#is the Ted lasso fandom still alive?

[hippieelf]

Save me college-age Coach Beard. Save me

[biscuitboxpink]

I love how the whole TedBecca side of the fandom has fallen into writing really angsty fic because we’re all a mess right now.

[chainofclovers]

I think there’s too much on my mind in just about every category of life because trying to do my work is even more challenging than usual. My work is going fine, but I swear to god I’ll be setting out to do a task that involves checking an email for a link I needed, and then I’ll end up replying to a totally different email, and then that’ll set off a chain of 8 other things I have to write down or otherwise take care of, and I’ll be able to force myself to do maybe 3 of those, and then I look back at my other monitor and realize I still didn’t fucking get that original link. So then I get the link, I do the task. Whew, that’s done. But actually I was just doing that one very specific task so I could procrastinate on a larger, more challenging thing that I literally need to be ready to discuss with my boss in 3 hours, half an hour of which will be taken up with a meeting that could absolutely be an email, and all the time I spent doing these more minor work things while also getting distracted by the rest of my life means I really just screwed myself over.

It’s possible, of course, that this is yet another manifestation of undiagnosed ADHD or whatever. I respect those diagnoses, I respect how real ADHD is, I’ve personally never felt the need to seek anything specific w/r/t that condition…and I also wonder if I’m just too keen to distract myself even from actually sitting down and thinking about all that more seriously LOL.

And the rest of life? My marriage, my friends, my family, all the intricacies there, the very welcome obligations that nonetheless require time and thought. The election. Global conflicts/feeling sick over it. Busyness with volunteering, some of which I do both because I love it and because it feels like a carbon offset of some of the most destructive things related to corporate job. Fandom stuff (I’m still processing how I’m both excited and wary of what an s4 Ted Lasso experience will be like, and trying to actually READ INFORMATION about this “developing story” of the options being picked up and what that actually means), which as always is a source of both creative fun and community and also means exposure to some drama and bullshit, which could skitter off into a million distracting thoughts about whether my own levels of sensitivity, my relationship to my own logic, etc. are within a reasonable range for me. Health stuff, mine and others, although (thankfully!) nothing currently threatening the ability of my loved ones to stay alive. Nursing hurt feelings and the humiliation and obsessive self-questioning that always accompanies any sort of rejection, no matter how much I intellectually get it.

I always feel like I have stretches of months where things are largely going very well, my default is happiness, and then anything negative feels more like an additive, something to process, something I can accommodate because of the calm center of my foundation. And then there are little stretches like this one where my anxiety and distractability have leeched into the foundation and I have to figure out how to rebuild it. (And the weirdness of knowing that feeling sometimes lasts only a few days, sometimes much longer.)

My life is so charmed and so simple and so complicated and so privileged and so exhausting and I should really finish up this deck since I now have only 2.5 hours until I need to have something concrete for my boss.

TL;DR has anyone on this planet figured out the relationship between situational depression/anxiety and the rest of their life? 😆

[lunar-years]

I'ma be shady for a minute. it's been a minute since I was in a fandom with more than one pure het ship but I've noticed that this one has been noticeably more rancid about their particular ships. like, if you (general you not specific you) have to completely rewrite the show to take stories away from another character to make up evidence for your ship... maybe you're not in fact the big brained subtext interpreter you think you are?

anyways personally I think it was a great choice for no one to be together in the end. they all got growing to do first and I love that the show didn't follow the "everyone must end the story in a relationship" formula. some of these people heard rom-communism and decided that meant the show is a rom com, instead of a show subverting rom com tropes

Today my blog is a free space to be a little shady 🫡

I agree with you and I think people are reallyyyy upset about ships they thought were “guaranteed,” but the reality is no ship is ever guaranteed and anyone who has shipped many a ships is bound to learn this the hard way lol. free yourselves!!! shipping gets a lot more fun when you allow yourself to ship things that aren’t canon endgame and still find ways to imagine them getting together within the canon framework or outside of it in a fun little canon divergence/AU. They can still be together in your head and no one can take that away from you!!! (Also let’s not take it for granted that all sides of ted lasso ships are at least still canonically alive. I survived shipping MichaelxJane on Jane The Virgin so now I feel like I can get through anything 😅)

I also like that they end the show individually :) it made the most sense for the story the season was telling!

[wlntrsldler]

holy shit thanks for 3k followers????

i’ve had this blog for YEARS (when i shouldn’t have been allowed to have unrestricted internet access 😭)

i’ve flipped fandoms a few times and i do cringe reading some of my older work BUT thanks for all the love from the pjo fandom im getting rn <333

also s/o to the few people who still keep my ted lasso fics alive ily

[ace-din-djarin]

Hi, what about 15 from the year in review ask game?

Hi! Ooh thank you!! The question is from this post. Let’s see…

15. Rec a fic you wrote or posted in 2023

Hmm. So, compared to 2022, I didn’t actually get a lot posted in 2023. I’ve done a lot of work on WIPS this year— NaNoWriMo was won with work on various wips from several fandoms, primarily my Dinluke longfic called “An Ever-Fixed Mark” (which gets better every day, I am so so so excited that it’s almost done) but also some Ted Lasso and Old Guard fics that are still being worked on.

From what I did post though, I was the most excited to finally get chapter six of Far Across the Distance out!! I finally got the entire sinking of the Titanic onto (digital) paper. I had a huge block in my mind about it, and it was so so good to finally get it finished and up. There wasn’t a huge amount of engagement over it, not as much as I’d been hoping for if I’m being honest, but I know a lot of people prefer to wait for a fic to be done before they’re willing to give it a shot. So I suppose I have to be patient and get the final chapter and epilogue out to hopefully then get some good feedback :) I am very proud of how chapter six came out though, particularly the last scene. I think it’s got some of the most beautiful imagery I’ve written, and some wonderful humfort!

Here’s a sample of the very last scene that I’m so proud of:

The stars really were beautiful.

It was a thought that had been skipping over itself again and again in Din’s head, refusing to leave. He floated, no longer feeling the icy cold of the water, even as it lapped at his back and sides. He thought he still held Luke’s hand, but even that sensation was gone. There was only the scattering of diamonds overhead, a cold and unreachable blanket. The only sounds that broke the silence surrounding him were the occasional soft slap of water against wood – or frozen skin.

It was hours – days, weeks, eons – of staring up at the sky before something changed. Something flashed in the corner of his eye, interrupting his admiration of the stars. A sound broke through the stillness, muffled and unintelligible against Din’s ears.

Another flash. The sound came again, plaintive, and this time Din’s sluggish, half-frozen brain began to translate; someone was calling out. It took what felt like all of his strength to force his head to move, but Din managed to look towards the light just as it passed over the water again. A boat. It was a boat, cutting slowly through the water.

The voice came again, and this time Din understood the words. “Is anyone alive out there!”

Yes, Din thought. Wait.

[leiakenobi]

leiakenobi's 2022 Fic Rec (aka, AO3 Wrapped)

Happy new year to you all! I did a fun new thing in 2022 where I kept a far more detailed record of the fic I read and wrote than I ever have before. Now that the year is officially over, I wanted to share some of my favorite fics that I read, alongside some of my own fics that I’m particularly proud of. There are also a handful of stats because hey, I have the data and numbers are fun.

Fics I Read (Stats)

In 2022, I read 293 fics about 122 relationships (either platonic or romantic) across 70 different fandoms, totaling 1,286,019 words. July and December saw me reading the most (over 300k words each month), in both cases helped along by Hannibal hyperfixations, as well as the reveals for Yuletide 2022 on Christmas leading to a final end-of-the-year boost.

Surprising no one, my most read fandom was Star Wars at 42 fics, followed by Hannibal (32), Ted Lasso (25), the Marvel Cinematic Universe (18), and Our Flag Means Death and Dimension 20 tied at 13 fics each.

My ship stats are proof that am (with the occasional exception) a multi-shipper, with Will Graham/Hannibal Lecter rocketing up to the top of the list at 31 fics, followed by Trent Crimm/Ted Lasso (18), Poe Dameron/Rey (12), Blackbeard/Stede Bonnet (10), and Ziggy Berman/Nick Goode from Fear Street just barely sneaking into the top 5 with 7 fics. I also read 21 fics that had no relationship tags at all.

Considering how frequently I do peruse the authors' profiles of fics that I enjoy in search of more to read, I don't read multiple fics by the same author as much as I would expect; out of 223 authors read throughout the year, I read multiple fics by 38 people, with a truly comical drop from the top author, blackleaders, at 20 fics (lmao hi nym), to 5 authors who are tied at 4 fics each (simplyprologue, Miss_M, apacketofseeds, saturni-stellis, and postcardmystery).

But that's enough numbers. Here are some fics I read for the first time in 2022 that really moved me.

Fics I Read (Recs)

Tangled by thingswithwings Community | Annie Edison/Abed Nadir and Troy Barnes/Abed Nadir | 28,327 words | Explicit

"Do you want me to go down on you?" Abed asks, one afternoon, when they're watching My Little Pony: Friendship Is Magic.

like petrol soaked paper and fireworks by simplyprologue The Conjuring | Ed Warren/Lorraine Warren | 5,285 words | Explicit

He’s alive, she reminds himself, the ghost of the exertion from pulling him to safety tensing her muscles. He’s alive, and she’s alive, and she is so, so mad at him. “I’m… you made me out like I was some big hero in London.” “You were,” he sputters.

and i would break my family's heart by sleepdraught Dimension 20 | Adaine Abernant & Aelwyn Abernant | 8,002 words | Teen

Her name is derived from Old Elvish. Aelwyn. Great future. In the archaic tongue, the words for future and forever are the same. Adaine’s name is also derived from Old Elvish. Second-born. In which Aelwyn Abernant puts abjurative shields up on everything, including herself, and she doesn't know what exists beneath all that when they're gone.

aqua vitae by nikomedes Dimension 20 | Sofia Bicicleta/Em | 9,324 words | Teen

“You invited me out,” Em reminds her, maybe awkwardly? It’s hard to tell when her face is literally cast in bronze. She reflects beautifully in the still pond, under the moonlight, wings pulled in close as if she’s a little chilly too. “I’d apologize for showing up late, but even the Umbral Arcana can only do so much about an angel flying over Verrazzano.” Sofia Lee, Em, and the moments in-between.

Wherever You're Going (I'm Going Your Way) by garmonbozias Fear Street | Ziggy Berman/Nick Goode | 13,583 words | Mature

Sometimes the villains win.

Such a warm commotion by whetherwoman Fire Island | Noah/Will | 8,691 words | Explicit

Everything's great and that's a problem for Noah.

Fortune Hath No Backward Bound by reserve Hannibal | Will Graham/Hannibal Lecter | 8,153 words | Explicit

“I know Francis was the dragon,” Will said, face turned into the fine fabric of Hannibal’s dress shirt. “But sometimes, here with you, living this life, I feel like I’ve accidentally run away with one.” "Left the maiden in distress behind and took the dragon for yourself, then?" Or, Hannibal and Will run away to Europe. Things go more or less as expected.

haarlem by spqr Hannibal | Will Graham/Hanibal Lecter | 6,825 words | Mature

“Hannibal,” he thinks he says. He gets told later that he doesn’t really say it at all, but that the entire police station—most of which is waiting outside in the rainy parking lot—hears his voice clattering around inside their skulls like someone standing on a roof banging pots and pans and screaming at the top of his lungs: HANNIBAL, HANNIBAL, HANNIBAL. [or: rude, exhausted telepath Will Graham]

res publica, res privata by thedevilchicken Hannibal | Will Graham/Hannibal Lecter | 2,348 words | Mature

When Hannibal puts his hands on him in public, Will knows it's for effect.

rise up with the dew by lickrish Hannibal | Will Graham/Hannibal Lecter | 10,149 words | Explicit

Will learns to relax. Hannibal yearns.

wild peaches by notbecauseofvictories Labyrinth | Jareth/Sarah Williams | 3,571 words | Teen

The morning after Sarah Williams defeats the Goblin King, she gets up and makes toast.

The Long Road by determamfidd The Lord of the Rings | Gimli/Legolas Greenleaf | 6,246 words | Teen

The world has changed. Middle-earth is no more. The Valar have departed, or they are dead. Only one remains to stir the dust of forgotten lands beneath his feet, waiting to fulfil his promise.

my hands have made some good mistakes by piratesails The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel | Lenny Bruce/Midge Maisel | 4,913 words | Teen

“Are you done for the night?” he asks. She doesn’t want to look him straight in the eyes in case he’s still got that look on him, so she goes for staring at the cigarette that’s crookedly dangling from his mouth. It’s really the worst idea she’s had since shoving her ivory skirt out of the window of that cab. “Why? Have you got some more things in your pockets you want to throw at me? Because, let me tell you, if you’re about to pull something out of there that’s going to leave a stain, I will not be held responsible for what I’ll do to you.”

but what if you kept me (i don’t dare dream) by Lacerta Moon Knight | Layla El-Faouly/Marc Spector | 5,141 words | Mature

"You said you came to Cairo on business," Layla explains when they stop at a river bank. "I figured you didn't have time to see the views." Marc thinks about the familiar landscape of the city seen from above, how he's seen the dawn and the sunset change the city with fiery colors – and smiles. Layla turns to look at him. Her face is framed by unruly curls, the night lights make her skin glow, and the warmth in her eyes sets a flame to Marc's heart. "Not views like this," he admits softly. - This is how Marc falls in love.

always 11pm somewhere by afterism Our Flag Means Death RPF | Rhys Darby/Taika Waititi | 5,870 words | Explicit

"Yeah," Taika says, his grin dirty and obvious despite the thousands of miles between them. "I've gone full LA wanker." "Proud of you," Rhys says, and then, because that's almost true, says, "Gone? You've been a wanker for decades!" Taika's dating again. Rhys couldn't be happier for him.

tannis root by arbitrarily Ready or Not | Alex Le Domas/Daniel Le Domas/Grace Le Domas | 10,190 words | Explicit

They have been married for six months. Together, they live at the Le Domas estate. Each morning she shrugs off the wrongness she wakes to, cold and close as a burial shroud. To herself she repeats the same thing Alex has told her, over and over again: Everything is fine. You are fine. You’re with family now.

Our Steps Will Always Rhyme by AnnabelleVeal Succession | Kendall Roy/Stewy Hosseini | 7,841 words | Explicit

Stewy had always been better at moderation than Kendall. Or, five times Stewy told Kendall no and one time he didn't.

L’Simchat Chaim by achoo_gesundheit Ted Lasso | Trent Crimm/Ted Lasso | 7,445 words | General Audiences

l'simchat chaim Hebrew, interjection :to the joy of living: Trent was still figuring out how that worked.

they will see us waving from such great heists by laiqualaurelote Ted Lasso | Trent Crimm/Ted Lasso | 21,110 words | Teen

"Trent Crimm, Interpol," says Trent, flashing his badge with a vindictive flair, "and I'll thank you to stop mucking up my crime scene, Mr - " "Ted Lasso, FBI," says the interloper, matching him badge for badge. Trent stares at the ID he is presented with. "How is that even a real person’s name?"

Up to Code by syllic The Way Way Back | Duncan & Owen | 5,564 words | Teen

Everything works out for everyone, because it should.

this love is glowing in the dark by pathstotread A Wrinkle in Time | Alex Murry/Kate Murry | 1,547 words | Mature

"On the night that Alex returns, after Meg has retrieved him from hell and brought him home, they all camp out in the family room, as if by some unspoken agreement that no one sleeps alone or lets Alex out of their sight." Kate and Alex, after.

Fics I Wrote (Stats)

In 2022 I wrote 128 fics about 79 relationships (either platonic or romantic) across 55 different fandoms, totaling 224,772 words. I wrote at least 10k words in every month except June.

I wrote 10 fics or more in four fandoms: Star Wars (18), Marvel Cinematic Universe (12), Dimension 20 (12), and Ted Lasso (10).

There were only a handful of relationships that I wrote more than once or twice, most significantly Trent Crimm/Ted Lasso (8) and Poe Dameron/Rey (6). I wrote 15 Reader-Insert fics across a variety of different fandoms. I also wrote 10 fics with no relationship tags.

I also got into fic exchanges this year! I found them a very exciting way to explore fandoms and ships that I might not otherwise have thought to write for; ultimately I wrote 54 fics (42% of my total fic output) as gifts in exchanges.

Picking some favorites among my own fics is hard as hell, but I managed to come up with a list of the ones that I'm particularly proud of!

Fics I Wrote (Recs)

all my worries, disintegrating The Conjuring | Ed Warren/Lorraine Warren | 2,654 words | Explicit

“What’s on your mind, hon?” That you can’t seem to stand still, she doesn’t say. That it doesn’t feel like we’re on the same page these days and a gazebo in our garden isn’t enough to change that. Lorraine knows her husband, so she starts smaller. “I’ve been thinking about the night we found the witch’s totem downstairs.”

Another First Kiss Dimension 20 | Cinderella/Rosamund du Prix | 528 words | Teen

Once upon a time, Rosamund du Prix was awoken by the kiss of a young woman with soft lips and softer skin, clad in the most glorious glass armor she had ever set eyes on.

There And Back Again Dimension 20 | Galfast Hamhead & Leiland | 2,205 words | Teen

For two years, Leiland had lain in wait. Collecting himself, refining his skills and becoming an entirely new man (so to speak) under Leiland Jr.’s leadership. And it was all leading to this moment, in which he would darken Hamhead’s doorway and finally deal her the agony which she so dearly deserved.

among many blue things The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel | Lenny Bruce/Midge Maisel | 586 words | Explicit

Midge didn’t realize she’d fallen silent until Lenny lifted up his head to blink at her from between her legs. “Y’know, I thought I was doing some good work down here, but if you wanna change it up…”

Cadential Motion Master and Commander | Jack Aubrey/Stephen Maturin | 1,405 words | Teen

“I’ll be frank with you, Captain, it’s a relief to finally have you in my chair. I was beginning to worry that you didn’t trust my expertise.” - Aubrey and Maturin discover that their first impressions of one another were borne out of some misunderstandings.

craving. Monty Python RPF | John Cleese/Michael Palin | 488 | Teen

Writing for this new venture – whatever the hell it was, these six of them and their daydreams – had proven to be invigorating and terrifying all at once, but through it all there was John.

if I could, I'd drown for hours Moon Knight | Marc Spector-centric | 451 words | Teen

Alcohol doesn’t hit Marc like it used to. It doesn’t simmer in his blood, it doesn’t seep into his brain and dull his senses.

pickup, pickup (a good book now) Our Flag Means Death | Blackbeard/Stede Bonnet | 401 words | General Audiences

The desolation would have been less apparent if Edward had done anything in the interim to fill up the space.

party crasher The Princess Diaries | Nicholas Devereaux/Mia Thermopolis | 597 words | General Audiences

Mia tosses and turns in her sleeping bag for the better part of an hour before concluding that she just might need to abandon her own party.

chasing the ghosts away Scream | Mark Kincaid/Sidney Prescott | 189 words | Mature

Sidney still called him Detective sometimes, after.

Patina Star Wars | Obi-Wan Kenobi/Reader | 8,781 words | Explicit

You first encounter him at twenty, when your mother receives a call from an old friend named Qui-Gon Jinn. She’s always had quite a number of old friends, cloaked figures at varying stages of haggard who come through your house for a few days at a time in search of a place to rest their heads in your isolated part of the galaxy. With them, they always bring lightsabers, small and peculiar gifts of gratitude, and fantastical stories of adventure. This old friend brings with him a queen’s handmaiden, not much younger than you. He brings news of political sabotage and an urgent request for food, water, and supplies to repair his ship.

your love is sunlight Star Wars | Poe Dameron/Reader | 2,987 words | Explicit

First thing on the agenda: Poe Dameron is going to wash his kriffing hair. Second thing on the agenda: Poe is going to find you.

lovers alone wear sunlight Succession | Gerri Kellman/Roman Roy | 1,741 words | Teen

“I’m here to see Gerri Kellman. Just say it’s her ex-boy toy.” [Roman pays Gerri a surprise visit, after.]

Be As You've Always Been Ted Lasso | Trent Crimm/Ted Lasso | 8,202 words | Explicit

“I’d like to be clear about something up front,” Trent said carefully. “I don’t expect an answer right away. In fact, I think it would be wise for you to give some thought to what Keeley is asking of you. And we can talk it over until… what’s that colourful phrase you Americans like to use?” Ted chanced a smile. “’Til the cows come home?” “That’s the one.” - Keeley asks Ted to speak at the first event she's worked since starting her own firm, but his anxiety gets in the way.

Chrysalis Ted Lasso | Ted Lasso & Jamie Tartt | 1,964 words | Teen

“I’d’ve thought you’d be out celebrating with the team,” Ted said at last. “Yeah, I was for a while. Just…” Jamie sniffed, leaning forward to examine a stain on the bar that had probably been there for decades. “Got bored, I guess.”

if the years are all gone (series) Ted Lasso | Trent Crimm/Ted Lasso | 53,722 words | Teen

Nearly two decades before Rebecca Welton hires Ted Lasso as AFC Richmond's new manager, Trent Crimm spends a semester abroad in the midwestern United States. Everything unfolds a little bit differently from there.

Once In A Lifetime (sequel to This Must Be The Place) Triple Frontier | Santiago Garcia/Reader | 12,258 words | Explicit

After circling around your attraction for hours, Santi brings you back home to wait out the snowstorm that brought you into his bar. Once there, you learn more about the lonely man who's taken a liking to you and become increasingly aware of just what you'll be missing if you walk away from him in the morning.

[ao3feed-tedlasso]

The Danger is, I'm Dangerous

by Velocipastor

Roy retired from football a couple years ago. That was his day job. He retired as an MI5 agent five years ago. That was his night job.

James Tartt Sr promises a powerful, far-reaching criminal organization that his filthy rich son will front them money for a new operation, but Jamie wants nothing to do with it. The problem is... Now Jamie knows too much. Someone needs to appoint themselves his bodyguard, take him on the run, and figure out how to keep him alive while dealing with this clusterfuck of massive proportions.

Looks like Roy's coming out of retirement.

Words: 5184, Chapters: 1/?, Language: English

Fandoms: Ted Lasso (TV)

Rating: Explicit

Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence

Categories: M/M

Characters: Roy Kent, Jamie Tartt

Relationships: Roy Kent/Jamie Tartt

Additional Tags: possibly (probably) others to come, an excruciatingly late AUgust espionage AU, I started it in August it totally counts, Espionage AU, there will be sexy times, BAMF Roy, creative liberties are taken it's fine, Jamie's dad dies (if anyone's interested), issa SLIIIGHT AU everyone is still footballers etc

source https://archiveofourown.org/works/44978707

[thetarttfuldickhead]

Delighted to have been tagged by the sweet @coolpointsetta Cheers, dear! 

Last song: 1933 by Frank Turner. Don’t go mistaking your house burning down for the dawn.

Currently watching: Rewatching Ted Lasso, Avatar: the Last Airbender, Leverage and The Vampire Diaries with various friend groups, as well as watching Abbot Elementary with my one in particular, and Foundation and Call the Midwife S10 all on my lonesome.

Currently reading: Psalms for the End of the World by Cole Haddon. Bit Matrix, bit Cloud Atlas, bit The Book of All Hours. I’m enjoying it, and would probably breeze through it if it weren’t for all the fanfiction I’m currently busy with…

Current obsession: Yeah, it’s all Ted Lasso all the time these days. Jamie and Roy, my darling boys! Keeley! OT3! The team! Rebecca! All of them! So grateful for all the people still writing and talking and making GIF-sets and edits… I just don’t want it to end, you know? And with fandom alive and kicking, it never has to. ❤️

And I’d like to know @istiz @jamiesfootball @side-ho3-blog @valdomarx @izzyspussy @liesmyth and @princeprick better! Also tagging @destinationtoast and @pghumfort bc let’s be real, I always wanna know all about you, dearlings! If tag games are not your thing, feel no pressure and just consider this me blowing you a li’l kiss across the teeming void of the online.

[enumchase]

gonna ramble a bit on the (ted lasso) spoilers because they’ve been rotating in my head nonstop for the past day

“jimmy jimmy, jimmy jimmy” to the tune of “gimme more” by britney spears

we’ve seen enough filming by now that this isn’t a surprise anymore, but it’s still absolutely exhilarating to see trent with the team and i yelled “VINDICATION!!!!!” when i saw him. my diamond dog trent agenda is alive and well and i just need to hear them actually say it at this point. 

also i’ve missed jimmy and his smile!! trent laugh like that in s3 when!

on the subject of nate

probably the biggest reveal from today, i don’t think it was a surprise to anyone to see nate back with richmond - he was going to be redeemed at the end, whether that process finishes during the course of s3 or not. i think the most interesting aspect of this is actually the fact that he’s wearing the kit man/staff uniform (blue & red) instead of the coaches’ uniform (all blue)

it’ll be interesting to see whether it was nate’s choice to be demoted from the coaching team after his return, or whether ted’s the one that made the decision for him to start back as a regular richmond staff, kind of like how jamie started in the second team when he came back

tedbecca card

god, this one is new and is KILLING ME. they look so good together. ted’s in the same outfit as filming today but we didn’t see hannah in jeremy’s video (iirc?) so it could’ve been from a different shoot as well. this also seems like a big one to drop, but no confirmations of anything either, and it could very well be jason & hannah instead of ted & rebecca here

anyways, it’s been a dramatic day with the spoiler drops (and subsequent deletes & fandom drama), but i’m just happy to see the cast happy and finishing the shoot and cannot wait to see the teaser. this show will haunt me till my fucking death. 

[belmottetower]

A Little Better, All The Time

Follow up to I Get By With A Little Help | Complete - updates every other day

Fandom: Ted Lasso

Rating: Explicit

Warnings: Rape/Non-Con

Series: Lonely Hearts Club

Relationships: Roy Kent/Jamie Tartt, Roy Kent & Jamie Tartt, Keeley Jones & Roy Kent, Coach Beard & Roy Kent, AFC Richmond Players & Jamie Tartt, Keeley Jones & Jamie Tartt, past Keeley Jones/Roy Kent, past Keeley Jones/Jamie Tartt

Tags: POV Roy Kent, Feelings Realization, Serial Monogamy, Pining, Hyper-fixation, Getting Together, Relationship Negotiation, Intense Relationship Dynamics, Interdependency, (that’s co-dependency's healthier cousin!), Hurt/Comfort, Therapy, Secondary Trauma, Happy Ending, mentions of Rape, Rape Recovery, Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, Canon Divergent after season 1, Jamie's mum is alive in this fic and in canon, he’s here (incredibly self aware), he’s there (totally oblivious), he’s every-fucking-where (a hypocritically contradictorily gloriously strong-minded individual), Roy Kent (knows himself extremely well), Roy Kent (and yet not at all)

Word count: 42k

Summary: He’d known Tartt could do it, but knowing it and fucking watching that masterpiece of a goal happen with his own eyes are two very different things. And best of all, he got to feel responsible for it. He had gotten to set that in motion for Richmond, for his player.

Ted grabs him in celebration, and Roy’s still roaring and oh, fuck. Careful what you wish for, Kent. Jamie’s seeking out his gaze, flipping him off from the middle of the pitch and smirking before accepting praise and hugs from the rest of the team, and Roy had wanted Jamie to spark some emotion in him, but this? This is electric, this is overwhelming. Roy wants to fucking run out there, grab him in a bear hug of his own, and not let go. This might become a new problem.

___

Roy wasn't about to admit it, but he'd been sort of excited to see Tartt again. Except when he returns to Richmond, Jamie is... different. On the pitch and off it, he’s quieter, more reserved, a shadow of the person Roy remembers from last season. He’s determined to get to the bottom of the change.

Roy's POV of I Get By With A Little Help

Notes and warnings: When I wrote I Get By With A Little Help, I thought I was done with that story. Except my editor wanted to know what on earth Roy had been thinking that led to him immediately saying yes in the cupboard and then being so intensely committed to Jamie, and I decided to write out his point of view. I did not imagine that it would end up being 40k words long, but ultimately, this is a story about hyper-fixation from a man who thinks a lot more than he speaks, so here we are.

You could read this before I Get By, but you’ll need to read both parts to get the full picture of what happened. Certain events referenced in one are not spelled out in detail in the other, and vice versa, and this one was definitely written with the aim that the reader is aware of certain things about Jamie that Roy is not - namely, the rape and abuse he suffered in his side of the story. Heed the tags and detailed content warnings on the Jamie side. This story includes discussion of Jamie’s burn scar in detail, and references to Jamie’s rape in the aftermath of Roy finding out.

Chapter One on AO3 | Chapter Two on AO3 | Chapter Three on AO3 | Chapter Four on A03 | Chapter Five on AO3 | Chapter Six on AO3 | Chapter Seven on AO3

[shayneysides]

BBC Ghosts for the fandom ask 🤸🏾‍♀️ or Ted Lasso if someone already sent Ghosts

No one already sent Ghosts, but I can't decide between fandoms, so I'm just going to do both lmao but keep the answers short for Ted Lasso bc I know that's not what people follow me for

Answers under the read more bc it turned out to be super long:

blorbo (favorite character, character I think about the most)

Ghosts: That's gotta be Humphrey. God I think about Humphrey so much!! Too much even!! His existence is just heartbreaking. He's a character that is so indescribably lonely. He's acknowledged so little that he's happy to be hit around like a ball. The only time he gets attention is when telling his death story, and even then he's interrupted constantly. His life is so tragic and his death even more so, and the worst part is he seems used to it. I want to pick Humphrey up and give him all the love and attention in the world. My boy my man!!

Ted Lasso: It's basic, I know, but Jamie. His character is just so interesting, and there's just so much to say about him. His redemption arc is so well executed, and thinking about him too much makes me cry.

scrunkly (my “baby”, character that gives me cuteness aggression, character that is So Shaped)

Ghosts: I don't think I really find any of them cute, to be honest? Almost all of them are grown ass adults, and the only one who isn't (Kitty) doesn't really feel cute to me, even though I really do love her as a character in other ways.

Ted Lasso: Will Kitman!! My boy!! My small little man!!! I just think he is so fun and little. Look at him. I also think it's so funny that they straight up made his last name his job title.

scrimblo bimblo (underrated/underappreciated fave)

Ghosts: Fanny! She's less underappreciated now that she has a backstory episode, but still, on other social media platforms I see people being such assholes to her. It's really, really irritating seeing people calling her shrill and annoying cause yk. it feels a little misogynistic!! And people also really don't think about why she is the way she is now. I just think Fanny deserves all the kindness and love in the world. Also she is so so smart and I easily fall in love with women in STEM!! I love her!!

Ted Lasso: Coach Beard. God I love Coach Beard. He's such an enigma, and he has so much unexplored depth. I know a lot of people hated Beard After Hours, but it's one of my favorite episodes. It just has the same feelings as Beard does as a character entirely, like everything is just a little shifted to the left. He's so interesting.

glup shitto (obscure fave, character that can appear in the background for 0.2 seconds and I won’t shut up about it for a week)

Ghosts: I guess Vin and Nev, the burgulars? I think they're very funny, and I would totally watch a spinoff show with them. I don't have much to say, I'm just really curious about their backstories and I think they're really fun characters.

Ted Lasso: Just more of the players!! I want to see more of the team than the main side characters!

poor little meow meow (“problematic”/unpopular/controversial/otherwise pathetic fave)

Ghosts: Julian! The only Tory I like! I just like characters that hate themselves, and he has SO many issues to dive into. If he were alive, I would honestly hate him because he would be having real negative effects on real people, but now that he's dead and he can neither create new harm nor change his old ones, he can be appreciated as just a shitty fun character developing dude! I'm gonna dump so many sad backstories on him!!

Ted Lasso: Oh my god Nate. Nate Nate Nate. Holy shit Nate forever. I genuinely love Nate. I think he's such a good character and a good person. He's just made a lot of mistakes and has been treated like shit for so long that he doesn't know how to act when that changes. The fandom is absolutely horrible to him (and I could go on a WHOLE thing about racism in the fandom) and he really doesn't deserve it. I've seen more hate directed toward Nate, a misguided and sympathetic and heartbreaking character who is definitely going to have a redemption arc, than Rupert, the literal piece of shit villain.

horse plinko (character I would torment for fun, for whatever reason)

Ghosts: Probably Francis Button. Like yeah he's a terrible person for killing Thomas then stealing the love of his life, but also his face is just so punchable. I want to break his dumb little glasses. He deserves it

Ted Lasso: James Tartt, big huge asshole, what more do I have to say

eeby deeby (character I would send to superhell)

Ghosts: Kitty's sister. I hate her, she's cruel and manipulative, she probably fucked Kitty's mind up (I feel like part of the in-universe reason Kitty is so innocent is bc she's blocking out bad memories with her sister, but as a result, still feels kind of stuck in her childhood? idk how to explain it sorry), and she's probably racist. I hate her and she gets to go to superhell

Ted Lasso: Rupert Mannion, big huge asshole, what more do I have to say

[pollyna]

I posted 6.116 times in 2021

230 posts created (4%)

5886 posts reblogged (96%)

For every post I created, I reblogged 25.6 posts.

I added 1.523 tags in 2021

#elim garak - 199 posts

#julian bashir - 177 posts

#garashir - 176 posts

#james bond - 167 posts

#00q - 150 posts

#art - 145 posts

#star trek - 135 posts

#leonard mccoy - 131 posts

#derek hale - 127 posts

#q - 116 posts

Longest Tag: 140 characters

#me watching redux ii: i'm going to stay here and bath in soft kisses on her cheeks hand and sleep on their soft moments before the angst🥺🥰

My Top Posts in 2021

#5

Headcanon/canon: contains spoiler of No Time To Die.

When they choose the new 007 and she asks Q for an Aston Martin he point-blank refuses it. He doesn't say maybe later, he says never again. He still has the last prototype for Bond in his own garage and sometimes he sits there and talk to the bloody car because he can't talk with James. Nomi asks once and doesn't ask anymore and she doesn't ask about Q obsession with trackers or the way he's constantly talking with her during the missions but not talking with her, at all, after them. She doesn't mention how during a mission, a year and half after the promoted her to the double-0, Q calls her James and asks him to come back. Fitting in 007 shoes is difficult and Nomi can't decided for whom is more.

(When James comes back Nomi tells him. She tells him about the Aston's and Q calling him instead of her in the middle of a mission. She tells him she earned her position and he should fuck off before he breaks someday else's heart. He only nodds. Months later, when Bond is dead yet again and then alive for some sort of miracle, she spots them talking, their foreheads almost touching and Q's hands caressing one of Bond's cheeks. Q laughs and Bond kisses him and she thinks that maybe, just for once, her gadgets can wait.)

123 notes • Posted 2021-10-11 23:06:20 GMT

#4

James Bond finding his way in Q's apartment for absolutely no reason at all and taking residence in said flat, sleeping on the couch and then with Q himself, is my favourite trope of all.

132 notes • Posted 2021-11-08 23:02:30 GMT

#3

What this fandom needs is more James in uniform.

161 notes • Posted 2021-12-17 22:00:16 GMT

#2

au 2x12, Ted Lasso. Spoiler.

After the first week the villa is too big and Roy is bored so he invites Jamie. Then Jamie invites Dani who invites Isaac who invites Colin who invites Jaan. Two weeks and half in Roy wakes up and every horizontal surface has someone sleeping on it. He grunts and put the water on for the tea and proceeds to send stupid pics of everyone to Keeley and then Ted the fuckfaces are all here, in case you can't find them.

190 notes • Posted 2021-10-08 10:08:47 GMT

#1

00Q fic masterlist

Hi, so just one thing the masterlist has this order: ratings, from the fic with less words to the one with more, AU and eventual MCD will be add in my own notes.

Oh, and the series will have their section at the end, there i will indicate the number of fic and the rating for single work. All of them have their link to ao3, if you have other suggestions on what i could add sent me a dm!

This is an on going work because I'm going to read and add until I'll read about them. Now containing fic on or after No Time To Die, they're marked with the name of the movie and spoiler.

i will add comments under the summary, that are in italics.

A special thank you goes to my cat who destroyed half of the room while I was working on this and then promptly fell asleep on that same mess.

I had to cut a part of the masterlist away bc tumblr wasn't working: the series section is here.

General audience.

wounds are the documents of the body bywintervioleteye (hawkguyed) (300 words)

There are plenty of marks on Bond’s body, the bruises and scars there an ever-changing road map of where he’s been.

-

the scar fic i was waiting for.

Nothing Like You by Renata Lord (snowlight) (388 words)

Twenty years after National Gallery, Q greets a new 007.

-

he isn't a replacement and Q would really like you to remember that. And that James is beautiful as the first day he saw him.

Just a kiss by homosociallyyours (1,2k)

Two tender little 00q kissing vignettes. Nothing sexy, really, but if you want something short and sweet with a dose of doting/care-taking, here you go.

-

tender kisses are the best kiss and i need so many more fic like this one

A Very Bond Christmas by Deastar (1,2k)

“I’m always here,” Bond says, smiling. “Not when you’re on mandatory medical leave,” Q shoots back. “If they won’t let you shoot things or blow things up, you’re never here. So again, Bond, what are you doing here?”

Bond produces a small, wrapped box from behind his back, covered in green paper with a gold ribbon. “Brought you a gift.”

-

Bond brings Q gifts that aren't tecnically gifts but who's looking inside the horse mouth? not us.

Skyfall Revisited by mimosa (Error305_Proxy) (1,5k)

Bond doesn’t go back to Skyfall for nearly two years. When he finally goes back again, it’s with Q by his side.

-

See the full post

293 notes • Posted 2021-10-24 14:49:07 GMT

Get your Tumblr 2021 Year in Review →

[katehuntington]

Title: Ride With Me (part twelve) Fandom: Supernatural AU Characters series: Reader, Dean Winchester, Bobby Singer, Ellen Singer-Harvelle, Jo Singer (Harvelle), Benny Lafitte, Garth Fitzgerald IV, Ash Miller, Castiel Novek, and many more. Timeline: 2008 Pairing: Dean x Reader Word count: ±5600 words Summary series: Y/N is a talented horse rider who is on her way to become a professional. In order to convince her father that she deserves the loan needed to start her own farm, she goes to Arizona for six months, to intern at a ranch owned by Bobby and Ellen Singer. Her future is set out, but then she meets a handsome horseman, who goes by the name of Dean Winchester. A heartwarming series about a cowboy who falls for the girl, letting go of the past and the importance of family.  Summary part twelve: After finally opening up to each other, Dean is having a hard time keeping his hands to himself. But the flirting is soon interrupted when one of the horses gets caught in a dangerous situation. Warnings series: NSFW, 18+ only! Fluff, angst, eventually smut. Swearing, smoking, alcohol intoxication, alcohol abuse. Mutual pining, heartbreak. Crying, nightmares, childhood trauma. Description of animal abuse, domestic violence, mentions of addiction. Financial problems, stress, mental breakdown. Description of blood and injury, hospital scenes, character death, grief. Music: ‘How Far This Road Goes’ - Gareth Dunlop, ‘Seven Riders’ - James Horner & Simon Franklin (second scene). Check out ‘Kate Huntington’s Ride With Me playlist’ on Spotify! Author’s note: Thank you @kittenofdoomage and @girl-with-a-fandom-fettish for helping me. You girls are awesome betas. Thank you for your endless patience!

Ride With Me Masterlist

     With a grin wider than the horizon, Dean puts the rolled-up mattress on Ted’s back, attaching it behind the saddle by tying the leather strings around it. He barely slept last night, but he doesn’t feel tired, not in the slightest. Nothing will get him off this high cloud, because last night, he kissed Y/N.        The head wrangler hums a Led Zeppelin tune as he tightens Ted’s cinch a little, patting his four legged friend on the shoulder when he’s done. Joplin is waiting next to him, rather impatiently, tied up to the strung rope between a boulder and a tree, like the other seven horses. Her female rider moves in between the dark mare and Ted, causing Dean to fight back an amused scoff. Y/N could have tacked up Joplin from the left side, which is the usual protocol when handling a horse. But instead, the cowgirl chose the small space between the two large animals, the space Dean already occupied, making it a tight fit.     “Morning, Yankee,” he teases, still with his back towards hers as he secures his lasso.     “G’morning,” she greets back. “Were you humming ‘Whole Lotta Love’ just now?”      Dean chuckles now, “I’ve got a reason to be cheery.”

     Y/N presses her lips together, very much aware why her supervisor is in such a good mood. She is also very much aware that he’s only inches away, the two almost touching. The chemistry is evident and she needs to remind herself that the others are also readying their horses; they are not alone like they were last night. Giving her hands something to do, she checks the saddle bags again, even though she has done so already.       “Did you sleep well last night?” Dean wonders casually, but she caught the lower tone in his voice. That tone that makes her heart beat faster and has her closing her eyes and taking a moment to compose herself.      “I did actually. A little short, though,” Y/N returns. “What about you?”      “Oh, I couldn’t sleep.”

     She can hear Dean’s boots crunch the gravel underneath them as he turns around. He comes closer and Y/N forgets what she’s doing, one hand holding the stirrup, might she need the support. She feels his hand on her hip, the touch so featherlight that she could be imagining it. Holding still while he moves in, she fights a shocked whimper when his breath fans past the junction between her neck and her shoulder. How contradicting; the warm breeze leaves goosebumps over her entire body.      “How come?” she manages to utter, her voice close to failing.      Y/N feels his lips against her hair, but he doesn’t kiss her there, even though she silently begs him to do exactly that. She moves into his touch only slightly.      “I couldn’t stop thinking about you,” he whispers in her ear.

     Before the others notice, he moves away and his hand slips from her hip, leaving a burning sensation where his fingertips gently pressed into her skin through the fabric of her jeans. The cowboy who has clearly found his way into her heart and her mind, shoots her a wink over his shoulder when she follows him with her gaze. Chuckling, she shakes her head in response. It’s a good thing she held onto the saddle, because her knees feel weak. God, the things he’s doing to her.      “Y’all ready to mount your ponies?” Benny checks, before he gets on his horse himself.      When all the wranglers have untied their horses, Dean rolls up the rope that functioned as a makeshift fence and adds it to the load carried by one of the pack-horses. He then puts his left foot in the stirrup and swiftly moves his leg over the saddle, the fringes of his chaps whipping when the breeze catches them. The others follow his example.

     “Alright. We’ve got a long day ahead of us. We ride to the next spring, but it will be roughly six miles from here. That’s more ground to cover than yesterday. It will be rocky terrain, so stay sharp and keep up.” Dean turns his horse with the reins in one hand. “Don’t forget to keep an eye out for the herd. They were last seen in Marsh Valley by hikers, but that was four days ago, so they could be long gone by now. If we don’t find them by the time we reach White Rock Spring, we’ll set up camp there and continue the search tomorrow. Y’all good with that?”

     The rest of the company agrees, both wranglers and horses excited to get moving. Joplin especially; the waiting has made her impatient. She rears, lifting her front hooves a couple of inches from the ground, repeating the action several times. Y/N rides it out, her hand reaching to pat the hot blooded mare on the neck in order to calm her down. In perfect balance she gives her horse enough freedom of reign, but controls the movements with her seat.       “Joplin certainly is,” she laughs, amused with the mare’s enthusiasm.      “Alright then,” Dean returns grinning, admiring her riding skills for a moment longer. “Let’s ride.”

     It’s past midday and there is no sign of the herd so far. The group of riders passed Weavers Needle hours ago, a thousand foot column of rock that forms a distinctive peak, visible from many miles away. Y/N felt so tiny when she rode through the landmark’s shadow, like an ant on the forest ground. She quite possibly strained a muscle in her neck from looking up, but the young woman from the North couldn’t help herself. The landscape, created by volcanoes ages ago and molded by wind and time, leaves her in complete awe. The further they travel into the Superstitions, the more surreal the scenery becomes. 

     Benny told stories last night about the mountains. About the legend of the Lost Dutch Gold Mine, and the hundreds of other abandoned tunnels, hidden in the volcanic stone. About the Indians, how some of them believe that the hole that leads down into ‘the lower world’ is located somewhere in these valleys, and that winds blowing from it create the severe dust storms in the metropolitan area. It’s a magical environment that, despite having a desert climate, seems alive. The way the wind plays with her horse’s mane and whispers as it breathes through the canyon. The way the mesquite bushes rustle and the Saguaro cacti reach their arms for the blue heavens above. This land has a personality of its own; unpredictable, layered and rich with wisdom.

     “Enjoying the view?”      Dean held up his horse as Y/N was staring up at the renmands. She didn’t even notice she fell behind.      “Sorry…” she mutters apologetic. “It’s just… everything here is so beautiful.”      “Sure is.”      The cowboy smirks at her, not just complimenting the landscape. Joplin’s rider is unable to hide her flattered smile.      “You can stop trying to win me over,” she returns jokingly, resting her hand behind her on the cantle of the saddle.      Dean side eyes Y/N, triumph in the way he holds himself, “Because I already did, right?”      “Don’t get ahead of yourself,” she warns. “Last night was amazing, but it was just a kiss.”      “Oh, I didn’t plan to stop,” he makes clear, copying her action without noticing, gripping the back of the saddle with his free hand as well. “Next chance I get, I’m gonna kiss you again.”      “Is that so?” she teases.      “Unless you’d rather not have me.” Dean observes her, eager to pick up on her reaction.

     His lower leg brushes against hers, the metal of the stirrups jingling when they collide. He stares into her eyes longer than he should, breaking through the resistance with more ease than Y/N wants him to. Honestly, she has never been an easy catch. She pictured she would at least let him work for it, prove to her that this isn’t just a fling. But her defense crumbles with every connection, no matter how small. The intern can’t help but crave for her supervisor to touch her, to kiss her right here and right now. Both of them being on horses complicates things, however, especially since one of those horses is Joplin, who is getting anxious now that she is a few hundred yards away from the group.       “I wouldn’t mind it,” Y/N admits, on a more serious note.      Dean smiles, delighted at that, looking down at his horse for a brief second.       “You oughta catch up then.”

     The wrangler moves his hand forward and pushes his heels to his horses flanks simultaneously, the aid triggering Ted to shoot forward like an arrow from a bow. Without giving Y/N  a chance to respond, Joplin’s instincts kick in; she needs to stay with the herd. In a blink of an eye she bolts, surprising her rider, who can only just prevent a squeal from escaping her throat. The experienced rider is quick to recover, though. She moves her weight forward, allowing her horse to move under her freely, giving her all the reins she needs. Within five strides, Joplin is at full speed. Y/N can’t recall that she ever galopped this fast. The wind pushes the tears from the corner of her eyes, dust blocking her view. Her hat falls back, but she’s quick enough to catch it and push it tighter on her head. She doesn’t care, though, because she feels like she’s flying.

     Before they reach the others, Dean sits back in the saddle and pulls the reins, telling Ted with a ‘ho!’ to slow down. Joplin is next to him within a second, her rider laughing out loud. The cowboy watches her, laughter erupting from his throat as well.       “You’re crazy!” Y/N accused, a wide grin on her lips nonetheless. “What if I had fallen off?”      “You’re too good of a rider,” he returns, never worried she couldn’t handle herself. “And it’s about time you let go.”      “I usually don’t like losing control,” she returns, trying to be stern.       He cocks his eyebrow. “You didn’t mind last night.”       “Underlining ‘usually’,” she repeats with a tone, shaking her head at the up-to-no-good grin on his face.

     “Well, you—” He points his finger at her accusingly before he pushes his hat up a bit. “— should loosen up a bit. Picture it like riding.”      Y/N frowns at the wrangler next to her. “I thought we were talking about riding.”       “It doesn’t matter. What does, is if you hold onto the reins too tight, your horse will tense up. You will tense up. But if you relax at the right moment…” He moves his hand forward, giving Ted enough space to drop his head and the gelding blows out a satisfied sigh. “So will your horse. You allow things to be. And those are the best rides, ain’t they? The ones where the balance is perfect, and everything just clicks.”

     Y/N agrees to that without words, smiling at the comparison. Dean lets the true meaning of his message sink in as well. It’s good advice he’s giving. Maybe he should take it himself. In silence they take each other in. She has rolled up the sleeves of her dusty shirt for the warm breeze to caress her bare skin. Not so long ago, Y/N came walking into the Saloon, ironed button up, polished shoes, hair band and clips not allowing a single stubborn strand to spring free. Look at her now, like she couldn’t care less about appearance. Look how beautiful she is.       “By the way,” the woman next to him recalls, her voice softer so that the tourists can’t hear them.       “Hm-hm?”      “You were right. That was a lot more than just a kiss.”      With those words she canters away, and he’s only able to breath out again when she passes the other riders to lead the group. Don’t be fooled, he’s confident about how things are going, but that doesn’t mean that ‘allowing things to be’ is easy. Even he, the guy who doesn’t plan ahead and takes it day by day, is daunted by the possible commitment that this adventure with Y/N will bring. But one look at her, seeing the change she’s going through, the difference in her demeanor and her lifted confidence; she’s all the inspiration he needs.             “You better wipe that smile off your face, Chief, or the coyotes might start wonderin’ why you’re all giddy.”      A little startled Dean looks aside as Benny holds back his horse until he’s next to Ted. Caught in the act the head wrangler glares at his friend from under his Stetson, but the smirk doesn’t die down. No need to respond in words, because both know why Dean is on top of the world. And so the two companions ride next to one another for awhile in silence. Dean’s eyes never leave her, though, watching how she handles the bubbly mare, who’s excitement got peaked by the little race. Joplin isn’t for everyone, but she’s taking his advice and gives the dark horse free rein, trusting her, and eventually the mare transitions to a walk.

     “Well, now you’re just embarrassingly gaping,” Benny notices, clearly amused by the sight of his lovestruck friend.      Dean snaps out of it and eyes him again. It’s not so much the fact that Benny is mocking him, more the fact that he himself can’t get a grip.      “Shut up,” Dean mutters, shaking his head chuckling. “You were the one gaping when you interrupted us last night.”      “It was 3 AM and I wasn’t even close to awake, and what do I find?” Benny lazily points his finger at the intern, then at the man next to him. “You two, giving each other one hell of a Yankee dime. I mean, don’t get me wrong, brother. I’m proud of ya, but excuse me that I was a little taken aback.”      The Southerner pauses, his piercing blue eyes brassy and up to no good. Clearly he enjoys taunting his pal.             “Took ya quite a while to notice me too,” he comments, adding fuel to the fire.      “I was kinda in the middle of something!” Dean exclaims.      “Hell yeah, you were.” Benny sniggers. “Good think I stopped ya right there. At least now you saved some for later.”      “I wasn’t gonna go all the way with her,” his friend declares.      It doesn’t convince the rider next to him, though, because he laughs out loud.      “Don’t piss on my leg and tell me it’s rainin’.”      “Dude, I’m serious!” Dean states. “I ain’t gonna rush this.”      “Ah-uh.”      “I said: shut up.”

     The farrier’s laughter is contagious, hiccuping as he takes in air, and his friend can’t help but chuckle as well. The head wrangler adjusts the ranch rope hanging over his horse’s shoulder, the broad smile never wavering. It’s not just the smile, though, that tells Benny that Y/N is the girl for him. It’s his eyes. He has never seen them shine so bright. He has never seen Dean so contented.      “You two go together like peas and carrots,” Benny vouches, looking from the cowboy to the cowgirl. “I’m happy for ya, brother.”      “You’re talking like we’re about to settle down and get a dog,” Dean scoffs skeptical, even though deep down he wouldn’t mind an outcome as such.      “Give it time,” the Southerner recommends confident. “After all, two months ago, you would have thought I was crazy as a soup sandwich, if I’d predicted you to be on cloud nine by now.”       He wiggles his eyebrows and Dean sighs in response. He’s not even going to fight his friend on this, Benny is enjoying this way too much to ever let go.

     “Dean!”      The call comes from the front of the group and it seems urgent. Dean snaps his head to the sound of Y/N’s voice and the clatter of hooves. The intern has turned Joplin around and ridden back to the tourists. One of the pack horses, Cash, who Macy was guiding along side, tries to flee away as he kicks violently to the ground. He spins in circles around the rider and her gelding Jimmi, who is starting to panic as well.       “Pull the knot, Macy!” Dean commands, pushing Ted towards the commotion.      Fighting to control her own horse, she reaches for the rope that ties Cash to her saddle, trying to yank the safety knot. By this time, however, the distressed animal has pulled on the cord with all its weight, and there is no way it will loosen.       “I can’t!” she yells back, fright evident in her voice.

     Trying to not get caught up in the line, she steers Jimmi to stay head to head with the anxious pack horse. Dean is with her in a split second, maneuvering Ted close to her and staying free from the web.       “Listen to me, Mace. When you’re on the other end, I’m gonna take over.” He takes the end of Cash’s rope, wraps it around the horn of his saddle four times and locks it in his fist, hooking it behind his hip for leverage. “I need you to get yourself to safety the second that rope unties, alright?”       He makes eye contact and she nods frightened, all while trying to calm Jimmi, who is getting more claustrophobic by the second. The experienced wrangler then backs up Ted, using his horse’s body weight to pull the safety knot. The second Cash feels the freedom, he bolts. Macy is clear, but the head wrangler and his four hooved partner are about to be catapulted by the horse on a rampage. 

     Thinking fast, Dean moves his reins towards Ted’s ears, triggering him to rocket forward. Three strides later Dean can feel Cash jerk at the saddle, Ted bracing himself, the well-trained cattle horse maintaining his balance. The rope slips from Dean’s fingers, but he is able to keep his ground, even though the rough material burns in his hand. With tension on the line, the wrangler tries to keep Cash away from a boulder that came rolling down Bluff Spring Mountain, but can’t prevent the panicked horse from slamming the water tank he is carrying into the large rock. Even though drinking water pours from the hole, it’s not Dean’s first concern. Cash is holding his hind leg up, still kicking the ground as the black horse halts, breathing out nervously. Dean spots a trace of blood, just below the fetlock joint.      “Shit…” He gets off, dropping Ted’s left rein on the ground, a signal for the horse to stay in place and wait. Shit, shit, shit.      Cash, who is shaking and breathing fast after all the commotion, turns his head into the wrangler, seeming to seek comfort from him. Dean gently rubs the gelding’s withers and slips his hand down the hindleg to take a better look. Two distinctive small holes are visible on the white sock, crimson drops rolling down. It seems like barely anything, but he has lived in this area all his life; he knows a snake bite when he sees one.      “He got bit,” Dean informs the five wranglers, who are waiting on the path in anticipation.      Benny curses under his breath, getting down from his horse as well.       “By what? A spider?” Y/N wonders, sticking with the tourists on a safe distance.      “Nope.” 

     The Southerner picks up a stick, poking at something in the bushes. Then he lifts the piece of wood, a snake hanging from the end of it. Macy squeals and Y/N inhales sharply, too. She has never seen a snake up close like that, at least not without thick glass between her and the reptile. God, that thing is huge!      “Is it dead?” Dean checks, still standing by the wounded horse.      “Dead as steak on the grill,” the Southerner confirms, taking a closer look.       “Is it a rattler?” 

      The head wrangler watches Benny examine the animal as he prays to God that it isn’t. Rattlesnakes in this area are highly dangerous. The amount of venom they possess might not be enough to floor a horse, but it will cause extensive swelling for sure, most likely followed by a bad infection that will cut off the blood supply. A bite inflicted by a venomous snake could be life threatening, even when treated by a veterinarian immediately. Miles from civilization with no access to medical resources, it becomes lethal.      “I think it is, Chief.”

     Y/N looks over at the head wrangler, who drops his head and swears. It slowly begins to sink in that the consequences of what seems like a small injury might have serious consequences. Dean looks up, making eye contact with the intern and motioning her to come over. She rides Joplin off the path and dismounts the mare, leading her to Cash, who she comfortingly pets on the nose.      “Listen to me carefully,” he starts, his voice toned down so that the others can’t hear him, as he instructs the intern calmly. “If that is a rattlesnake, I need you to take the tourists a half a mile up the trail. At the junction, you wait until me and Benny catch up.”       “Wait, what are you gonna…” she stammers, hesitant where Dean is going with this.

     He bites his bottom lip for a moment and looks deep into her eyes, the urgency apparent in his intense greens.      “You’ll be responsible for the guests, so be cautious. Don’t take any risks and keep them safe. I know you’re not familiar with the area and that this is a lot, but can you do that?”      “Benny could go with them, he knows these trails,” she suggests, but Dean dismisses it instantly.      “No. I don’t want you to see this.”      “See wh -” she pauses, his penetrating gaze and tensing jaw stopping her from forming words. Shocked she rakes her fingers through Cash’s forelock, only now realizing the difficult task that Dean is facing. “Oh my God, you’re gonna put him down.”

     He doesn’t answer, but swallows apprehensively. If Cash has venom coursing through his bloodstream, his chances of survival can be considered zero. A slow and agonizing death awaits him; a bullet to the head would be the most moral way to go. The head wrangler takes a deep breath, composes himself, and shifts his gaze to Benny. Seems like he’s going to have to use the Colt after all.      “I’m gonna check out the snake, make sure it’s a rattler. If it is, you know what to do?”       Y/N nods uneasy, but determined enough to assure Dean that she can do her part. He thanks her without saying anything, his eyes softening. Then he moves past her, heading back to the trail. Left stunned, she lets her hand glide down Cash’s nose, trying to ease the horse, who in his turn gently presses his large head against her chest. Even though Y/N barely knows the horse, tears prick in her eyes. Poor, poor thing. She looks over her shoulder, watching in apprehension, how the head wrangler crouches down next to Benny, who has the snake at the end of a stick. 

     Dean pokes the reptile to make sure it’s dead, taking a good look at the animal. The light brown color with dark blotches on its back and smaller dark spots on its side, are indications that Benny is right. He can’t tell much when examining the head, since Cash killed the snake with a fierce kick and smashed its skull. Dean picks up the animal by the tale. It looks different from the rest of its body, but there is no rattle at the tip of it, like he has seen before with the Western Diamondback that is common in the area. He sighs relieved.      “It’s a Gopher snake,” he states. “A Sonoran, by the looks of it. Smart fellas; they mimic rattlesnakes to ward off predators.”      “Could’ve fooled me,” Benny concedes.      “Not venomous?” Y/N checks.      Dean smiles her way. “Not venomous.”      A weight falls off her shoulders, and the female wrangler rustles Cash’s mane thankfully. She exchanges a look with Dean, silent conversation easing the both of them. Then the group leader turns to the tourists.       “Alright y’all, let’s take a break here,” he decides, beckoning at the shade near the big boulders.       “Is Cash gonna be okay?” Macy asks worried.      “He’s gonna be fine. We’ll rest up for half an hour, meanwhile fix that water tank. Benny? Let’s repack so that we can take the load off Cash.” Dean turns to look at the farrier, who nods in agreement.

     They leave the snake for the vultures and move away from the trail. While Benny and Brad tack down Cash and focus on repairing the tank with duct tape, saving the water that remains in the tank by catching it with their water bottles, Dean focuses on the black gelding’s injury. Y/N strolls past him between the horses, who have taken cover in the shade. She watches how the cowboy flushes the puncture wounds with water, despite the fact that Cash keeps lifting his hind leg.      “Do you need an assistant?”      He looks over his shoulder and nods. “Could you hold him for a sec?”      She takes Cash by the rope that he fought so hard minutes ago, rubbing the bay’s shoulder in order to distract him. It works, because the gelding puts his foot down, allowing Dean to press a gauze soaked with betadine on the small holes.      “There,” he says satisfied, when he’s done cleaning the punctures. 

     Y/N lets go of Cash’s halter, picking up the bottle of betadine from the first aid kit, together with a clean gauze pad.      “Your turn.” She nods at his hand.“Show me that.”      Dean brushes it off. “It’s nothin’.”      His intern isn’t having it, though, and after shooting him a glare she takes his right hand and turns it over. Despite that his palm is calloused from years of ranch work, the rope has burned off parts of his skin, leaving fiery blisters.       “I wouldn’t file that under ‘nothin’,” she returns stern, mocking his slang.      Dean can’t help but grin at that, surrendering to her care. The smirk turns into a grimace when she dabs the damaged tissue with iodine.       “Sorry,” she apologizes when she notices him tensing up.      “It’s okay,” he assures, looking at her fondly, despite the sting.            Y/N blushes at his expression, breaking away from his warm eyes and focusing on his hand again. She applies a clean gauze and dresses his hand, taping the end of the bandage so that it won’t come off.      He checks his hand from both sides, impressed with her work. “How do you know how to do that?”      The cowgirl shrugs. “I have three brothers who never failed to miss an opportunity to fall from their treehouse or trip while chasing each other through the woods. You do the math.”      Dean chuckles, testing the movement of his fingers as he turns towards the other men, who are still working on the tank. On his way over, he glances at the young woman again.      “Thank you.”      “You’re welcome,” she returns happily, walking past Joplin to pick her water bottle from the saddle bag.

     Joining Macy and Jon, she makes the most of what remains of the half hour break, while the other wranglers try to repair the tank. Having lost most of the water, they don’t waste too much time resting up here and decide to move on to White Rock Spring. The other horses take over Cash’s tack, who only has to carry the empty tank. The gelding already puts full weight on his injured leg, the wounds so superficial that he doesn’t seem to be bothered by it. Twenty minutes later Y/N puts her left foot in the stirrup and hoists herself in the saddle. Her limbs are tired, her back is beginning to hurt. Day two of this trail is taking more out of her than she expected, not only physically, but also mentally, after the close call with Cash. Even though it’s early afternoon, she hopes that Dean and Benny will decide to call it a day, once the group reaches the spring. 

     It doesn’t take long before they pass the rock formation of Black Top Mesa and reach the T-junction Dean described earlier, left leading into Marsh Valley, right to Charlebois Canyon. The two Gold Canyon Ranchers leading the company have stopped just off the trail on the top of a hill. She catches a glimpse of Benny’s face, and he does not look pleased. Not sure if it’s her place to join them, since she’s the intern, she hesitates to ride up to the wranglers, but takes her chances a few seconds later. Dean did involve her when Cash suffered that possibly dangerous injury, afterall. Joplin halts next to Ted as her gaze jumps between the two riders.      “Something wrong?” she wonders.      “What’s missin’ here, Yankee?” Benny counters, without answering her question.

     Y/N looks ahead, down Charlebois Canyon. The land is dry and dusty, rocks and volcanic remnants more evident in the landscape. Now that she’s made aware that something is unusual about this picture, she remembers that the canyons east of Weavers Needle were much greener. More plants and bushes, more life.      “Water,” the female wrangler realizes. “There’s no water.”      “Yep,” Benny confirms. “That spring is supposed to be over yonder.”      “But how can there be no spring? It rained cats and dogs a week ago,” she wonders confused.      “Welcome to Arizona, where it can be raining like a cow’s pissin’ on a flat rock on one side of the road while the sun shines on the other,” the Southerner states.

     Dean is quiet, the gears in his head turning as he blankly stares ahead. He’s holding his reins with his unharmed hand, the leather feeling a little foreign, since he hardly ever rides left-handed. There are a few more springs close by, but since the whole canyon looks dry and dead, except for a few Saguaro cacti, he’s guessing that those ran dry too. Biting his bottom lip he glances over his shoulder in the direction where they came from, then north.      “What do we do now?” Y/N inquires, her eyes shifting from Benny to Dean.      “Chief?” the farrier checks with his friend, when he doesn’t respond.       “How far do you think it is to Eagle’s Nest?” he questions. “About six miles?”      “Give or take,” the Southerner affirms.      Dean ponders, but then turns Ted around to face the three approaching tourists.      “We’ve run into a bit of an issue,” he starts, updating the guests on the newly occurred problem. “White Rock Spring has dried up, and looking at the vegetation, I don’t think it’s wise to continue east. We’re not gonna find water there, which also means that the herd is most likely elsewhere. The way I see it, we’ve got two options: we either turn around and ride four and a half miles back to Willow Spring, or we move north to Salt River.”      “How far is that?” Brad asks as the dark haired student rests his wrists on the horn of his saddle.      “Six miles,” Dean declares. “If we leave now, we’ll hopefully make it by sunset. We need an inventory on water and food supplies. And I need y’all - and this is really important - to be one hundred percent certain that you’re up for another six hours in the saddle. If anyone ain’t, we will turn around to the Willow and cut our losses for today. No shame in it.”

     The leader of the company now turns to Macy, who has Cash waiting next to her. The black horse looks alert and calm, his weight on all four hooves.      “How’s he doing?” Dean wonders.      “He seems fine. He’s sound, even in a jog just now,” she returns, having kept an eye on the gelding next to her.      Dean nods, but not completely satisfied. He’s torn. Torn between pushing through and marching on to Salt River, or taking the safe route back to where they came from. Going back feels like giving up. It will be another day without a trace of the herd, another day of wasting time and energy. They have enough food with them for five days. Heading back might be a crucial setback, one that could lead to returning home without the group of young horses. He promised Ellen and Bobby to bring them in, but he also promised to keep everyone safe. 

     “How much water do we have left?” he checks.      After a quick count, they come to the conclusion that they have about 10 liters between the six of them, the horses not even included. The animals are used to these circumstances, though, and they can go without water for three to four days. Dean is confident they should be okay. It’s the riders he’s worried about: both the tourists and Y/N. Dean sighs, looking up the trail from Marsh Valley that leads into the mountains.       “Is there anyone who wants to go back to Willow Spring?”      No one steps forward or raises their hand. Dean looks the crew in the eye, one by one, trying to unravel them and detect even the slightest hint of doubt. His gaze lingers on Y/N, who doesn’t give him an inch and seems determined. He nods, his mind made up.      “Alright, then,” he decides. “We ride north.”

Thank you for reading. I appreciate every single one of you, but if you do want to give me some extra love, you are free to reblog my work or buy me coffee (Link in bio at the top of the page).

Read part thirteen here

[halfthealphabet]

Otp game

saw this floating around, so I did this cause I was bored.

Pick your top 10 OTPs without reading the questions.

Parker and Hardison (Leverage)

Ryan and Sophie (Batwoman)

Tandy and Tyrone (Cloak and Dagger)

Julie and Luke (Julie and the Phantoms)

Morgan and Garcia (Criminal Minds)

Keely and Roy (Ted Lasso)

Adora and Catra (She-Ra)

Landon and Hope (Legacies)

Constantine and Zari Tarazi (Legends of Tomorrow)

Joey and Pacey (Dawson's Creek)

1. Do you remember the episode/scene/chapter that you first started shipping 6?

I'm pretty sure I kind of shipped Keeley and Roy before I watched Ted Lasso. There were lots of gift sets of them, and I was like, one more reason to watch this show!!

2. Have you ever read a fanfic about 2?

I have not, but I've considered writing for Sophie and Ryan. I don't trust people to handle their relationship in fic lol. maybe when the show ends I will.

3. Has a picture of 4 ever been your screen saver/profile picture/tumblr screen saver?

I've had Julie as my icon but never with Luke.

4. If 7 were to suddenly break up today, what would your reaction be?

I'd be sad but that would mean I'd have more seasons and Catra and Adora would eventually get back together.

5. Why is 1 so important?

Parker and Hardison are just so healthy and understanding of each other. That trust and respect and kindness . . . it's beautiful and underrated in tv ships. the antithesis of toxic. and still so much fun to watch.

6. Is 9 a funny ship or a serious ship?

I refuse to catch up on legends because one fo them dies. they are a little funny but they have a lot of sad moments now :(

7. Out of all the ships listed, which ship has the most chemistry?

They all have really amazing chemistry but hmmmm Constantine and Zari cause I had stopped watching the show and then there were some gifs and I had to start the show again lol

8. Out of all your ships listed, which ship has the strongest bond?

Mmm Parker and Hardison imo, although Tandy and Tyrone are all but soulmates in canon

9. How many times have your read/watched 10’s fandom

Once but Joey and Pacey scenes I've seen more often.

10. Which ship has lasted the longest?

Landon and Hope in Legacies were together longest in canon (of the original series) I think. If you count reboots, Parker and Hardison.

11. How many times, if ever, has 6 broken up?

They haven't broken up as of now, and hopefully the writers aren't mean and make them break up.

12. If the world was suddenly thrust into a zombie apocalypse, which ship would make it out alive, 2 or 8?

oooooo hmmmm they both have a very good chance but I want to say Ryan and Sophie, despite the magical powers of Hope and Landon. Landon dies a LOT in canon so .. . .

13. Did 7 ever have to hide their relationship for any reason?

No, but Noelle Stevenson had to hide their build up until the end from what I've heard.

14. Is 4 still together?

Platonically, yes!!! Romantically, no but they weren't ready yet tbh. and no new season rip

15. Is 10 canon?

Yessss they areeeee

16. If all 10 ships were put into a couple’s Hunger Games, which couple would win?

I think they would join together and form a union and overthrow the capital cause I said so

17. Has anybody ever tried to sabotage 5’s ship?

Morgan and Garcia aren't canon but if you count the (very called for and valid) sexual harassment seminar in season 9 or something, than yes.

18. Which ship would you defend to the death and beyond?

Ryan and Sophie? but all of them really

19. Do you spend hours a day going through 3’s tumblr page?

I used to, Tandy and Tyrone are fantastic and I have limited content for them and the gif sets are amazing.

20. If an evil witch descended from the sky and told you that you had to pick one of the ten ships to break up forever or else she’d break them all forever, which ship would you sink?

Morgan and Garcia because their canon ships are quite cute and I do love them as a platonic ship as well.

[infiniteeight8]

17 questions, 17 people

i was tagged by @webbgirl34

nicknames: I’m not going to tell you my real life nickname because I try to keep my real life connection to a minimum online even if folks could probably dig it up if they wanted to. Bonus information instead! My legal name is completely different from the one I use day to day. No one ever pronounced my legal name correctly, so I picked a new one, and now the only people who ever hear the original are people who need to match me to my government ID.

zodiac: Cancer

height: 5′6″ish (I think...)

hogwarts house: Situationally dependant.

last thing i googled: I think it was British snacks. (For the Trent/Ted fic.)

followers: 547, but that means nothing -- most of them signed on a long time ago when I was super active in a totally different fandom and they’ve never left, probably because until recently I had stopped posting so I never came up as an irritatingly off topic blog to remove. lol.

song stuck in my head: Baby Shark, for which I 100% blame Jamie Tartt. *shakes fist* (for the confused, this is a Ted Lasso fandom reference).

how much sleep: Ideally, I need 7.5 hours a night. Typically I get 6.5. Last night was great -- 9 hours.

lucky number: I don’t have a lucky number, but my favourite number is 8.

dream job: SF&F author.

wearing: A fluffy red robe.

favorite song: Just one?? Okay, if I’m forced to pick just one song, it’s probably going to be Fat Bottomed Girls by Queen for the sole reason that I can put that song on repeat and still be enjoying it 8 hours later.

favourite instrument: To play or to listen to? I’m going to assume to listen to because I only ever played one so that wouldn’t exactly be a choice. So for listening, drums or base guitar. 

aesthetic: Mine or one that I enjoy? Mine probably boils down to comfort/practicality. But for my favourite aesthetic in decor and such, Art Deco.

favourite author: Mercedes Lackey.

favourite animal noise: Cat purring.

something random: My music tastes developed a hair too slowly for me to have been aware of Queen when Freddie Mercury was alive, but despite this I still have moments of deep sadness that he’s no longer with us.

tagging: (only if you folks want to:) @sweaterkittensahoy, @templemarker, ... I’m afraid anyone else I would tag would be presumptuous because I’m either new in the fandom or have been gone a long time. *sweat drop*