Tumgik
#911 lone star fic
welcometololaland · 6 months
Text
Tumblr media
COMPLETE
One year on.
a long time ago (we used to be friends) | E | 911 Lone Star | 12/12
Carlos Reyes is on the path to conventional success. He has a law degree, a nice car, his own apartment and an interview with one of the top law firms in the country. That's until Carlos’ runaway ex-boyfriend arrives back in Austin and immediately lands himself in trouble. As it turns out, a murder mystery involving TK Strand is a case that Carlos can’t quite stay away from. OR The exes to lovers, college sweethearts, murder mystery fic where the motto is: be gay, solve crime.
chapter 1: a long time ago, we used to be friends
chapter 2: but i haven't thought of you lately at all
chapter 3: if ever again, a greeting was sent to you
chapter 4: short and sweet, to the soul i intend
chapter 5: come on now, honey
chapter 6: bring it on, bring it on, yeah
chapter 7: just remember me when
chapter 8: you're good to go
chapter 9: come on now, sugar
chapter 10: bring it on, bring it on, yeah
chapter 11: just remember me when
chapter 12: we used to be friends
thank you to @rmd-writes @celeritas2997 and @pragmatic-optimist for their enduring support and patience with me.
280 notes · View notes
heartstringsduet · 4 months
Text
First Aid
Tumblr media
Summary:
New York City. 2016.
Two liars meet.
In a city eating him up, Carlos hides how he makes ends meet and why he keeps on knocking on TK’s window to be patched up. Desperate to be loved, TK hides his true self and relies on substances to be the perfect son, lover, friend.
Two liars meet - and fall in love with each layer unpeeled.
[Ch.1] [Ch.2] [Ch.3] [Ch.4] [Ch.5] [Ch.6] [Ch.7] [Ch.8] [Ch. 9] [Ch.10] [Ch.11] / 20 -> Please heed the tags and warnings! thanks to my beta readers @rmd-writes @welcometololaland ; my sensitivity reader @freneticfloetry & the tumblr helpers and cheerleaders mentioned in the notes 💕
164 notes · View notes
three-drink-amy · 7 months
Text
Tumblr media
Teach You How Forever Feels
Updating every Monday
Alone and struggling in New York after the death of his mother, TK is left with custody of his five-year-old brother, Jonah. With Owen's encouragement, TK moves to Austin for a fresh start, questioning every move he makes as he's thrust into the role of parenthood. But it all leads him to Jonah's new school where he meets Carlos Reyes, the kindergarten teacher. Between pick up and school meetings and chance run ins, TK can't help but feel something for him, even though he knows it can't happen.
chapter one | chapter two | chapter three | chapter four | chapter five | chapter six | chapter seven | chapter eight | chapter nine | chapter ten | chapter eleven | chapter twelve | chapter thirteen | chapter fourteen | chapter fifteen | chapter sixteen | chapter seventeen | chapter eighteen | chapter nineteen | chapter twenty
chapter twenty-one
302 notes · View notes
strandnreyes · 5 months
Text
Tumblr media
E // canon compliant with a twist // complete
A week away with their friends sounds like the perfect escape after the fire, the firehouse closure, and a month of uncertainty. What’s supposed to be a relaxing getaway quickly becomes anything but when Carlos starts noticing odd patterns and inconsistencies that make him question if the fire has left him paranoid, or if there’s something more to the story than the resort is letting on.
Chapter 1 (9k)
Chapter 2 (6k)
Chapter 3 (7k)
Chapter 4 (6k)
Chapter 5 (7k)
thank you to @lightningboltreader @rmd-writes for beta reading!
139 notes · View notes
Text
Tumblr media
It's been a tough year in a lot of ways, but one thing I've been able to consistently count on to bring me joy is the incredible writing in this fandom! I feel like 2023 has been almost a golden age of Tarlos fic. With both the sheer quantity AND quality of fic, it has been a wonderful time to be a Tarlos fic reader! In celebration of this golden age, I wanted to share a list of some of the fic that brought me the most joy in the past year.
Of course, this is not a comprehensive list...as much as I may want to, I can't possibly read everything this fandom has to offer. There's still a lot to get to on my to-read list. And even from the fic I did read, I'm sure I'm forgetting some amazing ones. There's just SO MUCH. But here I have listed (alphabetic by author) some of the fic that most resonated with me the past year, fic that I still think about and reread, and fic that has taken up full time residence in my brain!
There are A LOT...so I'll be putting the list under the cut.
all my blood for the sweetness of his laugh by @alrightbuckaroo
A truly beautiful little fic about Carlos' feelings about TK's laugh. A bit of angst and a lot of love.
anger has told me her real name is grief by alrightbuckaroo
An excellent 4x17/4x18 fic that deals a lot with Carlos' grief and the journey he goes through in those two episodes.
my beatin' heart belongs to you by bartsy
A fic about Carlos' anxiety after the death of his father, manifested in his fears for the safety of his husband. This fic is so beautiful and very in character. I would love it so much if the show would go even a tiny bit in the direction of exploring Carlos' anxiety!
It Beats for You by @basilsunrise
A 4x04 coda, porn with feelings and bottom Carlos...truly, what more could I ask for?? Very hot and SO MANY feelings!
she has almost killed me with love for that boy by @beautifulhigh
Another 4x04 coda (there can never be enough) that's also a study of the different types of love, all of which Carlos has in his life.
How quickly we change overnight by @birdclowns
A pre-canon fic about TK and his relationship with Alex. I particularly love this kind of thing where we have so little concrete information in canon. It's a perfect opportunity for fic, and I really love this one. Alex could easily be handled as some horrible villain, but the way he's handled here is far more realistic and I think it makes my heart break for TK even more.
Even if the World Ends Tomorrow by @bonheur-cafe
A post-apocalypse AU that's a little terrifying but ultimately very hopeful. This is one that I kept thinking about long after I read it.
can i be close to you? by @catanisspicy
A 5+1 fic about TK asking Carlos if he'd still love him if he was a worm. A true delight! This is another fic I still think about all the time.
slowly, then all at once by catanisspicy
A fic about TK and Carlos loving each other, which is one of my favorite things in the world.
The Center of the Maze by @carlos-in-glasses
7 times TK and Carlos thought they would never get married and one time they actually did. This fic covers so many of the most significant moments of their relationship and is so very beautifully written. I think my favorite part is (predictably) the section related to the soulmates scene.
When Soulmates Swim by carlos-in-glasses
A wonderful AU where TK and Carlos get to know each other while swimming together. It's everything: hot, sweet, beautiful, poignant, and sometimes incredibly hilarious.
Release the Hand to Relax the Animal by carlos-in-glasses
A fic that's all about touch and the great sex, past and present, that TK and Carlos have had. A true masterpiece.
We Have Suffered Enough by @chicgeekgirl89
A 4x16 coda. Oh, the soulmates scene! I'm automatically going to love anything even remotely soulmates scene-adjacent, and this one is particularly beautiful.
Shiner by chicgeekgirl89
A 4x15 coda dealing with Carlos finding out about TK's black eye, which is something I desperately wanted to see on screen. I love the way it goes here. It's incredibly sweet.
Cold Feet by @cold-blooded-jelly-doughnut
A lovely little fic that has Carlos feeling some big feelings about his soon-to-be husband.
When I'm Like This by cold-blooded-jelly-doughnut
An early season 1 Tarlos fic with a lot of angst and feelings, which is always one of my favorite things. This one is ridiculously hot, yet also filled with so much emotion and feelings and gorgeous writing. Just thinking about it makes me want to reread!
to build a home by @freneticfloetry
A Carlos character study, from pre-series through season 4. If there was ever a character I wanted to study, it's Carlos Reyes. And this fic is beautifully done, expertly exploring the complexities of his character and the gaps canon has left to be filled.
The Sting by @goodways
Shortly after they're married, Carlos gets involved in an FBI sting operation that requires him to go on a date and flirt with another man, something that TK is not thrilled about. This fic is at times funny, emotional, hot and sweet.
First night by goodways
The first time TK and Carlos have sex and all the feelings and attempted avoidance of feelings that comes with it. So many feelings!!!
Take my hand, take my whole life, too by @heartstringsduet
HANDS. What more could I ask for? This fic is an absolutely gorgeous exploration of TK and Carlos' intimacy across their whole lives together. I'm ready to tear up just thinking about it!
But most of it was beautiful by heartstringsduet
An at-home Tarlos honeymoon fic. I call a lot of fic on this list beautiful, but sometimes there's no better word. This fic is beautiful.
broken glass by @irispurpurea
A beautiful, heartbreaking exploration of Carlos' grief. It's all fragmented and non-linear, which only adds to how moving and powerful it is.
a little bit more by krissyloowhoo
An installment of a series in which TK and Carlos adopt a baby girl. This one features Carlos in love with what a good dad TK is.
Stand your brand of love by @ladytessa74
A Tarlos honeymoon fic written prior to the end of the season. This was a go-to reread for me in the weeks leading up to the finale. Even now, when it's no longer technically canon compliant, the emotions hit just as hard.
How I linger to admire by ladytessa74
This fic is pretty much my dream season 5. It has everything: Carlos solving his father's murder, TK and Carlos getting held at gunpoint, and Lou II saving the day. Several items on my wish list for season 5 were directly inspired by reading this fic.
Do it all over again by ladytessa74
TK tries for a do over of the proposal because he thinks Carlos deserves better, which leads to a series of funny, adorable and touching moments. The writing is beautiful, and it even inspired a cross stitch! I have many favorite things about Tessa's writing, but one of my very favorite things is the way she writes the intimacy and affection and touch between TK and Carlos. This fic is filled with some of my favorite examples of that.
All Your Colors Make Me Feel Alive by @lemonlyman-dotcom
This wonderful fic uses the music of Beck to explore moments in TK and Carlos' relationship. Angst and fluff: the best combination.
I'm Not A Fortress, But I Will Try To Protect You by lemonlyman-dotcom
TK and Marjan have a conversation in the wake of the events of 2x04. One of my favorite parts of Lemon's writing is the incredible amount of backstory detail, most particularly the friendship between TK and Marjan. There are hints of this in canon, but here it's beautifully developed and I love it so much.
Call Me If You Get Lost by lemonlyman-dotcom
TK and Carlos go for a romantic weekend while also looking out for a friend. This fic is a delight and so much fun!
Love From the Other Side by @lightningboltreader
Exes to lovers and only one bed...what could possibly be better?? I particularly enjoy the conversation between TK and Carlos that leads to their reconciliation.
We were in screaming color by @liminalmemories21
I was looking forward to this season 4 fic since before the season even started airing! I can imagine it must have been particularly difficult to write, from the ridiculous season 4 timeline to all the plotholes and inconsistencies that the Iris storyline and Carlos' sudden two sisters created, but it was done beautifully. It made me think about so many season 4 details and moments in different ways and ultimately led to an enhanced appreciation of the season.
I need you so much closer by @marjansmarwani
A 4x04 coda. This one focuses on all the many people who love Carlos. I always love to read about Carlos being loved!
where the empty space is a saving grace by @maxbegone
Carlos talks with Gwyn in the time before he's revived by TK and the narcan in 4x04. Beautiful and poignant.
etched in gold by maxbegone
A lovely little wedding moment where TK and Carlos get some alone time during the reception.
By Your Side by @never-blooms
The Reyes kitchen through the years. If there's anything that deserves more exploration, it's the Reyes family and all their complexities. This fic does an incredible job of this and is so beautifully written.
The Calling by @orchidscript
This is a fascinating and beautiful fic about TK using his experience with addiction to help people in the course of his job as a paramedic. It's something I would love so much for them to explore on the show!
Under A Star Spell by orchidscript
In this AU, Carlos practices folk magic. The fic itself is absolutely magical. One of the things I love about it is how different it is from pretty much every other Tarlos fic I've ever read.
Lost and Found by @paperstorm
A 4x04 coda (if there's one thing about me, it's that I love a 4x04 coda). I loved this episode so much but there was so much more I wanted, particularly to see what happened in the aftermath at the hospital, which is why this fic is so appreciated.
Ritual by paperstorm
An installment of Andie's spectacular Missing Moments series. I could easily have put every installment on this list, but I chose the one for 2x11, which is my favorite of the season 2 fics. I'm always a sucker for Carlos working through his feelings about his relationship with his parents!
The Firehouse by paperstorm
An incredible AU with TK and Carlos as childhood friends who meet again years later when Carlos is undercover and TK is living a life of crime. The angst in this one is spectacular, and the payoff is beautiful and earned and extraordinarily satisfying.
peace by @redshirt2
Carlos post-breakup. This little fic is heartbreaking and perfectly captures Carlos' desolate state of mind as he's left alone.
dream this night away by @reyesstrand
A pre-season 4 honeymoon fic where TK and Carlos end up in a motel after their flight is cancelled. A little bit of angst and a lot of love and tenderness.
to which there is no reply by reyesstrand
An absolutely gorgeous honeymoon fic, this time canon-compliant, that features Carlos struggling with his grief and being loved by his husband.
balancing act by reyesstrand
TK and Carlos sharing food and falling in love. What could possibly be better? This fic is so beautiful and it spans the entirety of their relationship. An incredible achievement and a true gift to readers!
the strong will never fall by @rmd-writes
Another 4x04 coda (I truly can never get enough). This one is incredibly tender and emotional.
shine some light on my day by @rosedavid
A sweet, fluffy, gentle fic about TK and Carlos waking up and getting ready for the day together. Domestic fluff at its finest!
and salt the earth behind you by @safeashousespdf
TK brings Carlos to New York 6 months after Gwyn's death and TK grapples with the ways things have changed and the ways he has changed. This fic is incredibly powerful. I read it months ago but I still think about it.
you and me, forevermore by @strandnreyes
A gorgeous wedding coda that made me cry multiple times.
Come what may, I'll still stay by strandnreyes
Carlos struggles with his work-life balance when he becomes a detective. It gets worse and worse until he makes a pretty big mistake that shows him just how bad things have gotten. Lots of angst, but also lots of happiness by the end and so much love permeating through every bit of it. This was one of the THE fics of the year for me and it still lives rent free in my brain!
no rules in breakable heaven by strandnreyes
An AU where Carlos takes a job as a private chef in the Hamptons for TK's family. Jen wrote so many incredible AUs this year, but this one was my favorite. Just the right amount of angst with a proportionately happy ending! And the descriptions of the food Carlos was preparing always made me very hungry.
As long as it's with you by @tailoredshirt
TK and Carlos spend their first Valentine's Day as husbands in the ER, but it's nothing too serious. This fic is mostly soft and sweet. I still think about it all the time, especially the little gestures and affectionate touches between them. It's a lovely little fic that's guaranteed to make you smile.
tell me how by @theghostofashton
Carlos and his grief leading up to the wedding. Beautiful and heartbreaking. I loved this so much.
Back to You and Me by @three-drink-amy
A lovely 4x16 coda. In celebration of finding out that TK doesn't have to worry about Huntington's, TK and Carlos go back to the honky tonk where it all began!
The Weight of Grief by @wandering-night19
This is an absolutely riveting fic that has TK near-death in a coma (again). It's poignant and heartbreaking. One scene in particular in the final chapter makes me want to cry just thinking about it! Some chapters deal with Andrea and Gabriel backstory, which eventually links up to the ongoing story in the present. The whole thing is so well written and beautifully constructed.
living at the centre of a wound still fresh by @welcometololaland
A heartbreaking, beautiful masterpiece of a fic. Carlos struggles with his grief on their honeymoon, but TK is there to help him through. Just thinking about this one makes me want to cry...and also reread!
a long time ago (we used to be friends) by welcometololaland
A masterpiece of an AU, exes to lovers with private investigator Carlos and wrongly accused of murder TK. They work together to clear TK's name and come back together in a beautiful way.
94 notes · View notes
reyesstrand · 4 months
Text
balancing act
tarlos, explicit, 31k words
endless thanks to @rmd-writes for the initial cheerleading and beta-read! <3
Carlos remembers finding solace in coming home from a long, tormenting day at school to see his mother at the stove, and how helping her knead dough or start up the grill or dice up vegetables allowed him to get out of his own head. Carlos remembers the way the world felt like it was swallowing him whole when TK left that night, unable to get the smell of red snapper out of his nose for what felt like weeks afterward. Carlos compares it to the way it felt to feed him, just now, and how it’s like time stopped and started all over again, because this is what his grandparents did for each other, what his parents still do for each other, and he never thought he’d get it for himself. Or, a study of TK and Carlos sharing meals and falling in love. (AKA, food fic).
chapters: one - two - three - four - five - six
104 notes · View notes
lemonlyman-dotcom · 4 days
Note
Any fic recommendations for Jealous Carlos or Jealous TK?
Girl (gender neutral), you know Lemon’s always got recc’s. I have searched my bookmarks for you and here’s what I got.
It's A Date by notapartytrick (is this person on tumblr?) TK's signed up for this year's firefighter calendar. Carlos is trying to be brave about it. (Keyword trying!!!)
love of my life by @colonoscopys break up era fic!! TK spots Carlos while he’s on a date and has …feelings about it. Or 5 Times TK grovels, and One Time He Doesn’t Have To
Blood on the tracks, fire in the hills by thenorthface (is this person on tumblr??) GOSH THIS FIC IS SO GOOD!! Another break up era. Carlos becomes a detective during the breakup, and runs into TK on a case. Lots and lots of angst and a little jealousy in this one where Carlos has a successful & famous boyfriend who his parents love and TK is trying to get his shit together. Also just a really exciting fic with a murder investigation and some brilliant character development.
i'm highly suspicious that everyone who see you wants you by @chicgeekgirl89 this fic is SO CUTE!!!!! TK is an outrageous flirt and he loves to make Carlos just a lil jelly, Carlos loves to show him who’s boss.
starvin' darlin' by @ambiguouspenny vampires! This one is a bit of a twist on the jealousy theme, but Tarlos runs into one of Carlos’s exes and it gets TK thinking…
watching from the sidelines by @maxbegone another breakup era fic!! Carlos & TK try to be friends, TK encourages Carlos to date someone else. Full of angst and pining and jealousy that TK doesn’t feel he has any right to have 😭
61 notes · View notes
bonheur-cafe · 30 days
Text
Tumblr media
Title: Sugarpie, Honeybun Rating: Teen and Up | Word Count: 3890 Tags: Fluff, Romance, Very Light Smut, Boys being silly, Established Relationship, Slice of Life, Married Couple, Canon Compliant, Domestic Fluff, Outrageous Flirting, Some spectacular ideas for cheesy pet names Summary: TK marvels at this side of Carlos, his hair akin to a bird’s nest and the way his nose scrunches, a sight that he knows only he has the privilege of seeing under the haven of their white sheets. He would be awed by the glittering of his wedding ring in the dim light streaming through the window and how open this Carlos is, so different from the man who hides his laughter from people he barely knows in the creases of his brow and the shy tilt of his head, if not for the absolute atrocities coming out of his mouth.  There are some sides of Carlos that only TK is privy to, under the blanket of night and in the small haven of their white sheets. TK wouldn't have it any other way if it means seeing Carlos like this; so open and free and silly. All of him before him, laid bare and made soft, knowing that TK will love every last piece that he brings to light. Even when he's driving him up the wall and right back down the other side. Read on Ao3
Thank you thank you @lightningboltreader for being the most wonderful beta 💜
This fic was written as a fill for @paperstorm's Valentines Day Fic Prompt #20: song fic inspired by your favourite cheesy love song. The song in question is the most cheesiest of love songs: I Can't Help Myself by Four Tops
54 notes · View notes
alrightbuckaroo · 2 months
Text
Tumblr media
tender eyes that shine
1/1 | Rating: M | 16.1k | A Carlos Reyes character study in which Carlos learns to love himself a little more, even the soft parts. | All the thanks in the world to @bonheur-cafe for beta reading this one <3
Carlos is eight years old.
His favorite food is pizza flavored Kraft macaroni and cheese, his favorite movie is Spirit: Stallion of the Cimarron , his best friend is a stuffed koala named Kique, and at this very moment, he’s heartbroken over the passing of his abuela.
“No llores, nieto,” Carlos’ abuelo tells him during the wake of her funeral. Gray clouds are scattered across the sky and coating the somber event in an even more somber tone.
His abuelo crouches down, his joints cracking and popping as he stoops to Carlos’ eye level. He raises a calloused thumb and wipes away the tears that are still falling from Carlos’ wide brown eyes.
“Men like us,” His abuelo continues, his words casting a wide net. ‘Men like us’ is synonymous with anyone that looks like Carlos, has his skin tone, or shares his namesake. “We don’t let the world pity us, we can’t let them see us as soft.”
Carlos nods, wiping away any new tears that are starting to fall. The right sleeve of his charcoal gray suit now comes away colored a staunch black where Carlos’ tears have dampened it.
For some reason, the way his abuelo says ‘soft’ ricochets off of Carlos, as if it were stone and Carlos is a thin sheet of glass nestled into a window pane. It’s left a dent, an imprint, an impression, but hasn’t done enough damage to cause a crack.
Carlos’ bloodshot eyes shine with hesitation as he asks, voice small and insecure, “Reyes men don’t cry?
“Reyes men don’t cry,” His abuelo confirms.
continued on ao3.
66 notes · View notes
carlos-tk · 2 months
Text
Tumblr media
thanks for the tags @thisbuildinghasfeelings @redshirt2 @im-overstimulated-and-im-sad @sznofthesticks @lemonlyman-dotcom @strandnreyes @bonheur-cafe @heartstringsduet @alrightbuckaroo @carlos-in-glasses @kiwichaeng @birdclowns @louis-ii-reyes-strand @orchidscript @whatsintheboxmh 💗
I’ve been mostly distracted by the tennis during any of my free time this week, so here’s a tiny little snippet for this weeks wip wednesday ✍🏼
TK sighs, his head heavy and feels his sleepy smile falling.
Carlos knows, notices like he always does, halting his chopping and dropping the knife on the countertop with a soft clang and reaching TK in a few quick strides.
He tugs TK to him by the bottom of his sleep wrinkled t-shirt and TK falls into him easily, like a puzzle piece taking up its rightful spot.
Carlos’ arms are a comforting weight around his shoulders, as he wraps him under his arms in a hug so tight, TK thinks his bones might shatter.
TK’s face is squished into his neck, as Carlos mumbles an I love you into his hair, breath ghosting across his forehead.
TK returns the words, a muffled love you quiet against Carlos’ clavicle.
no pressure tags below 💗
@welcometololaland @celeritas2997 @rmd-writes @inkweedandlizards @wandering-night19 @reyescarlos @reyesstrand @three-drink-amy @reyestrandd @theghostofashton @thebumblecee @detective-giggles @fitzherbertssmolder @freneticfloetry @fallout-mars @firstprince-history-huh @liminalmemories21 @herefortarlos @reasonandfaithinharmony @ladytessa74 @lightningboltreader @chicgeekgirl89 @cold-blooded-jelly-doughnut @noxsoulmate @never-blooms @basilsunrise + an open tag for YOU 💗
57 notes · View notes
never-blooms · 3 months
Text
Tumblr media
I Swear I Love You (Te Juro Que Te Amo)
8.6K | Rated E
It’s a rush and then nothing, leaves Carlos floundering at the door and heavy from a performance that would have put his sixteen year old self to shame. Yet he’s resistant to completely drop the act.
Because the house is marked by TK.
Its worn and familiar path is now a path shared, there to be remembered the next time Carlos is forced to walk it alone.
***
Exmas - but with a Tarlos twist. Noche Buena takes a turn when two exes are forced to reunite.
Read on AO3
52 notes · View notes
welcometololaland · 3 months
Text
Tumblr media
NOW COMPLETE
Chapter 8 - A Family Affair
Do you like Tarlos? Do you like pets? If so, you have come to the right place, specifically this fic - a Tarlos love story set in a pet store by @strandnreyes and Lolaland
The Rainbow Fish | E | 911 Lone Star | 8/8
Despite being a big fan of animals, TK Strand has never owned one. He’s never had a reason to enter a pet store, until he gets caught in a torrential downpour. Carlos Reyes knows a lot about pet stores. It comes with the territory, considering he works at one. That being said, none of his in-store training ever taught him how to help a beautiful, rain-soaked stranger pick up the aquarium rock display they just knocked over. OR The Tarlos pet store meet-cute.
Chapter 1: The Rock Incident
Chapter 2: Carlos 1, Carlos 2, Carlos 3
Chapter 3: Employee of the Month
Chapter 4: Lou the Lizard
Chapter 5: Job Application
Chapter 6: Cat Rescue
Chapter 7: Epilogue Part 1: TK vs Cat, Carlos vs Lou
Chapter 8: A Family Affair
Thank you to @rmd-writes and @lightningboltreader for being our trusty beta readers!
189 notes · View notes
heartstringsduet · 4 months
Text
Tumblr media
heartstringduet's fall reads. 🍂
(this list by no means is encompassing all the wonderful fics I read and that deserve everyone's thoughtful comments. I will do more lists soon though. You peeps are so amazing 😭.)
Currently WIPs 💕 i closed my eyes inside of your darkness (and found your glow) by falloutmars S: After losing his mom and moving states, TK finds comfort in a stranger who may need the comfort just as much. A story of loss, love, and learning to live again. I love how careful and tender the different ways of coping with grief are portrayed. Plus, Andrea runs a café, Carlos runs a book club and TK finds his way into being a paramedic.
You Keep Coming Back With A Bird In Your Teeth by vaguenotion S: When a gesture of goodwill is misinterpreted, a patient begins to develop a dangerous attachment to TK. The whole point of the job is to save patients, not to have to be saved FROM them. what can I say but that I chew my arm off each time this is updated. Absolutely love the characterizations, the dialogues and the goddamn tension.
your gentle hands are stained with the blood of anothers by @birdclowns S: Denton Miller was Carlos' first case after being promoted to detective. The serial killer has escaped, throwing Carlos and his loved ones into his game as the next unwilling participants. The stakes are impossibly higher and the rules have changed - it's his husband on the other side of the screen. Such a sucker for a kidnapping story and a cat-and-mouse game and Jasper masterfully strikes a line between scary and intimate i language and plot.
see a friend (see a ghost) by @ambiguouspenny S: TK would always come home to him. It was a dinner table promise wrapped in explicit truth; a vow Carlos would bet his life on. A choice made at the edge of tragedy leaves Carlos living in the aftermath. TK tries to make it right. Weeping, letting the vivid details and the mystery and punchy dialogue keep me up at night.
Where All This Love Comes From by @carlos-in-glasses
S: Six months after Gabriel Reyes’ death, TK grows concerned about Carlos’ drinking and brings him to a meeting at the Y. TK reflects on meeting Carlos after years of addiction and self-destruction, while Carlos has continued to seek closure by uncovering two unknowns: The identity of his father’s killer, and how his father truly felt about Carlos as his son. I recommend anyyything cig writes, because I'm hopelessly devoted to her writing. Anything I read by her is nuanced, poetic, so insightful and heart-wrenching. This only has one chapter but a dialogue that punched me right in the heart.
a long time ago (we used to be friends) by @welcometololaland
S: The exes to lovers, college sweethearts, murder mystery fic where the motto is: be gay, solve crime. I can always count on anything Lola writes to make me laugh and to have me in the throws and woes of my emotions. And this one is one of my favorites of her because I love how she writes them finding their way back into each others life.
Teach You How Forever Feels by @three-drink-amy
S: TK is left with custody of his five-year-old brother, Jonah. With Owen's encouragement, TK moves to Austin for a fresh start, questioning every move he makes as he's thrust into the role of parenthood. But it all leads him to Jonah's new school where he meets Carlos Reyes, the kindergarten teacher. It reads like a warm hug to see TK growing into the role of a parental figure and Carlos be a teacher and read both of them so gone over the other.
Finished Stories 💗 for if i'm going down, i'm taking you with me by @mooshkat and @thebumblecee S: For years now, the rivalry between the Reyes and Strand families has run strong. Since they were young, Carlos and TK have been warned to stay away from the other family and never trust each other, but what happens when a job forces them together? Two contract killers in an enemy-to-lovers scenario? Absolutely loved the journey of this (and the hot smut scenes let's be honest)
The Knave of Hearts . . . brought back the tarts by @liminalmemories21 S: TK exhales and picks up his glass. “The mind boggles. What did Matt want?” “Wanted to ask if I’d heard any rumors about a new art thief nosing around town for targets.” This entire universe of art lover (and former art thief) TK and detective Carlos is so intricate and never forgets to highlight their love even in in well-constructed plot!
to build a home by @freneticfloetry
S: Twenty-five years of chasing hope and happiness and the place where he belongs. Or: Carlos begins, and ends, and begins again, until he gets it right. My heart? Gone. This fic took it and ran with it. Seriously, one of the best character deep-dives I've ever read.
Under A Star Spell by @orchidscript
S: In which Carlos practices folk magic and TK, needing to rekindle something, finds himself on his doorstep. In which two people cross-paths, hope for one thing, and find something else altogether thanks to coffee, vanilla, hyssop, and mint.
The descriptions of Carlos practicing magic is seriously making me weep with jealousy. And the growing love between them in this and the sequel is magic itself.
When I’m Like This by @cold-blooded-jelly-doughnut
S: TK Strand hasn’t known Carlos Reyes for very long. He’s slept with him, run out on his attempt at getting to know him better, and been processed by him after an arrest. Despite all of that, TK can’t get over Carlos. When TK gets bad news at an NA meeting, he quickly starts to spiral, and there’s only one person he feels safe enough to run to. The absolute tenderness of this and the rawness of emotions just rubs me open in the best way on each re-read.
Love From the Other Side by @lightningboltreader S: It's Exes to Lovers in One Bed! After two years apart, TK & Carlos find themselves face to face at a three-day training event for Texas first responders. Flirting leads to passion, then misunderstanding and ultimately the heart to heart they've each been craving. The exes in a single bed fic we all need in our life! This has so much tension and made me so emotional at the same time.
Sunshine On My Body, Rainbows Bloomin' In My Skies by @lemonlyman-dotcom S: After Carlos’s bold claim about hiking the Great Wall, TK reveals he’d been an avid hiker before moving to Austin. TK & Carlos go for their first hike together, and maybe learn some new things about each other along the way. Such a beautifully written, funny and heartfelt story that feels like you're overgrown with ivy and the feeeels. A Helping Hand by @rmd-writes
S: When TK’s bathroom sink is flooding and he needs help, pronto, he turns to Grindr to find someone close by. But what happens when the best one night stand of his life walks in the door? Or, the Grindr meet-cute AU
I can always count on Rae to give me grade-a smut with a heap of unbound joy and this is no exception. 29 going 30 by @alrightbuckaroo
S: During a trip to New York City to celebrate TK turning 30, TK and Carlos stumble upon a list of things TK always wanted to do before he turned 30, all of them being references to romantic comedies he loved so much growing up.
Just a biiiig old love letter to both TK and Carlos, to New York and to turning older and making your old wished come true. The night before Halloween by @ladytessa74 S: Carlos and TK have faced many fears in their lives. But has that prepared them for everything? As they get ready to celebrate Halloween with five year old Elijah, monsters lurk in the shadows. The only way to overcome fear is to face it. Tarlos as parents aren't always for me but Tessa has changed my mind! Plus, a little spooky and wonderuflly plotted halloween story never hurt anybody - or would it? come what may, I'll still stay by @strandnreyes
S: Nearly one year into their marriage and TK finds that life looks a little different these days with Carlos working as a detective. He knows change happens, but when the missed dinners start to pile up and the change begins to feel like too much change, TK struggles with how to remind Carlos that life exists beyond his badge.
One of my all time favorites by Jen which is saying a LOT with how many she has blessed us with.
The Firehouse by @paperstorm S: In 2002, TK and Carlos meet in a third grade classroom in Manhattan. 21 years later they meet again, at a nightclub in Austin called The Firehouse. Split between their friendship in childhood and the path that should set them up as enemies, this is such a beautiful story of kinship and eternal love to me. I just adore how Andie writes TK and Carlos - in love in any and all universes.
70 notes · View notes
theghostofashton · 3 months
Text
we'll be just fine
pairing: TK/Carlos wordcount: 6.1k rating: M
If he let himself, he could think them into a different world. One where he’d take Carlos’s hand and crack a joke about someone surreptitiously coming into the bathroom in the last few minutes, where Carlos would roll his eyes and his grip on TK’s hand would tighten and they’d leave the bathroom laughing, the smile so wide on TK’s face it hurt. Where they didn’t exist in this moment as open wounds, desperately afraid of reopening them. He wishes he could snap his fingers and erase the events of the past few months. Before the fires sent the best family he’s ever had spinning in all different directions, unrecognizable. He wishes he could take them back to a place where Carlos still belonged to him and the universe didn’t feel the need to involve itself.
a gift for @sanjuwrites for the @tarlos-santa secret santa exchange!
prompt: "TK and Carlos run into each other at a gay club in the breakup era - angst ensues."
sanju, i was so surprised to get your name for this, and also surprised at how much fun i had writing it. my first break up era fic, and i definitely have the itch to write more.
i also wanted to say how glad i am that i slid into your dms this summer, and how happy i am to call you a friend. you've made my experience in this fandom a lot more fun, and i look forward to our chaos in 2024! i hope you enjoy<3
(huge thank you to @paperstorm for the beta <3)
54 notes · View notes
strandnreyes · 6 months
Text
Tumblr media
Rating: Explicit Word Count: 81k
Four years ago, Carlos promised TK that someday he’d be ready for their future to include eternity. That day has come.
the as if you were a mythical thing sequel
Chapter 1
Chapter 2
Chapter 3
Chapter 4
Chapter 5
Chapter 6
Chapter 7
thank you to @rmd-writes and @lightningboltreader for beta reading, @welcometololaland for being this universe’s number one fan and supporter, and all three of you for helping make this story what it is <3
183 notes · View notes
Text
Tumblr media
He was curious and fearless. He learnt more every day and was eager and fascinated by the world he was just starting to make sense of. He didn’t need Carlos and TK to be his fortress, he needed them to be his bridge. —The lovely April by @ladytessa74
Tumblr media
A cross stitch featuring the wonderful Elijah Gabriel Strand-Reyes (as well as some of his favorite things)!
If you haven't read Tessa's fics about Elijah, you should go do so immediately!
55 notes · View notes