#parzimbits

SPREAD THE WORD! ZINE, PLEASE! IS PROUD TO ANNOUNCE OUR UPCOMING THIRD VOLUME!

The third volume you've all been waiting for is here! Following the success of our previous two volumes, the Zine, Please! team is proud to announce we'll be bringing you another volume full of Check, Please! goodness made by the fans for the fans!

As with our previous iterations, this will be a multi-month affair, with sign-ups happening in October 2024, check-ups happening throughout the process, and the zine being published in free PDF format in June 2025.

This volume's theme is.... #TripleTrouble!

'Swawesome things come in threes! For this volume, we want you all to explore the shenanigans, celebrate the triumphs, and dive into the inner workings and dynamics of all your favorite Check, Please! trios!

There's endless trios to choose from, some more familiar than others. I mean, who can forget the most iconic canon trios? We're talkin' Ransom, Holster, Lardo! We're thinkin' Whiskey, Tango, Foxtrot! We're screeeamin' Chowder, Dex, Nursey!

If you're willing to go outside the box, think about trios you'd love to see together who the fandom hasn't seen! Who among us is brave enough to put the Jack's Type Trio of Bitty, Camilla, and Kent in a room together? Hell, we could even take a dive into Deep Fandom Lore that OG fans may remember with the No Chill Trio of Lardo, Nursey, Kent.

Be it everyone's faves with polyfrogs, tadpoles content, or unlikely trios we'd all kick and squeal about, it's all welcome for this volume!

Gather your fave Check, Please! trios, go forth, and wreck havoc with #TripleTrouble!

Sign-ups open October 15, 2024!!!

Adventures in Body Checking (and other kinds of Physicality)

LaBelleIzzy

(One of these damn days I will figure out how to do a less-ugly link for fics here on Tumblr)

I finished it y'all!! 21 chapters, 40 K words, my longest fic to date!

...except not, lmao.

Because, surprise! This bullet!fic is already an actual fic, to the tune of 75k words, written last fall for OMGCP Big Bang 2018. (@shipped-goldstandard made SUPER awesome playlists for it here, here, and here, and @khashanakalashtar made a podfic, too, for those interested

So, like, congrats if it’s the first time you ever heard about it, you don’t have to read this post and go, ‘frickety-frack, this person should actually write this fic instead of dangling these tantalizing plot points in front of me, like, wtf, bro, NOT COOL.’

To those of you who have heard of this fic (and are interested in “”the creative process””):

If you ever wonder how I plot/outline my stories, here it is in all its messy glory. Mind you, I only occasionally write it all out like this—mostly it gets talked out in conversations with my sister and my beta readers, but, generally speaking, this is how it goes, and I do often write significant plot points out in this way as a goalpost for me to reach.

So without further ado, here we go!!

(CW: mentions of homophobia, biphobia, toxic masculinity in pro sports/sports culture, canon-typical depictions of anxiety and drug abuse, including Jack’s overdose. proceed with caution if needed

red in tooth and claw, outlined

Intro POV: Jack. Focus on how he doesn’t settle until he’s 16, reflection of how who he is conflicts with who he thinks he’s supposed to be—spends half of juniors w/o settling; Isolde (meaning “ice queen”) fakes being a wolf most of the time, which is what Bad Bob’s daemon is

NHL and other contact sports have GOT to be interesting in this world—how do people handle having daemons??? Canonically, can’t get too far from your daemon w/o getting hurt so your daemon has to be a part of your sport. Easier with closer/smaller playing fields like tennis and golf, bit of a hassle when it comes to soccer and hockey 

(lmao, imagine track and field though? Daemons have to either be small or fast depending—interesting take on how early sports training shapes identity—imagine how all that focus/work/ambition would influence your personality, influence the shape your daemon takes)

Jack & Isolde do a pretty good job of not letting anyone know they haven’t settled, do the anxiety meds help with that? Or hurt??

Isolde = the dorky, sweet side of Jack. Perfectionist, drawn to people while still being introverted, harder on herself than she has to be, constantly trying to support Jack, be the daemon Jack wants; she’s all his softest bits personified as a cute furball, basically

Enter Kent & Valkyria—bad-ass lion, Valkyria = all the outrageous, ambitious bits of Kent, with a side of aloofness/representation of his distrust in the world/unwillingness to make himself smaller—wars with his people-pleasing nature, caring about what others think. She’s so unusual people have to notice him, so big she can’t be ignored, but how does that play in when the people they want most to notice them don’t???? 

His mom has a raven, history of witches in the family—he and Val can separate pretty far, makes them an asset in the eyes of NHL

Kent aggressively pursues Jack as a friend; Valkyria and Isolde get their act together waaaaaaay before the boys, wlw daemons anybody??? Cue all the touching and sitting in laps and cellys echoed by Val & Isolde’s physical relationship. Closeness of daemons lead to rumors

Everything’s going good in yr. 1 but then!!! BIG REVEAL: Jack loses his shit when he takes a bad hit, Isolde turns into a [lion?? Bear??? TIGER??? Something threatening] and defends Valkyria

Cue big mess, awkwardness, questions about whether Jack can hack it—Kent goes no, no, we can turn this around

They end Yr. 1 very close to being the champs thanks to phenomenal teamwork between Jack and Kent, taking advantage of Jack and Isolde not settling to transform into whatever form gives Isolde the advantage

Summer happens—Jack invites Kent over for first time!! Sometime in the midst of all their work-outs, training, chirping, etc., is The Get-Together!!!!

JACK TOUCHING VAL!!!! KENT TOUCHING ISOLDE!!!! ALL THE SEX!!!!

BUT OH NO!!!! ISOLDE SETTLES AT THE END OF THE SUMMER—AS A BADGER. Somewhat solitary, gentle except provoked, loyal, vicious when threatened aLSO NOT WHAT PEOPLE EXPECT A FUTURE NHL STAR TO SETTLE AS

Weirdly enough, Jack becoming comfortable around Kent meant he was more comfortable in his own skin, which lead to Isolde settling, which resulted in them spiralling towards self-loathing and stress, because they didn’t want to settle as a badger. D:

Val is fine with it, Kent is fine with it; deep down even Jack can feel how this is the form that suits the two of them best—but he still hasn’t fully accepted it. T.T

Around this time is the start of his heightened dependence on his meds

Pushes himself harder on the ice—even if his daemon isn’t the typical large, fast-moving, traditional apex predator expected of somebody aiming to make in the NHL, Isolde can still be an asset

(And even if she’s not, all Jack has to do is be good enough to make up for it right???)

Increased dependence on Val—what people used to see as awesome teamwork now gets thrown around as Jack using Kent’s daemon as a crutch. “Can he hack it if there wasn’t a fucking lioness guarding his back? I don’t think so.”

HILARIOUS if you think about it, b/c it’s not like there aren’t goons specifically with big, bad daemons in the NHL to help protect the guys whose daemons are less then optimal when playing?? Vegas literally has a bunch of daemons who could fill Val’s role, easy, lmao

Possibly work in some of the ableism/homophobia/misogyny aspects of NHL through treatment of daemons??—most NHL players naturally have female daemons, but are the daemons respected??? Probs not usually the focus of what teams look at, but DO play a lot into the image of a player.

A team’s daemons should be close, but not too close, haha. Should never speak in public, should always be an asset, seen more as tools than as living parts of a person’s soul, also vague sense that if a daemon isn’t always tough, put-together, ready to throw down, then the player is also “weak,” a “sissy,” etc.

Daemon teamwork is also looked down upon if it isn’t in the context of a fight—say you put somebody else’s daemon on a sled or something and another daemon drags it—technically allowed but not much used in hockey—a part of reason why Samwell is a good fit for Jack and later on Bitty is because they use unconventional methods like this

Most people eyeing the draft are of the opinion that Jack is the better player but Kent has the better daemon: “If only they’d switched,” is the usual lament.

34 perfect days

More underneath the cut!!!

Thanks to everyone for joining this year’s PB&J EpiFest! Posting is over now, but authors/artists will be revealed January 7th, and until then, please enjoy all our lovely works and continue leaving love for our creators!! <3

Tale As Old As Time - 41k - T -  In the Pyrenees wine region of France, just a bit southeast of Lourdes, there is a vineyard with a history dating back centuries. Now, this is not the only vineyard in the world with such a long history, nor is it even the oldest vineyard in France, but it is the only one at which you will hear this tale. It starts off, as many tales this old do, with a ‘Once Upon a Time’ and ends, as one would hope, with love.

It is a truth universally acknowledged (that an NHL Bachelor in possession of a good fortune....) - ART - G - Two versions of Pride and Prejudice AUs. One in some semblance of the correct period. One a modern interpretation. Both based off the magnificent 2005 film directed by Joe Wright.

The Cards We’ve Been Dealt - 6k - E - Kent Parson and Jack Zimmermann are long-term CIA partners. They meet Eric "Bitty" Bittle separately, and both want to date him. When they find out they're both crushing on the same guy, they start a friendly competition to make Bitty fall in love with them. Four months later, things get a little out of hand. This Means War AU.

That Dweam Wiffin a Dweam - 9.5k - T -  Once upon a time, in the far-off kingdom of Florin, fair Bitty fell in love with his farm boy, Kent. But when Kent seemingly perished at sea, his ship overtaken by the Dread Pirate Parson, and the not-at-all evil Prince Jack found himself in want of a spouse, could Bitty, Jack, and a not-so-dead Kent redefine the rules of True Wuv?

A Dad Dating Adventure - 20.5k - T - When you and your daughter move to an old hockey buddy's cul-de-sac, you aren't expecting to meet (and fall for) two Stanley Cup winners. Will the three of you live happily ever after or will everything fall to pieces? It all depends on what you choose! [A choose-your-own adventure story inspired by Dream Daddy: A Dad Dating Simulator.]

Page Turner - 36k - T - Eric Bittle lives a small, charming life. He owns a sweet bookstore, he has good friends, a steady boyfriend and a nice home in New York. From the outside that should be enough, so he doesn't tell anyone about his secret online romance with one NY504, a stranger who makes him feel worthy and at home. It's all innocent, right? | Kent Parson is larger than life. Back in New York after successfully setting up his family's book chain out West, he's ready to make a claim on the city, regardless of who he might run out of business. He loves his family, his boyfriend, and his best friend, and yet somehow feels no guilt over his long-running flirtation with his anonymous ShopBoy. They both have a lot to learn.

Second's Not the Same - 14.5k - E -  Bitty finds himself dating two amazing boys. Everything is perfect. // Kent was doing just fine before he saw his ex-boyfriend in a hotel bar.

You Could Miss It - 9k - E - “Life moves pretty fast. If you don’t stop and look around once in a while, you could miss it." — Ferris Bueller | A Ferris Bueller's Day Off AU where Kent takes his boyfriend, Eric Bittle, and his best friend, Jack Zimmermann, out for a day of fun in New York City.

We Grabbed the Sun by orphan_account (T)

Kent doesn’t remember much, just a Georgia accent as he comes out of a drug-induced coma. 

http://archiveofourown.org/works/8235373 . sweet dream, saccharine ‘verse by epoenine (E)

This fic reading guide is for PB&J: Parse, Bitty, and Jack! All fic is organized by length, and the ratings and descriptions can be found next to and underneath the titles of all fics. Click the title to read!

”You Look Pretty Good Down Here (But You Ain’t Really Good)” for Bittyybee (Rated E, 5.6k)

Jack finds himself a little overwhelmed at his first BDSM kink party. Luckily, Kent and Bitty are there to show him the ropes.

“Bed and Breakfast” for SummerFrost (Rated M, Art)

Kent's birthday celebration starts a bit early and continues the following morning.

“Best Birthday(s) Ever” for jacksbits (Rated E, 1.8k)

Snippets of Kent's birthday through the years. He's not always around, but he's always on Jack's mind.

“Cherry Pie: 50 min @ 425F” for blindinglights (Rated E, 2.2k) 

“Yeah. You want in, Zimms? Or should we get a room?”

“Both?” Jack asked, looking to Bitty.

“Both,” Bitty breathed.

“Both is good.”

(jealousy) get the best of me. for blue_rocket_frost (Rated T, 4.6k)

There’s a familiar couple with warm smiles and crinkled eyes standing at the airport outside his gate with a giant sign sporting his name, and Alicia Zimmermann gives Kent the biggest, warmest hug he’s had off the hockey rink in years. Kent forgot how much he missed that. How much he missed them.

In the excitement of it all, Kent forgets a very, very important thing about Bad Bob Zimmermann.

Bad Bob Zimmermann is a terrible meddler.

“Displaying Our Love” for Omgpieplease (Rated E, 4.9k)

Kent receives a suggestive snap from Bitty. Jack doesn't have sex during the playoffs. Both of these things lead to one of the best nights of Kent's life.

Not Quite Singing in Perfect Harmony for cambo (Rated T, 27k)

Bitty held up his phone with one hand and rubbed his eye with the other. “Kent Parson is engaged?”

“Kent’s engaged,” Jack said. He wasn’t sure how he felt about it. Happy for him? Surprised? Something else?

Bitty looked over at Jack and sighed. “Invite him to dinner,” he said.

Pairings: Bitty/Kent, Kent/Jack, Bitty/Jack/Kent, Bitty/Jack Rating: Explicit Word Count: ~106k Warnings: Stockholm Syndrome, assassins, near death experiences, minor character death, weapons, angst with a happy ending, lots (and lots) of sex Summary:  This is the end, Eric thinks. He's been kidnapped and sentenced to death and this is the end. But well—at least his kidnapper is attractive. He supposes there are worse ways to go. Author’s Note: Alternate summary provided by @jacksbits:  bitty: *meets a man who is likely to kill him* bitty: aw shit bitty: i'd fuck him tho

All (completely accurate plot) jokes aside, this fic is finally done!!! Wow, what a roller coaster. This fic started with the premise of 'Kent would be a terrible kidnapper, wouldn't he? haha!' and completely snowballed into the story you see here. I had most of everything plotted out (minus some of the twists and sex scenes) from the very beginning, but it took way... way longer to get it all out than I thought it would. Thanks so much to those of you who’ve stuck with it this entire time, and for those who might’ve been waiting for it to finish before you started reading—it’s done!!!

Thanks to @yoursummerfrost and @jacksbits both for reading and betaing the whole entire thing for me. There are many others who I screamed at about this for a good chunk of time, and thanks to all of you as well <3

Don’t Let Me Die Before I Wake