#omgcheckplease fanfic

[lunar-nebulari]

Nobody ever talks about Johnson but I wanna talk about him so bad

Ngozi made like such a complex character and just like rarely ever talks about him! But I wanna know more about our 4th wall breaking, weirdly philosophical goalie!! I have so many questions!!!

I wanna know how he feels about his situation! Like does he love it, hate it, or just view it as a natural part of his life that he can’t run away from??

How does he feel about the main characters? Like does he mentally view them as his best bros because he knows everything that has happened or will ever happen to them? Or does he resent them because they all have the spotlight and he’ll never be the main character?

Has he known since he was born that he was just a side character in a story surrounding someone that doesn’t even exist yet? OR does he recognize that his backstory never really happened and he was only truly “born” when Bitty came to Samwell?! But even then, did he always know or did he have to meet Bitty and learn that?

Did he feel the end of the comic coming??? Did he try to stop it or did he just realize that he was powerless and let it end?? Does the fact that the comic is done mean that he’s dead or frozen in time???? I NEED ANSWERS.

[madisonandmore]

Well, hello there, honey! Fancy meeting you here!

The weather is (finally) warming up in the Samwell area and we're extremely pleased to announce that Madison & More, a new Check, Please! prompt fest, is now happening!!!

Here are some important details:

☀️The overall theme is Summertime, which could include Madison-based works (timely, since we figure Madison may be on people's minds now that the comic is appearing in mailboxes around the world now!), however prompts and works can be related to any characters or ships doing anything summery (hence the 'More' part of the fest name)!

☀️Prompting will open on AO3 beginning Monday, May 22nd at noon EDT. More on prompting guidelines will be posted here closer to that date!

☀️Prompts will be open for two weeks (until Monday, June 5th) at which point prompts may be claimed.

☀️All types of fanworks are welcome as prompt fills: written fics, podfics, filk/vids, any type of art or handmade fanwork, etc!

☀️Finished works will be due Friday, August 18th at midnight EDT so you'll have pretty much all summer to write, pod, draw, create!!

☀️Works will begin posting the following Monday, August 21st for everyone to enjoy as summer comes to a close.

We had so much fun bringing you @omgauplease in the spring, we just couldn't wait to do it all over again! We hope you will join us for Madison & More!!!

[billypoindexter]

“Frog Study Time” rarely included any actual studying. Chowder would suggest that the three of them get together to work on homework, and it wouldn’t take long for the books and computers to be abandoned in favor of the stupidest conversation topics known to man (their conversation about Barbie movie lore had gotten so out of hand that they were unofficially banned from all going to the library together). But even though they all realized that these study sessions were literally a waste of time at this poitn, Nursey and Dex never turned down Chowder’s offer.

This particular Wednesday night Dex was doing his best to fight the urge to yap, as he needed to make headway on his comp sci midterm before their roadie this weekend. Nursey hadn’t even grabbed any of his books before pulling Chowder onto Dex’s (“the top bunk won’t hold us both!”), and Dex was doing his best to tune them out while he coded. But even with good intentions, Dex knew there was no way he wouldn’t inevitably be drawn into the chitchat.

“Nineteen is not old, Nursey!”

“Dude, you’re literally a D1 athlete, you can’t tell me that no one was interested before Caitlin.”

“Just because girls were interested doesn’t mean I had to oblige. I wanted to wait for someone I actually liked.”

Dex must have been focusing in way more than he thought, because he had no idea how Chowder and Nursey started talking about their first hookups. It wasn’t unusual for the team as a whole to discuss their sex lives, but with the frogs they usually geared their conversations towards more sophisticated subjects, such as Barbie movies

Nursey turned toward Dex at his desk, and Dex could hear the annoying grin on his face as he said, “Bet you waited for someone special, Pointdexter. You seem the sentimental type.”

Dex just continued to type and squint at his computer screen. “Actually, I’ve never had sex.”

Chowder slammed closed his psych textbook—there’s a chance he had opened it at that moment just so he could slam it closed for dramatic effect—and shouted, “HOW DID WE NOT KNOW THAT????” He let out a moan of despair. “We’re supposed to tell each other everything!”

“Yeah, what happened to the sacred frog bond?” Nursey added.

Dex shrugged, doing his best to not get drawn in. Realistically, he knew that he wasn’t going to get anymore work done, but he continued to stare at his computer in the hopes that he could refocus.

“Dude, we can totally find a chick to hook you up with. Unless I was right about you being a romantic,” ribbed Nursey. “Also, we can see you’re not working on your midterm anymore, so you can give up the act.”

Huffing, Dex swiveled around in his desk chair and crossed his arms. Chowder was leaning forward, elbows on his knees and chin in his hands as he stared at Dex. Nursey, ever chill, was leaning on his side, messing up Dex’s pillows as he propped his head on the back of his hand.

“I never said anything because it never came up,” said Dex flatly. “And I’m not a romantic, I’m just not interested.”

“C’mon,” whined Chowder, “give us the chance to find you someone!”

Dex shook his head as he clarified, “No, I mean I’m not interested in sex.”

A pause. Two blank faces looking at him. As much as Dex wanted to play it cool, he could feel his heart beating a bit faster and a blush creep up his neck; he’d never admit that to anyone before, even though he’d known it himself for a while.

Nursey was the first to break the silence: “Huh.” (This guy really knows how to make use of all those English classes.)

“Wow, really?” asked Chowder, clearly curious, sitting up straighter. “You’ve never seen a girl and wanted to…ya know…” He made some weird hand gestures that Dex very much did not know, but he got the idea.

“Nope.” He took a breath and added more quietly, “It’s not really girls that I look at, anyway.”

Again a pause. Again two blank faces. Again a quickening heartbeat and a spreading blush, as Dex voiced another thought that wasn’t new to him. But this time Chowder was the one who reacted first.

“Oh! Oh, ok!” He clapped his hands together. “We’re learning so much tonight! This has got to be one of our more productive study sessions.”

He grinned brightly at Dex. He gave him a smile back, not as big but just as genuine. He then flicked his eyes to Nursey, who also had a small smile as he slowly nodded his head. “Right on, Pointdexter.”

Nursey and Dex held each other’s gazes for a moment longer, then Dex cleared his throat and announced that that was enough emotion for one night and turned back to his computer. He worked a bit longer, letting Nursey and Chowder get back to their conversation (“You were seventeen and you’re giving me grief for being nineteen? Oh fuck off!”).

Chowder gave Dex a hug before heading back to his room for the night, which wasn’t unusual, even if this one was tighter and longer lasting than most. Nursey let Dex use the bathroom first while he worked on extricating himself from the bottom bunk and smoothing out the bedding. After brushing his teeth, Dex headed back to the room and passed Nursey, who grabbed his arm and stopped him.

“Hey,” he said softly, seriously. Once Dex turned his head to him, he continued. “Do you want to talk more about it?”

Nursey had come out as pan to the team last year. Dex knew him and Bitty had talked about being queer and playing collegiate hockey, and the difficulties that could sometimes came with that. He tensed up for a second, thinking that Nursey was upset that he hadn’t said anything about his sexuality before, but there was nothing but concern in his face.

Dex shook off Nursey’s hand. “No, I’m alright,” he said, making his way to his bunk.

Later, as they both were laying in their beds, Dex spoke again. “Thank you, though. For, um…for offering. I appreciate it.”

“See, I knew that you’re secretly a softy.”

Dex rolled his eyes at that and reached with the palm of his hand out to punch the bedframe above him. Then he turned and nestled into his pillows, breathing deeply of the scent the lingered there and trying not to think about why he liked it so much.

[omgauplease]

We could not be more excited to open the curtain on Day 1 for the AU, Please! fest with these incredible works!

Subtext & Symmetry - Rated T - 80,918 words

Featuring: Derek "Nursey" Nurse/William "Dex" Poindexter, Eric "Bitty" Bittle/Jack Zimmermann, Larissa "Lardo" Duan/Shitty Knight, Chris "Chowder" Chow/Caitlin Farmer, Adam "Holster" Birkholtz/Justin "Ransom" Oluransi

Summary: What is it like to open a book and find your soulmate within? Dex is about to find out.

University student Dex works part-time for a local bookstore, receiving shipments and restocking the shelves and such. Someone leaves a handwritten journal behind during an open mic poetry night, and the bookstore manager asks Dex to please check (!) if there’s any information in it that could lead to its owner. Dex starts paging through it, and then reading it, and brings it home. As he keeps on reading, he slowly falls in love with the person who wrote all of the words. A person who hasn’t left enough clues in the journal to help identify who they are: A receipt for coffee? A feather? Part of a business card? A photograph or two, taped at the corners… A whole list of introspective questions and answers? It’s been months, but no one has come back to the bookstore to claim the missing journal.

.🎭🎭🎭.

Triple Bee - Rated G - 2,179 words

Featuring: Eric "Bitty" Bittle/Jack Zimmermann

Summary: Jack is traded away from the Falconers mid-season to the Leafs and he is very grumpy about it. Luckily, he has a great support system willing to help him through the move, including the bored (but maybe cute?) host at the little B&B his parents booked him to stay at while he finds a new place.

A story told through Jack's texts and emails.

.🎭🎭🎭.

Flying, Fears, and Falling in...Something - Rated G - 1,855 words

Featuring: Eric "Bitty" Bittle/Jack Zimmermann

Summary: It’s Bitty’s first time flying in an airplane, and he’s terrified. Before the plane even takes off, the overwhelming nature of his flight is compounded when he finds his seatmate is a level-headed, definitely-not-super-cute guy.

.🎭🎭🎭.

*bleep* Late Night Radio - Rated T - 691 words

Featuring: Eric "Bitty" Bittle/Jack Zimmermann

Summary: Shitty hosts a late night radio where he gives advice and is bleeped out.

.🎭🎭🎭.

fond - Rated G - 579 words

Featuring: Eric "Bitty" Bittle/Jack Zimmermann, Derek "Nursey" Nurse/William "Dex" Poindexter/Larissa "Lardo" Duan/Shitty Knight, Adam "Holster" Birkholtz/Justin "Ransom" Oluransi

Summary: A short series of snapshots into sweet moments between lovers and their daemons.

.🎭🎭🎭.

[Podfic] It's an Emergency! A Romance Emergency! - Rated T

Featuring: Eric "Bitty" Bittle/Jack Zimmermann

Summary: A little Zimbits ficlet for the “A toddler broke your nose and I may or may not have snapped my thumb during a very intense game of Mario Kart and now we’re both sitting next to each other in the hospital waiting room” AU.

Podfic of It's an Emergency! A Romance Emergency! by rhysiana.

.🎭🎭🎭.

A reminder to all creators whose works are revealed today to please update your publication date to today so that your works are shown at the top of the feed on AO3.

Please also remember to show love through kudos and comments to our creators when you enjoy their work! ❤️

[sweatersinthesummer]

Writing Patterns

Rules: List the first line of your last 10 (posted) fics and see if there’s a pattern!

Thanks for the tag, @cailynwrites! Since my last ten published works have been podfics, I will post the first lines of those instead.

[Podfic] The Man Who Forgot (Harry Potter) (WIP) by @slightweasel

Words from out of the dark, and a voice that seemed almost to be aimed at himself:

"Professor?"

[Podfic] Through a New Lens (Harry Potter) by @dracognition

“You can’t be serious.”

[Podfic] By Any Other Name (Harry Potter) by @dracognition

Draco would like to say that when Potter barged into his office at nine-thirty in the morning, locked the door, and demanded, “Are you in love with me?”, he sneered back and said something quite clever and cutting along the lines of please, Potter, I know we’re not trying to kill each other anymore but I have the good sense and, more importantly, standards not to throw myself at you or maybe at least I see your ego hasn’t gotten any more tolerable since school.

[Podfic] Pucks and Recreation (Check Please! (Webcomic)) by @doggernaut

There’s a strange man hanging around the office.

[Podfic] Celly (Schitt's Creek) by @samwhambam

“Oh!”

[Podfic] Just a Touch of Your Love (Harry Potter) by @sunsetmog

Harry kept thinking about Draco's room.

[Podfic] Call me Old Fashioned (Red White & Royal Blue) by @rmd-writes

Henry turns on his bar stool to survey the hotel bar, casting his eye over the other patrons, and when he doesn’t see what he’s looking for, turns back to his drink.

[Podfic] We were supposed to find this (Red White & Royal Blue) by @kiwiana-writes

The words appeared on the sole of Alex’s right foot at midnight on his sixteenth birthday, the same way they do for everyone.

[Podfic] Can't Fight The Moonlight (Harry Potter) by @sunsetmog

It began, like a lot of things in Harry's life, with Hermione staring at him in mute disbelief.

[Podfic] Nothing But You On My Mind (Harry Potter) by @moonflower-rose

“Ow. That’s my eye, you know.”

And, as a bonus, the last thing I did write, Welcome to Schittsmeade (Harry Potter):

Draco takes his wand out and waves it at the window before him, casting a gentle scourgify at the glass.

*****

Do these have anything in common? I know that when I went back to the fics to copy and paste these lines, I wanted to keep reading, because I know what these first lines lead to.

Tagging everyone who wrote one of these fics! :D

[ofliterarynature]

Rereading Check, Please! (for book club) and I kind of think the tweets are almost better than the comic itself????

It’s not gonna happen but an edition where the tweets are interspersed chronologically with the comic would be amazing.

[nurseysbeanie]

Madison & More Bingo 🏖🏕🏝

Here are some of my fave (so far) fics and art from the @madisonandmore summer prompt challenge!

Well, the start of September makes it feel like summer is fading. But don't worry, fearless reader! These summery fanfics will make you feel the sun on your face, the sand under your feet, and the scent of fresh-cut grass on the breeze!

Unnameable Truth (M) @thefiveboxingwizards | vacation, less than 5000 words, one-shot

I liked that this was a less sunny/happy/vacation-y story about repression and self-discovery. The summer's not happy and carefree for everyone. But there is hope at the end of this one.

Wasteland Baby (M) @checkdeezpucks | AU, one-shot

This surprised me! Despite the premise sounding a bit incongruous with Check Please, this was a great read. Mad Max Tater/Parse was a longshot for me but you proved me wrong, op. Would definitely not be mad if we got another chapter or two of this 👀

Hot-lanta (G) @justlookfrightened | Zimbits, vacation, one-shot

I keep thinking about this one, and Bitty/Jack's meet-cute and Bitty rollerblading. And quiches. And Tater being wingman!

suddenly this summer it's clear (T) @dessertwaffles | favourite ship, a work that made me laugh, one-shot

I actually snorted out loud while reading this standing out on the sidewalk in a crowd of people while waiting for the streetcar. I have no shame. It's funny and cute, read it!

like an ice cream cone (T) @wrathofthestag | SHITTY KNIGHT!!, food or baking, one-shot

Shitty's backstory is important to me (!!!) and this was great. Discussion question: Is the origin of Shitty's porn-stache tied to the memory of a moustachioed ice cream vendor he idolizes from his youth? You tell me. It was hard to see tiny Shitty going through family problems but his au pair seems like the coolest!

amphibious creatures (T) HowOldAreWe | fave ship, mermaids, frogs 🐸 , multi-chapter

I don't generally go for mermaid AUs but this was juuuust lovely! The frogs are wonderful here, and I really liked the setup and follow-through. And I'm not going to say any more than that Chowder makes a great appearance here :)

Making My Head Spin (E) @justlookfrightened | summer camp, zimbits, multi-chapter

Turns out I like fics where Bitty makes a go of it for the NHL! Loved seeing Jack and Bitty letting down their guard and risking being hurt in this one. Super sweet and a little spicy at the end :) Nothing better than that.

Heard The Mermaids Singing (M) @checkdeezpucks | rarepair, mermaids, one-shot

This was another work that wasn't sun-drenched and happy. I loved to see the gritty, almost gothic setting; loved to see some CP femmeslash. Loved to see the teeth and the texture here. Short and... piquant.

The Way Way North (T) by @mcbangle | zimbits, SHITTY KNIGHT!!, vacation, the beach, work that made me smile, frogs, multi-chapter

I keep thinking about this one. Listen, Shitty Knight is... essential. He is the GLUE that holds together CP Year One for me, okay? I know that this fic is primarily about Bitty and his parents' relationship, and his crush on Jack, and that is all done deftly and wonderfully. But Shitty is the standout for me here. (Also I now need to see the movie this is based on.)

Eelgrass (T) by @perhapsajacket | fave ship, the beach, vacation, multi-chapter (pending)

Just a nice AU where Dex is ho-humming through his vacation until he chances upon the cute local bookshop owner (enter Nursey) who has fallen into a tidepool and needs a hand. What could be more adorable than that? I liked seeing some of Dex's family and backstory here. And I would live to see more 👀

Cowabunga (G) @zimbits-my-love | art, surfing, the beach

This is super cute art and I loved the colour scheme. I can so imagine Bitty and Jack surfing together on vacation!

This was a fun summer challenge, thanks to all the organizers! I will be updating my own work, Summer Gothic, soon with a new chapter. (Sorry, I write slow. 🐌)

[omgpourquoi]

Tis the season to use our fanfic to fight genocide! Just completed a donation to the Palestinian Social Fund. I will be switching donations to United States Indigenous groups for the holidays— still trying to find a collective for the most impact! Suggestions welcome!

[rootingfordorks]

Guess what! I'm participating in Fandom Trumps Hate this year! I will write a custom, bespoke fanfic for someone who donates money to a progressive cause.

There are five FTH auction offerings in the Ted Lassos fandom this year, which you can see at this link.

My listing is here, which includes info about bidding and my hard 'no's. AND! I'm offering to write for Ted Lasso, Check Please!, or the Murderbot Diaries.

The auction ends 8:00PM EST, 9 March 2024, which is just a few days away, so check it out if you're interested!

But Jess, I hear you say, hasn't it been a minute since you updated The Year of The Crush or posted anything new?

To that I say, I'm flattered that you're paying so much attention to my AO3. 💖 And, in about two months I'll be done with my dissertation and have some brain space again -- around the same time FTH writing starts. It's practically kismet!

So check it out, let me know if you have any questions (here or on discord - I'm rootingfordorks there too), and definitely check out the rest of the auction. It's for a bunch of good causes!

[kngofsoul]

thinking about chowder and lardo and how the two were like "there's white people hair in our drains!!! what the fuck???" only to forget that they are in fact,,, dating white people AHAJAJAJQJQJW

[jennguyen-draws]

A quick sketch of Nursey from @sincerelyreidburke fic love finds you

Because this whole chapter murdered and then resurrected me. I might come back and clean and color this.

On a different note, between apartment searching and job interviewing, i spent 2 weeks going through every single Nursey/Dex fic on Ao3 under mutual pining, pining, developing feelings, developing relationship tags and I'm maybe half way through enemies to friends to lovers.

Give me more of the sweet sweet angst with a payoff of a happy ending.

[omgauplease]

Feeling down? The fantastic works from our Day 5 creators are just what the doctor ordered!

What You Will - Rated T - 8,251 words

Featuring: Eric "Bitty" Bittle/Jack Zimmermann

Summary: TWELFTH NIGHT OR, WHAT YOU WILL SAMWELL UNIVERSITY Director: Jack Zimmermann Stage Manager: Denice Ford

Audition Information

Date: Thursday, August 31, 2014 Time: 2pm - 6pm Where: Room 217 of Theater Building

Please bring a headshot and resume, as well as any known conflicts with weekdays 6pm - 10pm and Saturdays 12pm - 6pm from Monday, September 4, 2014 - Sunday, October 6, 2014.

Prepare two contrasting monologues, one of which must be comedic.

The casting for Viola/Cesario is gender-blind.

Callbacks will be posted no later than Friday, September 1, 2014 on the callboard.

.💊💊💊.

Won't Eat Crow (But It Might Eat You) - Rated T - 6,792 words

Featuring: William "Dex" Poindexter, Denice "Foxtrot" Ford, Tony "Tango" Tangredi

Summary: There was a woman covered in blood standing at the front of the room.

The sight of her was intense. It was grotesque. It was dramatic.

It was distracting Dex from his biology quiz.

For the Prompt: Where Dex is being pursued by an Irish deity very interested in working with him - either Brigid or the Morrigan off the top of my head, but I'm sure there may be others that are a good fit.

.💊💊💊.

nobody knows the trouble i've seen (glory, hallelujah) - Rated G - 5,468 words

Featuring: Eric "Bitty" Bittle/Jack Zimmermann, Kent "Parse" Parson/Jack Zimmermann, Eric "Bitty" Bittle & Jack Zimmermann

Summary: Where the red string of fate is something more like a noose, somehow they still find each other.

{A Southern Gothic AU where Jack died back in 2009 and Bitty can see ghosts - under narrow circumstances.}

.💊💊💊.

the whole world is all yours tonight - Rated T - 2,928 words

Featuring: Derek "Nursey" Nurse/William "Dex" Poindexter

Summary: Will would not describe the vibe backstage as chill, despite Derek’s numerous claims to the contrary.

Or, The Frogs are a boy band and it's opening night of their first national tour.

.💊💊💊.

[Podfic] Special Delivery - Rated T

Featuring: Eric "Bitty" Bittle/Jack Zimmermann

Summary: Mailman Jack Zimmermann is used to attention from the little kids on his postal route. Being asked to attend a Mailman Jack-themed birthday party, well, that's a first.

Inspired by this Shitty Check, Please AU prompt: "jack is bitty’s mailman and bitty’s 6 yr old is in love with jack and always wants to greet him when he delivers the mail. recently divorced bitty has to pry his daughter away most days, even tho he himself feels the same."

Podfic of Special Delivery by RabbitRunnah.

.💊💊💊.

A reminder to all creators whose works are revealed today to please update your publication date to today so that your works are shown at the top of the feed on AO3.

Please also remember to show love through kudos and comments to our creators when you enjoy their work! ❤️

[striveattemptfail]

The snow's coming down, I'm watching it fall | Zimbits, G, 2k

Summary: It was because of this growing love for the holiday that Jack agreed to throw a Christmas party at his and Bitty’s place.  At first it was just inviting Coach and Suzanne for Christmas, so they could spend time up in Providence with Bits until New Year. Bob and Alicia always did the same. But then they started inviting old teammates, turning the family dinner into a full-on party. So many loved ones visiting them during one of Bitty’s most favourite times of the year, so of course Jack wanted to spend it with Bitty too. Read on Ao3

A/N: For the OMGSP Secret Santa Exchange. Takes place after Jack and Bitty are married. I hope you enjoy it, @peanutdoodler~!

Title from Christmas (Baby Please Come Home) originally by Darlene Love. Thank you to @atlasthemayor for the quick beta and sweet comments<3 Any other mistakes are mine.

—❄️—❄️—❄️—❄️—❄️—

i.

Bitty loved Christmas.

Jack loved Bitty.

So Jack liked Christmas now too.

When he was younger, he usually dreaded the season. It meant that both Papa and Maman would be even busier than usual with games and dinner parties and shmoozing with stuffy people Jack hated talking to.

He’d much rather stay at home, watch tape, and drink hot cocoa.

Bitty grew up a lot differently.

The holidays meant seeing family, baking even more somehow, genuine laughter and joy around the house. He loved the decorations, the music, the spirit.

When they finally got together, Bitty’s happiness was infectious.

And Jack grew to love Christmas.

It was because of this growing love for the holiday that he agreed to throw a Christmas party at his and Bitty’s place. At first it was just inviting Coach and Suzanne for Christmas, so they could spend time up in Providence with Bits until New Year. Bob and Alicia always did the same.

But then they started inviting old teammates, turning the family dinner into a full-on party. So many loved ones visiting them during one of Bitty’s most favourite times of the year, so of course Jack wanted to spend it with Bitty too.

He thought about this as he packed up after his last game for the month, the irony of how ready he was to return home and help his husband out with a party.

—❄️—❄️—❄️—

ii.

Bitty was in full swing setting things up for Christmas day.

Jack was out finishing the last leg of his roadie before coming home for the holidays, meaning Bitty had a lot to prep for.

The decorations had been set since Cyber Monday. The menu was decided two weeks ago so he had time to pick up groceries as the big day drew closer. Over the past week he started setting ingredients aside, pulling dishes and trays together to speed up his process so he didn’t have to go searching for them. Yesterday, he already began chopping up the vegetables he needed to prep for cooking all day on the 24th.

Bitty was in His Zone.

He checked his phone for a quick update, about to text Jack that he was going to be buried in their kitchen for the next few days and to let himself in, when he decided to call his husband instead.

—❄️—❄️—❄️—

iii.

“Hi, sweetpea!”

“Hey, Bits.”

“How’s the roadie?”

“Good. You watched the game?”

“Of course! Nice hatty there, Mr. Zimmermann.”

“Hah. Thanks.”

“You’ll be here by the 23rd right?”

“Mhm. By the afternoon if weather allows it.”

“Hopefully a bit earlier! I want you to taste test a few things before I go wild and actually start cookin’ up for Christmas.”

“Haha, okay. Anything particular?”

“Testing a new pie recipe.”

“‘Swawesome. So I—huh? Marty? Oui. Mm. D’accord.”

“Gotta go?”

“Yeah. Marty says the bus is loaded up.”

“Okay, travel safe! Miss you, honey.”

“You too, Bits.”

“Talk soon?”

“Yeah.”

“Bye, I love you!”

“Love you too.”

—❄️—❄️—❄️—

iv.

[Approx. 24 hours later]

Bitty hung up the phone, finally letting out the slow sigh he’d been holding ever since Jack told him that he would be coming home later than they planned.

It truly was a series of unfortunate events: a popped bus tire, plane issues, new flight plans... Jack had sounded so defeated when he relayed the news to him. Bitty expressed that he was disappointed by the delay, but he knew that things happened, none of it Jack’s fault, and he didn’t want Jack worrying about him.

So he told Jack that he could manage with Shitty and Lardo to help him out for the Christmas party.

And they did. The two were as boisterous as ever, making an early drive to their condo to help. They bickered with Bitty all while they assisted him with the extravagant Christmas meal he had planned for.

Then Jack texted him that his connecting flight got delayed by weather. And then that his baggage got lost.

Bitty kept up his spirit for Shitty and Lardo with every update Jack gave, though he doubted he convinced them that he was just fine, y’all, now get! You two need rest before the realchaos starts tomorrow morning!

(Lardo had let out a low groan while Shitty barked out a laugh. Then they said their good nights and retreated to the spare room.)

He had wanted this Christmas to be extra special since it was the first big celebration he and Jack were hosting.

And he was determined to keep it just as special, even if Jack only made it for half the day.

Still, that didn’t mean he couldn’t wait up for his husband on the couch, passing the time by scrolling for miles on Twitter, instead of looking at the door and hoping that Jack finally walked through.

—❄️—❄️—❄️—

v.

Jack was late.

He was so very late.

It started just after he got off the phone with Bits. The bus was loaded up and ready to go, just as Marty said, but less than a mile after they left their hotel, the bus popped a tire.

Which would’ve been fine, since the team usually flew on charter, but apparently their plane had a major mechanical issue, so they were told to either spend a day (maybe even two) to wait for it to get fixed, or to each catch a regular flight home.

After a quick discussion, everyone agreed to fly back individually, simply wanting to get back to their respective hometowns. The single guys were upset, but not as much as the guys with kids and partners they had to break the news to.

Bits was much more forgiving than Jack expected.

“I thought you said you wanted me to taste test things?” Jack had asked, unable to help his disappointed pouting.

“Oh, sweetie, don’t worry about that,” Bitty had reassured him. “I can call up Shitty and Lardo to make their way here a bit earlier. They can help out.”

He then sighed, swiping a hand through his hair. “I’m sorry, Bits.”

It didn’t help that he missed his single connecting flight because of a sudden snowstorm, and that his luggage got lost in transit because of the delay. Then when he finally landed in PVD, the taxi line was long as all hell because apparently everything happening in Jack’s life wanted to go wrong.

Which meant that instead of arriving home in the afternoon of the 23rd like he wanted, he actually got home past 11pm on the 24th, sneaking into his own condo quietly like a thief in the night. He unceremoniously dumped his bags by the door and kicked off his boots. Trudging over to the living room to take a seat on the couch, he decided to gather up a bit of energy before disturbing Bitty, who was probably asleep in their bedroom.

He was surprised to find himself proven incorrect. Instead of an empty living room, he found Bits lying on the couch, hand on his phone like he fell asleep while scrolling through it.

(Jack smiled, because he probably did.)

He tiptoed over to where his husband was sleeping soundly to kiss him on the forehead.

“Joyeux Noel, Bits,” he whispered.

At this, Bitty stirred awake, blinking up at him with a sleepy smile.

“Welcome home, sweatpea. Merry Christmas.”

The fatigue of the past 30 hours immediately melted away, and Jack figured Christmas could be a lot worse than coming home to the man he loved most, greeting him warmly with a soft kiss.

—❄️—❄️—❄️—

vi.

Bitty vaguely recalled the night before—he knew that passed out on the couch after he sent Lardo and Shitty off to bed—but for some reason he didn’t wake up in the living room like he thought he was going to.

Instead, he woke up in bed, Jack snoring quietly next to him.

He suddenly remembered the door clicking open, the soft thump of bags hitting the floor, and being awoken by familiar lips pressing onto his forehead.

Jack was home.

Even though he’d coached his friends through his intricate meal plan yesterday, he had still been stressed and upset that Jack had missed out. But now, all the sadness he’d suppressed melted away, leaving only a deep warmth and satisfaction that Jack was finally here, with him, just in time for Christmas.

—❄️—❄️—❄️—

vii.

Despite the delays he faced, Jack managed to spend Christmas at home. Lardo and Shitty greeted him with a big smile and a crushing hug respectively, and before long Bitty whipped everyone into a well-oiled machine to prep for the Christmas party ahead of them.

Yes, Jack included.

Bitty did give him the chance to bow out, considering his hectic travel, but the hours he spent with Bitty in bed (clothed, completely asleep) gave him enough energy to lend a hand.

He still wanted their first Christmas party in their home successful, after all.

And to spend it with his most favourite person in the world, along with some of his other favourite people?

There was nothing more Jack could really ask for.

—❄️—❄️—❄️—

viii.

[Several hours of cooking later]

The party was in full swing, food and presents laid out just in time, friends and family mingling and laughing all around their home. Somehow, he and Bits managed to catch a moment together, Jack corralling them to stand by the entry to the hallway.

Then he grinned to himself.

“You know,” he said conspiratorially, “we’re under mistletoe right now.”

Bitty looked up at him with a smirk. “You planned this on purpose, didn’t you, Mr. Zimmermann?”

Jack could only smile even wider, pulling Bitty close by the waist, and kissed him.

“OOOOOH!” Shitty hollered from across the room, as he often did. “FOOOOOINE! That’s a big fine right there, Jack!”

The room erupted with laughter, half the crowd agreeing with Shitty, the other half wolf-whistling. Somewhere, Jack could hear Suzanne and Maman cooing at them.

Jack flipped everyone the bird, deepening the kiss against Bitty’s smiling lips.

—❄️—❄️—❄️—❄️—❄️—

[BONUS: The day after the party]

i.

Suzanne and Coach Bittle go out to explore Providence since it was their first time visiting the city in the winter, Maman and Papa going along with them, so he and Bitty decided to spend the day out together too.

Unsurprisingly, they made their way to a frozen pond, skates in hand. Bits said it was deemed safe a few days ago, and there were a few people already skating around by the time they arrived.

Since it was just the two of them, they couldn’t play shinny, but a quick skate date wasn’t out of the question.

They passed the hours in the freezing cold, filled with smiles and laughter as he and Bitty skated around the pond with their hands locked the entire time.

When they left, flurries began to float down from the clouds.

—❄️—❄️—❄️—

ii.

He and Jack headed back as fresh snow fell around them. After checking his phone, they found out that their parents were still out, so he and Jack grabbed a few supplies from home before going back outside to mess around with the newly fallen snow. They built two little snowmen, one a little taller than the other.

“That’s adorable!” a voice called out.

Bitty turned around to find a young boy looking down at their creation. He was bundled in a yellow jacket, wild curls tucked away from his face with earmuffs covered in sunflowers.

“Do you mind if I take a photo?” he asked, looking up to beam a gap-toothed grin at Bitty.

He snuck a glance at Jack, who nodded.

Bitty couldn’t help but smile back. “Sure, honey!”

The boy squealed out a Thanks! before snapping his photos and leaving. He and Jack then took their own selfies before heading back home once again.

Later, when their parents returned from their day trip and Bitty regaled what he and Jack had been up to, he considered it a wonderful day well spent.

[oldtwizzydraws]

For the 2022 @wipbigbang I did fanart for @pinkviper/tufted’s omgcp fanfic, Ship To Wreck! You can read this awesome fic on AO3 here: https://archiveofourown.org/works/40518927

[campchitaquamemories]

🚨🚨🚨IT’S FUCKING HAPPENING, THIS IS NOT A DRILL!! 🚨🚨🚨

Digital preorders of Like Real People Do get access to their copies early! Paper version releases on 8/23 per Nine Star Press. I cannot wait to read this version of the story @xiaq and also put my paper copy on my bookshelf next to the Check!Please graphic novels. 💖