#episode: s3e13 riddle of the sphynx

[guardian-angle22]

Happy to present to y'all this 911LS fic list for stories related to one of my favorite episodes 3.13 Riddle of the Sphynx! I try to make these as comprehensive as possible, so if you have any you think I missed, let me know so I can add them. (I also might make edits to these posts to add more fics as they get written. If I ever do so I'll be sure to reblog the post for visibility!)

Enjoy all of our amazing fandom writers and leave them some comments & love!

[Disclaimers: • If you're an author and don't like to be tagged or linked for any reason, let me know and I'll remove the tag and make sure not to do so in the future, no questions asked. • I usually post TWs in rec lists. Due to the episode subject matter, assume all of these have a TW for discussion of addiction/drug use and possibly discussion of parent death/grief.]

◆ Chasers by @carlos-in-glasses (Words: 13.4K; Rating: E)

After 3x13 – while TK is alone with Cooper, Carlos is alone with his thoughts. Both recall times they’ve chased the next high, other men, or each other. When Carlos arrives home, TK still has something important to say – and it's something he didn’t tell Cooper.

◆ trying my best by @reyescarlos (Words: 10.3K; Rating: M)

An exploration of TK's sobriety journey from 2017 to now. Or, a season 3 coda spanning 3x08-3x13

◆ You Showed me How it feels to Truly be Seen by @ramblingdisaster73 (Words: 3K; Rating: T)

Carlos works through the events of 3x13 "The Riddle of the Sphinx".

◆ Measure of a Man by @chicgeekgirl89 (Words: 1.8K; Rating: T)

“I want to be everything you need. That I can’t be, it hurts, T.K. It feels like a failure on my part. And as much as I’m trying to accept it, it’s hard.” A 3x13 coda in which Carlos struggles with a new definition of being "enough."

◆ I'll be here all the same by @strandnreyes (Words: 4.8K; Rating: G)

“I am glad you have someone you can talk to who can maybe do a better job at fixing things,” Carlos insists before dropping his eyes to their tangled together fingers. “All I want is for you to be okay.”It’s not surprising to hear, but it hits as if it was. That really is the root of this whole thing. As much as Carlos wants to do what he can to be the person to get TK to that place, at the end of the day all he really wants is for TK to get there.“I will be.”Or, three late night conversations following the events of 3.13

◆ Trigger by comes2gusu (Words: 4.7K; Rating: T)

TK is struggling with his newly found sobriety. After being triggered at an NA meeting, Cooper takes TK for omelets

◆ this love we carry by @thevenstar (Words: 7.6K; Rating: T)

A 3x13 coda in which Carlos has a conversation with a friend, puts his heart to rest, and learns that walking away does not mean surrender.

◆ Those Pieces by @taralaurel (Words: 7.3K; Rating: M)

"I, I'm not telling you all - this - so you can fix me," TK huffs a hot breath against Carlos' chin, "or save me or really, do anything, okay?" Carlos nods against TK's forehead. TK has done a lot of things in his life to deserve the bad that has happened to him. He has no idea what good he's done to deserve Carlos. Coda to 3x13

◆ the one i want by @chaotictarlos (Words: 2K; Rating: E)

TK gets Carlos to take his shirt off.

◆ i want you to unravel me by @reyescarlos (Words: 4.2K; Rating: E)

In the aftermath of the strain that's fallen over them, TK and Carlos bridge the gap with open conversation that brings them closer together, both emotionally and physically. [3x13 coda]

◆ Just Wanna Breathe by @theoceanismyinkwell (Words: 1.9K; Rating: G)

Carlos doesn’t dare look at him for long, knowing that his eyes have always been the window to his soul, the weakest part of his body, unveiling everything in the well of truths he’s kept a lid on for years and years. His family may not be able to read him as well as he feared for the decades he was in the closet, but TK has a way of crashing into his life with a formidable gentleness and a piercing understanding that unmoors him in every possible way.And that’s precisely what TK is doing now, keeping the warmth of his palms flush against the beating of Carlos’ skin, cradling his face, forcing them both to gaze into each other’s eyes and face each other’s unspoken terrors without flinching.TK sounds like he has a lump in his throat. “I’m going to say something, and I want you to listen to me and I want you to remember it.”---Or: What happens when Carlos comes back home after TK's talk with Cooper, and the confessions that spill out after.

◆ waiting on the sidelines by @morganaspendragonss (Words: 1.5K; Rating: T)

They’d promised each other no more secrets, and while Carlos rationally knows that these aren’t exactly secrets, there’s still this grain of resentment inside of him that scratches away with every beat of his heart. It’s something he can’t let show in front of TK ever again, which is why he’s here, outside Owen's house while TK and Cooper talk in the loft.If anyone’s going to understand what he’s feeling, it’s Owen Strand.

◆ Three Weeks In by @masterroadtripper (Words: 3K; Rating: T; TW: self-harm)

It’d been three weeks since Sadie had drugged them - nineteen days since TK started a ninety-day NA sobriety program at the local Synagogue and eleven days since Carlos had met Cooper for the first time - before Carlos realized that there was something else TK wasn’t telling him.

◆ What We Need by Ehm (Words: 3.1K; Rating: T)

"You okay, bud?" Cooper startled him out of his thoughts and he let go of the spoon with a clinking noise. He straightened up, embarrassed. "Sorry, I zoned out." "I can see that," Cooper sounded vaguely amused. "You wanna talk about it?" --- Three times TK has a conversation with Cooper, and one time he talks to Carlos. Or, 3x13 and beyond from TK's point of view.

◆ Nocturne by @sanctuaryforalluniverses (Words: 735; Rating: T)

Carlos comes home. (Post-ep for 3x13)

◆ Precious Love by @rmd-writes (Words: 11.6K; Rating: M)

This is five times TK thinks he doesn’t deserve love and one time he knows he does – an exploration of TK’s relationship with love and self-worth.

◆ Inside a snow globe by @goodways (Words: 6.9K; Rating: E)

It isn’t until TK is on top, lavishing Carlos’ neck, stroking his hand up his side, that Carlos brings their faces together, barely a suggestion of a kiss between them. He holds TK’s jaw and keeps him close whilst he readies the question in his mind. He breathes out a straightforward and tempting, “fuck me,” over TK’s lips which silences the world outside their bedroom. TK’s response whenever he’s asked for this has few variations between immediate enthusiastic compliancy and the sweet reassurance he knows Carlos is dying for. The answer is always yes. - The evening after TK gets his one month sobriety chip.

◆ my home has been your heart since the day i met you by @lavendergiroux (Words: 1.8K; Rating: M)

After Carlos leaves Cooper and TK to talk, all they do is talk about him. When Carlos comes home - they are still talking about him.

◆ Deep Talks and Cuddles by raniaswritings (Words: 1.2K; Rating: T)

TK talks to Cooper and Carlos comes back home after a few hours

◆ “What are you doing?” “I don’t want you to do that.” by @irispurpurea (Words: 1.1K; Rating: T)

Fictober 2022 Day 13 and 14. Prompts: “What are you doing?” “I don’t want you to do that.” “What are you doing?” Carlos looks up to find TK frowning at him from their bedroom. “I…” Carlos holds up the blanket in his hands, unsure what else to say. He thinks it’s pretty obvious what he’s doing. Then again, tonight has proven that he can’t do anything right, apparently, when it comes to TK.

◆ "It's your shirt..." by @lavendergiroux (Words: 780; Rating: M)

TK really didn't want to talk about it, he just really needed Carlos to claim him...

◆ sunkissed face by mooshkat (Words: 1K; Rating: T)

To show his appreciation, TK decides to make Carlos breakfast.

Spec Fics Written Prior to the Episode Airing/Canon Convergence:

◆ if the darkness comes, i'll stay by @doublel27 (Words: 3.2K; Rating: T)

“I had some things to do,” TK says, his stomach twisting. “Some things?” “Carlos, I texted,” TK reminds his boyfriend, because he did. “It’s fine.” “Is it?” Carlos asks, his voice dangerously calm. or TK comes home late for the third night in one week, and he and Carlos have a necessary confrontation. A speculative fic for 3x13.

◆ Caught by @littlemissmarianna (Words: 761; Rating: G)

“Who’s that?” Carlos doesn’t answer Mitchell’s question because he doesn’t know. There’s only a handful of people he can identify from the back, and this guy isn’t on the list. He has broad shoulders, though, and nice hair and is probably good-looking. Why else would TK be staring at him so intently?

◆ In Order to Get Back to Us by reyestrand (Words: 2.2K; Rating: G)

Carlos waits up for TK when he’s late coming home and they talk about the things they’re afraid to. - a 3x13 speculation fic

◆ still comparing your past to my future by @kiras-sunshine (Words: 17.4K; Rating: T)

Something else than the wallowing feeling of uneasiness, anxiety and hurt in the bottom of his stomach. All of it seems to have a chokehold on his heart and no matter what he tries to think about, his thoughts always go back to TK, to worry that keeps mixing in with everything, and the brightness of TK’s smile, the way the corner of his mouth curled up and his eyes shone, when he smiled at someone else than him.

#911 lone star #911 lone star fic rec #fic recs #fic rec list #tarlos fic #episode: s3e13 riddle of the sphynx #fic writers are amazing and we need to hype them up #my gifs #cutting it close on finishing up this list while still on the rewatch week for it!

[herefortarlos]

Hello! Nice ask week asks for you! 1) What are your top three Tarlos moments? 2) Have you ever been the same again since discovering Tarlos? 3) If you could hang out with TK and Carlos for a day and you chose the activities, what would you get up to?

Awww, thank you for the ask, Cig 🥰 I can answer question 2 real quick; no I have not been the same since discovering Tarlos 😆! Tarlos is my 3rd extreme hyper fixation I've had over a fictional couple, but it is the first time that I've not only found 2 characters I absolutely love but they are also canonically a couple! It is becoming more common thankfully, but it is still so hard to find a well written AND canon gay couple in media! Tarlos has been such a nice change where I don't have to imagine these two wonderful characters being together and only having fanfic and some scenes to base that on, they are officially together, they have many on screen kisses and they're married!! And I've made so many wonderful friends and have also been more open about my sexuality and who I share that with because of Tarlos! 🥹 So I hope my obsession is here to stay for a long time!

Oh jeez, my top 3 Tarlos moments?!? But there are so many to choose from and it's always changing 😆 Get ready for my long winded thoughts! I do think my #1 has to be the wedding! I still can't watch the vows scene and listen to them without crying, I just loved their vows to each other sooo much, they were perfect to me and who TK and Carlos are as people and how they have grown since season 1 to now! And I loved TK asking Tommy to sing Being Alive for him as a gift to Carlos and to me that's not a spur of the moment thing, that is a, TK asked Tommy weeks ago if she would do this and why this specific song was so meaningful and I cry just thinking about that conversation and how honored Tommy felt that TK went to her 🥹. And the way TK and Carlos cry and hold each other during her singing is just too much and I love it! I'm so happy they're married!

For my second top moment I am including the entirety of s3e13 Riddle of the Sphynx! I rewatched that episode and skipped to all the Tarlos scenes the other night and I was a wreck! I loved all the domesticity and flirty Tarlos we got, I loved jealous Carlos and that dinner table conversation is still one of the absolute best scenes that Rafa and Ronen have acted together. TK trying to explain to Carlos why he can't help with this and Carlos begrudgingly accepting it and then fully realizing, when TK is looking through photos of his mom, that he is out of his depth and if he wants to help TK then he needs to get in contact with the person that can truly empathize and help him, and that is nothing against Carlos! Him realizing that this isn't about him, it's about the man he loves, and that little "I love you. I know" moment, TK knowing then for sure that he is going to marry Carlos, and then Carlos' little happy, satisfied smile as he leaves the loft, all of it made me a mushy, blubbering mess and absolutely blew me away again, after seeing that episode like 10 times now! Oh and the use of Transatlanticism was amazing as well!

Phew, and finally for my third moment, I am going to cheat and say TK's and Carlos' proposals!! TK's proposal being at 3 in the morning in their bed, where it's soft and quiet and just meant for TK and Carlos 😭 absolutely perfect! I loved that TK was no longer afraid of love or losing it and it was such a pinnacle moment to show that TK is done running from Carlos and then he proved that time and again in season 4! I also loved him petting Carlos' hair and rubbing his ear!

Then at the end of season 4 we get the gift we didn't know we needed in Carlos proposing to TK! Them saying that they have saved each other, Carlos realizing that TK and wanting to be married to him are the only things in his life he is 100% certain of! TK getting the joy of being proposed to and Carlos smiling for the first time in days when he sees that he made TK smile 🥹 My favorites may change again but these are the moments that first came to mind and I love them all so much!

Okay and finally, if I could hang out with TK and Carlos for one day and do anything, I would honestly want them to show me around Austin! We would need to go to a cat cafe, I looked it up and Austin has a couple! (I am currently watching a stream of a cat cafe and that is influencing my choice 🤣) because Carlos could finally pet an animal and TK and animals are a match made in heaven, and can you imagine how cute they would be surrounded by cats 🥹 I would also want to go clothes shopping with them because Carlos needs some more variety aside from all the plaid dad shirts, just a little bit of style and color! And seeing some of the research that people have put into looking up TK's clothes, that man has expensive tastes and I want to know if he actually looks at price tags or just grabs all the things he likes without looking 😆 And I would want to go back to the loft and eat some of Carlos' cooking! Give me some ropa vieja and tamales, please 🤤. And then I would want to go out to a queer club where this supposed night life is that we haven't gotten to see 🤣 Ohh, what a dream that would be!!

#thank you so much for the ask Cig! ❤️ #I'm sorry it took me so long to get to it #My mind has been mush and I wanted to write a good response when I was feeling up to it! #1 more ask to go! #nice ask week #part 2 😆 #911 lone star #tarlos #desi answers