The Lone Star Post

A FANDOM APPRECIATION NEWSLETTER

February 6, 2021 | Vol. 1, Issue 2
Table of Contents
The Lone Star Post ............................................................................................................................................................. 1
Episode Review ................................................................................................................................................................... 3
The Edits Edit ..................................................................................................................................................................... 5
Fic Recs ................................................................................................................................................................................ 6
the lovers that went wrong by @morganaspendragonss (hollyhobbit101) ...................................................... 6
a love is coming home to me by @reyesstrand (stormss) ................................................................................... 7
Coming Home to You by @bellakitse (bellakitse) ............................................................................................... 8
Fandom News ................................................................................................................................................................... 10
Episode Review
SEASON 2 EPISODE 3: HOLD THE LINE
In the third episode of season 2, the 126 meets firefighters from the original 9-1-1. Henrietta “Hen” Wilson,
Evan “Buck” Buckley, and Eddie Diaz are the fated firefighters who get to go to Texas to help with a wildfire
that is blazing in San Angelo and getting alarming close to the town. Throughout the episode, the characters
share quips and horror stories about calls they’ve been through, and there’s not much time to get to know
each other, but they pair up some of the characters from each show to create small group. Trouble magnets,
T.K. and Buck spend much of the episode with one another (along with superhero-loving Mateo) while
Eddie and Marjan AKA “Firefox” share flirtatious, if a bit awkward, moments as they ride together on a team
with Paul and Judd to save a group of troubled kids at a wilderness camp. To help save the final missing
camper, Owen and Hen go on a rogue mission in a helicopter, and of course, the helicopter crashes, putting
Owen and Hen in a precarious situation. It’s not hard to guess that the episode is highly intense, and viewers
can’t even look away for a minute or they could miss something crazy happening.
The lighthearted introductions and dynamics between the characters give the story a ligther tone that
becomes darker as news gets out that the helicopter has gone on. T.K. is desperate to do anything to save his
dad, and he’s not willing to listen when he’s told it isn’t safe to send anyone to the zone. The 126 and 118 join
in wanting to save their family, no one more than T.K. and Buck, who decide that stealing a firetruck (the
126’s firetruck not the 118’s because Buck knows his surrogate dad, Bobby wouldn’t approve of him stealing
their firetruck— again). Fortunately, before “dumbass, dumbasser” can get into any more trouble, Judd and
the other remaining members of the 126 and the 118 join in to be part of the rescue operation.
Meanwhile, Owen fights his demons as he deals with a concussion and images of a zombified Tim Rosewater
(who just died in the episode before), who taunts Owen, showing viewers that Owen’s survivors’ guilt is very
real even though the normally confident Owen usually doesn’t show it outwardly. Owen hasn’t dealt with all
the issues that have caused him trouble in his relationships and with his mental health in the past. Hen is
understandably worried when Owen starts yelling at Tim. Tim is a gruesome figure, and he could easily be
created into a horror movie character. He represents darkness, but his dark quips and taunts are fun.
Despite the heavy screen time that Owen has gotten, these moments tell the viewers more about his mental
state than any of the past episodes did, and it makes it blatantly clear how much trauma Owen still has. Owen
doesn’t care much about his life, and he seems to think he’s living on borrowed time and that while he is
“invincible,” everyone around him faces destruction. You just want to snap him out of it and tell him to get
some therapy because the feelings he has aren’t new or going away. Hen shares some of her own guilt about
killing a sixteen-year-old with an ambulance. Hen astutely says, “You’re not the only one locked in here with a
ghost,” and you can feel her pain and the depletion of her energy.
After Hen and Owen’s heart to heart, their teams find them and can get them in the mineshaft. As Owen and
Hen start to recover, Hen once again shares some wisdom and gently urges him to try to move on from the
past that seems to weigh on him so heavily, and this moment makes you hope that Owen listens and tries to
get the help he needs because if he doesn’t make changes, he will jeopardize many of the relationships that
are most important to him.
The pacing of the episode is fast, maybe too fast. With all the character introductions and dynamics that had
to be introduced for the crossover, one episode simply wasn’t enough time to accomplish everything they set
out to do in the episode. The moments feel rushed at times because they had so many characters to include.
The episode never dragged, but it was hard to process and keep up with some of the moments.
There are notable absences from Carlos and Grace, who unfortunately don’t make any appearances in the
episode. Meanwhile, the new character, Tommy Vega, makes a few brief appearances, but for the most part,
she doesn’t have much of a role in the episode, but she does have a nice friendship moment with Owen. It
makes sense that characters had to be excluded due to how much the show tried to squeeze into less than an
hour of screen time. Nevertheless, it is disappointing not to see some of the most endearing characters of the
show.
“Hold the Line” was not a bad episode, but it was ambitious, and it didn’t always succeed in accomplishing all
it set out to accomplish. Some moments were rushed, and they struggled to introduce and form connections
between the characters of other teams. The bond was there, but it would have been more established had
they dedicated both the 9-1-1: Lone Star and the 9-1-1 time blocks. There were plenty of good inside-jokes
for viewers of both shows to feast on, such as the mention of Mateo’s troublemaking cousin Marvin from 9-
1-1, both characters played by Julian Works. In several cases, more insight was given into characters with
information that can be used more down the road, such as Marjan’s identity of Firefox or Judd having gone
to a wilderness camp for at-risk kids. The episode also leaves room for more shared episodes in the future,
and with some connections already established, it becomes easier to connect the worlds of the shows.
Overall, the episode was entertaining but not groundbreaking, which is sometimes what you need with a
show that makes you feel like you’re on an emotional roller coaster.
The Edits Edit
SOME OF THE BEST EDITS THIS WEEK THAT DESERVE ALL THE LOVE.

in your eyes by @marwankenzari is a dreamy edit of T.K. that is well done and super aesthetically appealing.

#height difference by @911dawnstar gives a great glimpse of Judd and Grace standing side bye side.

“What you waiting for, Hollywood” by @eddiediaz is a fantastic and fun gif set highlighting the crossover
dynamics.

Marjan Marwani in 9-1-1: Lone Star Season 2 — Hold The Line by @buckleys-diaz shows Marjan in “Hold
the Line” and what more could you want from a gif set?

Marvin Chavez, C-H-A-V-E-Z by @rafaelsilva shows the funny moment when Mateo asks the 118 if they
know his cousin Marvin.

This killed T*ck gif set by @tylerposey is super funny and well done!

TK & Carlos, 911 Lone Star 1.10 by @reyeslonestar is an amazing piece of fanart, and I’d love to see more
artists showing off their artistic talents like this!
Fic Recs
SOME OF THE BEST FICS OF THE WEEK THAT DESERVE EXTRA LOVE!

the lovers that went wrong by @morganaspendragonss (hollyhobbit101)

In this excellent work, by @morganaspendragonss, readers see an interesting perspective of what might’ve
happened in the market scene with Carlos’ parents. “The lovers that went wrong,” tells a story about T.K.’s
reaction to Carlos calling him a “friend” to his parents. The story is nearly 1500 words, so it isn’t too long of
a story but gives you enough to leave you thinking about what you’ve read. T.K.’s struggling to cope with
what happened at the market in this fic, and the author gives nice insight into his mental processes and how
cognitive distortions cause him to assume the worst. He attributes the problem to something inherently being
wrong him rather than stopping to think about all the other explanations for the boyfriend denial. The author
uses Gwyneth to subvert the erroneous thinking that T.K. has and his talk with his mom pushes him into
considering other options, which shows the spark that allows T.K. to healthily manage the situation, which
readers don’t see in the fic. The story gives a unique perspective, and it allows a hopeful ending.
Feeling hurt and dejected, T.K. has run away from the market after making a hasty exit. Guilt eats him
because he knows that he has messed up the plans that he had with Carlos, but he’s not ready to deal with
Carlos at that moment. He rushes home, and he doesn’t want to talk about the experience, which makes
sense because he hasn’t fully processed it himself, and he’s already feeling guilty for the way he handled the
situation. Eventually, Gwyneth gets T.K. to talk, and she doesn’t let him excuse his way out of a talk, which is
the push he needs to confide in his mom. His mom is sympathetic and supportive, but she’s also sure to
remind him that he doesn’t know the full story. It’s at that point that the reader sees that T.K.’s issue is not
about feeling betrayed by Carlos, but it is doubt in himself. He worries that he can never be good enough for
Carlos and that he doesn’t deserve the happiness that the relationship would bring him. This self-doubt seems
true to the character and reflects some of the moments we’ve seen canonically from T.K.
The writing furthers the idea that the relationship hasn’t been easy for Carlos and T.K., and they feel the
weight of the challenges they have faces. While they were happy, T.K. continues to fear that the other shoe is
going to drop and that he’s inevitably going to mess it up. In the process of worrying that he’s messing
everything up, T.K.’s go-to reaction is to create distance between himself and Carlos rather than sticking
around to confront the issue. He used this self-sabotage to protect himself from the emotional fallout, but it
also keeps him away from the kind of relationship that he desperately craves and that feels secure. “He has to
fix this,” the author writes, “Or at least gets answers,” and these words leave readers with optimistic
uncertainty. The challenges for Carlos and T.K. have not been neatly sorted out by the end of the story, but
the situation is well on its way to improvement, and in a work all about T.K.’s thought-processes and initial
reaction, it feels like the best place to end the story.
The author uses language that deepens the sense of distance you feel between T.K. and Carlos. T.K. and
Carlos aren’t physically together in the whole story, which adds to the tone of the story. The physical distance
echoes the emotional distance that T.K. feels. Because T.K. is not near Carlos, he can’t get an explanation,
and in the absence of an explanation, his brain starts to fill in the gaps, and it doesn’t do so in a logical way.
Thus, T.K. works himself up, and the more worked up he becomes, the more shaded his thinking becomes,
but through talking about his issues and concerns, he’s able to take a step closer to Carlos and he makes a
plan to go see Carlos, so while readers never see Carlos and T.K. together, they can sense that’s the direction
T.K. is going to go to appease his lingering worries. The ending satisfied the reader while reminding them that
there’s still work to do and progress to be made, as there always will be in any relationship.
While T.K. brushes off his dad’s attempt at a talk, it is his mom who can get him to talk. In the show, we
haven’t seen any moments between just T.K. and Gwyneth, which is unfortunate, and it makes the mother-
son moment in this fic even more special. T.K. opens up to his mom easily, and she knows how to keep him
talking while redirecting some of the thoughts that she knows T.K. hasn’t fully thought out. T.K. asks his
mom not to tell his dad about their conversation because he doesn’t want to worry this dad, which seems to
show how T.K. wants to protect his dad emotionally, which can make it hard to share his feelings, which is an
interesting glimpse into the complex but loving Strand/Morgan family dynamics.
“The lovers that went wrong,” is a well-done account of the inevitable painful market moment. It gives a
good estimation of how T.K. would feel at that moment, and it gives an enjoyable dialogue between T.K. and
his mom, which the show lacks but this work does so well. The stress and worry that T.K. feels are intense at
first, and the story does a fantastic job at slowly letting the air out of that anxiety as T.K. has the time to think
and process what he is feeling. The dialogue is well written, and it is the standout of this piece, driving the
story forward without the need for an abundance of narration. It also shows more of an active role for Gwyn
in T.K.’s life, which is a welcome development and delightful to read. You can’t lose with this fic about T.K.
and a supportive Gwyn.

a love is coming home to me by @reyesstrand (stormss)

“A love is coming home to me” by @reyesstrand is a tag that fills in some of the blanks of what happened
after the wildfire. This story is around 1800 words long, but it jams so many emotions into those words and
capitalizes on each moment to create a moving work. The tone of this is sweet and gentle, so it doesn’t have
overwhelming angst, but at the same time, readers can sense how exhausted everyone is from the hardships
they all endured while fighting the story. Thus, this story feels like an emotional release after a long period of
worry and high stress. That tone is carried throughout the fic, so it feels like taking deep breaths.
At the start of the story, the crew gets home from fighting the San Angelo fire, and they are all
understandably weary. Their bodies ache, and they still have time for some banter and teasing, but they’re all
still a little torn down from all that has happened. These initial images make it clear: being back home has
them all getting back to normal; yet, they still have recovering to do. Carlos arrives at the station to see T.K.,
and readers can feel the relief T.K. must feel as well as the relief Carlos must feel as he rushes towards T.K.
after finally spotting him after too many days apart.
Not only does the fatigue of fighting the wildfire get to the team, but they are all still dealing with Tim’s
death. They had to miss his funeral, so they’ve all lost that moment of closure that might have felt like a
release, and it’s with those kinds of thoughts that T.K. goes into his reunion with Carlos, which makes the
moment feel so much more emotionally driven. The fact that they freshly lost Tim, combined with other
thoughts T.K. has such as that of his limping dad, serve as reminders of the danger they are all in at their jobs
and how much more meaningful getting to come home is. Tim never got to go back home, so getting that
feeling of home is a gift for Carlos and T.K., who find comfort in one another.
Both Carlos and T.K. can barely contain themselves as they embrace and check-in with one another. They
greet each other with intense physicality as if to ask, “Are you really here?” They ground each other, and
when they’re together, the worry can abate for a while. The heartwarming moment continues as the rest of
the 126 greets Carlos, and it shows that they are all family and that Carlos is part of that family. They all care
for each other and find comfort in the community they have formed.
Eventually, Carlos takes T.K. back to his apartment, they stay close and spent quiet but meaningful moments
together. They get comfortable on the bed, each on their distinguished side, which speaks to the domesticity
of the situation. After a while, Carlos admits that he couldn’t watch the news to spare himself having to
imagine what might happen to T.K., and this moment is a smart way to show how Carlos must have been
feeling, and T.K.’s past incidents of trouble certainly wouldn’t ease those fears Carlos likely has every time
T.K. is at work. Knowing how precious coming home is, they don’t waste a minute to be close to one
another. The story ends with T.K. finally resting, no longer fighting the exhaustion. After several days of
spotty sleep and stress, T.K. can finally give in to his exhaustion because he is safe. Carlos holds him, and
they both feel safe and comfortable enough to relax after so much tension. The moment feels like the natural
end to a long day, and leaves the reader feeling content.
It’s one of the highlights of the work that the author not only excels at establishing moments between Tarlos
but is equally great at characterizing the 126 and the way they interact with one another. These moments are
subtle, and they aren’t even the focus of the story, but they still capture that T.K. and Carlos are part of
something so much bigger than themselves and their relationship is better because of those other connections
they have. The crew makes jokes and pokes fun at them, but it’s in a way that feels like comfort. Banter is the
norm, and when they don’t have it, something must be incredibly wrong, so it’s a good sign that they can all
act that way and create that safe space for one another.
Comfort is a word that accurately describes the feeling that the author creates. Once he washes the grime of
the day off himself, staying in the shower for a long time, T.K. puts on a sweater that he had found in Carlos’
closet a while before, and this moment represents the transition from danger and devastation to something
cozier and the feeling of home. The comfort comes from all the people who give life to the objects around
them, and through locations and items, they feel closer together when they most crave comfort. Small
moments of comfort add up. For example, Carlos massages T.K’s shoulders and eases the tension from him,
and you can feel them both winding down through physical touch and affection.
“A love is coming home to me,” is a feel-good read that gives plenty of moments of catharsis, and the tiny
moments of emotional intimacy add up to create a great picture of the emotional state that Carlos and T.K.
must be in when they reunite. There are so many gentle touches and soft tones that the story feels like being
wrapped up in a blanket after coming in from the cold. The author does an excellent job of showing the
emotional energies and the attitudes of the characters, and the story is written to feel like those moments just
before sleep when you’re trying to stay awake for just a while longer. The drowsy feeling of the story is easily
sensed, but the writing is lucid and focused.
Coming Home to You by @bellakitse (bellakitse)
@Bellakitse writes a compelling tale in “Coming Home to You.” This story is around 1300 words, and it adds
a missing scene related to the third episode of season 2. As a romantic work, it focuses on the expression of
love between Tarlos in a brief moment of their lives. It’s a lovely, intimate piece that gives so much insight
into what makes T.K. and Carlos work as a couple because it shows their deep love for each other, and it
does so in a way that doesn’t feel forced or difficult. Their love feels so natural, and you can feel the intensity
of the feelings that they have for one another. The tension in this story is all in the build-up of T.K.’s
homecoming and how they ease back together after being apart for a fearful several days. This work is a
beautiful read, and the author knows how to make moments between characters tend and create a lasting
image in readers’ minds.
“Coming Home to You” starts with T.K. coming into Carlos’ apartment to find him asleep on the couch, and
the sight makes T.K. feel better, less tense, and readers can practically feel the tension dropping from T.K.’s
body. T.K. and Carlos have a small conversation, making sure each other is doing okay and filling each other
in. Mostly, they’re showing each other how glad they are to be back in each other’s bubble. They say that
they’ve missed each other, and it’s nice to have them say it out loud, even though the statements are clear to
see based on their actions alone. They’re both tired, but they’re more concerned about seeing each other and
feeling each other to care too much about their weariness. Little smiles and chuckles come through, and
readers can feel the relief and tranquility they must be feeling.
This story also highlights how Grace and Carlos have built a friendship while waiting for their partners to get
back home. Upon Carlos fretting, Grace decided that she might as well invite Carlos over to dinner so that
they could worry with each other, and it’s great to see them bonding and becoming more of a family through
the hard moments. It’s also nice to see Carlos have someone who can support him when he is feeling worried
and can’t see the person he is worried about.
The declaration of “I love you,” is the sweetest part of this fic, and the beautiful imagery of Carlos “tracing
T.K.’s mouth like he needs to touch where the words came from…” expertly shows the depth of love
between the two. The moment is sensual, involving more than just one sense, which makes the passion
between them feel all-consuming and like more than just a shallow, barely formed relationship. Even if they
haven’t been dating long, there’s clearly a profound connection that they share, and they allow precious
moments of intimacy that allow such a connection to exist and thrive through hardship.
The beauty of “Coming Home to You” is that it highlights so many of the small gestures that T.K. and
Carlos use. Their relationship is still young, and they are still getting to know each other, but they still fall
together like puzzle pieces and there is a natural ease to their dynamics. The descriptions of the physical
touches that the characters share pull the reader in, and even more sexual gestures still feel soft and caring, so
in the whole story, everything the characters do is an act of affection and an expression of love, which is
lovely to see.
In “Coming Home to You,” the devil’s in the details, and it is in the minute behaviors that you see the
closeness of T.K. and Carlos— the little touches, the sparse but pointed dialogue, the soothing motions of
love. The story is beautifully written, and readers can sense Tarlos’ desire to take in as much of each other as
possible and appreciate the time they have together. Danger surrounds their lives, but when they are home,
they are in a safe bubble that allows them to breathe more easily and connect in ways that are dynamic yet
reliable. This story is a must-read for anyone with a romantic spirit and who loves seeing emotional intimacy
between characters.
Fandom News
HOSTING EVENTS? HAVE IMPORTANT ANNOUNCEMENTS? YOU’RE WELCOME TO BRING THEM HERE TO
KEEP PEOPLE IN THE KNOW.

Creator Events

Tarlos Corazonados Weekend 2021 @tarlos-valentine

For this year's Valentine's Day, we would love to invite you all to create for our believed boys. Given the time
constrictions this year, we are aiming for a lowkey, fluffy, laid back event where we all get to celebrate Tarlos in the
most romantic time of the year.