Archive of Our Own

Chapter Text

LAURIE
Age: 16
Grade: Junior
School: St. Cecilia’s Catholic School
Current Role: Aspiring singer-songwriter

Personality:

• Witty, if a bit awkward- loves teasing people (especially Yuwen) even though her jokes don't always land.

• Passionate about music, writes songs to process emotions.

• Gets super nervous about putting herself out there, although Sweaty has not returned.

• Love, love, loves rom-coms. Like, obsessed.

Appearance:

• Blonde hair, usually styled in a messy half-up, half-down look. Bangs have grown out, but she keeps her hair a bit short.

• Uniform most of the time (thanks, Catholic school), but on weekends leans into a mix of trendy and grunge aesthetic (skirts, Docs, band tees) Oh, Yuwen's jersey duh.

• Always has her green guitar pick necklace on, a gift from her dad. Her guitar has a crystal embedded in the body, a gift from her mama! Crucifix pendant, usually hidden.

• Friendship bracelet with Rochelle, Y necklace for DUH YUWEN.

Relationships:

• Yuwen: Officially her boyfriend after months of slow-burn tension. They spend a lot of time together, and she’s been giving him guitar lessons (which is basically just an excuse to be close). They’re pretty flirty but also just genuinely supportive of each other. They are not really a PDA couple, though, at least not overtly. She is too awkward.

• Rochelle: Best friend, partner-in-crime, and ultimate hype woman. Rochie is the one who hypes her music up and pushes her to take risks.

• Kai: Thinks she’s effortlessly cool. Wants to be closer friends but doesn’t quite know how.

• Taylor: Not super close, but no bad blood. They run in the same circle and have the most similar music taste (surprisingly).

• Tom: Friendly, he treats her like a little sister. Always reposts videos of her singing on IG.

• The Pickles Team: Fully back in the friend group, spends weekends with them, goes to games for fun, and cheers them on and sometimes sings with them.

Future in the AU:

• Balancing music, school, and her new relationship with Yuwen
• Possibly getting more serious about performing music live
• Navigating being part of the Pickles' social circle again while still going to a different school
• Maybe getting an opportunity that challenges her to take music even more seriously

YUWEN

Age: 17
Grade: Junior
School: Peaks Valley High School (PVHS)
Sports: Baseball (Pickles), Soccer (lowkey better at it)

Personality:

• More laid-back and confident post-championship win.

• Competitive but in a fun way—likes challenging everyone, even Laurie.

• Generally overconfident, but can get a little flustered when it comes to Laurie.

• Not always the best at expressing emotions, but tries in his own way.

Appearance:

• Athletic build from baseball and soccer.

• Wears a mix of team gear and casual, slightly messy outfits (hoodies, joggers, cleats) in bright colors.

• Keeps his baseball glove in his bag even during soccer season—his security item.

• Doodles an L onto his wrist like daily in Sharpie. Habit he picked up from Taylor wayyyy back. Says he's gonna get it tatted the day he turns 18. Laurie thinks he's insane.

Relationships:

• Laurie: Officially dating! She gives him guitar lessons, and she sometimes joins him at the gym for conditioning (she does like 5 minutes on the stairmaster and dies). He really admires her confidence in music and is just happy to be around her.

• Taylor: Exes, but way in the past. No drama between them, but maybe just the tiniest bit awkward sometimes- they were REAL close for that one middle-school week, after all.

• Rochelle: Chill with her, but she teases him constantly about Laurie and can be overprotective, therefore snappy.

• Kai: Quite literally his sister. They are close as hell and spend lots of time together. Train with each other almost daily.

• Tom: Dude bros.

• The Pickles Team: Still the best pitcher in the region, and they love him for it—everyone hypes him up, and he hypes them up back.

Future in the AU:

• Juggling soccer and baseball while spending more time with Laurie- so lowkey struggling with school.

• Improving at guitar (mostly to impress Laur).

• Maybe realizing he has a future in soccer if he wants it.

• Coping with Kai graduating soon oh god oh fuck.

KAI

Age: 17
Grade: Senior
School: Peaks Valley High School (PVHS)
Sport: Softball (Pickles) – Star player, has multiple D-1 offers

Personality:

• Super confident and chill, but lowkey emotional about leaving after graduation.

• The “cool older sister” energy of the group—gives advice, hypes everyone up.

• Fiercely independent, but also fiercely loyal to her friends.

• Probably the most level-headed during drama, unless it involves her future.

Appearance:

• Athletic build, always in something super girly but suuuper green (Pickles Pride!)

• Wears her softball jersey half-buttoned over dresses sometimes.

• Short, practical nails-never lets them grow out for softball- but always painted creatively.

• Has lucky shoelaces. They are so old they're almost dust.

Relationships:

• Laurie: Thinks Laurie is cool and respects her for completely reinventing herself. Loves hearing Laurie sing.

• Yuwen: Again, siblings. Has not told him about the D-1 offers besides the ones that are close-by.

• Rochelle: Rochie considers herself second-in-command since Kai is training her on being captain next season.

• Taylor: Super close friends, they queen out together on their own a bunch.

• Tom: Asked her out once. She is a lesbian. So.

• The Pickles Team: She’s the big sister figure, and everyone looks up to her as the one who “made it.”

Future in the AU:

• Struggling with the idea of leaving everyone behind for college, but knows her potential.

• Maybe getting cold feet about committing to a school so far away, maybe she's going ABROAD???

• Will she stay close to home or take the leap? ehehehe.

Rochelle

Age: 16
Grade: Junior
School: Peaks Valley High School (PVHS)
Sport: Softball (Pickles) – Best catcher in the state
Extracurriculars: VP of the Robotics Club

Personality:

• Super smart, sarcastic, and overprotective.

• Tends to hide how much she cares about things (except Laurie—she’s the one she’s real with)

• Very focused on her future, but she’s still figuring out her personal life (bi disaster).

• She’s the one who holds the group together when things get chaotic, always ready to rally everyone.

Appearance:

• Always seen with a messy bun—keeps things practical for softball and robotics.

• Wears oversized graphic tees with jeans or sweatpants when she’s not in her Pickles uniform.

• Often has a few tools in her bag- you never know!

• Rotates through a bunch of bracelets, but she has one from Laurie she never takes off.

• Her cleats, a gift from her mom + Frank last year, are something she holds high in value after what happened in canon.

Relationships:

• Laurie: Best friends, and they know each other inside out. Laurie has been her constant support through everything.

• Yuwen: Friendly, but she lowkey teases him for being “soft” for Laurie. And when he does something she deems wrong to Laur, it's over for Yuwen.

• Taylor: Currently training Taylor, and she’s lowkey into her. Definitely crushing, but Rochelle doesn’t do the whole “feelings” thing.

• Kai: They share a sense of humor—Rochelle envys Kai’s confidence and trains under her to be captain.

• Tom: Asked her out too. Even though she's bi, said no. So.

• The Pickles Team: Known as the “genius” on the team who makes sure everything runs smoothly.

• Vanessa & Frank: Rochelle’s mom and Frank (the Pickles ump) ended up together, making things… interesting. Rochelle is still adjusting but has mostly taken a “whatever makes them happy” approach. And her mom is super happy, and Frank's not too shabby himself.

Future in the AU:

• Contemplating her next steps with both robotics and softball- lowkey hard to balance the two.

• Wrestling with her feelings(??????) for Taylor.

• Probably going to be the one to solve the group’s next big problem. It's who she is.

TAYLOR

Full Name: Taylor [Last Name TBD]
Age: 17
Grade: Junior
School: Peaks Valley High School (PVHS)
Sport: Softball (Pickles) – training as a catcher under Rochelle

Personality:

• Confident, stylish, and always put together—never seen without mascara, even during games.

• A bit of a perfectionist, but mostly when it comes to herself (her hair, her outfits, her game).

• Deeply cares about the people in her life, and shows it loud and proud.

• Super close with her little brother Ira—he’s her #1 priority, and she’d do anything for him.

• Gives amazing pep talks but is terrible at taking advice herself.

Appearance:

• Always looks like she walked straight out of a fashion magazine, whether it’s her softball uniform or casual wear, mostly bc she's so confident.

• Hair is perfectly styled at all times, usually in intricate braids.

• Loves mixing sporty and trendy—crops, tennis skirts, and statement earrings.

• Carries a mini emergency kit in her bag (lip gloss, hair ties, perfume, extra earrings—she’s prepared for anything).

• LOVES mending clothes, and upcycles a lot of her lewks with fabrics and patches.

Relationships:

• Ira: Her little brother and the most important person in her life. She’s super protective of him after what happened in canon.

• Rochelle: Training with her, probably crushing hard but too stubborn to admit it. Their dynamic is full of playful banter and some serious tension.

• Laurie: Not as close as they used to be, but they're friends. Same music taste (Short n Sweet + Red Hot Chili Peppers???)

• Yuwen: Exes from way back, but it’s completely in the past. They’re chill now, no awkwardness.

• Kai: Respects Kai a lot. Thinks she’s a total badass.

• The Pickles Team: Still very much part of the team’s core. She's just so radiant!

Future in the AU:

• Figuring out her feelings for Rochelle (and if she’s ready to act on them).

• Balancing her passion for fashion with her athletic career, does she want to keep playing, or is there another path?

• Staying a strong support system for Ira while navigating her own high school drama.

TOM

Age: 18
Grade: Senior
School: Peaks Valley High School (PVHS)
Sport: Softball (Pickles) – First baseman, big hitter

Personality:

• The nicest guy you will ever meet. Seriously. Just a golden retriever in human form.

• Always hypes up his friends and will fist-bump literally anyone.

• Absolutely terrible at flirting. Like, it’s painful. He tries SO hard and still fails every time.

• Not the smartest academically, but has really good instincts when it comes to people.

• Not planning on going to college—probably gonna stick around Peaks Valley and figure things out.

Appearance:

• GIANT and LANKY dude, but would rather hug you than fight you.

• Wears his Pickles hoodie 90% of the time, even in warm weather.

• Always smells vaguely like sweat and Gatorade.

• Backwards hat.

Relationships:

• Laurie: Thinks of her like a little sister. Super supportive of her music career.

• Yuwen: Bros for life. Tries to give him dating advice even though he absolutely should not be doing that.

• Taylor: Was rejected by her. Compliments her outfits. She appreciates it. 

• Kai: Was rejected by her. Thinks she’s the coolest person alive. 

• Rochelle: Was rejected by her. Still, they get along great. He so adaptable.

• The Pickles Team: Basically the team’s emotional support guy. They can’t be mad at him.

Future in the AU:

• Trying (and failing) to get a girlfriend.

• Debating what to do after high school— maybe help out with coaching younger players.

• Just wants to keep the friend group together after graduation.

IRA

Age: 12
Grade: 7th Grade
School: Peaks Valley Middle School (PVMS)
Instrument: Drums (absolute beast on them)

Personality:

• Coolest middle schooler alive (in his own mind).

• Actually super talented on the drums, like, ridiculously good.

• Worships classic rock drummers but will also randomly learn a pop song if Taylor asks him to.

• Thinks high schoolers are kinda lame.

• Surprisingly wise for a 12-year-old, but still a chaotic gremlin at heart.

Appearance:

• Short, but tells everyone he’s “about to hit his growth spurt.”

• Always wearing band tees, usually a little oversized.

• Still wears his signature hat.

• Carries drumsticks everywhere. Gets in trouble for it.

Relationships:

• Taylor: The big sister he loves but will never admit to looking up to. They have that perfect sibling dynamic of bickering but also being ride-or-die for each other.

• Yuwen: Thinks Yuwen is “alright”. Still holds a tiny grudge from way back. Will challenge him to FIFA matches and get mad when he loses.

• Laurie: Thinks her music is cool but will never say it to her face. Agrees to play drums for her just to show off.

• Tom: Loves Tom because Tom hypes him up.

• Kai & Rochelle: Thinks they’re scary but in a fun way.

Future in the AU:

• Probably ends up in a high school band when he gets to PVHS.

• Might start playing drums for Laurie at some point (if he feels like it).

• Gonna be one of those guys who’s effortlessly cool when he’s older, but right now, he’s just a middle school kid trying to act like a cool guy.

HEADCANONS

LAURIE

• While Laurie’s all about music now, she’s also secretly pretty good at dancing. It's nothing big, just show choir stuff, but she has found some semblance of coordination with dance.

• Takes singing lessons from a local instructor who helps her with her theory, but Laurie’s not ready to go full "star" just yet. 

• Every now and then, she gets a little flashback to softball and the pressure. She doesn’t talk about it, but it still affects her self-image sometimes.

• Still pretty clumsy—she trips over air, bumps into people all the time, and spills things. Yuwen loves teasing her about it.

• Laurie is a sucker for cute, low-key dates. Ice cream, movie nights, random drives around the town with Yuwen, etc. She invites Rochie on their dates pretty regularly.

YUWEN

• He’s genuinely good at both baseball and soccer, but he has a special place for soccer in his heart. Which means he might have to pick between the two next year.

• Despite his athletic prowess, Yuwen’s actually a pretty gentle guy.

• He plays guitar to impress Laurie at first but ends up loving it. Still gets shy about playing in front of her unless they’re alone.

• Though he’s chill on the outside, little Yuwen has not changed much. "PLEASE LIKE ME".

• He’s more into sweet, subtle gestures rather than grand romantic gestures. A handwritten note in his locker or Laur remembering something he mentioned months ago matter the most to him.

KAI

• Kai knows she’s probably going far away for college, so she’s not super emotionally invested in the “high school experience” like others are. 

• BUT you can bet she’ll be there when it matters most.

• She listens to a lot of indie and underground music, but she pretends she doesn’t. Only Laurie knows, and they sometimes bond over it.

• Kai’s got the smoothest flirty energy—when she wants to use it, she can effortlessly charm anyone.

• In the offseason, Kai’s probably playing video games with Yuwen. They both have over 400 hours on Fortnite and a Minecraft world with a full-scale replica of Peaks Valley.

ROCHELLE

• Despite her academic achievements, Rochelle’s always up for an adventure. She does not sleep.

• Her love of robotics goes hand-in-hand with her occasional doodling or sketching out new ideas for tech.

• Rochelle loves alternative rock and a little bit of punk. Secret angst.

• Rochelle is a complete disaster when it comes to romance, especially with Taylor (who, she may or may not have a crush on). She can’t express her feelings clearly and avoids confrontation at all costs.

• Once she has her mind set on something, she’s almost impossible to deter.

TAYLOR

• Taylor’s known for her skill with makeup—she genuinely enjoys the creativity and artistry of it.

• Always ahead of the trends and likely owns a collection of clothes that could rival a celebrity’s wardrobe.

• She has a long list of crushes but struggles with admitting her feelings. She’s the type of person to fall in love with someone without realizing it—until it’s way too late.

• Taylor would absolutely throw hands for her friends- her and Roch would lowkey kill for the group.

TOM

• Genuinely the guy who would buy roses for a super lowkey coffee date and then proceed to make everything awkward in the process. 

• Not dumb, but he’s not always the sharpest tool in the shed.

• Tom has big dreams, but he’s not exactly sure how to chase them. Just enjoying the ride for now.

• Despite his flop attempts at dating, if he likes you, he’s gonna show it (even if he messes it up along the way).

• Tom is the kind of guy who will give you a bear hug and you’ll feel totally safe in it. He’s all about the group bonding.

Group Headcanons:

• Every weekend, regardless of school or sports, the group meets up. It could be at the park, someone’s house, or even the local arcade. It’s always a combination of chilling, joking around, and deep conversations that make them closer as a unit.

• Eventually, the gang goes on an unplanned road trip one weekend to a nearby city. Yuwen drives, Kai navigates, Tay blasts music, Roch debates where to stop for food, and Laurie and Tom sing the most random songs on the way there.

• When everyone can’t attend an actual game, they organize a “Pickles Game Night” at Tom’s place, where they act out the entire game with stuffed animals and their own commentary. It’s ridiculous, but they all have so much fun.

• At night, when everyone else is sleeping, Rochelle and Kai sometimes stay up late in the living room, having deep talks about their futures, what they want in life, and their secret hopes.

• After a big win, they all go to the local pizza parlor to celebrate. Tom inevitably drops something on the floor, and Yuwen pretends to be offended for a second, but it’s all part of the fun.

• Every now and then, the whole crew gets together for impromptu jam sessions. Yuwen and Laurie jam out, Rochelle messes with the keys, and Taylor makes her best attempts at base, usually to hilarious results. Kai’s the quiet observer, though she’ll occasionally bust out a mean air guitar. Tom is Hype Man. If Ira's around, they have a drummer!

• Their group chat is always buzzing with memes and tons of voice notes. Tom sends the most absurd shit and Yuwen drops the occasional heartwarming message like, “You all did great today. Keep going.” Kai never answers but will react with emojis. Laurie can't have her phone out during school hours so shes always greeted with 200+ messages a day.

• They love their movie marathons. Whether it’s horror movies that Tom can’t actually handle or cheesy rom-coms that make everyone but Laurie groan, it’s the kind of tradition where they talk through the entire thing. They all also are addicted to Letterboxd.

• The gang has this unspoken tradition of sneaking out after curfew to go for late-night walks around the neighborhood. It’s one of those moments where, away from all the noise, they can just talk about their fears, hopes, and dreams.

• On warm nights, the crew all gathers around a fire pit, roasting marshmallows and talking about everything and nothing. Laurie and Yuwen have their Camp Rock moment. Tom accidentally burns a marshmallow every single time.

• Before every big game, they all gather for a group “ritual” where they do something silly. Laurie HAS to be included or it's gonna fail.

• If one of the crew gets in trouble (like getting a bad grade, having a personal issue, or anything else), the rest of the group comes together to take turns keeping them company or helping out. Even if it’s something small, they all back each other up. No one ever feels alone.

• Sometimes Laurie will randomly sing songs she’s written on the fly. She’s got this one song, just for the group, that makes them all tear up every time she sings it. Their anthem.

• At some point, they all agree to designate one person’s house as the official “hangout spot,” where they can come over, raid the kitchen, and use the living room as a “chill zone.” For now, that place is Tom’s house, where the basement is permanently claimed as the clubhouse.

LAURIE/YUWEN HEADCANONS

• After long days of school, they’ll take late-night drives around town, blasting their favorite music, and just talking about random stuff. Sometimes, it’s quiet, and sometimes they’ll sing along to a song together.

• Laurie helps Yuwen open up about his feelings, while Yuwen pushes Laurie to be more confident in herself. 

• When Yuwen gets stressed (especially when it comes to baseball), Laurie’s there to calm him down. She’ll play him a quiet song or just let him vent.

• They’re so comfortable with each other that they occasionally catch each other off-guard with little surprises.

• very now and then, Laurie and Yuwen will have moments where they get serious and ask “we need to talk.” It’s never about anything bad, more about bruised feelings or a worry. They work it out every time.

• Laurie makes him a surprise playlist of songs that remind her of him, and he quietly slips a letter into her locker one day, telling her how much she means to him, but they have not said the L word yet.

• When Laurie gets nervous about performing, Yuwen will quietly remind her that he's there for her with three gentle squeezes on her hand, a reference to a song by Taylor Swift.

• When Yuwen is frustrated with his game or school, Laurie will secretly leave him little notes in his locker.

• Laurie isn’t always one for PDA, but she's always there. Whether it’s quietly fixing Yuwen's eye black before a game or spending hours tutoring him, she shows affection in subtle ways.

• Their first kiss was at a group hangout, and they accidentally ended up standing alone by the bonfire. Neither of them meant to lean in. Yuwen did say Victory Royale out loud after. Laurie threatened a breakup (JOKE of course).

• They both secretly have a song that reminds them of each other. They’ll occasionally text each other song lyrics to make the other person smile. Songs to be revealed later.

• Laurie’s dad actually knew the whole time that she and Yuwen were together, but he never mentioned it. He just waited for them to bring it up themselves. Yuwen, on the other hand, was so nervous about talking to him that he avoided any mention of their relationship, hoping her dad wouldn’t figure it out. Going to write this into a one-shot fic.