

As he stands before her, the only thought in his mind is how much he's missed her smile.

Jingling the keys in his hand, J regards the innocent smile on Cori's lips before shaking his head.

“You got a tracker on me, I don’t know about, Edwards?”

“Nope. It’s just a Cody sighting is kind of a big deal in these halls,” Cori sighs lightly as her eyes pass over the crowded parking lot. “Word gets around pretty fast when you actually show up.”

Cori’s words don't receive a verbal response. Her eyes are covered, but J knows what look lies inside them. The look causes his eyes to avoid hers. His hand rubs against the back of his neck, a soft chuckle leaving his lips.

"Haven’t seen you around lately, Josh." She continues, the warmth of her fingers against his chin lifting J's gaze. Cori raises her sunglasses, her eyes passing over his face. "Nice to know your black eyes is gone."

"Yeah--sorry about that night." The smile on his lips is sheepish as he watches her study his face. He mentally kicks himself for the following line--he knows it's getting old. He says it anyway. "I had some family stuff-"

"That left you drunk with a black eye and busted lip?"

J takes in her raised brow, his shoulders sink.

What can he say?

I got my ass kicked after I was caught in the act of stealing some guy's car. Granted, my uncle saved my ass, but not before I got a black eye and busted lip?

No. He can't say that.

If he does, then he would have to explain why he was stealing a car in the first place. And that is a rabbit hole J isn't willing to jump down--not with her.

The passing of her fingers through his hair causes J to speak up.

"Sorry. I know you're tired of bullshit excuses." He shakes his head.

"I'm used to it," Cori sighs, her hands falling to her lap.

Before he can stop himself, J's hands are on her thighs pulling her closer. His lips are on hers.

"I'm sorry. You look nice," he smiles as his lips press a second kiss against hers.

"Hmm?"

"I’m serious," he chuckles as his hand finds her waist.

"Trust me, I know it’s true," she laughs. "I’m just trying to figure out why it’s taken you so long to say it."

"I’ve been busy," he begins. "With-"

"Family stuff," Cori nods, her hand waving to dismiss the subject. "I know, but that's not what I tracked you down for. I have so graciously blessed you with my presence because you owe me two things."

"What are they?" J's brow arches, a soft smile on his lips.

Cori drops her hand for his cheek. J's eyes remain on her as she leans back, weight resting against her palms.

"I need a ride home," she lightly pats the hood of the car. "And I need a study buddy."

J lets off a light scoff at the latter.

If there is one undisputed fact, it is Cori's academic ranking. She is top of their class. Between the two, J needs a study buddy to catch up to her perfect GPA.

"Okay. When?"

"Tonight, genius," her eyes roll as she pushes against his shoulder. "Josh, please don’t tell me you forgot we have midterms Monday."

J's eyes briefly drift shut.

"Shit--I have a family thing tonight."

"When?” Cori smiles as his eyes pass over the parking lot. The corners of J's lips turn up into a smile before his gaze returns to hers. “I’m just saying...it’s technically not nighttime yet…and being as you haven't seen me in ten thousand years...the least you can do is study with me...”

"What’s it gonna take for me to get out of this?"

Cori pauses to think.

"Nothing."

"Nothing?"

Shaking her head, Cori smiles as her hands find his shoulders. "There is absolutely nothing that you can give me for me to drop this."

"Damn."

"Unless,” Cori bites back her smile as her playful eyes meet his. “You want to tell me how much you missed me.”

“If that’s it,” J sighs, his lips stopping short of hers, “You might want to go ahead and find another ride home--”

“Shut up,” she giggles as his hands find her waist.

Helping her down, J steals a kiss before following Cori to the passenger side of his truck.

"I'm just giving you a ride home."

"Uh-huh." Turning to face him, she smiles as his lips press against hers.

She allows him a second kiss as J's arm wraps around her waist.

“To sweeten the deal,” she beams. “I’ll even let you take me out.”

"What is it?"

Cori's eyes remain on the surfers visible from the parking lot. She watches the girl who manages to ride the swell longer than the rest of the group. When she glances across the truck, she discovers J watching her. 

"What do you mean?" 

A low chuckle escapes J as he watches Cori busy herself with the task of finishing her milkshake. 

"What's on your mind?"

Despite her asking him to stop and grab something to eat, Cori hasn't said much to J. Even if she had, he knew her well enough to grasp Cori was waiting to ask him something. Her brown eyes raise to meet his gaze before she lets out a breath. 

"It's kinda stupid."

"Coming from you?" His brow arches as his fingers interlace with hers. "I doubt it."

Cori's gaze remains on their interlaced fingers as she speaks.

"It's just, the winter formal is coming up. I figured we could go together."

She glimpses up once her suggestion is met with silence. J's brow is a furrowed, a hesitant smile on his lips. 

His thoughts are racing--he's praying this is the initial time she's breached the subject. That he hadn't missed any hints in his haze the past weeks.

"Seriously? You never want to go to those things."

Cori's eyes roll. J's right. In the last two years, neither of them have attended the school’s dances. 

She bites her lip before opting to take another sip of her strawberry shake. 

"You really wanna go?" A light shrug is what J gets in response. "If you want to go, I'll go."

"It's just--we're going to be done with school soon. We have to go to at least one--"

"And prom?"

"That's not up for debate. Your ass is taking me to prom, Joshua Cody." Cori laughs as J's lips press against her fingers. 

J's smile fades as a ringtone interrupts the conversation. He releases Cori's hand before retrieving his cellphone from the truck's console. 

She silently observes as he reads the name on the screen. 

Baz. 

She remembers the name--he is one of J's uncles--but that's where her knowledge ends. The furrow of J's brow sets in as he declines the call.

“So...this family thing," she notes, as his eyes meet hers. Before she can get the rest of her thought out, a text comes through recapturing J's attention. "It must be pretty important.”  

J's shrug seems outlandish when held alongside the urgency of his uncle. In the time it took to eat, J's phone has got several notifications. Each time, he pauses long enough to silence the call and proceeds as if it never came. 

“It’s just a thing with my uncles.” His mood is light as he sets the phone back down. His easiness returns as he meets her eyes. "Smurf's pretty serious about everyone being home for it." 

He can notice the slight hesitance in her eyes before she offers him a smile in return.

Leaning across the car, J presses a kiss against her cheek. His lips drift to her neck. 

"I'll get the tickets Monday," he mumbles as his lips retrace their steps. "Promise."

J's truck is parked engine idling. His left-hand rests against the steering wheel, his eyes on her.

Cori has removed her seatbelt. Her body is turned in the seat so that she faces J. She toys with the hem of her dress instead of moving to get out.

"It was good to see you, J."

"Yeah," J agrees. Her eyes lift to meet his, the soft smile on his lips stretching into a grin. "You too."

J opens his mouth to continue the thought, but Cori has already turned away from him. He watches as she retrieves her backpack from the back seat.  

"Cori," J clears his throat. The action hinders Cori's opening of the door. Her hand hovers over the handle. "Maybe we can hang-"

"Nope.”

J blinks. His brow furrows as a silence falls over the car.

"If you want to see me again," Cori teases, her hand falling from the handle. "It will be in school."

"Why do I have a feeling you're not gonna let this go?" J's eyes roll softly as Cori leans across the car. "You’re serious?" 

"Because I'm not letting this go," she smiles sweetly, ignoring the chuckle the action pulls from J. "And, I'm 'lock my window' serious, Josh. Show up if you want, and I’ll leave you outside."

The smile on Cori's lips grows as J's gaze falls from hers. His tongue passes over his lips as she leans closer.

His eyes drift shut as her giggle fills the car before Cori presses a kiss against his cheek. She leaves a second kiss before moving away. Hopping out of the truck, Cori slips her backpack onto her shoulders.

"Think about what’s important to you, Cody," she beams before shutting the door.

J picks up his phone. The screen lights up as a new text message appears.

6 missed calls. Baz

7 missed texts. Baz

1 missed text. Craig

He opens the most recent notification from Craig.

Dude. Call Baz back so he'll stop losin his shit. You know we got that thing tonight

Cori is in the process of unlocking the door when she hears the sound of his car door slamming. Looking over her shoulder, she smiles as J crosses the driveway backpack over his shoulder.

"Two hours,” he concedes. J is powerless to the tug of her hand as Cori pulls him inside. “Then I have to go. Baz is blowing up my phone.”

"Then we better get started."

J's fingers comb through his hair, the brown eyes trained on him forcing him back to reality.

Judging by the look on Cori's face, this is not the first time she has spoken. Heat rushes to his face as J's gaze reverts to the stack of notecards in his hands.

"Uh--yeah," he clears his throat as he shifts in the computer chair. "That's right."

He steals a second glance at her, the smile on Cori's lips not helping with his current situation.

"Of course it is," she winks. Her gaze returns to the review sheet. She stops to make a note alongside the term The Baroque.

The two are currently in the midst of an AP European History review.

J isn't much help, but Cori doesn't need it. Each of her responses is correct. That's good for J. He's spent the last thirty minutes distracted.

It's a good thing Cori claimed the bed, laying on her stomach as she pulled out her notebook. J took the computer chair opposite of her. If Cori had let him join her on the bed, no studying would have taken place.

It doesn't matter that a month has passed. J hasn't been able to keep his eyes off Cori Edwards since her arrival freshman year.

A smile creeps across his face as J's eyes meet Cori's for a second time.

"You need a break, Cody?" The grin on her lips widens as Cori rests her chin in her hand. "You seem distracted."

"Just thinking about how you don't need these." J lifts the cards in his hands before discarding them on the nearby desk. "You never have."

"Hmm..." Cori's eyes return to the review sheet. She pauses to add more to the notes written neatly in the margins. "True, but you do."

Pushing herself up, she passes over the review sheet. Written neatly in the top right-hand corner is J's name.

"I made this for you Tuesday night."

J studies the sheet for a moment, his fingers massaging his temple as he takes in Cori's study guide.

Shit--she's right. He does need it. He missed the review session on Tuesday. The thing about AP Euro is that it's not as straight forward as Trig. J can ace his Trig midterm in his sleep. AP Euro is a whole separate story.

"Thanks, Cori," he sighs. The grateful look in his eyes as he watches her cross the room earns him a warm smile. "You didn't have to-"

"Oh, trust me, I know." Taking his hand in her, Cori lowers herself down onto his lap. "But, I know you have a lot going on. Besides, making the sheet helped me review for the test."

"I love you. You know that?"

"As you should." Taking his face in her hands, Cori smiles as J meets her gaze. She closes the remaining distance between their lips. "I love you too."

As her lips drift to his neck, fingers slipping beneath the hem of his t-shirt, J pushes her dress up her thighs.

"I thought we were studying," he chuckles, his lips returning to hers.

"We're taking a break," she giggles. "You’re useless when you’re distracted."

When he wakes, J knows he’s overstayed. He was meant to leave by four. It’s four thirty. 

The cellphone, humming on the surface of Cori’s desk, sounds through the bedroom. J doesn’t lift his head from the pillow. Instead, he watches her face scrunch in irritation as the sound gradually pulls Cori out of her sleep.

“You gotta go?” She breathes, her eyes remaining shut as she tries to fall back to sleep.

“I should,” he chuckles. His finger traces the curve of Cori's shoulder. “Your parents will probably be home soon.”

“You’re right.” A soft giggle follows as J's arm wraps around her waist, pulling her body across the bed. “You should probably go.”

Despite his words, J makes no move to leave the bed. He sinks his face into her neck. His weight presses her into the mattress as her arms wind around his neck. He stays there for almost ten minutes. His eyes closed, listening to the delicate pattern of her pulse. Neither says a word. Cori knows the time has come to let him go when J presses a soft kiss against her skin before forcing himself up.

“I have some family shit I gotta handle,” J huffs as his palms rub against his eyes. “So, um, I probably won’t be on my phone for most of the weekend.”

“Okay.”

J proceeds to redress, his body in no rush to leave, as his phone starts again.

He needs to go. Now.

J has prolonged his return to reality, and the Cody House, long enough. If he doesn’t call back shortly, Smurf might have a heart attack.

J tugs his t-shirt over his head. His eyes focus on the bedroom window. He’s shocked Smurf's car is not parked out front. It wouldn’t be the first time his grandmother has tracked him.

“I just meant--I might not be able to pick up if you call,” he crosses the room to meet Cori. The faint smile on his lips brings one to her. “You can text me.”

“Maybe,” Cori sighs as J's lips caress her cheek. “If I have time. I’ll have to check my schedule.”

She catches sight of his sparkling eyes before J’s lips are on hers. The kiss itself is soft, another step in his lingering goodbye. His lips linger against hers before pressing against hers a final time.

“Hey,” J pulls back, his fingers interlacing with hers. He gently squeezes her hand as she meets his gaze. “Thanks for today. I missed you.”

“You too.”

“I’ll text you later,” J smiles before retrieving his phone and backpack.

Main Tags: @wiccanmetallicrose @themarkblues @mariaxliliana @gemini0410​ @binooo98​ @the-jer-bear​ @abbiesthings​ @trhett21​ @trulysuccubus​ @leahnicole1219​ @keithseabrook27​ @starrynite7114​ @awkwardtayler​ @toni9​ @vannabanana1995​ @queenbeered​ @kaystacks17​ @thesandbeneathmytoes​ @star017​ @richonne4life​ @cocotheclown​ @oscars-wifeyyy​ @rosieposie0624​ @jennisdirtyimagines​ @ughdontbeboring​ @partypoison00​ @myakai13​  @appropriate-writers-name​  @demonquartz​ @ourlittlesecretsoveragain​ @everyhowlmarksthedead​ @linziland13​ @mrsmarvelous1995​ @sadeyesgf​

[ao3theskyisblue]

(Seeing You) For All That You Are

Summary: 

"How is it that whenever we meet, it's when at least one article of clothing is missing?"

"Disappointed?"

"Of course not."

*An alternate first meeting (and meetings after that) where TK and Carlos can't seem to meet up without being at least partially naked beforehand.*

Read on ao3

Wow, it’s been a while. Gotta love online school and the faulty concept of time right now 🙃 

I may or may not have gotten this idea over the exam season, and literally right after I sat my ass down to work through this fic. 

I hope you enjoy! 😊

~~~~~~~~~~

TK wasn’t quite sure how he found himself in his current predicament.

It might have been his rebellious side resurfacing from his teenage years, because when he saw that the hotel pool was open 24/7, safety at your own discretion, he thought it would be a brilliant idea to go at 3:07am, thinking he’d have the pool all to himself. It was an awkward time of the year to take a vacation after all, most office workers would be working in the middle of September, and school had just started.

He had coincidently just graduated from his undergrad at NYU, deciding to apply to become a firefighter at the last second. Since he was a little late in his application, he had a bit of free time before getting serious about his future career. His father had suggested they take a small vacation away from the hustle and bustle of the city to explore the wild – namely, hiking near the Five Finger Lakes.

He had overheard the receptionists mentioning how it had been a slow week, with tourists generally dissipating after the end of August to go back to their busy lives. So, what better time than to experience an empty pool in the early hours of the morning to wind down?

After hiking for the entire day to enjoy what nature had to offer, Owen had collapsed on one of the beds and slipped right into a deep slumber, leaving TK still high from the adrenaline rush of the hike. It was then that he remembered the pool the receptionist had kindly mentioned when they first checked in, and plus, showering in the communal showers there will prevent him from accidentally waking up his dad, who clearly needed the rest.

And lo and behold, he was correct. Other than his own quiet footsteps and the low buzzing of the diminished ceiling lights, the pool was completely empty.

Doing a few laps at his own pace, he ignored how his mind persistently nudged at him to go over every single detail of his firefighter application he had handed in earlier that day, hoping to find some flaw in the stack of documents he couldn’t fix for the 20th time anymore.

Maybe music will help.

It was easy to let his guard down when he knew he was alone – no one to judge him on his music genre, or his singing abilities. Which is how he found himself singing at the top of his lungs to Cody Simpson’s Pretty Brown Eyes, rocking his hips to the beat in what he knew was a very exaggerated manner.

The hotel lobby had been playing the song on loop for some odd reason, and the nostalgic throwback had the song quickly stuck in his head as he hummed along to the lyrics.

What was that saying, dance like no one is watching?

And that was how he found himself slamming his back against the wall of the shower stall, gesturing wildly as he half-laughed, half-sang the lines ‘hey there pretty brown eyes, whatcha’ doing later tonight?”

Everything was going splendidly. He was about to sing the next line, leaning down to pick up his bottle of body wash when it happened.

They say fate greets you in mysterious ways. It either sledgehammers you to the brutal truths of reality, or-

“Would you mind if I spent a minute with you?”

Or it greets you with a voice singing the next part of the song that wasn’t his own.

An ice-cold sensation of wakefulness hit him all at once, when he realized that that wasn’t his voice. TK froze, the next lyrics falling short as he stopped mid-dance move to look around wildly. And he made two observations.

There was someone in the shower.

He was going to fall.

He barely had time to be embarrassed by the sound of surprise he made at both realizations as he frantically moved to grab something – anything, to help with the very unfriendly meeting he was going to have with the concrete soon. Unfortunately, the only thing within his reach was the shower curtain, which did nothing to break his inevitable plummet to the very hard floor.

Dammit-

“Are you alright?”

TK groaned as he pressed the heel of his hands to his forehead, mentally assessing if there were unusual onsets of pain anywhere before deciding he was fine. Looking up, his eyes widened at the ethereal sight that greeted him.

There was a very noticeable part.

But apart from…that, standing in front of him, all towering and absolutely gorgeous, was a man. At least, TK thinks it was a man and not some god the universe decided to send down to torment his existence.

‘All animals were created equal’ his ass. Orwell was right, some were definitely more equal than others.

The man was sporting abs that would make even the best washboards jealous, water droplets dripping down the column of his neck and reaching his chest, seeming to be in a race to see which one would reach his –

TK quickly averted his gaze, his mind screaming at him to do the exact opposite, but he had manners he liked to uphold. And the residual level of self-control.

The mysterious man made a sound of realization before there was a quick shuffling, and a quiet “you can look now” in a very amused tone, and TK slowly turned to look at the man again, who was now extending a hand to him. The water droplets had now successfully made it well past the half-way point, and TK was definitely not silently cheering for the left one as the race continued towards the low-strung towel the man had haphazardly wrapped around his waist.  

“Hi.” He blurted out, unconsciously letting the beautifully crafted hand pull him upright.

“Hi.” The man mused, their hands slowly releasing from each other’s grip. TK noticed the man’s eyes drifting down quickly and was that appreciation in his gaze? He couldn’t tell and decided not to dwell on it as he quickly grabbed his towel to wrap around his own lower half, cheeks now a brilliant colour of all the shades of red.  

“It’s nice to…be acquainted. With all of you. Not that I was looking.” Foot insert into mouth, now.

“Mmh, right.” Or better yet, maybe praying for the ground to swallow him whole would be better.

“This is turning into one of the most awkward first meetings I’ve ever had.” TK cleared his throat in what he hoped was a casual manner, but that was definitely pushing it as this was anything but casual. “And I’ve met some people running on two hours of sleep and six cups of coffee.”

The man laughed, the deep undertone resonating within the walls of the shower room, and TK felt his own lips tipping up into a large grin at succeeding in making light of the situation.

“If it’s any solace, this is one of the best first meetings I’ve had.” The man chuckled, moving to cross his arms over his chest, sadly obscuring TK’s view of the water droplets and the resulting winner of the race.

Shame.

Though, he couldn’t really complain as the movement further accentuated the man’s biceps, and wow, how does he even fit into his clothes?

Shaking his head, TK’s grin turned into a smirk when he remembered how he had found himself in this position in the first place.

“So, I see you’re a man of culture as well.” TK raised an eyebrow, opting to shift his weight to the side in a flirty stance, further showcasing the curves of his body. The man furrowed his eyebrows slightly in confusion. “Cody Simpson fan?”

TK watched as the man snorted, shaking his head. He tried very hard to pretend that he was not very obviously staring at the wet curls coming loose at the movement.

“Not really. I’ve just heard that song in particular more times than I can keep count. Especially from my siblings.” The man rolled his eyes in exasperation, and TK grinned.

“They all have good taste then. The song suits you very well.” TK wanted very badly to wink at the end, but decided to hold himself back. This was only their first meeting after all, he didn’t want to scare him off that quickly.

“You too. The first word of the song at least.”  TK blinked, bewildered, because he didn’t have brown eyes –

Oh.

Oh.

He distantly wondered if his cheeks could successfully cook a rotisserie chicken at the temperature they were currently at right now.

“Did you need to finish your shower? I’m sorry for interrupting.” TK quickly changed the subject, opting to ignore how the man’s eyes glinted knowingly.

“I was about to get dressed, actually. But now I’m kind of glad I didn’t.” The man smirked. TK rolled his eyes good-naturedly, reaching out to swat at the bulky shoulder. He was about to retort something smart back when they were interrupted by the loud ringing of a phone, and TK smiled in understanding when the man shot him an apologetic look.

“That would be my sister wondering where the hell I am. I’m – I’m sorry to cut this short.” The man gestured toward the general locker area, and TK waved his hand reassuringly.

“No worries. Go ahead.” TK tilted his head towards the locker rooms and took a moment to appreciate the retreating back of the man before heading into the shower stall to finish off what he had barely started.

He hadn’t expected the man to wait for him, but TK couldn’t help but feel a small sliver of disappointment when it was completely quiet when he made his way to the lockers.

He hadn’t even asked the man for his name.

The disappointment quickly dissipated when he saw a small sliver of – was that a paper towel? stuck between the crevices of his locker with messy writing on one side that looked like someone had been in a rush while writing it.

Hey! I’m so sorry but something came up and I have to go, but it was nice meeting you! Let’s do this again someday!

TK didn’t need a mirror to know he was sporting a silly grin, eyes immediately drifting down to the number written hastily on the bottom, wasting no time in taking out his phone to input his new contact.

Looks like he had a chance to ask the man for a name after all.

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

He did not, in fact, ask the man for his name.

It’s been nearly four months, and the nameless man was still saved in his phone as ‘Left Droplet’ because for one, the left droplet would have definitely won, and two, because he didn’t want his dad to accidentally see him receiving text messages from a ‘hot shower man.’ He debated over that or ‘pretty brown eyes,’ and, embarrassingly, he had spent the first couple of days switching between the two.

They had texted non-stop since then, and as they moved from one random topic to the next, names were the absolute last things on their minds. Left Droplet was slowly but surely becoming one of TK’s best friends, and they didn’t need to be on a ‘know your name’ basis for him to know that they shared something special.

What he’s learned so far in their texting spree was that the man was from Austin, Texas (1743 miles, 6 states, not that he was counting), an aspiring police officer who had just started in the police academy, the youngest of five, and too good to be true.

TK was still in honest disbelief sometimes that a man in his caliber could even exist, and to top it all off, he even chose to work in a similar field.

Currently, he was standing on the sidelines at the annual fire academy retreat for lessons on team bonding, occasionally glancing up from his phone at the uninteresting beach volleyball game going on between four of the more enthusiastic students.

Left Droplet: The person who came up with a beach retreat of all things to relax should be arrested

TK snickered at the most recent message, thumbs moving quickly to type out his own response.

TK: I thought you would enjoy activities that involved fewer articles of clothing

Left Droplet: Depends on the person I’m with

He really should have realized the uncanny coincidence before he spotted a familiar figure off in the distance. He thought he recognized the way the muscles rippled across the man’s back when he moved, the familiar strands of curls shifting slightly when he moved.

Wearing nothing but swim shorts.

When he managed to convince himself that no, his eyes were definitely not playing games with him, that it wasn’t a mirage, that the man standing a little further away was indeed the man he had been furiously texting with, TK finally made his move.

Carefully closing the distance between them, making sure not to make any sudden movements to deter from his surprise attack, TK grinned as he covered his target’s eyes with the palms of his hands. He could feel him tensing slightly, probably thinking that it was some random stranger.

Ironic, considering.

“We have got to stop meeting up like this.” TK murmured close to the man’s ear, and they grinned in tune with each other. They both laughed and TK’s grin widened when warm hands lifted to cover his own, thumbs gently caressing the inside of his wrists.

“You’ve got to admit there is a certain charm to it.” The man chuckled, and TK slowly released his hold, green eyes meeting warm brown ones once again. He briefly noted that those eyes drifted down quickly at his own lack of clothes save his summer shorts.

“What is the future Austin PD doing all the way out here?” TK asked, intrigued, as there had to be plenty of beaches in Austin, and while this beach was a good five-hour drive from New York City, it had to be a nearly two-day road trip from Austin. He was given an exasperated sigh as an answer.

“Apparently team bonding for us meant extended road trip, and this was just one of the stops.” TK took a chance to look behind the aspiring police officer to the others also a part of the trip, and interestingly enough, they were all caught up in their own game of frisbee. Or, what looked like a frisbee.

“You know what amazes me?”

TK turned back to the person standing in front of him, an unconscious smile tugging up the corners of his lips.

“What’s that?”

He watched, fascinated, as the man extended his hand once again, his eyes shining with laughter.

“I’m Carlos, it’s nice to see you again.” The man, Carlos, says, and TK has to bite his bottom lip to hold back a laugh. “I was hoping to finally have a name to go with your number when we met again, and not just ‘pretty boy I met in the shower.’”

“TK.” Accepting the extended hand, he couldn’t help but notice how their hands lingered in each other’s hold before finally separating. “It’s nice to see you again too. And to have a name to put with the face.”

“So, I’m guessing you’re also here for ‘team bonding?’” Carlos rolled his eyes at the last part, and TK nodded, tipping his head back towards where the other members of the fire academy graduating in a few weeks were.

“Yeah. Which mostly just consists of the more enthusiastic extroverts making merry while the rest of us stare at our phones.” TK deadpanned, a warmth spreading through his chest at Carlos’ responding grin. In a leap of confidence, he reached out to take Carlos’ hand in his, making sure to put on his most charming smile.

“Since you seem to be also standing on the sidelines, want to accompany me to some ice cream?” TK made sure to widen his eyes a little, dipping his head down and looking up in a way he’s practiced since he was ten when he wanted ice cream cake for dinner. Even his father, who tried his hardest not to dote too much could never resist.

He hid a smirk when he saw Carlos visibly startle, before shaking his head and smiling brightly.

“Lead the way.”

Works like a charm every time.

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

They weren’t dating.

Not really, anyway.

There was the constant texting, the occasional facetime, and the fact that TK probably knew more about Carlos than the man himself.

There was the one memorable moment when Carlos had texted him, absolutely frantic, about what the hell he was supposed to wear to a wedding when he forgot all about it in the whirlwind of other life events and found the invite underneath some papers on his desk. They had facetimed then, and TK had to hold back his laughter at the sight of Carlos’ closet almost completely empty, piles of potential outfit options messily strewn all over his bed.

“You know, there’s always the option to just not wear anything.” TK snickered, and couldn’t hold back his laugh at Carlos’ deadpan stare into the camera like he was in The Office.

“Not sure the bride and groom are going to appreciate a police officer showing up naked to a wedding reception.” Carlos drawled, narrowing his eyes as TK snorted.

“They obviously have poor taste then.” TK grinned, eyes scanning lazily over the outfits on Carlos’ bed, trying not to linger on the latter and instead focus on the clothes. “The navy one. The second one on the left? Go with that one.”

TK found himself tilting his phone to try and peek at the skin that Carlos wasn’t showing, before mentally groaning when he remembered the view was given from Carlos’ end, and he couldn’t exactly reach through his own phone to shift Carlos’ a little lower.

A true shame, really.

“I have to get going in…5 minutes. Wow am I glad I’m not a girl at times like this.” Carlos muttered, and TK could hear rustling in the background as Carlos practically snatched the outfit and was most likely putting it on.

“If you were a girl, maybe you would have actually remembered days before instead of hours.” TK smirked, watching in amusement as Carlos tapped the speakers on his phone in an attempt to showcase his annoyance.

It was rather counterproductive judging by the unabashed grin on his lips every time TK could catch a glimpse of it through the hurried movement.

“Remember to send pics!” TK practically sing-songed, before bidding a quick ‘good-bye,’ leaving himself staring at the facetime screen of his phone for a while, a giddy smile on his lips.

Even with facetime, he hadn’t quite seen the entire picture Carlos painted, and appreciating him through a screen was never enough. He wanted to see for himself how the material folded around his body, feel the warmth through the soft fabric, smell the –

And that’s enough of a digress.  

TK was also pretty sure Owen knew about the mysterious texts even though he never asked him outright. He knew his father was waiting for him to say it himself, but it was all so new (on a technicality basis), and TK didn’t want to accidentally break the glass before even lifting it off the shelf first.

Okay, so the ice cream date-not-date was fun, and the late afternoon shoreline walk after that was honestly very romantic. TK had boldly kissed Carlos on the cheek in parting before the two left in their own separate directions as they headed back to their homes.

They lived in two different worlds, and practically on opposite sides of the country (that may be an exaggeration, but still). The only way they met was by coincidence, both of them very obviously avoiding the subject of planned meetups.

It had been another two months before it happened again.

.

“How is it that whenever we meet, it’s when at least one article of clothing is missing?”

TK should honestly be surprised at hearing the voice from the person he yearned for every time over the phone so close in his vicinity, but didn’t even turn around before quipping back, “disappointed?” Smiling when he felt a hand slip around his waist, he willingly let himself be pulled in for a side hug.

It was only their third time meeting like this, in a gym shower of all places, but Carlos’ voice has since been ingrained in his memory. He leaned into the hold naturally, putting down the shirt he was seconds away from pulling over his head to wrap his arms around Carlos instead.

“Of course not.” Carlos murmured, and TK reveled in the feeling of warmth that wasn’t just from the skin-to-skin contact, looking up to see Carlos already looking down at him, eyes crinkling fondly.

“Are you going to tell me we’re sharing the same gym now?” TK mused, squirming slightly when Carlos pinched the skin above his hip in admonishment.

“The officer I’m shadowing got called out here to help with a case. This gym happened to be close to where I’m staying, so I thought I would try it out.” Carlos tilted his head, and TK immediately knew what he was going to ask.

“There was a little accident at the station and the equipment room is out of order for the meantime, and coincidentally, this gym is also close to where I live.” TK explained, groaning when Carlos’ eyes glinted knowingly.

“You mean, when you thought it would be a great idea to microwave the eggs that you forgot to cook thinking it would be faster, only to cause an explosion?” Carlos asked innocently, and TK huffed, stepping out of Carlos’ embrace to glare at the audacity.

“I did not tell you that so you could make fun of me.” TK knew he was pouting slightly, but was a little too peeved to care. It didn’t seem like Carlos got the memo, because the smile on his face only grew wider, morphing into an unabashed grin.

“I’ll keep that in mind. Just like when you told me how you thought microwaving frozen meat will make it defrost faster. What did the microwave ever do to you? The poor thing.” Carlos teased, laughing as TK didn’t even hesitate to shove his shoulder in reprimand, his own lips twitching upwards.

“You know, I’m only taking you for your word when you say you’re actually a good cook. I have yet to see for myself.” TK scowled, crossing his arms over his chest and definitely did not feel gleefully accomplished at how Carlos’ eyes seemed to linger on his arms.  

“Let me show you.”

TK paused, looking up to see Carlos watching him with an unreadable look in his eyes, though he sounded determined. “I’m off until tomorrow morning, so if you’re free, would you like to have dinner with me?” Carlos continued, and TK noticed how he seemed to shift his weight slightly, fingers twitching at his sides as if – as if he was nervous.

And there it was.

The dancing around each other, the avoidance of the elephant in the room. Carlos had just offered him a steppingstone to cross the distance between their chasm of a raging river, and TK –

TK had a shift.

He didn’t, but he couldn’t – not like this.

They were simply two halves who happened to meet at the wrong time, placed into each other’s lives at the wrong moment, and…they needed time. Time to nurture whatever it was between them, time to just…be with each other.

TK wanted so badly to take Carlos’ offer, but after tonight…what then? They would still be 1743 miles apart, in two different worlds, living completely different lives.

A long-distance relationship between two first responders in two different states was bound for disaster, and TK would rather drown in his sea of emotions than mess up what he had with Carlos right now.

Swallowing back the overwhelming onslaught of emotions, TK looked down at his bare feet against the cold rubber floor sheets. He didn’t know they could actually feel cold, but right now, in this moment, it was like walking on ice.

“Carlos, I– I’m sorry. I can’t.” TK wasn’t sure if the other people in the room felt the temperature drop a couple of degrees. “I have a shift.” He winced at the blatant lie at the end, and if he could hear the lie plain as day, he wasn’t sure he wanted to know what Carlos had heard considering he was a police officer in training now.

The silence after that was deafening.

They’ve had their share of silence, but those were usually filled with warmth and comfort as they simply let themselves enjoy being in each other’s presence. Like that time when they sat next to each other, sharing bites of the other’s ice cream. Or that time when their hands grazed lightly against each other as they walked along the beach in the golden light of early sunset.

This kind of silence shattered the glass TK had sworn not to break.

“Okay.”

TK knew he shouldn’t have looked up.

Carlos had one hell of a poker face, but his eyes…

His eyes told him everything that was left unsaid.

The hurt. The reluctant acceptance. The frustrating trace of understanding.

TK hated the last one the most.

TK knew Carlos somewhat understood their predicament, but he had chosen to take the leap anyway- and TK had taken that bout of confidence away from him.

Sometimes life just outright sucks.

He wanted, so much, to explore whatever it was that was between them. He wanted to experience what it was like to see Carlos’ bed hair in the morning, witness his morning routine, know his quirks and find out his pet peeves. Most importantly, he wanted to get to know Carlos, heart and soul, through real-life conversation rather than some electronic device that could only do so much.

He wanted so many things, and yet, all that he could get out was,

“I need to go.”

And that was the last thing he said before they entered an entire month of silence.

.

The first time TK heard Taylor Swift’s song The Story of Us, he hadn’t quite understood the line ‘I never heard silence quite this loud.’

He hadn’t even noticed his phone being awfully quiet since Carlos had come into his life until the texts stopped.

One month.

One month of their not-relationship-but-also-kind-of-relationship hit a pause button.

An entire month of TK drafting out messages, checking the punctuation, saying them out loud to test the authenticity, before deleting the entire thing only to start again moments later.

He wasn’t even sure Carlos wanted to hear from him again, so his thumb always hovered over the ‘send’ button, overwhelming doubt surfacing at the last second to have him tossing his phone aside and giving up altogether.

Rinse and repeat.

So, when Carlos’ signature text tone finally sounded 32 days, 8 hours, 4 minutes, and 21 seconds after that fiasco of a conversation, he had practically leaped over the entire dining room table to get to his phone on the kitchen counter.

Carlos: Do you think fate could ever be kind to us?

TK felt the wetness slipping down his cheeks before realizing he was even crying at the simple question that had broken their wall of silence. Alone, he was free to laugh wetly as he pressed the heel of his hands to his eyes, wiping away the residual tears hastily. The hand that held his phone clenched it tighter, as if afraid the message would suddenly disappear, and he shakily tapped on the screen to open his keyboard.

TK: I don’t know about fate,

TK hesitated in typing out the next part, wanting to make sure that Carlos would understand, beyond all doubt, that he truly did believe in a someday.

They would have their time.

TK: but I think we make a pretty great team.

The next message that greeted TK through the screen had his lips stretch in a watery smile.

I believe in us.

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

It was a Wednesday.

A hot, humid, and sweat-inducing Wednesday.

TK didn’t know why he was at a waterpark of all places, but his father had decided it was about time to have some ‘father and son bonding time’ and since it was one of the hottest months of the year, a waterpark it was.

He hadn’t even bothered to check where the waterpark was even located, instead trusting Owen to get them there and back.

He probably should have checked the brochure.

“You know, I’m starting to think the universe just doesn’t want me to get to know you with clothes on.”

TK startled at the voice that has seamlessly established a home within his heart so close to him, and felt the familiar flutter in his chest when he was greeted with the face of the man he was irrevocably in love with.

The revelation should have honestly been staggering; the seemingly simple four-letter word always guarded close in lock and key. But it was Carlos, and TK wasn’t sure he knew how not to love him.

Was that even a possibility?

“Must be absolute torture.” TK tried for a teasing tone, but the amount of emotion that those words held weren’t missed by Carlos’ astute nature, and he graciously sank into the offered hug. This was their first meeting after their sort-of-fight, and no amount of HD phone screens could beat the 3-D figure of the police officer in his arms.

“On the contrary,” TK rolled his eyes, laughing all the same as Carlos’ eyebrows wiggled playfully. “I’m quite enjoying it.” Carlos reached up to gently grasp one of TK’s hands that had been wrapped around his shoulders, bringing it up to his lips to delicately kiss the back of it.

“Okay, you need to stop trying to make me swoon.” TK groaned, though the bright grin on his lips told the exact opposite, and Carlos knew it.

“It’s been sixty-seven days since our last meet. Leave me alone.” TK couldn’t help an endeared tilt of his head at the low whine in Carlos’ voice, leaning forward to press a quick but meaningful kiss to the corner of Carlos’ lips. He hid his smile at the slightly stunned look, squeezing the hand that was tightly held in his.

“If you’re going to be this sappy after not even a month of us being apart, maybe we should meet in a year and see how things go.” TK teased. He watched, pleased, as Carlos immediately looked like he had bitten into something sour.

“I don’t think I can handle that.” Carlos said seriously, and once again, TK was taken aback at the raw sincerity in the man standing with barely any breathing distance before him.

“I feel the same.” TK murmured, knowing that Carlos had heard the other meaning behind his words by the way he brushed his thumb over his hip slowly.

“So, what on earth are you doing at a water park a million miles away from New York?” Carlos asked, a welcome subject change, and TK snorted.

“One, we really need to work on your geography because I’m pretty sure that’s not a thing. Two, would you like the sappy answer, the creepy answer, or the complete boring truth?” TK stepped out of their hold slowly, though still keeping their hands intertwined. Carlos chuckled, gesturing for him to continue as he knew TK was going to tell him both anyway.

This man knew him too well, and it was a wonderous feeling.

“My heart felt yours beat in the rhythm of Venture River Water Park and knew our bond couldn’t survive if I didn’t answer in tune.” TK scrunched up his nose at how cheesy that sounded, but continued anyway. “My dad wanted some family bonding time and decided to drive to the furthest waterpark he could get away with without pissing me off. I minored in Hacking 101 and tried to find your Myspace from 2003 for your darkest secrets but instead found your Instagram through your LinkedIn and saw your story so I came here so I could see you.” Carlos’ eyebrows seemed to climb higher and higher at each answer, eyes widening comically at the last part.

“Do I even want to know which one is which?” Carlos asked slowly, expression switching rapidly from terrified to bewildered.

“They’re in no particular order. Nor are they discordant.” TK grinned, this time not even holding back his laugh at Carlos’ unimpressed stare.

“You know, you do have my number. You could have just asked me for my Instagram instead of going through that loophole.” TK rolled his eyes in exasperation.

“What fun would that be?”

“Are you deliberately seeing how many rules you can break in front of a cop? As a flirting tactic?” Carlos asked incredulously, and TK could see him looking just a touch impressed, if not a little disgruntled.

“I don’t know, is it working?” TK grinned, eyes shifting slightly to see his dad still surrounded by the same women five minutes ago, looking a little out of place but still smiling politely into whatever conversation they were having.

“Always.” His eyes drifted back to Carlos, feeling his heart thudding pleasantly in his chest at the fond look that hadn’t left his gaze. He was sure his own eyes were betraying every single emotion he was feeling but couldn’t say, so he opted to lean in closer to touch their foreheads together gently.

“I really am happy to see you again.” TK said quietly, not wanting to disrupt their bubble of intimacy.

“Me too, Terence Khalifa, me too.” TK immediately reared back at that, narrowing his eyes suspiciously at the self-satisfied grin on Carlos’ face.

“Did you just call me Terence? Khalifa?” TK scowled as Carlos snickered, clearly enjoying his reaction.

“It’s been what, more than half a year? I thought I would try my chances.” Carlos laughed, and TK rolled his eyes, his lips twitching up helplessly into a smile.

“I’ll give you three chances.”

“Thor Klausen.”

“My dad may be an avid fan, but no, try again.”

“Tiger Kage. With a K, of course.”

“Are you kidding – “

“Not really, Tyler Kennedy.”

TK blinked, the rejection on the tip of his tongue before he realized that he couldn’t exactly reject that, since it was exactly what the letters stood for.

What –

“How did you – “ TK studied Carlos’ innocent expression intently for a moment, before huffing. “You knew.”

“When we went for ice cream the second time we met,” Carlos’ tone seemed to soften at the memory, and TK couldn’t help mirroring the warm smile. “you dropped your wallet. When I leaned down to pick it up for you, your driver's license slipped out slightly.”

TK furrowed his eyebrows, replaying that scene from a couple of months ago again mentally. Because what he remembered was –

“I asked you to hold my stuff when I had to go to the restroom. I never dropped anything…” TK’s eyes widened in realization, reaching forward to swat Carlos’ arm in reprimand.

“You sneaky SOAB!” Carlos raised an eyebrow at that, a questioning look in his eyes.

“SOAB?”

“Son of a bi-“

“TK!” Carlos quickly slapped a hand over his mouth, eyes darting quickly to the group of kids making their way towards them, eyes narrowing as TK’s laughs were muffled in the palm of his hands.

“-businessman.” TK grinned cheekily when Carlos let go, nudging him lightly. When he lifted his gaze again, he noticed his father now alone, the women gone somewhere else and staring at him with a puzzled expression, eyes squinting in the sunlight to try and make out who he was with.

“You should probably get back.” Carlos said, following his line of sight, and TK swallowed past the pit growing in his stomach.

“Carlos, I–“

“I know.” Carlos murmured, reaching to squeeze his arm gently. “I know. I’ll see you soon.”

TK hadn’t realized he was wringing his hands together restlessly until a familiar warmth covered them, carefully stopping his movements.

“Hopefully, the next time we meet will be with all our clothes on.” TK joked weakly, but Carlos took it in stride as always.

“By now, I’m not sure I’ll even be able to recognize you with actual clothes on.” Carlos mused, eyes shining impishly, and TK shrugged, unperturbed.

“I’ll be sure to walk in my birthday suit more often down the street to minimize that problem.”

“Please don’t. I don’t want to have to arrest you for public indecency.” Carlos groaned, though TK knew he would do no such thing.

“All worth it if it means I’ll get to see you again.” TK whispered softly.

There was a moment where they both stared at each other, each wearing delicate smiles, before TK gave Carlos’ hands one last squeeze. Turning around, he didn’t look back as he headed back to where Owen was still standing, watching him with an unreadable expression.

He knew that all his resolve would crumble the second he turned around.

And so, he marched forward.

The news caught him off guard on a mildly chilly afternoon in August.

“Austin…as in Austin, Texas?” TK blinked at his father, who was standing a little way away from him, seeming almost nervous.

“Do you know of another Austin?”

“No dad, I was just…” TK trailed off, a whirlwind of thoughts swimming through his head.

Austin.

Texas.

Carlos.

Carlos.

“They asked for my assistance in re-building one of the firehouses there, Station 126, and I thought it would be a great opportunity,” Owen explained, running a hand through his well-kept hair anxiously, before holding up his hands.

“-Look, if it’s too sudden, we don’t have to-“

“When do we leave?” TK couldn’t help the excitement creeping up in his tone, and he knew his father was probably thinking he was crazy, agreeing to move halfway across the country so suddenly without even needing to process it a little bit.

“Are you sure? Austin isn’t a simple few hours drive from New York, son, if you need to think about it more – “

“Dad.” TK sighed in fond exasperation, walking closer to pull his father into a tight hug. “I’m sure. Very sure. I promise; besides, it might be good for us.” TK murmured, and felt his father squeeze him a little tighter, his originally tense muscles relaxing.

“Alright.”

TK was practically vibrating the entire week before the move, and although he was a little sad leaving his old team, they all understood and wished them the best. He knew Owen knew there was definitely something else he wasn’t telling him, but took his enthusiasm in stride.

In the end, he opted to keep the move a secret from Carlos for now, wondering if it would be a nice surprise when they finally did meet.

Officially.

.

Austin was…different.

For one thing, the service seemed to be a little better. TK could remember the numerous occasions where his phone had cut off randomly from the plethora of skyscrapers blocking signals.

So far, everyone had been very welcoming, and he was already getting along with the new crew that they were slowly putting together. They were in the middle of playing 10 questions, and Paul had been amidst his explanation of why he had the entire collection of the Sherlock Holmes series when there was a sound of wheels against gravel in the entrance bay.

“That must be Austin PD checking up on us.” Owen hummed offhandedly, and TK immediately felt his heart leap to his throat.

“Looks like your explanation will have to wait for later, Strickland.” Judd patted Paul’s shoulder in passing, and TK followed quietly after his crewmates as they headed down the stairs. He knew he shouldn’t have his hopes up, because Austin PD wasn’t just consisted of Carlos alone, and it could literally be anyone.  

“Captain Strand? I’m officer Reyes, it’s a pleasure to meet you, sir.”

Okay no, that voice was definitely –

The world seemed to sharpen in the display of wondrous colours as he laid his eyes on Carlos, standing in his police uniform in front of his father, who was currently shaking his hand.

To think he actually thought Carlos couldn’t look even better, he just had to show up in full uniform.

TK hid a small smile when he saw Carlos looking a little confused, obviously recognizing Owen from somewhere but couldn’t place where quite yet.

“Likewise.” Owen smiled politely, and TK had to hold back a laugh when his dad’s eyes widened slightly in recognition, obviously putting together whatever was about to happen in his head as the pieces all came into place. “These are some of the members of my team. Marjan, Judd, Paul, Mateo,” everyone lifted a hand or offered the officer a kind smile at the introduction, with Judd giving Carlos a fist bump.

“-and TK.”

And that was when surprised brown eyes clashed with brilliant green.

TK stepped forward slowly, chuckling softly at how wide Carlos’ eyes were, multiple emotions surfacing one after the other as if he couldn’t quite believe what he was seeing.

“It’s a pleasure to meet you, officer. Fully-clothed this time.” TK teased, and that was what finally brought Carlos out of his stupor.

“So, TK Strand, huh?”

Right, practically a year of knowing each other, and they forgot to somehow throw their respective last names in the list. Carlos’ voice sounded a little emotional, and honestly, TK could relate, from the way his own body wanted to be as close to Carlos as physically possible, but they had time for all that later.

Right now…

“That should be my line, Carlos Reyes.”

They stepped forward at the same time, engulfed in each other's arms as reality finally dawned on them.

The distance between them was 0 miles, 0 states, and an abundant amount of time.

They finally got their chance.