#fic: dear Leslie

[jamietarttsnorthernattitude]

More info about each below:

it makes me mad, it makes me sad, i break in half - chapter two is jamie's pov of the next day

false confidence - chapter 3 picks up at the hospital

higgins advice line - 5 times Higgins gave good advice and one time he gave bad advice (jamie in man city)

i hit jamie with a car - season one inspired version of or sequel to the loudest silence

old habits die screaming - jamie's dad is staying with him, it doesn't go well, he goes to beard

kindergarten cop au - jamie goes undercover at a primary school to find the daughter/mother of a criminal he's been hunting, cullen o'sullivan.

copenhagen - roy and jamie get on the bus after Amsterdam like adventures, only jamie has a black eye. no one believes roy it was an accident.

misery - jamie's dad is staying with him, jamie ends up in hospital with no memory of how, jamie's dad "takes care of him" more gaslighting than physical damage though James is not meant to be a nurse let's say.

secret besties - dani and jamie keep in touch after the curse fire, when jamie rejoins the team he doesn't want the team to think poorly of dani so they hide it right until jamie gets hurt

[darkficsyouneveraskedfor]

Dirty Work 22

Warnings: this fic will include dark content such as bullying, familial discord/abuse, and possible untagged elements. My warnings are not exhaustive, enter at your own risk.

This is a dark!fic and explicit. 18+ only. Your media consumption is your own responsibility. Warnings have been given. DO NOT PROCEED if these matters upset you.

Summary: You start a new gig and find one of your clients to be hard to please.

Characters: Loki

Note: Sinuses are trying but I'm fighting!

As per usual, I humbly request your thoughts! Reblogs are always appreciated and welcomed, not only do I see them easier but it lets other people see my work. I will do my best to answer all I can. I’m trying to get better at keeping up so thanks everyone for staying with me.

Your feedback will help in this and future works (and WiPs, I haven’t forgotten those!)

I love you all immensely. Take care. 💖

"There you are. Lots to go around," Frigga seals the top of another container. "It'll be a nice surprise, eh?"

"Uh, thank you," you offer a fragile smile.

"Of course, dear. I know how stressful it can be to care for the sick. Odin, my husband, had a scare a few years back. A heart episode..." she explains as she puts the large containers in a cloth bag, "it was a rather eventful family dinner, to say the least."

You let your smile fall. You're reminded of your father on the floor, lifeless, your mouth over his as you desperately tried to breathe life into him. The kitchen blurs around you as you revert to the horror of that moment.

"Darling," Frigga frightens you with a gentle squeeze on your forearm, "apologise if I said something."

"No, no, my dad will be happy," you roll the tension from your shoulders. "Leslie too."

"Leslie?" She prompts curiously.

"His nurse. Sometimes she cooks dinner so this will save her some work."

"Ah, a nurse. That must be expensive."

"A little," you admit, "I have some stuff to finish up on still..."

"Oh, don't let me keep you any longer. I know how demanding my son can be," she pats the bag and slides it to the corner of the counter, "this will be waiting for you."

"Thank you. Again."

You turn to go, little, reluctant steps as you venture back into the large house. Dread slows your feet like a ball and chain as you climb the staircase, pausing every few steps to listen. Mr. Laufeyson is lurking somewhere, like a snake in the grass, you know it.

You turn towards the library and pass the open study door. You peek inside and find it empty.  You press on and knock before you enter the library. Alone, you shut the door and let out a heavy breath.

Your heart is racing as if you've escaped some terrifying race. You go to the desk and sit, leaning forward to plant your elbows in front of the closed laptop and cradle your head. What is happening? You can't handle all this. You need to get it together. But how? You've never dealt with any of this before; the spreadsheet, the woman coddling you, and the man who looms in the shadows.

Shoot! You forgot about Ronan. He's due to finish soon. You should go check on him. You stand up and spin, stopping short as a figure fills the door frame between the study and library. You stare at Mr. Laufeyson like a doe caught before a speeding car.

"You have some time," he raises his wrist, checking his watch; the black band and the blue face, that little accessory that caused so much trouble.

"Um, yes, I was going to see the carpenter--"

"I've dealt with him. He's loading up his truck now," Laufeyson slithers forward, "you needn't worry about him."

"Oh, thank you, Mr. Laufeyson," you look down and open the laptop, stunned by the image on the screen. 

You expect your screensaver to cascade down but instead, there's a woman in a rather scant black and white outfit. Your lips part and you slam shut the computer. Your fingers rest on the lid as Mr. Laufeyson strides closer.

"Hope you don't mind I borrowed your laptop, my own was charging," he purrs, "bit of online shopping, seeing as my mother's hard work should save us some cost on culinary services."

"Mr. Laufeyson," you tremble, staring at the desk, "what..."

He hums and leans in, his fingers splayed wide as he places his hands on the wood, "what...hm?"

You steel yourself and force yourself to look him in the eye. You flinch at the darkness there and stutter. "Wh-what are you doing?"

He snickers and tilts his head, "I simply thought you earned a bonus with all your hard work," his tongue pokes out as he smirks. "It should suit you well..."

You take a step back, nearly falling into the chair as you collide with it. You can't hear above the pounding in your temples. No, it can't be what you think it is. He's not saying that. He can't expect you to wear that... that... thing. You stumble around the seat and scurry to the door, fumbling with the handle as his calm pursuit trails after you.

As you pull the door inward, it snaps back shut. His hand is above you on the wood as he pens you in against the door. You whimper and clutch the handle tightly, pressing yourself to the door as your heart hammers against your ribs. You shudder as his other hand curves around your waist.

"When it arrives, you will put it on," he commands, "and you will begin your duties as always."

"Mr. Laufeyson, please, I'm scared--"

"You needn't be," he purrs as he leans in to inhale your scent, his breath grazing your scalp, "you take orders rather well. I trust you will continue to do so."

"I don't--" you wisp as you brace the door, his fingertips poking into your side as he grips you tighter, "I don't want to..."

"Mm, pet, you should know by now," he loosens his hold on you and lets his hand stretch across your stomach, dragging it up to your chest as he brings himself flush to your back, "this isn't about what you want." He bends and nips your ear with a growl, "you wouldn't want to let dear old dad down, would you?"

You whine and twist the handle frantically. You're pinned to it as he continues to grope you, rolling his body against yours from behind as he groans. You're mortified as heat radiates from his touch and floods your veins. The flames lick at you and have you tingle as nuzzles you breathily.

"Didn't think so," he rasps and slowly draws away.

He backs away as your knees buckle and you slide down the door, crumpling against it. His shadow struts away as your hands shake and you watch them in a haze of shock. You're weak, you're stupid, and you're worthless.

You could scream for help, you could run out, you could try. But you won't because he's right. You can't. You need him more than he needs you.

💄

Mr. Laufeyson opens the door ahead of you, waiting patiently as he turns to watch you. You carry the bag of containers against your work bag down the hall as Frigga trails you. She informs you that she put a few extra goodies in as a surprise. You nod and thank her, trying not to show your discomfort as you near your employer.

"Thank you, mother, but I'm certain she is eager to be away," Laufeyson intones, "she has a loving father waiting for her at home."

You flinch. You still wonder if he'd witnessed that pocket dial or not. He's hard to read even when he's spelling it out clearly. You bid a final goodbye but scuff to a halt as Laufeyson stretches out an arm.

"Allow me," he takes the bag from you, his hand brushing yours before closing around the straps.

"Aw, Loki, my gentleman," Frigga preens, "darling, you have a good night."

You let him take the tote and your work bag. You precede him out the door, fluttering your fingers as if to shake away his touch. He follows you as his mother watches from the door. You keep your head forward as he comes close, sidling around you to open the passenger door before you can do so yourself. His behaviour sets you even more on edge. He's taunting you.

You get in and make yourself as small as you can in the seat. You refuse to look at him as you buckle in. He shuts the door and opens the rear one, placing the bags on the backseat before he diverts around the hood. He claims the driver seat, the car shifting slightly with his weight. He pushes the ignition and the car whirs to life. You fixate on the dashboard, trying to tamp out his presence and the memories nipping at your mind.

He clicks his belt into place and adjusts the mirror. He takes his time. You can tell it's deliberate. You don't understand him, but you're starting to. Everything he does is for his own delight, which he seems to draw only from your distress. You've never met anyone like him.

"A lovely day," he declares as he shifts gear, "wasn't it, pet?"

You blink and look at your lap, tracing a line on your palm.

"Now, don't be rude, I asked a question."

"Yes, Mr. Laufeyson," you mutter.

"You must be tired," his hand wanders from the stick to your knee, "why don't you close your eyes and enjoy the ride?"

"I'm okay," you fold your arms as he squeezes your leg.

"What is the matter, hm? You seem perturbed, pet."

You shudder and put your hand on his as it starts to crawl higher, "Mr. Laufeyson, please stop calling me that."

"I'm tired of your little game," he pinches the tender flesh of your leg.

"I'm not--"

"I've made myself very clear," he taps your leg before slipping his hand out from under yours, "I am interested and that's that. I am wealthy, attractive, I hardly see how it would be an issue..." he steers with one hand as he speaks to the road, "especially for someone like you."

It hurts. To have it said aloud. Not his intent, no, but your worth. Or, what you lack. Who are you to be picky?

You wiggle your nose and turn your face away. You don’t respond as your gaze pans through the window. Your eyes singe and your nose tingles. You feel like the little girl standing against the wall again. The whispers swirling all around you, fingers pointing, voices jeering…

The silence stretches the minutes to eons. You watch the streets pass and lean into each turn. Finally, he steers onto a familiar road. You’re almost there.

He slows and pulls against the curb outside your father’s house. You unbuckle the seat belt and he does the same. You glance up at him but he doesn’t notice. He gets out on his side as you hesitate. Before you can even get your door open, he’s halfway around the car.

You climb out, nearly colliding with the rear door as he swings it open. You sidestep it as he bends to reach within. He pulls out both bags, elbowing the door shut carelessly before stepping up on the pavement. You reach for your work bag and he evades your grasp.

“Ah ah, I insist, it wouldn’t be very nice to let you struggle with all of this.”

You pout. Nice? When has he ever been nice? He’s mocking you again.

“Mr. Laufeyson, please,” you beg, “I can handle it–”

“Go on, pet,” he motions ahead of him with the square tote, “it’s rather rude to refuse an offer of help.”

You cringe and shrug helplessly, throwing your hands up slightly. What else can you do but obey? He knows you have no other choice and he basks in that fact.

You turn and slouch, dragging your feet up the walk as he follows you. You search for an excuse to keep him outside. Some sort of out. He has to understand, your father is sick!

He trails you onto the porch and you stop at the door, facing him.

“I can get it from here,” you eke out.

“Nonsense, I don’t mind–”

“Please, Mr. Laufeyson, my father doesn’t feel well most days. He’s not fit for visitors.”

“I’ve come all this way. I know manners are hardly in vogue around these parts but it is only polite to invite someone in,” he reproaches.

You whimper. Why are you doing this? You don’t ask. You know already. He’s doing it because he can. Because you won’t stop him. You can’t.

“I don’t want you to go in,” you confess as you look down, “please don’t go insi–”

You hear the door, the loud groan of the squeaky hinges before the screen door hits your shoulder. You sidle out of the way and turn to Leslie as she pokes her head out. Her eyes flick up to Mr. Laufeyson and her forehead ripples in surprise.

“I was wondering what all the chatter was,” she opens the door wider, “what’s all this?”

“Um, Leslie,” you gulp, “I…” you blink and look at Mr. Laufeyson, “this is my boss. He just drove me home.”

“How nice,” she remarks, “that’s… him?” She steps out completely, “he’s your boss?”

“Loki,” he introduces himself, “charmed.”

“Me too, me too, I… Leslie, I help her father, I’m the nurse,” she explains.

“We brought dinner,” Laufeyson lifts the tote higher, “my mother wanted to send her well wishes. She heard about her father and wanted to help out.”

“That is so sweet,” Leslie fans herself, “please, sir, come in, come in, Charles will be so happy to meet you.”

Doom crashes down on you. You stand back as Leslie holds the door open and you only vaguely hear Laufeyson’s insistence that you go first. You move in a fuzzy sludge, barely aware of the world around you as your legs carry you on habit alone. 

You stand in the front entryway as Mr. Laufeyson hands over the bag. Leslie takes it with glee and hurries away. You sway and touch your forehead. You wince as he touches your arm.

“Mm, this place is… vintage,” he muses as he nudges you, “please, introduce me. I’ve heard so much.”

You breathe out shakily and curl your fingers into fists. You give a pleading look. You’re already too embarrassed to tell him the truth. He doesn’t want to meet your father and your father doesn’t want to meet him.

You surrender and turn cautiously. You meekly pass through the entryway, your father’s shoulders hunched over the table as he works on the puzzle. You shuffle closer, standing just behind the corner of the couch.

“Dad,” you utter, “um… this is my boss, Mr. Laufeyson. He, er, he brought us some food.”

“Eh, is that what she was going on about?” He snorts into a cough and covers his mouth. He makes no move to rise as he reaches for another piece.

“Charles, is it?” Laufeyson steps forward, stopping just beside you, “I prefer Loki. It’s a pleasure to finally meet.”

“Chuck,” your father snarls, “call me ‘Chuck’.”

“Of course, Chuck, I didn’t mean to presume.”

Your dad tosses the peace and scoffs. He coughs again and stands, adjusting the tub below his nose as he rounds on his visitor. Mr. Laufeyson doesn’t waver as your dad scowls in his direction.

“Wonderful home you have,” Laufeyson offers his hand.

Your father looks at his fingers then narrows his eyes at his face. Mr. Laufeyson is a head taller, though your dad is wider. He claps his hands against your boss’s and tries to jerk his hand. The effort teeters your father but does not affect the other man.

“You’re the one dressing her up like your little whore,” your dad sneers.

Mr. Laufeyson laughs curtly, “pardon?”

“Look at that skirt,” your father spits.

“Better than the rags you supplied,” Mr. Laufeyson retorts without pause, “I can see she didn’t get her manners from you.”

“What did you say to me, boy?” Your father’s face contorts with rage, “you come into my home and– and– and–” 

Your father coughs between each word until he’s racked and quaking. He grips the armrest as he leans forward and covers his mouth, unable to stop the fit. You go to help him but Mr. Laufeyson blocks you with his arm.

“He has his nurse,” he says brusquely.

“Please,” you beg.

“Don’t think I don’t know what you are,” Laufeyson lowers his voice dangerously as your father heaves, clutching his chest. 

“Fuck off,” your dad chuffs out.

Laufeyson snickers and sighs, “are you always so hospitable, sir?”

“If I wasn’t chained to this thing,” your dad clutches the tube trailing down his chest.

“Alas, you are,” the taller man shakes his head, “let’s not. We have a lovely dinner waiting for us. A real man might even be grateful.”

“I’m not hungry,” your father turns and drops onto the couch. “Choke on it.”

Mr. Laufeyson lowers his arm and takes your hand without a look. He drags you away from the couch. He pulls you level with him and commands you to lead him. You take him into the kitchen where Leslie stands by the stove, the radio buzzing on the shelf.

“Just gonna pop it in the oven for a couple,” she smiles, “hon, why don’t you grab some plates?”

“Yes, why don’t you,” Laufeyson urges, “we’ll sit down and have a lovely family dinner.”

[littlemisspascal]

Today marks the 3rd anniversary of my fic The Infinity Cube. I can still remember posting the first chapter, hoping at least one person out there liked it, and I can still remember how it felt to reach the end, a feat that wouldn't have been possible without the support of so many kind souls 💗 I wanted to make something for the occasion and having seen so many amazing web weavings out there, I thought I'd give it my best shot 😊

THE INFINITY CUBE: a journey home

Shades of Earth by Beth Revis // I Choose You by Adam Melchor // When Did It Happen? by Mary Oliver // First Love by Jennifer Franklin // The Picture of Dorian Gray by Oscar Wilde // The Bronze Horseman by Paullina Simons // The Amber Spyglass by Philip Pullman // 10 a.m Is When You Come To Me by Louise Bourgeois // Maybe In Another Universe, I Deserve You by Gaby Dunn // Maybe When the Time is Right You Will Find Me Again - K. Tolnoe // We Were Missing the Present by Mahmoud Darwish // Persona (1966) // Matched by Ally Condie // In the Pines by Alice Notley // It Wasn't Love // La Pointe Courte (1955) // "My better half" by Pablo J. Davis // The Song of Achilles by Madeline Miller // Bioshock Infinite // Calling a Wolf a Wolf by Kaveh Akbar // Oh It Was Meant to Be - Kate McGahan // Pillow Thoughts by Courtney Peppernell // If My Body Could Speak by Blythe Baird // Fourth of July by Sufjan Stevens // Unending Love by Rabindranath Tagore // The Blinding Star by Blanca Varela // Wild Spirit, Soft Heart by Butterflies Rising // Finding You by Kesha // Please, Please, Please Let Me Get What I Want by The Smiths // Web weaving about the untold story in you // "Feel like making a deal with the devil?" // A Little Life by Hanya Yanagihara // Reborn: Journals ad Notebooks by Susan Sontag // I love you like a rotten dog // Sax Rohmer #1 by The Mountain Goats // The Bubble (2022) // Rabbit Hole (2010) // Beginning with O by Olga Broumas // How many times can the same thing break your heart? // War of the Foxes by Richard Siken // On Death in Heartbreak // Lonely Day by System of A Down // This Road (The Mirror is a Trap) by Poe // Memory for Forgetfulness by Mahmoud Darwish // "Do you think we're soulmates in another universe?" // Radio Silence by Alice Oseman // "In one timeline we kiss" - Elizabeth Hewer // Tiny Beautiful Things: Advice on Love and Life from Dear Sugar by Cheryl Strayed // Almond Blossoms and Beyond by Mahmoud Darwish // X // The Collected Poems of Alvaro de Campos by Fernando Pessoa // Excerpt from Moony Moonless Sky's 'I am an observer, but not by choice' // @/lookoflove // Stone Butch Blues by Leslie Feinberg // "Do you know what it's like to live somewhere that loves you back?" - Danez Smith // Home by Edward Sharpe & The Magnetic Zeros // The Chaos of Stars by Kiersten White // Home // You and Me

All Pedro Photos - Pinterest // Reader in my story is physically a blank slate, I just really like the photo of Javi + Gabriela touching foreheads

[chronically-ghosted]

do you have any fic recs with similar vibes to lsyr? i need something to tide myself over till part 2

hello dear anon and I apologize for the time it has taken for me to respond to this - turns out planning a wedding and starting a new job and hosting multiple parties for friends and family within a handful of months is NOT conducive to being creative and/or fic writing and/or being remotely social to anyone not in my immediate vicinity! SHOCKING!

I do in fact have some suggestions:

Wild Abandon by @starlightmornings was one of the first "alternate time period AUs" I ever read and has always stuck with me. Loved the setting, the premise, and I was genuinely surprised by the supernatural twist.

@schnarfer's Endurance is truly incredible. I think the mark of a good AU, especially a historic one, is if you can kinda squint, turn your head, and be like 'oh duh why wasn't this actually canon?' and Al really does this well for Frankie.

@ladamedusoif's Tempered in the Fire is so detailed and clearly very well researched it makes for a fantastic historical AU. Her characters are so full and rich and a big sweaty Din Djarin - c'mon what's not to love?

@djarinsbeskar's Boxer!Din is, like, mind-numbingly hot. I know this isn't technically an AU but it does a fantastic job of putting the blorbo into situations and in some of those situations, he's naked.

@leslie-lyman's Stranger At The Gate is also not technically an historical AU, because Pero comes to our time, but it is REQUIRED READING in this household during Christmas time (or in the peak of summer when i'm sweating my face off and i would pay money for a Pero Popsicle)

those are the ones that have really stuck with me - but i know i'm forgetting so much more so if you have one, or know of one, please share it with us!

(also i guess this is a good a time as any to say i finallyfuckingfinished part 2 of lsyr and once my beta is done with it, it will go live on the interwebs 😋)

[franollie]

i finished batgirl (2000) and i loved it so muchhhh i cant even put it into words aaaaaahhhh

anyways do you have any more recs for Cass, Steph or Babs bc i need more (also any fic recs too?)

OKOK so I recommend this reading list for both steph and cass by @/jlquarterly. they also have a more condensed reading list for steph and cass individually as well as more extensive ones for them too. overall just a great account to follow if you need reading lists.

Some overall reads that I recommend:

Cass:

Batman (1940) #567

Detective Comics (1937) #734

(No Man's Land in general is a good read for cass but these are considered her first appearances)

DC First: Batgirl/Joker

Superboy (1994) #85 (i love this issue it is very dear to me)

Steph:

Detective Comics (1937) #647-649

Secret Origins 80 Page Giant

honestly all of Robin 1993 starting with issue #3

Robin (1993) #88 (Steph and Cass first meeting)

Batman: Huntress/Spoiler- Blunt Trauma (HELENA AND STEPH YIPPEEE)

Batgirl (2009)

Babs:

The Batman Chronicles #5 (Oracle: Year One)

All of Birds of Prey 1999

General "batgirls" recs:

Convergence: Batgirl

Steph works in the medical field, the writers acknowledge her pregnancy, its about her relationship with the batgirl mantle, steph and cass live together and have a pet rat together, it's literally perfect

Batgirls

This is where we play the "pick and choose from canon" game

Fics:

Let's Not Talk About It by Procrastinationfairy

T - 4k

Summary: cass explores how words fail to describe feelings, especially in terms of attraction.

MAJOR CHARACTER DEATH

God this fic....here to start. I'm obsessed with the way it tackles cass’s feelings for steph and the lack of language she would have for her emotions…insane...Her anger at tim for not “properly mourning” steph

If taken, I'm yours by evanescent

T - 8k

Summary: Sheer determination is not everything, though, and after exactly eight seconds Stephanie finds herself laying flat on her back after getting knocked down with a very real-feeling baseball bat. For a moment, she thinks the strange sound is her ears ringing, but then she sits up and finds Batgirl standing next to Batman, her shoulder shaking slightly. She’s laughing, Stephanie realizes. Batgirl must catch her staring because she makes a quick, swiping motion with her hand.

“I think,” Batman says, and Stephanie wonders if she has a concussion after all, because he kind of sounds amused, “she’s telling you to be faster.”

In a world when you have your soulmate's first words to you imprinted in their handwriting somewhere on your body, the fact Stephanie can't decipher hers seems like the least of her problems, most of the time.

A really sweet rewrite of Steph as batgirl

ALSO EMILY DICKINSONS POETRY PLAYS A REALLY BIG ROLE IN THIS <3333

heroes and thieves at my door (i can't seem to tell them apart anymore) by hinn_raven

T - 4k

Summary: Bruce really can’t help but think that Stephanie Brown, pre-medicine, piano player, and honors student, with Leslie vouching for her, would be a far better girlfriend for his daughter than Spoiler, the new vigilante in town.

This one has me kicking and giggling every time i read it

It's delightful and funny and just an overall good time

Now Stick It Thick by thebodydies

E - 1k

Summary: Cass’s body always did exactly what Cass wanted. And now Steph’s body did as well.

nobody look at me

Highly recommend checking out all of Hinn_Raven's works especially if you're a steph fan!

[justabigassnerd]

You Knock Me Out, I Fall Apart

Pairing - Jake 'Hangman' Seresin x daughter!reader, Jake 'Hangman' Seresin x Bradley 'Rooster' Bradshaw

Word count - 6,610

Warnings - abandonment, mentions of abortions, implied abuse from Jake's parents, swearing

Inspired by - Dear Theodosia by Leslie Odom Jr & Lin-Manuel Miranda

Summary - Jake walks down memory lane as he shows Bradley a precious photo album

A/N - hey y'all! It's new fic time! This is pretty long but I'm so proud of it. I'm just warning y'all now that I'm British so idk how American football works so Jake & Bradley just support the teams that Glen & Miles support sorry, not sorry. I hope this fic was worth the wait bc it definitely took me a hot minute to write. Anyways I'll stop rambling now. As per y'all please send in requests, feedback and enjoy!!!

It was a day off for Jake and Bradley, so they spent the day at Jake’s house while you were at school and as the two relaxed on the sofa after completing a morning of chores Bradley noticed a photo album laid on the coffee table that he’d never seen before.

“Hey Jake, what’s this?” Bradley asks curiously, pointing at the album and Jake smiles softly, reaching out to grab the album.

“Here, you can look through it. It’s an album I started not long after y/n was born. I found it in one of my drawers last night.” Jake says as he hands the album to Bradley, silently encouraging him to open it.

“Are you sure?” Bradley questions, not wanting to overstep any boundaries as his hands hover over the album.

“I’m sure.” Jake smiles and Bradley can’t help but smile back, feeling honoured that Jake trusts him enough to let him look at this precious photo album. Bradley opens the album onto the first page. A small smile graced his face as he read the first page which displays your full name and date of birth along with a picture of you a few days after you were born.

“The day she was born was the best day of my life. Even above beating you for the Top Gun trophy.” Jake laughs lightly, making Bradley roll his eyes jokingly and shove Jake’s shoulder.

“I can tell you some stories as you flick through the album if you’d like?” Jake offers, his smile softening as Bradley turns the page to the first lot of photos Jake had taken, most of them being hospital pictures, he even had one your mother had snapped while he was holding you. Bradley could tell from the look on Jake’s face in the picture that he had loved you since the beginning.

“Was this the first time you held her?” Bradley asked, pointing at the picture. Jake smiles softly at the memory but shakes his head.

“No, that was one of the last photos we took in the hospital. That was the night before we took her home. The first time I held her was a moment I’ll never forget.” Jake says, reminiscing on the moment he held you for the first time.

Jake was just granted access to his girlfriend’s hospital room, finding her fast asleep in her hospital bed. She didn’t want him in the room with her as she gave birth and while Jake wanted to be by her side, he ultimately respected her wishes and waited in the hospital waiting room for the hours it took for you to be born. When he entered the room he noticed the bassinet alongside her bed and he approached slowly, not wanting to startle the newborn. He feels tears well in his eyes at the sight of his daughter swaddled in a baby blanket, sleeping peacefully. He sits down next to the bassinet, silently admiring his child.

“She’s gorgeous, isn’t she?” Jake turns to see a nurse entering with a gentle smile, a chart in hand as she checks the baby over.

“She’s perfect.” Was all Jake could say in response, he was sure it was obvious to anyone that he’d fallen head over heels for his baby girl.

“I take it you’re dad, then?” The nurse asks, glancing at Jake who nods with a sheepish smile. He was also silently grateful that the nurse wasn’t commenting on his age. At most appointments and even just walking around in public both he and his girlfriend got comments about how they were too young to be having children.

“That obvious, huh?” Jake says, his knee bouncing slightly.

“That look of pure love is one I’m used to seeing.” The nurse chuckles as she finishes writing on her chart.

“Do you want to do skin-to-skin with her?” The nurse then asks, and Jake’s eyes widen at the question.

“I thought that was only something the mother can do.” Jake says, confused at why the nurse had asked him if he wanted to do it.

“Nonsense, dads can do it too. It has similar benefits for the baby. Here, I’ll sort her out while you take your shirt off.” The nurse says, putting her chart down and carefully lifting you into her arms while Jake pulls his hoodie and shirt off. The nurse carefully unwraps you from the blanket and hands you to Jake, gently coaching him through how to hold you safely. Once you were securely in Jake’s arms the nurse took a step back.

“I noticed she doesn’t have a name yet; do you have any ideas?” The nurse asks sweetly, no judgement in her tone as she speaks.

“I think me and her mum are gonna decide later. But I’m personally set on y/n.” Jake says, unable to take his eyes off your sleeping form.

“Well, no matter what you decide I’m sure it’ll be beautiful. Although I must say y/n is a good choice.” The nurse says with a smile before deciding she should continue her rounds so she gently informs Jake to not hold you for any longer than an hour in case you got too hot and then left to give him some privacy. At the sound of the door clicking shut you stirred slightly, your eyes blinking open as you stare up at the man holding you.

“I know I’m not who you were expecting. You were probably expecting your mum, right? I’m your dad, sweetheart and I’m going to love and protect you. But I’m gonna let you in on a little secret, I’m quite scared about all this. My dad wasn’t the kind of person who wanted to raise a kid, so I didn’t have a great role model growing up. But I’m gonna do my damn hardest to be the best dad for you.” Jake whispers to you, spilling his fear to his child as he reaches out a hand to stroke your cheek, stopping when you grab his pinkie in your hand, squeezing it lightly. Jake felt a tear roll down his cheek as you continue to stare up at him before a huge grin breaks out on his face.

“Oh sweetheart, you’ve got your daddy wrapped around your little finger and you’re not even a day old.”

Jake finishes telling Bradley about the first time he held you and he saw how Bradley smiled softly, genuinely interested in what Jake was saying. Bradley’s eyes flicked back down at the picture and back up at Jake.

“So you came up with y/n?” Bradley asks as he flips the page to the next lot of pictures.

“We didn’t want to know the gender before she was born so we came up with a list of names each and honestly the second I saw y/n, I knew I didn’t want any other name for my little girl.” Jake says, a fond smile on his face.

“Did you think she was going to be a girl before she was born, or did you think she was going to be a boy?” Bradley asks, and Jake found his curiousness cute.

“I thought she was going to be a girl. Her mother thought she was going to be a boy. I just had a hunch I’d have a daddy’s girl on my hands.” Jake chuckles, his eyes falling back to the photo album since he hadn’t had a chance to look through the album yet since rediscovering it and when his eyes landed on one picture Bradley noticed Jake’s expression shift to one he couldn’t quite read.

“Are you okay?” Bradley asks gently, worried about how Jake had reacted to the picture.

“Yeah, it’s just… that picture there, it’s one I took a couple of days after y/n’s mother left. It was the first time she smiled after she left.” Jake says, pointing out the picture of you smiling widely and it was obvious that you weren’t looking at the camera, you were looking at your dad behind the camera.

“I never told you about that day, did I?” Jake asks, glancing back up at Bradley who shakes his head.

“No, but I don’t expect you to tell me. You don’t have to.” Bradley insists, not wanting Jake to recount this painful memory.

“No, it’s okay. I want you to know.”

It had been a month since you were born and Jake had found himself falling more and more in love with you each day. But your mother had been growing distant. She’d had you drinking formula from the get-go, hardly held you or looked your way. Jake had worried about her, asking if he should book an appointment with the doctor to see if this was a normal post-birth thing but she always refused.

One morning, Jake woke up and out of instinct, reached across the bed in search of his girlfriend but he found her side cold. He slowly blinked his eyes open and furrowed his brows at the absence of his girlfriend. He climbed out of bed, assuming she’d be in the kitchen of their small flat with a coffee in hand but he found no sight of her anywhere. The more he looked, the more he realised that a lot of her belongings were missing, he went into the living room and found a note on the coffee table and he picked it up with a frown.

‘Jake,

I’m sorry but I had to do this, I had to leave. I never wanted this baby in the first place, and I only kept it because you were so excited about it and because I didn’t want anyone to think lowly of me if I terminated the pregnancy. The whole town already shuns me enough. My parents offered to take me back in if I left you and the baby behind. I had to think of my future and I can’t have that if I’m a mother at the age of eighteen.

Again, I’m sorry.’’

Jake couldn’t stop the tears from rolling down his cheeks as he read the letter. He couldn’t believe it. Overnight he became a single father whose future lay in the Navy. Despite that, however, he was still adamant that he wouldn’t go anywhere without you. He’d more than willingly give up his place in the Navy before he’d give you up. His sadness quickly turned to anger at the whole situation. How could she just leave like this? If she had spoken to him they could’ve come up with a solution instead of running off and leaving a daughter without her mother. As Jake wiped his tears and crumpled up the note, a small cry came from your room and without hesitation, Jake was heading straight into your room and scooping you up in his arms. He held you close as your cries lessened, comforted by the familiarity of your dad’s arms. Jake pressed a kiss to the top of your head as he willed the tears back into their ducts and plastered a grin on his face for your sake.

“Hey, baby girl. I guess it’s just us two now. But I promise sweetheart that we’re gonna be fine. I’ll figure this all out and we’ll be just fine. It’s us against the world. I guess that means we’re a team, huh? Team Seresin, how does that sound? I think it sounds like we’re going to be one hell of a duo. The Navy will have nothin’ on us.”

When Jake finished explaining what had happened, Bradley felt tears welling in his eyes at what Jake had to go through. His girlfriend left him alone with a baby to look after not long before Jake was due to go to the Naval Academy. Bradley could tell that her leaving affected Jake a lot more than he cared to admit, but he had it drilled in that he had to be strong for his daughter’s sake. And Bradley could tell there was an underlying fear that it would happen again. After all, Jake had not dated a single person since his girlfriend left.

“You know I’d never do that, right?” Bradley says softly, moving a hand to rest on Jake’s as he smiled softly at him. Bradley knew that relationships required communication. Carole had always told him about how important communication is in a relationship and Bradley took every word his mother said to heart. Bradley knew that if he ever felt like there was a problem in a relationship he was in, he would talk to his partner about it, not just up and leave them with no warning. At Bradley’s words, Jake smiled in appreciation and rested his hand atop Bradley’s.

“I know.” Jake says softly, grateful for Bradley’s words as they provide the comfort he needed to soothe his anxieties. After a moment of comfort, both men turned their attention to the album once more and Bradley continued to flick through the album and smiles covered their faces as they look at the pictures.

“Oh, look at this one.” Bradley says, pointing out a picture of you standing upright, both hands resting on a coffee table as you support your wobbly legs.

“She started walking not long after I took that picture. And then said her first word almost a week after that.” Jake grins, thinking about the day you started walking and the day you said your first word.

The day you started walking was a day that Jake would never forget. You had recently turned one and in that started figuring out how to pull yourself up on furniture and stand with the support of the furniture or your dad. When you started pulling yourself up on the coffee table, Jake had never babyproofed something quicker in his life he didn’t want you falling against it and hurting yourself. Jake was currently watching the tv while occasionally glancing down at you while you played with your toys, babbling happily to yourself. Whenever you looked up from your toys and saw your dad looking at you, you always giggled when he pulled a silly face at you. While your dad’s attention was on the tv for some time, you decided you really wanted a cuddle from your dad but you couldn’t let out more than a couple of babbles which barely drew your dad’s attention your way. You decided to pull yourself up by the coffee table, your little hands gripping the edge as you got up on your feet. Jake saw your movement out of the corner of his eyes and turned to look at you, smiling when he noticed your face light up at his attention now being on you.

“Look at you, y/n/n! You’re getting so good at standing!” Jake praises, grinning as you babble happily at him. His face morphed to one of shock when you started taking shaky steps towards him while supporting yourself on the coffee table. He knew if you wanted to reach him, you’d have to take two or three steps without any support.

“That’s it, sweetheart! You gonna come here to daddy?” Jake says, holding his arms out towards you, ready to catch you if you fall. Encouraged by your dad's words and outstretched arms you release your grip on the coffee table and take the three crucial steps it takes to get you into your dad's arms and once you reach him he scoops you up cheering happily as you giggle loudly.

“You did it! That was so good!” Jake celebrates as he falls against the back of the sofa, holding you up as you laugh loudly. Jake then brings you into his chest and wraps his arms around you as you cuddle into him happily. He presses repeated kisses to the top of your head while he whispers how proud he is of you. After a couple of minutes of cuddles, Jake turns his attention back down to you as you shift to look up at your dad.

“Do you want to give walking another go? Daddy will give you more cuddles if you do.” Jake says as he places you down where you had originally been sat with your toys before returning to the sofa, holding his arms out for you once more.

“Alright, sweetheart, come here!” He says with a grin as you stand up cautiously once more, taking more shaky steps towards your dad and stumbling into his arms. Jake lifts you up once more and falls on his back along the length of the sofa, cheering and praising you again as you giggle and cuddle close to your dad as he wraps his arms around you gently.

Almost a week later, you had built up your ability to walk and started working on your ability to toddle around the house freely while Jake had to frantically chase you around to make sure you wouldn’t get a hold of anything you shouldn’t. He had to babyproof the house a lot more to make sure you couldn’t get into cupboards. You still babbled rather than spoke but Jake tried to encourage speech, pointing at objects and telling you their names hoping you’d repeat them. He’d been doing it since you reached six months after someone told him that babies started to understand words at that age. He could tell that your favourite was when he’d point at himself and say 'da-da' and you’d always giggle and reach your arms out towards him for cuddles.

One day, you were sitting in your high chair while Jake cooked both yours and his dinner and as he cooked, he had his back to you, occasionally glancing over his shoulder to check on you which made you smile but when he turned back around, you’d frown, reaching out for him babbling to try and get his attention. When your babbling didn’t get you the result you were expecting your mouth started to attempt to form the words your dad had been diligently teaching you. It took you several tries to get your mouth around the words but soon enough you managed to yell out.

“Da-da!” At the outburst, Jake almost dropped the spatula he was holding as he went to plate up the food as he turned to face you.

“What did you just say? Did you just say-”

“Da-da!” You repeat, making Jake’s eyes light up as he rushes over to you, getting you out of your high chair and holding you close.

“That’s right, sweetheart! You’re brilliant!” Jake praises as he peppers kisses all over your face as you giggle. You kept repeating ‘da-da’ as you immediately associated the word with cuddles and kisses from your dad. It quickly became your favourite word, and even as you picked up more words as days passed, you’d always go back to ‘da-da’ or ‘daddy’ which would melt Jake into a puddle every time.

“She really has you wrapped around her little finger, huh?” Bradley jokes as Jake rolls his eyes.

“Like I said, from the moment she was born.” Jake agrees, shrugging lightly as he speaks while Bradley flicks through the photo album some more.

“Let me guess, first day of school?” Bradley asks when his eyes land on a picture of you with a backpack on, a huge toothy grin adorning your face as you look at the camera.

“Oh yeah. That was her first day of big-girl school. She was so excited until she wasn’t.” Jake says, remembering how quickly your mood had shifted that morning.

“How come?” Bradley questions, tilting his head slightly in his curiosity.

“I think it was the fact I wasn’t going to be there with her. I thought her going to kindergarten would help avoid that, but I clearly misjudged the whole situation.” Jake explains as Bradley nods in understanding as Jake launches into another story.

“Alright y/n/n, you ready for your first day of school?” Jake asks as he grabs his truck keys while you nod like a little bobblehead.

“Yes, daddy!” You say excitedly, your hands grabbing your backpack straps.

“Alright, let’s get a move on then, shall we?” Jake says, taking your hand in his and exiting the house with you skipping alongside him. He helps you into the truck and buckles you into your car seat safely before getting behind the wheel and driving to your new school. He finds a place to park and gets out, heading to help you out after. He hands you your bag and locks the truck before taking your hand in his once more before heading towards the school. When Jake asks, he is directed to your classroom which he easily finds due to the overwhelming number of parents also dropping their kids off for their first day of school. Some kids were crying and clinging to their parents, others had darted into their classroom without so much as a goodbye. And for some, the parents were the ones crying, telling their kids goodbye and being escorted away by their partner as they sobbed. When Jake entered the room, he was instantly greeted by your teacher.

“Hi, I’m Mrs Robinson, I’m this class's teacher. And who are you?” The teacher asks sweetly, getting down to your level as you cling to your dad’s hand, a sudden shyness overcoming you.

“y/n.” You mumble as your hand receives a reassuring squeeze from Jake.

“Seresin, right?” Your teacher says, looking up at Jake to confirm to which he nods with a smile. The teacher ticks your name off her list as she stands up to her full height once more.

“Are you picking her up later or will I be expecting someone else?” Mrs Robinson enquires as she looks over at Jake.

“It’ll be me.” He confirms, trying not to look awkward. He could already sense the judgmental stares of other parents just on account of his age, he didn’t need to add fuel to the fire by spilling that he was a single parent. Your teacher scribbles something down on her paper, probably that he was the one picking you up, Jake thought before she turned her attention down to you.

“Alright, y/n, you want to say goodbye to your dad and we’ll get you all settled in?” Mrs Robinson says as she smiles softly at you and in a second your expression shifts to one of confusion.

“Goodbye?” You asked nervously, looking up at your dad as your eyes grew misty. Jake silently asked your teacher for a moment alone and she went over to greet another child while Jake scooped you up in his arms.

“Daddy’s got to go to work, baby. And you have to go to school so you can learn lots.” Jake reasons, his heart breaking at your teary eyes.

“I don’t want you to go.” You whimper, wrapping your arms around his neck, hugging him and burying your face in his shoulder. Jake hugged you back and pressed a tender kiss to your temple.

“I know, sweetheart. It’s okay to feel nervous and upset about this. But you’re going to have so much fun here. You’re going to make new friends and get to try some new things.” Jake says reassuringly, letting you know it’s okay to feel the emotions you’re feeling while also trying to provide comfort.

“But you won’t be here.” You whine, clinging tighter to him.

“Oh, sweetheart. You’ll be so busy having fun that you’ll hardly notice I’m gone. Hey, you love drawing, don’t you? You can draw some pictures and give them to me when I pick you up later, can’t you? The fridge is looking like it’s missing a few masterpieces.” Jake says, jostling you slightly and he smiles lightly as you cheer up slightly.

“I can draw you pictures!” You exclaim, wiggling to get out of his hold as he puts you down on the floor and just before you rush off Jake calls your name to get your attention.

“Can I get one last hug before I go?” Jake asks quietly and without hesitation, you throw yourself into his arms, hugging him tightly.

“Goodbye daddy. I love you.” You say, cuddling close as Jake hugs you back.

“Goodbye y/n/n. I love you more. Make sure to be kind and helpful alright? If you see anyone who is upset, try, and cheer them up, alright?” Jake says softly as he pulls away from the hug, smiling at you.

“Okay, daddy.” You grin, making Jake’s smile widen as he presses a kiss to the top of your head and lets you go up to the other kids in your class, immediately striking up a conversation with them. Jake smiles softly before bidding goodbye to your teacher and rushing back out to his truck to head to training.

At the end of the school day, Jake was standing amongst the gaggle of parents waiting for their kids to emerge from their first day of school. Soon enough, Mrs Robinson emerged from the building with her class in tow and when the kids saw their parents they went barrelling over to them excitedly. The second Jake saw you he called your name and you came sprinting towards him, giggling wildly as he picked you up and spun in a circle with you in his arms.

“Did you have a good first day of school?” Jake asks as you nod with a grin.

“I made loads of friends!” You say happily, making Jake smile as he presses a kiss to the top of your head.

“That’s my girl. Let’s talk to Mrs Robinson about your day, huh?” Jake says, holding you in his arms as he crosses to your teacher to ask about your day. Mrs Robinson had nothing but praise for you as she described how you got on at school, even saying how you helped a girl who arrived after you when you noticed that she was crying at her parent’s departure. Jake couldn’t stop the proud smile covering his face at Mrs Robinson’s words. When Jake buckles you into your car seat he can’t help but smile as you recount your day to him.

“You know, I am so proud of you sweetheart for helping that girl. So I’ll make your favourite for dinner, does that sound like a plan?” Jake asks you as he gets in the front seat, starting the engine up as you cheer at the thought of getting your favourite meal. When you finally arrive home, Jake takes your bag and gets you out of your seat, following you to the front door and unlocking the door so you could barrel into the house. Jake had to call you back to him so he could take your shoes off before kicking his own off and following you into the living room.

“Oh, daddy! I made you some drawings!” You say, turning on your heels after you remember the drawings that were residing in your bag. You asked Jake to hand the bag to you and when he did, you unzipped it and handed him a drawing of two stick figures and what he could only guess was a plane in the sky above.

“Who’s this?” Jake asks as he sits on the sofa, pulling you up into his lap so you could point out who was who in the picture.

“That’s you and that’s me!” You say cheerfully as you point at the two stick figures.

“I see! Is there someone flying this plane or is it magic?” Jake asks with an amused tone as he tickles you quickly, grinning as you squeal with laughter.

“it’s Javy!” You say, pointing out a little smiley face you’d drawn in the cockpit of the plane. Jake couldn’t help the small chuckle that escaped him. Javy was one of Jake’s friends from the academy. The two had grown close in their time together and Javy was one of the only people who knew Jake had a daughter.

“Well, I’ll have to show Javy this then, won’t I?” Jake says with a smile as you nod madly. It was moments like this where Jake hoped that he’d somehow stay friends with Javy, so you had at least one more person in your life.

Bradley smiled lightly at the story, finding it cute how Jake had encouraged you to give your first day of school a go and was met with you having a good day.

“Makes sense why Coyote is ‘Uncle Javy’ now. You’ve known him a while, huh?” Bradley says, glancing over at Jake briefly before turning his attention back to the album to flick through it some more.

“Met on our first day of training and have been friends ever since.” Jake says proudly. Javy had been an anchor he didn’t know he needed in his life and he couldn’t be more grateful for his best friend. Bradley nods at Jake’s words, glad that Jake had someone he could confide in and trust, it was a friendship similar to his and Phoenix’s.

“Oh no. Oh, come on Jake! You took her to a Cowboys game? Have a little taste.” Bradley jokes suddenly as his eyes land on a photo of you and Jake at a football arena, both of you donning caps with the all-familiar Cowboys logo. After speaking, Bradley found himself on the receiving end of a glare from Jake which is quickly replaced by a roll of the eyes and a smile.

“We’re from Texas, what do you expect?” Jake teases, looking back down at the photo and smiling at the memories that came from that picture.

Jake hadn’t been raised with football. He didn’t get to be one of those kids in the garden playing catch with his dad on a Saturday morning while his mum watched from afar and warned them not to hit the windows. Instead, Jake was either out on the ranch busting his ass to do all his chores or up in his room studying. After all, he needed good grades if he was going to get the hell away from his family.

One day, not long into his Sophomore year, one of his high school friends invited him and a bunch of his other friends to his house to watch a football game. Jake was initially hesitant. He knew how his parents could get when he wasn’t where he was supposed to be. But part of him knew that he needed to start doing things for himself. After school, the group of boys headed to Luke’s house where they all settled on his large sofa, an array of snacks on a table while the group chatted excitedly about what they thought would happen and how they hoped the Cowboys would win. Jake knew very little about football other than what was discussed in front of him but he figured if he enjoyed the game enough today, maybe he'd try out for the high school team one day. When the game started, Jake was entranced, he found himself more invested than he ever thought he’d be. He had the time of his life watching the Cowboys play and he knew that this was the team he’d support from here on out. He didn’t care if they won every game or lost every game, he’d never forget this moment at his friend’s house getting to feel like a person rather than just a pawn in his parent's ranch plans. When he went home that evening, he didn’t even care about the punishment he knew he’d be receiving, all he cared about was his newfound love for football.

Jake never forced his love of football and the Cowboys onto you. Sure he’d watch a game while you were little but he didn’t want to force you to like anything just because he did. Despite that, it didn’t stop him from being overjoyed when you came to him one day just shy of your tenth birthday asking if you could watch the football game with him and if he’d explain how the game worked. He cuddled with you on the sofa as he explained the rules and what each position did as well as explaining the point system. As he spoke, he kept checking that he wasn’t boring you with any information but you looked just as entranced as he did that first time he watched a Cowboys game. He watched as you visibly grew excited when the Cowboys scored a touchdown and how you tried to bite back disappointment when the other team gained possession of the ball.

For your thirteen birthday, Jake got tickets to a Cowboys game much to your joy. He waited a few years just to see if your interest in football would dwindle but it didn’t. You enjoyed it more and more each day. You’d always watch the Cowboys game with Jake in the living room with snacks laid out on the coffee table. Jake waited for the Cowboys to play an away game so he wouldn’t risk bumping into anyone he knew from back in Texas. He knew the chances were slim but he wasn’t willing to take any risks, especially since he was taking you with him. He didn’t even care that you had to travel to another state for the game, he couldn’t regret a thing when he saw the joy on your face when he revealed the tickets along with two caps with the Cowboys logo on them. He’d never forget the awe on your face as the two of you entered the stadium, you had a permanent grin on your face throughout the entire game. The two of you joined in with fellow Cowboys fans in celebrating loudly when your team scored and when the Cowboys came out victorious you all cheered loudly while the supporters of the opposing team expressed their disappointment loudly. When the two of you got back to your hotel room after an exciting day you all but collapsed in bed the second you were ready for bed. Jake bent down alongside your bed to press a kiss to your temple just before he went to bed and you quickly threw your arms around him for a hug which he returned instantly.

“Today was the best day ever. Thank you, dad.” You mumble sleepily into his shoulder, hugging him at tight as you could while Jake smiles softly, pressing a kiss to your temple.

“You’re welcome, sweetheart. I’m glad you had fun.” Jake whispers as you loosen your grip, lying back down and covering yourself with the duvet as Jake presses one last kiss to the top of your head before moving to his own bed and switching off the bedside lamp so he can go to sleep too.

“Cute story, but you still took her to a Cowboys game. I’m gonna have to introduce her to the Eagles.” Bradley teases, making Jake raise an eyebrow and scoff.

“Bold assumption to think she’d abandon the Cowboys.” Jake teases back, shuffling around to face Bradley more.

“Maybe she’ll switch teams once I show her an Eagles game.” Bradley retorts, leaning slightly closer to Jake’s face with a teasing smile on his face.

“Well, maybe we’ll make you a Cowboys fan.” Jake smirks, inching closer, mere centimetres between their faces. Jake takes the step to connect their lips for a brief kiss, pulling away when their need for air becomes too much and rest their foreheads against each other.

“Thank you for showing me this photo album. I feel like I know more about you and y/n now. You’re a good father to her. And I love you for that.” Bradley says and then immediately stiffens up at his own words as Jake pulls away, shock covering his features.

“I’m sorry if that was too much, I know this is-” Bradley’s nervous ramblings are cut off by Jake grabbing Bradley’s shirt and pulling him back in for another kiss which was much more passionate than the tender kiss they had just shared.

“You love me?” Jake asks once he pulls away from the kiss, his bright green eyes searching Bradley's brown ones for an answer.

“Yes. I love you, Jake.” Bradley says, watching as Jake’s whole face crumbles and tears well in his eyes.

“I love you too.” He manages to say as Bradley pulls him into his arms, shushing him gently.

Jake Seresin had never been told he was loved by his parents. He was just there to be someone to take over the ranch when his parents couldn’t run it anymore. He couldn’t recall if his girlfriend ever said it to him. He knew he told her he loved her regularly but couldn’t say if she ever said it back or meant it with the same weight that he did. In fact, Jake was sure the first time someone ever told him they loved him was when you were little and he’d uttered an ‘I love you’ to you as he put you to bed and you had repeated the words back to him with a grin which damn near made Jake crumble apart then and there. Jake never thought he’d find someone to love but he was so glad he got to see Bradley again and to get to see him in a new light. And he was grateful that his daughter pushed the two of them together since the two men were too oblivious to do it themselves. Jake remains in Bradley’s arms until he calms down and his tears have slowed. When he’s calmed down enough, he pulls away while wiping his eyes with his hands.

“Sorry about that.” Jake laughs weakly, smiling over at Bradley sheepishly.

“You don’t need to apologise. You deserve to be loved, Jake.” Bradley replies with a soft smile.

“Dad, I’m home!” Your familiar voice calls as the front door opens and both men’s attention immediately goes to the direction of your voice.

“In the living room!” Jake calls back, smiling as you appear in the doorway grinning at your dad and Bradley.

“Good day at school sweetheart?” Jake then asks, watching as you nod.

“Yeah, it was alright. A pretty normal day if you ask me. What’s that?” You say, noticing the photo album on Bradley’s lap.

“It’s a photo album I started when you were born. I found it last night.” Jake says with a smile as you walk behind the sofa, leaning over Bradley’s shoulder to see the photos in the album.

“I didn’t know you did that.” You say with an amused smile as you look over at Jake who reaches up to ruffle your hair.

“Well, I gotta embarrass you in front of your future partners somehow.” Jake laughs as you groan and Bradley grins. Jake then invites you to sit in between the two of them so you can look through the album while Jake tells you some different stories to the ones he told Bradley. But he makes sure to sprinkle in some embarrassing stories as well.

“Do you remember when you were scared of the Muppets?” Jake laughs as the memory pops up in his brain.

“Oh my- dad, will you stop?! Bradley stop your boyfriend please.” You plead, burying your face in your hands as you flush red.

“Not a chance, this is hilarious.” Bradley laughs, folding his arms across his chest and leaning back into the sofa cushions.

“I hate you both.” There was not an ounce of truth to your words. You loved these men with all your heart and soul. Even if they did revel in embarrassing you.

taglist (comment or message to be added):

@zbeez-outlet @kaceywithak @tsnelf7

[forabeatofadrum]

Hello! I may have missed Wet Rat Wednesday, but I have returned for another Out of Touch Thrusday. Thank you @blackberrysummerblog for the tag!

I published the 3rd chapter of Just Some Guy and my Class fic All of me loves all you this week, so YEET, writing. Have something more of Just Some Guy. Matt's friend Sam has feelings and others have opinions on those feelings:

One person who’s also glad to see Baz is Sam of all people. “What?” Sam says, “I have eyes. Baz Pitch might be an elitist arsehole, but man, he’s fine.” “Really, Sam?” Ryan asks, surprised. I scoff. I’m not gay or anything (or so I think), but I don’t think Baz Pitch is that attractive. “You could so much better,” Arnold also says, “Baz Pitch has this weird dead looking grey skin.” “And eyes that stare into your soul,” Scott adds. “And the slicked back hair makes him look like a posh git,” Luis also says, although Baz Pitch is already a push git. “Jeez, alright, guys, I get it. Baz Pitch isn’t hot,” Sam laments. “Whatever. I hear he’s into Agatha Wellbelove, like every straight guy,” Leslie says.

Here's the thing, dear readers. We know Baz is hot, but what if he isn't? I am very much on team "Baz isn't that hot, Simon is just in love and thinks everyone swoons over him, but no, it's just him" and Sam! Now, of course, Simon and Matt won't really interact, so Matt isn't aware of Simon's extreme interest in Baz, but imagine if they did and Matt would be so confused, because "Really, Simon Snow, really?"

(Johnson: For the record, I also think Baz is hot, but it isn't relevant to the plot so my friends will never know!)

And now, the weather: @quizasvivamos @coffeegleek @caramelcoffeeaddict @raenestee @tectonicduck @nightimedreamersworld @urban-sith @thnxforknowingme @captain-aralias @you-remind-me-of-the-babe @cerriddwenluna @bookish-bogwitch @confused-bi-queer @that-disabled-princess @special-bc-ur-part-of-it @larkral @cutestkilla ​ @wellbelesbian ​ @artsyunderstudy ​ @martsonmars ​ @facewithoutheart ​ @shrekgogurt @rockitmans @bitbybitwrites @whatevertheweather @theotherhufflepuff @shame-is-a-wasted-emotion @esilher @kurtsascot @nightimedreamersghost

[cypanache]

Hi! I recently read Patchwork Heart (like twice in two days) and I now have brainrot from that fic. (Which is to say that I loved it.) And I’m sad that it’s incomplete but I’m grateful that you wrote it, and all your other Parks and Rec fics. I remember reading a comment from you (from like 11 years ago lol) where you said you’d been writing for 14 years and you encouraged someone who was feeling bad about their own writing. Which gave me the motivation to keep writing, and made me think, how awesome must it be to be a fanfic writer for so long? This is a rambly comment to say that I’m glad you’re still writing (even if it’s not for Parks heh) and you’re a great inspiration!

(Also I’m aware this isn’t a question but I don’t really know how Tumblr works)

Well this ask officially made my year. (P.S. - Asks don't have to be questions. Especially when they're as lovely as this)

You know every once in a while I think, am I being totally ridiculous just leaving my live journal out there like that? Really, who's going out and reading stuff from over 11 years ago, except ... yeah I've totally done that myself. And I'm forever grateful for the authors who let their stuff just float along and exist. So I'm gratified to know that I did that for you today. And extremely gratified to know that I was able to give you a little motivation to keep writing. I have been doing this for over twenty years with varying levels of success and intensity as my life evolves, but I keep coming back to it, because really at the end of the day, fanfic is one of those hobbies that more than anything make me feel like me. When you find that, you owe it to yourself to hold onto it. Even if you can't do it perfectly or quickly.

I am not going to lie, I'm very sad Patchwork Heart is incomplete as well. That was an unfortunate product of life circumstances overwhelming me and by the time I paddled my way to the surface my emotional relationship with Parks had changed. But I am forever in love with the complete human disaster that was teenage Ben Wyatt in that fic.

Sooooo this isn't much, but this ask made me go back through my google docs. Here have part of a camping trip:

Griggs-Knope-Wyatt (Whatever) Family Vacation  

Hell – 375-369 days to go

Yeah, it’s official, Ben does not get camping.

At all.

Look he gave it a fair try.  But he just-  he doesn’t get it all right.  He doesn’t get what’s so fun about sleeping on the floor (”Ground,” Marlene informs him, “It’s called a ground when it’s outside, dear.") or getting so many mosquito bites, or having to make sure your food is put up in a certain way so raccoons won’t get to it.  And you know what he really doesn’t get?

Ghost stories.

He does not get ghost stories.  They’re not scary.  They’re particularly not scary if your dad is telling them.  And when your step-mom takes over and does manage to tell a scary one, well then you’re outside, in the dark . . . scared.

Oh and his tent collapses on him in the middle of the night.

Yup, okay.  Not.  Having.  Fun.

Ben just wishes he could convince himself that’s actually because of the camping.

Leslie’s been withdrawn and subdued for the past two days.  Not angry, just quiet.  He tried to talk to her yesterday morning like a dozen times, but the one time he got anywhere the fact he was trying to take the whole thing seriously only seemed to make it all worse.

He doesn’t know what to do for her.  Has the sneaking suspicion there’s actually nothing he can do.  Or at least nothing he’s willing to do.

So yeah, maybe he’s going to just lie here under the wreckage of what used to be his tent for a little while.

Except he can’t even seem to manage that, because the next thing he knows there’s the sound of footsteps and a flashlight is being shined into his eyes like an interrogation lamp.

“Benjamin?”

Ben holds up a hand to shield his eyes and squints up at the outline of his step-mother standing over him.  “Umm, hi?”

“Benjamin dear.  Your tent’s on the ground,” she informs him as though she’s not entirely sure he’s aware of this fact.  Sometimes he’s pretty sure his step-mother thinks he’s an idiot.      

“Yeah, so umm, funny story about that.  You know what it was, it-  it fell.”

The fact he always winds up saying stuff like that around her probably doesn’t help.

Marlene doesn’t respond for long moment, and even though he can’t see her face he can pretty much picture it.  It’s a face he’s pretty familiar with.  The one that says ‘I worry about your ability to dress yourself in the mornings’.

“I don’t-  I’ve never really camped,” he continues, unable to help himself.  Marlene’s silences are just about the most effective interrogation technique he’s ever encountered.  No wonder Leslie’s usually so talkative.

“I never would have guessed,” she shoots back, before adding, “Well, should I just leave the two of you alone or would you like some help putting it back up?”

“No- no, help would be good.”

There’s a long pause, then:  “Ben, dear.”

“Yeah?”

“You need to get out of the tent.”

“Oh.  Right.”

---

So in a surprising turn of events (at least in his opinion), Marlene actually turns out to be a pretty good teacher.  Like okay she isn’t the most patient person in the world, but she’s incredibly precise in her explanations of how to do things like tie a hitch-knot, and Ben’s always been more comfortable with precision over intuition, so it doesn’t take him too terribly long to catch on, and when she pats him lightly on the knee in approval, it feels like getting an A in your most demanding class from the teacher who scares the shit out of you.

All in all, Ben’s feeling kind of good about things by the time they get the tent back up, so when Marlene points out that it’s only an hour or so until sunrise and asks whether he wants to help her make coffee for breakfast, he says yes, thinking maybe things are looking up.  

Yeah, no, that was obviously just designed to lull him into a false sense of security.

“So,” Marlene opens without warning or preamble, “Leslie tells me I’m returning the Purdue sweatshirt.”

He barely manages not to tip over his cup of coffee. “Yeah, um, sorry about that.”

“Ben didn’t we talk about that? Um-”

“Is the sound in dumb.  Yeah I know.”

The look she gives him could level small countries.  Ben keeps his head down and tries not to have an aneurysm.

How does he get himself into these situations?  Really why is it sarcastic, smart-aleck things always come out of his mouth at exactly the wrong time.  It’s not like he’s trying to be a wise-ass.  He’s not really trying to be anything really.  (Except maybe invisible.  Invisible would be nice right now.)  But for some reason it happens anyway, and he can’t seem to stop it.  It’s like this leak, this crack in his personality.  Ninety-five percent of the time he manages to be exactly the kind of guy he should be, the kind he thinks Virginia Wyatt would have wanted him to be.  The kind of son his perpetually fragile father seems to need.  Quiet and polite and respectful.  But every once in awhile the pressure of keeping everything else in just gets to be too much and these little drops of acid seep through, landing where they’re not wanted and scarring once they’re there.

Except Marlene Griggs-Knope doesn’t scar that easily.

“Oh, sit up straight.  Really, Ben if you keep going through life acting like a spineless jellyfish, it won’t just be Leslie who treats you like one.”

“I don’t.” he mutters under his breath.

Only he says it to the picnic table so that probably undermines his whole protest.  He forces himself to sit up and look Marlene in the eye (Okay, it’s more like her forehead, but come on, cut him a little slack here.  Do you want to look Marlene in the eye?  Yeah, that’s what he thought.  Shut up.</i>)

“Leslie doesn’t-”

But he can’t make himself complete the thought, because . . . yeah, sometimes she kind of does.  And, shit, it’s Leslie’s mom, and Marlene’s giving him this look that clearly says ‘don’t bullshit me about my own daughter.’  Still, Leslie treats everyone like that, at least everyone important to her.  Ann gets, like, twenty-three instructions a day.  And, well, he likes it.  It’s been a really long time since anyone paid that much attention to anything he did.  It’s how he knows he’s important, that she cares.  If she ever stopped trying to micromanage his life, well then he’d just be another ordinary person on the outside, wouldn’t he?

He opens his mouth to try again, but Marlene waves his efforts away with a dismissive hand.  Oh good, apparently he’s now already used up whatever small amount patience she had allotted for him today, and it’s only, what?  Five-thirty in the morning?  This is probably some kind of new record for him.

Yaaaay . . .

At that moment from across the campsite, Leslie unzips her tent and steps out into the new dawn, only to freeze, eyes going wide, at the obviously unexpected sight of Ben sitting at the picnic table with her mother.

He tries to remember enough Morse code to blink her a S.O.S.

And any other morning it wouldn’t matter that he’s pretty sure he just looks like he’s having an epileptic fit, Leslie would have already come over and rescued him. 

Instead she just turns back around, grabs her towel and a bar soap out of the tent and trudges off to the shower facilities, leaving him alone with Marlene to fend for himself.

Okay, Leslie is officially really upset.

“She will get over it.”

At Marlene’s observation, Ben whips his head back around only to find himself pinned by his step-mother’s sharp assessing gaze.

It feels like all the oxygen just got sucked out of the . . . well, earth.

He opens his mouth to stammer out a disclaimer but only manages a strangled kind of gurgle, which Marlene, thankfully, ignores.

“Leslie is no stranger to disappointment.  She’s a very resilient girl.  Always has been.” She says it matter-of-factly and maybe even a little proudly, then immediately counterbalances it with a sigh of exasperation. “Realism, however, is unfortunately not your step-sister’s strong suit.  Particularly when it comes to people.”

Ben just presses his lips together and fiddles a little with his coffee cup, drumming his fingernails against the metal.  He’s not really sure why Marlene’s telling him all this.  Not that any of it is exactly revelation.  To know anything about Leslie is to know she puts too much faith in life in general and people in particular.

So no it’s not like he doesn’t realize Leslie’s been disappointed by people before—her father, Lindsay . . . And then suddenly it clicks with him, the why behind all of this.

People leave.

In Leslie’s world, people leave her.

For some reason he’s never thought about it before, about her history and the painful lessons life’s given her.  After all, he’s the one with the dead mother, the great tragedy that defined his entire fucking existence before he met her; that he wears like a poorly healed scar on his personality.  Leslie always seemed so untouched by comparison.

But she’s not.  He can see that now.

Because yeah, maybe his mother was ripped out his life.

But people walk out of hers.

By their own choice.

Of their own free will.

Ben drops his head to stare down at the film that’s started to form on his rapidly cooling coffee in shame as he realizes he’s been making plans to join them, to go off to college and then conscientiously extricate himself from her life, little by little, bit by bit, until he’s down to a subsistence diet.  To the bare-essentials of what he needs to survive.  Never once thinking about Leslie’s needs.

God, he is such an ass.

Marlene who has been silent for a little while, gets up to pour herself another cup of coffee, before coming over to sit back down and drop another bombshell on him.  “You know, sometimes I wonder if your father and I should have waited until after the two of you went to college to get married.”

Oh god. He feels a cold finger of dread crawl its way down his spine at her words, and suddenly all he can think is:  She knows.  She knows how he feels about her daughter, and he’s going to die.  Up here in all this outdoors, Marlene probably knows a dozen ways to kill him and make it look like an accident.  Maybe that’s why they’re camping in the first place.  Maybe this was her plan all along . . .

It’s about this time that the rest of what Marlene’s saying starts to sink in.  “—it’s not that we’re not happy you two get along so well.  After all, that’s the whole reason we decided to get married when we did.  Give all of us the chance to try to be a family.  But--” she purses her lips, and narrows her eyes, “Maybe we were a little too successful?”

And the terror’s back.  “Too successful?”

“Up until two days ago, all Leslie ever talked about was going to IU and being close to home.  She’s already learned the fight song.”  That makes him almost smile despite himself, because of course she has.  He bites the inside of his mouth just in time to stop it.  Marlene continues.  “And your father tells me you’ve been collecting brochures for out of state schools ever since the two of you moved to Indiana.  But suddenly here I am buying sweatshirts for Purdue.”

“I didn’t ask-”

Marlen waves his protest away.  “Of course you didn’t.”  Then in a seeming nonsequitor:  “Did you know Ann Perkins did Model UN all last year?”

-----

When I get a little more time I'll try to bullet point out for you where I was going.

[desolateddreamur]

South Park fic masterlist

Stan Marsh

Dear Diary (Oneshot)

Kyle Broflovski

Following Your Advice (Oneshot)

Paper Trail (Oneshot)

Kenny McCormick

Pick It Up (Oneshot)

Butters Stotch

This is How You Villain (Oneshot)

A to Z Fluff (Headcanon)

Craig Tucker

Comfort Tactics (Headcanon)

Clyde Donovan

Damien Thorn

Fluff Dating (Headcanon)

Tweek Tweak

Tolkien Black

Jimmy Valmer

Michael Adams

Scott Malkinson

Pete Thelman

Pip Pirrup

First Date (Headcanon)

Christophe The Mole

Anonymous Love Letters (Headcanon)

Gregory of Yardale

Thomas

Wendy Testaburger

Bebe Stevens

Heidi Turner

Henrietta Biggle

Red McArthur

Nicole Daniels

Leslie

Creek (Craig x Tweek) poly

Dip (Damien x Pip) poly

Dating Dip (Headcanon)

Stendy (Stan x Wendy) poly

[bookgeekgrrl]

My media this week (17-23 Dec 2023)

shout out to matt rogers for this delightful new entry to the xmas song canon

📚 STUFF I READ 📚

🥰 Bookshops & Bonedust (Legends & Lattes #0) (Travis Baldree, author & narrator) - prequel novel of Viv's much younger days - just as fun and cozy as Legends & Lattes

🥰 Hashtag Soulmates (everwitch) - 44K, RWRB AU - deliberately tropetastic sort-of meta fic where Henry's a fanfic writer & Alex is one of his biggest fans and they work together but don't know it. Hard to explain but fun to read. Good stuff on the nature of fanfic; also hilarious bits where it walks right up to the crackfic line but doesn't go over. I really enjoyed reading something the author so clearly had a blast writing.

😊 In the Form of a Question: The Joys and Rewards of a Curious Life (Amy Schneider, author & narrator) - entertaining read

😍 Tommy Cabot Was Here (The Cabots #1) (Cat Sebastian) - reread, novella; just really in a mood to reread in this universe! Hadn't read this since I read Daniel's book, so it was fun to see him guest star as a 12 yr old

😍 Peter Cabot Gets Lost (The Cabots #2) (Cat Sebastian) - reread; I love all the Cabots but this one is my #1 fave by a smidge. The grumpy/sunshine is *chef's kiss*!

😍 Daniel Cabot Puts Down Roots (The Cabots #3) (Cat Sebastian) - reread; Alex & Daniel are actually dating but too oblivious (and busy pining in silence) to realize it. I love these dumbasses.

😍 Luke and Billy Finally Get a Clue (The Cabots #3.5) (Cat Sebastian) - reread, set in the Cabots 'verse but with no Cabots in sight. Just two baseball boys pulling their heads out of their asses and figuring out what they mean to one another.

💖💖 +102K of shorter fic 💖💖

📺 STUFF I WATCHED 📺

Game Changer - s5, e6

Make Some Noise - s2, e15

Dirty Laundry - s3, e8

D20: Fantasy High: Sophmore Year - e16-20

Star Trek: Strange New Worlds - s1, e1-6

🎧 PODCASTS 🎧

It's Been a Minute - The IBAMmys: The It's Been A Minute 2023 Culture Awards Show

Today, Explained - EU vs. AI

Pop Culture Happy Hour - Songs To Help You Study

The Atlas Obscura Podcast - A Return to Recipe Graves

The Atlas Obscura Podcast - Old City Hall Station

⭐ Switched on Pop - "Did I mention that it's Christmas in this club?" (w Matt Rogers)

The Sporkful - New Year’s Food Resolutions 2024

Today, Explained - How Barnes & Noble survived

Big Gay Fiction Podcast - "Time to Shine" with Rachel Reid

Las Culturistas with Matt Rogers and Bowen Yang - “They Couldn’t Be Nicer Boys” (w/ Seth Meyers)

NPR's Book of the Day - 'Black AF History' examines American history from the perspective of Black people

Code Switch - Here are our favorite Code Switch episodes from 2023

Ed Zitron's 15 Minutes In Hell - Episode 20: Jamelle Bouie

Ologies with Alie Ward - Lemurology (LEMURS) with Lydia Greene

99% Invisible #564 - Mini-Stories: Volume 17

Today, Explained - The stretched-too-thin blue line

The Atlas Obscura Podcast - Sniffing out What’s Special with Saskia Wilson Brown

One Year - 1990: The Angry Death of Kimberly Bergalis

Las Culturistas with Matt Rogers and Bowen Yang - "You Can't Trust These Gay Guys"

⭐ Films To Be Buried With - Leslie Jones

Dear Prudence - My Mother-In-Law Doesn’t Wash Her Hands After Using The Bathroom. Help!

Cautionary Tales - When Stalin Killed the Weekend (with The Happiness Lab)

Our Opinions Are Correct - How Doctor Who Stood the Test of Time

Our Opinions Are Correct - BONUS: If You Could Turn Into Any Form of Transportation, What Would You Pick?

It's Been a Minute - Why does flying suck so much?

Off Menu - Ep 217: Ross Noble (Christmas Special)

⭐ Song Exploder - Foo Fighters "The Teacher"

⭐ Overinvested - Ep. 290: The Cutting Edge

🎶 MUSIC 🎶

my christmas playlist

Celtic Christmas

The Beach Boys' Christmas Album [The Beach Boys] {1964}

Merry Axemas & Merry Axemas 2

Orchestral Christmas Pops

Latin Jazz Christmas

Punk Rock Christmas

Lindsey Stirling Christmas

Orchestral Holiday Pops

It's a Holiday Soul Party [Sharon Jones & The Dap-Kings] {2015}

my Christmas Divas playlist

Have You Heard of Christmas? [Matt Rogers] {2023}

Simply Christmas [Leslie Odom Jr.] {2016}

The Christmas Album [Leslie Odom Jr.] {2020}

Christmas With You [Laufey & Norah Jones] {2023}

Christmas Island [Jimmy Buffett] {1996}

'Tis The SeaSon [Jimmy Buffett] {2016}

Quality Street: A Seasonal Selection for All the Family [Nick Lowe] {2013}

The Muppet Christmas Carol (Special Anniversary Edition) {2005}

Punk Rock Christmas

Classical Christmas

Rock & Roll Christmas

[jamietarttsnorthernattitude]

for the sprint challenge, trying to pick some fun random words! how about any of peanut, saxophone, kitty cat, or doorknob.

Oh these are creative ones! Thank you!

I didn't have peanut so I did a sprint with false confidence and added 232 words with it:

“Should’ve never shown the team that video,” Roy said.

“You're right. But that’s my fault too.”

Roy raised an eyebrow at him, “how the fuck do you see that?”

“I was stuck in my head that week. More stuck than that time my hand got stuck in the peanut butter jar. You ever got your hand stuck in one of those? It’s all sticky so you think you’d get unstuck but then you’re just stuck stuck. Shoot, I’ve said stuck too much now, you ever done that? Said a word too much now it lost all its meaning? Stuuuuuuuuuck. Stu-”

“Jesus fucking Christ, Ted. Get it together before I stick my head through a fucking wall.”

saxophone I also did not have, so I sprinted with Dear Leslie and added it (and wrote 378 new words):

“Okay, well let me use a different example then. Did you know before I played the bass I played saxophone?” Higgins asked.  “No, I wish I could play a saxophone. Or bass. Or anything really,” Keeley said.  “Turns out I could not play saxophone either. I was bad. Tremendously bad. But I played until my saxophone was run over by a car.” “Shit, Higgins, did you leave it in the drive, or it fell off a bus or something?” “No, my father threw it into the street and repeatedly ran it over with his car.”

(kitty) cat from that star in the sky who watches over you:

“You’re a 20-year-old professional footballer, so why do you look like someone kicked your cat?” “I don’t,” Jamie tries to defend, looking away from her.  Georgie gently grabs his face and forces him to look at her. She’s struck by how old he looks suddenly. Twenty years old and carrying the weight of the world on his shoulders. She stares into his eyes, and that’s when she notices. Georgie can’t believe she didn’t notice it before, see it clearly, but she’d been caught up in the day.  “Jamie, why are you wearing concealer?” “What?” he says, pulling his face from her hand and taking a step back. “I’m not. That’s for fucking women.” “Women and people who are trying to hide bruises,” Georgie said, and she reached for her son again.

This fic is one I need to dive into edit mode with so it's not really sprintable. But I did sprint an AU I’m working on and added 148 words, here is a small snippet from the chapter I added to.

“Another problem,” Higgins said, grimacing. “We can cover these new additions for now but–”

“But we’re going to run out of money for next season.”

“Exactly. We haven’t been selling out even half of the tickets. Half the marketing department left with Rupert or should have never been hired to begin with.”

“So we need a new marketing agency,” Rebecca smiled. “Let me take care of that.”

I did have doorknob in old habits die screaming:

“Jamie, open the door,” Willis tried again.

He started picking up various rocks and potted plants, searching for a hidden key but couldn’t find one, even tried the doorknob in case Jamie hadn’t locked the door.

“Just go, Coach, please.”

The pleading tone made it clear how desperate he was for Beard to leave, but it only increased Beard’s need to get inside, or to at least lay eyes on Jamie and see for himself he was okay.

“Jamie, I’m not leaving until you open the door.”

And I added 355 words via sprint!

Beard sighed to himself. It was interesting now being in London, coaching without Ted. He had been an extension of Ted for so long, he hadn’t bothered making his own relationships with the team. Maybe he should have. Maybe he wouldn’t be sitting at Jamie’s bedside right now.

Ted always said be curious not judgemental. That was them, Ted was curious, Beard was judgemental. Ted had his own tragedy in his life, but Beard hadn’t had the luxury of being curious, so he was judgemental. It helped save his life in prison.

You can’t be curious in prison.

But he wasn’t in prison any longer.

[hausofmamadas]

tag 9 people you'd like to know better. Prob won’t be able to do 9 ppl bc most of the ppl I’d tag were tagged, in addition to me, by @bellinitini and @when-did-this-become-difficult, two of my dearest dfs (dafucks dear friends)

last song: Buscando Oro by LOUJAY and Carlos Vallarino

currently reading: The Outsiders by SE Hinton and the Popol Vuh, both in Spanish to punish myself to get better. I’ve also finally started reading Out of Control: The Story of the Reagan Administration's Secret War in Nicaragua, the Illegal Arms Pipeline, and the Contra Drug Connection by Leslie Cockburn which I started last year and just never got around to finishing. Just ordered The Bastard Brigade by Sam Kean on Amazon, which I have no doubt I’ll start reading immediately

currently watching: Finished The Bear in the span of a day so like not actively watching technically anymore? Except when I put it on to run in the background while I work. Another show I’ve been doing that with is the X Files, which provides a deep and heavy rotation sksk and then I’m like halfway through Top Boy which is fulfilling the need I have for new episodes of The Wire even though the show ended like 20 years ago so sksj

current obsession: hmmmmmmm I guess I have two really cracked ships that I’m kind of preoccupied with. One I can’t name bc it’s for an exchange, and the other I wrote an Andrea/Carrillo fic for the Narcos fandom smut alphabet and have nottttttttt been able to stop the rotisserie-ing with them. Going back to my roots too, reading some new San Diego Reader articles that’s reignited as if it ever really went out lbr my love and passion for my otp, Dinarrón. Also been working on this fan video for Sky Rojo that I’m pretty fucking obsessed with and can’t wait to finish bc it’s gonna be sick, even though only me and like 3 other ppl on the internet have seen the show

Taglist (only if you so wish to participate): @artemiseamoon @cositapreciosa @drabbles-mc @purplesong1028 @proceduralpassion @roostersrocket @garbinge @flightlessangelwings @salt-is-a-terrible-currency

[disneyanddisneyships]

@gyubby99 okay I was listening to this song and I got an idea

This is and Alastor x OC fic

A few days had passed when alastor had overheard Aponi singing in her room. She had the most beautiful voice and he was curious about why she'd hadn't told anyone about her singing.

He decided to go ask Angel Dust about it.

"Ya telling me she never told ya she sang?" Angel asked as he took a drink made by husker.

"That's what I said, my friend!" Alastor replied, trying to hide his frustration.

"Oh yeah! She can sing real good! That was her whole schpiel when she worked with Valentino. After she left the club though she found her own little place. I've been there a few times. Quaint. The people that go there were just fucked over by others, kinda like she was," Angel explained.

"Where is it?" Alastor asked.

"Eh just a little place on the edge'a hell. She'd probably take you if you asked. She neva' goes anymore on account'a you," he stated. "Agh. I gotta get ta work. See you shittheads later,"

"How did she get out of a contract with Valentino?" Alastor asked again.

"Ah. I pulled some strings. She didn't belong there. I signed over some of my death... but she's worth it. She doesn't know though. If she did she'd kill me," Angel stated before walking out if the hotel.

Alastor stood, a small smile on his face before he made his way up to Aponi's room.

Aponi was cleaning out her cat's litter box when there was a knock on the door.

"Come on in!" She called as she tied the plastic bag.

"Hello my darling! I wanted to ask you something," Alastor began.

"Oh of course! What's up?" She asked as she threw the bag in her big trash can before rying that up as well to get ready to take it out.

"Angel Dust told me you tend to go to a little place outside of town and I was wondering if I could accompany you," Alastor stated.

Aponi stood there and looked at him.

"Uh... I mean you can... but I don't think it's your type of scene," she stated.

"Nonsense! I showed you around Cannibal County! It's only fair that you show me your favorite places!" Alastor exclaimed.

Aponi smirked. "Okay. But we gotta leave in 20 minutes. You good with that?" She asked as she picked up the full garbage bag and began walking out of her room to throw it away, qlastor following her.

"Perfect! Should I dress in anything specific?" Alastor asked.

"You? Nah. But I have a performance there so I've gotta dress a certain way," Aponi stated.

"A performance?" Alastor asked as he watched her shrug the garbage bag into the trash.

Aponi smirked before walking back inside to get ready.

20 minutes passed and alastor waited for Aponi.

She walked out, a coat covering her outfit.

"Do I get a sneak peek, darling?" Alastor asked with a smile.

"Ha! No~" she stated before the two began walking to her car.

A few minutes of driving passed and Aponi parked next to a small club, easy to miss.

The two got out of the car and walked in.

It was like a little diner, and had quite a few people inside, all friendly with each other like a community.

"Aponi!" They all shouted as they ran to her.

"You brought the radio demon with ya? What kinda club do you think we are?" The owner asked, a smile on his face.

"He's good, Chuck, I promise. Is everyone ready?" She asked.

"More than you know," he chuckled with his southern accent. He was a beetle demon.

"Carolyn!" Aponi exclaimed as she walked over to an older demon.

"Aponi! How was the drive, my dear?" Carolyn asked.

"Oh pretty short. Is your son here?" Aponi asked.

"If he wasn't I'd have to yell at him!" Carolyn chuckled.

"C'mon it's time to sing!" One of the partygoers shouted.

"Who me? Oh I could never!" Aponi teased.

Alastor looked around before moving to stand near the woman called Carolyn.

"Sing! Sing! Sing!" The room began chanting.

Aponi laughed before snapping, music staring.

I was hot

Aponi began singing. She sighed after the first line.

I went to parties a lot Y'know? I was driving Lamborghinis Sipping super-dry martinis In the tiniest bikinis on a yacht

She shook her hips to the two beats given.

But I was depressed Also completely obsessed An unhappy beauty queen Who dreamed to be Miss Argentina I had such low self-esteem I was a mess

She sang. The crowd laughed at the last line.

She moved to the stage to get her microphone.

So I gave it all up for the netherworld I've been here forever, girl If I was more clever, girl I would've stuck it out Knowing what life's about

she shrugged her coat off to reveal a red dress, for for a tango.

Everyone gave a cheer, and alastor tilted his head in curiosity.

Pain and joy and suffering Failing but recovering I'll tell you another thing Everyone here is alone So if you are breathing Go home!

She belted.

If I knew then What I know now I would have looked within and let love in somehow If I only knew

She moved her hips to the Beat again, a smile on her face.

The truth back then I wouldn't have had my little accident

She made a motion to her neck, signaling how she died.

She walked to the back of the stage.

Don't be blind

She sang as she started strutting to the rhythm down the stage and catwalk.

You left your whole life behind See a shrink Call a priest Ask the recently deceased Death is final and you cannot press rewind

The crowd laughed, along with a chuckle from alastor.

Don't jump when the light is red

One demon sang, apart of the ensemble.

Toasters should be used for bread Another one sang..

Never smoke cigars in bed Nietzsche was right, y'know, to live is to suffer, bro Don't cheat on the one you wed Never whip a thoroughbred Angry pygmys shrunk his head Why did it take death to see Happiness was up to me?

More people sang as part of the ensemble.

If I knew then What I know now I would've laughed and danced And lanced every sacred cow I thought I knew But I was wrong 'Cause life is short But death is super long

As the music progressed, Aponi was pulled in by a male dancer, as they began dancing to the rhythm in a tango.

Much to Alastor's displeasure and jealousy that he'd never want to admit.

I exploded!

One guy called out. Everyone laughed and whooped at the music.

The dancing continued.

If I knew then (If I knew) What I know now I would've crossed every line And drank all the wine Before my final bow

The ensemble sang as Aponi was spun through all of the different dancers.

If I knew (If I knew) The things that now I know I would ride the highs and cherish the lows Going, it's a quick trick 'round the rodeo

The ensemble sange before getting quiet for aponi.

So before they lower the curtain, be certain to enjoy the show

She sang confidently before taking a deep breath..

That's what I know!

She belted.

Life is short but death is long Here, one minute then it's gone

As the ensemble along with aponi sang everyone took their places on the stage.

Thought I knew but I was wrong If I only knew what I know now!

At the last beat aponi made a pose by sticking her leg out and shooting the hand with her microphone into the air.

The lights went dark.

When they turned back on Aponi have a bow as someone walked dover to help her down from the stage.

"Well that was more entertaining than the stock market crash of 1929!" Alastor called out as he shoved his way through Aponi's friends.

"Thanks Al! I've been practicing for weeks!" Aponi stated.

"You never told me you could do any of that!" Alastor exclaimed, keeping his jouful tune and trying to hide how he felt a but disappointed at not being told about it.

"Well Al this isn't your usual crowd," Aponi stated.

"But it's yours," Alastor argued. "You were amazing," he stated with a genuine smile.

Aponi blushed.

"Thanks," she stated.

[kfc-bucketman]

Lin Manuel Miranda x Ron Chernow 2

(THIS IS A CRACK FIC DONT TAKE IT SERIOUS IM BEGGING WEIRD STUFF AHEAD YOU BEEN WARNED:)

It’s been a few days since the interviewer questioned Lin where he revealed a secret affair between him and Ron Chernow, they were not going to let this go, they had to find out more. Taking acting classes and going under the most original name they could think of ‘Alex’ Alex was now part of the cast because of story magic and talking with Daveed backstage.

“So you walked in on them?”

“Yeah…um- I don’t wanna talk about it- can we change topics ?”

“Fine. Did anyone else see?”

The immediate response was a no and so there was a dead end. The only way now was to catch them in the act, Alex prepared a camera and was determined to get a photo. Listening in they heard two people talking “Lin isn’t gonna make it tonight we have to get his understudy” the two looked around and spotted Alex “you. You’ll do. Get over in the dressing room we have twenty minutes” Alex was extremely confused but did so to not blow their cover and got ready for the show, they didn’t even know the lyrics that great.

“Don’t forget from whence you came and the world is gonna know your name! What’s your name man!?”

The spotlight was put on Alex as they slowly and nervously walked to the front and mumbled “Alexander Hamilton- my name is Alexander Hamilton and there’s some things that I forgot to do but just you wait, just you wait” the show moved forward and Alex did his best to keep up almost tripping a few times. But as the show continued they got more comfortable and were able to keep a well enough performance…until the final song.

“LOOK EM IN THE EYE AIM NO HIGHER SUMMON ALL THE COURAGE THEN COUNT!”

123456789 NUMBER 10 PACES FIRE!

“I imagine death so much it feels more like a memory

Is this where it gets me, on my feet, several feet ahead of me? I see it coming, do I run or fire my gun or let it be? There is no beat, no melody Burr, my first friend, my enemy Maybe the last face I ever see If I throw away my shot, is this how you'll remember me? What if this bullet is my legacy?” And at that moment they looked into the audience clearly and saw Lin and Ron sitting there holding hands, they locked eyes for a moment, immediately Alex lost track of the song. “Hurry up!” Someone whispered to them.

“I'm running out of time, I'm running, and my time's up Wise up, eyes up I catch a glimpse of the other side” Lin started walking out with Chernow backstage.

“Laurens leads a soldiers' chorus on the other side My son is on the other side He's with my mother on the other side Washington is watching from the other side Teach me how to say goodbye Rise up, rise up, rise up, Eliza!”

Alex watched them and tried to finish quickly “RAISE A GLASS TO FREEEDOM!”

“HE AIMS HIS PISTOL AT THE SKY!”

Alex shouted at the same time as Leslie as they immediately jumped off the stage to chase after them

“WAIT!”

Alex was running down the hall with his camera and in costume, they immediately kicked down the door to Lin and Ron in the middle of a private moment to each other and

📸!FLASH! 📸

Lin and Ron’s eyes were immediately shocked like dears in headlights, Alex started running for the exit holding the camera pushing people past them as they practically fell through the door to the outside while hearing fast footsteps following behind. Alex stood and ran until their legs burned and hiding behind a dumpster made sure they had the photo and sighed in relief. Later making it to their apartment putting their things down and uploading the picture to their computer sending it to a J. Callander. At that moment when it was fully sent a loud knock came at Alex’s door and a voice spoke through it.

“Did you think I wouldn’t find you?”

[thetribblelorian]

Yuletide Letter 2023

Dear Yuletide Writer, 

Hello! I’m TheTribblelorian! This is my first year participating in Yuletide, and I’m so excited. I’ve never done this type of thing before. 

Thank you so much for being willing to write a story in one of my favorite small fandoms. I wasn’t quite sure what to include in this letter, but I hope that I can at least give you a better idea of where to start. 

Like and Dislike:

I like to think I’m fairly easy to please. My main DNW is anything involving graphic, non-con or underage sex. I’m fine reading pretty vanilla sex, if you felt called to write one of those. I’d also prefer a happy ending.

I’m a big fan of angst, hurt and comfort, humor and romance. I also like miscommunication, badass women, dancing, soulmates, hanahaki and bodyswap fics. 

Prompts and Info on my fandoms:

I’m not sure if it’s necessary, but I figured I’d provide some more information about each of my fandoms in case it helps. I included some possible prompts to hopefully help you in writing a story, but feel free to write whatever brings you joy. If you enjoy writing it, I’ll probably enjoy reading it. 

Enchanted Forest Chronicles:

Requested Character: Telemain

I love this series. I love all the characters in this series. I grew up reading this series, and nothing brings me more joy than the fact that my favorite novel of all time (Shards of Honor by Lois Mcmaster Bujold) is dedicated to the author of this series. 

I have always felt that it was a shame that, while every other main character seemed to get their own book, Telemain never had his story told. I love reading (and writing) Telemain content. That being said, one of my favorite things is seeing everyone’s different interpretations of Telemain. Please don’t be afraid to write him however you want.

If you are looking for story ideas, I have some quick suggestions for you. Perhaps Morwen gets hurt or enchanted, and Telemain has to help. How would he react? How would she? Or maybe Telemain and Mendenbar go on a life-changing adventure! (Kinda like Zuko and his friends from ATLA!)

Ladyhawke (1985)

Requested Characters: Etienne Navarre, Isabeau d'Anjou, Philippe Gaston (one or more)

This movie rocks! Every time I rewatch it, I think “I want to know more about these characters”. 

I love found families, so if you are looking for some possible ideas, maybe you could write a soulmate fanfic. Or something about Philippe learning the meaning of family. That being said, I’m game for just about anything. Write what makes you happy. 

Lock In - John Scalzi

Requested Characters: Any

This novel was SO GOOD, as was the sequel. I doubt that Scalzi will be writing more of these after the pandemic, which makes me sad. I feel like we have questions that are still unanswered. 

I personally have been enjoying the lack of identifying features Scalzi has given characters in his most recent novels. For example, we don’t know Chris’s race or gender (although I suppose we could make guesses based on their parents). I personally imagine Chris as male (probably due to listening to Will Weaton’s audible narration), but would be happy to see them written as non-binary or female. 

Some story ideas I have if you are looking for prompts include Leslie finally telling Chris what happened to her old partner. Or maybe Leslie and Chris have to integrate for some reason?

Batman: Wayne Family Adventures (Webcomic)

Requested Characters: Three Incompetent Kidnappers

This comic reminds me of Silver age Batman, arguably the best Batman! My Thursday mornings have been a lot brighter since this comic began. 

I particularly like the recurring kidnappers. They make me laugh. I would love to read a funny story about these characters. That being said, if you wanted to write something more angsty, I’d be all for it. 

Some ideas for this story could include Jason getting kidnapped for a change, and Tim having to rescue him. Or maybe Jason teaches the three incompetent kidnappers how to be better. (better kidnappers? better individuals? Up to you!) Does that backfire on him? On them? 

It’s funny how science fiction universes… | Humans are Space Orcs - bogleech (Tumblr Post)

Requested Characters: Any

I thought this tumblr post was so funny. I’m a big science fiction fan (Star Trek, Star Wars, Firefly, Babylon 5, you name it!). I’d love to hear some more scenarios revolving around Humans being viewed as Space orcs. Maybe we could learn about how the aliens view human medicine? Human engineering? Humans in command?!

This ended up being much lengthier than I intended, but I hope it is helpful. Have a very happy Yule and I wish you the best of luck! Thank you again so, so much.

PS: I don't mind treats if someone is feeling inspired.

[forabeatofadrum]

Just Some Guy (9/9) - COMPLETE

AO3

–

Epilogue

MATT

My mum is loaded, so I can afford to take a gap year to travel. I’m going to America with John and Leslie for a cross-country road trip for a couple of weeks. I will visit the Cordero family, of course. John bemoans that the city of Samwell doesn’t exist in this universe, or something, so we’re making a stop at Providence since that’s ‘the next best thing’ or whatever. Leslie really wants to see Ohio for some reason. Apart from that, we have no concrete plans.

What will I do afterwards? I don’t know. I can go to university, like Luis, Scott and Sam. I can try to find a place where I can enrol in February. Or I could look for a job, like Ryan and Arnold.

We’ve graduated. Our entire life is in front of us.

John tells me not to worry, since my story will be over anyway. That’s so weird, because I feel like I am only just at the beginning.

I tell him that.

“No, really, man, this fic will be over in a couple of paragraphs,” he says back, “Around 300 words left!”

As usual, I don’t know what he means. The two of us are walking up a flight of stairs. We’re visiting my mum. She moved to a new flat in Camberwell and there’s an extra room. I will move in here after I come back from my road trip, because I like the idea of living in London and I miss my mum.

We leave the stairwell and go through the door that leads to my mum’s floor when I see someone in front of one of the flat’s doors.

This guy is on his phone, leaning against the wall. He’s wearing a floral top and jeans. A large bag is slung over his shoulder and he’s holding a huge water bottle in his other hand.

I didn’t recognise him for a second, with his hair loose like that and with a casual look, but it’s Baz Pitch.

What the fuck? What is Baz Pitch doing in my mum’s hallway?

He hasn’t noticed us yet, too engrossed in whatever’s on his phone. We pass him without a word and quickly enter my mum’s flat before he can notice us.

“Mum?” I yell out.

My mum emerges from the kitchen. Her hands are covered in flour.

“Yes, dear?” she asks.

“Why is- I mean, there’s a guy loitering around at number 61!” I say. Does my mum even know that’s Baz Pitch, the Pitch Heir? Even I had troubles recognising him and I just spent 8 years in the same class as him.

“Oh, that handsome young man?” my mum laughs, “The neighbours joke that he haunts that door day and night! They should just give him a key already.”

“… They?” I ask, but I can already feel the dread building up.

“His boyfriend lives there,” my mum says lightly, “I haven’t actually seen him yet, since I am often at work, but I know that he lives there with a friend.”

Baz Pitch’s boyfriend.

That means…

Simon Snow.

You’ve got to be kidding me.

--

End notes:

Hey yo it's John Johnson here. The author told me I have the privilege to write the last author's note but also who are we kidding? We all know it's still the author putting the words in my metaphorical mouth. ANYWAY supes thanks for reading. Watching Matty grow up from a strapping young lad to a full-blown adult has been a real treat and I hope you liked seeing his story unfold as much as I did. Or maybe not. I mean, brah, I was part of it lol. (Can I make Matty meet Jack and Bitty? How does this work? I mean, I also already met Kurt Hummel in another fic of the author, so everything is possible.) But yeah thanks a lot for reading. I can tell you the author absolutely loved writing it and sharing it with you.

It's so funny, cause chapter 8 was the last one, but then Annie letraspal made some gorgeous fanart (which is linked in this chapter) and the author realised it'd be really fucking funny if Matt hadn't entirely gotten rid of Simon and Baz yet.

MCD's story is definitely over. I told him so myself. Yet, there are some small snippet of his future you might like to know. Like, don't spoil this for Matt yet, but he and Leslie won't last. Boo. Or fun fact, did you know I actually spoke to Baz regularly? LOL. Lmao even. Matt never knew, so neither did y'all, since it wasn't relevant to the plot. I did mention in a blog post on the author's blog that I think he's fit, but bet y'all didn't see coming I was friendly with him. And yeah, Simon and Matt (and Penny) are neighbours now, but no worries, Matt will continue his uneventful life in ignorance. The dude won't know Simon's moved out to Hackney Wick till idk a year after??? I might tell him sooner, but as I mentioned before, gaslighting my bestie for the narrative is a treat.

All this to say that the world of Carry On.... carries on, even without Matty giving you a glimpse into it. Apart from what I mentioned above, I have no fucking clue what's next for him and therefore neither does the author. Or is it the other way around??? Do I only not know because she doesn't know??? I should ask her. But even so, feel free to keep Matty Chris D. (thanks Dre for the name, I was gonna do a shout-out to you in the fic itself but it never fit oop) in your hearts. I definitely will. Stay 'swasome everyone and have a good day. - J.J.