#lightningboltreader rambles

[lightningboltreader]

Nice Ask Week ask here for you  - curtains or blinds?  (there is a wrong answer)

This put me in a spiral Lim, lol.

I absolutely adore curtains blowing in the breeze of an open window. I dream of living in a warm place with long, billowing curtains as the only separation between my indoor and outdoor living space. I loved the sheer curtains in the tall windows of my first house that provided privacy and light. The moss green linen ones artfully draped on an outer ring, mostly tied off at the sides like royal guards, but occasionally stood together to block out the outside entirely. The happy escape place in my mind has beautiful and useful curtains that add texture and protection from a hot midday sun.

The windows in my current house all wear blinds. When we moved in I replaced every shade, curtain and bent metal blind with custom, uniform, white faux wood ones that hang to the window sill. They have push buttons at the bottom to raise and lower and rods on the side for tilting. Because, cats. 😭 I like that the cats like to look out the window but I despise the shedding and shredding and pulling that comes from cats + curtains. Now their window horrors are limited to batting at the slats and we all survive.

Nonetheless I need the right answer !!

Edit: here’s a 2022 Christmas tree chase -

[heartstringsduet]

Happy Sunday everyone. Have some teenage Jonah fic :) thanks for tagging me @carlos-in-glasses

There’s a point where Carlos wants to stop the ramble, make sure Jonah doesn’t derail into the pit of panic, but tonight he’s too relieved to finally recognize his kid again. Stoically not crying, simultaneously becoming a verbal waterfall.

“I don’t want anyone to get into trouble,” Jonah continues. “Will you get into trouble for this with the Rangers?”

Carlos glances away from the road ahead long enough to put a hand on Jonah’s elbow and squeeze gently. “I won’t. Don’t worry.”

“It was such a stupid thing to do!”

“It was--”

“What if their parents hate me now?” Jonah’s leg starts to shake more. “What if I’m no longer allowed over? Finn's mom is so cool and Mr. Staimos makes the best vegan chili I ever had…besides yours.”

Unexpectedly, Carlos finds the corner of his mouth go up for the poor attempt of a safe.

“Mijo, I hear you okay? I know you’re sorry. No one hates you.”

“Are you mad at me?”

OPEN TAG &

@carlossreaders @annoyingcloudearthquake @carlos-in-glasses @carlos-tk @future-tense

@paperstorm @strandnreyes @henrygrass @lightningboltreader @eclectic-sassycoweyes

@lemonlyman-dotcom @theghostofashton @ladytessa74 @freneticfloetry

@liminalmemories21 @emsprovisions @sapphic--kiwi @neverblooms

@welcometololaland @rmd-writes @alrightbuckaroo @decafdino @liminalmemories21

@tellmegoodbye @ironheartwriter @literateowl @reyesstrand

@butchreyes @corsage @honeybee-taskforce @orchidscript @neversleepuntilfive

@never-blooms @irispurpurea @everlastingday @theghostofashton

@nisbanisba @bonheur-cafe @certifiedflower @firstprince-history-huh @denizoid

@nancys-braids @chicgeekgirl89 @ironheartwriter @pimento-playing-hopscotch

@rangersoup @the-126-family @carlos-tk @ladyknight1512 @onswiftshorses

[everlastingday]

thank you @heartstringsduet, @nisbanisba, @futures-tense, and @emsprovisions for the tags! 💜

the chocolatier au was supposed to be a cute little 2k word ficlet, but alas 🤡

--

“Sorry about that,” he says. “How can I help you today?”

“Oh, um, I’m looking for a Valentine’s Day gift for my mother,” Carlos starts. “You came highly recommended by my coworker. Well, his wife, really, since she was the one who actually ate the chocolates,” he adds. He doesn’t know why he’s rambling, or why he’s suddenly feeling so nervous. 

The chocolatier’s eyes light up at the compliment. “That’s so nice, thank you! What’s their name?”

“Uh, Sam. Campbell,” Carlos supplies.

The chocolatier purses his lips, eyes reaching upwards into his mind’s palace, and snaps his fingers after a few seconds. “Texas Ranger, four kids, just celebrated his wife’s 35th?”

Carlos is taken aback, and impressed at the chocolatier’s ability to recall that level of detail from just one name in a matter of seconds. “Yeah, how’d you know?”

“I remember all of my customers,” he shrugs, as if it’s nothing. “I’m TK, by the way.”

“Carlos,” he replies, reaching out to shake TK’s hand, praying that his hands aren’t too clammy. If they are, TK is too polite to say anything.

--

open tag & no-pressure tagging a few people under the cut!

@whatsintheboxmh @nancys-braids @welcometololaland @reyesstrand @thisbuildinghasfeelings @captain-gillian @lemonlyman-dotcom @bonheur-cafe @carlossreaders @lightningboltreader @eclectic-sassycoweyes @firstprince-history-huh @carlos-in-glasses @henrygrass @paperstorm

let me know if you want to be added/removed, and please feel free to tag me as well, i love seeing what everyone else is working on! 💜

[noxsoulmate]

💞⚾ Noxy’s Tarlos Baseball Fic ⚾💞

Ship: Tarlos | Fandom: 911 Lone Star | Author: noxsoulmate | Read on ao3

Chapter: 1/2 | Word Count: 5390 | Rating: Explicit | Warnings/Tags: baseball, valentine's day, different first meeting, meet-cute, running into each other, coffee shops, farmers market, night clubs, hook-up, baseball player TK, baseball player Carlos, rivals, Red vs Blue (but not the episode), banter, sexual innuendos, flirting, teasing, basically Tarlos uses the baseball game as foreplay, and they don't hide it, implied sexual content, but TK has a dirty mind so the rating is explicit, making out, strangers to lovers, love at first sight | Art made by me

Summary:

The moment he spots him, he freezes. For just a tiny second, he wonders if all his thoughts of Carlos have summoned him. And then he takes in the man as a whole, attire and all – and his mind goes blank. Because Carlos is wearing a jersey as well. And it’s blue. Carlos is wearing the blue jersey… of APD.

~*~

Meet cutes are only meant for rom coms, right? So why is it that TK has a total of four of them with the same stranger in just one day? Besides, Valentine’s weekend is certainly not the right time for him to have his head in cloud nine – not when the annual Baseball game between Fire and Police is on the line. Apparently, Police hasn't lost in years thanks to their pitcher. But now Fire has TK on their team – a paramedic who had a chance to play in the major leagues...

This fic is finished, chapter two will be posted tomorrow.

The biggest, biggest thanks goes out to the amazing @lightningboltreader and @bonheur-cafe. These two spent the past few weeks explaining an American game that seems to have no rules to a European who had zero knowledge about it - and they did it in a way that said European was able to write a fic about it. I bow to you two! They also helped plot out every step of the game - Char, Dalawa, this fic truly wouldn't exist without your help, and for once, that's not just a phrase 😂

💞⚾ Read Chapter 1 on ao3 ⚾💞

Sneak peek under the cut:

TK knows better than to check his phone while walking. He actually has been dispatched to scenarios in which walking while looking at the phone had ended in tragedy in one way or another. So clearly, he should know better.

But that doesn’t stop him from answering Nancy’s text while he’s in the middle of the supermarket, walking along the cereal aisle. The moment he hits send, he’s reminded just why it is so bad to not look where you’re going.

The only thing he really registers is that he smacks into something solid, losing the grip on the few groceries wedged into his arm – because who needs a shopping cart or basket, right? Apparently, he does because right away, everything tumbles to the floor; the oranges roll away and for a split second, his heart stops when he fears the jar of honey will break, but it lands on the jug of milk first so the fall is softened, thankfully. The only thing he can catch is his phone – thank God – and with his heart pounding, an apology on his lips, he looks up.

Only to lose his breath again.

He’s staring into the warmest, softest brown eyes he has ever seen and while that should be a completely boring color for eyes, it certainly isn’t on this man. Those eyes are eyes he could stare into for days and still not get tired. And that isn’t even acknowledging the rest of this perfect face.

“I’m really sorry, are you alright?”

It takes TK a second to realize that the man just spoke – holy hell, what a voice – and he has to shake himself to get his head back online.

“No no, that was all my fault, I’m the one who’s sorry,” TK hastens to apologize before quickly kneeling down to pick up his stuff. The handsome stranger follows, crouching down to help with the oranges while TK starts rambling. “I was checking my phone. I know that’s something you shouldn’t do but my partner just messaged me and she sometimes gets impatient when it takes me too long to reply and I don’t want her to worry. She’s worried about me enough already and–” He looks up to see the man holding out another orange to him, a soft grin on his face. “Aaand I should stop talking. I’m sorry,” he adds one last time as he takes the last orange and stands back up.

Once again, the handsome man follows and for a second they stand and look at each other, frozen in the moment. Until TK remembers his manners.

“Are you okay? I ran right into you.”

“I’m fine, don’t worry about me. Also, all of my groceries are safely in a cart,” he adds with a little grin, definitely teasing TK, who huffs out a laugh.

“I only have a few things, no need to bother with a cart.”

“If you say so.”

TK wants to reply – wants to stay and spend hours talking and teasing with this man – but right then, his phone pings with a new message. His eyes fall to the screen.

“Well, uhm, sorry again for crashing into you,” he says with a little smile. “I need to get going.”

“Careful though. No need to run into someone else.”

For a wild second, TK wonders if the man means this in a flirty way. For an even wilder second, he wonders if he should just take a leap of faith and ask for the man’s number – but then he remembers that he’s living in Texas now – has been for over a year, in fact – and that in this place, he can’t just hit on random strangers even when his gaydar tries to convince him it would be okay. The risk of hitting on someone who will take it the wrong way is just too high. So, accepting defeat and the fact that he can’t just ask a random stranger for his number because it would sound weird and crazy and be potentially risky, TK simply smiles and nods.

“I’ll try my best.”

The whole long way down the cereal aisle, TK forces himself not to look back, not even once, not even when his senses try to convince him that someone’s staring at his back the entire time.

💞⚾ Continue on ao3 ⚾💞

Written for the @tarlosweeklyprompts Valentine's Fic Exchange and my giftee @sugdenlovesdingle. The prompt was: TK and Carlos meeting via the police vs fire baseball game when they’re on opposing teams (bonus points for a grey’s anatomy-like thing where they hook up the night before without knowing who the other is and then seeing them at the game).

Dear SugdenLovesDingle, I'm really sorry you get your gift this late, Corona stole a whole month from me... I really hope the story will make up for the wait 💖 I loved your prompt so, so much! I've always wanted to write a coda for Red vs Blue - but this is even better. I'm a sucker for alternative first meetings, so this was just brilliant! I hope you like the little twist I put on your bonus points prompt - I just couldn't decide on the meet cute I wanted for them, so... I gave them all 😂

Bingo square used:

@mfbingo O3: Meet Cute

Noxy’s Tagging List: @chaotictarlos, @detective-giggles, @sgirl18,  @sapphire11, @bubblesandroses8, @firstprince-history-huh, @beautifulhigh, @rangergurlgleek1211, @shadesofdeviant, @otter-love-asl, @ramblingdisaster73, @first-kanaphan, @xtltokio, @lightningboltreader, @buckybarnesalways, @meditating-honey-badger, @mangacat201, @tarlossource

[lightningboltreader]

5x05 Thunderstruck

1. Therapist, is that vase supposed to be the main focal point from your pov?? distracting much?

2. Planned guitar lessons? Softball? My heart.

3. The Red Flag happened after dinner ajklksn. TK’s such a little bitch ♥️♥️♥️

4. Sobbbb they’re both hurting I hate it here

5. Horse time!!

6. Judd’s tinted glasses 🔥🔥

7. Is “Judd. How are you at tying knots?” supposed to sound sultry, Cap?? That was odd.

8. The horsey saying goodbye to his owner. TK petting the horse. Horse grief 😭😭😭

9. Oh god Owen, don’t take on a horse in your suburban rental

10. TK “it’s the kind of thing I used to call my mom about” WAILING

11. Tommy’s story was poignant until it was quickly fixed with a smile and a steak and I want to burn TK’s active listening and empathy expressions into my brain. Cuties

12. Paul’s “Damn Probie,” about Judd, I will never be over this lmao.

13. My bad, Owen brought the horse to work for temporary boarding, should be fine.

14. Bus tour group seizure time oh my! 💀

15. Nancy take this one, TK you and I will care for the rest, ok lmao Cap

16. Woah is nasal spray narcan that extra and effective?? There were like 6 doses there?

17. Owen assigning important firehouse horse responsibilities and interviewing crazies in the firehouse lmaoooo

18. Judd & Owen heart-to-heart time!!! 💕 BFFs

19. The deceased lady’s phone unlocked with her sister’s face but mine won’t open without my glasses or contacts in 😭

20. Carlos & Campbell outfox the baddie!

21. Ok seriously, nice horsey, but I am not invested enough in your happiness for all this. Training? Ugh

22. ANNIVERSARY GIFTS!!! STILL OBSESSED WITH EACH OTHER but wait where was the grabby kiss we were robbed again you motherfuckers I LOVE THEM!!!

23. Next time, more horse. good lord.

[lightningboltreader]

I’ve never worked with someone who shared my name before. The very regular callouts that aren’t for me is JARRING!!

How do y’all with common names do it?? I lose like 3 seconds of group conversation after my name is said thinking Huh? Me? Oh not me. Weird. Wait, what’s happening? 💀

This is week 3, maybe i’ll get used to it. 🤞🏼

[lightningboltreader]

When it’s Friday evening of a long weekend, beautiful outside, you’re at your first outdoor concert of the year and a new still of Tarlos dropped…well. It’s good to be me.

[lightningboltreader]

hi friend 💜 lil ask game for you if you don't mind (no pressure). if you get this and feel like it, answer with three random facts about yourself and send it to the last seven blogs in your notifs! anon or not, doesn’t matter, let’s get to know the person behind the blog <3

I adore this lil ask, thank you!!

Please accept these three random Char statements into evidence -

1. I exclusively wear patterned or dark tops because, sigh, if it goes in my mouth it likely gets on my chest too.

2. Today I received a quote to have my house painted and I’m extremely excited. I dream in paint chips rn, living for transformation plans.

3. The solar eclipse is coming this way and the town plans to celebrate in part by screening Eclipse. I’ve taken the day off work ofc.

[lightningboltreader]

Don’t mind me screaming in the tags of all your metas, I just really love this show and all of you and I have so many FEELINGS I’m flailing.

[lightningboltreader]

.

[lightningboltreader]

tonight’s concert was postponed, what is my life rn 💀

[lightningboltreader]

20 questions for fic writers

Thank you for the tag @welcometololaland @three-drink-amy @iboatedhere @jesuisici33!

I wasn't going to do this because I don't post much, but I thought maybe this would help other new/slow/stats clueless AO3 writers (I never looked at my Statistics page).

1. How many works do you have on AO3?

37 (and three more planned for this year)

2. What’s your AO3 total word count?

Comparatively tiny: 62,713

3. What fandoms do you write for?

911 Lone Star atm

4. What are your top 5 fics by kudos?

Well, let me tell you what the handy AO3 graph shows:

All Up In Your Mind

(5802, E) Carlos is lifting weights at the gym when he considers whether he looks too muscular for the wedding. For a second opinion he sends a locker room selfie to TK.

How to Bathe Your Lizard

(2913, E) All Carlos wants is a hot bath after a long day, but he comes home to find a small obstacle.

Only a Lifetime

(1504, T) Carlos watches TK with Lou Two and worries that this family won't be enough for him, for the prompt "Do you regret asking me to marry you?" TK assures him that the answer is an emphatic no.

He's Not For Sale

(3369, E) After the 4x10 Stand Up to Cancer fundraiser event, TK leads Carlos to the loft's bedroom to work out the frustration and longing born of tight suits, flirtatious smiles and the not too subtle hungry looks from charity patrons.

Dinner, Party of Three

(510, G) Carlos prepares for a night in with TK before an unexpected visitor joins them for dinner in this 4x06: This is Not a Drill ficlet

5. Do you respond to comments? Why or why not?

Yes! I should probably check. I intend to acknowledge every one. Thank you, thank you to those who comment.

6. What is the fic you wrote with the angstiest ending?

I don’t do that. Happy ending or it’s not over yet. < taking Amy's answer

7. What’s the fic you wrote with the happiest ending?

Maybe Only a Lifetime?

8. Do you get hate on fics?

Not yet!

9. Do you write smut, if so what kind?

Yes, the Tarlos kind.

10. Do you write crossovers? If so, what’s the craziest one you’ve written?

Nah, they're not my thing.

11. Have you ever had a fic stolen?

I’m small potatoes over here.

12. Have you ever had a fic translated?

Nope

13. Have you ever co-written a fic before?

No, but I'd love to.

14. What’s your all time favorite ship?

Been pretty Tarlos obsessed for a few years now.

15. What’s a WIP you want to finish but doubt you ever will?

A wedding countdown "cold feet" prompt fill in which Carlos doesn't want to marry TK after Gabriel dies. I stopped at 1,500 words, it was too fucking sad...but I'd like to fill in the comfort. lol

16. What are your writing strengths?

Not sure I've written enough to have strengths. I like prompt fills though, I think I"m pretty good at creating unique little scenarios.

17. What are your writing weaknesses?

Most of them! I'm new to fiction writing as an adult person. World building is probably the biggest in my mind.

18. Thoughts on writing dialogue in another language in fic?

Sadly I don't know any other languages well enough.

19. First fandom you wrote for?

[redacted] as a very angsty teen

20. Favorite fic you’ve written?

The next one!

I haven’t seen a ton of these, come play along. :)

[heartstringsduet]

Happy Wednesday 💓 Have some raw A Few Moons Ago snippet from the first chapter. What are you all working on in general? Any creative endeavors? :)

“Can you find something in the woods that smells like me? It should be close by.”

The reaction TK gets is a tilted head and absolutely no recognition in his eyes. Only goes to show that most of his rambling went over the wolf’s head after all, but he should have expected that. The few times he’s in his human form when alphas are wolves, it helped to be very clear in his words. Thinking of a way to communicate, TK heaves the doe onto his right shoulder where it cries again until it knows its held steady here too.

TK slowly bends his knees a little and reaches his now free hand toward the wolf that eagerly puts its muzzle against his fingers, running its moist nose against it and making TK snort when his tongue darts out against his palm.

“Stop, yes, we’re friends now, we’re friends.” This time, the alpha gives a single yip. “Oh you got that, huh? Friends?” Another bark. “Search for me in the woods? Search for my smell.”

Fo a moment it seems like he has to find another way to communicate or to find it himself, but then the wolf sits up. He rounds TK and before he can follow, a warm but wet thing slips between his his legs from behind. He yelps as the wolf’s snout brushes his balls.

“What the--”

It’s gone as soon as it’s there and it’s only when he twists to find the wolf already a few paces ahead, turning to him, one front paw up and waiting to be followed, that he understands he’s just been scented. Not just scented. One of his asscheeks is moist from a tongue licking him; stacking claim.

Anger flashes, covering the thick tendrils of arousal. 

“Was that fucking necessary?” TK mutters, stomping after him as the doe starts paddling the air as he hugs it back to his chest.

OPEN TAG &

@henrygrass @honeybee-taskforce @carlos-in-glasses

@paperstorm @carlos-tk @eclectic-sassycoweyes

@rmd-writes @welcometololaland @lemonlyman-dotcom

@chicgeekgirl89 @kiwichaeng @certifiedflower @corsage

@never-blooms @freneticfloetry @theghostofashton

@alrightbuckaroo @emsprovisions @sapphic--kiwi

@whatsintheboxmh @fitzherbertssmolder @thisbuildinghasfeelings

@ladytessa74 @lightningboltreader @strandnreyes @reyesstrand

@liminalmemories21 @nisbanisba @bonheur-cafe

[heartstringsduet]

The rules are: I provide a bad summary of my WIPs and you send me an ask and a number if you want a real summary my weird rambling to any one of these 💞

thanks for tagging me @ladytessa74 @strandnreyes @welcometololaland @rmd-writes @alrightbuckaroo @sznofthesticks <3 Sorry I didn't ask many of you, I feel like by the time I was online everything had been asked. Mea culpa.

1. Is it LOVE or is it that I made us soulmates? (also, demons)

2. A ghost moves in; a ghost moves out

3. Yeah I'm so over you, let's try every position under the moon what could happen???

4. Saving the world from a diet company while flirting heavily

5. You dad's the best...no wait

6. Anxiety can be cured by taking real good care of your man

I feel like a lot of people have done this so Open Tag & @decafdino @carlos-tk @kiwichaeng @lightningboltreader @honeybee-taskforce

[lightningboltreader]

That Day

It’s been three days but I’m still right here in the space after “Probably…”

There’s just so much in this switch from confident, sassy, fiancé Carlos who is here to reassure TK,

and the sobering pause where he remembers for a moment how broken his own wings were. Back when he felt like a burden. When marrying a girl didn’t fix it. When he doubted anything could fix it. It didn’t always get weird, but there wasn’t anyone to give his whole heart to. No one wanted the Carlos project.

Until literally THE DAY it changed.

gif

The day he discovered I’m not incapable of romantic love or unable to be a life partner. I just needed to find my person.

This person. TK Strand.

TK is the reason he is now the confident, sassy fiancé he is. Carlos knew from the day they met that he was the one.

Not because TK’s broken or because he’s perfect. He’s just perfect for Carlos.

————————————————————————

This silly fire drama doesn’t show me all the moments I want to see. It’s not consistent and it’s contradictory at times. But the way it knocks me back in moments like this is more than enough.

I’ll just never be over how well these two dudes love each other.

[lightningboltreader]

Writers Need Love - We All Need Love !!

Pals. Friends. Mutuals,

Read this AO3 response I received. ☝🏻

I’m touched that my feral rambling was well received,

but also…

I want NICER things to be said to this person

I want MORE nice things said

I want all y’all to feel appreciated

because I appreciate YOU SO MUCH.

I hope you feel it from me. I’ll keep working on it.

And if you would please, take a minute to show appreciation when you feel it.

-> For art, for words, for music and smiles and mustaches and cowboy boots wait what and all of the things that touch you.

💛 Char