I'm rewatching HOD again (such a comfort show) and thinking about george and annabeth again and how it's so perfect that annabeth was one of the very few people who was like "meh" about "golden boy" George Tucker then they fell in love :D if you have any more hcs about pre-series or pre-getting together george and annabeth please do share!! :D
Love any excuse to talk about them, thank you!
-for starters, I think they're probably the two members of the Yeehaw Six who have low key known each other the longest. Like I literally think George & AB have known each other since birth. We know both sets of parents were Auburn alums living in Bluebell - I bet even if they weren't close friends, they were still very friendly (also George's parents are THRILLED when he starts dating AB so).
-Like I bet their moms would meet up in town square once in awhile and walk them in their strollers together. I bet there were barbecue dinners where George & AB were forced to play together cause they were the same age (we know Harry is older - is AB's sister older or younger do we think?). Maybe there's even a very awkward shared toddler bath photo that Lemon somehow digs up for their (2nd) wedding reception.
-But despite the forced proximity, they are never friends. First, because they're at an age where they think boys & girls shouldn't be friends (the gender essentialism in Bluebell in the 80s must've gone crazyyyyyyyy). And later, cause they get on each other's nerves in a way only family friends can.
-Like when Lemon's all thirsting over George in high school, AB is just baffled. "Him? He's hot to you? I've seen him vomit up grape soda out of his nose while covered in barbecue sauce, trust me, he is so NOT hot". (It becomes a debate that gets the whole cheer team involved. AB sorely loses)
-Doesn't stop Lemon from trying to get them to get along though! (And now here is where I'll link my very first fic)
-I think they both probably went to Auburn (and without Lemon) and would occasionally cross paths and talk about Lemon, but again, they never became friends, this time mainly cause they had their own circles.
-AB moved back to Bluebell after college and married Jake but George went off to law school and then New York and their interactions became limited to the rare double date with Lemon when he was home.
-One of the things I think is really interesting about HoD is how disconnected the Yeehaw Six start off from each other, despite some old connections (mainly cause these old connections are kinda retcons lol). Like Wade & George are distant, AB & Lemon are distant. Lavon & Lemon are on the outs and he seems to barely know George and AB (which makes sense considering he would've been four grades ahead of them).
-So anyway my headcanon for all of that is George coming back from New York was like a bomb. Golden Boy was back. So Lemon broke things off with Lavon. AB had to contend with Lemon, who had already been distant the past six weeks (what was going on there?), becoming even more distant, as she threw herself into an engagement with George. And Wade was finally feeling settled in a way (as much as he could at that point). He got a day job at the Rammer Jammer and he moved into Lavon's gate house and things were looking up but now Golden Boy is back and he's bringing back fifteen years of Wade's resentments with him.
-Anyway, anyway, back to George & AB - one of the most important lines to me of their courtship is "I know you, George Tucker!" Because like, even though those two barely interact the entire series until their arc, AB has his number pegged from the jump. And that, to me, is evidence of some life long connection, the kind you can only have from knowing someone forever, since when they were not even really a person yet.
-So yeah, that's a very important part of why I like them, cause it's all about two people who have known each other forever finally seeing each other in a new light <3
-And, yes, AB being George's one love interest who's "meh" about the Golden Boy thing is also very important, because it allows her to see him as a person and not a saint. And that's what real love is babey!!!
