#carlos and tk who are the ones actually getting married carlos and tk

[stevenrogered]

i love that they’re such good people but im getting pretty tired of judd and grace’s only scenes this season being supporting everyone else and not having a real story of their own. 

its been an ongoing problem but between that, carlos only being in every other episode, and the other members of the 126 only getting one episode each (if that) to shine and then fading back into background characters the rest of the episodes, its really frustrating

[paperstorm]

Alright. I am gonna say this once more and never again because I am exhausted. I never said I hated the idea of them having kids. I know every time I open my mouth I get shaded and then an inbox full of moldy takes so apparently there’s a literacy epidemic around here but I never said I hated the idea of them having kids. I have said I am hopeful that it will be done in a way that is respectful of Carlos’s feelings on the topic because they are valid feelings and being a father is not something that TK, or anyone, is entitled to if their partner doesn’t feel the same way.

I am personally tired of the “person does not want kids for very valid reasons, then person learns that they were wrong and did want kids all along and they are whole now!” trope. The way this was handled in Brooklyn Nine Nine, a show I love, felt particularly icky to me, where Jake doesn’t want kids for an extremely valid reason (quite similar to Carlos’s actually) and Amy makes it immediately clear that she won’t stay married to him without children and basically berates him into it. I would love some representation at some point for people who know they don’t want kids and don’t change their minds, or even where there is a disagreement and the partner who does want kids is the one who changes their mind. The way this was handled in season four was so beautiful because Carlos’s feelings were treated as valid and understandable and TK chose him and them, not the hypothetical idea of a future family. Treating wanting to remain childless as a valid and respectable life choice is rare.

Representation is literally just diverse people existing on screens, that’s all it is. Diverse humans with diverse perspectives and experiences exist and so characters who reflect that should also exist. If Tarlos has kids, it will be good representation for queer couples who want kids. If they don’t have kids, it will be good representation for queer couples who don’t want kids. If they moved to Appalachia and took up spelunking, it would be good representation for queer couples who want to do that. Representation is not a statement on *what* the people are doing. The existence of the characters is the representation because no group has a singular experience.

It does seem likely at this point that they will get Jonah, and I am not (apparently to the disappointment of some??) throwing a tantrum over it because I’m grown. If they choose to have children, I’m sure I’ll love it because this show rarely disappoints me. If it’s done in a way that is different from how I personally would have written it, I will say “oh well” and carry on with my life because I am not five years old. None of this is that deep, and the people gloating in my inbox right now that they’re gonna get Jonah and I must be so upset about it are telling on themselves a lot more than they’re telling on me.

[whineandcheese24]

tbh I'm honestly really glad that buck's first kiss with a man, wasn't with Eddie. I feel like there are so many queer characters, (especially bi characters) that come to terms with their sexuality because of their endgame relationship. Alex's (rw&rb) bi awakening was with Henry, the guy he ends up marrying, Nick's (heartstopper) was with Charlie, his first and only boyfriend, even other queer characters in the 911verse like Hen, TK, and Carlos, only have their one main love interest (I know Hen had Eva, but she was really just there for drama). and that's not to say that there's anything wrong with a character only having one love interest, or that you're not actually bi (or whatever sexuality) if you end up with your sexual awakening. but I like that Buck might get to actually explore his sexuality with more than one person. this is truly a revolutionary thing because you have a main character who has historically been shown as traditionally masculine and a womanizer, and seven seasons into the show (and 32ish years into his life) he's been given a bi awakening, and he might actually get to be with more than one guy, or get to be with another girl after. obviously, I hope he does end up with Eddie, but I really hope we get to see him dating or being with a few other people, because I feel like we never see that

Edit: because I just realized I said in a previous post that I didn't think Buck and Eddie needed to date other people before each other, I have quite obviously changed my mind, but I don't think I realized how much I wanted buck's bi awakening to be it's own thinkg separate from buddie until this episode, and I'm really glad I was wrong, and they did it this way

[doublel27]

Alright, @paperstorm and @liminalmemories21 , based on this post, and your very sweet anon who asked what Carlos thought about TK getting snuggly with his dad:

Carlos is a man who wouldn’t imagine an adult relationship with his father with that much physical contact or intimacy and seeing this very attractive man who has an amazing relationship with his father probably was really, really appealing to Carlos.

We know, now, after four seasons, that Carlos desperately wanted a better relationship with his father than the one he had. When Carlos meets the Strands in 1.01, he finds a father and son team who work together who came down from New York, together, to join the 126. And the idea for Carlos that you could have an active working relationship with your father where the two of you were on the same team and there was as much respect as TK clearly had for his father when Carlos deeply believes his father never wanted him to be in law enforcement because he’s too soft. Carlos Reyes cannot imagine a world in which he is allowed to work with his father and be so unabashedly proud of him.

And then, LATER, at the bar, when Carlos is looking at this man who is actually too attractive to be real, he watches as TK snuggles in and leans on his father, and I agree with @paperstorm that part of this is about touch and that TK is snuggly and this is a good sign. BUT ALSO, that a grown man would cuddle his father in public and his father would ALLOW it. WILD. INCONCEIVABLE. And so very attractive to a man who I think WANTS that.

Which leads me to the part of my essay in which we get to how this leads to 2.04. It’s no secret, I adore 2.04. The lead up from 2.02 when TK is like “you spend so much time around my crazy family, when do I get to meet yours” and Carlos being like “refill?” and then the issue got forced at the farmers market. In the fight that ensues after the farmer’s market, the thing that Carlos says when he explodes is about how not everybody grows up with parents that threw the closet door off the hinges. Because Carlos is deeply envious of TK whose parents didn’t go silent when he came out and then pretended it didn’t happen. He’s envious of a TK who if he had tried to marry a woman a year later would have been like “Ummm….what the actual fuck, TK?” and made him sit and talk about it. (Do I still hate this storyline, yes? But it fits the narrative in this way) and like…not only did you, TK, come out and be accepted and encouraged, but it didn’t put a chasm between you and your parents of what they thought a man should be and what you were.

Like Owen Strand accepts and encourages the man that TK is. He accepts that TK is a gay man who is incredibly physically affectionate with anyone he loves and that’s okay. They still have a physical relationship and it’s not a problem and it’s actually something that is encouraged, meanwhile Carlos hasn’t said an honest thing to his father about who he really is and what he wants outside of showing his father he’s a good cop and a good man. And like, they’re not-not physically affectionate, Gabriel is a hugger, but the hug in 2.08 where Carlos is clearly craving more because his father whispers in his ear about the right kind of instincts still hurts every time, and the way he’s so pleasantly surprised with the hug from his dad in 4.08 after he asks Gabriel to be his best man and they hug for even a little longer and it’s just so happy that it’s relieved almost and that required a lot of work on Carlos and Gabriel’s parts to get there.

And so yeah, I think if we think about who Carlos says he was, and who we knew him to be in season 1, this man who was very clearly locked up in his own sense of who he should be versus who he is at his core, and what he craves. The narrative throughout season 4, that Carlos brings up, is that TK was the key that unlocked a lot of the parts of himself he didn’t accept and wanted to fix. And I think he saw this grown man who is gay and his age having the kind of relationship he wanted with his father and that man’s father not only accepted it but openly encouraged it and wasn’t embarrassed…I think it meant the world to Carlos.

I think he saw TK and not only wanted him but wanted to believe that the life TK had was possible for himself, and he wanted to get there. And damn it he did.

Which I think made it even harder for Carlos, in seasons 1 and 2, who was working to get rid of the idea that the queer parts of him and the parts of him that didn’t live up to the machismo of his community were broken and in need of fixing, to introduce this very unabashedly unashamed person to his parents. In 2.04, Carlos talks a lot about not wanting to shove his gayness in his parents’ faces, because in some ways the concept that being gay is something in him that needed fixing comes from his family and their lack of conversations in the years before TK.

To introduce TK to his family is the chance to have them confirm that they do feel that way, to reject Carlos and TK, to a man who strives for perfection and doing the right thing…terrifying. Not only for Carlos, but for someone to come and wound TK like that. So he avoided it, until he ran right into it…and then was mad because TK gets from Gwyn and Owen something Carlos wants desperately, and TK has always had it. And then to think of Carlos afraid of his parent’s reaction to TK when Gwyn and Owen just like love Carlos unconditionally…yeah…yeah, I think he was into it and envious from the start.

Which makes me want to go rewatch scenes between Carlos and Gabriel for their physicality for more research. Damn it, haven’t wanted to do that in awhile. Also, if the show would kindly retcon the murder of Gabriel Reyes and I can have a redo of the finale with Gabriel as Carlos’s best man (even though I hate that trope and want Carlos to have friends) as the start of season 5 I may start to forgive them.

(Please go watch With, Love to be filled with joy and rage about what we could have had as Benito is at his other gay son’s wedding…)

[alrightbuckaroo]

Happy Friday, my loves! It's been a minute since I've seen this tag game go around and it's been even longer since I participated. Seems like the perfect time to change that. As always, please feel free to use this as a jumping off point for all the wonderful words that have been written. Don't stop with just this list!

Take my hand, take my whole life, too by @heartstringsduet

With each wrinkle, each scar, each crease, each spot, their rings, their hands tell the stories of their lives together.

throw me on a hurricane (i'll ride it to the coast) by ArsenicInYourPudding

This is, in fact, TK's first rodeo. Carlos is lucky that he's there anyway.

Protect me by Karaxuno

“It’s what you want, isn’t it?” TK asks, struggling for a second to find the words for what he wants to say, “Space to grow?” “With you, I’d take a closet.” Carlos teases, his fingers dancing away from his shirt sleeve and instead tracing up and down the line of TK’s jaw. “Been there, done that, let’s find a house.” TK grins, unable to stop the little laugh that bubbles in his chest. Or, post-S2-fire TK and Carlos look for a place together, and house shopping has its ups and downs.

Among my stillness was a pounding heart by @tailoredshirt

TK took a deep breath. “I think we need to talk about what happened last fall. With the loft.” Carlos’s brain was skipping around from one feeling to the next like a pinball. “With…when we broke up?” “Yeah.” “You…want to talk about the breakup,” Carlos said slowly. “While I’m proposing to you.” TK squeezed his hands. “Yes. Please.”

I hold onto the night you looked me in the eye and told me you loved me by @irispurpurea

"I have lost everything!" TK roars, and it feels so good. "Isn't that the whole point?" Or: It's the beginning of Season 4, and TK and Carlos are broken up again.

The Light of Our Life by @carlos-in-glasses

After an awkward conversation, Carlos buys TK a bearded dragon and fears it may be a parting gift (Coda for 4x12)

See Me (All of Me) by @bonheur-cafe

A fractured heart and a plea to be seen. Otherwise known as: the apology from his mom that Carlos never got, but deserves.

Make Me Laugh 'till I Die, I Stand Beside You With Pride by @lemonlyman-dotcom

A coda to the ending scene of 4x06. TK has a moment of insecurity; Carlos reassures him and, in the quiet safety of their bed, confesses an insecurity of his own.

tried and true blue by @reyesstrand

"She knows," Owen says, his eyes almost too sincere for TK to handle. He clamps his molars together and just stares at his father, because if he lets himself think too hard about all the ways his mom is still here, somehow, he'll probably burst into tears. Owen gives him a sad smile. "She does, TK. She used to talk about when you'd get married all the time." There's a pause, and TK curls his fingers tighter around his mug, letting everything simmer between them. "When I got married," TK quietly repeats. "Not if?"

and because there's a new chapter on the way, I'm going to recommend my shameless collection of smut, something to give each other (things are about to get so casual)

No pressure tagging everyone above and:

@captain-gillian, @carlos-tk, @cold-blooded-jelly-doughnut, @basilsunrise, @butchreyes

@nancys-braids, @never-blooms, @mikibwrites, @lightningboltreader, @herefortarlos

@honeybee-taskforce, @guardian-angle22, @freneticfloetry, @fifthrideroftheapocalypse, @strandnreyes

@sheholdsthemoon, @actual-sleeping-beauty, @whatsintheboxmh, @welcomehometk, @reasonandfaithinharmony

@welcometololaland, @eclectic-sassycoweyes, @rmd-writes, @thisbuildinghasfeelings, @theghostofashton

@orchidscript, @paperstorm, @emsprovisions, and of course here's an open tag for anyone who just wants to share!!

[carlos-in-glasses]

2023 Writing Round Up

Thank you for the tag @heartstringsduet @reasonandfaithinharmony @jesuisici33 @chicgeekgirl89 @thisbuildinghasfeelings @theghostofashton @orchidscript @welcometololaland @ladytessa74 @strandnreyes @reyesstrand @alrightbuckaroo

Rules: Share what you wrote this year! It can be works you posted to Ao3, Wattpad, Tumblr, or anywhere else! You can share everything you wrote or just the ones you're most excited about.

15 fics this year! I have loved writing and sharing every one of them. Thank you to everyone who has read or will at some point. Work is a lot busier these days, so I don’t anticipate writing the same volume in 2024…but we shall see! I just want whatever I share to be good quality, and it’s my New Year’s resolution to keep improving. I love Tarlos. I love writing Tarlos fic. I love this fandom.

January

The Ruins of Wonderland – a reimagining of TK and Carlos getting back together after their breakup. I posted this on New Year’s Day, resolving to start 2023 off on the right fanfic foot.

Chasers – A coda for 3x13. TK talks to Cooper about his past, while Carlos goes for a swim and thinks about his own. When Carlos gets home, he and TK have an important chat. The rection to this fic spurred me on to continue writing in the flashback/vignette/timeline format.

February

Man to Man – A coda for 2x11 and 2x12, which also looks at Carlos coming out to his parents and where he is now with it all.

March

Afterglow of a Supernova – When fiancés TK and Carlos help Carlos’ high school crush and his wife during a call, they end up having a dinner with them that leads to jealousy in an unexpected way. The feedback I’ve had on this fic sent me to the moon on rainbows.

April

The Heart Behind the Shield – My first chaptered fic! I'd been wanting to write a 2x08 coda, but it was 4x04 that made it possible. This combines events from both episodes where there’s duality, and was an absolute blast to write and post.

The Light of Our Life – Listen, I wrote this during an extended lunch break and posted it the same day. For somehow it’s my fifth most kudos’d fic of the year…Thank you!!! We were all deep in our Lou II feelings at this time. Never forget.

Fire Island – TK and Carlos travel to Fire Island, where an older gay couple talks to them about their experience of the AIDS crisis in 1980s New York. This fic by far had the most emotional impact on me while writing it, and based on feedback it seems to be the same for readers(?) People have shared personal stories and memories with me since I posted this, and I just want to say I’m truly grateful for the response, given I wrote it in January but didn’t feel brave enough to post it for a few months.

May

With Infinity Folded Into It – Written for the @tarlosweeklyprompts Countdown to the Wedding event (prompt was: Love). After TK proposes, Carlos remembers the first time they said “I love you.” It’s fluff, it’s smut, it’s kinda angsty because Carlos is trying to bake and baking is stressful.

The Center of the Maze – Another written for Tarlos Weekly Prompts Countdown to the Wedding. (Prompt: "I Never Thought I Would Get This Day".) I thought this was going to be a 2k one-shot; it turned into 20k split into 4 chapters… Seven times they thought they would never get married, and one time when they actually did. I was super inspired and happy with the writing in this one.

June into July

When Soulmates Swim – The closest I’ll ever come to writing a sports AU (….or is it?👀…) Sparks and splashes fly when TK and Carlos each take up swimming while they recover from workplace injuries. I really pushed myself with smut and humour in this fic and the feedback I’ve had has been incredible. One of the most enjoyable writing experiences I’ve ever had, this fic holds a special place in heart.

Release The Hand to Relax the Animal – TK and Carlos explore the world of tantric massage in their own way. Written because Rafael Silva has madly attractive hands, and @heartstringsduet and I thought we should celebrate. You can read Michelle’s hands fic, Take My Hand, Take My Whole Life, Too, here. It is BEAUTIFUL.

(Nothing in August)

September

Sweet Dreams and Flying Machines – A 3x08 coda, which also gets into TK and Carlos’ childhood memories of 9/11, and the way that event went on to impact their lives (to the point where it set them on the path to meeting each other). It recieved the most amazing comments, with people sharing their memories of 9/11, so like Fire Island this fic feels deeper to me in a social way.

October

Suddenly in the Silence – I’d ‘joked’ about the show giving us Ghost Gabriel in season 5, but a conversation with thisbuildinghasfeelings led me to explore that concept myself. In this fic, it’s up to the reader to decide whether they think the spirit of Gabriel is around, which made writing it challenging but a lot of fun. It’s so interesting to see what side people fall on!

November

Where All This Love Comes From – This is my Tarlos novel at ~90k words, due to finish posting in February. I began writing it in March, when a hefty amount of plot relied on Gabriel being alive after season 4. Substantial rewrites happened after May, which was pretty gutting at the time, but ultimately I think this has ended up being the best thing I’ve written so far in my life.

December

There is a smutty one-shot coming with a scream very soon…And I hope you like it!

I'm not sure who has already done this - tagging with no pressure if you want to share/haven't already - and open tag!

@cold-blooded-jelly-doughnut @goodways @lemonlyman-dotcom @paperstorm @wandering-night19 @heartstringsduet @im-overstimulated-and-im-sad @rmd-writes @rosedavid @chaotictarlos @lightningboltreader @taralaurel @three-drink-amy @redshirt2 @noxsoulmate @sanjuwrites @bonheur-cafe @liminalmemories21

❤️🩷🧡💛❤️🩷🧡💛

[literateowl]

Season 5 Countdown Tag Game

For the @lonestar-s5countdown

(1) Which character death in 911 Lone Star hit you the hardest?

I think Gabriel's because I was not expecting it, it was rushed and is still unsolved. And also partly due to my own saltiness because my exact words to my sister before it aired was "the show is 2 hours tonight because someone's gotta have a near death experience and they also have to get married" and then, yeah we all know what actually happened. I hate it here 😑

(2) What is your favorite grief-related moment in the show?

Hmm The montage at the end of 2x02 sticks out because it shows all of them after losing Tim. It was fairly early in the show and I thought it was a nice touch of characterization to see how everyone chose to cope with it. And of course the TK and Carlos stairs hug <3

I also love the Owen and Carlos moment in the season 4 finale after Carlos goes off the rails.

(3) Do you think there will be a character death in season 5? If so, any guesses about who it might be?

They're kinda running out of side characters to kill off. Unless they introduce a new one just to kill them like Robert, I hope no one dies next season.

(4) Which living character's death would destroy you the most?

Any of them have the potential for this. Just depends on how the show handles it.

(5) Which character's childhood trauma do you think was most significant in shaping them?

It's a bit of a cop out to say this because we know the most about TK's and Owen's. But I think it's TK. It took him 26 or so years to realize that he didn't want to be a firefighter like his dad. He just wanted to be NEAR his dad because his dad left him when he was 7. But he doesn't even feel like he deserves to feel bad about it because his dad lived you know? Anyway I'm gonna stop before this turns into an entire essay.

💜 Open tag and tags for @lemonlyman-dotcom @thisbuildinghasfeelings @carlos-in-glasses @nancys-braids @tellmegoodbye @bonheur-cafe @goldenskykaysani @captain-gillian

[duckielover151]

I know everyone wants more of TK's background, but if there's one thing I think 911 Lone Star is missing, it's flashbacks exploring Carlos's friendship with Iris. Because I just can't see it.

To be clear, I think Lyndsy Fonseca's portrayal of her is really great. She really brings to life the likely permanent quirks brought on by her mental illness.

But it's really hard to see the girl Carlos describes as his childhood best friend-- the one he trusted and loved enough to legally marry, even if that was just a way to avoid accepting his sexuality-- alongside the Iris that we got to know in present day.

I don't think it would make sense to have those flashbacks now... The most logical time to do them would have been when all the drama was going down with having to get the marriage annulled. But it would have been nice to see.

It feels pretty clear that the whole 'Oops, I'm already married, actually!' plot twist was something they thought up last-minute for added drama... But hey, if you're gonna introduce it, do us the favor of actually exploring it. I'm totally on board with Iris being a more prominent character, her past friendship with Carlos actually meaning something...

I guess Iris Blake is just all-around a character who feels like she should be so much more important than she actually is.

[toomanycupsoftea]

Tag Game Tuesday: 911 Lone Star Fandom Edition

Thank you/kiitos for tagging me @thisbuildinghasfeelings! it is Wednesday today but had to get my thoughts together and it took a while!

When did you first start watching Lone Star? Who or what introduced you to the show?

It was only just last year. And by YouTube actually. The strange ways of video recommendations introduced me to VelvetInkEdits Tarlos videos and down the rabbit hole I went! And then little bit later I realized I wanted more than just the Tarlos story, so I joined the @911lonestarrewatch.

Which season is your favorite?

All seasons have outstanding individual episodes, but overall season 3 gets the trophy from me.

Who is your favorite character? (Bonus: If you answered TK or Carlos, who is your favorite besides them?)

Takes a deep, calming breath to reveal her probably unpopular opinion: Tommy Vega. Honestly, I think Gina Torres is just one of those actresses that hit it out of the park most of the time. And she has gotten some seriously heavy story arcs to carry in the show, unfortunately some of them are quite cringe! But I also love Carlos and TK so so so much. And how could I forget amazing Grace?

Top five episodes. Go!

1. Saving Grace (2x09)

2. One Day (2x13)

3. Push (3x04)

4. A Bright and Cloudless Morning (3x18)

5. Riddle of the Sphynx (3x13)

If you could pick any character to be given a "begins" episode, who would it be and what would that episode look like?

I would love to see one for Carlos. Flashbacks to his childhood, what shaped him to be who he is now. Show us the ranch, the family dinners, more of his cultural heritage. This could be intertwined with the present, investigating his father's murder and interactions with his found family. I am sure Rafael would give an incredible performance!

What is a scenario or storyline that you would like to see in season 5?

Domestic Tarlos. Just lots of it.

What do you think is going on in this still?

I am going to go with my first thought, which was "oh no TK". Maybe this is about Owen and Robert. I would think there would be some fallout for Owen's actions helping Robert pass away. And Carlos would definitely help and use any connections he has.

We all know about the elusive 5x05 spicy scene that has been teased, so what is your prediction for how it could possibly top 1x02?

I mean how can you? That was so spicy indeed! Ronen seemed so excited though but that man loves Tarlos more than life itself so not sure. Maybe it will be spicy because happens outside the bedroom or the couch? Shower? Kitchen?

Where was the Tarlos honeymoon in your mind?

A beautiful all-inclusive resort where they can just focus on being married and in love. Shutting out the rest of the world for a while.

Shoutout one of your favorite fan creations.

I refuse to name just one! I love @thisbuildinghasfeelings cross stitch, art from @heartstringsduet, @whatsintheboxmh, @fitzherbertssmolder, @thebumblecee and @milliehilliearts! I probably forgot someone really awesome, so sorry! Also I need to shout out @paperstorm for "Magnetic North" fic. I love hockey and Dallas Stars more than anything so this fic was such a treat. I will try to read some more so I can shout out more creators, so much talent in this fandom!

[chaotictarlos]

Thinking about this scene:

I see so much of myself in TK at this moment it's not even funny.

TK sitting here, stewing in his thoughts, doom scrolling through some sort of social media. He doesn't outwardly look like anything's wrong, he could just be tired, or anything else so Carlos doesn't immediately pick up on it.

It's obvious that their conversation is one that they've had many times because Carlos doesn't immediately pick up on any of TK's answers being off until TK says "maybe this marriage is a bad idea."

And it makes Carlos stop. He looks up, takes a moment to process what TK said.

Side note to say Carlos looks highly adorable in this picture.

Carlos is standing there, looking at numerous menus trying to decide what to get and when he says "Surprise me", he's definitely not expecting TK to talk about their pending marriage. And we see Carlos pause, take a moment, mumble "okay, that surprised me" and process what TK said.

I love how Carlos doesn't get upset. He recognizes that TK doesn't truly mean what he's just said, that there's some underlying reason why TK has thrown out that maybe they shouldn't get married. Carlos knows how much TK wants to marry him. He knows how much TK loves him.

And, honestly, I think this shows a moment of growth for Carlos. Because the Carlos who was passive aggressive and petty in the season 3 dinner episode, I think would have jumped to the wrong conclusion without much thought. Like:

This Carlos, the Carlos who said "I'm just trying to figure out my place", would have internalized what TK said, wouldn't have tried to talk about it, and would have considered it the other shoe dropping and TK realizing that Carlos isn't actually the one for him.

Instead, though, he sets the menus down and goes over to TK to talk about the comment that he made.

And that just shows so much of their growth as a couple. When Carlos comes over to ask TK what's wrong, TK doesn't run. He doesn't shrug it off. He talks.

Carlos sits down with him and they talk, they actually talk. It's such a beautiful scene. One that needed to happen and I'm just so glad that we got to see it. I'm glad that we got to see them talk it out. It just shows so much growth in who they are. It shows how they talk together when they need to have serious conversations. It shows a vulnerable side of Carlos that we truly not have seen much of. We see more into TK's brain.

And we see them supporting each other. It's just, it's a really beautiful scene and I think that it's so very much well done.

Ronen and Rafael are incredible actors and we're very blessed to know them.

[strandnreyes]

I agree with everything you said about not having kids being a safe option for Carlos. I think this ties into everything else we've ever learned about him, how he's always more hyperfocused on everyone around him that he never even gives himself a chance to think about things that he would want.

He married Iris because he thought it would make his parents happy. He tried to be TK's main source of support in 3x13 because he thought that if he wasn't helping him, then he was failing as a partner. He says he isn't sure he wants kids because he doesn't think he would be a good father.

Yes part of being a good father is actually a desire to be one, but I do actually think he might have that desire just based on his conversation with Andrea, and the tone of his voice when he said he's concerned about who the father will be. One source of his fear is disappointing TK by having this hesitation, but another source of his fear (in my view) actually is what Carlos belives might happen if they DO have kids, and he still ends up disappointing TK in the end if he fails as a father. He's not only scared about not being good enough for TK or good enough for his parents, but he's scared of not being good enough for his kids if he were to have them.

Time and time again, Carlos has taken the safest route in order to avoid failing the people he loves the most, so I actually think that having this storyline come about and tie back into his character development in this way is actually probably one of the most important things they could do for his healing and growth.

Carlos is secure in the knowledge that he's loved, but I also want him to discover some confidence in the fact that he is good enough, and that he is allowed to want things even if those things are scary. He's allowed to be human and fuck up and make mistakes because he has so much love in his heart and cares so deeply, and that in itself is what makes him good.

Yeah!! I've always considered Carlos not wanting kids because he didn't want to disappoint them by not being a good enough father, but I hadn't considered him not wanting to disappoint TK which is interesting!

I think Carlos spent so much of his life thinking he'd never have kids that it plays a role in it too. He married Iris because he didn't think he'd have real love, and he probably wrote off having kids then too. Or, to take it a step further, he might've thought he would be pressured to have kids in his performative relationships, which made him resent the idea more.

I think Carlos is such a 'this is fine' person. He tells himself this is how it has to be and becomes fine with it. His parents didn't say much to him when he came out? this is how it has to be. TK broke him with him? It's fine, he's moving on, this is how it has to be.

So when he started coming up with reasons why he wouldn't want kids, that's what he stuck with. That's what he knew and has continued to know even when the context has changed. and now the context has changed drastically where he's married and he and TK have a stable life where they theoretically could have a child, but he's spent his whole life thinking he doesn't want kids and now he might be forced to reconsider that. but I don't think he'd hate it if he allowed himself to get used to his opinion changing

[aplaceinme]

Me trying to do a crossover with (some of) my ships together just because…

Alex Claremont-Diaz was born in Austin, Texas. So, maybe he actually knows Carlos Reyes, and they were sort of/kind of friends.

And maybe Carlos had as neighbours the Salazar family, therefore he knows Victor.

When Carlos and TK are about to get married, Carlos invites Alex and Henry, and also Victor and his family, and Victor brings Benji as his plus-one. And TK invites Buck, Eddie, and Hen (who also brings Karen).

Once in the wedding, all the couples, Tarlos, Venji, Firstprince and Henren meet, and they totally side-eye Buck and Eddie and plan to get them together because it's so obvious that they are in love with each other but are just completely oblivious (and idiots lol).

Edit 04/09 : The first chapter has been posted!!! You can read it here

[nerdy-frog98]

Finished s1 of 911: Lone Star. My initial thoughts (these are personal opinions and are subject to change);

-TK and Carlos are very cute, but we got soooooo little of their story that I was getting frustrated by it. They’re boyfriends by the end of season 1, but we got so little development with them that I was just like “oh. that’s it? hm, okay. cute.” TK and Carlos individually are amazing though.

-Actually, I was getting frustrated at the overall lack of storylines for everyone except Owen and Michelle. They would do one tiny storyline for each character then never focus on them again (like Marjan and the storyline with the mosque slut-shaming her. I need more of that shit and less of whatever is going on with Owen).

-Owen rubs me the wrong way. Maybe it’s because I’m so used to Bobby, but his ego is too much for me. He’s always gotta be the hero, the center of attention. Does he get better? I do like him when he’s with TK! He’s a good dad, just a very annoying person generally.

-I love Judd and Grace! They’re very sweet. It took me a min to warm up to them, but they’re probably my favorites. Probably because they’re the only characters besides Michelle and Owen getting any screen time lmao. Maybe a hot take, but Grace as a dispatcher has the same energy as Abby as a dispatcher. No, I will not elaborate.

-The emergencies do have the same vibe (and I like that we get to see the other characters shine a bit during the emergencies). Would like to see more of the team doing rescues together though.

-As a deconstructing ex-Christian, the amount of religion within this show makes me very ✨uncomfy✨. I am aware that Texas be like that, so I am doing my best to accept it for what it is. However, there are moments like when Judd was refusing to go to church because of trauma and Grace guilting him into going…that do nawttt sit right with me. This is very liberal for being a texas yee-haw show though, so I’m a little more forgiving of that. [& the emergency in the second episode with the lady who was racist, transphobic, and homophobic - that was probably the funniest thing to happen in both the 9-1-1’s combined. Probs wouldn’t have happened in LA, California]

- Overall, I’m mildly underwhelmed by it. The premise is really good and I like most of the characters. I am mostly hoping the stories get better (more development). It was a short season, so maybe that’s what it was. idk. I’m optimistic.

I went into the og 9-1-1 with some pre-knowledge of characters and a few storylines spoiled for me. The only thing I know about 9-1-1 lone star is that TK & Carlos get married eventually. I know nothing else of literally any other character or storyline. So. 🙏🏼

Also the crossover episode is in season 2, so I am absolutely looking forward to seeing that again.

[beautifulhigh]

Tenderness and rot share a border (AO3 link) -- Chapter 1/5 -- 7k -- rated M

When Carlos was a rookie cop he played a part in bringing down a major crime syndicate. Attention to detail, finding the connections others miss? He helped make the case which had roots all the way through the system.

Newlyweds Carlos and TK are returning from their honeymoon, looking forward to starting their married lives together. Any ideas they had for what that would look like disappear when they are met at airport arrivals by their fathers, APD, and Texas Rangers.

Carlos' past is crashing into his present and now the whole future they had planned is under threat.

With love and thanks to my girls, @bubblesandroses8 and @wtfuckevenknows  who basically got really excited when I said "so I have an idea for Carlos being the target of a hit" and encouraged me to not let it go. You held my hand through this, worked as my sounding board, and yelled at me when I dropped plot points in various inboxes. Thank you and sorry and let's do it again with the next idea, yeah?

Content warnings throughout: this does talk about gun death, death by suicide, and extended threat to life. I promise there no graphic detail throughout but the imagery is there. If you need any specific detail to help you make the right choice for you then please drop me a line.

My very first LS fic had Gwyn in a major role, and I finished it just before 3x07 aired. I finished this just before we got the finale double bill. All I can say is I'm sorry and I promise to not write extensively about any other beloved peripheral character in the future.

New chapters will be posted on Saturdays.

----

"We will shortly be commencing our descent into Austin Bergstrom airport where the local time is—"

TK turned away from the window and laid his head on Carlos' shoulder. "Do we really have to go back to normal?"

"It's called real life for a reason, babe," Carlos laughed softly, pressing a kiss to the top of TK's head.

"Well I think I prefer this life. The one with no work and no responsibility and no alarms."

"Lies in and morning sex?" Carlos asked softly.

"That too," TK laughed.

"The honeymoon isn't actually real life, you know that?"

"I know that honeymoons generally lasted about a month," TK pointed out, "not ten days."

"We had eleven."

"Only because of the freak storm delaying our flight home," TK pointed out, "but historically people had a whole month."

"Yeah, with the intention of focusing on a pregnancy."

"I mean—"

"Do not finish that sentence," Carlos laughed. "There are kids on this flight."

"We could have kids at home too," TK murmured. "I mean…"

Carlos pressed a kiss to the top of his head. "I know."

"I'm not pushing, I just… Just forget I said anything. If you're never there then it's OK. Really."

"Can we just enjoy being married first before we start thinking about life-altering decisions?" Carlos asked. "Just… take a moment for this, for us first? Before we throw our lives into chaos?"

"Sounds good," TK said, as the fasten seatbelt sign clicked on and the announcement began. "I'll take a moment for us if that's all I'm going to get."

          They didn't get that moment.

Keep reading

[thisbuildinghasfeelings]

@ladytessa74 got me thinking about the timeline again...never a good idea! 😂

What I particularly don't understand about the timeline is WHY? No one forced them to put specific numbers on things. WHY say the wedding is happening in 8 weeks and then make absolutely no effort to make that make sense for the rest of the season??

My theory is that when they wrote the first few episodes, they put the 8 week thing in because it worked for what they wanted to do in that first arc. They wanted the urgency of only 8 weeks until the wedding. Carlos wanted to make TK happy by giving him a wedding at his dream venue BUT oh no! He was still married to Iris! The 8 week deadline gave him just barely enough time to get divorced from Iris, made even more urgent when Iris went missing before she could sign the divorce papers! That was the sole purpose of the 8 weeks. I don't think they really thought it through further than that.

Even with all the wedding mentions for the rest of the season, having to quickly plan a wedding in 8 weeks was never a real issue after that first arc. It didn't change anything or drive the plot forward once those first few episodes were over. After the purpose of creating urgency in that first arc had been served, the fact that they had to put a whole big wedding together in just 8 weeks didn't matter anymore.

Of course, this still doesn't really explain why the writers don't care to maintain basic continuity on their own show. I wonder if it has to do with how quickly the whole thing is produced? A lot goes into making this show and a lot of it is happening at once. They're writing and filming episodes and doing post-production on episodes about to air all at the same time. Still seems like they should be able to maintain basic continuity, but it doesn't really seem like an ideal system. Who sets it up this way? It must be the network. I kind of doubt the creatives involved would actually choose to do it this way if they had any kind of a choice. Is the real villain here capitalism???

Anyway, maybe this is a silver lining to the ungodly long hiatus before season 5. It might give the writers time to more thoroughly think through the entire season before they start filming perhaps? Probably not...but I can dream.

[carlos-in-glasses]

Complete 20k fic of 4 chapters - all chapters are now on Ao3

The Center of the Maze

TK and Carlos have never found themselves on the easy path – yet, somehow, every path they've taken has led them to this moment, together.

Or, 7 times they thought they would never get married, and one time when they actually did.

Written for @tarlosweeklyprompts Countdown to the Wedding. Prompt: "I Never Thought I Would Get This Day".

Chapter 1 - 2020

TK has a crisis while on the road to Austin – and – Carlos meets an interesting man while attending the scene of a crash on a rainy night, only to see him again at the honky-tonk.

Chapter 2 - 2021

TK finds his way back to Carlos after their first big fight – but – months later, Carlos can’t find his way back to TK after their biggest fight of all.

Chapter 3 - 2022

Grief-stricken TK finds himself in the middle of a reckoning mid-air – and – months before, Carlos holds vigil at the bedside of a man who doesn’t even want him in his life…

Chapter 4 - 2023

TK and Carlos go for a run while they await the results of Owen’s test for the Huntington’s gene – and – after a journey through hell and back, Carlos Reyes marries the love of his life, TK Strand.

Read on Ao3