jatp-spinsb

[jatp-spinsb]

Reggie with eyeliner

[jatp-spinsb]

Prompts! “it’s so much less than what you deserve, but it’s all i could think to do given the circumstances.” For Rulie or PeterPatterLina? Thank you!

Reggie's fingers tapped out a staccato melody on the railing of the ship as it sailed into the harbour. It had been months since he had been home, and it was calling to him like a siren. As soon as the gangplank was lowered, he rushed off-uncaring that he might be in trouble for not helping to unload the vessel, he had somewhere to be.

"Julie!"

There she was, as lovely as ever, smiling bright, waiting for him with open arms. He twirled them around, giggling as she shrieked, only setting her down to kiss her hungrily. "I missed you."

"And I you, cariño," she replied, her palm warm against his cheek. "Now go back and do your job so we can spend the evening together without you in trouble."

Reggie grinned, kissing her once more before doing as he was bade-Julie always looked out for him, it was one of the reasons he adored her so. One day, he swore he would give her the life she deserved.

They had a plan-he would work on whatever merchant vessel he could, hauling and swabbing, and in a few years he would earn the papers needed to have his own ship. With that he would finally have enough to buy her a real ring, and they could be married.

What was a few years when they knew their love was true?

Only the world was against them, as only days after Reggie returned home, their country was plunged into war, and every able bodied man was expected to serve his king.

"Are you scared?" Julie asked. "Because I would be terrified."

"My only fear is that I won't come back to you," Reggie confessed.

"You will-you must," Julie replied. "You promised me we would be wed."

"We still could be, before I go," Reggie said. "That way-if the worst happens, the country will provide for you. And knowing you, my wife, were back here waiting for me-I would fight all the harder to come back to you."

"Alright," Julie stated. "I shall fetch the priest and we will wed tonight, before you go."

"Are you sure?" Reggie asked. "I know you wanted the big wedding, the fancy dress, the whole hullaballoo."

"All I need," Julie said, grasping his hands tight, "Is you, and our vows to one another."

With that she left, and Reggie smiled, though it was a bittersweet one. Was it right to marry Julie and then leave her? To go to war where they both would live in a state of constant worry that this would be the last time they would see one another?

Plus he still had no money for a ring. They could not be wed without one, that was for certain, so Reggie searched for a worthy replacement before he received word that he was to come to church. He donned his best suit and went off.

The church was sparse-only Julie's father was there, smiling with tear filled eyes as he shook Reggie's hand. If there had been time they would have had more friends, more family there, but Reggie was leaving in the morning, so this was it.

Julie walked up in aisle, and Reggie swore she stole his breath away. Her dress was a pale lilac colour, and she worse a small lace veil that hardly obscured her smile. "Hello my love," she whispered as he took her hands.

He pressed a kiss to her knuckles, and then turned to the priest, never letting her go as he went through the ceremony.

"Do you have a ring?"

Reggie had done his best, finally pulling the small steel band he had always worn on his own hand and slid it onto her finger. “It’s so much less than what you deserve, but it’s all I could think to do given the circumstances.”

"I love it, it shall never leave my hand," she promised him.

Soon they shared a kiss, and spent the hours until dawn as husband and wife, exchanging a melancholy goodbye, with promises to return to one another.

Only the war waged on for years. Reggie wasn't sure it would ever end. Spent his time wondering how Julie was, if she still lived, if she remained true to him. Cursed the powers that be that had separated them for all this time.

Finally, the end came, and though Reggie felt broken by his time in combat, he was relieved to be heading home.

Yet the town was different-modern and bustling. His own home was long gone, turned into a merchant stall. So he went to find Julie's father-surely he would know where she was.

He approached the home slowly, stopping when he saw a young girl twirling around the garden, looking every bit Julie's double. Saw Julie come out, and twirl her around, their laughter ringing out.

So. That was it then. She was happy-and that was all Reggie could ask. She had found someone worthy of her, he was sure, cursing that he had been away so long.

"Mami, who is that?"

Reggie froze as two sets of eyes landed on him. One curious-and the other welling with tears.

"Reggie!"

Julie flew at him, wrapping him tightly in her arms, and he was powerless not to hug her back. "Julie. I'm home."

"You promised you would be," she sniffled. "But I was so afraid this day would never come."

"As was I," he said, pressing a kiss to her hand, and then...to the same steel band he had slipped on her finger almost a decade prior.

"It has never left my hand, just as I promised," Julie stated.

Just then, the young girl came over, looking up at them, smiling as she tugged on Julie's gown. "Mami!"

Julie scooped the girl up, and it was then that Reggie saw her face clearly-all Julie, save the sprinkle of freckles across her nose and the spring green eyes that mirrored his own. "This is Luna. Our daughter."

Reggie cried at that, embracing them both, with Luna happily greeting her father for the first time, having lived off stories of him her whole life. The real thing was so much better.

"Oh Julie, I return to you naught but a poor, broken soldier," Reggie said.

"And I told you, all I need is you-our family," Julie replied. "No riches or jewels will ever compete with that."

Reggie smiled, pulling her and Luna in for another hug before she helped him to the house. And though he had no money in his pockets, no land to his name, for once, Reggie felt as rich as a king.

[jatp-spinsb]

Prompts! “i’m happy i got to spend the day with someone i actually care about.” For Ray/Reggie or Ray&Reggie? Thank you!

Ray had never been a fan of Valentine's Day-he saw it as a corporate excuse to peddle cards and flowers, when he felt that you shouldn't need a holiday to profess your love for someone. He preferred to do little things often, small gestures on the regular to make sure whoever he was with knew they were loved year round, not just in mid February.

Of course, when he was with Rose, he still did the special dinner, the bouquet of flowers, or box of chocolates every Valentine's as well, just because. And she did stuff for him-composing him a song, a nice watch, and so many kisses he could never keep track.

After her though-he knew he grew bitter about the holiday. Here was the whole world, celebrating their love, and he was alone. Worse, he was usually working, as so many couples wanted pictures of themselves, had engagement or wedding shoots that day. Shoots Ray couldn't turn down just because he was grieving, because he had hospital bills still pilling up, a mortgage, school tuition, and groceries to pay for.

The first few years he didn't even want to think about the day after he got home, but he did treasure the homemade cards the kids left in his spot at the table, and he resolved that they would be his only Valentine's from there on out.

Only then Julie got a boyfriend, and well, he had plans for their first Valentines together. Carlos had no interest in love, but he had made plans with his baseball buddies to have a movie marathon. Heck, even Victoria had a date with a woman she had met in her Pilates class-some talent manager or something.

So Ray was alone. Just great.

Then there was a knock on the door. Ray was surprised to see Reggie there, figuring he might have a hot date planned for the evening.

"Hi there Mr. Molina," he said, a shy smile on his face.

"Ray mijo, I've told you a million times."

"Right, Ray. Could I maybe hang out in the studio for a bit? I know Julie is out, but the guys all have dates and I cannot be home right now, and everywhere is full of couples..."

"Reggie, breathe," Ray said, smiling despite himself. He liked Reggie-he was a sweet, funny kid who had become a good friend to Julie, a pseudo big brother to Carlos, and was always respectful to Ray, and keen for his attention.

Julie had told him that Reggie's parents were less than ideal, so Ray tried his best to be-not quite a father, but a caring adult in Reggie's life when he might lack one. "Look, if you want to use the studio, feel free. But if you want to hang out in the house, you can do that as well. I was going to put on the game and enjoy a pizza if you want to join me."

Reggie's stomach audibly grumbled at that. "That'd be nice," he admitted. "You don't mind?"

"I ordered too much since I thought Carlos would be home, but he's too cool to hang out with his old papi now," Ray said with a chuckle. "So you can have his half, and enjoy some football with me-no one else can follow it."

Reggie beamed and all but bounced in, helping Ray dish up the food, grabbing them drinks-not even trying to snag a beer, like Ray was sure Luke or Willie might, and sat down, happily munching away as the Rams game started.

"So why aren't you out tonight?' Ray asked at a commercial break. "Aren't you seeing that cheerleader?"

"We broke up," Reggie said off handedly. "It's cool, she wasn't my type anyways. But it's still fresh enough that I didn't want to have romance shoved down my throat if I ventured out."

"I get that," Ray agreed, tilting his bottle at Reggie. "Well I am sorry mijo, even if you weren't meant to be, the end of a relationship is always hard."

"Maybe," Reggie replied, hugging his knees to himself. "I kind of wonder if it's all worth it. My parents...all they do is fight. Luke and Alex are so into their people that I feel invisible sometimes. And the whole thing is bullshit."

"Language."

"Sorry," Reggie mumbled. "But it is. Why should we have one day when we have to make some big thing of being in love? Rubbing it in the face of the world?"

Ray hummed. "I understand, more than you know. But love can be beautiful Reggie. I had it with Rose, and it made me happier than I ever was. Even after losing her, I wouldn't give up our time together for anything."

"Sorry, I shouldn't complain," Reggie said.

"You can, and should feel like you can talk to me about anything Reggie," Ray responded. "It's not a comparison, I just wanted to share my perspective. And I'll let you know, I agree about today. I always wanted to Rose to know I loved her every day, not just today. So I made sure she knew, even if it was something as small as a note in her lunch bag, or a flower because I passed them by and thought of her, or holding her hand when she was going through chemo."

Reggie didn't say anything to that, so Ray turned back to the game, and they let the rest of the half pass in silence.

"Thanks," Reggie finally said at half time. "For listening, and letting me vent. And for the pizza."

"You're quite welcome," Ray replied. "And thank you, for keeping me company, even if most kids your age would rather be out on a date."

"No," Reggie said. "I'd rather be here. I’m happy I got to spend the day with someone I actually care about."

Ray smiled at that, and reached over to squeeze Reggie's arm, a way to show the sentiment was returned. "You wanna see if there's any ice cream in the freezer before the second half starts?"

"Heck yeah!" Reggie said, running off to the fridge, and Ray just shook his head, deciding to let the wording go.

Well, as long as Reggie didn't eat all the Chunky Monkey before he got to the kitchen.

[jatp-spinsb]

On the Death of a Fandom

I saw a post recently that I haven't been able to stop thinking about. In it, someone mentioned Julie and the Phatoms being a dead or dying fandom. Someone replied rather heatedly denying this phrasing.

Okay. Listen, this fandom has owned my entire heart for four years. I've written hundreds of thousands of words and I see no signs of slowing down anytime soon. And I'm sorry, I really am, but no matter how much I love it, it is a dying fandom. It's impossible to deny. There has been no new content to provide fuel for years. Look at the amount of engagement on fics from three or four years ago, then from two years ago, then now. There has been a massive decline even from a single year ago. I'm admittedly on the fringes, primarily writing crossovers, gen fic, or one of the less popular ships, but you can't deny the facts. Because for all that gen fic is not generally popular, Family Matters - a fic that was written very early on, and definitely not the best or most cohesive work - is still the most kudos'd JATP fic on AO3. Meanwhile, the stories I've written in 2023/2024 - most of which I'd argue are far better - are lucky to still be hitting double digits.

I have literally experienced the entire range of this fandom, most popular to least and every angle in between, and I have witnessed the steep decline, the slow death, the masses of people who moved on to other things and never came back, especially after the cancellation announcement.

And it sucks, obviously it sucks, but that shouldn't stop the people who love it from still loving it. It shouldn't stop people, new to the fandom or old friends, from engaging with it. Because, yeah, the fandom is dying, but it's also still here. There are a lot of us still not willing to let it go. Call it life support.

JATP is not the first dying fandom I've been a part of. It won't be the last. The way we engage with media has changed so radically from what it was ten, twenty, thirty years ago that fandom deaths happen so much more swiftly and brutally now. There isn't a lot of staying power anymore, especially for shows that were streamed from a place like Netflix, shows that never even got multiple seasons. Frankly, it's a miracle there are still any of us here at all, and that does speak to how much this show meant (and still means) to so many people.

But dying or not, that doesn't mean you shouldn't find the joy where you can. it doesn't mean you should feel strange if you got into this fandom late and want to create for it now. My last fic gave me a ton of joy to write, and received all of 13 kudos. And I treasured every damn one of them all the more for knowing how few people are left to have enjoyed it.

Don't be offended that people understand when a fandom is dying. Just do what you can to keep it going as long as possible, for as long as it continues to mean something to you and give you any amount of happiness it can.

[jatp-spinsb]

Prompts! "We kissed last night but we have to pretend like nothing happened" for RayReggie, please and thank you!

Reggie sipped at his beer, surveying the club before him-full of swaying bodies and a pulsing beat. Normally he'd be out there dancing away, but tonight he was happy enough to observe until he found the right partner.

And there he was.

He was older, which was honestly, just Reggie's type. Firm, silver hair, and a completely uncomfortable look about him-meaning a late in life coming out and Reggie was just the guy to help him manage the waters.

He moved through the crowd, smiling at him. "Reggie. You look like this might be your first time out in a bit."

"That obvious?" the man chuckled.

Reggie shrugged. "You had a bit of a hapless look about you. You want a beer before diving in?"

"That'd be nice, thanks."

Over a beer, Reggie learned that the very handsome man was named Ray, who had been out for quite some time, but hadn't been out in almost as long.

"Why not?"

Ray had a distant look in his eye for a moment, then faced Reggie. "I got married. Had almost twenty wonderful years together before she passed. Then I had to raise my kids-my oldest is probably not much younger than you."

"Is that a problem?" Reggie asked. Normally the older guys he went for were into the younger man checking them out, but most of them also weren't dads.

"Not if it isn't for you," Ray replied, taking a long sip of his beer. "I'm not looking for anything serious-"

"Oh me neither," Reggie assured him. Sure he always hoped for romance, but a fun one time thing was never an issue.

"Then let's hit the floor."

Even though Ray had been out of the scene for longer than he'd like to admit, Reggie had to commend him on his moves, though you never really forgot how to grind to a steady beat. Arms looped around one another, moving as one in a way that made their blood boil.

"Having fun?" Reggie asked, voice rasping in Ray's ear.

"With you? Definitely," Ray replied, his lips grazing Reggie's cheek as he pulled back, making Reggie shiver. And Ray took that as the invitation it was, capturing his lips in a smoking kiss.

Reggie moaned into the kiss-it was the best one he had received in a long time, and the man giving it to him was insanely hot. Even if this was all he got from tonight, he'd call it a success.

They pulled apart, smiles radiant, foreheads resting together. "That was... wow," Reggie said.

"It really was," Ray replied. "And as much as I wanna do it again...I think it's probably not a good idea. I could see myself really liking you."

"Me too," Reggie confessed.

"So let's say goodbye and leave it at that," Ray said, stepping back. "Thank you for giving me a wonderful time Reggie. I'll never forget it."

Reggie reeled him in for one last kiss at that, refusing to say anything more, just stepping back, letting himself get lost in the crowd-so he wouldn't see Ray leave, even if he felt like he was letting something special get away. And decided to call it a night.

The next day, Reggie felt a little sad, but he couldn't dwell on that-the band had a photoshoot for some indie magazine today, and they were already running late.

At the studio there was a rush to get their hair and make up and outfits all ready-a bit of a rush honestly. They had done the odd photoshoot before, but this one seemed a lot more professional-Luke was already talking about them being on the cover of Rolling Stone one day, with Julie giving him a placating pat on the shoulder.

Then their photographer walked in and Reggie almost choked on his spit. There was Ray from last night in a soft looking Henley and a bright smile on his face. He hadn't noticed Reggie yet, which meant he could think of a funny joke to soften any tension.

But then-

"Papi!" Julie called, rushint to Ray and letting him scoop her into a hug. "You didn't tell me you'd be doing this shoot!"

"I wanted to surprise you mija."

Oh fuck. Ray had mentioned he had a kid around Reggie's age-he just never in a million years thought it would be Julie.

"Come on, I want you to meet my band!"

Luke, Ray obviously knew-he and Julie had been dating for a bit, but the rest of them hadn't yet met, and Ray had to school his expression when Julie introduced her bassist-Reggie. The same Reggie from last night who had rocked his world with a kiss and who he had forced himself to walk away from before he got too deep.

Reggie who was giving him a strained smile and desperately pretending everything was normal now. Even as Ray could remember the soft look in his eyes when he had told him he could like him too much, and Reggie had responded in kind.

"Nice to meet you Mr. Molina," Reggie said, offering a handshake.

"Ray is fine," he replied, returning the handshake.

"Yeah he is," Reggie muttered under his breath, earning him a sharp glare from Alex and a snicker from the man himself.

"Okay, let's get this show on the road!"

Reggie thought the whole thing would be uncomfortable, knowing what Ray tasted kije, how his body felt under that sensible shirt, but it wasn't. It was fun, and quick, and over way too soon.

Ray said goodbye to all of them, making plans with Julie to have dinner sometime soon-inviting the whole band over, claiming to make a mean rack of ribs, which sounded way better than the usual frozen pizza and ramen Reggie usually lived off of.

"So see you around?" Reggie said as the others went ahead, not looking at Ray in a very deliberate fashion.

"Looks like," Ray said, carefully packing away his camera. "Maybe next Saturday night at the club?"

"I thought..."

"Looks like we're going to be in each others lives either way, and Julie had always spoken highly of you," Ray replied, slipping him his card. "I'd like to get to know you myself. And maybe... have some more fun?"

"You're dangerous," Reggie replied, unable to stop the smile spreading on his face. "First drinks on you though."

Ray laughed at that. "That's fair."

"Reggie come on!" Luke called.

Reggie ran off, sliding into the van and buckling up. "Sorry."

"Please tell me you were not hitting on my dad," Julie said, turning around in her seat.

"I was not hitting on your dad."

"Thank goodness."

Reggie smirked, turning to the window-the fact that Ray was hitting on him, well, Julie didn't need to know about that-not just yet.

At least not until after they'd had ribs.

[jatp-spinsb]

numero ✌️ please? though i genuinely cannot decide who would actually wear a turtleneck...

maybe this needs to be a ray pairing? 🤔

After Rose passed, Ray was convinced he would sleep alone for the rest of his days-and he came to terms with that. It was hard at first, sleeping alone after sharing a bed with Rose, the human koala, but eventually he got used to it.

He never expected to go and fall for Reggie.

They shouldn't work, honestly. There was a sizeable age difference, heck he had met Reggie as one of Julie's friends! But there had been attraction there early on, and after a lot of talking, and some help from an anonymous hook up app, they found themselves together.

Now Ray couldn't ever go back to sleeping alone.

However this morning he had to get up out of bed-sunrise shoots were the worst. Which meant extracting himself from Reggie's octopus like grip and get ready. Even as it pained him-especially when Reggie whimpered at the loss of his human teddy bear.

But no matter the temptation, Ray did have to earn a living-rock star boyfriend or not. So he went through his morning routine-coffee and some toast, a quick shower and shave.

Only as he was shaving he noticed the blotches on his neck-a combination of hickies and beard burn from Reggie who had decided to stop shaving during the band's hiatus-something Ray wasn't in love with-but he did like how the stubble felt against his skin-even though the results were now painting his neck.

It had been...awhile since Ray had dealt with hickies; Rose had never been a fan of marking him where others can see, but Reggie had the enthusiasm of youth, and Ray hadn't exactly been protesting when he got them.

However it now meant he had to cover his neck up-but it was fall and an unseasonably cool one, so he dug out his lone turtleneck as his saviour. It was just a plain black shirt, but it would do the trick until he figured out a better way to conceal his neck.

He was just straightening himself out in front of the mirror when warm arms folded themselves around his middle. "Why are you cosplaying Steve Jobs?"

Reggie's just woke up voice was rough and sexy, making Ray shiver-even more so when Reggie pulled the fabric down, kissing the back of Ray's neck.

"That's why," Ray rasped out. "You making me your canvas."

"Sorry not sorry," Reggie chirped, nibbling on the knob of his spine, making Ray's knees turn to Jello. "You want to come back to bed and I can mark you up in less obvious places?"

"Tempting," Ray said, forcing himself to step away and turn, whimpering as he saw that Reggie was still naked and sleep warm. "B-but I have a job to do this morning."

"I assume that job doesn't involve doing me?" Reggie asked, playing coy and failing.

"Actual job unfortunately. One that pays the bills and keeps the roof over my head."

"Darn," Reggie replied. "Well I'm going back to bed, and to sleep because is is still dark out and you are a crazy person for being up this early."

"A job's a job," Ray said with a shrug, tucking Reggie in and indulging him with a deep, toe curling kiss.

"Can we come back to that other job when you get home?" Reggie asked sleepily.

"I'll put you on my calendar," Ray promised.

"Oh and Ray?"

"Yeah?"

"Keep the turtleneck-I have a feeling you're gonna need it."

[jatp-spinsb]

ao3 wrapped [writers edition]

How many words have you written this year?

How many works did you publish this year?

What work are you most proud of (regardless of kudos/hits)?

What work of yours has the most hits?

What work of yours got more feedback than you expected?

Favorite title you used

If you use song lyrics, which artist’s songs did you pull from the most?

Pairing you wrote the most for this year?

Favorite pairing you wrote for this year?

What work was the quickest to write?

What work took you the longest to write?

How many WIP’s do you have in your docs for next year?

What’s your longest work of the year?

What’s your shortest work of the year?

What WIP are you taking into next year with you?

What’s your most common “Additional Tags” tag?

Your favorite character to write this year?

The character that gave you the most trouble writing this year?

What’s one pairing you want to explore next year?

Which work of yours have you reread the most?

How many kudos in total did you get this year?

Which work has the most comments?

Did you do any collaborative works this year?

Did you write any gifts this year?

Did you receive any gifts this year?

What’s your most common category?

What do you listen to while writing?

Favorite work you wrote this year?

Favorite line/passage you wrote this year?

Biggest surprise while writing this year?

[jatp-spinsb]

Reggie and his many thinking faces

[jatp-spinsb]

Happy birthday @jatp-spinsb!

When it came to meeting Ray’s kids, he and Reggie had made a plan. It was a good plan, one shaped by Ray’s grief support group’s advice and Reggie’s perchance for listening to Youtubers reading out reddit posts while he worked out. He didn’t want to become anyone’s wicked stepparent. Also, if he was being very honest, he was kind of scared Ray’s kids wouldn’t like him.

Six months, they’d agreed. At least six months, or until they were very sure they were in this for the long haul. Which Reggie had honestly known since the third date when Ray casually mentioned some deep Star Wars Lore. But he’d been a little scared to ask if Ray felt the same.

Though, four and a half months in and he was pretty sure the guy felt the same, considering they’d also talked about other timelines. Like moving in together. And their thoughts about marriage. And when to go public so Sunset Curve’s terrifyingly efficient publicist could ensure that Julie and Carlos were left alone. Reggie was pretty good at keeping his relationships out of the press, but with two kids, it didn’t hurt to be extra careful.

So they had plans.

These plans did not involve Reggie, in just his boxers, making French toast for his man in the Molina kitchen. They did not involve Julie coming home on a weekend she was supposed to be staying over at Flynn’s house. They did not involve the honestly very high pitched screaming from both her and Reggie. They certainly did not involve Ray tripping down the stairs in sweatpants still trying to get a t-shirt over his head.

It was Reggie’s t-shirt. It was far too small on him. It would have been ridiculously sexy if not for the shouting teenage girl standing on the other side of the kitchen peninsula.

“WHY IS THERE A NAKED ROCK STAR IN OUR KITCHEN?” Julie shouted.

“I’m not naked!” Reggie defended, even as he hastened to grab the apron Ray sometimes wore while cooking.

“WHY IS THERE A ROCK STAR IN PIZZA BOXER SHORTS IN OUR KITCHEN?” Julie amended and oh, whoops, moved a little too far from the peninsula there to grab that apron.

Ray took a deep breath, panicked expression turning into… well, a slightly less panicked expression. “Julie, this is my… my friend, Reggie.”

“I know who he is!” Julie hissed at her dad. She did, he’d seen the Sunset Curve poster through the open door of her bedroom. “Why is he here? I thought you were going on a…” She paused, a look of understanding slowly dawning on her face. “No!”

Oh no. This was what he’d been so scared of. Because while Ray had reassured him that the kids had said they were okay with him dating, that didn’t mean they were okay with him dating a guy. Especially a guy like Reggie. Even though he was, as Julie had put it, a rock star, he knew his reputation in the press. He was the dumb, flirty, flighty one. The one who never seemed to have a serious relationship, who never wanted to settle down ‘because Dolly Parton is already taken’. (You make a bad joke once…)

“Mija,” Ray started, his face falling. Reggie turned off the stove, ready to make his retreat. Ray’s kids were the most important thing in his life. If they didn’t like Reggie, that was kind of the end of their future together, right?

“When were you going to tell me?” Julie asked, crossing her arms.

“I-In a couple of months!” Ray hedged.

“Months?” Julie yelled, and yeah, Reggie definitely should get going. Except how was he going to sneak past an angry teen girl in just his boxers and an apron without being a creep? He could just slip out the back door and drive home in his boxers and hope nobody saw, but his car keys were in his jeans, which were on the floor of Ray’s bedroom. “You’re dating the second coolest member of Sunset Curve and you weren’t going to tell me for months?”

Wait… “Second coolest member?” he couldn’t help but ask. Julie looked equal parts mad and flustered, and he took a step back, raising his hands. “I’m just saying, Alex cries at sad commercials, Bobby once got his head stuck in a jack-o-lantern, and Luke thought narwhals weren’t real until like last summer.”

Somehow, his ramblings seemed to take the wind out of Julie’s sails, and Reggie decided that he should press his advantage while he still had it. “I made french toast!”

Julie looked between him, her dad, and the plate Reggie was hopefully holding out. Then, she slid into one of the tools on the other side of the peninsula. “Is there any syrup?” she asked.

Reggie beamed. Maybe things were going to be alright after all.

[jatp-spinsb]

REBLOG THIS TO GIVE THE PERSON YOU REBLOGGED THIS FROM A GOLD STAR BECAUSE THEY’VE BEEN STELLAR TODAY AND THEY DESERVE IT ⭐️

[jatp-spinsb]

Reblog if reading someone else’s fanfiction has helped you get through a hard day

[jatp-spinsb]

Help I can't stop thinking about the Dark Fantasy Fae AU.

There were a lot of things Ray could have never imagined when he married Rose. Moving out of their shabby little apartment into their house after a series of in hindsight rather telling instances of good luck. Their two amazing kids, who were so smart and talented and kind, who seemed to take all the things he loved in their mother and made it their own.

Losing her so young, he'd never imagined that.

And he really couldn't have predicted the four children that landed in their garage throat a magical mushroom portal from a fairy realm.

Still, all things considered, Ray thought he was handling things rather well. He did have a very long phone call with Rose's very ancient grandmother, who told him she knew that when he took her name, he'd do the Molina family proud. Abuelita didn't know how much was myth and how much was family legend and how much was real, but the fact that the fae existed was pretty hard to question after the whole magic portal thing.

He stopped overwatering the plants overnight.

Now, the hardest part was helping the kids adjust to modern day life. Reggie was the easiest, considering he'd only lost about twenty-five years. He was a sweet boy, though a little jumpy at times. Alex was from the 1920s and while he still struggled a little with modern slang, he mostly seemed very grateful at the strides that had been made by the queer community, that allowed him to be who he was and love openly.

Luke was a bit trickier. He was distraught at losing his family, of course. He seemed to take to some aspects of modern times like a fish to water - the first time Julie showed him an electric guitar, Luke looked like he was having a religious experience. But Ray had had to pull him out of the road several times already to make sure he didn't get run over by a car, and then there had been the whole Tinfoil In The Microwave experience.

Willie was the trickiest. Ray had no idea how long he'd been in the fairy realm, given that he'd been switched out with a changeling at birth. But he had no real concept of how the human world worked, save for what he'd picked up from the other three boys. But some days, he seemed more fae than human, confused that Carlos couldn't just levitate to grab something off the top shelf, or that other people couldn't teleport short distances.

Which was what made this conversation so difficult.

"Fix, please," Willie had announced, before carefully settling a dead bird on the dining room table next to Ray's laptop.

The dad part of Ray's brain was already making a list of what needed to happen - get Willie to wash his hands, thoroughly clean the table- when the rest of his mind caught up with the request.

"She flew into a window," Willie said sadly, gently stroking the feathery head, and Ray felt a pang. This was going to be a very difficult conversation. One he remembers vividly having with Carlos when he was four (it had been a torn ladybug) and Julie when she was five (when Flynn's grandmother passed away).

"I- I'm afraid I can't do that," he said.

Willie's face twisted into a confused pout. "But I said please," he pointed out. They'd been working on... well, not so much manners as human mannerisms.

"Yes, and that was very polite," Ray said slowly, trying to figure out how to formulate this without being too harsh. "But I am unable to fix a dead robin."

"Please? I'll do all the cooking and the dishes for a whole..." Willie's face screwed up. Time was another thing they were working on. The entire concept of it seemed to upset him. "Year?"

"Willie," Ray said, gently herding him to sit down. "It's not that I don't want to help the bird. This isn't a deal you can trade for. There is nothing left for me to do to help the bird. Humans cannot fix death."

"Death?" Willie echoed, his voice small and uncertain. Ray nodded sympathetically.

"I'm sorry, there's no fixing the bird," he said slowly. "When something is dead, it cannot be brought back."

"No!" Willie wailed, distraught. "She just made a mistake! It's not fair!"

"Oh, mijo, I know it's not," Ray soothed, pulling him into a hug. "Death often doesn't seem fair." He let Willie cry, rocking him slightly. The sound summoned Alex, who took over, pulling Willie into a hug until they were sprawled on the floor, Willie curled up in his lap.

Ray tried not to focus on the dead bird on the table. He wanted to get it out of the house as soon as possible, but right now, Willie's feelings were more important.

"We can hold a funeral for her," he promised. "Bury her in the garden. That way, she can become one with the earth again, and help the plants grow." He thought that idea might make Willie feel a little better. The boy looked at him with big, not-entirely-human eyes, his lower lip trembling.

"It's the circle of life," Alex agreed. "Remember, like that song from the movie Julie and Flynn showed us."

"A funeral means burying her in the garden?" Willie asked, looking between them.

"A funeral is a ceremony to honour someone's life and say goodbye," Ray explained. Willie understood ceremonies, at least. "We can say a few words, and then bury her."

"Luke can sing a song," Alex said. "Birds like songs, right?"

Willie nodded, sniffling.

Ray squeezed his knee, and stood up. "I'll go get a nice box to bury her in." That seemed to upset Willie, and he shook his head fiercely.

"No dark rooms!" he insisted.

"How about some nice soft paper towels?" Alex suggested quickly. He also looked a bit nauseated at the thought of a dark room. Sometimes, Ray thought he'd never get to the end of the horrors those boys had gone through. He nodded, and went to get some gloves and a whole roll of paper towels.

Alex and Willie stayed on the floor, Alex gently rocking them back and forth while Willie ran his fingers through his long hair. "You're not allowed to be dead," Willie told Alex seriously. "I can't fix you."

"I'll do my best not to die," Alex promised. "I'm never going to leave you."

"If you do die, you have to come back as a ghost," Willie insisted. "No burying in the garden. We will be ghosts together. Like in Carlos' videos."

Alex smiled softly, and Ray tried not to tear up at the all-encompassing love and tenderness he saw in the boy's face, so young yet old and wise beyond his age. "Yeah, okay,"

[jatp-spinsb]

who lives, who dies, who tells your story?

[jatp-spinsb]

one more...

[jatp-spinsb]

Omg imagine a bdsm au or an a/b/o au where everyone has to have a registered alpha/dominant/whatever once they turn sixteen. And Reggie's family sucks so Luke or Alex volunteer to be it for him. Cue the moments at school of them signing his permission slips, calming down a panic attack, and defending him to the principal 😍

Okay but like I have so many feels about this. Like, the boys know Reggie is super scared about this, because if you don't HAVE someone to register to, you get ASSIGNED and even though there are probably like 50 million books and teen movies about meet cutes that way in reality it is a HORROR SHOW. Like in some states at least you get paired with someone your age but you know there's creepy ones out there being like 'of course pairing this sixteen year old to a thirty year old will work out totally fine'.

So of course they reassure him that they got him, don't even worry about it. But Reggie doesn't really want to see them either rock-paper-scissorsing over who has to be his Register, or seeing them half-heartedly thumb wrestling over who 'gets' to be it but both not really wanting to win.

But on the day of, Luke challenges Alex to a goddamn sword fight for Reggie's hand, and Alex is just like, doing Alpha Posturing like: you think you can take me?

And they're causing a ruckus, duelling with Alex' drum sticks, and Reggie is nearly falling over laughing because his friends are idiots who would make a fool of themselves in public to cheer him up. But also they're both really trying to win which makes him feel a lot better.

And Bobby just sidles up like: you seriously want to be registered to either of those idiots? I can sign, too.

And Reggie nearly falls over like: wtf Bobby, we all thought you were a Beta. But shrugs and is like: yeah actually that makes sense, let's go sign up.

The shouts of betrayal when Bobby waves the little paper at the other two is eventually what gets them all detention.

So he ends up signed under Bobby until a few years later when he happily starts dating Luke and Alex. And they're able to start a relationship without the pressure of being someone's Register, and Bobby happily signs over the paperwork when Reggie feels like he's ready AND THEY ALL LIVE HAPPILY EVER AFTER.

[jatp-spinsb]

fic writers and fan artists be like

[jatp-spinsb]

do NOT tell reggie peters that there have been 3 voltron reboots since he died 🚫🙅‍♀️

luke | alex