We get by with a little help from our friends
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@911lonestarweek
We get by with a little help from our friends
Love is not love which alters when it alteration finds
We just want to say a quick thank you to everyone who participated in the lone star weekend event this year. This fandom is filled with so many creative, passionate and talented people, as this event has shown, and we’re so proud to be part of it. We hope you all enjoyed it, whether you were a creator or a supporter.
We look forward to all the events planned in the fandom, and hopefully, we can do this again next year!
Remember, the AO3 collection is still open if you want to add your works!
Thanks, everyone!
✨ 911 Lone Star Angst week & 911 Lone Star Weekend Master post ✨
I didn’t make a fic post for angst week, so I figured I would combine my posts with Lone Star weekend. Thank you to everyone who interacted with my fics these last two weeks. Every comment, reblog, kudos, and like means so much to me. Also, a huge thank you to the mods at @911lonestarangstweek for such a fantastic event!
911 Lone Star Angst Week
The one I can’t live without - T - 2.1K
Day 1: Emotional whump + “How do we fix this?”
“Am I okay?” he hisses like a rattlesnake. “My boyfriend just took a swan dive off a four-story building with an asshole with a gun. What do you think, Carlos? Does that sound okay?”
Carlos does something reckless at work upsetting TK.
Under the surface and tryin’ to pretend - T - 1.8K
Day 2: Physical whump + “Does it hurt badly?”
He knows he’s probably coming off as rude and anti-social as he ignores his friends. They’re supposed to be having fun at their local honkytonk after a long tiring week at work, but he can’t focus on them when his attention is on a certain officer across the bar playing pool with a stranger who is way too close for TK’s liking.
+
TK mistakes a situation. It forces his feelings to the surface.
I’ll hold you close, wipe away your tears - T - 1.1K
Day 3: Coda / fix-it fic
He feels their talk downstairs went well, but he can still see how Carlos’ shoulders are bunched up, and the smile he gives TK back comes out more like a frown.
+
Missing scene for episode 2.04. After they make up, Carlos still needs reassurance TK won’t leave him.
Ease your heavy heart - G - 1.3k
Day 4: Sickfic + “You need to rest.”
He leans against the doorframe taking in TK and their little boy. He’s fast asleep, his face tucked into TK’s arm, his tiny fingers gripping his father’s shirt.
+
When their son gets sick, TK feels guilty for not realizing how serious it is sooner. Carlos comforts him.
911 Lone Star Weekend
The ‘B’ Word - T - 3.3K
Day 1: Romance/“You are the only one for me.”/Fluff
“I’m crazy about you,” TK blurts out, stepping out of his hold to pace. “I didn’t plan it. I didn’t see it coming. You were just supposed to be this cool guy I had good chemistry and good sex with, someone I would be friends with and share a bed with on occasion.“
+
Carlos and TK run into Carlos’ three sisters on the street and decide to have dinner with them. Over the course of the meal, their friends with benefits relationship changes.
Making friends in Life or Death situations - T - 2.6k
Day 2: Emergencies/“Please, stay awake.”/Angst
“No,” Nancy shakes her head quickly, tightening her hold on his face so he can focus on her. “You have to stay awake,” she continues, her voice cracking as fear grips her again. This is her friend, sure they don’t know each other that well, but Carlos is nice and sweet and the love of her partner’s life. He’s her friend, damn it, and she’s not going to lose him, not after losing Tim. “Please, stay awake.”
+
Carlos and Nancy are trapped together after a tornado hits the pharmacy they are in.
Friendships, Proposals and Tabitha the Cat - G - 2.0k
Day 3: Found Family/“We’ve got your back, no matter what.”
Nancy waits until it’s firmly locked before she turns to Carlos. “Dude,” she says, putting a hard emphasis on the word. “Give that man his ring already.”
+
Nancy’s friendship with Carlos and TK grows when she stays with them while her place is rebuilt – she helps Carlos work up the nerve to propose to TK.
Lone Star Weekend Masterlist
Day 1: “You’re the only one for me” + Romance
Becoming a Home
Carlos Reyes had always wanted his house to be a home. Moving out and buying a house of his own showed him that was more difficult than he had thought and in time he came to accept that maybe it just wasn’t in the cards for him. Until a certain Firefighter barreled his way into his life, that is. Now he thinks they might just be on their way there.
Day 2: “Please, stay awake” + Angst
drop what I’m doing and sit beside you
The past few months have been a lot, and Judd is feeling the strain. Ever since the accident, he has devoted every spare moment to making sure Grace was okay until she finally insists that he take some time to himself. So he decides to head to the cabin he used to visit with his old crew, TK in tow and Carlos staying behind with Grace.
But what starts out as a calm and relaxing weekend takes an abrupt turn and Judd is left hurt and TK is left trying to figure out the best way to save them both.
Day 3: “We’ve got your back, no matter what.” + Hurt/Comfort
for a time you had me scared
An accident on a call leaves TK facing a potentially career-ending injury. He’s scared, more scared than he wants to admit and so afraid to hope, but he does have his friends on his side and that counts for a lot. (A prequel to @silvarafael‘s TK paralysis fic)
Fic: Upheaval 1/1 (911: LS, Taros, Firefam 126, T)
Summary: TK just needs to prove himself. He can do this, he’s recovered. He can handle his first day back, so why does everyone keep fussing?
Written for @911lonestarweek weekend event Day 3 prompt: “We’ve got your back, no matter what.” - Found family - Hurt/Comfort
Note: Concussions are a bitch, and sometimes even when you think you’ve recovered fully, you haven’t. These events are base on my own experiences and may not be wholly medically accurate, because well, due to the concussion I don’t remember it fully.
TW: Talk of physical injury
Read on ao3 here.
—–
TK had never been more excited to leave Carlos in the bed he’d begun to consider theirs before this morning. He ignored the dull ache in his head and practically bounced into the shower, ignoring how Carlos’ laughter rang after him, though it made him feel warm inside. It was his first day back; he was finally cleared for more than light duty, so he would be back in the bus, alongside Tommy and Nancy, and back with the whole squad.
It was going to be a great day!
By the time he got to the station, the dull ache in his head was worse, but he shrugged it off, once again, blaming it on a lack of sleep the night before due to excitement.
Keep reading
Friendships, Proposals and Tabitha the Cat
Nancy waits until it’s firmly locked before she turns to Carlos. “Dude,” she says, putting a hard emphasis on the word. “Give that man his ring already.”
+
Nancy’s friendship with Carlos and TK grows when she stays with them while her place is rebuilt – she helps Carlos work up the nerve to propose to TK.
Written for @911lonestarweek - Day 3: Found Family/“We’ve got your back, no matter what.”
Following ‘Making friends in Life or Death situations’
Nancy Gillian wakes up the same way she has for the last four weeks – in Carlos and TK’s guest bedroom with her cat Tabitha scratching at the door because she can hear TK moving around the house, and she wants to leave Nancy to go find him. Her cat is in love with TK, because of course she is.
“If you love him so much, why don’t you sleep with him?” she questions her cat, still half-asleep and annoyed to be woken up so early on her day off. “Instead, you sleep with your butt in my face and then leave me for that pretty boy before 7 a.m.”
Tabitha meows at her in response, looking so unimpressed and impatient all at once it’s almost impressive.
“Not sure what you’re going to do when our apartment is repaired,” she continues, easily ignoring the stink face as she opens the door, letting Tabitha out. “There you go, brat, go to your equally annoying other half.”
Tabitha meows at her once more, the sound coming out vaguely threatening. Nancy shrugs, used to it by now. She looks back at the bed and contemplates diving back under the covers, but as she checks the time to see it’s close to 8 a.m., she thinks better of it. She’s not the only one off-shift in the house today, and if there is one thing she has learned since temporarily moving in with Carlos and TK while contractors work on building back up her tornado-destroyed condo. It’s that when Carlos is off from work, he turns into a gourmet chef who makes the most delicious breakfasts she’s ever tasted in her life.
She heads for the bathroom to brush her teeth and wash up before heading downstairs, following the sound of voices and pots clanking.
“Good morning,” she calls out, still rubbing the sleep out of her eyes even after her shower.
Carlos looks up from where he’s cracking eggs to greet her with a smile. “Morning, Nance, there’s coffee,” he points with a tilt of his head towards the coffee machine.
Nancy smiles gratefully and passes TK, who is sitting on one of the counters, holding Tabitha up to his face as he gives her kisses.
“You’ve stolen my cat’s affections, Strand,” she says, rubbing the top of his head in greeting.
“She’s our cat now,” TK corrects her, childishly sticking his tongue out at her. Nancy returns the gesture, always seeming to revert back to a school-grader around her friend and partner.
“Children, behave,” Carlos chides them, sighing tiredly when they give him twin grins.
She steps up next to him, bumping her shoulder against his, getting a fond smile back from the cop and an arm thrown over her shoulders as he hugs her to his side. Since the tornado and subsequently the start of their friendship just a month ago, she and Carlos have bonded to the point that she now considers him something like a brother.
She feels blessed that he seems to feel the same way.
Keep reading
our steady true north fades
for @911lonestarweek day 3: found family/“We’ve got your back, no matter what”/hurt/comfort
some parts are inspired by this promo
Judd will never forget the first time he laid eyes on Grace.
She’d been so alive that night, her face lit up with joy as they’d danced and laughed and talked. She couldn’t look more different now, unnaturally still on the hospital bed with too many machines doing the work her body can’t. Judd’s legs tremble as he clutches onto the railings of her bed, silent tears slipping down his cheeks. He wants, desperately, to touch her, but he keeps his hands resolutely to himself - Grace is so fragile right now, and Judd…
Well, Judd is known for breaking fragile things.
*
judd struggles in the wake of the accident, but, luckily, he has a whole team around to support him.
ao3 | 1.5k | grace/judd
Judd wakes up to a pounding headache and no Grace at his side.
To say that he panics is an understatement; the last thing he remembers, they were driving down the highway on their way to see his dad, and now he’s alone, apparently in a hospital, with machines going off all around him. He tries to struggle upright, only to be met with resistance in the form of hands on his shoulders. Judd wants to fight them, but too quickly his body gives out as he heaves for air.
The darkness on the edges of his vision comes for him once more, and Judd slips back into sleep, the only thought on his mind, Grace.
*
It’s calmer the next time he opens his eyes, but there’s still no Grace. Instead, when Judd manages to get his vision to focus, there’s just Owen and Tommy camped out in his room, both looking incredibly weary. That’s no surprise at least - last he heard, Tommy was supposed to be recovering from being kidnapped, and TK was in a hospital bed of his own, so seeing the Cap here instead of with his son is unexpected.
Judd clears his throat as best he can, suppressing a wince at the action, and both their heads snap up, relief flooding their faces at the sight of him awake. After a quick greeting, Owen heads out to fetch a doctor, but Tommy lingers, something heavy in her expression.
“Hey, Juddy,” she says softly, smiling at him sadly. “How’re you feeling?”
“Like I’ve been hit by a truck,” Judd croaks out, which, for some reason, makes Tommy laugh.
“You’re not far off there.”
Judd frowns, more questions crowding his mind, but then Owen’s back with doctors and there’s no more time. He’s wheeled off for scans and exams, and though he asks a million times, no-one will tell him where Grace is.
Judd Ryder is not a patient man at the best of times, and being in the hospital with no idea why and no clue as to his wife’s whereabouts is far from the best of times. He barely refrains from snapping at the nurses, irritated by their platitudes and well-meaning smiles. By the time he’s finally taken back to his room, under strict instructions to take it easy, Judd’s on the verge of losing it, a fact that does not go missed by Tommy when she walks back in.
“Judd -”
“Where’s Grace?” he interrupts. “Where’s my wife?”
Keep reading
for a time you had me scared
3.7k || ao3
An accident on a call leaves TK facing a potentially career-ending injury. He’s scared, more scared than he wants to admit and so afraid to hope, but he does have his friends on his side and that counts for a lot. —– Day 3 of @911lonestarweek: “We’ve got your back, no matter what.” + Hurt/Comfort
A prequel of sorts to @silvarafael’s fic “I’m Not the Same Man I Was in the Spring” because she told me to write it.
—————-
It’s just a normal day, at first.
But that was how things always started, wasn’t it? Whenever something tragic happened there was almost always one thing everyone agreed on: no one saw it coming. That was just the nature of tragedy: things were normal, and then suddenly they weren’t.
This was no exception. When they pulled up on the scene, when they geared up for the rescue and Captains Strand and Vega doled out instructions, they had no way of knowing how badly it was going to end. It was something they’d have to be reminded of later — that they couldn’t have known, that they weren’t to blame. Would it make any difference? Probably not, but the fact remained.
They arrived at the scene to get the rundown from the APD responding unit: someone had collapsed on the roof. No one knew who it was or why they were on the roof. All they knew is that a passerby had spotted a limp arm dangling over the edge and had called 911.
“Okay team,” Owen began after he discussed with the officer, “I want two people up to help with the rescue. Marwani, Strickland that’s you. Captain Vega, if we can get a medic up there it would be helpful, tell us what we’re dealing with.”
Keep reading
An Archive of Our Own, a project of the Organization for Transformative Works
Chapters: 1/1 Fandom: 9-1-1: Lone Star (TV 2020) Rating: Teen And Up Audiences Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply Relationships: Carlos Reyes/TK Strand Characters: Andrea Reyes (9-1-1 Lone Star), Carlos Reyes (9-1-1 Lone Star), Firehouse 126 Crew (9-1-1 Lone Star), Owen Strand, TK Strand Additional Tags: Established Relationship, Boys In Love, Hurt Carlos Reyes (9-1-1 Lone Star), Caring TK Strand, Protective Firehouse 126 Crew, Firehouse 126 Crew as Family (9-1-1 Lone Star), Fluff, lots of fluff Series: Part 3 of 911 Lone Star Weekend 2021 Summary:
Written for day 3 of 911 Lonestar weekend - prompt, we’ve got your back no matter what (my slight variation of it)
Carlos is recovering and TK is a protective boyfriend. Written from Andrea Reyes POV
I just wanted to write fluff and boys deeply in love. So here this is!
@911lonestarweek
Day 3 of 911 Lonestar weekend - found family, favourite group scene
@911lonestarweek
A Shared Weight
Written for Day 3 of @911lonestarweek: Found Family/ “We’ve got your back, no matter what.”/Hurt/Comfort
______
Carlos pulls the key from the ignition and takes a deep breath. He lets his head hang and his shoulders sag and his eyes close.
Between work and trips to and from the hospital and the chores at the ranch this is the first time he’s been able to breathe in a week.
He loves his mother and he would do anything for her but he’s been stretched razor thin since his father had his heart attack and has been in the hospital recovering.
He checks the time and shakes his head. It’s getting late and the horses have to be fed and put away and then he needs to get something going for dinner because he’s sure his mother will be hungry when he picks her up and drags her home from the hospital. She can’t spend another night in one of those uncomfortable sleeper chairs.
He knows from experience how awful those things can be and he’s more than half her age.
He’s only a few steps up the front path when the screen door opens and TK steps out and Carlos finds the strength to lengthen his strides and makes it up the stairs in half the time, reaching for his boyfriend before he even makes it to the top step.
Read More On Ao3
hanging on a feeling (holding onto each moment)
[1,543 words] [teen and up audiences] [beta’ed by @meloingly] [title from alive by adelitas way] [carlos reyes, tk strand, gabriel reyes, andrea reyes, owen strand, paul strickland, judd ryder] [all hurt little comfort, hurt tk, gangs, violence, hate crimes, homophobic crimes, hospitals, injuries, coma, bruises, firefam, angst] [written for @911lonestarweek weekend, day 3: found family + “we’ve got your back, no matter what” + hurt/comfort + favorite group scenes] [written for being watched from my bad things happen bingo]
the beeping of the machines ring loud in his ears, louder than the beating of his heart or the voices around him, but they can never quiet the memory of the phone call that’s gotten him here, to this hospital room where there’s nowhere to hide his pain
carlos knows he’s not alone, but he surely feels like it while surrounded by so many people
hanging on a feeling (holding onto each moment) | on ao3
The beeping of the machines rung loud in his ears, louder than the beating of his heart or the voices around him, but they can never quiet the memory of the phone call that’s gotten him here, to this hospital room where there’s nowhere to hide his pain.
He’d been waiting on TK to come back from the store, and instead he meets him while TK is on a hospital bed with a broken leg, a sprained wrist, a dislocated shoulder and so many bruises that even his brain has swollen. The doctors can’t tell him when TK will wake up — they don’t even know if TK will wake up.
Carlos isn’t going to crumble, not here, not now, not when a mental breakdown is the only thing that would keep him away from TK right now. TK who’s inexpressive and unresponsive underneath the plain white sheets. He’s been told, in no uncertain terms, that he’s only allowed in the room if he doesn’t show any signs of needing medical help himself. It’s not that he thinks he should be the one being treated — not when TK is right there — but he’s been warned that he’ll be treated for any symptoms of panic attacks outside this room.
He can’t afford being away from TK.
His resolve is hanging by a thin thread. But at least he’s not alone — even though he knows he’ll go through this grief process when — if — TK doesn’t wake up.
“We’ve got your back, no matter what,” Paul states, stepping forward. “You’re not alone.”
Carlos sniffles but doesn’t say anything. He can’t keep his gaze from wandering to the figure on the bed, prone and still and attached to all those machines that are preventing life from escaping through the cracks of the injuries that his body sustained.
“He’ll pull through,” Judd reassures him. “He’s survived a gunshot, a minefield and a kidnapping.”
“This isn’t just some on-the-job injury!” Carlos finally snaps, turning around so fast that he gets dizzy. “This isn’t a scared kid or a planned bombing site or three kidnappers who were more focused on escaping than on anything else! This is a hate attack, this is a beating that has no rhyme or reason!”
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Day 3: Found Family – Favorite group scenes
@911lonestarweek
“Last year, I was in a very dark place, I relapsed, I almost died. And then dad brought us to Texas”
Made for @911lonestarweek Day 3: Found Family – Favorite group scenes
@911lonestarweek
worth it
For Lone Star Weekend at @911lonestarweek
Day 3: Found Family/“We’ve got your back, no matter what.”/Hurt/Comfort
WC: 1500ish
Pairing: TK/Carlos; Firefam 126 Feels Summary: 2.04 're-write': Instead of getting advice from his parents, TK goes to his crew to get some help after the farmer's market fiasco.
“I freed some more space in your closet, Carlos,” TK bites out, hating that he says something so hurtful when he can see the pain in Carlos’ eyes, but his instincts are telling him to fight and then flight right away. He wants to make Carlos feel every iota of pain he is - every ounce of not being enough, of not mattering as much as he thought. It’s vindictive and has self sabotage written all over it, but he can’t stop the words from tumbling out.
He leaves the condo, slamming the door, and waits on the stoop for a minute, just in case Carlos comes out to beg him back - to say he does love him, no supposedly necessary.
Carlos doesn’t, though, so TK texts the first person he can think of.
<b>Can you come pick me up? At the end of Carlos’ street.</b>
TK walks to the end of said street, his duffle thumping against his legs every few steps. His brain is trying to process over emotion coursing through his body.
Rage.
Annoyance.
Clawing fear.
Helplessness.
Stubbornness.
Distress.
Insecurity,
Pain, so much pain.
Marjan beeps as she pulls up next to him, Paul and Mateo in the back. TK gets in the front seat and even though he wants to, doesn’t slam the door. Marjan has yelled at his habit enough times, and he’s just thankful they’re here to get him.
“Thanks Marj. But did you have to bring the whole crew?” TK asks, nodding to his friends in the back and raising an eyebrow at Marjan.
“Almost, we’re going to go hang out at the last essential member’s place,” Marjan says with a quirk of her own eyebrow.
“Aww, man, really? He’s going to cause some sort of violence,” TK whines, even if flickers of supportive joy are curling in his belly.
“We can’t get all the hot goss without our big bro,” Mateo pipes up from the back and the car laughs. TK feels some tension seep from his shoulders and is glad he texted his best friend. He squeezes her elbow a little and she glances over and winks at him before putting her eyes back on the road and then turning up the music to belt along to Beyonce. The whole car joins in, and it loosens another muscle in TK.
They pull up to Judd’s place in no time and they all traipse in through the side gate to the back patio where Judd is already waiting with chips, veggie and fruit trays, drinks, and dessert on the table.
He and Grace are swinging gently to the music playing and laughing and TK’s heart twinges a little. He thought it would be that easy for him and Carlos. TK sincerely thought he would be where Judd and Grace are in a few years.
Judd pulls away from his wife and comes over to TK, crossing his arms and peering down at him.
“What’s wrong? Am I beating you, him, or your dad up?” He drawls, and TK knows he would do it without a moment’s thought if TK asked. They’ve come a long way from when he first moved here and TK has never felt more supported.
“Nobody,” TK says dejectedly and Judd just looks at him in that no bullshit away.
“Son, you know I don’t like talkin’ about things, so you best hurry up and explain.”
TK sighs and tells them everything. They’ll pry it out of him anyway and he needs some unbiased (kind of) opinion. An outside perspective on where he messed up. On why he wasn’t enough.
TK talks about how he ran into Carlos’ parents, thrilled to be able to meet them, and was then introduced as his friend. The winces from his friends tell him it’s okay to feel the uncertainty he did.
“I can help beat him up?” Mateo offers and Marjan smacks him. TK laughs, but it feels hollow.
All he wants is to rewind back to this morning and what they did before the farmer’s market and entice Carlos into staying in bed just for a little longer to do more unprofessional things. He doesn’t know where they stand and it’s slowly tearing him up.
“TK, do you love him?” Grace asks in that no nonsense voice of hers. Grace has been a saving grace, pun fully intended, at helping build and keep the relationship up. Carlos and her get along and it’s nice to hang out as a full group without Judd bowing out to hang out with his wife instead. Though, he does do that many a times as well.
“Yes,” TK says without hesitation. That was never in question.
“Do you think he loves you?” She continues and TK pauses for a split second, but he knows, deep in his soul, that Carlos does. From the kisses in the morning, to the packed lunches, to the random texts, to taking care of his mooching friends.
“Yes,” TK says resolutely.
“That’s a good start, honey,” Grace says and it truly is.
“Did you ask for an explanation?” Paul asks, astute as always and TK doesn’t look him in the eyes as he shakes his head.
“I was just so angry. And scared. What if this meant he’d never talk to them? Was he trying to hide me? Am I not enough?” TK’s voice breaks just a little at the last word, his self-doubts rearing their ugly head.
“You are more than enough,” Judd says firmly, like there’s no other option. TK wishes Judd could climb in his head and shake some sense into that self-deprecation.
“If I’ve learned anything, it’s that you need to communicate,” Marjan says, waving away TK’s questions. “We can talk about me later, but anyone who has even a single brain cell can see that you two are crazy over each other. You have some sort of cosmic magnetic pull, and if you weren’t one of my best friends, I’d be so jealous.”
They all laugh at that but everyone seems to be in agreement.
“If he didn’t love you, he wouldn’t put up with us,” Mateo says, and again the others murmur in agreement. “And we’re glad he gives us a place to hang out, even if we have to put up with y’all’s lovesick routine,” he finishes, wrinkling his nose.
“Grace pretended I was a study buddy,” Judd says and Grace sighs, like she’s heard this story one too many times.
“I’ve said sorry a million times, Judson!” Grace says, pretending to be outraged. Judd laughs, but continues.
“I don’t even know what my sorry ass could help her study for, but she played it off as such when we ran into her Mama at the bookstore one day. It took some needling, and a lot of confusion, but we talked about it and came out stronger. We all have insecurities, even superwomen like my Gracie here.” Judd says, nudging his wife a little as she blushes prettily. TK loves how in love Judd is with her. They’re definitely relationship goals.
“One thing I learned early on was that Grace is worth it. Every fight, cent, argument with her Daddy, breaking of relationships with bigots, was worth it. I can handle the whole world against me as long as I have my wonderful wife by my side. So you gotta ask yourself if Carlos is worth it,” Judd finishes and Grace kisses his cheek and holds his hand.
“Who knew you were such a romantic, Judd?” Mateo asks.
“Everyone!” Is the choral response.
“I think you should try and talk to him.” Paul tells TK. “I have a feeling that the insecurities stem from feeling unsafe in your position, thinking things were golden and realizing it was fools gold, but you need to clear the air. That man would lasso the moon if you asked and it’s easy to see he’s head over heels in love with your sorry behind, so I think you should give him the benefit of the doubt.”
Everyone else nods along.
TK takes a few minutes to think about it. He doesn’t want to break up, and doesn’t even like this feeling of unknown between them. The way Carlos looked at him right before he left keeps swimming in his brain and someone who thought this was just for fun wouldn’t have looked like he’d been punched in the gut.
“We’ve got your back, brother, no matter what,” Judd says and TK smiles, looking around at his found family. One member is missing, and he’s hoping he can get Carlos back to join them soon enough.
“Marjan, another favor?” TK asks, widening his eyes just a little to make them the lethal puppy eyes Carlos complains about.
Marjan groans and swipes at him but jingles her keys.
“Let’s go, lover boy,” she says, linking her elbow with his.
“Judd, I’ll be back in a few to show you who’s boss at Mortal Kombat,” Marjan calls over her shoulder.
“You wish,” Judd shouts back.
“You’re the best,” TK says to Marjan and she laughs.
“You know it, Strand. And don’t you forget it. You’re lucky to have a bestie like me.”
TK laughs, but it’s absolutely true.
“The luckiest,” TK says with as much sincerity as possible.
“Okay, enough mushy talk,” Marjan says with mock disgust. “Let’s get you to your man!”