Who would stay when Evan “Buck” Buckley fucks up again, uh?
He’s back in his room now, in his bathroom, getting ready for a shower and he’s wondering if he can avoid cleaning his lips and his birthmark so he can pretend to still feel Tommy’s touch. Tommy’s lips.
What a teenager.
He slams the door of the shower behind him and lets the water drop on his face, visualise it erasing Tommy’s kiss, his touch, like it never happened.
He doesn’t cry. It’s not his first deception. He knows how to deal with it.
He knows !!
Ok, maybe he doesn’t know. It’s been 2 weeks and his eyes still wander around every rooms he goes into. Around every venues.
Maddie has been on his ass as soon as he dropped his mug at the news of Tommy’s leaving.
And everyday she looks at him suspiciously. She even pulled his best friend Eddie and his son to try to have Buck to come out with it, whatever it was.
Her words. And he almost lost it laughing at the “come out” part. If she knew.
Maybe she should.
It’s been 3 more weeks. Five weeks in total and he called Maddie in his room.
“He kissed me.” He blurts as soon as she’s sitting down.
It’s a sign of how close they are that she doesn’t even need anything else to know what and who they’re talking about immediately.
“Did he force you?” she asks serious.
“What? No, no absolutely not! Why would you even think that?”
“I dont know Evan, maybe because you’ve been hurting for five weeks and now you tell me your bodyguards kissed you before running away and-“
“I liked it Maddie, I liked it so much,” he says, and his eyes fill with tears.
She looks at him for a few seconds before her face finally clear. He knows she gets him. He knows she already knows or guessing what he’s not saying yet.
“Oh Evan,” she says before standing from her seat and comes around to hug him.
They stay like that for a while, before she breaks the silence of the room.
“What happened ?”
“He kissed me. He came into my room, I was freaking out because I said “he” during that show. Because I couldn’t stop thinking about him, and he knocked and he came inside. And he kissed me. And when he asked if it was ok I… I just told him that I was sorry. And then he left. And he really left …”
They stay like that for a long time.
“Why did you say no?”
“Please Maddie… it’s been hard enough for us. Yes mom and dad helped a little but we struggled. YOU struggled so I could have my music lessons, my voice training, my recordings. Everything you did for me…. If I come out now? As what? Bi? People will freak… they’ll hate me. And through me you. They’ll destroy what we built together. What we fought for.”
Maddie looks at him and instead of the understanding he thought he’d see on her face he only see sadness, “Evan … do you truly think that your happiness is not my priority? That I wouldn’t drop everything here if it meant that my baby brother could have all he wants?”
“Maddie… you shouldn’t sacrifice anything for me.”
“And I don’t intend to, but I’d do it in a heartbeat. And I’m sure many of your fans would still love you. Yes maybe we would have shows in smaller venues, but you always said that you liked them more, that it gave you a better bond to your fans. Or maybe you’ll be the first bi-icon of country music here and you’ll explode. We don’t know what the future holds. But we know what you always looked for. We know why your eyes always wander around in a room. What if Tommy is that person that will always be here for you ?”
He can feel the tears sliding slowly down his face.
“How was that kiss, Evan?”
“It was like when I first played on my first guitar…” he says looking at his sister, silently pleading for her to understand what’s the significance of it is. And he sees on her face that she gets it. Like she always does.
“Let’s get your man”
It takes some time. They know where Tommy works easily enough but the tour is now in Canada and Tommy is all the way back to California, to Los Angeles where he works apparently for the Rams.
The fact that they’re away and can’t come back ends up working for them as Maddie put a plan together so Buck can talk to Tommy, and convince him for a second chance.
They’re finally hitting a two weeks break in the tour and they’re back in LA. Buck is looking outside to the game being played.
They’re close to the halftime and he’s getting ready. He knows Maddie is around there, texting Chimney consistently while her husband has the job of keeping Tommy focused on him and close to the playfield so he doesn’t try to run away when he realizes who’s singing.
Of course Chimney was made aware of their plans and it was only his love for romance that probably kept him from blurting it all out to Tommy already.
When the halftime is finally announced and they say that a surprise entertainment has been put together Buck leaves the room and goes outside to get on the stand they put together for him.
He knows where Chimney and Tommy are supposed to be. He knows exactly where to watch. And for the first time he’s scarred of what he’ll see if he let his eyes wander around to find Tommy.
But he still does it.
And here he is. Looking back at him.
Even from where Buck stands he can see how tense Tommy look, and he still drowns in his blue eyes.
He hears the music start and the years of training and experience make him act. He grabs his guitar and start to play.
This time when he says “he” it’s not a mistake.
This time when he says “he” it’s with intention.
This time when he says “he” he shouts it.
And he shouts it again. And again. And again.
His voice never wavers. His eyes barely blink, scared of missing any hints of Tommy’s reaction.
When he switches to a second song, a silly little song just to distract the crowd he sees Tommy moving his head a little. Like he did when he took care of Buck at the venues.
He always pretended to not like Buck’s songs. To not like music at all, but Buck saw him enough time mouthing the words of his songs to know it was just an act.
And when he starts the third song, he can see Tommy singing words for words. He only stumbles a little when Buck says “he” again and he smiles. He smiles at Tommy, and he shouts louder. And louder.
He.
He.
He.
The last notes are still resonating when he shouts a thank you to the crowd that applaud. This time he doesn’t care. The show wasn’t for them.
It was for him.
And he leaves the stand and he walks toward Tommy. He walks across half the field. It’s not what he’s supposed to do. It’s not how the artist is supposed to leave. He had an exit. The same that he used to enter the field.
But Maddie is supposed to have cleared that with them. He doesn’t really care to be honest.
Not now that he’s in front of Tommy and he sees Chimney walks quietly away.
“Hey”
“Hey,” answers Tommy, his face inscrutable.
“I’m so sorry,” says Buck, taking the few more steps that separate them. He can feel the heat from Tommy’s body now. “I’m so sorry,” he repeats.
“Evan”
“I made a mistake. It was ok, Tommy. It was so ok. The okayest”
Tommy huffs, his lips quirking up, “the okayest,uh?”
Buck nods, he’s not sure what he should say now. The plan was to sing for Tommy. To meet him again. To tell him that kiss wasn’t a mistake. That he liked it.
But now in front of Tommy, he feels his lips moving but no sounds leave them.
He doesn’t have to. Not when he feels Tommy fingers rub his jaw, retracing the same pattern they did after their kiss. He rubs his face on that hand like a cat, closing his eyes and then he feels it again. Tommy’s lips.
This time the world goes silent. It goes still. Only Tommy is here, Tommy and Buck.
And when they separate to breathe, the first sound he hears is the little exhale from Tommy and he vows to one day be able to recreate it through music. But now he just pulls Tommy closer to kiss him.
Headcanons of what biscuits each of the Tracies and everyone would like:
Alan first because we always seem to forget about him. He strikes me as a timtam enjoyer. He would definitely to the using them as a straw to drink milk through thing
Virgil would be resident mint slice lover
John to pennys disgust is an incorrigible dunker of biscuits in tea. She cannot reform him. Cause hes a mischief maker like the best he will do it in front of her while making eye contact while she resists the urge to tackle him as thats not polite. I think she has given in before. John is totally taunting her because it drives her up the wall. He misses it in space where free floating liquids are not a good idea. Hes yet to work out a scientific timing to let them get sufficiently soggy but not fall in but hes still trying to. He has been known to accidentally drop the biscuit in then fish it out with his fingers probably swearing. Then rapidly eat the soggy biscuit mess before anyone says anything before he goes back to pretending hes way too normal to do that.
Kayo. Jammy marshmallowy wagon wheels. No notes.
Penny’s secret vice is those pink ones iced ones with 100s and 1000s. Like the cheapest sugary ones. She will eat a whole packet if shes sad. They will without fail cheer her up. John has brought them for her and she cried all over him. She never had them growing up in endeds parades of fancy teas and biscuits. It was only when she was off at uni and knew john that she got to try them. John probably pulled them off a supermarket shelf and chucked them at her cause they were pink when they were grocery shopping for food together once and she decided to get them and loved them ever since. John doesn’t even like them but gets them for her.
I think Virgil would also like melting moments. He is unable to eat any sort of biscuit without getting covered in crumbs. He tries really hard but he has no idea how anyone else manages it.
Scott loved chocolate chip biscuits. But they have to be homemade. Secretly he hates those dry dusty store bought ones so much. He can bake them really well though but hardly finds the time.
Gordon. I dont know about actual biscuits but he definitely loves the crunch. Oh he would love those golden syrup and cornflakes or chocolate ricebubble crackles school bake sale treats so much
John for specifics id say shortbread creams. Ginger thins. He is a biscuit fiend in general and absolutely loves many of them. He also insists on calling them biscuits.
Grandma has tried to make anzac biscuits. They came out …authentic. Historically authentic.
Kayo knows about her girlfriend's love of sugary pink biscuits. She found out somehow even though John is sworn to secrecy. Penny was over the moon when she brought them out for their quiet night in after their fancy, nice date was interrupted by work after dessert was quite ruined after being smashed over the bad guy's head.
Thoughts for Brains, Parker and others? Favourite biscuits you want to tell about? (i need to know) (for science) (also biscuit recommendations)
Nico and Percy's dynamic through the series is eternally funny to me, because it's just. like.
Percy's having a constant mental struggle between his fatal flaw of loyalty with a promise he made to Bianca to protect Nico, versus his Big 3 kid desire to maim other Big 3 kids / Poseidon descendant urge to totally maim Nico specifically. He hates Nico so so much. He thinks Nico's annoying and weird at best, and creepy/sketchy when he's older. The only positive thoughts Percy has towards Nico are "He's Bianca's brother and Bianca was my friend and I owe her/He's Hazel's brother and Hazel is my friend and would kill me if I was mean to him," "He's a powerful asset and useful ally (if questionable)," and "He's kinda pathetic and I feel maybe a little bad about it." Percy has multiple occasions throughout the series where he strongly considers - and on one occasionally actually goes through with - throttling Nico.
Meanwhile, Nico is following around Percy like a lost puppy. He explicitly can never bring himself to even dislike anything about Percy no matter how hard he tries. He has a whole bit in BoO where he's mentally going "UGH he's so stupid BUT IT'S ENDEARING HOW DARE HE." He's totally smitten. He's making deals with his dad for Percy. He's making convoluted plans to help Percy stand a chance against Kronos. During the entirety of BoTL it's like he's playing tsundere - "I'm helping NOT PERCY SPECIFICALLY with this quest! Me helping Percy would be SILLY because I DEFINITELY HATE HIM." Then he proceeds to show up to Percy's birthday party to basically ask him on a weird date and spend the entire next book scrambling around trying to help him or protect him or impress him. And Percy could not give less of a shit.
Just. That dynamic is so funny to me. Percy is the founder of the Nico Protection Club in that he's the one they're all protecting Nico from and meanwhile Nico is throwing himself at Percy to the point where the literal god of gay love calls him out on it.
I refuse to believe that kusuo never tried to lose on purpose in one of kusukes games
a lot of people say that he probably was too egocentric to lose but man, ku gives up on things without thinking twice just for the sake of the others
just like when he gave up on satou when he and hii got together (the only example I can come with rn but there is a lot more)
and don't get me wrong, kusuo IS egocentric, but he knows where to trace a line he has a moral code and the principal rule is "don't be an inconvenience to the others"
so there is no way he didn't tried before
kusuke saw through his facade?
kusuke is insane and a masoquist and he has some suicidal behaviour aaand
I can see him telling kusuo to never try to fake a lost again or else he will off himself
idk he just yk, he's emotionally abusive and he's too obsessed with the idea of kusuo and him playing deathly games
TOO obsessed
he even took himself as hostage and he also kidnapped and brainwashed one of his brothers friends
he would say something like that
but I also believe that he wasn't aware of the heigh of those words
(I believe that he isn't aware of the heigh of all his actions, he just have a really twisted view of what is wrong and right)
I see this kind of scenario happening when they were young, when kusuo stopped copying his older brother (the motorcycle, the little cardboard robot, rock papper scissors, guys he was copying his older brother cuz he thought he was cool) and started to feel some resentment or even pity towards him
kusuke wouldn't take pityness very well, resentment? dont care, being hated? kay whatever but feeling any form of empathy or pity?????
it makes him sick
so he would say something like that but the thing is that he sees his brother as a God who is superior to every other living being
so he thinks that it isn't a big deal because his God had more important things to take care of
wrooooong, your God it's your baby bro who is just a child who used to admire you a lot before you started to get more and more insane progressively and the thing you just said it's fucking up his head because the love and hate he has for you were the strongest feelings his baby brain could feel and now he cannot come up with a way to make you stop envying or feeling resentful cuz of his powers (that he did not choose to born with in the first place) without making you have a meltdown that will end up with you killing yourself
been brainrotting over ranch duo (i think that’s their name???? right??) recently. so here. have some headcanons:
- jimmy takes care of the cows while tango takes care of the chickens. The calves love jimmy and often flock to him and often will just sit on him, trapping him in place until tango rescues him (because jimmy’s not going to shove them off)
- jimmy’s canary wings only come in after his first death (aka where he’s one of the first to die), and that’s gonna hurt, so not only do they both have to deal with the pain of the explosion, they have to deal with the pain of that a little bit later too
- none of their friends are actually sure whether they’re together-together or not, because they’re physically affectionate with each other and jimmy’s called tango his husband several times already?? but they also act confused when people ask if they’re dating
- they’re such a good duo because tango always asks for jimmy’s input on schemes etc. because he values his input and doesn’t just immediately brush him off and that’s all it took for jimmy
- they only have one bed in their base because they don’t have the resources for any more, which means they end up sharing. which works out really, because jimmy runs warm and tango can’t regulate his own body temperature (i hc him as some kind of netherborn, and to me it makes sense that they’d rely on the nether’s heat to keep them warm) and he’s always cold, even after jimmy got him a blanket
Trollstopia server has already seen my ramblings but I have got to yell them out into the tumblr void. Because I'm still thinking about it. So-
This is the first scene where Branch truly gets to dance and sing with any of his brothers again, for the first time in 20 years, right?
During this clip you can see his movements and emotion go from lackluster and begrudging to... something so happy. His brothers sing "you're the reason why I sing this song" as he's turned around, away from the crowd, to face them. We see him realize where he is, who he's with, and what's happening - and we see him get hit with the joy of it. It looks like something liberating for him, and I really like that.
Look at his lil face 🥹🥹 guys I just love him so much okay
As soon as it really hits him, he breaks out into song and the scene changes setting to show that all that's real to him, in that moment, is his family. All that's important to him are his brothers being there with him, singing and dancing all together. Everything immediately becomes much more bright and colorful in that moment.
Everyone in the room except him and his brothers fade away, and the setting goes from a dark stage to very bright and vibrant, and I think that helps a lot to get across what Branch is feeling here in this moment. He gets lost in the song and his joy.
In the beginning, where we see him break out into song right after his brothers gesture at him and are singing at him, waiting for him to join, he starts with "You're all I ever wanted | you're all I ever needed" and it feels like that's truly what he's feeling. That's where his mind is at, in that moment. He's been waiting and wanting his whole life to be with his brothers again, together as they are in this clip, and he's so, so happy once he realizes he's achieved it. He probably never thought he would!
He screws his eyes shut and throws his whole self forward and into that song and dance!! He's practically belting out those lines, he's so happy.
I'm so insane about this clip. I love being able to see how happy he is to be with his brothers again. That is all.
So like I have had this ungodly obsession with a trans Steve who is very secret and undercover. Like not even Robin knows hes trans. I sort of headcannon that his parents arent supportive but like, Mr.Harrington really wanted a son to take over his buisness so if this means the only way possible he will. Of course not everything is available through the 80′s but what Steve is able to get done is done. (Top Surgery and Testosterone)
But because there isn’t the greatest education for trans people he doesn’t think he can get pregnant. So he ends up having a slip up under some circumstances and hes now currently very sick from morning sickness. But thing is he still wants to stay hidden but he doesn’t want to hurt the baby. So he lies and says that he has the flu to the party and they all believe him.
He is convinced that he can stay well hidden, and he does. He starts to wear way more baggier clothes then what he normally does and he is super dysphoric over the entire pregnancy but he doesn’t want anyone knowing hes pregnant. There is obvious signs like the cravings.
He’ll constantly be sitting next to Argyle when he hangs out with him eating the strangest combinations there is. Argyle simply just accepts it and goes along with the fries dipped in ranch. Of course Robin gets a little suspicious because of course her friend is hiding something.That and he has been wearing way more baggier clothes then normal which isn’t a steve thing to do. So she is worried hes getting self concious of his scars. So what does she do? She sticks Eddie on him because coincedently he has the same ones.
Steve can’t help himself but laugh when the other tries to give the other a pep talk which just turns into Steve giving Eddie the pep talk. (Literally the boy will be floating for years after this.) But each time someone comes close to guessing Steve confuses them. Literally no one thinks hes pregnant because hes a dude.
Though when he actually starts to pop out more he is having a increasing amount of difficulty hiding. He feels fat and his hands and feet are swollen and he cant stand it. He also gets very dysphoric and hates his clothing. So a conversation happens one day and thats how he finds himself buried in Argyles clothes. They feel like a actual guys clothes and he loves it. Of course Eddie hops in and lets steve wear a bunch of his baggier metallica sweaters. To be honest he just enjoys seeing the other in his clothes.
Though now Steve is having a difficult time standing up on his own, so now he tries not to sit. Which obviously fails. He sits and hes very embarrassed when it first happens. He ends up stuck on the munson couch while Eddie was in his room doing god knows what. He really has to pee because of the baby and the only one around to help him is Wayne. Wayne who isn’t dumb. Hes caught onto how strange the harrington boy was acting and cant help but be suspicous.
Though it all finally clicks in the older mans head when Steves face goes a little pink and hes cradiling his stomach like its a baby. The sweater tightens a little around his middle and right there is a very obvious baby bump. Wayne is shocked and confused and thinks it isnt but he recognizes the signs of pregnancy. Eddies mother had very similar cravings Steve had, she couldn’t stand up on her own. Though he wasn’t sure his suspicions are proven when the boy flinches holding his stomach as if he was kicked.
Wayne moves over and helps the other up with a knowing look and neither of them say anything. Though Wayne does when they are by themselves because he doesn’t want the boy to go in labor when he was by himself. So now Eddie is very confused as to why his Uncle was jumping up and around as Steves slave when he comes over.
(I think I might do everyone elses reactions in a part 2 lol, I have been really wanting to write this but this is literally all the energy I can muster up to do)
(Out of nowhere, you are approached by a familiar lightbulb-headed Cog.)
Ah, it's you, cat. Thinking you're oh-so-slick. Muttering and whispering under those raggedy whiskers of yours... Thinking I am unable to hear it all...
Well, you've simply underestimated my fantastic hearing. You probably want to know the reason why I'm here, taking a 'break' from my incredibly important scientific breakthroughs? It's quite simple, really!
(She gets close, and squints her eyes.)
I know what you are.
Farewell, now!
(She then leaves the way she came from.)
(Spam giggles immensely, covering her face... it always seems like she's giggling, isn't she? This lasts... at least thirty seconds. Longer than usual.)
And I know what I am too, Sparky! You broke through something, that's for sure. Really, broke through...
(She looks down, continuing to laugh nervously.)
You know, I find it odd you Havent tried to bulb blast me into the stratosphere by now. I mean knowing how you acted with Frostbite. Is there something peculiar about me that you perhaps can't quite track? Something about me that you... don't know what I am?
I know, I know, I'm talking to nobody again. But you were there when I had a moment today with the one the only Frostbite The Bravecog. You may be remaining. Lurking in the shadows. Knowing about these thoughts that I'm thinking.
(The giggling resumes, lasting far shorter this time.)
Your brother's a piece of fucking barp, by the way
(She braces for impact for a few seconds, wincing while smiling, before comically looking around to realize nobody's there. She sighs.)
Wow, okay maybe toony superhero show logic doesn't apply in this situation. Cool.
WAIT I JUST FUCKING REALIZED WHAT SHE MEANT but like. Dude if she meant that then what's the point I mean the whole ahh sellbot department barping knows unless you're Really low on the ladder. Heheh... maybe she did mean what I thought she meant.
Oh i'm so fucking screwed. What kind of bitch gets filament fever