#tk strand loves his lizard

[hail-hawk-eye]

So we all agree that TK takes Lou II on walks with a tiny harness that has dragon wings attached cause-

“Carlos it’s not fair to him, he’s a dragon and he can’t even fly. He should feel special too”

(I swear I can hear TK say that as he late night in bed shops on etsy for things for the beardie and Carlos is seated next to him peering over with questioning looks while reading a book)

[guardian-angle22]

Hey! I appreciate how hard making things is. <3 Maybe a gif of TK and Lou 2? Cute animal and TK being cute as a win win. Only if you feel up to that ofcourse.

[response to my request for gif prompts post here]

[welcometololaland]

NOW COMPLETE

Chapter 8 - A Family Affair

Do you like Tarlos? Do you like pets? If so, you have come to the right place, specifically this fic - a Tarlos love story set in a pet store by @strandnreyes and Lolaland

The Rainbow Fish | E | 911 Lone Star | 8/8

Despite being a big fan of animals, TK Strand has never owned one. He’s never had a reason to enter a pet store, until he gets caught in a torrential downpour. Carlos Reyes knows a lot about pet stores. It comes with the territory, considering he works at one. That being said, none of his in-store training ever taught him how to help a beautiful, rain-soaked stranger pick up the aquarium rock display they just knocked over. OR The Tarlos pet store meet-cute.

Chapter 1: The Rock Incident

Chapter 2: Carlos 1, Carlos 2, Carlos 3

Chapter 3: Employee of the Month

Chapter 4: Lou the Lizard

Chapter 5: Job Application

Chapter 6: Cat Rescue

Chapter 7: Epilogue Part 1: TK vs Cat, Carlos vs Lou

Chapter 8: A Family Affair

Thank you to @rmd-writes and @lightningboltreader for being our trusty beta readers!

[alrightbuckaroo]

19 for the prompt list <3

19. ‘it made me think of you.’

Did NOT expect this to be a little over 900 words, but I hope you enjoy it all the same <3

--

First Responder's Fair is home to many things; double fried foods, rigged carny games and at the moment, a very confused TK Strand.

"Wait," TK sucks his teeth, to which Nancy grimaces at. "You mean to tell me the sweet tea down here is actually," TK pauses. "Well, sweet?"

Nancy and Tommy share a look across the picnic table while TK takes another hearty sip. Nancy begs the question she didn't think she'd ever have to ask. "What made you think sweet tea wasn't sweet?"

"It never was up north, tasted more like dish water than anything."

Tommy, then, begs the question she didn't think she'd ever have to ask. "TK, why do you know what dish water tastes like?"

"My friend Cash used to work at the Sally's Diner back when we were in high school, bet me ten dollars that I wouldn't drink from the dish sink from the after lunch rush. He thought I couldn't, or more so, wouldn't do it." TK smiles smugly. "Guess who left Sally's that day ten dollars richer."

"And was out sick from school the following three days because he got food poisoning." Owen adds as he sits down, joining them at the table. His hands full with two corndogs and a frozen lemonade. "Had to rush him to the ER because he kept complaining about stomach pains."

"So I guess it wasn't a question of couldn't or wouldn't, but more of a shouldn't." Tommy jokes, breaking off a piece of her funnel cake.

"Nice to know that you taking up residence in the ER isn't just a Texas thing." Nancy rallies and TK feels like he's been attacked by all fronts.

"My newfound stomach of steel would argue it was worth it."

"It wasn't." Owen is quick to interject.

"Anyways," TK goes to change the subject. He points at the corndogs in Owen's hand. "Dad, corndogs, where?"

Owen tells him where the booth is and TK makes it his mission to scout it out. He stands up, and treks his way over. He sees both Isabella and Evie standing in line for cotton candy, alone. His eyebrows furrow when he doesn't see Carlos anywhere.

Last he saw them, Carlos was taking them to the ring toss in hopes of coming home with a new pet goldfish. For the girls, not TK, which Carlos made absolutely clear.

"Hey girls, where's Carlos?"

"Milk bottles." They both say at the same time. TK thanks them, and walks around until he finds the milk bottles. He sees Carlos before Carlos can see him. Even from a distance, he can see Carlos is uncharacteristically sweaty and his curls have started to break free.

As he walks up, he watches Carlos throw a baseball and raise his arms in cheer before he winces and lowers his right arm.

"Babe," TK says as he gets closer. Now that he's closer to Carlos, he can see the beads of sweat dripping down his face and the ring of it around the neckline of his shirt. TK's confused, it's hot out, as expected, it is Texas, after all; but it's not that hot. "What's going on?"

Carlos starts when he realizes TK is next to him. He was so focused on the pyramid of milk bottles in front of him. "Oh no," Carlos responds. "You weren't supposed to see, it was supposed to be a surprise."

"Here you are, sir." A man in a red and white striped shirt hands Carlos a stuffed orange lizard. Carlos goes to reach for it with his right hand but changes to his left hand.

"And this is for you." Carlos holds out the stuffed animal to TK who stares at it, slightly perplexed, slightly in awe and even more slightly in love.

TK reaches for it, and Carlos smiles at him like he's worth every curl unfurled. "Babe," He grabs Carlos' left hand, careful not to irritate the right one. He pulls them aside, out of the walk way and earshot of the carny. "Did you throw out your right arm trying to win me a stuff lizard?"

"It made me think of you," Carlos affirms, wiping at his face on his shirt sleeve. "I couldn't not get it. Who knew it would be level to training day for the academy." He rotates his arm, trying to gauge the pain.

"Well, this just means I get to give a slow, sensual massage later tonight." TK whispers into his ear.

"TK," Carlos smirks. He nods to the ring toss they're standing next to. "Not in front of the gold fish."

TK stares at the stuffed animal in his hands. It's eyes are a little too close together, and it's smile is a little crooked, but he loves it all the same. That said, TK begs the question he never thought he'd have to ask. "Babe, how much did you spend on this little guy?"

Carlos is silent, trying to think of the best answer. The last thing he wants to do is tell TK he spent close to ten dollars worth of quarters on a stuffed toy that probably cause ten cents to make. "Baby, you know my love for you is priceless."

TK rolls his eyes, but his smile really gives him away. "You're so cheesy."

Carlos grabs TK's hand again; he suddenly finds himself having a real hankering for corndogs. "You love it."

TK laughs, "Not really," He pulls Carlos is for a kiss that tastes like sugary sweet tea. "But I love you."

send me a soft fic prompt!

[lemonlyman-dotcom]

August July June

Note: these are not in any order!

Of Lizards, Love & Laundry by @noxsoulmate

M | 13.8k

Nine sweet stories showing Carlos’s progression from tolerating Lou Two to dutifully accepting his role as proud lizard papá. This one is really soft, and shows how Carlos comes to love and appreciate Lou Two for the comfort and joy he brings to TK. Comes with some truly adorable art.

Ashes, Ashes by vaguenotion

T | 12.5k

Listen, this is the second Tarlos fic by the elusive author of the Greatest Story Ever Told, aka the fic. You know as soon as this one dropped I rallied the fan club (iykyk) and we devoured every word before our book club commenced. Expect all the deeply gorgeous descriptions, quippy one-liners and lingering tension we love from this author. Judd inhales some hallucinogenics on a call, which send him on a bad trip causing him to hurt TK. The story of healing and brotherhood is so, so good. Plus, the best description of Mateo I’ve ever seen: “[he looks] like the kind of guy who would wear JNCO jeans.”

one night (and the rest of our lives) by falloutmars (is this person on tumblr? Drop the @ if you know!)

T | 2k

Tarlos reflects on their first official date, the first time TK called Carlos baby (outside the bedroom 👀). Very soft and sweet!! And a surprise ending.

I ramble my way home by @ladytessa74

M | 32k

This one is as sweet as peach pie! After his relapse, TK goes to stay with a retired Owen who now owns a peach orchard. Judd, Carlos and Marjan work at the orchard. The Strand family vibes are sweet, Judd and TK brotherhood is utterly endearing. And the Tarlos of it all is so tender. There’s adventure, a little grief and even a treasure hunt! Also Buttercup.

looking inwards by @birdclowns

NR | 5.5k

(Disclaimer: I beta’ed this one). He/they TK. This is such an important story and it’s told SO WELL. The gentleness and care with which these characters are handled, the time taken to really show the journey that TK takes in his self-discovery journey — every single step of the way through a difficult conversation with Carlos. It’s all so well done, and the reader is right there with him. This kind of representation is super important, and I think doing it with such a beloved character like TK is a really great way to introduce these topics to folks who may otherwise be unfamiliar.

Sweet Dreams and Flying Machines by @carlos-in-glasses

E | 13.6k

Listen, don’t make the same mistake I did and choose the wrong soundtrack for this. Fat Boy Slim was a mistake. I realized this early on. This one needs something a little more downtempo, maybe a nice Portishead or some Massive Attack. Anyway! This is a beautiful, heartbreaking, vivid story about trauma and grief, and how terrible events can somehow lead to the most amazing things. Cig weaves so much detail and backstory into this story we already know so well, and characters we love so much, and still finds ways to weave humor in, which I think really enhances the story. The dichotomy of grief and joy, terrible events leading to beautiful life moments, the sunbeam on a stormy day.

our corner of time by @theghostofashton

T | 1.7k

We love a good outsider POV around these parts. In this one Owen watches TK with Carlos, and revels in his son’s joy and the love with which Carlos takes care of him. And isn’t that everything we want for our sweet boy?

In My Time of Need by @spaghett-onaplate

G | 2.2k

STOP THIS ONE IS SO CUTE AND FUNNY. AU meet cute. Carlos and TK are neighbors in an apartment building, and a lizard is on the loose in Carlos’s apartment and he …doesn’t react well. Cue TK to the rescue.

Querencia by @bonheur-cafe

G | 500

Lovely little glimpse at an early morning in the Tarloft.

“Carlos takes his hand like it’s bathed in gold, kissing the pulse point on his wrist, feeling TK's own heartbeat under his lips before trailing the kisses up towards his palm. He places the last one on his ring.”

I MEAN!!!!

The Calling by @orchidscript

M | 10k

TK takes the lead on developing and testing a new, more compassionate method for reviving opioid overdose patients — a new way of administering narcan that wakes patients softly rather than the abrupt shock of traditional narcan. This story does a great job of capturing the sweet, compassionate boy that is TK Strand. When Carlos is the responding officer on an overdose call, he has to assist TK with a patient revival and he’s left in awe of witnessing his kindness, gentleness and compassion.

coming home by falloutmars (is this person on tumblr? Drop the @ if you know!)

G | 2k

Soft, sweet little look at a moment in the Tarloft right after TK comes home after waking up in Push. This is a really lovely exploration of Carlos’s dueling emotions during this time, relief and joy, but also residual heartbreak and uncertainty about how to treat each other.

meet you after dark by @strandnreyes

E | 8.9k (wip)

I loved as if you were a mythical thing and I love that it’s getting a sequel! You MUST read the first fic first. Carlos is an author living in a tiny coastal town in Maine, he meets and falls for his reclusive neighbor TK. What could happen next?

As always, this is not in any way a comprehensive list of all the good stuff that came out in September. This is the stuff that I was able to read and vibed with. This is a way for me to hype the stories that got me excited this month, and I encourage everybody to be intentional in reblogging fics and screaming about the stuff you’re reading and enjoying all month long. Let’s work to build this fandom into a more inclusive and encouraging place to create! Also, caveat that the Gabriel grief stuff is tough for me, so I’ve been avoiding and/or very slowly making my way through those ones.

[carlos-in-glasses]

Thank you for the tag @cold-blooded-jelly-doughnut @heartstringsduet @alrightbuckaroo @inflarescent @strandnreyes @orchidscript @thisbuildinghasfeelings 🧡

A small section of Where All This Love Comes From (chapter 2 - coming Sunday), in which Carlos probably wishes he'd just bought his husband another apology lizard. Chapter 1 is up on Ao3!

TK squeezes Carlos’ shoulder harder, gives it a little shake. “I’m also really happy to be joined by my husband.”

The majority of the room sighs with a collective aww that gives Carlos butterflies. It’s his turn now.

Every time something that resembles public speaking happens to him, he has to remind himself that he is not fourteen and getting tongue-tied memorizing audition lines for Konstantin. He can do this. He’s a skilled police officer. Yesterday, he tasered a man who used a golfclub to beat up an RV while his wife and child were hiding inside. Why can he perform that function in his daily work life without issue, but saying his name in front of a circle of politely smiling strangers is so hard?

“Hello,” he declares, “I am Carlos.”

He tries to remember the brief speech he went through with TK this morning – a few key facts. But they were both naked at the time, and now that’s all he can focus on. The terrible truth is – this would be a lot fucking easier if he’d had a cold glass of oak aged Chardonnay beforehand.

Tags below!

With no pressure: @reyesstrand @freneticfloetry @paperstorm @sugdenlovesdingle @bonheur-cafe @lightningboltreader @im-overstimulated-and-im-sad @eclectic-sassycoweyes @rmd-writes @welcometololaland @rosedavid @lemonlyman-dotcom @ladytessa74 @wandering-night19 @basilsunrise @catanisspicy @chicgeekgirl89 @carlos-tk (if you're feeling ok!) @fitzherbertssmolder @goodways @herefortarlos @jesuisici33 @louis-ii-reyes-strand @mikibwrites @noxsoulmate @never-blooms @three-drink-amy @theghostofashton @whatsintheboxmh - if you want to share/haven't already! ❤️ 🩷 🧡 💛 💚 💙 🩵 💜

[pimento-playing-hopscotch]

Writing Patterns

Tagged by @actualalligator @anewkindofme @sznofthesticks 💝

Rules: list the first line of your last 10 posted fics and see if there's a pattern!

You Learn Something New Every Day - (3K - G)

“Hi, baby,” TK smiled as he opened the door to the loft.

Growing Up, Strand Style - (174K so far - M)

Carlos Reyes smiled as he saw his boyfriend running towards the car.

Make Me - (1.6K - M)

"TK. Come here".

The Shady Lane Five (9K - G)

"So if you take a nap,” TK was telling Lou II, “and then wake up and we’re gone, that’s where we went".

Sid and Tabasco - (2.7K - G)

"TK”. Carlos crossed his arms. “Baby, I’m not negotiating this with you. You don’t wear it, you don’t get to do it".

Captain Judd - (6K - M)

"TK hovered by the ambulance".

Sometimes Love is Lizards (5K - G)

"Sleeping in was not something Carlos had ever really been able to do".

But I Don't WANT To Go To Bed (7K - M)

"TK had never been what you could call a good sleeper".

The Magnificent Owl (4K - G)

"Okay," Carlos said as he zipped Carlos's backpack.

A Boy and A Cat (5K - G)

"No matter how much TK loved his job, getting up in the morning was not his strong suit".

No pressure tagging - I tag @carlos-in-glasses @lemonlyman-dotcom @dreamingofmickeywaffles @lightningboltreader @heartstringsduet @thebumblecee @welcometololaland @tailoredshirt @snowviolettwhite @lochnesswriter @sugdenlovesdingle and anyone else who wants to do it - open tag 🫶

[sugdenlovesdingle]

It's FINALLY done! It's taken me god knows how long but the fic known to some as the Lou fic is finished!

The vet!Carlos AU nobody asked for.

Love and Lou (AO3) A/N: excuse the terrible title - it's 5am and I can't think of anything better A/N 2: it's a long one so get comfy before you start reading.

---

“This is the emergency?” Carlos asked, looking at the small plastic container the paramedic just put on his exam table. “What am I supposed to do with this?”

The paramedic, TK Strand according to the name on his uniform, looked at him like he was crazy.

“Examine him! You're a vet, aren't you? Isn't that supposed to be your job? Or are you just the security guard who looks really good in a white coat?”

Carlos frowned.

“What? No. I'm a vet. That degree on the wall didn't come free with a box of cornflakes you know.”

“Good. Then you can examine him.” the paramedic said and started to open the lid.

“Wow, wow, wow, hold on a minute.” Carlos said, putting a hand on top of other man's. “Don't do that.”

“Why not? How are you going to examine him if he's inside the box?”

“I uh... Just don't want it to escape. I was about to close for the day and go home when you came in. I don't want to spend the next three hours tearing apart the clinic looking for an escaped lizard.”

“He won't escape. He's a good boy.”

“Right.” Carlos stepped around him to close the exam room door. “Ok. What seems to be the problem with... What's its name?”

“Lou. Lou the lizard.” TK said with a grin. “I found him and I want to make sure he's alright before I take him home.”

“You found him.”

“Yeah.”

“You found him where exactly?”

“Well... It's kind of a funny story... you see, I'm a paramedic...”

“The uniform kind of gave that away yeah.”

“Yeah... So my team and I... We got a call. This hiker in distress. He hurt his leg. Pretty bad break but we managed to stabilise him on scene.”

“Ok...” Carlos said, sensing where the story was going.

“And then we found this little guy.”

“I feel like there's more to the story.”

“I uh... Well... He uh...” TK took a deep breath. “He was in the guy's leg. But we got him out and now I need you to make sure he's ok.” he started to open the little plastic container again.

“Wait, wait, wait.” Carlos' hand shot out again to stop him. “You brought a flesh eating wild lizard into my clinic and now you want to let it loose?!”

“He wasn't eating the guy... He was just hanging out...”

“In his leg.”

“He might have been cold.”

Carlos just raised an eyebrow at him.

“What?? It's possible!” TK protested and opened the container before Carlos could stop him. “See? He's a good boy.”

The lizard squirmed in his hand and Carlos prayed to every god and saint he could think of TK wouldn't accidentally let go.

“Yeah. He seems fine. Just put him back now. Or better yet, take him back to where you found him.”

“But you haven't even examined him yet.” TK held out the hand with the lizard and Carlos was secretly proud of himself for not taking a large step back.

“He seems lively enough, I'm sure he's fine.”

TK thankfully moved the squirming lizard away from him again.

“Are you afraid of reptiles?”

“What? No. Of course not.” Carlos protested. “I'm a vet, I treat all animals. It's what I trained for. Again, that degree isn't just for show, you know.”

“So take him then, doctor Reyes.” TK said, almost daring him to do it.

“I'm not a reptile specialist ok? I'm an equine vet. I'm good with horses. This is not a horse.”

“Yeah I may not be a vet like you but I did get that far.”

“Ok so maybe you should just take your flesh eating wild lizard and find a reptile vet to take a look at him.”

TK grinned and carefully put the lizard back in the container, much to Carlos' relief.

“It's ok Lou, doctor Reyes here is just a little scared of you.” he winked at Carlos. “But we'll keep his secret won't we?”

“I'm not scared of that lizard.” Carlos insisted. “I just don't know enough about them to give you a proper medical diagnosis.”

“Sure. Let's go with that.”

“If you ever have a horse problem, I'm your man.”

“I'll keep that in mind doctor Reyes.”

---

“Dispatch… we’ve got a bull stuck in a car.” TK said into his radio. “I think we’re going to need animal control. And probably a vet.”

“Excuse me did you say a bull stuck in a car?”

“Yeah don’t worry though Grace, it’s not your husband.” He joked and looked at Judd who just rolled his eyes at him.

“I should hope not. I thought you were at a used car lot? Is the system glitching and did you get sent to another location?”

“No, we’re still at Happy Stan’s used car lot. Only Stan isn’t very happy anymore. And neither is the bull.”

“I’m afraid to ask…” Grace trailed off, trying to focus on her work instead. “Animal control is at a puppy mill seize with APD, the closest unit is on the other side of the city. It’s going to take them at least half an hour to get to you.”

TK looked at the bull.

“I’m not sure we can wait that long. The bull is injured and he’s actually stuck in the backseat window of a car.”

“They’re on their way. They might get there faster than expected.” Grace offered.

“Isn’t there a vet nearby?” TK asked, looking around as if someone would magically appear in front of him. “The poor thing is in pain.”

“I could make a few calls, see if I can find someone.” Grace said and TK heard her typing.

“We’ll need someone who can work with large animals. Maybe Austin Zoo can spare someone?” he suggested.

“No, no that’ll take too long. Animal control will get to you before they do…”

The bull groaned and TK just about stopped himself from reaching out to pet it.

“Wait, Grace, I might know someone. Can you look up a Doctor Carlos Reyes? I think his clinic is near here. I’ve worked with him before, he’s good.”

“Carlos? He’s a good friend of mine. I’ll make the call.” Grace told him and less than 10 minutes later a blue Camaro pulled up and Carlos got out.

TK walked over to him to bring him up to speed on the situation.

“The bull is over there. It’s got its head stuck in the window of a car. If you can sedate it they can free it.”

Carlos nodded.

“This is still not a horse, paramedic Strand.” he said, opening the trunk and unpacking his gear. “If you’re unfamiliar with horses, my two year old niece can probably lend you a book to explain what horsies look like.”

TK grinned.

“I just figured this was closer to your comfort zone than a lizard.” He stepped closer to Carlos “Unless you’re scared of bulls too?”

“I am not scared of this bull and I was not scared of the lizard you brought into my clinic.” Carlos insisted. “It’s just that I am still an equine specialist and you keep getting me involved in things that do not involve horses”

“Technically it’s the city of Austin that requires your services today.” TK pointed out.

“Really now? Well in that case, you’re my new assistant. Since you and I both seem to work for the city of Austin right now.”

“Sure. Feel free to boss me around, doc.” TK said with a wink, secretly pleased when Carlos suppressed a smile.

“I need you to make sure he doesn’t hurt me or himself.” Carlos told him, switching back to professional mode. “And try to keep him calm. No sudden movements, no loud noises, no raised voices, and absolutely no power tools.” He continued, directing the last part at the rest of the crew.

Carlos prepared the syringe with the sedative and ordered everyone to give him space to work.

“I need you to distract him while I inject him.” He said to TK. “He might get spooked from the needle prick and well… we don’t want that.”

“How am I supposed to distract him?”

“I don’t know. You’re a paramedic. How do you usually distract your patients from the situation?”

“I talk to them I suppose… Get them to talk to me. I usually ask about their family.”

“If you can get that bull to talk about his family to you, I will personally call CNN and get them down here to witness the new world wonder.”

“Are you calling me a world wonder doctor Reyes?”

Carlos smiled and shook his head but ignored the comment.

“Just make sure he doesn’t kick me half to death.”

“TK is a paramedic though. If he kicks you, TK can fix you up.” One of the firefighters said, earning him a smack on the back of the head from one of his colleagues and eyerolls from the others.

“Mateo’s right.” TK said, getting into the car so he was face to face with the bull. “If you ever get injured on the job, I promise I’ll be gentle with you.”

“I’ll keep that in mind.” Carlos replied and carefully injected the bull with the sedative. “He’s lost a lot of blood. It should kick in fairly soon and you guys can get him out of the car.”

“You hear that Malachi? Doctor Reyes worked his magic and he’s getting you out. Well he gave you the good stuff so we can get you out.” TK said to the bull. “Are you seeing pink elephants yet? Or maybe pink cows?”

The bull snorted.

“Yeah, that’s what I thought.” TK said and turned to the fire crew. “I think he’s ready, guys.”  

“You still need to be careful.” Carlos warned them. “He’s sedated, not unconscious.”

Carefully they freed the bull from the car and TK helped Carlos treat the wounds on his neck. They were just about done when animal control arrived and took the bull off their hands.

“Nice work doctor Reyes.” TK said as Carlos packed up his gear again and the other man nodded.

“You too paramedic Strand. But next time you get me called out to a case, it better involve a whole herd of horses.”

TK laughed.

“I’ll do my best.”

---

“Paramedic Strand, what is it this time? An ostrich? A lost chimpanzee?” Carlos joked when TK came rushing into his clinic just as he was about to close up, a few weeks after the call at the used car lot.

“No, it's my dad's dog.”

“A dog. Well at least it's something more common this time. What kind of dog is it? A Dalmatian?”

TK didn't react to his comment and just ran back to his car, Carlos deciding to follow him.

“I borrowed a car to get here. You're the only one I trust. You have to help him.”

“What's wrong with him? What's his name?” Carlos asked, looking into the car and seeing a large Bernese mountain dog in the backseat.

“Buttercup. He's my dad's dog. I'm watching him for a few days while my dad is visiting family in California.” TK ran a hand through his hair and from the looks of things he’d been doing that a lot already. “I really don't want to have to call him and tell him his dog died.”

“Wow, wow, wow, just calm down ok.” Carlos reached out and put a hand on his shoulder. “Tell me what the problem is so I can figure out what to do.”

“He has cancer. Or had. I'm not sure about the rules there, but he's been off all day.”

“Off how?”

“He won't eat and he's just lying around. I'm worried he's in pain.”

Carlos nodded and got into the car to pet the dog and quickly feel for injuries.

“I don’t see or feel anything… but I can’t really examine him in the car. Help me get him inside.”

Carlos quickly ran back inside to get a gurney and together they lifted Buttercup out of the car and wheeled him inside.

“Let’s get some x-rays to see what we’re dealing with.” He said and TK dutifully followed his orders.

“It’s ok buddy, I know it’s scary but it’ll only take a minute.”

“You can stay with him if you like. I just have to step outside because of safety… radiation levels and all that.” Carlos explained.

TK nodded and knelt down next to the exam table so he was at eye level with Buttercup.

“I’ll stay with you the whole time, I promise.”

The next few hours went by in a blur.

When Carlos reviewed the x-rays he saw a mass in Buttercup’s intestine that neither he or TK could identify and he decided to rush him into surgery.

TK assisted as best as he could but given that his patients usually had only two legs and no fur, and he was a little too close to the situation, Carlos ended up kicking him out of the OR.

“I’ll come get you when I’m done.” He promised. “Or if I need help.”

TK reluctantly sat down in the waiting area and wished there were other patients or people around. Anything or anyone to take his mind off things.

He scrolled through his social media accounts, checked his email, read various flyers lying around, and even started flicking through old issues of an equestrian magazine.

He tried to focus on an interview with some apparent big name rider and their protégé but kept reading the same lines over and over without any of it getting through to him.

Thankfully at that moment Carlos came to update him on Buttercup’s condition.

He held out a plastic bag.

“This is what I pulled out of him. It looks like some kind of figurine. Do you recognise it?”

TK took it from him to get a better look.

“Yeah… it’s uh… a tea infuser. I bought it for my mom for her birthday when I was about 12.” he explained and laughed a little. “I didn’t even know she still had it. Or that she took it with her when she moved here… and forgot when she went back to New York.” He looked up at Carlos’ confused face. “My family is… complicated.”

“Right… well… Buttercup should feel a lot better now it’s out at least.”

“So he's going to be ok?”

“Yeah, he'll be a little sore for a while but I'm pretty sure he's going to make a full recovery.”

“Oh thank god.” TK breathed a sigh of relief. “Thank you so much.” He stepped forward and wrapped his arms around Carlos. “Thank you.” He mumbled, burying his face in Carlos neck

Carlos awkwardly returned the hug, not sure what else to do. His patients didn’t tend to hug him.

“Just… doing my job…”

TK pulled back a little to look at him.

“Thank you for being so good at it.” He smiled. “You saved me from having to make the worst phone call in the history of the world.”

“Well… uh… happy to… uh help I guess.” Carlos replied, trying not to get lost in TK’s eyes.

TK who was still holding him. Still smiling at him. Somehow even moving closer.

TK who was about to kiss him.

Carlos panicked, not sure if he wanted him to, but also pretty sure he didn’t want him to pull away.

Suddenly an obnoxious ringtone coming from his bag on a nearby chair killed the moment.

The two men jumped apart and TK awkwardly looked around, running a hand through his hair again.

“I uh… think someone’s trying to get a hold of you. It’s been ringing a lot. I promise I didn’t look who it was.”

Carlos didn’t reply, just focused on finding his phone in his bag and cursing himself for buying one with so many different compartments.

“Just dump it all out on the floor. It’ll be faster.” TK suggested and after a moment he decided to do exactly that.

Carlos turned the bag upside down and mentally cursed himself for not clearing out the mess of his keys, receipts, wrappers, pens, gum, loose change, some medical supplies, and a half finished bottle of coke that he didn’t even remember buying.

“There it is!” TK said and reached out to grab Carlos’ phone, at the exact same moment Carlos himself did.

Their hands touched and TK pulled his back like he’d been burned and mumbled something resembling an apology.

Carlos’ brain apparently could not handle both TK’s reaction and the phone so he made himself answer the call without checking the caller ID.

“Hello?”

“Carlitos! Finally!” came the reply. “I’ve been calling you for hours!”

He moved the phone away from his ear to check who was calling him, even though he recognised his mother’s voice.

“Mama?”

“Where are you mijo? You were supposed to join us for dinner!”

“Oh… yeah… sorry… I uh… something came up at work. An emergency.”

“And there was nobody else to take care of that?”

“No mama. I was closing up when a dog was brought in. I had to operate or it would have died.” He lied. While Buttercup had definitely been uncomfortable and the figurine would have had to come out via surgery sooner or later, things hadn’t been that urgent. But his mother didn’t have to know that.

“Is the dog ok now?”

“Yes, it’s in recovery. It’ll be ok.”

“Good.” Andrea sighed. “You work too hard mijo.”

“I’m fine mom.”

“Yeah, yeah, you sound just like your father when you say that.” Andrea sighed again. “Just look after yourself. And come visit your parents sometime.”

“I will. I promise.” Carlos said and looked at TK who didn’t seem to know what to do with himself and had started gathering up the mess from Carlos’ bag. “I have to go now. I’ll see you soon. Bye.” He hung up and threw his phone on an empty chair. “Sorry about that.”

“Sorry? I should be the one apologising. I made you miss dinner with your family.”

“It’s fine. I didn’t really want to go anyway.” Carlos said and sat down on the floor in a more comfortable position with his back against a waiting room chair. “I’m not very close to my parents. Or the rest of my family.”

“Why not?” TK asked, moving to sit next to him.

“My dad is a Texas Ranger. He wanted me to follow in his footsteps… I did not.” Carlos explained. “And then there is the gay thing.”

“Do they not accept you?” TK asked carefully.

“It’s… complicated.” Carlos said and shook his head. “But I don’t really want to talk about that right now.” He looked at TK, almost studied him until he made a decision and leaned forward to kiss him.

TK happily kissed back and grabbed a fistful of his scrub top to pull him closer and keep him there while Carlos moved his hand to the back of TK’s neck.

They kissed and Carlos’ head was spinning in the best way possible, but TK leaning back and trying to pull him on top of him made him snap out of it.

“Not here.” He got up and held out his hand. “There is a sofa in the office.”

---

“You know, when you asked me out to dinner, I thought you meant dinner in a restaurant.” TK commented.

“Are tacos and a picnic in the park not good enough for you?”

“I didn’t say that. I just… wasn’t expecting it. I feel overdressed.”

Carlos smiled and leaned forward to kiss him.

“You look amazing.”

It had been about a month since that day in the clinic and today was their first official date as boyfriends. Neither of them seemed to be able to stop smiling.

“You’re not so bad yourself doctor Reyes.” TK said and the two shared another kiss. “I like it here.” He said, looking around. “It’s peaceful.”

They were sitting at a picnic table in the shade of a few big trees near the lake. There were some families around, a group of teenagers playing football, and some people walking their dogs. Busy but not too crowded.

“Yeah I like coming here to clear my head. It’s one of my favourite places in the city. Apart from the stables at my parents’ ranch.”

“Your parents own a ranch?”

Carlos nodded.

“Technically it’s a Reyes family ranch but me and my sisters grew up there.” He explained. “I basically lived in the stables as a kid. Especially after I came out to my parents and things got complicated.”

“So you’re a cowboy?” TK asked, green eyes sparkling. “With the hat and the boots and tassels… and the chaps… and a lasso.”

Carlos laughed.

“No. All that is just for show for the rodeos.”

“Pity…” TK mused, taking a sip of his drink. “I’d like to see you in a hat and those chaps…” he leaned closer. “And nothing else.”

Carlos raised an eyebrow.

“Maybe I can be persuaded to wear them… for a special occasion.”

“A special occasion like… your first official date with your boyfriend?”

“I don’t know… it’s kind of short notice. Maybe for the second.” Carlos teased.

“I look forward to it, cowboy.”

They finished their food and decided to go for a walk together, ending up near some stables with a little meadow where a few horses were grazing.

“I used to enter competitions with a mare I trained myself.” Carlos told TK, stroking the head of one of the horses who had come to say hello. “I haven’t ridden in years though. I haven’t had time.”

TK looped his arm through Carlos’.

“We both know that’s not true.” He whispered in his ear, making Carlos choke on air.

“You’re going to be the death of me.” He sputtered and TK just laughed.

They stayed with the horses for a while until suddenly someone called out Carlos’ name.

“What are you doing here?” A woman of around their age asked as she hugged Carlos, a large black horse trailing behind her as she held onto the rope attached to its halter. “Are you working?”

“No, it’s my day off. We were just taking a walk and ended up here.”

The woman looked past him to TK.

“Oh… is this him?” she asked. “The hot one with the dog?”

Carlos blushed a little.

“Yeah. Iris meet my boyfriend TK. TK this is my best friend Iris.”

“Nice to meet you.” She said, letting go of the horse so she could hug TK.

Carlos quickly grabbed the rope and started petting the horse.

“Is this little Songbird?”

“Yes!” Iris said excitedly, letting go of TK and seemingly forgetting about him again. “He’s missed you. You should visit him more often. You delivered him.”

“I know, I know. I’ve been busy.” Carlos replied and laughed when the horse started nudging him and nibbling his pockets looking for something to eat. “Sorry buddy, I don’t have anything today. I promise I’ll bring you something extra special next time.”

TK watched them from a distance. The horse was huge. Carlos was by no means a small man but the horse towered over him. Though that didn’t seem to bother Carlos in the slightest.

“Do you want to say hello too?” Iris asked TK.

“Uh no… that’s ok. I’m good here. I’ll just… let Carlos have his moment.”

The horse noticed TK and took a few steps towards him, wondering if he had a treat for him.

TK immediately stepped back, giving the horse a weary look.

“Are you ok?”

“Yeah, yeah I’m fine.”

Carlos looked at him and suppressed a smile.

“You cuddle lizards you pulled out of a guy’s leg, but you’re scared of horses?” he asked incredulously.

“I’m not scared!” TK protested “And lizards are small! You can just hold them in your hand! This thing can trample you to death and not even feel it!”

“He’s a gently giant. He won’t hurt you.” Iris insisted but TK wasn’t convinced.

“Don’t worry.” Carlos said, stroking the horse’s nose. “I’ll protect you from the big bad monster.”

~ 1 year later ~

“TK, your doctor McDreamy is here!” Nancy called out when she saw Carlos’ car pull up outside the firehouse. “You should move your clinic in here. It would save you a lot of gas money.” She commented as Carlos walked past her.

“So I can look after all the cats you guys rescue from trees?” he joked.

“That’s fire. We’re medical. We’re more sophisticated than that.”

“Right. You pull lizards from legs. Way more sophisticated.”

“And don’t you forget it.”

“Forget what?” TK asked, walking up to them and greeting Carlos with a kiss.

“Apparently you’re more sophisticated than the fire crew.”

“Yeah we are. Medical beats fire any day of the week.” TK replied, a little too loudly.

“I heard that!” Marjan shouted from somewhere further into the firehouse and TK laughed.

“What’s in the box?” he asked when he noticed the box Carlos tried to hide behind his back.

“It’s a surprise.”

“A surprise? For me?”

“Yep.”

“What kind of surprise?”

“A special one.”

“Ok if it’s something kinky you can take it up to the bunk room.” Nancy interrupted. “Or better yet, wait until you get off shift.”

“It’s nothing kinky.” Carlos promised her and turned to TK. “But I hope you’ll like it or else I’m going to have a problem.”

“Babe… what did you do?”

“Nothing! It just sort of happened to me…” Carlos put the box down in the back of the open ambulance and stepped aside. “Open it.”

TK carefully stepped forward.

“It’s not going to explode in my face is it? One of those glitter bombs?”

“It’s definitely not a glitter bomb.”

“Something gross then? Did you put something disgusting in that box?”

“No!” Carlos said immediately then seemed to reconsider his answer.

“What?”

“I guess the gross part is up for debate.”

“What does that even mean?”

“It means that you better open that damn box now or I will.” Nancy threatened.

“Alright, alright.” TK muttered and carefully lifted up the flaps one by one, ready to jump away if needed. “Oh my god babe you didn’t!” he said when he looked in the box. He reached inside and lifted up its content.

“You bought him a lizard?” Nancy asked, looking back and forth between Carlos and TK.

“A bearded dragon. And I didn’t buy it, I found it. It was dumped on the clinic’s doorstep this morning by someone who didn’t want to pay the surrender fees for the humane society I guess.” Carlos shrugged. “I know you love lizards and how much you hated having to let the wild one go… So I thought you might want to take care of this one.”

“Take care? As in foster?”

“Or keep. If you want.”

TK smiled and stroked the dragon’s back while letting it rest on his chest.

“Hey buddy, you’ve had  a pretty big day huh.”

“It seems perfectly healthy. I think it was someone’s pet. It seems to like hanging out with humans.”

“Yeah? You like humans huh?” TK asked the lizard before looking up at Carlos again. “Wait, does that mean you examined him? Actually held the monster?”

“Shut up.” Carlos mumbled and TK laughed. He moved the lizard out of the way so he could kiss Carlos without squashing his new friend between them.

“I’ll take good care of him, I promise. Though I’m not sure how well that’s going to work with my dad’s straight out of a magazine interior… and Buttercup… but we’ll figure it out.”

“Or... you could… not do that… at your dad’s house… there is enough room at my place… for both of you.” Carlos said, hoping TK would understand what he was asking.   

“Carlos Reyes… are you asking me to move in with you… with a lizard?” TK asked, cradling the animal against his shoulder like a baby.

“When you put it like that… it sounds stupid…” Carlos pulled a face. “Forget I said anything.”

“Don’t you want to know my answer?”

“I… uh.. what? Uh.. yes… but… I-I… uh… do you… want to… answer?” Carlos stammered.

“I do want to answer. And I’d love to move in with you.” TK stepped forward and put his free hand on Carlos’ cheek and pressed a kiss to his lips. “We both do, don’t we Louis?”

“Louis?”

“Yeah. He needs a name, doesn’t he? Louis the lizard. Lou for short.”

Carlos wearily looked at the lizard. He was glad this one was at least used to being handled and didn’t just crawl out of someone’s leg…but he still wasn’t a fan.

But if it meant he’d get to wake up next to TK every morning, he’d grin and bear it.

And get it the biggest terrarium he could reasonably fit into the house so it could happily live in there and not run free. At least not while he was at home. With the way TK was cuddling the lizard, he’d probably carry it around on his shoulder all day.

“We’ll just have to take thing slow with Carlos.” TK told the animal “He’s still scared of cute little guys like you.”

He winked at Carlos who let the comment slide and just smiled. For TK he’d learn to love the scaley beast.

[cold-blooded-jelly-doughnut]

Dialogue Day

I love this new tag game, @carlos-in-glasses! Thank you for the tag, and to @heartstringsduet, @basilsunrise and @taralaurel for tagging me too.

Please enjoy this snippet in which TK has been caught lamenting his love for Carlos to Lou.

-

“Oh,” he says. “Uh, hey, baby. Did you…did you hear what we were talking about? I mean, did you hear what I was saying to Lou?”

“Mhm,” Carlos nods, bottom lip between his teeth as he smirks at his husband. The tips of TK’s ears are red now, too. Carlos could simply devour him like this. Instead, he closes the distance between them, and does exactly as he’d planned. TK leans into his touch, his back against Carlos’s chest, tips his head against Carlos’s and lets out a long breath. Carlos plants the softest kiss to TK’s neck, barely letting his lips brush against his skin. “Do you have any idea how much I fucking love you, TK Strand?”

“Well,” TK starts. “You married me last week, so yeah, I have some idea. I think I’ve memorised your vows now, too.”

“If it’s possible,” Carlos whispers, “I love you even more today than I did then.”

“You do not,” TK whispers, his smile bright and clear in the words.

“I really do,” Carlos says. “You’re amazing.”

“You’re just flattered by what I said to the lizard,” TK says, and Carlos laughs, loves him even more.

“You’re absolutely right about that."

-

Not sure who all has done this yet, got some catching up to do. But my no pressure tags go to @iboatedhere, @rmd-writes, @paperstorm, and @meditating-honey-badger.

[beautifulhigh]

I like how TK now has Lou 2 to accompany when he’s feeling sad or spiralling, the way he was just blanklessly staring at Lou 2 while moving the manoeuvrable basking lamp for him 🥺

TK was worried about Carlos, he will have been grieving Gabriel himself, and instead of breaking he just waited for Carlos to come home while he hoped that they weren't too late to stop him. The wedding he's wanted and been looking forward to since he proposed is on hold, he can't fix this for Carlos, and it will of course bring back memories of losing his mom.

And he just sat with the lizard that Carlos bought him, bought them, the only child they may share together, and he held it together.

TK Strand is not weak and he's not fragile and he can save himself because he has the love and support and family who have helped equip him with those skills.

And he loves, so completely and openly. He loves the man he is waiting for, and he loves their lizard child.

[thisbuildinghasfeelings]

Hi Anne! Is there a situation/subject/theme you would like to see happen/develop in the next season of Lone Star? (it can be as deep and serious or as silly as you want)

Something I would really love to see developed further would be the Reyes-Strand family! TK's relationship with Carlos's family (most especially Andrea) and Carlos's relationship with Owen. In light of the marriage, the loss of Gabriel, and the situation Carlos and Owen went through together in the finale, I think there are some very interesting dynamics to be explored there!

I don't hold out much hope for this, but I would also LOVE some Lou II content, particularly Carlos/Lou II content. I want Carlos to grudgingly come to love his lizard son. I really don't expect much if any of this, but if they just give us SOMETHING, even a tiny crumb of it, I will be so happy. At the very least, I hope they show us Lou II in the background of loft scenes. Just please don't pull a Jonah and forget that Lou II exists!!

[guardian-angle22]

Thank you to @heartstringsduet & @liminalmemories21 for tagging me in a revival of Fic Rec Friday! I wasn't sure what fics to pick for this one so I went through my history on AO3 and here are all of the completed 911LS fics that I read (or re-read) in the month of May!! (if I also added the WIPs or the fics from other fandoms we'd be here all night so I narrowed it down 😅)

◆ Meet me in the afterglow by @mi1kc0ffee (Words: 2.9K; Rating: E)

So maybe Carlos is just a bit upset that his new boyfriend isn’t into cuddling after sex. Or, TK experiences aftercare for the first time.

◆ The Shadow of You by @littlemissmarianna (Words: 798; Rating: G; TW: discussion of grief & canon character death)

TK should be safe in the grocery store, and yet, Carlos feels himself begin to panic when aisle after aisle turns up empty. The cans and boxes are in perfect rows on each shelf, and the strangers seem friendly enough when Carlos passes by them…but TK has vanished.

◆ Hold me too close by @paperstorm (Words: 1.8K; Rating: T; TW: discussion of grief & canon character death)

“Hey, baby,” TK whispers, soft enough that were they a few inches further apart Carlos might not be able to hear him. “Sorry. Didn’t mean to make you cry.” Carlos’s lips curve into a small responding smile and he shakes his head. “It’s okay.” He tilts his chin forward, asking for a kiss, that TK gives him readily because he thinks it would hurt like having a limb ripped off if he didn’t. Carlos’s lips are smooth and damp against his, wet with the salt from his tears. “Wanna go for a walk?” TK asks when they part, and Carlos quickly nods. - A small extension of the scene after Tommy sings at their wedding.

◆ Five fingers on each hand by @sloganeeer (Words: 323; Rating: G)

Carlos didn’t put a shirt on last night, after, and TK gets to rubs his palm over the short curls of Carlos’s chest hair. “You wanna?” he asks. - Or, TK wakes up with his husband.

◆ love in a series of bursts and inches by @lemonlyman-dotcom (Words: 35K; Rating: G)

It’s Eid 2024 and Tarlos is preparing to host Marjan and her parents for a celebratory dinner at the loft, where they will be meeting Joe for the first time. Over the night before and morning of Eid, both TK and Marjan reflect on the past four years in Austin, and the Eids they’ve spent together building a bond as found family.

◆ breathing deeper than i've ever done by @your-catfish-friend (Words: 4.6K; Rating: E; sweat/scent kink)

Carlos smells good, and TK has feelings about it.

◆ Silence and Gloom by @wandering-night19 (Words: 13K; Rating: T; TW: PTSD, physical abuse, aftermath of torture & violence)

Carlos is fine. So he wishes TK would stop looking at him with those wide, green eyes like he's something fragile that might shatter at any moment. He's fine.

◆ all is not lost by @strandnreyes (Words: 14K; Rating: M; TW: brief discussion of grief & canon character death)

As they tear through the loft, Carlos gets flashbacks to when he had to do the same for a lost lizard. Twice. Except this time it’s not a reptile, but a very expensive engagement ring that doesn’t even belong to them. They flip cushions and roll rugs and dig through the dishes filled with pretzels or chocolate covered almonds, but even after their home looks like a tornado ripped through it, they’re still empty handed. TK slumps down on the living room floor after a last ditch effort to look under the couch, staring up at Carlos with wide, horrified eyes. “The ring is gone,” he mutters, and all Carlos can do is swallow past his dry throat and nod. Or, a tale of three lost rings

◆ The Rest of the World Was Black and White (But We Were in Screaming Color) by reyestrand (Words: 9K; Rating: T)

TK Strand doesn’t like the world he lives in. The best part of his day is at night when he closes his eyes so he can’t see anything, and the worst part is in the morning when he has to open them again - open them back up to a world that lacks in beauty. He wakes up and everything is just gray. All there is are shades that are making him numb every day that passes without meeting the one person who will bring color into his world. - A soulmates AU where the world is seen in black and white until soulmates share their first kiss

◆ Thirst Trap Thursday by @chicgeekgirl89 (Words: 40K; Rating: M)

When Carlos accidentally sends a sexy picture to a random stranger he apologizes and vows never to text again. But when T.K. Strand receives that picture, he can't help but start texting back. It starts with a thirst trap. It ends with love.

◆ You Keep Coming Back With a Bird In Your Teeth by vaguenotion (Words: 133K; Rating: T; TW: kidnapping, stalking, violence, non-consensual touching)

When a gesture of goodwill is misinterpreted, a patient begins to develop a dangerous attachment to TK. The whole point of the job is to save patients, not to have to be saved FROM them.

◆ The Greatest Gift I’ve Found, The Sweetest Thing I’ve Known by @lemonlyman-dotcom (Words: 7.3K; Rating: E)

“You know, there’s a lot of things to adore about TK. But do you know the thing we love the most about him?” He makes a questioning noise. She points a finger into the dimple in his cheek. “This.” He furrows his brow in question. “Oh, I’ve known you for thirty years, niñito.” He bites back his quip about how he’s not 30 yet, wanting to know where she’s going with this. “But I’ve never seen that smile, not until about four years ago.” “When I met TK.” “When you met TK.” She nods. “We all knew something was different. Even if it took you a while to work up the courage to bring him around. You seemed so light, so happy. We knew something had happened.” He looks over to where TK is chatting away with his abuelita. “He’s a special person,” Carlos says. “He is, but honey. So are you,” Lucy grips his bicep softly. “We love you, Carlitos, and I’m sorry that we ever made you feel like you had to hide any of your specialness from us.” --- Nochebuena at the Reyes house. It's Tarlos's first Christmas as husbands, and the family's first without Gabriel.

[dragonbinx]

Santa Paws: Lou’s Revenge

Part of my Christmas series from last winter.  Posted on Ao3 here.

Series: 911: Lone Star

Ship; Tarlos

Characters: Carlos Reyes, TK Strand

As much as he loved him, TK being excited made Carlos nervous.

That wasn’t fair. He loved when TK was excited about their apartment, or game night, or the meal Carlos had made for them, or when one of them surprised the other at work. He adored TK’s excitement about his recent push to make detective, or wedding planning with Carlos’s mom. There were a million versions of TK’s enthusiasm that made Carlos feel just as enthusiastic, that gave him another reason to look forward to their lives together.

When he wasn’t sure what was making TK excited, though? That was usually a bad sign. Especially when it came to potential pets.

At first he hadn’t had much reason to be worried. The fish tank had gone back into the garage and had stayed there since Lou was returned to the wild where the creepy, scaly thing belonged. And any of the sly grins and vague but self-satisfied comments that his very unsubtle fiancé made could be chalked up to the upcoming holidays and him being confident in whatever gift he’d gotten Carlos.

But then on the second week of December, Carlos had borrowed TK’s phone to order pizza for game night, and his web browser had been pulled up to an animal shelter. And Carlos had told himself that he was just looking at cute animal pictures. Nothing to worry about.

A few days later, TK came home from work with a few scratches on his arms and the same wide, boyish grin on his face as when he’d held up a plastic container full of lizard. When Carlos asked him what had happened, he said, “Nothing, got stuck in a bush,” in a very unconvincing attempt at nonchalance, not losing one ounce of that big, terrifying smile.

The final evidence had come when he’d swung by the 126 for lunch the Tuesday before Christmas and the conversation had come to an abrupt halt as soon as Paul had caught sight of him walking in. He could have sworn he heard the words ‘fuzzy’ and ‘cute.’ Which at least suggested something warm blooded, but that still didn’t mean a normal pet.

Christmas Eve saw him lying in their bed, wide awake and filled with anxiety. Not only was this their first blended family holiday with Owen and his parents, but he had to figure out how to gently turn down whatever terrifying new animal TK was planning on surprising him with. Probably in front of his mother, who would be disappointed in him if he made TK sad. And he didn’t even want to make TK sad in the first place, but he couldn’t have another wild animal running around his home. Not when every time something brushed his leg or his neck he jumped up thinking it was Lou.

But the next day, no pet appeared. He was a little droopy and tired all day, but in spite of his muted holiday cheer and refereeing abilities, the first in-laws Christmas went off without a hitch. Food was eaten and gifts were exchanged, including a set of pans he’d had his eye on and deep green hoodie with DETECTIVE and a magnifying glass emblazoned on the back from TK. They bundled up and headed home before dark, so TK could light the menorah and sing the blessings after the sun went down.

By the time they’d put the candles out and snuggled on the couch to watch It’s a Wonderful Life, Carlos was finally feeling relaxed. He’d read too much into things. The hoodie was probably what had gotten TK so smug, and what the 126 had been talking about that made them shut up so fast. And maybe TK had actually fallen in some bushes and didn’t want to tell whatever story went along with it.

Just as he was ready to let the whole thing go, he heard a knock on the front door.

TK sprung up from coach in the blink of the eye. “I got it!”

Carlos barely had time to sit up and turn his head before their door was open and Owen walked in, holding a box.

A box with holes in it. With something moving inside.

“Hey, dad. Bring it in here.” TK led his father into the apartment, practically bouncing with each step.

“What’s going on?” Carlos asked apprehensively, hoping he was about to be proved wrong again, no matter how conclusive the evidence.

“Dropping off one last Christmas surprise. And wishing you luck,” Owen said as he put the box down.

“Me or him?”

“Whichever. Merry Christmas,” he said to Carlos, and with a clap to TK’s back, he exited the apartment as quickly as he came.

TK was almost vibrating, although there seemed to be some nerves involved now. “Okay, babe, I know that my last attempt at a pet didn’t go over great. So I wanted to make it up to you.”

Crap. “TK, I don’t know …”

Then the box meowed.

He blinked, trying to understand. “Wait, is that a cat?”

“I should have pulled it out sooner, huh?” TK opened the flaps of the box and pulled out a kitten, maybe four or five months from the looks of it, mostly white but with lots of black and orange fur, too. It had a blue collar on its neck and bright green eyes.

“But that’s a normal pet,” Carlos breathed, not quite believing it. Because after the Lou incident, the one thing that had never occurred to him was that TK could get something as basic as a cat.

“Yeah, like I said, trying to make up for the Lou thing.” TK cuddled the kitten to his chest as it looked around the room curiously. “I was trying to figure out what to get, and then we came across him and his brother on a call. So I asked Dad to take him to the vet and bring him home so he could be a surprise. You wanna hold him?”

Carlos started to reach out, then pulled back, remembering something. “Wait, so is this what scratched you?”

“Oh, no, that was his brother. Mateo and Dad have him.”

“Okay.” He took the kitten in his hands, which immediately started purring and trying to climb up his sweater. “He’s very cute,” he admitted, petting his little head with one finger and picking it up with the other hand and putting it safely in his lap. “Thank you.”

“A pet you can pet,” TK said proudly, looking relieved. “Merry Christmas, baby.” He leaned over and gave Carlos a soft kiss, trying not to disturb their new little addition.

As the kitten tried to climb its way up Carlos again, he felt something jingle against him and realized the collar had a name tag on it. Plucking the kitten from his sweater, he held him aloft and read the tag. “You’ve gotta be kidding me.”

“Ok, I know what you’re gonna say …”

Carlos fixed his fiancé with a flat glare. “We’re not calling our cat Lou Two, TK.”

He wasn’t entirely wrong. They ended up calling him LT most of the time, although he did respond to Lou Two and Louis and “Hey, not on the furniture!”

And he was wrong about TK’s unexpected, unexplained excitement. This time, anyway.

[welcometololaland]

All Austin Everything???

I didn't see it yet and I'm really curious about how they would be connected ^^

This ask is from...February 19th. I'm so sorry. I have no excuses. Literally my inbox is a mess of stuff from ages ago that I never got around to answering and I apologise profusely for my crimes.

I think this was an ask about the RWRB/LS crossover that has been LANGUISHING in my Google Docs for months now. Actually, a lot of fics have been languishing at the expense of ALTA which fights me and my sanity constantly. Every second day someone has to convince me not to set fire to it. But anyway, that is not the point.

I have thoughts about 911 Lone Star and RWRB and none of them are coherent but let me set them out for you:

I think a lot of people take a look at the characters in RWRB and Lone Star and think: Alex Claremont Diaz is to TK Strand what Henry FMCW (sorry Henry i'm not typing your full name) is to Carlos Reyes. Certainly, I see similarities there. Alex and TK both have personalities that are a little chaos demon (and are children of divorced parents), whereas Henry and Carlos are more cautious, considered and have a love of their life that is also somewhat the bane of their existence.

So this fic was always intended to be a bit of a fun character study more than anything. I can kind of see Carlos getting a little like ??? over a real life prince and I can see TK and Alex running off into the sunset and doing something unhinged like bringing home several lizards for their beloveds (on second thoughts, maybe not Alex - he was scared of those turkeys). ANYWAY.

The real point of the character study was to actually look at the alternative interactions, because I think if we scratch the surface a little deeper, more similarities appear.

Alex and Carlos have obvious similarities - in that they're both Mexican-American, born and raised in Austin and can cook. But they're similar in other ways too. They're both a little perfectionistic, overachieving types with a fear of failure. They're also both a little anxious and can bury themselves in a task to prevent confronting their emotions.

Henry and TK...oh my god. Do NOT get me started. Let's go with the obvious first: they were both very close with a parent that died young. They've both suffered from poor mental health and either experienced or been very close to someone experiencing difficulties with substances. They both historically believed themselves to be undeserving of the love that someone else was trying to give them and have both run away from expressions of that love when things got too real. They both (at some point) felt trapped in an identity that felt pre-determined (I see this for TK as his career as a firefighter given that his father is one and he had serious questions about it in s 1 and then obviously changed in s 2).

ANYWAY I think I had better points once upon a time and it's very late and I'm sleepy so sorry this is the best you're getting out of me tonight.

One day this fic will get finished, but in the meantime let's all just pray that ALTA writes itself and I am freed to stop stressing about a 110k piece of writing that just refuses to co-operate.

Thanks for the ask!

[alrightbuckaroo]

Ten Opening Lines

I was tagged by the ever-lovely @three-drink-amy, @heartstringsduet, and @reyesstrand (over a course of multiple days, whoops!) <3 to share the first lines of the last ten things I published!

tender eyes that shine

Carlos is eight years old.

you, me and the lizard makes three

“I’m not going to make it through the night,” Carlos laments over the phone.

my world deeply stained by the color of you

Austin, Texas is a placed that's been robbed of color.

the moment my heart fell

Carlos' fingers are interlocked with TK's; they hold onto one another as if that's what their hands are made for.

it was love at first sight

"It was love at first sight."

29 Going on 30

“We should have him arrested for attempted vehicular manslaughter,” Carlos says as they walk up front door of Extra Space Storage.

summer slipped us underneath her tongue

“I will never forgive you for leaving me to go party it up in Paris for the summer.”

all's fair in love and lizards

First Responder’s Fair is home to many things; double fried foods, rigged carny games and at the moment, a very confused TK Strand.

we're a batch made in heaven

"Hey babe," TK stops just short of his greeting when he sees the mess cluttered around the kitchen.

as cute as a button

"Carlos would kill me if he knew I was showing you this."

a little late to this so open tag for anyone who wants to share, but also tagging: @bonheur-cafe, @freneticfloetry, @strandnreyes, and @carlos-in-glasses if they want to share :)

[carlosreyeswrites]

Carlos could remember seeing the group of new firefighters at the line dancing club. Mr Tyler Kennedy Strand caught his attention from the first second he looked at him. He physically ticked all of Carlos's boxes - handsome face, the prettiest coloured eyes, an athletic slim body build, and he seemed outgoing enough when Carlos asked him if he wanted to dance with him.

TK's crooked smile was doing things to Carlos's heart. He couldn't keep staring at him knowing that he wouldn't last long. "Are you getting off on trying to cause trouble with me tonight?"

Carlos usually got annoyed by people fairly often in day to day life but never with TK. He loved the other's smart mouth and off-hand comments that kept him on his toes. The playful relationship between them both was something he wouldn't trade for anything or anyone. TK was his person. "Forever, Strand. I wouldn't change a single damn thing now or ever. I chose this life with you and I'll continue to choose it."

Looking upwards with a slight smirk on his face was Carlos's way of giving into his intentions and desires. His boyfriend already knew that he didn't want to do anything but throw his love all over him tonight. Maybe he had been jealous of the damn lizard for cuddling his husband when he walked into the house! It should've been him. "Just down here? I look good always, Tyler Kennedy and don't you forget it."

Carlos felt TK's finger's threading through his curly locks and eased into the touch. The moment that his mouth touched against TK's member he looked right up at him. TK's fingers started to tighten around his curls - so he rested a hand against the back of the other's thigh to keep himself steady as he moved his head back and forth over TK like he had done countless other times before. He didn't play about when pleasuring his boyfriend. Carlos's tongue dragged across the underside of TK on one particular movement until his mouth wrapped around his head again - winking as TK. It's at that moment he decided to speed up and give his man even more of a show.

After what had happened with Alex, TK never really thought he would want to let anyone else in again. That was until he met Carlos. He had felt that instant connection and it scared him. Made him run and push back. Eventually, he knew that Carlos was that missing piece and he never wanted to imagine his life without Carlos. Carlos made him whole.

He tilted his head a little, a crooked smile on his lips. "Are you sure that's the answer I was looking for?"

He wouldn't disagree with that. TK knew he could be annoying. He knew how to push buttons. He knew how to do a lot of things that could push people away. Good thing he didn't want to push Carlos away. He just liked messing with him from time to time. "Good to know because you're stuck with me like this, baby." He nodded at Carlos's question. "You must."

Looking down at Carlos, he smiled back when he noticed that playful look on his face. He could already feel his nerves starting to stand on end in anticipation of what was to come. Carlos's fingers felt like little flicks of electricity on his skin. It wasn't a lot, but it was still enough. "You really should. You look good down there."

He let Carlos take hold of his hand and place it on the back of his head. When his fingers were in Carlos's hair, he couldn't help but slowly start playing with that curly hair. It felt good wrapped around his fingers. He could seriously play with Carlos's hair all day. "Hm?" He gave a small nod of his head. "Alright." He would try his best. That's all he could really do. The moment Carlos's mouth was on him, he had to stop the urge to close his eyes. His fingers tightened a little in Carlos's hair and he kept his eyes on his husband just like he said he would.