sovuckie

[sovuckie]

its heaviness is making me lose myself little by little

*

margaret atwood, november

[sovuckie]

my god, you're right. thank YOU for this

I’m begging you to write for yourself.

“But readers don’t like—“ who cares?

The only reader of your story that you should care about is yourself.

Do you like your story? Yes? Then it’s perfect.

[sovuckie]

"The Brothers Karamazov", Fyodor Dostoevsky (translated by Constance Garnett)

[sovuckie]

seeing them smile makes me so happy every time :(

JAMES and OLIVER PHELPS HARRY POTTER: WIZARDS OF BAKING S01E01 | "Platform 9 3/4"

[sovuckie]

this just healed something in me i didn't know needed to be healed

"The Brothers Karamazov", Fyodor Dostoevsky (translated by Constance Garnett)

[sovuckie]

seeing this pic of him is what i needed today </3

the man himself serving looks all around

[sovuckie]

inked.

a/n: hey y'all! this is my first fic on this account. just a fun little jj one shot - lmk what you think!! (gif not mine - credits to the creator)

pairing: jj maybank x reader

summary: you and jj have been dating secretly for half a year, and a small question about a mysterious new tattoo leads to his friends finding out about the two of you.

word count: 2.8k

warnings: fluff/humor, marijuana use, implied sexual content, I think that's it

JJ’s not the greatest at dates, and he’s aware of that. But when it comes to you, he’s decided to step up his game, and that’s why he took the initiative to take you to Charleston for your birthday. While he currently can’t afford to spring for an elaborate dinner at a pricey restaurant, he’s trying to make tonight something special. Usually, you’re the one who has to pick up the slack when it comes to romance—though you’re not great at it either—but he figured that since it’s your birthday, all the planning should be his responsibility.

And so far it’s been great.

Walking hand-in-hand down the cobblestone streets of Charleston, you can feel how much freer JJ is when he can take you out somewhere people won’t recognize you. It’s been hard keeping such a big part of his life a secret from his friends for so long, but he doesn’t want to push it too far. You’re what he calls ‘kook-like,’ since you’re from Figure Eight but you went to the local public school instead. And while you never really interacted back in high school, JJ doesn’t want to have to explain to his friends everything about your relationship. It’s private, and though he knows he’ll confide in the Pogues at some point, he’s just not there yet. And thankfully, it doesn’t seem to bother you.

It’s been silent for a while, but not uncomfortable. You just enjoyed a delicious meal that JJ had to fight with you to pay the bill over, and you feel calm. Peaceful. Outside of the Outer Banks, there are no kooks and no pogues, just the two of you. 

Choosing to break the silence, you voice your inner thoughts. “It’s nice to not have to worry about running into people we know, you know?”

JJ nods. “Yeah, it’s nice to know that I can kiss you without being afraid of being punched by Topper,” he teases.

You chuckle at his comment before pulling him to a stop. “You said you’d never bring it up!”

“Hey, he’s your ex-boyfriend,” JJ retorts, pointing at your chest.

“Hardly. We dated for two weeks when I was fourteen. And it’s still my greatest shame.”

“I thought I was your greatest shame.”

You roll your eyes, knowing he’s joking. “Never.” As he leans in to kiss you, you can swear that you’ve never felt lighter. You’re a bit tipsy from the drinks at dinner and JJ has a sparkle in his eyes that’ll never stop making you smile. 

His lips press to yours, and you swear you know what the romantic comedies mean when they talk about fireworks. It’s nothing too heated—you’re standing on a sidewalk and you’re not that crazy—but it’s special and passionate. Your lips are a perfect fit for one another, and if you don’t pull away soon you know you’ll get swept up in it.

Knowing JJ has other plans for the two of you, you break away from the kiss and wrap your arms around his shoulders. “Alright, so what’s next on the agenda, Jayj?”

And that’s when you spot it—the signature twinkle in his eye that only shines when he has something a little bit crazy planned.

“Oh no…” you protest in preparation for whatever’s about to come out of his mouth.

“Okay, it’s just a crazy idea I had and it’s totally up to you. We don’t have to do it, but I think it would be fun.”

“What?” you ask. He unwraps your hands from his shoulders before grasping one of them in his own again, and starts to guide you down the street. “JJ, where are you taking me?”

“You’ll see.” He winks, and at that point you decide to just let him lead you wherever. You know he’d never put you in danger, and he’s safely gotten you out of your comfort zone many times before, so you’re sure that it can’t be too bad. Right?

As the two of you walk down the street hand-in-hand, your mind wanders. You’ve accepted your fate, but where could JJ possibly be taking you? And before your mind settles on a single answer, he pulls you to a stop in front of a little brick-walled building. ‘Inks Tattoo Parlor,’ the sign reads.

“Okay, I know it might be a crazy JJ idea,” he starts.

“I’m glad you’re self-aware,” you retort.

He rolls his eyes. “Just hear me out. I know we haven’t been dating for long and maybe I had too many drinks at dinner but I know you’re it for me. We’re young and I know we haven’t talked about marriage and I know we’re nowhere near there yet—”

“JJ, just breathe,” you say to comfort him, squeezing his hand in reassurance.

“Well, basically, I love you. Like a lot. Like more than I ever thought I could, and I think I want a tattoo of your initials on my ass.”

And then you give him the weirdest expression he’s ever seen. He can’t tell if he’s scared you off or turned you on or maybe both. But slowly, a smile makes its way onto your face.

“Okay, well, number one: this is definitely a crazy JJ idea,” you start. “But crazy JJ ideas are part of why I fell in love with you, and it’s your ass—you can do whatever you want with it. Frankly, I’m honored.”

He smashes his lips to yours and you kiss him back, chuckling against his lips. “Oh, babe, by the way, this ass belongs to you, too.” You playfully swat his chest, and his smile only grows.

You don’t know if the drinks from dinner are finally getting to you or you’re just on a high from spending so much quality time with your boyfriend, but as you and JJ wait for him to get tattooed, your mind starts to wonder if maybe you should get one as well. 

After the tattoo artist finishes up with his previous client, you get up from where you were waiting next to JJ and look at the intricate designs on the wall. “Hey, Jayj?”

“What’s up?” he asks, looking up from his phone.

“What do you think of this font?”

JJ squints before deciding he might as well come over to get a better look. Standing behind you, he rests his head on your shoulder and examines what you’ve been pointing to. 

“It’s alright, but not my thing,” he responds, as he wraps his arms around your waist. “Plus I think I’m just gonna stick with something simple. No twirly shit.”

You chuckle at his description of the font. “I didn’t mean for your tattoo, Jayj. I meant for me.” And that catches him off guard. 

Unraveling his arms from around your waist, he moves to stand in front of you. “You’re getting a tattoo?” he questions. 

A bit annoyed at his disbelief, you roll your eyes. “Why is that such a big deal?” 

Racking his head for an answer that won’t make him sound like a dick, the best he comes out with is “well, it’s just not very… you.” 

“Maybe that’s the point.” 

JJ lifts his hands in defeat. “Hey, it’s your body. Your body, your choice, and all that, or whatever.” You chuckle at his wording. “What would you even get?” 

“JJ, duh.”

His eyes widen. “You’re not serious.”

“Why not?”

He stares at you for a minute, looking deep into your eyes, trying to see if you’re joking with him, but he can’t seem to find any nervousness. “Well damn. Where are you gonna get it? And don’t say your ass because that would just be copying me.”

You roll your eyes. “No, I was thinking on my hip, right above my bikini line, you know? And it wouldn't be big or anything, just two J’s. No extra swirls or details or whatever.”

JJ puts his hand to his chin as if he needs to think it over, before stepping as close to you as possible and whispering in your ear, “that’s kinda hot, honestly.” He punctuates his comment with a kiss on the inside of your neck, and before you can do anything more you hear a clearing of breath from the tattoo artist.

“You’re up next.” 

The two of you break apart from one another as if you’re fifteen and you’ve just been caught making out by the lockers during class time. JJ winks at you before laying down on the cot. “Alright, man, tat my ass up.” 

Two weeks later…

“Kie!”

“Wake up!”

“Get up, Kie!”

“You’ve gotta see this!”

“Alright, I’m up!” Kiara relents, rolling her eyes as she wakes up from a heavenly nap in the hammock on the employees-only floor of the tackle and bait shop. “This better be an emergency.”

Sarah, John B., Pope, and Cleo squint a bit at her casual threat. “Okay, so it’s not exactly an emergency,” John B. clarifies. But before Kiara can object again, he explains, “JJ has an ass tat!”

“What?” Kiara asks, still a bit dizzy from her nap.

“JJ has a tattoo on his ass,” Pope clarifies proudly, and Cleo rolls her eyes in response.

“I know what an ass tat is, thank you very much,” Kiara bites back. “And why do we care that JJ has one? And also, how do you know that he has one?”

“Okay, well, you know how sometimes JJ doesn’t wear underwear?” John B. asks.

“Gross, but yes, I think we’re all unfortunately aware after the regrettable cliff diving incident last July.” Everyone shudders in horror at the memory. 

“We care because it’s not something JJ-y,” Sarah explains. “He has a tattoo of someone’s initials!”

“And it’s not like JJ to, you know, ink anything remotely sentimental on himself. To be honest, I was surprised he didn’t get a joint tattooed on his ass first,” Pope elaborates.

“Well, what are the initials?”

“Y/I. And I can’t think of anyone with those initials.” John B. answers.

Now invested in the mystery of JJ’s ass tat, Kiara concentrates, trying to think of who she might know with those initials. Coming up with nothing, she asks, “Are we sure it’s not just something stupid?”

“Come on, Kie. It’s JJ. If there’s anything we’re sure about, it’s that there was a high level of stupidity involved in this decision,” Pope answers.

“Fair point,” Kiara concedes. “How did you even see the tattoo?”

“John B. walked in on him sleeping butt naked,” Sarah confesses. He shoots her a look, and she smirks. “I’m just glad you didn’t find it cuter than mine.” John B. rolls his eyes in response, and Sarah chuckles.

“Never,” he says, before kissing her on the lips.

“Gross!” Pope interjects.

Elsewhere on the island, you and JJ are enjoying a day at your favorite secluded part of the beach. The waves never get especially big here so you’re not crowded by surfers, but it’s a nice area to get away from it all and simply relax with one another. 

You’re lounging on a towel, letting your back tan, as you engross yourself in your current book. Right next to you, JJ sits shirtless on his towel as he does whatever on his phone. It’s been relatively quiet for a while until you sense your boyfriend starting to stir.

You glance over at JJ only to see him typing incessantly on his phone. 

“Babe?” 

“Yo,” he says in acknowledgment, but without looking up from his screen.

You roll your eyes and move over onto his towel, making yourself comfortable behind his bare, sun-tanned back. Looking over his shoulder, you try to make out what he could possibly be doing.

Wrapping your hands around his stomach, you feel his abs tense under your fingers. “What’s going on?”

“I think our cover might be blown,” he answers, placing his hand above his phone so you can see the messages in the blaring sun. 

John B.: Please tell me she’s not a kook.

Sarah: Hey 🙁

Cleo: We want to meet her!

Pope: How did you convince her to go out with you? Is she being held against her will?

Kie: I stfg JJ if you don’t just tell us her name.

Sarah: We’re at the usual surf spot on the beach, bring her over!

Pope: You have to come now because I need proof that a real human woman agreed to go out with you. Also if she doesn’t exist then JB owes me fifty bucks.

“Your friends are funny,” you say into his ear, and he smiles wide.

“So, what do you say? Do you want to meet them? I know we’ve kept this thing a secret but I guess it’s pointless now.” 

“I’d love to meet them,” you respond, giving him a quick kiss on the cheek before standing up and packing your book, towel, and your cover-up into your bag. 

Once you’re all packed, he grabs your hand and pulls you into his chest. “Thanks for doing this, babe.” He lightly presses his lips to yours.

“Don’t thank me, I can’t wait to meet your friends and hear all the embarrassing stories you haven’t told me. And of course I’ll have to share some of my own in return.” You return his kiss, and for a few seconds the two of you just stand there, kissing under the hot sun. His tongue makes its way into your mouth, and you tug on his messy blonde strands in response. He moans into the kiss, but before it can get too heated, you pull away. “As much as I love this, if we don’t stop, I don’t think we’ll make it in time to meet your friends.”

“Who cares about them?” he jokes, before pressing his lips to you again. And then, in signature JJ fashion, he grabs your bag in one hand and tosses you over his shoulder.

You shriek in response. “JJ put me down!”

“You’re the one who wanted to hurry. I’m just making sure you don’t get distracted.” As he walks you to his truck, you giggle at being held upside down, swatting his butt playfully. 

Meeting his friends goes great, and you easily fall into a rhythm with Sarah, Kiara, and Cleo. John B.’s extra welcoming since your existence means that Pope now owes him fifty bucks, and by late afternoon you’re all relaxing around a bonfire. Gathered in a circle around the flames, you swap embarrassing JJ stories and enjoy just getting to know the Pogues. You pass around a joint, and a comfortable silence grows among the group, interspersed with a few chill conversations. Lounging in between JJ’s legs, his hands begin to wander before settling comfortably on your hips. 

He plays with the hem of your cover-up, pulling it up and down ever so slightly. Sarah sits next to you, tugged under John B.’s arm. She glances around the group before she notices a bit of ink along your bikini line. “Ooh, that’s such a cute spot for a tattoo, what is it?” she asks.

You feel your face warm and JJ shoves his head into your back, chuckling at the situation.

The rest of the group looks confused at JJ’s reaction, and now everyone’s attention is on the both of you. Realizing there’s no way out of this, you meet JJ’s fingers at your hip and ever-so-slightly move the string on your bikini bottom so that Sarah can make out what it says.

She squints. “Oh my god! You have JJ tattooed on you!” 

Everybody else’s eyes go wide and they all look at you in shock. 

“Really?” Pope asks, questioning your judgment, and Cleo slaps him in response. 

“Leave her alone, it’s cute.” 

You smile at Cleo in thanks, and JJ looks at Pope. “Pope, it’s like the hottest thing ever, I swear. The sex was great already, but now–” 

You cover JJ’s mouth with your hand in embarrassment, as John B. smirks in amusement. It’s silent for a second before JJ decides to lick your hand and you immediately pull away. “Ew!” you shout, and your boyfriend howls in amusement.

Standing up from between JJ’s legs, you wipe your wet hand on your cover-up, before tugging it off. “Anyways, I’m going to go for a final swim before the sun goes down completely. Anyone want to join?” 

“I just want to finish my beer, but I’ll join you in a minute,” Sarah answers, and you smile. Cleo and Kiara nod in agreement, and you make your way into the water. But before you can reach the ocean, JJ runs up to you and lifts you off the ground. You yelp at his antics, and again he lays you over his shoulder. He turns around to wave at the group as they laugh at the two of you.

The rest of the Pogues look on as JJ drops you into the water. “I can’t believe I’m saying this, but they might be perfect for each other,” Pope confesses.

Everyone nods in agreement. “They’re adorable,” Sarah adds. “Absolutely adorable.” 

so... please let me know what you think! I don't currently have a taglist, but if you'd like to be tagged in my next jj fic, please send me an ask :)))

[sovuckie]

Outer Banks prompt list (18+) ✉

Once a Pogue, always a Pogue.

“You know what I'll miss the most? Your hugs. They feel so warm.”

(tb to July 2024 when a kid said this to me on the last day of summer camp<3)

“You are just a little piece of shit.”

“I don't think I could have done this without you...”

“Please, please. Don't go. Don't leave me here!”

“God, you are so annoying.”

“You really have no idea, do you?”

“Why in the world would you ever like someone as fucked up as him?”

“I am sorry. I couldn't... I just couldn't control it.”

“What are you doing here?”

“No. I can't do it. I can't let you break my heart again.”

“I am not a Pogue. You know that.”

“Woah, I am surprised you were able to cover up that ugly face of yours.”

“When are you finally going to kiss me?"

“So you are in love with Sarah?”

“I think... I think I like girls. No, I like her. A lot.”

“Do you ever fucking grow up?”

“You are not the same as everyone else...”

“I am scared of you.”

“Oh my god. So this is who you have been cheating on me with the whole time?”

“I need your help, please.”

“Aha, I knew it.”

“Oh my god! This is it! Oh my goodness, guys!”

“I never stood a chance, did I?”

“I crave your affection, but I crave your silence even more. Oh god, just shut up.”

“I know it was a blatant lie when you told me you loved me. I knew it from the very beginning.”

“Got permission to kiss your beautiful lips?”

“You grew on me, alright? Did not mean to, but shit happened anyway.”

“Say one more thing and I'll set your fucking ass on fire.”

“Wow. You got me there.”

“You know what just ruined my day? Seeing your face.”

“I should have left you bleeding to death.”

“Why are you flirting with anyone you see?”

“I like looking at your stupid face.”

“Did I stutter?”

“I should have never saved you.”

“Care to tell me what's going on?”

“I didn't know I wasn't allowed to look at pretty girls.”

“There is just no way... me liking them? No. That's just... impossible.”

“I am so deeply grateful for you. And I am sorry I didn't tell you earlier.”

“You’re my family... you know that, right?”

“Oh okay, so now you're one of them too?”

“Every time I see you... my heart just aches for you, but I know it's not right. You're not right for me.”

“Oh shut up, you know I'm pretty, John B.”

“Are you okay? Your face seems a little red.”

“Remember when someone asked for your opinion? Well, me neither!”

“I will never be 'your woman'.”

“You think you can outsmart me?”

“I'd give up anything to kill you right here and right now.” - “Go on then. Choke the hell out of me, Rafe.”

“So what? You're diagnosing me with idiocy now and curing me all because you've got your fucking master's degree?”

“If I'd get a penny for every time you swear, I'd be rich now. Richer than the gold could ever make us.”

“I never thought I'd regret you so badly.”

“Just stay out of my business, pretty face.”

“Don't talk to me like that ever again.”

*gets caught by the police* “Uhh... yeah, you know, we were just- kissing! You know, we are teenagers who are lovey dovey with each other... and yeah, um-“

“Wooow! You are capable of shutting up! I am so proud of you.”

“Why do I always have to be the one to save you idiots?”

“You know what I would really enjoy right now? Throwing you out of the window.”

“I can't wait to get married to you.”

“Nothing that ever comes out of your mouth makes any sense. Except for your tongue. Especially when it's down here.”

“That's gonna be one of hell of a ride.”

“Look. At. Me.”

“Are you seeing what I am seeing? Oh bro, I need to wash my eyes with soap-”

“May I have this dance with you?”

“You are not my father!”

“I am sorry. I... I did it again.”

“You know, *name*... it's not nice to not let girls win. Because they'll do anything to make you lose the next time. I will ruin you.”

“I came down here so I could hear your voice.”

“And you call yourself an adult?”

“Holy shit! Shit- I'm gonna be a dad!”

“I wouldn’t be so sure of that, ma'am.”

“Do you wanna join us?”

“I can't do this without you.”

“I think I fell in love with a Kook.”

“Please, let me go...”

“Let me help you, please. Let me be here for you this time.”

“You make me sick to the stomach.”

“WHAT DID YOU DO?”

“No. I could never forgive you. No matter how hard you try.”

“So what, it's all my fault now?”

“You have to choose. You can't get both.”

“Yeah babygirl, let's do this one more time!”

“You look like you could use a drink.”

“What the fuck are you doing at my house?”

“It feels illegal to do this...”

“I thought we were friends.” - “I lied.”

“What is the point of trying if it just proves I'll never be good enough?”

“Funny. I didn't realize you and *name* had become so close. When did that happen?”

“Why did you wait with kissing me until they walked in?”

“So you're saying you want me, your most hated enemy, to help you catch some guy? Makes no sense.”

“I'll get it back for you. Don't worry.”

“I didn't want to learn a lesson. I didn't want them to be a lesson in not trusting people.”

“You’re not awful company when you're not trying to be shady or obnoxious.”

“Why are you still wearing the necklace they gave you weeks ago? You hate them.”

“Scoot over. I'm staying with you tonight.”

“You know what I'll miss the most? Your hugs. They feel so warm.”

“Hey hey, look at me. I accept you for who you are and I still love you deeply, even after knowing this. I love you even more now, actually.”

“Can you promise me with your crooked pinky finger?”

“Do you want to run away with me and never come back?”

“I told you to stay away from me! But you never listened. God!”

“Oh my god, rememher when you put your arm around me for the first time? I felt my knees buckle, that was so pathetic of me!”

“I want you around. If I didn't, I wouldn't be here, would I?”

[sovuckie]

this is exactly why I write in English

why do all the words sound heavier in my native language?

—  @metamorphesque, Yoojin Grace Wuertz (Mother Tongue), Still Dancing: An Interview With Ilya Kaminsky (by Garth Greenwell), Jhumpa Lahiri (Translating Myself and Others), @lifeinpoetry

[sovuckie]

The Things You Give Pt. 35

OH MY GOD I'm so sorry! I never intended for this to take as long as it did! I did work on it almost everyday, I promise! I just got caught up with work, baby, and then sickness! I hope ya'll didn't forget about me. To be fair, I did make this chapter super long because the next chapter will be the finale! I can't believe I've been doing this for three or four years, guys! It's been a wild ride and I enjoyed every minute of it. I hope you enjoy it! Leave a like and a comment if you kindly could. Thank you for the ride so far. You guys have been amazing <3

Steven sat right outside the room, hunched over in his seat while he fiddled with his wedding ring. He was trying his hardest to keep tears from surfacing and spilling over, but knowing that his wife was possibly dying, he couldn’t handle it. He hid his red rimmed eyes behind his aviators as he focused solely on his hands.

“Hey,” Red’s gentle voice pulled him out of his thoughts as he approached him.

“Hey,” Steven responded, voice gravelly and sniffed.

“Have you heard anything?”

He shook his head. “No, they’re still in there with her.”

“Have you seen the twins?”

“No, not yet. I haven’t gotten a chance to even hold them yet,” Steven responded, his voice growing weaker. “It all just happened so fast.”

“They’re in the nursery,” Red explained and gently sat next to Hyde. “They’re beautiful, Steven. Congratulations.”

“Don’t congratulate me if I’m about to become a widower.”

“C’mon,” Red said under his breath. “Nothing’s going to happen to her. She’s going to be okay.”

“You didn’t see her the way I did,” Steven whispered. “She became unconscious…so fast…I couldn’t even register what was happening.” He put his face in his hands and took a deep breath. “I can’t lose her, Red.”

Red placed a comforting hand on Steven’s shoulder and squeezed gently. “You’re not going to. She’s going to be just fine, son.”

“Yeah,” Steven said shortly and sniffed before reaching into his back pocket and pulling out his wallet. When he opened it up, he pulled out the polaroid picture from the day at the carnival all those months ago.

He stared down at picture, down at her beautiful face remembering that day. How he didn’t want that picture taken of them because he was afraid it would get published in the paper and everyone would find out. How stupid he was. If he knew then what he knows now, he wouldn’t have been so aloof about taking a stupid picture.

“You know I didn’t want to have this picture taken,” Steven told Red. “I was so afraid that we would get caught I didn’t want any ‘evidence’ of our relationship. Can you believe that?” he sniffed again. “I didn’t want any proof that we were together in fear of everyone finding out.” He shook his head and looked back down at the picture. “God, I was such an ass.”

Red looked down at the photo fondly and then back to his son-in-law. “Come take a walk with me.”

Hyde shook his head. “I need to be here when they come out.”

“This won’t take long.”

Hyde sniffed before nodding and stood. “Okay.”

Red led him down the hall and made a left. When Hyde looked up, he was staring through a window to a room full of babies. Some crying, some sleeping, and some lying there while staring up at the ceiling.

“Look, do you see them?” Red asked quietly, as if he was afraid that he was going to wake up the sleeping babies.

It took Hyde a minute, but after a bit of searching the room, he finally saw his babies laying in their own individual bassinets that were labeled “Baby Boy Hyde” and “Baby Girl Hyde.”

“Are those my—?”

“Those are your children,” Red answered with a certain adorning look in his eye.

“They’re amazing,” Steven whispered, feeling a lump form in his throat.

“They really are.”

“They look just like Y/n. We haven’t even named them yet. We didn’t get a chance to…”

Red placed a hand on his son-in-law’s shoulder. “You will. Together.”

Steven didn’t respond, but continued to stare at the miracle of his babies. He was completely awe struck by just looking at their features; he could see so much of his beautiful wife in them, but when he looked at his boy, he saw himself when he was baby. Edna hadn’t been a complete monster growing up. She had at least baby pictures of him scattered around the house—granted it wasn’t many, but she still had taken some of him when he was just a baby and he swore his son was a carbon copy of him.

But when he looked at his baby girl, all he saw was Y/n and oh, was she perfect.

He wasn’t sure how long he was standing there before Eric came up behind them.

“Hey, man, I heard about Y/n. Is she okay?!”

“I don’t know,” Hyde responded without looking up. “She’s still in surgery.”

“How long as she been in surgery?” Donna asked.

“Bout an hour,” Red answered.

“That’s a while,” Donna commented and placed a hand on Steven’s shoulder. “Are you doing okay?”

He shook his head and looked away from the babies. “No. No, I’m not.”

Before he let anyone say another word, he walked away to get back to the room he was waiting outside of.

After a minute of silence, Donna turned to the glass and laid eyes on the cutest babies she’s ever seen. “Oh, my God…are these the twins?”

“Yes, they are,” Red said proudly.

“They’re so tiny,” Donna whispered. “And cute. They’re so cute.”

Red and Eric quickly exchanged panicked glances.

“Uh, Donna…” Eric whined.

“I want one,” she said.

“CRAP!” Red and Eric said in unison.

                                                                           ∞∞∞

Hyde wasn’t sure how long he had been staring at the white wall ahead of him before it looked like it started to warp and move in front of him. He quickly rubbed at his eyes and sniffed before standing to start pacing.

How much longer was she going to be in there? Being in there for this long certainly couldn’t be a good sign if it has taken them over an hour to save her life.

“Steven,” another voice called from behind him.

When he turned, he rolled his eyes and turned back around. “Now’s not a good time, Edna.”

“I’m not here to start anything. I just want to be here for you and Y/n.”

“Sure, you are. How did you even find out? Did Mrs. Forman call you again?”

“No, I called the house phone and some loud-mouthed girl picked up.”

Hyde sighed and pinched the bridge of his nose. “Damn it, Jackie.”

“Look, it doesn’t matter. The only thing that matters is that I’m here and I can help.”

That made him turn sharply towards her. “Help with what, exactly? I don’t know if you remember, but you weren’t exactly ‘helpful�� raising me.”

“Oh, Steven, let’s not hash out the past.”

“Okay, I’m not having this conversation with you in the middle of the hospital. You can go now.”

“But Steven—”

“I said go,” he said sternly, this time making direct eye contact with her. “I don’t know what you think I mean when I say I don’t want you in mine or my children’s lives, but it sure as hell doesn’t mean to stay. I will not allow you to treat my family the same way you treated me.”

“But that’s why I’m here—to make things right!”

Steven was about to open his mouth to respond, only to be cut off by Dr. Lee walking up to him. “Mr. Hyde?”

He spun so fast to meet the doctor. “Yes?”

“They’re finished if you want to come to see her.”

“Is she okay?”

The doctor gave him a gentle smile. “She’s going to be fine. She’s still out of it from the anesthesia but you’re welcome to come see her.”

“Yeah, one second,” he said and turned back to Edna. “You wanna make things right? Stay out of my life.”

He didn’t wait for her to answer as he turned back around and followed the doctor, leaving a quiet and irritated Edna.

Once they reached the room, the doctor stopped him from entering.

“Before you go in, there’s some things we’d like you to know.”

“Okay?”

“She lost a lot of blood while in the OR,” Dr. Lee said. “While she is stable, she’s going to take some time to recover. So, any nausea, lightheadedness, or dizzy is normal. Definitely will feel weakness. She may feel anxious, but I assure you this is all completely normal. We have her hooked up with fluids to help the recovery process speed up.

“But the biggest thing I wanted to explain is: if you two decide to get pregnant again, there is a chance this could happen again. Especially, if she gets pregnant right after this birth.”

“Are you saying she could possibly die next time?” Hyde whispered, his heart pounding.

“That is always a possibility,” Dr. Lee answered carefully. “But not always either. The next pregnancy could be fine and ideal, but we do need to be aware of the risks for next time.”

He nodded. “Okay.”

“And we’ll bring the babies once she’s awake and alert.”

“Of course. Thank you,” he said under his breath and quietly let himself in the room. Seeing the love of his life lay there unconscious made him feel weak in the knees as he approached her. Seeing her chest move from her gently breathing brought a huge wave of relief as he listened to her heart monitor give out a steady beep.

He took a seat next to her and clasped his hands together, resting his chin against his fist. This reminded him of the first time she was in the hospital, right after she collapsed in the driveway. He was there for her, too. Now, she lays once again in another hospital bed after nearly knocking on death’s door.

A sharp breath through the nose made Hyde’s attention snap towards her. She was finally waking up.

“Steven?”

“Oh, my God, Y/n,” Steven said, nearly choking and quickly grabbed her hand.

“How are the babies?” she asked, groggily.

“They’re great,” he responded, fighting back tears. “They’re really, really great.”

She smiled sleepily at him. “What do they look like?”

“Well,” he started and swallowed hard. “Our daughter looks just like you—beautiful,” he responded, caressing her head. “And our son, I see a lot of me.”

She chuckled lightly. “So, he’s handsome just like his daddy.”

He chuckled with her and kissed her forehead. “I guess you can say that.”

“I want to see them.”

“Y-yeah, of course you’ll see them. They’ll bring them in a second. We just need to have the drugs wear off first. You lost a lot of blood.”

“Well, that explains why I feel like crap.” She sighed and winced when she tried to sit herself up.

“Whoa, take it easy. I got you,” Hyde said gently and helped her sit up. “You’re going to be a little out of it until the anesthesia wears off.”

“’A little out of it’ is putting it lightly,” she responded and leaned against the bed. “How’re you doing?”

Hyde scoffed at her. “I should be asking you that. You just pushed out two people and lost a lot of blood in the process.”

“Well, I’m fine, but I want to know how my husband doing.”

Hyde sighed and grabbed her hand, kissing it. “Better now.”

“Better now?” she repeated.

“How do you expect me to react when my wife was dying?”

“Oh, Steven, I’m so sorry,” she whispered and rubbed his hand.

“Don’t be. It’s not your fault.” He was quiet for a second, avoiding her eyes. “But there is something I need to tell you.”

Y/n’s face fell at his seriousness, her heart dropping. “What?”

He sighed before continuing. “My mom is here.”

She closed her eyes and sighed in relief. “That’s it? I thought there was something wrong with the babies.”

“No, no,” he chuckled, relieved that she wasn’t upset. “I just wanted to warn you in case she came in.”

“How did she find out?”

“She called the house.”

Y/n sighed. “Jackie.”

“Yep,” he responded. “But I sent her away.”

“Well, if you think that’s best.”

“It is,” he said firmly. “I don’t need her stressing you out while you’re in this state.”

“I’m surprised she even showed up.”

“Yeah,” he chuckled. “Same here. She couldn’t bother herself to show up to my graduation, let alone my entire upbringing, but she’ll show up for our children.”

“Maybe she wants to do things differently,” Y/n defended gently.

He shrugged. “That’s what she said, but I don’t know. Not that it matters. Right now, I just want to focus on you and the babies.”

Y/n hummed and grabbed his hand. “You know…we still have names to think of.”

He smiled gently at her, rubbing circles with his thumb on her hand. “I think I’ve got an idea.”

                                                            --Meanwhile-

“Have you heard from Y/n’s doctor?” Kitty asked Red as they sat in the waiting room. She checked her watch. “It’s been a while.”

When Red didn’t respond, Kitty looked over to her husband who was asleep in the chair next to her, snoring.

“Red!”

“What?!” he startled awake.

“How can you be sleeping at a time like this?”

“Kitty, she’s fine,” he grunted as he sat up in his chair. “The doctor came out and confirmed it. Steven is with her right now.”

“What’s even worse is that their friends couldn’t even be here to make sure she’s okay!” Kitty continued.

“Kitty, it’s two o’ clock in the morning, it’s okay that they went home to get some rest. Which we should do, too.”

“I’m not leaving until I see my baby and meet my grandbabies,” she said stubbornly.

“Hey, do either of you have any cash for the vending machine?” Eric asked.

“Sorry, my cash is reserved for those that are staying in the country,” Kitty responded.

Eric groaned. “Are we going to do this now?”

“No better time while we wait!” Kitty answered. “Why Africa? Why do you have to leave?”

“You know why, Mom.”

“No! No, I don’t! You’re leaving behind not only me and your father, but your sisters and now niece and nephew! You’re going to miss so much!”

“What do you expect me to do, huh?” Eric asked, feeling exhausted and frustrated. “Put my entire life on hold because you don’t want me to leave Point Place?”

“Well, no,” she responded, sputtering a bit. “I just mean…you can have your life here in Point Place.”

“What life?!” Eric almost shouted. “There’s nothing for me here. This town doesn’t offer me anything. If I want to do anything with my life I need to leave.”

“This town has been home to you for almost nineteen years. You need to respect it.”

“Respect what?” he challenged. “Just because I was born and raised here means I’m bounded here? I’m not going to stay stuck here just because you feel like I should feel obligated to stay here!” It was quiet between them for a second before Eric spoke up again, pinching the bridge of his nose. “I want to do bigger things than this town can offer. I can’t grow here if I don’t. It’s not like I’m leaving and never coming back. I can always come back. But I’m not going to know what’s out there for me if I don’t leave.”

Kitty opened her mouth to respond when Hyde popped around the corner, exhausted, but upbeat.

“Steven? Is everything okay?” Kitty asked, pushing past Eric. “Please tell me it is.”

He smiled tiredly at her. “Yeah, everyone is great.”

“Oh, good,” she sighed in relief.

“Did you guys want to meet them?”

Kitty’s eyes lit up. “Really?”

“Yeah,” he said, smiling.

“What kind of twins are they?” Red asked, beginning to feel excited.

“A boy and a girl.”

“Oh, my God!” Kitty almost exclaimed and turned to Eric. “Just like you guys!”

“Come on, I can’t wait for you to meet them,” Steven responded and led them back to the room.

                                          --A few minutes later—

Y/n sat in the bed holding her newborns in each arm, staring at them in awe when the door quietly opened.

“Hey,” Kitty, Red, and Eric all greeted gently as they entered the room.

“I hope it’s okay that we’re all here,” Kitty said.

“Of course. Come on in,” Y/n practically whispered, grinning from ear to ear.

As the new grandparents and uncle neared closer to the babies, they could all feel their hearts begin to swell.

“Oh, my God,” Kitty whispered, putting her purse down beside the bed. “They are so beautiful.”

“Thank you,” Y/n beamed and looked up to Steven who had seated himself beside her on the bed and looked down fondly on his new family.

“How’re you feeling, kiddo?” Red asked.

“I’m okay,” Y/n answered honestly. “Sore, exhausted, but I’m okay. I’m just happy that they’re here.” She looked down to her children and smiled as they grunted and cooed at her. “I’m so in love.”

“Can I hold one of them?” Kitty asked, fighting back tears.

“Yeah, of course,” Y/n answered. “You can take her.”

Kitty sniffed and gingerly picked up her granddaughter in her arms. “She’s perfect. What’re their names?”

“Well,” Y/n started. “We decided to name her Katerina Donna.”

“Katerina?” Kitty asked, her eyes widening.

Y/n nodded. “We thought the nickname ‘Kat’ fit her nicely.”

“Oh,” Kitty sighed, tears starting to form at the corner of her eyes. “Just like Kitty.”

“And of course, Donna, because she’s so great and the godmother,” Y/n finished.

“That’s beautiful, honey,” Red said, resting a hand on his wife’s shoulder as he looked down to his granddaughter.  

“Y/n, Donna is going to love that,” Eric said, looking down at his new niece.

“And the little tyke?” Red asked.

“Leonard ‘Leo’ Reginald Hyde,” Steven responded, watching Red’s expression carefully.

Red snapped his gaze to his daughter and son-in-law. “Really?”

Hyde nodded. “I thought we would honor the people that stepped in and helped me when I needed it the most.”

Red could feel his eyes starting to get misty, but he cleared his throat and sniffed before pulling Steven into a hug. “Thank you.”

“Yeah…well,” Steven sniffed and cleared his throat.

“Can I hold him?” Red asked.

Y/n nodded, smiling wide, and handed her son over to her father who was fighting tears back.

“Wow,” he whispered, a proud smile beaming his face.

“I know,” Kitty choked out without looking up. “They’re perfect.”

“Okay, okay, my turn,” Eric said and turned to Kitty. “Can I hold her?”

She handed Katerina to Eric’s welcoming arms. “Hey, little baby,” he cooed. “You’re so cute.”

She looked up at him with a familiar looking grumpy face. Eric chuckled.

“Y/n, she has your grumpy face,” he laughed gently.

“Oh, no, we’re in trouble,” Y/n joked and leaned over to look at her daughter.

Suddenly, the door opened, revealing the nurse. “Hello,” she greeted. “Don’t mind me, I’m just here to check everyone’s vitals.”

“Alright, we’ll leave you guys alone,” Kitty said as Red and Eric set down the babies in the basinets.

“We’ll come by later,” Eric informed. “I have to anyway. I’m getting my shots for Africa.”

“Oh, that’s right,” Y/n responded, slightly disappointed. “You’re still going, huh?”

“Just for a little while. It’s not like it’s forever,” Eric said, trying his best to comfort his sister.

“We can have this conversation later. The new family needs to rest,” Kitty said, ushering everyone out. “Love you, sweetie. We’ll see you guys in a few hours.”

Y/n nodded before leaning back and allowing the nurse to do what she needed, while all concealing the hurt she was feeling.

                                        --Later That Day—

“You guys aren’t going to believe this!” Jackie exclaimed excitedly as she skipped into the basement where Eric, Donna, and Kelso were hanging out. Markus was right behind her, however, looking unhappy and disappointed. “I got offered a job in Chicago!”

“What?” Eric and Donna asked unison.

“Why were you offered a job in Chicago?” Donna asked.

“Well, you remember that tv show I did a while back?” Jackie began to explain and sat down on the adjacent chair from the couch.

“The incredibly degrading one? That I, for whatever reason, helped you air? Yeah, I remember,” Donna replied.

“Well, a station in Chicago reached out to me saying they loved my public access show and wants to offer me a position over there.”

“No way, that’s awesome,” Eric said. “Are you going to take it?”

“Well, that’s the problem,” she continued. “Markus doesn’t know if he can come with me.”

“What do you mean? Why not?” Eric asked.

“I have my family here,” Markus answered. “I mean we moved here to be closer to my grandparents who aren’t doing too well. They need my help.”  

“And I told you we can do long distance,” Jackie said, a little frustrated.

“And I said that long distances rarely work out,” he responded, matching her frustration.

“This sounds like a couple problem. So, if you two don’t mind…” Eric said, and waved his hand towards the door.

Jackie rolled her eyes. “Shut up, Eric.” She turned back to Markus. “Look, baby, I already told you the one thing that can make me stay.”

“Jackie, we’ve only been going out for a few months. How can you expect me to marry you?”

“Because I love you…” Jackie whispered in disappointment.

“Oh, this is serious,” Eric mumbled to Donna.

“Yeah, we should probably go,” Donna responded and followed Eric up the stairs.

“Markus, this is my dream,” Jackie continued. “But you are the most important thing in the world to me. I’m willing to give it all up and stay here with you, but I need to know that we have a future together.”

“Jackie, I thought we agreed not to talk about our future right now,” Markus said. “Look, I love you too, but we haven’t even been going out for a full year. If we can find a place here first and live together for a while, then—”

“I might never get another opportunity like this again,” she argued, standing up. “The future is happening now, Markus, and the station needs an answer by noon on Sunday. And so do I.”

Markus stood across from her with his hands on his hips. “You already have your answer…you’re just not willing to accept it.”

It was silent between them as Jackie didn’t know what to say next.

“If I may,” Kelo said, opening the door. “Offer some advice: RUN!”

                                              --The Next Day—

Y/n and Steven relaxed quietly in their hospital room, one each carrying a twin.

“I still think Katerina looks more like you than me,” Y/n said.

“Not when she is as beautiful as you,” he responded cheekily.

“You’re just trying to butter me up so that I don’t tear you a new one for almost missing the birth of your children.”

“No, I wasn’t, but have I mentioned how gorgeous you look today, Darling?” he asked, batting his eyes at her.

She squinted her eyes at him. “Can it, Hyde.” She couldn’t help the small laugh that erupted from her. “It’s okay. You ended up making it on time anyway.”

Steven let out a breath of relief he didn’t know he was holding. “So, we’re good?”

“Yeah, we’re good,” she responded. “Although—”

“Crap!”

A knock on the door interrupted their conversation—and Hyde was grateful for it.

“Come in,” they said in unison.

Donna peeked her head. “Hey, you guys,” she said gently. “Is this a good time?”

“Yeah, it’s perfect, come on in,” Y/n said and look down to Kat. “You wanna meet your Auntie Donna?”

“And Auntie Jackie!” Jackie announced. “And I come bearing gifts!”

“Jackie, I thought we agreed that you can’t talk around the babies,” Hyde said, irritated.

“What? We didn’t have that conversation,” she said, confused.

“Oh, sorry, I meant to,” Steven mumbled. “I decided to make a rule. No talking around the babies.”

“Well, then, how are we ever going to talk?”

“We don’t. In fact, why don’t we get started right now and you be quiet and just leave, yeah?” Hyde asked.

“Steven,” Y/n chided. “Come on in, guys.”

“Wow,” the two girls squealed gently as to not wake the babies.

“Oh, my God you guys!” Jackie gushed. Her eyes landed on Steven who was gently cradling his son’s body to his own. Something about the image in front of her made her smile. “I knew you could do it.”

“Do what?” Hyde asked.

“Be a dad,” Jackie said. “I always knew you were going to be a good one.”

“Jackie, I’ve only been a dad for a day and a half.”

Jackie shrugged. “Pretty sure a bad dad doesn’t look at his kid like that.”

Before Hyde could respond, Donna cut in. “So, what kind of twins are they? And what are their names?”

“That’s a boy,” Y/n responded, pointing to her son. “His name is Leonard ‘Leo’ Reginald.” Donna and Jackie awed and cooed at the name.

“I bet your dad loved that,” Donna said.

“He did,” Y/n said and pointed to her daughter. “And this is a girl, Katerina Donna.”

“Katerina Do—did you name her after me?” Donna asked, choking up.

Tears started to well in Y/n’s eyes as she nodded. “Yeah. You’ve been like a sister to me this whole time, even before all this.”

“Oh, my God, Y/n!” Donna sobbed and squeezed her arms Y/n’s shoulders.

“Um, WHAT?!” Jackie shrieked.

“Ow, Jackie, please. I don’t want my babies’ hearing to be affected by your shrilly voice,” Hyde snarked.

“What the hell is this, Y/n?” Jackie demanded. “Why didn’t you name your daughter after me? What’s wrong with Jackie? It’s a beautiful name for a beautiful girl!”

“Well, thank you for thinking my daughter is beautiful, but—”

“I’m not talking about her, I’m talking about me!” Jackie cut in. “I’m the beautiful girl with a stunning name! You should be grateful I allow myself to be seen with you.”

Y/n looked at her, unimpressed. “Yes, I am so, so lucky,” she deadpanned. “Jackie, Donna and I have been friends forever. And she’s been there for me for years. She’s family at this point.”

“You’re acting like I haven’t done stuff for you either!”

“You have, but—”

“Ah, to hell with you!” Jackie snapped and stormed out. “Last time I’m nice to any of you!”

As she slammed the door, Y/n turned to her best friend and husband. “This whole time she thinks she was being nice?! That’s her being NICE?!”

                                      --Two Days Later--

“Red, what’re you doing sitting down?” Kitty asked as she walked in the kitchen.

Red was sitting in his green chair, peacefully watching TV. “How else am I supposed to watch the Packers game?”

“We’re going to go see Y/n and Steven in the hospital. Why are you watching the game?”

“We just got back three hours ago and you want to go back?”

Kitty placed her fists on her hips. “Yes! You act like it’s such an inconvenience to go see your daughter and her children.”

“It’s not that. It’s just..I…” Red stuttered. “They’re down five to two and I need to see them win.”

“Red!”

“Ugh! Fine!” he groaned and turned off the TV while glaring at his wife. “But if they lose, I’m blaming you!”

“Yeah, yeah, it’s my fault,” Kitty grumbled, rolling her eyes and turned to get her purse. “I want to get there at a decent time before the parking lot gets too full—”

The front door opened suddenly, revealing Y/n and Hyde walking through.

“Hi!” Y/n sang-song as she held one car seat and Hyde held the other.

“Oh, my gosh!” Kitty yelped in surprise and practically jumped on Y/n with a hug. “What’re you guys doing home so early? Here, let me take—which one is this?”

“Leo,” Y/n answered and handed the car seat to her mom. “They were going to keep us for a couple more days, but we were all doing so well I requested we come home.”

“Oh, honey, you both look exhausted. Have you gotten any sleep?” Kitty asked.

“Well, it’s a hospital,” Steven explained. “If you expect to get any sleep, might as well get a hotel room.”

“That would’ve been nice,” Y/n commented. “I just want to go upstairs and sleep for twenty hours.”

“Well, why don’t you?” Kitty asked.

“What?” Y/n and Red asked. Y/n shocked, Red pissed that he’d be having to help Kitty watch babies instead of watching the game.

“You’re going to need all the energy to raise these babies. Let me help,” Kitty offered. “Really, it’s okay.”

Hyde and Y/n looked at each other with exhaustion and relief.

Y/n shrugged, nodding. “That does sound nice.”

“Okay, well, go take a couple hour nap and Red and I will watch the babies.”

Y/n hugged her mom. “Thanks, Mom.”

“Thank you, Mrs. Forman,” Steven said and kissed her on the cheek. “We’ll only be a couple hours.”

“It better be,” Red piped up and held up his wrist, staring at his watch. “I’m counting down starting…now.”

“Oh, Dad,” Y/n chuckled.

“Now, you have an hour and fifty-nine minutes left.”

“Dad, come on.”

“Fifty-eight!”

“Okay, okay, we’re going!” Hyde said and directed Y/n and himself upstairs to their bedroom.

                                      --Two Days Later—

“Good morning,” Kitty greeted everyone as she walked in the kitchen. Y/n and Steven had been sat at the table since before the sun came up, feeding the babies, Red was sitting at the table reading the daily paper and Eric had just walked in a few minutes prior, bright eyed and bushy tailed.

“Morning,” the Hydes greeted sleepily as they each held a feeding baby.

“How’d you two sleep?” Kitty asked, grabbing a cup of coffee.

Y/n was so tired that she barley could form a sentence, so all she could do was grunt in response and blink slowly.

“I heard the little rascals screaming so cutely all night,” Red responded with a forced smile.

“Really? I slept like, well, like a baby,” Eric laughed and stretched his arms above his head.

“Shut up, Forman,” Hyde grumbled before yawning.

“I don’t think I will,” Eric replied cheerily.

“Kitty, what’s for breakfast?” Red asked, changing the subject.

“Well, I was thinking I could make some rainbow sprinkle pancakes,” she responded.

“Oh, that’s great!” Eric said excitedly.

“Oh, Eric, I didn’t realize you still lived here. I thought you left for Africa,” Kitty said bitterly.

“No, I’ve been sitting here for, like, ten minutes,” he whined.

“Then you better get going or you’re going to be late for Africa!”

The look of realization crossed Eric’s face. “Oh, I see what you’re doing. You’re trying to make me feel bad for leaving.”

“You’re still here? I thought you were in Africa!”

“Mom, what’re you doing?” Y/n asked. “By repeating ‘Africa’ is not going to make Eric stay. Try taking on a different approach. Like this—” She raised her fist that wasn’t holding a baby and hit him hard in the shoulder. “Don’t go to Africa, dillhole!”

“Ow!” Eric whined and rubbed where his twin’s fist connected to his shoulder. “You’re mean now as a mom.”

“I think she was mean before she got pregnant,” Hyde grumbled as he casually popped the bottle out of his newborn’s mouth to check the measurements.

Y/n glared at him. “You’re lucky you’re holding our daughter right now or I’d slug you, too.”

“Women usually are,” Red mumbled as he flipped a page.

“What was that, Red?” Kitty asked with an eyebrow raised.

Red gave her tight lipped smile. “Nothing, dear.”

Kitty hummed and got to work with making breakfast.

The sliding door opened, revealing Donna.

“Hey,” she greeted everyone before turning to the babies with a giant smile on her face. “And hello to my baby godchildren who look so adorable this morning. Oh, why, yes you do.” She played with their toes while avoiding eye contact to Eric. “I still can’t believe you named her after me. I’m going to be riding that high for a while.”

“Well, her middle name is your name. While my name is her first name,” Kitty said smugly.

“Correction, your full name is Katherine while hers is Katerina. Close, but not her name,” Red corrected.

Kitty’s smirk fell into a grimace. “Dream killer,” she muttered before sharply turning around to finish cooking.

“Oh, yeah they were real cute last night when they were both screaming keeping everyone up,” Hyde mentioned, moving Kat to his shoulder to burp her.

“I slept great,” Eric repeated, smugly.

“How?” Donna asked.

“Earplugs,” he responded.

“You got any extra?” Hyde asked. When Y/n whipped her head at him, glaring, he didn’t flinch. Instead, he shrugged and moved Kat to his shoulder for burping.

If Y/n wasn’t so tired, she would’ve had his head. But instead, she handed him Leo.

“Where you going?” he asked her.

“To find me some earplugs,” she responded over her shoulder as she walked out.

                                    --Later that day—

“Hey, you guys,” Markus said as he entered the basement where everyone was hanging out, minus Jackie. “I really need your help with this whole Jackie thing.”

“What ‘whole Jackie thing?’” Y/n asked as she tended to the twins in their bouncers.

“She got a job offer in Chicago and she’s threatening to go unless Markus marries her,” Eric answered.

“Yep, sounds like Jackie,” Y/n quipped. “What do you need help with exactly?”

“I really do love her, but I don’t know if I’m ready to marry her. For God’s sake, we’re only eighteen!”

“Says the guy telling this to nineteen-year-old married parents,” Donna chuckled.

“No, no, it’s okay,” Y/n assured. “Having kids and getting married at our age definitely wasn’t in our plans, but it’s something that happened and to be honest, I have no regrets.”

“So, you’re saying if I marry Jackie, I won’t have any regrets?”

“Oh, no, you’ll have a lot of regrets,” Y/n laughed. “I’m just saying age isn’t always the factor.”

Markus sighed and slumped down into the lawn chair. “I don’t know what to do. I don’t want to lose her either.”

“Why?” Hyde asked. “That’s usually the best part.”

“Thanks, man,” Markus deadpanned.

“Look, Jackie is complicated. She does this sorta thing all the time,” Y/n explained. “When she was with Kelso, she threatened him all the time to marry her.”

“Yeah, all the way to California,” Eric chuckled.

“Wait, Jackie does?” Markus questioned.

“Well, to every boyfriend she’s had. All three exes here can testify,” Donna chuckled and looked at Hyde, Kelso, and Fez.

“Who?” Kelso asked with a dumb smile on his face.

Everyone turned to look at him with stoic expressions.

Kelso put his hands in the air. “What? It was just a quest—oh.”

“There we go,” Eric said casually.

“Hey, be nice. I haven’t slept in a week,” Kelso whined.

“I was wondering why your usual porcelain skin looked so dull and tired,” Fez commented and looked offended when everyone stared at him. “What? Is it a crime to notice?!”

“Uh, okay,” Kelso continued, slightly distracted. “I just found out Brooke and Betsy are moving to Chicago and I’m thinking about joining them.”

“What?!” Everyone shouted.

“First Eric, now you?!” Y/n asked.

“I need to go where my kid is,” he confessed. “If I don’t go, I’ll only see her a few times a year, whereas I’ll be able to see her every other week.”

 “Man, I don’t know what’s freakier: Kelso being a responsible parent or that he just said ‘whereas’,” Steven said.

“What’re you going to do there? Do you have a job?” Donna asked.

“I do, actually. I got a security job at a strip club.”

“You lucky son of a bitch!” Fez said excitedly. “Now I have even a more reason to visit you.”

“Uh, you can’t.”

“Why not?”

“Because you need a passport to come to Chicago and—and foreigners can’t get passports.”

“Kelso, that makes zero sense,” Y/n cut in.

“Hey, it’s what my new boss said,” Kelso defended.

“When do you leave?” Donna asked.

“Two weeks.”

“That soon?” Eric asked.

“Hey, you’re leaving in a few days!” Y/n snapped.

“Okay, you guys have got to quit doing this!” Markus shouted in frustration. “Can we focus on my problem please?!”

“You’re right, I’m sorry,” Y/n said. “Markus, do you love her?”

“Yes.”

“You want to stay with her?”

“Yes.”

“You see a future with her?”

“Yes.”

“Looks like you’re moving to Chicago,” Y/n said before turning to Kat who started fussing in her bouncer.

“But I can’t.”

“Okay, then don’t,” Hyde said.

“But I love her.”

“Then go,” Donna said.

“But—”

“Markus, in case you haven’t caught on by now, we’re bored of this conversation,” Eric quipped.

A look of frustration flashed across his face. “Great, thanks. You guys were helpful.”

“You’re welcome!” Everyone cheered as Markus stormed out the basement.

“If you can convince Jackie to move with you, that’ll be making it up for leaving,” Hyde said to Kelso with a smug look.

                                    --Later that night—

“How dare she give me an ultimatum?!” Markus drunkenly vented as he, Eric, Hyde, Fez, and Kelso sat at the bar. “I mean, t-this is my life she’s—” he hiccupped. “She’s messing with!”

“You know, Forman, when you said let’s go out to the bar for a guy’s night, this isn’t what I had in mind,” Hyde said as he nursed his beer.

“I didn’t think we’d be coming to a bitching session, alright?” Eric defended.

“She can go to hell!” Markus continued, his words beginning to slur. “I’ll see her in hell!”

“Well, since you’re with Jackie, I think you’re already there,” Hyde commented.

“One more couldn’t hurt,” Markus said again and waved the bartender over. “Another round for me and the boys!”

“Maybe we should keep him around if he and Jackie break up,” Fez said with a hopeful smile. “So, Eric, Y/n told me that Donna had a date tonight?”

“What?” Hyde and Kelso said in unison.

“Oh, you know what, man? I don’t care,” Eric responded and took a sip of his beer. “She just wants me to come running after her and I’m not going to do that.”

“You know what? That is totally the right move man,” Kelso said. “Plus, it’s like 9:00, so if you go over there now, you'll probably walk in on her and that guy sliding all over each other. And if I know Donna, she's moaning like a ghost.”

“Okay, Donna does not moan like a ghost,” Eric said, almost offended and glared down at the bar. “I can make her moan like a ghost.”

“You know what, guys?” Markus piped up, slurring his words. “I love you guys. Really, really love you guys. You guys can be my groomsmen when I marry Jackie.”

All the guys whipped their head at Markus.

“So, you’re going to do it?” Eric asked. “You’re going to marry Jackie?”

“I’m going to be Mrs. Jackie Scott!”

“His last name is Scott?” Kelso whispered to Hyde.

Steven shrugged and sipped his beer. “I guess so.”

“Cheers to my boys! I’m getting married!”

No one moved or had a reaction until Markus said, “Second round is on me.”

“Hooray!” All the boys cheered with their beers in the air.

“He’s so screwed,” Hyde chuckled as he watched Markus talk to the bartender.

                                           --The Next Day—

Eric, Hyde, and Y/n all sat in the basement, watching TV while the babies slept in their arms.

“Man, I still can’t believe they had Fonzie jump over that damn shark,” Y/n complained as they watched Happy Days. “Really ruined the rest of the series for me.”

“How long are you going to complain about this?” Steven asked.

“They ruined one of my favorite TV shows!”

“Speaking of ruining things, like lives, guess who’s getting married?” Eric piped up.

“Did you purpose again?!” Y/n screeched. “How you got that woman to say yes the first time—”

“It’s not me!” he defended, feeling insulted.

“Oh,” she said quietly and looked to her husband who was biting back a smirk. “My bad.”

Eric sighed annoyed. “No, it’s not me. Markus is going to purpose to Jackie.”

“No freaking way!” she exclaimed. “What made him decide to do that?”

“A lot of beer,” Hyde sneered and shook his head. “The poor bastard.”

“Well, wait, does this mean Jackie is staying then?” Y/n asked, sitting up.

“Yeah, why wouldn’t she?” her husband asked her.

“Because I talked to her this morning and she was packing up, getting ready to leave.”

“Um…oh, no?” Eric questioned.

“Shut up, Eric! If Markus means this, he doesn’t have much time! I need to go call both of them.” She turned to her brother. “Here, take the baby. I’ll be right back.”

“Wait, what do I do if they start crying?” he asked, panicked.

“I won’t be that long,” she promised before running up the stairs.

As Y/n left the basement, Donna entered it through the door. Eric’s face hardened at seeing his girlfriend.

“Crawling back to me after your date so soon, huh?” he sneered.

She crossed her arms at him and made a face at him. “What?”

“Yeah, you heard me. Used to be you have to buy a girl dinner, if you wanted her to slide all over you moaning like a ghost.”

Donna rolled her eyes at him. “Okay, you know what? I didn't have a date, but I should've.”

“Wait,” Eric said, incredulous and stood up—carefully as to not wake Leo. “You lied?”

“Yeah, I was pissed.” Her face dropped as she stared into his eyes. “I mean, all of a sudden you’re leaving me.”

Eric’s face softened. “Oh…well, look, I'm only gonna be gone for a year.”

“I don’t care, I don’t want you to go,” she replied, fighting back tears.

Eric knew where this conversation was headed and turned to Hyde was listening to the entire fight. “Hey, Hyde, can I have a minute with Donna?”

“What? No way,” he said, clearly entertained. “You always had to watch mine and Y/n’s talks. It’s only fair I get to watch yours.”

“Hy-y-yde!” Eric whined, not having it.

“Fine, if you’re going to be a girl about it,” he responded and carefully stood with Kat in his arms and scooped Leo with the other before walking upstairs.

“Look, Donna, I’m only going to be gone for a year,” Eric explained as he guided them both onto to the couch.

“You've always been, like, 20 steps away from me my entire life. What am I supposed to do without you?” she asked him with tears in her eyes.

“Look, Donna, this is gonna be really tough for both of us,” he started. “But, hey, you know what? The good news is, when I come back, we're gonna spend all this time together because, you know, you're probably gonna have to nurse me back to health from some horrible African disease.”

Donna chuckled.

“Look, you know I love you,” he continued. “And we're wasting our time fighting.”

“You're right. We should just enjoy the time we have left.” She wrapped her arms around Eric’s neck and pressed her body tightly against his. “I’m going to miss you, Eric.”

“I’ll miss you, too, Donna.”

As they were caught up in their embrace, neither one heard the basement door open revealing Jackie.

“Wait, Eric, you're back,” she said. “Where’s Markus?”

“Fez drove him home from the bar. He was pretty drunk,” he answered.

“You mean he’s not coming?” Jackie asked and sunk down onto the lawn chair. “He's gonna say no. Oh, my God.” She put her head in her hands, stifling a sob.

“Oh, Jackie, I'm sorry,” Donna whispered and broke free from Eric’s grasp to give her friend a hug.

                                                The Next Day…

“Where are the babies?” Fez asked as Markus, Eric, Hyde, Y/n, and Donna sat in the driveway,

“Inside sleeping,” Y/n responded from Hyde’s lap and yawned. She tucked her head in the crook of her husband’s neck and sighed. “Maybe I should be, too.”

“They’re all by themselves?” Kelso asked. “I may have only been dad for less than a year, but I don’t think you’re allowed to leave babies by themselves.”

“Chill out, will you?” Hyde asked annoyed. “They’re sleeping in the den and we have the door open so we can hear them.”

“Besides, we have the baby monitor here,” Y/n answered more patiently and waved the fancy gadget in her hand.

“Babies didn’t let you sleep?” Donna asked.

“No,” Hyde responded. “It’s like they have a weird twin radar thing, man. When one stops crying, the other starts. And it’s like they’re competing on who can be the loudest.”

“I can’t wait to not hear that at night when I leave,” Eric said.

“It’s better than getting some African disease,” Y/n taunted.

“Donna?!” Eric whined. “Do you have to tell her every single conversation we have?”

“Hey, she’s all I’m gonna have left when you leave! Besides, that’s what girls do.”

“She also told me when you guys had sex the first time,” Y/n continued her taunting. “I expected more from you.”

Eric whipped his head at his girlfriend. “SERIOUSLY?! I told you not to tell her about—” He looked around his friend group who were all giving him amused looks. “About when I—you know—when Eric Jr. wouldn’t wake up.”

Donna chuckled and shook her head. “I didn’t.”

“But you just did!” Y/n laughed, making everyone else join in.

“Y/n!” Eric whined.

“Hey, I gotta get my fun in before you leave us for a year,” she replied and heard the doorbell ring. “I’ll go get that. Hopefully, it didn’t wake the babies.”

She slid off Steven’s lap before disappearing into the house.

“Well, it’s almost noon,” Markus said, checking his watch. “I better go talk to Jackie.”

“What are you gonna tell her?” Fez asked.

Markus ran a hand through his long hair. “I don’t know, man. I’m thinking about taking my dad’s mustang and letting it make the final decision.”

“Like, how?” Kelso asked.

Markus shrugged. “If it pulls to the left, marriage, pulls to the right, nudie bar.”

“So, you haven’t made a decision yet?” Donna asked.

Markus gave her a little smirk before answering. “Oh, I’ve made my decision.”

“Markus,” Y/n called as she walked back out, holding a piece of folded paper. “Jackie stopped by and asked me to give you this note.”

“Oh,” he replied and took the note from her. With his heart suddenly pounding, he carefully unfolded the paper as to not rip it and read it.

“What’s it say?” Y/n asked.

“It-it says she took the job in Chicago and she left this morning,” he whispered, eyes never wavering from the note.

“Oh, Markus, I’m so sorry,” Y/n said and wrapped her arms around his torso, but he stood still like a statue.

“Yeah, man, so sorry,” everyone muttered, not knowing what to say.

The room went quiet as Markus fought back tears and reluctantly reciprocated the hug.

                                                --The Next Morning—

“Tell me why again we’re up so early?” Hyde complained as he got dressed. “The babies actually let us sleep last night and you want to wake up early.”

“We’re taking Markus out today to help him feel better,” Y/n responded, as she put on the finishing touches to her makeup in her vanity mirror. “Starting off taking him out to breakfast.”

Steven groaned as he put his belt on. “This is going to be a long day.”

“Come on, wouldn’t you want to be surrounded by your friends who love and support you if Jackie did this to you?”

“No. I’d go off to Vegas and drink and gamble my pain away,” he responded and walked over to the vanity, grabbing his watch. “That’s my plan if you ever decide to divorce me.”

She gave him an amused smile and stood up. “I’d kill you before I divorce you.” She kissed him on the cheek before walking over to grab her shoes from the closet.

“Well,” he replied, clicking his tongue. “Don’t I feel safe.”

Y/n giggled and slipped on some comfortable flats. “Come on, let’s grab the babies and go downstairs. Everyone is meeting us here.”

As she bent down to grab Leo, Hyde couldn’t help himself by checking her out. “How much longer until your six week check up?”

“Three weeks,” she answered, innocently and turned back to face him. “Why?”

She turned to him just as he was eyeing her up and down.

“No reason,” he said casually, shrugging.

She picked up what he was putting down and lightly punched his shoulder, laughing. “Pervert.”

He put his hands in surrender as he bent down and picked up Kat. “Can’t blame a guy.”

“Come on, let’s go before everyone gets here,” she chuckled.

                                    --Scene Transition—

Once the Hydes were downstairs and sitting at the table, feeding the babies, Donna, Fez, Kelso and Markus walked in.

“Good morning!” Fez sang. “Today is a beautiful day to have some fun!” He turned to Markus who wasn’t doing anything to hide his misery. “Right, buddy?”

Markus shrugged. “Sure.”

“Oh, Mark, I know it’s hard, but we’re here for you,” Y/n comforted. “As soon as we’re done feeding the babies, we’re going to start this day of fun.”

“And I get to babysit my grandbabies!” Kitty sang-song through the kitchen.

“So, what are we doing exactly?” Markus asked, uninterested, but didn’t want to be rude. Even though he was one grumpy, miserable bastard, didn’t mean he had to be unappreciative to his friends who were trying to help him.

“I was thinking we take to your favorite breakfast joint first—” Y/n began.

“The Pancake House is out of town, though,” Markus interjected.

“Yes, but it is also on the way to…Fez, drum roll please,” she said and Fez started tapping on the table. “Funland!”

“Funland?” Hyde asked, unenthused.

“Yes, Funland!” she repeated with a giant grin on her face, waiting for Markus—and Steven—to show excitement.

When neither returned her excitement and enthusiasm, she quickly dropped her smile. “Why aren’t you guys more excited?”

“Funland is for babies,” Hyde commented.

“We went, like, almost two years ago,” Y/n responded, a little disappointed. She had racketed her brain all day the day before trying to come up with a fun plan for Markus to get his mind off the break up. When she remembered what everyone tried to do for Eric when Donna broke up with him, they all went to Funland and they had a blast—even though they lost Kelso and he had to hitch a ride with a random lady and her obnoxious twins. Or so he said. “It was fun then, it can be fun now!”

“Yeah, we were kids. We’re adults now,” he argued.

“Look, Y/n, I really appreciate what you’re trying to do, but I don’t think anything is going to cheer me up,” Markus said and plopped himself down at the table. “Jackie is gone. I mean, who the hell is she to give me an ultimatum and then leave before I can give her an answer?”

“Speaking of Jackie: have you heard from her?” Donna asked.

“Nope,” he replied, glaring at the table. “Not like it matters anyways.”

“Look, man, she let you off the hook,” Kelso said and walked over to the fridge to grab some orange juice. “What’s the big deal?”

“The big deal is she didn’t give me a chance to answer her!” Markus responded and stood abruptly, angrily. “She didn’t let me tell her that…” He sighed and rubbed a hand down his face.

“Tell her what?” Y/n asked before her eyes widened in excitement. “Oh, my God. Were you going to say ‘yes?!’”

“No!” he replied quickly. “Well…maybe…” He looked up to see everyone, including Kitty, eyeing him. “Yeah…yeah, I was.”

“Oh, my God!” Y/n and Eric exclaimed at the same time.

“Awe, you love her,” Donna teased and tickled his ear.

Markus shoved her hand away. “I shouldn’t love her. This whole time—this whole relationship—she’s been such a huge pain in my ass. With her shallow, materialistic, self-centered, conceited attitude, everything we did always had to be about her. We always had to do things she wanted and was like pulling teeth to do things I wanted. I always had to apologize for when she was rude or mean to people—I mean, God, it was like teaching a five-year-old! But you know what?” he ranted and sat back down at the table. “It’s my fault. I was warned about her and like an idiot, I fell for her anyway. You know what love is? Love is for losers who don’t want to be alone. Well, I don’t care. I don’t care if I’m alone because I never want to fall in love again.”

When everyone was sure his rant was over, Fez quickly spoke up. “I-I think you’re thinking about kittens.”

“Shut up, Fez,” Hyde sighed. “Listen, man, I think the best thing you should do is go to Vegas and drink and gamble and sleep with whores…you know, a deep cleanse.” He didn’t miss Y/n’s glare at him. “Also, you should take me and we can take the El Camino.”

“Nice try, Steven,” Y/n said, irritated and turned back to Markus. “Markus, what do you want to do today? We don’t have to go to Funland. We can do anything you want.”

“I don’t…I don’t know. I think I’m just going to go home. I’m sorry everyone,” he responded before walking out.

“Man, he’s really taking this hard,” Eric said.

“I don’t blame him,” Kitty interjected. “Break ups at your age always feel like the end of the world.”

“Yeah…anyway, I gotta do,” Eric announced and stood from his seat and turned to Donna. “I gotta go wrap your going away present.”

Donna chuckled. “You do realize that I’m the one that’s supposed to get you a going away present? Not the other way around.”

He smiled at her and gently touched her arm. “You didn’t have to get me anything.”

She returned the smile and cocked her head to the side. “Well, I wanted to. I knew you were going to get me something.”

“Well, I don’t want this to be awkward again, like Christmas.”

“Well, I did get you something,” she said cheerily and leaned over to kiss him before he left. Her demeanor dropped once that door closed and she turned to everyone, panicked. “Oh, crap, I didn’t get him anything! He leaves in three days!”

“Well, you can give him an ultimatum,” Hyde commented. “It’s free and it’ll make him want to kill himself.”

“I gotta go find him something. Hopefully, the mall has something for him,” she said and rushed out the door.

Y/n huffed out as she turned Leo to her shoulder to burp him. “Well, our plans went to hell.”

“Great! I’m going back to bed,” Steven announced and stood with Kat in his arms. “Let’s go catch some more Z’s, baby girl. Our day has just been cancelled.”

“Or!” Y/n called after him. “You can go be with Markus and be with him during this time.”

Hyde groaned. “Why me?”

“Because you’re his friend,” she reminded him and grabbed Kat from him. “Now git.”

                                   --Later that day—

“Hey, guys,” Jackie greeted everyone in the driveway. The girls sat in the chairs holding the babies while the guys played basketball. “Is Markus here?”

“No, he’s at work,” Hyde responded. "Oh, but before he left, he was throwing around everything you’ve ever gave him. It was like a hailstorm of stuffed animals and ABBA records.”

“What’re you doing here, anyway?” Y/n asked. “I thought you were in Chicago.”

“I would have, but my mom took the car to Tijuana and won’t be back until Cinco De Mayo. Whenever that is,” Jackie responded, rolling her eyes. Everyone didn’t do anything to hide their snickers. “So, until then, I need you guys to help me avoid the horrors of seeing Markus until I figure out a way out of here.”

“Well, that’s too bad because I think I see him coming right now,” Hyde said, eyeing down the road.

“Oh, my God. What do I do?!” Jackie asked, panicking.

“Here, hide under the blanket in the bed of the El Camino!” he offered.

Jackie dived into the bed and ripped the blanket over her body.

“Oh, by the way, Jackie, I lied,” Hyde said, smiling.

“Ugh!” she groaned and jerked the blanket off her. “Why does this blanket smell like sex?”

“Oh, that’s mine and Y/n’s car blanket,” he responded casually.

Jackie screamed and threw herself off the car’s bed. The guys cackled at her as they watched her freak out.

“Really, Steven? You had to throw that out there?” Y/n asked, unpleased.

“Eh. It was funny,” Fez said, earning a grin from Steven.

“Uh, oh, Jackie, he’s coming for real this time!” Kelso announced.

“Get down!” Fez shouted and pushed a screaming Jackie back in the El Camino and forcibly wrapped the blanket around her. “I got her! I got her!”

“I’m going to kick you both in the nads,” Jackie threatened as she shoved Fez off her.

“You’re going to have to do it later because here he comes now,” Fez said.

“Yeah, now I just don’t believe you,” she responded, smoothing down her shirt.

“Hey, Mark!” Fez said to no one. “Good to see you.”

Jackie screamed once again and ran into the garage and out the back door, leaving everyone laughing.

Leo suddenly started squirming in Y/n’s arms and as she looked down, she noticed an odor emitting from him.

“Oh, Leo,” she chuckled and stood. “I’ll be right back. I need to change his diaper.”

“I’ll come with you,” Donna said, carrying Kat inside. Once inside and out of ear range, she set Kat down in the bassinet and turned to Y/n who set Leo down on the couch to change his diaper. “I didn’t want to say anything to you with Eric out there, but I figured out the perfect going away gift.”

“Oh, really? That’s great! What is it?”

“A paper and pen writing set!”

Y/n paused briefly before returning changing the diaper. “A-a paper and pen writing set?”

“Yeah!” Donna said, her enthusiasm not fading. “So that he can write to me while in Africa!”

Y/n finished up Leo’s diaper before standing back up to meet her. “Well, Donna, that sounds so—” she abruptly cut herself off to let out an exaggerated snore.

“Y/n!”

“I’m sorry, Donna, but a going away gift should be something meaningful, personal,” she responded. “Like, one time I was going through my mom’s closet—”

“Why were you going through her closet?”

“Because I was looking for her throw over sweater for a date. It was from her high school years and I thought it was so cute. Anyway, I saw a box and when I opened it I saw some boudoir photos.” She shuttered at the memory.

“Okay, do I want to hear the rest of the story?” Donna asked, disgusted.

“Yes, sorry,” Y/n said and shook off the vivid picture from her mind. “Anyway, when I asked my mom about it, she said—well, first she got mad that I went looking through her closet without her permission. Now I see why…and second, she said she sent those out to my dad before he went off to Korea.”

“Ew…too much information, Y/n.”

“But you see my point?”

“Grossly, yeah,” Donna said in deep thought.

“Oh, and if you’re thinking that boudoir shoot was ‘sexy’, it wasn’t,” Y/n responded, shaking her head. “It was really just my mom wearing booty shorts and a crop top. But then again, showing a lot of ankle was sexy.”

“It was the 1800’s after all,” Donna joked.

                                                --Meanwhile—

The guys had moved from the driveway to the basement to gather around for circle time. As the air quickly filled with smoke and everyone started to feel good, Eric looked at his watch.

“Oh, man, I gotta go over to Donna’s and get my going away present.”

“Why do you make it sound like it’s the worse thing ever?” Hyde asked.

“Because Donna sucks at gift giving, okay? Do you remember that awful sweater vest and big ugly man ring? Now, I gotta get excited over some over lame thing. ‘Oh, wow, Donna, clown shoes. Thanks so much.’”

“I dated a clown once,” Kelso said nonchalantly, lighting up an incense stick. “But once I learned how to make balloon animals I dumped her.”

                                                --Later—

Everyone minus Donna, Eric, and Markus were hanging out in the basement while the twins slept in their room. The TV was on playing Scooby-Doo, Hyde and Fez were wrestling and Kelso was watching intently, keeping score while Y/n sat reading a magazine, and Jackie sat filing her nails.

“You can’t beat me this time, Hyde!” Fez gloated as he attempted to get Hyde in a headlock. “I’ve been training for this and I—ah, ah!”

Hyde had maneuvered himself out of Fez’s grip and flipped him around onto the ground, belly down and pushed his left arm up to his shoulder blades.

“What was that?” Hyde taunted.

“I fold! I fold!” Fez cried out, tapping out.

“Point goes to Hyde!” Kelso shouted and laughed. “Fez, you wuss.”

“He had a hold on me!” Fez whined.

Hyde laughed at his friend’s misfortune and glanced out the door window. “Uh, hey, Jackie, Markus is coming for real this time. Quick, drink this old root beer!”

“You know what, Steven, I’m sick of you lying to me about Markus and trying to humiliate me,” Jackie retorted.

“You’re right,” Hyde said. “Let me make it up to you and offer you this different, not old root beer.” He pretended to swap out the soda with a new one from behind the shower.

“It’s the same one, you idiot!” Jackie shrieked.

“Jackie, Markus is coming right now,” Kelso warned.

“You know what, Michael? But I’m not playing your little games anymore,” she huffed and went back to her nails.

She heard the door open and close, but refused to give her idiot friends (and exes) the benefit of looking up. She assumed they had opened the door and closed it just to mess with her until,

“Jackie?”

Her gaze snapped up to meet a shocked and angry, familiar face.

                                                  Markus.

                                          

--Meanwhile—

Over at the Pinciotti’s house, Donna sat in her room, waiting for Eric to come over his surprise. She wore Princess Leia’s white robe with her hair in side buns, just like the movie.

“Hey,” Eric greeted as he walked through the door. “Alright, Donna, I’m here for my surprise and I—holy mother of Skywalker.”

Donna smiled at Eric before getting off the bed and sauntering over to him. “You can do whatever you want to Princess Leia. Her force field is down.”

Eric looked at her with the most adorned look. “Donna, this is the best thing—wait a second.” He pulled away to look at her. “Leia doesn’t have a force field—you know what, I’m too excited to quibble. Come here!”

Donna laughed as Eric attacked her with kisses, both going down onto the bed.

                                    --At the Forman’s House—

“Jackie, what’re you doing here?” Markus asked, clearly upset. “Why aren’t you in Chicago? I thought you left town?”

“Why? Because you’re so amazing and incredible that I simply couldn’t exist in the same town as you knowing you couldn’t make a commitment?” Jackie rambled, her heart pounding in her chest.

“No, because you left me a note saying you left town,” he responded slowly. His response was too calm and it unnerved everyone in the room, except for Hyde.

“Well, that, Markus, was a metaphor, a metaphor for the fact that my heart and mind are gone, but my body is still here, in this very awkward situation!”

“Want a root beer?” Fez asked after a minute of silence.

Markus gave Fez a dirty look.

“Hey, Fez, I think Mark wants some alone time,” Hyde said.

“Right, right,” Fez replied.

“You know what? Perfect timing because I have to get that—that thing you know, ready for that thing,” Y/n stammered.

“Yeah, I know what think you’re talking about. Let’s go,” Hyde said.

“I’ll help,” Donna said, rushing up the stairs.

“I’m going to listen through the vent,” Kelso announced.

“Me, too!” Fez said excitedly and slammed the door.

Once they were alone Markus turned back to Jackie. “So, what are you doing here, Jackie? You got something you wanna say to me?”

“Yes. I wanted to say that I'm leaving for real this time.”

“So, you came back to tell me that you're leaving again?”

“Yes, but this is goodbye.”

Markus clicked his tongue. “All right, I'll see you tomorrow then.”

“Markus, I'm serious!”

Markus sat down and spread his arms behind the couch, making himself comfortable. “Wanna hang out next week?”

“I'm going. Unless...Unless, Markus, there's something you'd like to say, in which case, I'm listening.”

She stared at Markus with wide, hopeful eyes, praying that she got the answer that she so desperately wanted.

“Yeah,” he said calmly and stood to meet her. “Have a nice trip.”

She could feel her heart break all over again, fighting back tears. She nodded and avoided his cold stare. “I will.”

“Can you guys stand closer to the vent and speak louder?” Fez shouted into the vents.

Jackie scoffed before stomping out the basement, leaving Markus by himself.

                                                --Donna’s Room—

Eric sat staring at Donna who sat awkwardly in the white robe. “Wow, so, it's like, I can do anything I want? Can I touch your buns?”

“What? You wanna touch my butt?” Donna asked, confused.

“No, not those buns. You know, the buns.”

“Eric, that’s kind of weird.”

“Yeah. You know what? That is, like, a little weird,” he responded. “Maybe I'll just rub my face up against one of them?”

Donna chuckled. “Yeah.”

His eyes fluttered close as he slowly brought his cheek to her hair and rubbed it like a cat.

“Okay,” Donna said after a minute, accepting the weirdness from her boyfriend.

“Leia, oh, Leia,” Eric moaned.

“Hey, Donna,” Bob said, knocking on the door. “Meet me downstairs T-minus 20 seconds for some fried shrimp. And wear an old T-shirt, these things get greasy.” He shut the door before Donna could respond.

“Wow, that's almost enough to take you right out of the moment, huh?” she chuckled as she got up to change.

“Okay, Donna. From now on, the only thing I'd like you to say is, ‘Use the force, Eric.’”

“Okay, that seems—” she said.

“Do-o-onna,” Eric sang-song.

Donna sighed and rolled her eyes. “Use the force, Eric.”

He nodded in approval before he started rubbing his cheek against her hair once again.

                      --Over at the Forman/Hyde Residence—

Y/n and Hyde were in their room, just finishing settling the twins down.

“Hey, Y/n?” he whispered as to not wake the babies.

“Mhm?” she hummed as she smiled down lovingly at Kat who was staring up at her with her soulful eyes.

“Do you remember when you almost left for Denver?”

Y/n turned her loving gaze to her husband. “Oh, my God, that’s what those letters in my desk are for.” She smirked at him. “Of course I remember. Why do you ask?”

He sighed and rubbed the back of his neck. “Do you, you know, regret not going? Do you feel like I held you back?”

Hearing this shocked her. She never thought about her husband, Steven Hyde, ever having these feelings. “Steven, honey, where is this coming from?”

He shrugged. “Curious.”

She gave him a pointed look. “Is that all?”

“Just answer the question.”

Y/n gave Kat a kiss before placing her in her bassinet and faced Steven. “Is this about what’s going on with Jackie and Markus?”

When Hyde didn’t respond, she raked her fingers through his hair. “No, I don’t.”

He looked at her with hopeful eyes. “Really?”

“Yes!” She kissed him and wiped her gloss off his lips. “I thought my life would start when I went away, but in reality my life started when I chose you.”

A soft grin spread across his face, but it quickly went away when he looked down at her lap. “You know that would mean a lot more if Denver hadn’t rejected you and then didn’t get knocked up right after.”

She squinted her eyes at him with a sly grin before rolling her eyes at him and shrugging. “Yeah, you’re right.”

His grin dropped immediately. “That’s not funny.”

A smile broke out on her face as she laughed and gave him a chaste kiss. “Yes, it is.”

“So, if Denver hadn’t rejected you and I hadn’t knocked you up—”

“I would still be miserable,” she cut in, this time serious.

His eyebrows furrowed, confused. “What do you mean?”

“Steven, it doesn’t matter that it didn’t work out that way because it wasn’t meant to. This was,” she began. “Even if I were to go off to Denver, or New York, or even London—”

“London?”

“Denver wasn’t the only school I applied to, anyway,” she said quickly. “None of it would’ve mattered because you wouldn’t be my side. My life wouldn’t be as complete now if I didn’t have you and the twins. My life didn’t stop just because we got married and had kids young—I can still do everything I wanted to do and you know what? It’s more exciting and less scary because I have you right beside me.” She grabbed his hand, weaving her fingers through his. “I could have the highest college degree or the most successful, prestigious career, none of it would mean anything without you and the babies. None of it.”

He smiled before bring a hand to her cheek and tucked some hair behind her ear. “Liar.”

Y/n chuckled with him and kissed him once more. “I mean it.”

His eyes searched hers for a moment. “I know.”

“What about you?”

“What about me?”

“Do you have any regrets?”

He shook his head. “No. Not one that includes you or the kids anyways.”

She smirked at him—the look that made Hyde excited and his pants a little tighter—and cocked her head. “I’ll take it.”

“Good,” he husked and closed the gap between them once more, this time the kiss lasting a bit longer. When he pulled away, he looked at her once more. “One more serious question: if you get into school out of state, how would that work with the store?”

“Well…” Y/n thought. “We could do it one of two ways. One: we pack up and move and you could either leave the store in someone else’s hands temporarily or give it up completely or two: you stay here to run the store and the kids and I go…I’m not a huge fan of option 2, though.”

“Me neither. How bout we figure it out when the time comes?”

“I’d like that.”

“Me too.” He kissed her once more before pulling back with a mischievous look in his eyes. “So...is there anything you can do before the six week mark?”

Y/n withdrew her hold from him, laughing. “Perv.”

                                          The Next Day…

“So, Jackie really left, huh?” Eric asked while sipping a grape soda at the table.

“Yeah, last night,” Y/n responded. “She even got Kelso to drive her.”

“She probably gave him a purple nurple until he did,” Hyde chuckled. “That’s the only good thing about her.”

“Hey, Eric,” Bob said, shuffling into the kitchen. “You’re going to love teaching in Africa. I heard women walk around with their hoo-hoo’s out.”

“Dad,” Donna groaned, hiding her face behind her hand.

“Have you gotten your shots yet?” Bob asked.

“Shots?” Eric asked.

“Yeah, the ones you get to protect from exotic diseases.”

“Oh, my God I completely forgot!” Eric shot up from the table. “Guys, I leave for Africa in two days. What do I do?”

“Oh, shoot, did I forget to remind you?” Kitty asked while sipping her coffee. “Well, don’t worry, I’ll make sure to give them to you. I am your mother, I will help.”

“Good,” Red said from behind the paper. “Because I will not let you crush my dream of getting rid of him.”

“Thank you, Mom,” Eric said, relaxing.

“Oh, but I should warn you. Those needles are as big as sausages and if I miss, even by a hair, it could make your heart explode. But don’t worry, it only hurts until you die.”

“Mom,” Y/n warned and turned to her brother whose eyes were as big as saucers. “Don’t listen to her. She’s lying.”

“Yeah, right,” Eric responded, voice wobbling.

                                                   ---Later—

“Hey Donna,” Y/n greeted as she walked inside Donna’s house. “I know Eric said he didn’t want a party, but I never cared about what he wanted. So, I’m going to need you to distract him when he gets back from getting his shots so I can decorate.”

“Yeah, sure,” she responded, a little distantly.

“Oh, and I also got this for him, too. I wasn’t sure what to get him, but I thought he would like something like this.” In her hand was a picture frame and handed it to Donna. The picture was Donna, Y/n, and Eric when they were all six years old.

Donna chuckled sadly. “I remember that day. We had just came back from the park because it started raining, but Eric fell in a huge mud puddle. When you tried to help him, you slipped, taking me down with you. When we got home our moms were so mad, but your dad thought it was so funny he snapped this picture.”

“Yeah…Eric’s not graceful. Like, at all.”

Y/n and Donna laughed together as they recalled the memory. As the laughter died down, Donna grew quiet, staring at the picture.

“Donna…are you okay?”

She shook her head, fighting back tears. “I’m just really going to miss him.”

Y/n nodded her head sadly. “Me, too.”

Donna nodded before wrapping an arm around her best friend’s shoulders knowing this was probably a little harder for her than anyone. The one person she’s literally known since the womb would be thousands of miles away was a pain that Donna couldn’t even fathom.

“I’ll go to the store with you,” Donna said after a minute.

Y/n sniffed and rubbed her nose with her sleeve. “Thank you.”

Eric Forman’s Basement

Eric, Kelso, Hyde, and Fez all sat in the circle as they enjoyed the affects of their favorite green plant. As usual, the lights were dimmed and incense was mixing with the smell.

Eric checked his watch and rubbed his clammy hands on his jeans. “Crap, I have to leave soon to go get my shots. Yeah, why do I have to get shots anyway? So I get Yellow Fever. I could use a little color.”

“You guys, this might be our last circle together,” Fez said. “We're growing up. I mean, these two have jobs, and Eric is off to start his life, and I'm doing more shaving than ever.”

“Eric, I know you're scared of getting your shots,” Kelso said, his eyes drooping and his smile wide. “So I'm gonna be a pal and get them with you, 'cause I owe you for that time that I chucked that dead raccoon at you, and then it turned out to not be dead.” He started to giggle recalling the memory. “And then it bit you, and then you kicked it back at me, and then it bit me, and then we both had to go and get rabies shots.”

Hyde laughed along with them. “Remember, on the way to the hospital, Kelso saw that dog, and he jumped out of the car 'cause he wanted to go pet it, but he forgot the car was moving, and he broke his arm? That was the funniest, bloodiest, most rabies-filled day ever.”

“Look at us,” Eric said. “Best friends offering to help each other. You know, we always have to remember this moment.” He looked around his friends who had gone silent with frightened looks on their faces. “What?”

He suddenly felt a presence behind him when they lowered themselves to his ear. He didn’t have to look to know who it was.

“Upstairs. NOW!” Red barked. He didn’t wait for an answer and stomped back upstairs.

“I am in huge trouble,” Eric said and started laughing.

“I can't believe that is what you idiots have been doing in my basement all these years!” Red yelled at the four young men who sat in chairs in front of him. “I wish I had 2,000 feet so I could put 500 of them in each of your asses!”

Eric tried so hard to listen, but it was hard to digest anything his parents were saying when the wall was moving and dancing behind them.

“I am shocked!” Kitty said. “Steven, you’re a father now. I thought this would be put behind you by now. Do you really want to set this kind of example for your children?”

Hyde rubbed his red eyes, knowing that the patterns on the wallpaper weren’t changing before his eyes.

“The basement door closes and out come the lighters and the drugs.” Kitty continued. “And I am sure Donna's down there bouncing around without a bra.” She gasped and held a hand to her heart. “Is that how Y/n got pregnant?!” She clicked her tongue in disappointment. “It’s like Amsterdam down there.”

“Did someone shove a vacuum up your nose and suck out your last, lonely brain cell?” Red continued to yell.

Fez could swear he was suddenly in a fish bowl and they were eyeballing him through the glass.

“What is going on in your head?” Kitty asked. “I am so disappointed in you boys. And here I thought it was my dryer that made our clothes smell funny.”

As their yelling started to fade in the distance, Hyde’s eyes were caught by a single twinkie laid on the counter. Before he could stop himself, he found himself drooling over it.

“Who taught you how to do this?” Red asked. “Was it those damn Beatles? All You Need Is Love.” He scoffed.

Kelso wasn’t even listening to the whole lecture because he found himself laughing at the scene before him. Red’s and Kitty’s heads floated off their bodies and swirled and danced in the air before switching onto each other’s bodies.

“All you need is a job and a haircut. And you, wipe that stupid smirk off your dopey, dope-fiend face!” He yelled at Kelso.

“Do you know what drugs do to you?” Kitty asked. “They shrink your brain until one day you wake up, and you think you're Superman and you can fly, and then you wind up jumping off the roof in your underpants.”

“Oh, this idiot doesn't need drugs for that. He does that every Saturday!” Red yelled.

“Well, this is the worst thing that you have ever done!” Kitty almost sobbed.

“Eric, I am gonna make you...I’m going to…well, I can’t think of anything worse than sending you to Africa,” Red said. “You’re going to Africa.”

                                                            --Later—

“You freakin’ what?!” Y/n screeched at her husband. They sat in their room with Steven sitting on the bed and Y/n pacing the floor. “What the hell, Steven?! How could you guys have gotten caught?! You’ve been kicked out once for getting caught, my dad won’t have a problem doing it again!”

“Actually, he kicked me out thinking he caught me, but it was actually Jackie’s,” Steven corrected.

“Steven!” she said sternly. “Now is not the time! We have children now! You can’t be doing this anymore.”

“Whoa, wait,” he said, jumping to his feet. “Are you telling me that I have to…to quit the circle?” he asked shakily.

“You’re quitting the circle, Steven,” she said sternly, crossing her arms.

“Come on, you did it, too!”

“We’re parents now! We can’t keep doing this! It’s time to grow up and be responsible.” She grabbed her jacket and wallet from the chair at the vanity.

“Wait, where are you going?!”

“I’m going out with the girls for girls night,” she responded without looking at him. “You’re staying in with the babies.”

“What am I going to do?!”

“Feed them in a couple hours and change their diapers. Then put them back in their bassinets to sleep.”

“You’re going to leave me here all by myself?!”

“They’re babies, Steven, not terrorists.” She opened the door to leave when Steven called out.

“Wait!”

Pausing, she turned back around with an arched brow.

“I want to talk about this some more!”

Y/n shook her head. “There’s nothing to talk about. You got caught, deal with it. I’m going out and I’ll see when I get back.”

“What’re you going to be doing? When will you be back?”

“We’re going to go to a strip club to meet some male strippers and then take them to a hotel and have our way with them,” she deadpanned.

He made a face at her. “Isn’t that a movie?”

“Bye, Steven,” she said and walked out the room.

                                                --The Next Day--

“Y/n! Y/n!” Kitty called, running into the house while her family ate at the dinner table. A large white envelope was gripped tightly in her “A letter from a college came in!”

“Mom, that’s not a letter, that’s a—” Y/n gasped and ripped the envelope from her grasp. “Oh, my God! This is an acceptance package!”

“What?!” Steven, Red, and Kitty cried out in unison.

“What college did you apply for that you didn’t tell me?” Hyde asked, his heart sinking into his stomach.

Y/n eyed the envelope. “It’s for New York!”

“New York?!” Hyde exclaimed. “Are you friggin’ kidding me?! That’s so far away.”

“Great! Now all you dopeheads will be out of my house!” Red snarked.

“How ‘bout a ‘congratulations, Steven?” Y/n said sternly and ripped open the large envelope, but froze as his words sank in. “Wait, does this mean that you’re going to follow me?”

“Well, yeah, man,” he responded. “We’re married and have a family now. I don’t want us to be split up.”

“Awe, Steven,” Y/n gushed and kissed his cheek.

“You’re leaving me for New York?!” Kitty hollered. “What the hell was wrong with the university in Milwaukie?! Or Madison? Or Kenosha?! Or you know what, I think the Point Place Community College is just fine, too!”

“NYU has the strongest science program,” Y/n responded quietly, as if trying to tame a wild animal. “Especially for what I want to do. And they accepted my scholarships from high school.”

“Did you ever think of how this would affect me?!” she continued. “First, Laurie can’t seem to stay in one place even if her life depended on it—by the way who the hell moves to London out of all places—and then my baby boy is leaving to also leave the freaking continent—”

“For only a year!” Eric exasperated.

“—And now YOU are leaving me? You’re taking my grandbabies away from me?!” she sobbed.

“Kitty,” Red said gently. “They have to leave the nest at some point.”

“Why can’t you ungrateful brats stay in one spot?!” Kitty exploded, causing a tense hush to fall over everyone. Her eyes widened at her own words before she burst out laughing. “Oh, my goodness, I really let the beast out of its cage on that one.” She started laughing as she walked over to the cabinet and brought out a bottle of sherry and a glass. “What I mean to say is, ‘congratulations.’”

“And we are proud of you,” Red added in, a smile wide on his face. One that said be careful what you say next!

“Thank you,” Y/n said slowly, eyeing her mother. “We will come visit long weekends and holidays.”

“Oh, well that’s just freakin’ great!” Kitty shouted. “I don’t get to see my family everyday like I deserve to, but I get the good gracious of long weekends and holiday breaks. Whoopee-de-freakin’-do!” She stomped out the kitchen with the bottle in hand.

Red sighed heavily and stood from the table. “I’ll be right back. This was such a nice dinner, too.” He left the kitchen, grumbling to himself.

“Um,” Y/n awkwardly cleared her throat as she read the letter. “It says here if I want to register for fall classes I need to do so by the end of this week.”

Hyde sighed and set down the napkin on the table. “I guess I can get coverage at the store for a couple days.”

“Who? Mandy?” Y/n asked with venom in her voice.

“What do you have against her?” he asked. “She’s proven to be a good addition to the store.”

“She’s constantly throwing herself at you!”

“You mean when she tripped and literally knocked into me?”

“Or how about she’s always flirting with you?”

“She barley talks to me?”

“Or how she’s always giving you sex eyes!”

“She doesn’t even look at me!”

“Yeah, when you notice,” she argued. “I catch her all the time checking you out! I swear I almost pounced on her the other day when I caught her checking out your butt.”

He smirked. “That’s hot.”

“Steven!”

                                       --Scene Transition—

Later that day, Hyde was working the evening shift at the store when Leo walked in.

“Hey, Leo,” Hyde greeted. “So, I decided, tomorrow after I say good-bye to Forman, I’m going to New York with Y/n and the babies.”

“Hey! Nice Girl is going to New York!” Leo said, smiling dumbly at him. “You should look her up. She’s real nice, man. She’d be perfect for you.”

“Good idea,” Hyde deadpanned. “Anyway, I was thinking you could cover for me, you know hold down the fort while I’m gone. It’ll be just like the old days at the Fotohut. You remember that, right?”

“The little blue house in the parking lot with a drive thru?” Leo asked, his eyes lighting up.

“Yeah, man, exactly.”

“I don’t remember that at all, man.”

Hyde pressed his lips into a fine line, choking back laughter—or disappointment. He couldn’t tell anymore.

“Yeah, anyway, can you watch the place for me? I’ll be gone for three or four days, tops.”

“Wait, why can’t I run the store?” Mandy asking, rounding the corner.

Steven spun around to face her. “You sure you can handle it?”

“Yeah! I mean, I’m not exactly new here anymore. I’ve learned where everything is, I’ve opened and closed for you multiple times so I know the register, and I have run the place by myself a few times.”

He jut out his lip in thought. “Well, I mean—”

“No, man, I want to do it!” Leo whined.

“Leo, you don’t even know where you are half the time!” Mandy argued.

“Do I know you, man?”

“Leo, it’s me! We’ve met like ten times already!”

Leo stared at her for a solid minute before shaking his head. “Doesn’t ring a bell.”

                                                --Meanwhile—

Eric and Kelso sat in the hospital room awaiting their dreaded shots. Donna sat away in the corner as she came for support and Kitty stood in the room, explaining that she was going to be the one to administer their shots.

“Okay, Michael, Eric, pull your pants down and lean over the table. I'll go get those gigantic needles. I just hope somebody remembered to bring them in out of the rain so they're not all rusty!” she said dramatically as she left the room.

Eric couldn’t help but roll his eyes as he and Kelso turned to lean on the table.

“Hey, Donna, I'm gonna need you to help me pull my pants off,” Kelso said with a smirk.

“Fine, turn around,” Donna sighed before grabbing Kelso’s pants and yanked them upward.

“WEDGIE!” Kelso shrieked and tried to move out of her firm grasp.

“Oh, I’m sorry, did you say ‘off?’ I thought you said ‘up your butt,’” she snickered.

“I still liked it,” Kelso mumbled before Donna rolled her eyes and left the room. As he and Eric pulled their pants down and waited for Kitty to come back, they leaned forward on the table. “So…here we are.”

“Yep.”

“I can’t believe you’re leaving tomorrow.”

“Yeah…and it’s kinda weird that we’re spending our last moments together bent over a table with our naked butts in the air,” Eric said, chuckling.

Kelso laughed. “This is how I always hoped it'd be. You know, I was gonna say that I'll miss you, but I'm not a nancy-boy.”

Eric nodded, taking in a deep breath. “Kelso, man, listen…there’s something I want to say to you—son of a BITCH!” He looked over his shoulder to see Kitty holding a needle in her hand, looking unimpressed. “That hurt like hell!”

“That was the alcohol swab,” she deadpanned.

“Well, it was freezing!”

                                                Later that day…

Red sat in his chair, holding Eric’s gift in his hand. He was surprised that he felt sadness and—dread? As much as he looked forward to this day, he never thought he would be feeling conflicted about it.

He was pulled out of his thoughts when he heard Eric come bouncing down the stairs. “Well, this is it. I just have to make it passed Mom’s farewell ambush and then I’m off to Africa.”

Red stood from his chair and met him in the middle of the living room. “Eric, wait I want to talk to you for a sec.”

Eric looked at him confused, but allowed Red to continue.

“I don’t know if you know this, but I’ve been looking forward to you getting out of my house for a very long time.”

Eric sucked on his teeth in thought. “Yeah, I remember that. I believe your exact words were, ‘It’ll be more glorious than D-Day.’” He chuckled at the memory.

Red pressed his lips into a thin line, a ghost of a smile. “Yeah, well, I’m your father and you’re my son. So…here.” He opened his palm up to Eric’s gift—a pocketknife.

His eyes grew wide. “Your pocketknife from Korea?” He gently plucked the knife from his father’s hand and held it in his own. “You said if I ever touched that, I would meet the same fate as hundreds of other Godless commies.”

A proud smile made its way to his face. “Yeah, well, I want you to take it to Africa with you.”

“Really? Wow, Dad, that…that means a lot.”

Red placed a hand on his son’s shoulder and gave it a gentle squeeze. “And son, I want you to know that I’m going to miss you, I love you, and you have a good trip.”

Emotion filled Eric’s eyes. “Wait, what did you just say?”

“I said have a good trip.”

“No, before that.”

Red smiled proudly at his son. “You heard me.”

“Wow,” Eric breathed. “This feels like a moment where regular people would hug.”

Red didn’t hesitate and pulled his son in by his shoulders into a tight hug. Eric clapped his back as he took in the moment.

When they finally pulled away, Eric looked at him. “Thank you, Dad. So, really, any last minute advice?”

“Yeah,” Red answered, clearing his throat. “You lose that knife, don’t come home.”

They laughed together before Eric made his way to the driveway, Red in tow.

As they reached the driveway, Eric found Donna sitting on the hood of the VistaCruiser.

“Surprise,” she said quietly.

“It’s just you?” he asked, smiling. “Wow, Donna this is amazing. This is where we had our first kiss.” He leaned his head down and pecked her lips softly.

“I know, I remember,” she said and kissed him again, more passionately.

After a second, Eric pulled away breathless. “Wow.”

“Well, it’s gotta last a really long time.”

“Man, it’s weird. Me leaving. Feels like it’s real,” he said, grabbing her hands.

“Yeah, but you’re going to be back before you know it and then we’re going to have our whole lives together.”

“Listen to me, Donna,” Eric said, pointing a finger at her. “I love you so much and—and you’re my best friend. And thank you for not letting my mom throw this surprise, going-away thing.”

Donna smiled at him. “I love you, too and I’m sorry.”

His eyebrows knit together. “For what?”

“For this…okay guys!”

The garage door swung open and everyone walked out with banners, balloons and confetti.

“SURPRISE!” Everyone yelled.

“Oh…hell, I wanted this!” Eric said gleefully.

“Oh, Eric!” Fez said and wrapped himself up in Eric and started bawling.

“I know, buddy,” Eric said, uncomfortable and awkwardly started patting Fez’s back. “Uh, Y/n, a little help here?”

She giggled and walked over to him with Leo in arms. “Hey, Fez, you want some candy?”

His head popped up from Eric’s soaked shirt like a goffer. “Chocolate?”

“What else would there be?” she giggled.

“Where?”

“Kitchen.”

“Be right back.”

Fez raced off to the kitchen before anyone could say anything else.

“We have about five seconds before he’s back,” Y/n said and turned back to him with sad eyes. “I’m really going to miss you, Eric. We’ve never been apart longer than a few weeks. I don’t know what I’m going to do without you.”

“Hey, you got this,” Eric said gently as Hyde joined them, holding Kat in his arms. “You’re going to do awesome in New York.”

“Won’t be the same without you,” she whispered.

“I know,” he said and brought his twin in for a hug as she gripped baby Leo. “I feel the same. But like Donna said, I’ll be back before we know it.”

“Maybe you can come to New York with us when you get back?”

He gave her small smile and nodded. “We’ll see.”

“Here you go, Forman,” Hyde said and handed him a bag. “Consider this your going away gift.”

Eric took the bag and opened it. “Hyde, this bag is empty.”

“I know,” he smirked at his brother-in-law. “I heard about the stuff they have over in Africa. Fill that bad boy up, send it back to me.”

Eric chuckled and gave Hyde a hug. “Will do.”

"I thought I told you, you were done," Y/n said sternly.

"You said it, I didn't."

"Steven--"

"Not here, Darling. Not in front of your brother," Hyde said, faux concern.

“Make sure to write me and to call me,” Y/n reminded him, returning to the conversation. “And if you can send pictures. I want to see where you’re going to be staying. Oh, and I want to send you pictures of the twins so that you’re not completely missing out on them.”

“Yeah, I’m bummed that I’m not going to be around to watch you two try to handle this,” Eric said and chuckled and gave his sister one last hug before turning to the babies. “You two be good for your parents. I love you both and I will see you in a year, yeah? Don’t grow up too fast.”

Y/n looked at him with teary eyes. “I’ll give Mom our new phone number and address to give to you.”

“Sounds good, sis,” Eric said.

“Hey, man,” Markus said as he joined them. “I just wanted to say that I know I haven’t been part of the group that long, but thank you for making me feel like I’ve been a part of it all along. You’re a good friend.”

“Thanks, man,” Eric replied and hugged Markus. “Thank you for keeping a muzzle on Jackie this whole time.”

Markus chuckled. “I sure did my best.”

Kitty ran over to Eric. “Honey, I'm sorry if I smothered you. That's just what a mother does. But I've accepted that you're leaving, and I'm ready to let you go.”

She tightly wrapped her arms around him that caught Eric off guard.

“Oh, mom. Mom, you...” Eric said and hugged her back. He tried to let go after a minute, but he ended up dragging her alongside him as he tried to get to the car. “Uh, Mom, you know I’m only allowed one carry-on, so…Dad?”

Red nodded and stepped in, grabbing his wife by the shoulders. “Come on, Kitty. Come on.”

Kitty sniffed as she stepped away and watched Eric get in the car. Donna got in the passenger side along with him.

“So long, Point Place!” Eric called out and started the car, only for it to die.

“Oh, for Pete’s sake,” Red grumbled. “Everyone push!”

Hyde handed Kat over to Y/n as he, Red, Kelso, and Kitty pushed the car down the driveway.

Eric shot a fist out the window. “So long, Point Place!”

Fez and Y/n stood in the driveway, watching Eric leave.

Fez sadly waved as tears and chocolate rolled down his face. “Bye, Eric!”

                                                Later that evening…

Jackie laid on her bed in the motel room, flipping through a magazine when she heard a knock on the door. Thinking it was Michael, she casually called out, “Come in.”

Markus was the last person she was expecting to see.

“Hey,” he said quietly as he shut the door behind him.

“Markus!” she said excitedly, trying not to jump on him. “Um, what are you doing here?”

He shoved his hands in his pockets, avoiding eye contact. “Nothing. Had some free time and thought I’d just come and check out Chicago. How’s it going?”

Her heart fluttered at his sudden shyness. “Um…good. Do you want to take a walk? Maybe get something to eat?”

Markus was about to answer when the door opened, revealing a half-naked Kelso, only being covered by a towel and holding an ice bucket.

“Hey, Jackie, I checked from the parking lot and no one could see us doing it—” he let out a shriek.

Markus gaze hardened at the sight before him. “You’re dead,” he growled.

Just as he was about to reach for Kelso, he slipped out the door. Markus was able to grip the towel and rip it off of him as he sprinted into the parking lot.

“I’m nude!”  

Taglist: @not-shy-nanya @taysirene @maddieschampagneproblems @mdittyz123 @undead-sierra @random-thoughts-004 @lieswithoutfairytales @chloem4a1 @srhxpc @zhonglibxitch @leothesquishy @because-makeup @cinemadaydream

[sovuckie]

Unsaid, undisturbed, misunderstood ✦

For some reason all of my documents are left empty. I am trying to fill them up with all I have been feeling lately, because I am drowning in the emptiness of these pages. I am drowning in things I can’t name and can’t seem to invent any titles for, no matter how long I have been trying to write. Nothing comes out of the writing process. Nonetheless, the words on the sheets are as invisible as my head is.

You can’t see what is going on in my mind, and even I can’t see it myself. I keep finding myself in this position where I don’t even know whether I am feeling good things… or if I have lost all the good things. Or if the old things got replaced with new things, and my words have to adjust to them. I can’t tell if something has happened, to me, to the words I wrote, to the world I experience, or to… anything at all. I can’t tell if it is something bad that has happened, if anything happened at all.

I am feeling restless, I think.

A part of me is feeling restless and uncertain what to do next because she does not know what she felt last. She does not understand things she did not think she would have to figure out. What is this? No. Stop. She is too tired for the burning questions in all that you can’t see. I am too tired for my shit, and it is not even your shit, but actually mine. Which I find strange, silly, weird - because earlier today another part of me felt genuinely peaceful for as long as it lasted. To me, it felt like a new feeling entered my life and even if I did not stand still by how long it would last, it still existed. Maybe it was a true, good feeling because for once I did not ask myself for how long I would be feeling okay.

For the first time in my life other things did not intertwine in my peace in such a moment. Or was it the second time? Third time? I can’t remember because my eyes are constantly closed even when I barely realize they are closed. It is because I have been looking at all that I need to be and at all that I am right now. I do not even know if I like what I see and if I want to see it after all. It is weird to be alive.

To exist out of time and space.

To feel something that comes close to pain, but it is not pain.

To feel something that comes very, very close to feeling lost, but it’s not nearly that.

Yes, it is weird to be in this exact moment and to know that I will close my laptop in a minute, and that everything will keep spinning around me just the same as my hands were spinning. All of the letters are floating around and I don’t know how to grab them, apart from clacking my keyboard without any goal at all. It is time to close my laptop, I guess. And for the record, I do not feel better by having written this down.

But I don’t feel worse either.

[sovuckie]

Yes (Steve)

Summary: You turn down every guy trying to hit on you.

Pairing: Steve Rogers x fem!Reader

Warning: many egos get scratched, fluff

A/N: Because so many pitied poor Stevie, he’ll get an alternative version to No. Please consider the beginning of the story is the same as Bucky’s version.

“Hi, my name is Sam. I saw you from over there and wanted to invite you to a drink or more,” he says and flashes you a smile. He’s not bad to look at. If only he didn’t eye you like his latest meal.

“No—” you turn another man down. It’s a crux, going to a bar alone. Most of the guys won’t take no for an answer or show enough decency to leave a woman alone. You wanted to have one drink after work, only to get hit on by the next best guy stepping into the bar.

The man’s shoulders sag, and he goes back to his friends’ table. They pat his shoulder, telling him to not take it to heart. You almost feel bad for him. But only until the next guy from their table walks toward you.

Great. They turned this into a challenge. Watching the next guy walk toward you, you sigh deeply. This is going to be a long night.

“Hello, darling. Name’s Tony,” the next guy drawls. He’s older than the first guy. “Why is a pretty lady like you all alone at a bar?”

You roll your eyes. “Not to talk to a guy with a goatee,” you snap at the man to cut him off. “If you would leave me alone now. The answer is no.”

“Ah, you’re the angry kind,” he leans against the bar counter, eyes drinking you in. “Why don’t you join me and my friends at our table?”

“Sorry, I’m not into gangbangs.”

The guest next to you coughs loudly because he choked on his beer thanks to your reply.

You dismissively wave your hand, sending the guy back to the table with his friends. He shakes his head and joins the bunch of guys.

“Nice comeback,” the guest next to you chuckles before grabbing the beers he ordered and walking toward the table.

“Not again,” you sigh and down your drink in one go as the next guy walks toward you. You tap the glass, ordering another one, while a tall blonde guy steps closer. He seems a little shy as his blue eyes search yours.

“Sorry to disturb you, but—” he clears his throat and points at the table with his friends. “My friends and I wondered if you want to come over and join us.”

You look him up and down. He’s very handsome. Tall and well-built, and his eyes are nice too. He nervously wrings his hands as he tries to find the right words.

Leaning back on your bar stool, you decide not to immediately turn him down. If he’s not a creep, you’ll have a drink with him. It won’t hurt spending time with a shy guy, especially when he looks like the man in front of you.

“No, I don’t want to join you and your friends,” you say, but smile at the man. He looks like a cute puppy, and you cannot deny feeling a pull toward him.

“Uh—thanks for your time,” he stammers and wants to walk off. You’re fast to grab his wrist and stop him from joining his friends. He glances at your hand around his wrist, furrowing his brows.

“Wait,” you say, earning a confused look from him. “I said, I don’t want to join you and your friends, but,” you grin, “‘why don’t you stay here, and we have a drink?”

“Oh…OH!” His eyes light up, and he flashes you a stunning smile. Damn him, he looks like the sweet boy next door, but his body screams something else. “I’d like that, doll.”

You giggle at the sweet pet name. “So, do you want me to call you blue-eyes, or will you give me a name?” You bat your eyelashes, laying it on thick to keep him from leaving.

“Crap, yes.” His cheeks burn as he holds out his hand. “Steve, miss. My name is Steve.”

“Y/N,” you reply and take his offered hand. It’s warm and strong. “Nice to meet you, Steve. What do you drink?”

“Shouldn’t I ask you that?” He laughs as you shake your head. “Uh—beer is fine. I don’t feel the influence of alcohol, but I like the taste.”

“That’s very interesting, Steve,” you say, and pat the empty seat next to yours. “How about you tell me more about it and you? What is a sweet man like you doing at a place like this?”

Steve chuckles at the awful pick-up line. He relaxes as he realizes that you’re interested in him. “My friends dragged me here. I usually don’t go to bars.”

The guys from his table groan loudly because you look Steve deep in the eyes and smile.

“What just happened?” Tony gasps loudly. “This can’t be! Capsicle can’t succeed after all of us fail! How did he do this? How did he turn a no into a yes?”

Tags in reblog.

[sovuckie]

yep... that's me

[sovuckie]

coming on here and finding in my archive my 14 year old self had so much fun writing fics and posting weird quotes on tumblr lmao (i'm 18 now)

[sovuckie]

Kim Addonizio, Like That

[sovuckie]

Sabrina Carpenter performing Juno – Short n' Sweet Tour (2024)

[sovuckie]

⋆˚ 𝜗𝜚˚⋆ - BACK TO YOU

ᯓᡣ𐭩 paring ─ ୨୧ ─ jj maybank ⋆ ex!pogue!reader

ᯓᡣ𐭩 summary ─ ୨୧ ─ in which you return to the island after moving away and have to confront unresolved feelings and changes in the friend group.

ᯓᡣ𐭩 warnings ─ ୨୧ ─ explicit language, angst, hurt/comfort, smut, fluff, drama, mention of past self-harm, mention of past suicide attempt, mention of depression/mental health issues, alcohol abuse, unresolved emotional/romantic tension, trauma, mention of parental abuse/neglect, emotional cheating, jj is dating kiara, pretend luke didn’t leave, tw: surf competition, reconciliation, emotional vulnerability, unprotected vaginal sex, fingering, oral sex, dirty talk, praise, teasing, power play, and overstimulation (please dni if your sensitive to any of these topics your mental health should come first)

ᯓᡣ𐭩 wc ─ ୨୧ ─ 19,166

⋆˚✿˖° a/n ─ ୨୧ ─ this is long and very emotional/dramatic which is half of the reason it's been sitting in drafts forever. this was only written because I just love the song and wanted something based on it.

⋆.˚✮back to you✮˚.⋆

(༝༚༝༚ selena gomez)

─── ⋆⋅☆⋅⋆ ──. Outer Banks Masterlist ─── ⋆⋅☆⋅⋆ ── Navigation ⋆⋅☆⋅⋆

JJ stands awkwardly by the cooler, his fingers drumming against the metal surface as he watches you grab another case of beer. The setting sun casts long shadows across John B's backyard, painting everything in hues of orange and pink. The salty breeze carries the distant sound of waves crashing against the shore, mixing with the muffled laughter and music inside the house. He can't help but steal glances at you, memories of your past flooding his mind like an unwanted tide.

"So uh..." JJ clears his throat, adjusting his shark tooth necklace nervously. "How was... wherever the fuck you went?" He tries to maintain his usual carefree demeanor, but an edge to his voice betrays his discomfort. His blue eyes dart between you and the ground, unable to maintain steady eye contact. The weight of your unspoken history hangs heavy between you, thicker than the humid Carolina evening.

You stand awkwardly, your fingers nervously playing with the label of your beer bottle. You avoid JJ's gaze, focusing instead on the peeling paint of John B's deck railing. The tension between you two is suffocating, making the humid evening air feel even heavier. "Maine," you finally answer, your voice barely above a whisper. "We went to Maine."

JJ's jaw tightens at the mention of Maine, his fingers flexing around his beer bottle as he processes just how far away you’ve been. "Maine? Fuck, that's like... way up there with all those lobsters and shit," he says, trying to maintain his usual lighthearted tone but failing miserably. 

"You look..." He starts, then stops himself, shoving his free hand into the pocket of his board shorts. "I mean, it's good you're back and shit. The group missed you." He deliberately leaves out the fact that he missed you too, that your absence left a void that even Kiara couldn't quite fill. The tension between you is palpable, like the electricity in the air before a storm - something the Outer Banks knows all too well. He takes a long pull from his beer, using it as an excuse to break the uncomfortable silence that's settled between you.

You take a long sip from your bottle, using the moment to gather your thoughts. The sight of JJ - still as handsome as ever with his messy blonde hair and those blue eyes - makes your heartache in a way you thought you’d gotten over. The sound of Kiara's laughter from inside feels like a knife twisting in your gut. "I see you and Kie finally..." you trail off, unable to finish the sentence. Your skin glows in the porch light.

"Yeah, me and Kie..." he trails off, taking another long pull from his beer to avoid finishing the sentence. The truth is, things with Kiara are good - great even - but standing here with you brings back all the complicated feelings he'd tried to bury in the sand. 

"The group seems... good," you manage, trying to keep your voice steady. "Different, but good." You risk a glance at JJ, immediately regretting it when you catch his eyes. Those same eyes that used to look at you with such intensity, now belong to someone else. You shift your weight, your sundress rustling softly in the evening breeze. 

A loud crash from inside the house makes you both jump causing you to spill a bit of beer on your dress, followed by John B's distinctive "Everything's fine!" JJ lets out a forced laugh, but it doesn't reach his eyes. He's hyper-aware of every movement you make, every shift in your posture, every breath you take. The familiar scent of your perfume mixed with the salt air brings back memories he's tried so hard to suppress - stolen kisses behind the Wreck, late-night surfing sessions, promises made and broken. He adjusts his stance, trying to maintain a careful distance between you, even as every fiber of his being wants to close it.

"Shit," you mutter, dabbing at the spot with your free hand. You can feel JJ's presence just a few feet away, and it takes everything in you not to close that distance. "I should've called or something," you say suddenly, the words tumbling out before you can stop them. "Before I left, I mean. I just... I couldn't." Your voice cracks slightly on the last word, betraying the emotions you're trying so hard to keep in check.

The raw honesty in your voice, when you mention not calling, makes his throat tight. "Yeah, well..." JJ runs a hand through his hair again, his shark tooth necklace catching the light as he moves. "Probably wouldn't have answered anyway. Was pretty fucked up back then." He lets out a laugh, but there's pain behind it. "Still am, just better at hiding it now." The admission hangs between you like smoke, heavy and suffocating. He can hear Sarah and John B singing off-key inside, the sound a stark contrast to the tension-filled bubble you're standing in.

He watches as you dab at the beer stain on your dress, fighting the urge to help you like he would have before. "Fuck, hold up," he mutters, pulling off his worn t-shirt and offering it to you without thinking. The porch light illuminates the scattered bruises across his torso - some new, some old ones you’d recognize.

You stand there, your heart racing as you stare at JJ's shirtless form. You reach out hesitant to take his shirt, your fingers brushing briefly in a way that sends electricity through your entire body. "Thanks," you manage to say, your voice barely above a whisper. 

"You look good though," he finally says, the words escaping before he can stop them. His eyes meet yours for a moment before quickly looking away. "I mean, like, healthy and shit. That's... that's good." He shifts uncomfortably, very aware that he's still shirtless and that the space between you feels both too large and not large enough. The familiar scent of your perfume is making his head spin, or maybe it's the beer, or maybe it's just you - it's always been you. "Did it help?" he asks quietly, genuinely wanting to know. "Going away? Did it... fix things?" The question carries more weight than he intends, loaded with all the things he never got to say before you left.

The sound of Kiara's laughter drifts out again, and you flinches visibly. You take another long drink from your beer, needing the liquid courage. "It helped," you finally answer his question, unconsciously running your fingers over the faded scars on your wrists. "The doctors, the therapy, the distance... It helped. But it didn't fix everything." You look up at him then, really look at him, taking in how the years have changed him. He's still JJ - still beautiful but there's something harder in his eyes now, something that wasn't there before.

You clutch his shirt in your hands, the familiar scent of him - salt air, coconut surf wax, and something distinctly JJ - making you dizzy with memories. "I..." you start, then swallow hard. "I wanted to call. Every single day, I picked up my phone and stared at your number until the screen went black."

"I missed you," You confess quietly, immediately regretting the words as soon as they leave your mouth. "I mean, I missed everyone," you quickly add, but you both know it's not the same thing. You can feel the weight of everything unsaid between you, three years' worth of words you never got to say. "You look happy," you say, trying to smile even though it feels like your heart is breaking all over again. "With Kie, I mean. You guys... you make sense together." The lie tastes bitter on your tongue, but you force it out anyway. Because what else can you say? That seeing them together feels like drowning? That every time you close your eyes, you still see him? That Maine might have helped you heal your mind, but it did nothing to heal your heart? 

A burst of laughter from inside makes him jump, reminding him where you are and who's waiting for him. "Happy?" he scoffs, the word tasting like ash in his mouth. "Yeah, sure. I'm fucking peachy." His sarcasm is sharp enough to cut, a defense mechanism he's perfected over the years. He takes another long drink from his beer, finishing it in one go before setting it down with more force than necessary. "And don't do that shit about me and Kie making sense. You don't get to..." he stops himself again, running a hand over his face.

"Fuck, Y/N/N," JJ breathes out, using your old nickname without thinking. His fingers twitch at his sides, wanting to reach for you but knowing he can't. The sight of you touching your wrist scars makes his stomach turn - he remembers the day he found you, remembers the blood, remembers feeling more terrified than he'd ever been in his life.

"You can't just come back here and say shit like that," he says, his voice rough with emotion. He runs both hands through his hair in frustration, pacing a small circle on the deck. "You left, Y/N. You fucking left and I..." he trails off, the rest of the sentence dying in his throat. The memory of those first few weeks, after you disappeared, hits him like a physical blow - the drinking, the fights, the reckless behavior that even John B couldn't talk him down from.

"I didn't want to leave, JJ," You say, taking a step closer to him despite yourself. The electricity between you is almost tangible now. "You think I wanted to be shipped off to fucking Maine? To be locked up in some facility where they watched my every move? Where they made me talk about every fucking thing that was wrong with me?" Your voice rises slightly before you catch yourself, glancing nervously at the house. "I was drowning here, JJ. I was drowning and I couldn't..." 

"You know what? Fuck this," JJ says suddenly, his eyes blazing with a mix of anger and something else - something that looks dangerously close to the way he used to look at you. "You want to know what happened after you left? I fucking lost it, Y/N. I was so fucked up I couldn't even..." he cuts himself off, aware he's saying too much. The space between you feels charged with electricity, like the air before a storm. 

"But hey, at least the doctors fixed you up real nice, right?" The words are meant to sting, but there's a tremor in his voice that betrays him. He's still that same boy who used to sneak into your room at night, who used to hold you when the darkness got too heavy, who promised he'd always be there - until you made it impossible to keep that promise." His eyes intense as they lock onto yours. "I used to check your social media every fucking day. Every. Day. Just to make sure you were still..." he trails off, unable to finish the sentence. 

Your hands tremble as you clutch his shirt tighter, his familiar scent making your head spin. "Lost it?" You repeat, your voice cracking. "You think you were the only one who lost it?" The words come out sharper than intended, years of buried pain rising to the surface. Your skin flushes with anger and hurt, your eyes glistening with unshed tears. The bitterness in his voice when he mentions the doctors makes you flinch. "Fixed me up real nice?" You repeat, a hollow laugh escaping your lips. "Is that what you think? That I'm all better now? That I just went away and came back brand new?" You move closer still, close enough to see the flecks of darker blue in his eyes, close enough to smell the beer on his breath. "I still have nightmares. I still get days where I can barely get out of bed. The only difference is now I have better coping mechanisms than..." 

His confession about checking your social media makes your heart stutter in your chest. "I deactivated everything," you admit quietly, your voice thick with emotion. "Because every time I logged on, all I wanted to do was message you. Tell you I was sorry. Tell you I..." you stop yourself, very aware of how close you're standing now, of the fact that he's still shirtless, of Kiara just inside the house. "It doesn't matter now, does it?" You say, taking a step back, trying to create some distance between you even though every cell in your body screams to move closer. "You moved on. You're happy. That's... that's good." The lie tastes like poison on your tongue, but you force it out anyway, because what right do you have to come back here and disrupt his life? What right do you have to still want him this much?

JJ's body tenses as Pope's voice cuts through the charged atmosphere. "What’s taking so long with those beers? John B's about to start drinking mouthwash if we don't..." Pope trails off as he steps onto the deck, his eyes darting between JJ's shirtless form and you holding the said shirt. "Oh shit, my bad, I didn't..." he starts, but JJ cuts him off with a sharp laugh that sounds more like a bark.

"Nothing to be sorry for, Pope," JJ says, his voice carrying an edge that makes Pope raise his eyebrows. JJ snatches up the case of beer from the cooler, his movements jerky and aggressive. "Just catching up with our prodigal pogue here. Sharing war stories about her fancy fucking therapy in Maine." The words come out dripping with sarcasm, but there's a tremor in his hands as he grips the beer case. The porch light catches the tension in his jaw, the way his muscles are coiled tight like he's ready to either fight or flee.

"JJ," Pope says warningly, recognizing the signs of his friend spiraling. He's seen this before - usually right before JJ does something spectacularly stupid. "Maybe we should all just-" But JJ's already moving, shouldering past both of them towards the house. He pauses at the door, his back to you, his knuckles white around the beer case. "You know what the fucked up part is?" he says, not turning around. "I actually thought..." he stops, letting out a bitter laugh. "Doesn't matter what I thought. Welcome home, Y/N. Hope Maine was worth it."

Pope watches JJ disappear inside before turning to you with an apologetic look. "He was really messed up when you left," he says quietly, always the mediator. "Like, more than usual messed up. Started getting into fights with Topper almost daily, drinking more than his dad. Kiara was the only one who could calm him down sometimes." He runs a hand over his face, looking tired. "Look, I know it's not my place, but... maybe give him some time? He's better now, but seeing you again..." Pope glances at the door where you can hear JJ's forced laughter mixing with the others. "It's like reopening an old wound, you know?"

You stare at the door JJ just disappeared through, your heart feeling like it's being ripped apart all over again. His shirt is still clutched in your trembling hands, and you bring it unconsciously closer to your chest. You can feel tears threatening to spill over. "Time?" You repeat Pope's words with a hollow laugh. "Yeah, because three years wasn't enough time, right?" Your voice cracks on the last word, and you have to take a deep breath to steady yourself.

"In Maine, they made us write letters. Letters to everyone we hurt, everyone who hurt us. I wrote so many letters to JJ that they had to give me extra paper." You let out a shaky breath, running your fingers over the soft fabric of JJ's shirt. "Never sent a single one. How do you put three years of 'I'm sorry' and 'I miss you' and 'I still...' into words that don't sound completely fucking pathetic?"

The sound of breaking glass comes from inside, followed by Kiara's concerned "JJ?" Pope closes his eyes and sighs. "And there it is. I better..." he gestures towards the house. "You coming?" The question hangs in the air, heavy with the weight of everything that's just transpired.

The sound of Kiara's concerned voice calling for JJ makes your stomach twist painfully. "You should go check on him," you say to Pope, finally looking up. Your eyes are swimming with unshed tears, but you refuse to let them fall. "I'll... I'll be in in a minute. Just need to..." You gesture vaguely at yourself, trying to pull together the pieces of your composure that JJ's words had shattered. "And Pope?" You call as he turns to leave. "I know everyone probably hates me for leaving. Hell, I hate myself for it. But I didn't have a choice. It was either leave or..." 

You can hear more commotion from inside - JJ's voice raised, something else breaking, Kiara trying to calm him down. The sound makes your chest ache in a way that feels physical. "Fuck," you whisper to yourself, looking down at JJ's shirt still in your hands. You bring it to your face, inhaling his scent one last time before forcing yourself to fold it neatly. You’ll have to give it back eventually, but right now, you need a moment to remember how to breathe without feeling like you’re drowning all over again. The irony isn't lost on you - you left the Outer Banks to stop feeling like you were drowning, only to come back and find yourself deeper underwater than ever before.

The tension in living room is thick enough to cut with a knife as you enter. JJ is sprawled on the couch next to Kiara, his arm draped possessively around her shoulders while nursing what appears to be his fifth beer. There's broken glass by the kitchen counter that Sarah's carefully sweeping up, shooting concerned glances at everyone.

"So this competition tomorrow," John B says too loudly, clearly trying to diffuse the tension. "Heard Topper's entering too." He's sitting cross-legged on the floor, picking at the label of his beer bottle. "Gonna be some sick waves though, bro. Weather report's saying six-footers at least."

JJ snorts, his blue eyes deliberately avoiding your direction. "Yeah, well, Topper can suck my-" Kiara elbows him in the ribs, cutting him off. "What? I'm just saying the trust fund baby probably can't even tell the difference between the nose and tail of his board." His words are slightly slurred, with anger and alcohol making his voice thicker.

"Actually," Sarah pipes up from the kitchen, dumping the broken glass in the trash, "I heard he's been practicing a lot." She settles onto the arm of John B's chair, her blonde hair catching the dim light. "Something about wanting to prove himself or whatever."

Pope shifts slightly as you sit next to him, creating a protective barrier between you and JJ. "You still surf, Y/N?" he asks, trying to include you in the conversation. "Remember that time you totally schooled JJ on that left break by the pier?"

"Fuck off, Pope," JJ snaps, his grip tightening on his beer bottle. "That was one time, and I was hungover as shit." Kiara places a calming hand on his thigh, but he shrugs it off, standing up abruptly. "I need another beer."

"Maybe you should slow down," Kiara suggests gently, reaching for his hand. "The competition's early tomorrow and-"

"I said I need another fucking beer," JJ cuts her off, his voice sharp. He stalks toward the kitchen, purposely taking the long way around to avoid passing near you. "And for the record," he adds, pausing in the doorway, "that left break? I let her win. Figured she needed the ego boost since she was so fucking fragile back then." The words are meant to wound, and from the way you tense beside him, Pope can tell they hit their mark.

John B stands up, running a hand through his hair. "JJ, bro, come on-"

"What?" JJ whirls around, his eyes blazing. "We all just gonna pretend like everything's normal? Like she didn't just fuck off for three years and come waltzing back expecting everything to be the same?" He lets out a bitter laugh. "Nah, I'm good. You guys can play happy fucking family without me."

The room falls into a heavy silence after JJ's outburst. Sarah is the first to speak, her voice gentle but firm. "JJ, that's enough." She moves from her perch on John B's chair, positioning herself between JJ and the rest of the group.

Your hands are shaking as you stand up, your voice quiet but steady. "You want to do this now? Fine." You take a step forward, ignoring Pope's attempt to grab your arm. "You think you're the only one who was hurt? You think you're the only one who was fucked up?" Your voice rises slightly, years of pent-up emotion breaking through. "I didn't just 'fuck off' to Maine for fun, JJ. I went because the alternative was being lowered into the ground in a fucking coffin!"

Kiara stands up too, torn between her boyfriend and her old friend. "Y/N, maybe we should-"

"No, Kie," you cut her off, your eyes locked on JJ. "He wants to talk about being fragile? About letting me win? At least I'm trying to get better. What are you doing, JJ? Getting drunk and picking fights? Real fucking healthy."

John B moves to intervene, but Pope holds him back, shaking his head. This has been brewing since the moment you walked through the door.

"You know what the difference is between us?" You continue, your voice cracking. "I admit I'm broken. I went and got help because I was tired of hurting everyone around me. But you?" You let out a hollow laugh. "You're still that same scared little boy, hiding behind your anger and your booze because god forbid anyone see that you're hurting too. You’re acting just like your daddy.” 

The moment the words leave your mouth, the room erupts into chaos. JJ's beer bottle shatters in his hand as he lunges forward. "Don't you fucking DARE!" as John B and Pope rush to grab him. His muscles strain against their hold. "You don't get to say that shit! You don't get to fucking compare me to him!"

"JJ, stop!" Kiara shouts, but he's beyond hearing. His blue eyes are wild, unfocused, filled with a pain so deep it makes everyone in the room flinch. "You want to talk about being broken?" JJ spits, still fighting against John B and Pope's restraining arms. "At least I didn't run away! At least I stayed and faced my shit instead of leaving everyone wondering if you were even fucking alive!" His voice cracks on the last word, raw emotion bleeding through the anger. "Do you know how many times I drove by your house? How many nights I sat outside your window hoping you'd just... fuck!" 

 "Where the fuck was all this concern for mental health when I was showing up at your window covered in bruises? When I was sleeping on the beach because I was too scared to go home?" Blood continues to drip from his hand, creating a small puddle on the floor.

"You know what's really fucking funny?" JJ continues, his voice cracking. "The day you left? I was gonna tell you everything. About my dad, about how fucked up I was, about how you were the only person who made me feel like maybe I wasn't completely worthless." His words are like bullets, each one aimed to hit where it hurts most.

"Bro, calm down," John B grunts, struggling to maintain his grip. "This isn't helping-"

"Helping?" JJ lets out a laugh that sounds more like a sob. "Nothing helps! Nothing fucking helps because she LEFT!" He finally breaks free, stumbling forward but not advancing towards you. Instead, he stands there, chest heaving, looking more vulnerable than any of them has ever seen him. "You left," he repeats, quieter now, his voice thick with unshed tears. "You left and I couldn't... I couldn't fucking breathe. And now you're back and I still can't breathe and I..." He runs his hands through his hair violently, turning away from everyone.

Pope steps forward cautiously. "JJ, maybe we should-"

"Don't," JJ cuts him off, his voice dangerous again. "Just... don't." He grabs his keys from the counter, ignoring Kiara's protests. "I need to get the fuck out of here before I..." He doesn't finish the sentence, just storms out, the screen door slamming behind him. The sound of his motorcycle roaring to life fills the night air moments later.

The room falls into a heavy silence after JJ's dramatic exit. You stand frozen, your whole body trembling as tears finally spill down your cheeks. Sarah is the first to move, wrapping her arms around you as you begin to sob.

"I didn't mean..." you choke out between sobs. "I didn't mean to say that about his dad. I just... I was so angry and..." You collapse onto the couch, Sarah still holding you while Kiara paces anxiously by the door.

"Someone needs to go after him," Kiara says, grabbing her jacket. "He's drunk and upset, he shouldn't be on that bike." She looks torn between staying with you and chasing after her boyfriend.

John B runs a hand through his hair, exchanging worried looks with Pope. "I'll go," he says, grabbing his keys. "Pope, you stay here with them. Sarah, can you...?" He gestures at you, who's still crying into Sarah's shoulder.

"I got her," Sarah assures him. "Just... bring him back in one piece, okay?"

Pope starts cleaning up the broken glass, his movements careful and methodical. "You know," he says quietly, "JJ never told anyone this, but he used to sleep in your treehouse after you left. We'd find him up there some mornings, usually after really bad nights with his dad."

"He kept your bracelet too," Kiara adds softly, still hovering by the door. "The one you made him at that bonfire. Wears it under his watch sometimes." She pauses, conflict clear on her face. "I should go with John B-"

"No," you say, wiping your eyes. "Stay. Please. I... I need to tell you all something. About why I really left." You take a shaky breath, looking around at your friends - the family you left behind. "It wasn't just the self-harm or the suicide attempt. There was... there was more. And JJ... he deserves to know the truth. You all do."

Sarah squeezes your hand encouragingly while Pope settles on the floor in front of you. The sound of the Twinkie starting up outside fills the momentary silence.

"Take your time," Sarah says gently. "We're listening." 

John B finds JJ at their usual spot - the abandoned dock near the marsh where they used to fish as kids. JJ's sitting at the edge, legs dangling over the water, a fresh beer in his hand that he definitely grabbed from his emergency stash hidden in the old boat nearby. His motorcycle is parked haphazardly in the grass, still ticking as it cools down.

"Figured I'd find you here," John B says, settling down next to his best friend. The moonlight reflects off the water, casting everything in a silvery glow. "That was quite a show back there, bro."

JJ takes a long pull from his beer, his knuckles still bloody from the broken bottle. "Fuck off, John B," he mutters, but there's no real heat behind it. His hands are shaking slightly as he brings the bottle back to his lips. "I don't need another fucking lecture about controlling my temper or whatever shit you're about to say."

"Actually," John B says, pulling out two fresh beers from his pocket and handing one to JJ, "I was gonna say she had no right bringing up your dad." He cracks open his beer, the sound echoing across the quiet marsh. "That was fucked up."

JJ lets out a hollow laugh, running his uninjured hand through his messy hair. "You know what's fucked up? She's right." His voice cracks slightly. "I am turning into him. Getting drunk, breaking shit, can't control my fucking temper..." He throws his empty bottle into the water with force, watching it disappear beneath the dark surface.

"Nah, man," John B shakes his head firmly. "You're nothing like Luke. You know how I know?" He waits until JJ looks at him. "Because you care. Like, actually give a shit about people. Luke never did." He pauses, choosing his next words carefully. "And you loved her. Still do, probably."

"Doesn't fucking matter now, does it?" JJ's voice is rough with emotion. "I'm with Kie. And Y/N... she's..." he trails off, unable to finish the sentence. The crickets chirp in the silence that follows, the marsh grass swaying in the gentle breeze.

"You know," John B says after a while, "Kie knows. Has known for a while, I think. About how you feel about Y/N." He takes another sip of his beer. "Maybe that's why she's been so... I don't know, different lately?"

JJ's head snaps up, his blue eyes wide in the moonlight. "What the fuck are you talking about?"

"Come on, bro," John B sighs. "You've been wearing that bracelet under your watch since the day Y/N left. You sleep in her old treehouse when shit gets bad. And the way you looked at her tonight... that wasn't just anger, man."

JJ stares out at the dark water, his jaw working as he processes John B's words. "It's not..." he starts, then stops, taking a long drink. "Fuck, man." The moonlight catches the silver threads in his shark tooth necklace as he shifts uncomfortably. "You can't just say shit like that about me and Kie."

"Why not?" John B presses, watching his best friend carefully. "Because it's true? Because you've been trying so hard to convince yourself that what you have with Kie is enough?" He dodges the empty beer can JJ throws at his head with practiced ease. "I love Kie, man. We all do. But she deserves better than being someone's second choice."

"You think I don't know that?" JJ explodes, jumping to his feet. He paces the dock, his shoes making the old wood creak. "You think I don't fucking hate myself for it? For not being able to..." he trails off, running both hands through his hair in frustration. "Y/N left, John B. She fucking left without a word and Kie... Kie was there. She picked up the pieces. She..."

"She's not Y/N," John B finishes quietly. The words hang in the humid night air, heavy with truth. "And that's not fair to any of you."

JJ stops pacing, bracing himself against one of the dock posts. His knuckles are white where they grip the wood, blood from his earlier injury leaving dark smears. "You should've seen her that night," he says so quietly John B almost misses it. "The night before she left. She came to my window like she always did when shit got bad. But something was different. She wouldn't look at me, wouldn't let me touch her. Just kept saying she was sorry." His voice cracks. "I should've known. Should've fucking done something."

"JJ..." John B starts, but JJ cuts him off.

"And now she's back," he continues, his voice rough. "She's back and she's wearing that fucking perfume that makes my head spin, and she's got these new scars I don't know the stories too, and she's looking at me like... like..." He slams his fist into the post, adding fresh splinters to his already injured hand. "Like I'm still that stupid kid who couldn't save her. How I didn't see how bad it was getting. How I was so caught up in my shit with my dad that I missed all the signs." He runs his hands through his hair roughly. "And you know what the worst part is? Even after everything, even with Kie... I still..." He can't finish the sentence, but he doesn't need to.

The marsh is quiet except for the gentle lapping of water against the dock and the distant sound of a boat horn. John B watches as his best friend falls apart, knowing there's nothing he can say to make this better. "Maybe," he finally suggests, "you should talk to Kie. Like, really talk to her. And then..." he hesitates. "Maybe you should talk to Y/N too. About everything."

JJ lets out a bitter laugh. "Yeah? And say what? 'Sorry, I just had a fucking meltdown in front of everyone because seeing you still makes me feel like I'm drowning'? 'Sorry, I'm such a fuck up I couldn't even move on properly'?" He slides down to sit on the dock again, his energy seemingly drained. "Nah, man. Some things are better left buried."

The two make their way to the van it rumbles down the dark road, headlights cutting through the night as John B glances worriedly at JJ in the passenger seat. JJ is slumped against the window, his breath fogging up the glass, the streetlights casting intermittent shadows across his face. His bloody knuckles rest in his lap, the makeshift bandage John B made from his t-shirt already soaking through.

"Your dad's been better lately, right?" John B asks cautiously, turning onto JJ's street. "Like, with the new job and everything?" He knows these periods of calm with Luke are temporary, like the eye of a hurricane - peaceful until it's not.

JJ lets out a laugh, his eyes still fixed on the passing shadows outside. "Yeah, for now. Give it a week, maybe two if we're lucky." His voice is tired, drained of its usual energy. "He's actually buying groceries instead of beer. Fucking miracle, right?" The sarcasm in his voice is thick enough to cut.

As they pull up to JJ's house, they can see Luke's truck in the driveway, the porch light on - a rare sight. Through the window, they can see him moving around in the kitchen, looking almost normal, almost like a real father. "You sure you don't want to crash at my place?" John B offers, killing the engine. "Sarah won't mind, and you know Pope's probably got Y/N calmed down by now..."

"Don't," JJ warns, his voice sharp. "Just... don't say her name right now, okay?" He runs his uninjured hand through his hair, a nervous habit that's become more frequent since your return. "I can't... I can't think about that shit right now. About what she said, about Kie, about..." he trails off, shaking his head.

The front door opens, and Luke steps onto the porch. "JJ? That you, son?" His voice carries across the yard, lacking its usual angry slur. "Got some leftovers if you're hungry. Made that fish you like." The attempt at normalcy is almost more unsettling than his usual violence.

"Fuck," JJ mutters, unbuckling his seatbelt. "Look at him, playing father of the year." He grabs his backpack from the backseat, wincing as the movement jars his injured hand. "Thanks for the ride, bro. And for..." he gestures vaguely, encompassing everything that happened at the dock.

"JJ," John B calls as his friend opens the door. "Just... be careful, okay? And if shit goes south..." He doesn't need to finish the sentence. They both know JJ's always got a place at the Chateau.

"Yeah, yeah," JJ forces a grin that doesn't reach his eyes. "Save the emotional shit for Sarah, man." He slams the van door, shouldering his backpack as he heads toward the house. Each step feels heavy like he's walking through water. The weight of everything - your return, his relationship with Kiara, his dad's temporary stability - sits on his shoulders like a physical burden.

Luke's waiting at the door, and for once, his eyes are clear. "Rough night?" he asks, noticing JJ's bandaged hand. There's genuine concern in his voice, the kind that makes JJ's chest ache because he knows it won't last.

He follows his father into the house, the familiar scent of fried fish and something else - hope, maybe? - filling the air. The kitchen is cleaner than he's seen it in years, dishes are actually washed and put away, no empty bottles littering the counters. It's like walking into a funhouse mirror version of his life, everything familiar but slightly wrong.

"Sit," Luke gestures to the table, already moving to reheat the food. "Got paid today. Foreman says I'm doing good work." There's pride in his voice, the kind JJ used to dream of hearing when he was younger. "Even got you something." He pulls out a small package from one of the kitchen drawers, sliding it across the table.

JJ stares at the package like it might bite him, his injured hand throbbing in rhythm with his heartbeat. "Dad, you didn't have to..." he starts, but Luke waves him off.

"Open it," Luke insists, putting a plate of steaming fish and rice in front of JJ. "Saw it at the store, thought of you." His voice is gruff with emotion he doesn't know how to express.

With trembling fingers, JJ unwraps the package. Inside is a new surf wax and a professional-grade fishing lure - the expensive kind they used to admire together in the shop window when JJ was little. "This is..." he swallows hard, something thick and painful lodging in his throat.

"For the competition tomorrow," Luke explains, sitting down across from him with his own plate. "Figured you could use some good gear." He pauses, studying JJ's face. "Your hand gonna be okay to surf?"

JJ flexes his fingers experimentally, wincing. "Yeah, it's fine. Just some scratches." He doesn't mention how he got them, and Luke doesn't ask. Some things are better left unsaid, even in this temporary peace.

They eat in relative silence, the only sounds are the scrape of forks against plates and the distant hum of crickets outside. JJ can't help but wait for the other shoe to drop, for his father to notice the alcohol on his breath, or ask why he came home so late. But Luke just keeps eating, occasionally glancing at JJ with something that looks almost like concern.

"Y/N’s back," Luke says suddenly, making JJ choke on his rice. "Saw her at the store today. She's grown up nice." He says it casually, like he doesn't know the weight those words carry like he doesn't remember the nights JJ came home drunk and broken after you left.

JJ's grip on his fork tightens, his knuckles white. "Dad..." he warns, but Luke continues.

"You know, I never told you this," Luke sets down his fork, his voice unusually serious. "But that girl... she used to come by sometimes when you were out. Would bring groceries, say she was just dropping off extras her mom bought." He lets out a dry laugh. "We both knew she was lying. She was checking on you, making sure I hadn't..." he trails off, shame coloring his voice.

The revelation hits JJ like a physical blow. He pushes back from the table, his chair scraping loudly against the floor. "I can't... I can't do this right now," he manages to say, his voice rough. "Thanks for dinner. And the..." he gestures at the gifts, unable to finish.

Luke nods, understanding in his eyes that hurts worse than any punch he's ever thrown. "Get some rest, son. Big day tomorrow." He watches as JJ practically flees to his room, the sound of his door closing echoing through the unusually quiet house.

In his room, JJ collapses onto his bed. The surf wax and lure sit on his nightstand, mocking him with their newness, their promise of a father he's always wanted but never quite had. He pulls out his phone, seeing missed calls from Kiara and texts from the group chat. But it's his wallpaper that catches his eye - still that old photo of him and you at the beach, your smile bright and real, his arm around your shoulders. He'd never changed it, not even after starting things with Kiara.

"Fuck," he whispers into the darkness, throwing his arm over his eyes. Tomorrow's competition suddenly seems like the least of his problems.

JJ is hunched over his surfboard on the front porch, a half-eaten piece of toast dangling from his mouth as he meticulously applies the new wax his father gave him. The morning sun casts long shadows across the worn wood of the porch, the air already thick with humidity. His injured hand throbs as he works, the makeshift bandage John B wrapped it in last night now stained and fraying.

The knock makes him jump, nearly dropping the wax block. "It's open!" he calls out, not looking up from his work. He knows it's Kiara before she even speaks - recognizes the pattern of her footsteps, the jingle of the shell anklet she always wears.

"Hey," Kiara's voice is soft and cautious. She's wearing her competition bikini under a loose tank top, her curly hair pulled back in a messy bun. "You weren't answering your phone." She settles down next to him on the porch steps, close but not touching - a careful distance that speaks volumes.

JJ continues working on his board, his movements perhaps more aggressive than necessary. "Yeah, well, been kind of busy." He gestures at the board with his injured hand, causing Kiara to suck in a sharp breath at the sight of his knuckles.

"Jesus, JJ," she reaches for his hand but he pulls away, standing up abruptly. "We need to talk about last night-"

"No," JJ cuts her off, running his good hand through his already messy hair. "We really don't. I fucked up, lost my temper, same old shit. Can we just..." he trails off, finally looking at her. The concern in her eyes makes his stomach twist with guilt.

Kiara stands too, crossing her arms. "Y/N told us everything last night," she says quietly. "After you left. About why she really went away." She watches as JJ's entire body tenses, his jaw clenching. "JJ, it wasn't just about the self-harm and the attempt. She was-"

"Stop," JJ's voice is sharp, dangerous. He turns away from her, gripping the porch railing so hard his knuckles turn white. "I don't want to know. I can't... I can't hear that shit right now. Not before the competition."

"You can't keep running from this," Kiara says, her voice stronger now. "And you can't keep pretending that what we have is..." she stops, taking a deep breath. "I see the way you look at her, JJ. I've always seen it. Even when you're angry at her, even when you're with me, you look at her like... like she's the sun and you're drowning in her light."

JJ lets out a bitter laugh, turning back to face her. "That's some poetic shit, Kie." But there's no humor in his voice, just pain and exhaustion. "What do you want me to say? That I'm sorry? That I'm a fucking mess who can't get his shit together? That I-"

"I want you to be honest," Kiara interrupts. "With me, with yourself, with her." She steps closer, reaching up to touch his face gently. "We both knew this wasn't forever, JJ. We were just... holding each other together until something better came along."

"You deserve better than that," JJ says quietly, leaning into her touch despite himself. "Better than me using you as a bandaid for my fucked up heart."

Kiara smiles sadly. "Yeah, I do. And so do you." She drops her hand, stepping back. "The competition starts soon. Y/N’s entering too, by the way. JJ? She still wears that shell necklace you made her. Never took it off, even in Maine."

The information hits JJ like a physical blow, making him grip the railing tighter. The surf wax sits abandoned on his board, the morning sun turning it soft and sticky. JJ sighs heavily, sliding down to sit on the porch steps. The morning sun continues to rise, casting long shadows across the yard where weeds push through cracked concrete - a perfect metaphor for their relationship, beautiful things growing in broken places.

"You're not mad?" JJ asks finally, his voice rough. He picks at the fraying bandage on his hand, avoiding her eyes. "About... everything?"

Kiara lets out a soft laugh sitting back down next to him bumping his shoulder with hers. "I mean, I probably should be. But honestly?" She tilts her face toward the sun, closing her eyes. "I think I've known since the beginning. We were both just... trying to fill empty spaces."

JJ runs his good hand through his hair, a nervous habit he can't shake. "You're too good for this shit, Kie. Too good for me and my fucked up baggage." He glances at her sideways. "I never meant to hurt you."

"I know," Kiara says simply. "And hey, at least we had some good times, right?" She grins at him, that familiar sparkle in her eyes. "Like that time we got caught skinny dipping at the country club pool?"

"Fuck," JJ laughs despite himself, the tension in his shoulders easing slightly. "Your dad's face when he found us... thought he was gonna have a stroke." The memory feels lighter now, less weighted with guilt.

They sit in comfortable silence for a moment. Finally, Kiara speaks again, her voice gentle but firm. "You need to talk to her, JJ. Like, really talk to her. No yelling, no running away."

JJ's jaw tightens. "Kie..."

"No, listen," she cuts him off. "What she told us last night... it changes things. And you deserve to know." She stands up, brushing off her shorts. "But first, you need to kick Topper's ass in this competition. Show him that pogues rule the waves, right?"

JJ looks up at her, gratitude and affection washing over him. "How are you so fucking cool about all this?"

Kiara shrugs, a small smile playing on her lips. "Because I love you both, you idiot. Just... not in the way we've been pretending." She starts walking backward toward her car. "See you at the beach. And JJ?" She pauses. "Whatever Y/N told us last night? It's not my story to tell. But when she does tell you... just remember she never stopped loving you either."

JJ watches her drive away, his heart feeling both lighter and heavier at the same time. He turns back to his surfboard, running his fingers over the fresh wax. The competition starts soon, and somewhere on that beach, you’ll be there. The thought makes his stomach flip in a way that has nothing to do with pre-competition nerves.

The beach is alive with pre-competition energy, the morning sun casting long shadows across the sand as spectators and competitors mill about. The group has claimed your usual spot, a patch of sand near the judges' stand where you're spread out with blankets and coolers. The air smells of salt spray and sunscreen, mixed with the distant scent of food vendors setting up their stalls.

JJ sits cross-legged next to Pope, obsessively checking the fins on his board while stealing glances at you. His injured hand is wrapped in fresh bandages - Pope's handiwork from earlier that morning. "You think the swell's gonna hold?" he asks Pope, his voice tighter than usual. "Weather report said it might pick up around noon."

"Dude, stop stressing," Pope replies, not looking up from his phone where he's tracking the wind patterns. "You could surf these waves in your sleep." He pauses, glancing at his friend. "Though maybe focus more on the waves and less on staring at Y/N every five seconds?"

A few feet away, Kiara and you sit huddled over your board, your heads close together as you work on the design. "Pass me the blue paint?" Kiara asks, her voice carefully casual. "I think it'll pop against the white."

"Here," You hand over the paint pen, your finger steady as you work on your own section of the board. "Thanks for helping me with this, Kie. I know it's... weird."

Sarah's voice carries over from where she's practically sitting in John B's lap, her laugh bright in the morning air. "John B, I swear to God, if you get any more sunscreen in my hair..." She squirms as he deliberately rubs more lotion on her neck.

"What? I'm being helpful!" John B protests, grinning. "Can't have my girl turning into a lobster." He catches JJ's eye and makes an exaggerated kissing face, earning himself a handful of sand thrown his way.

"Get a room, you two," Pope groans, but there's affection in his voice. "Some of us are trying to focus here."

"Yeah, focus on what?" JJ snaps, more harshly than intended. "The competition doesn't start for another hour." His eyes drift back to you, watching as you tuck a strand of hair behind your ear - a gesture so familiar it makes his chest ache.

"Speaking of the competition," Sarah pipes up, clearly trying to diffuse the tension, "heard Topper's been practicing his aerial moves. Might actually give you a run for your money this time, JJ."

"Please," JJ scoffs, his trademark cockiness returning. "Trust fund baby probably had to pay someone to teach him which end of the board goes in front." But his bravado falters when he catches you hiding a smile at his comment.

"The waves are looking good though," you offer quietly, your first direct contribution to the group conversation. "Nice clean sets coming in." Your voice carries over the beach noise, making JJ's hands still on his board.

The group falls into a loaded silence, everyone pretending not to notice the way JJ and you carefully avoid looking at each other, or how Kiara's shoulders relax slightly when JJ doesn't snap back with a sarcastic comment.

"Alright, enough of this weird energy," Pope announces, standing up and brushing sand off his shorts. "Who wants to help me get drinks from the vendor? We've got..." he checks his watch, "forty-five minutes to get JJ properly hydrated before he has to show these kooks how it's done."

"Let me help," Sarah jumps up, linking her arm through Pope's. "John B, Y/N, you coming?" There's a pointed look in her eyes that everyone pretends not to notice.

"I'm good," You reply, still focused on your board design. "Need to finish this before the competition starts." Your fingers trace the intricate pattern you and Kiara have created - waves and stars intertwining across the white surface.

"Me too," John B replies, stretching out on their blanket. "Someone's gotta make sure these two don't kill each other." He gestures vaguely between JJ and you, earning himself a glare from both of you.

Kiara looks up from the surfboard, her hands covered in paint. "Get me one of those açai bowls if they have them?" she calls after Pope and Sarah. "And maybe some water for everyone? It's getting hot out here."

As Pope and Sarah head toward the vendors, the remaining group falls into an awkward silence. JJ continues fidgeting with his board, though there's nothing left to adjust. The morning sun beats down on you, the humidity making everything feel sticky and tense. The beach is getting more crowded now, the excitement building as more competitors arrive with their boards.

"Your hand looks better," You say suddenly, your voice soft but carrying clearly over the beach noise. You're still focused on your board, not looking up, but your fingers have stilled on the paint pen.

JJ flexes his injured hand unconsciously. "Yeah, well, Pope's got practice wrapping shit up. Comes with being friends with a walking disaster." He tries for his usual sarcastic tone but it falls flat.

"Remember that time you tried to do a backflip off the pier?" John B interjects, clearly trying to ease the tension. "Pope had to use an entire first aid kit on your stupid ass."

"That was one time," JJ protests, a genuine smile finally cracking through his facade. "And I totally would've landed it if that jellyfish hadn't been in the way."

"There was no jellyfish," Kiara laughs, rolling her eyes. "You just chickened out halfway through."

"I did not!" JJ's voice rises indignantly. "Tell them, Y/N/N, you were there-" He cuts himself off abruptly, realizing he'd used your old nickname without thinking.

The silence that follows is deafening, broken only by the distant sound of waves and other competitors warming up. Your hand has started trembling slightly, though you try to hide it by gripping the paint pen tighter.

"There definitely wasn't a jellyfish," you finally say, your voice barely above a whisper. "But there was that group of tourist girls watching, and you were trying to show off..."

"Classic JJ," John B jumps in, trying to keep the conversation flowing. "Always trying to impress the ladies with his 'sick moves.'" He makes air quotes with his fingers.

The moment breaks when someone calls out "Maybank!" from down the beach. It's one of the competition organizers, clipboard in hand. "You're up in heat three, twenty minutes!"

"Shit," JJ mutters, standing up and grabbing his board. "I should probably warm up or whatever." He pauses, looking down at your board. "The design's good," he says quietly, before quickly adding, "Both of you. It's... yeah." He turns and jogs toward the water, his board under his arm.

"Well, that was almost a normal conversation," John B observes, earning himself an elbow in the ribs from Kiara. "What? I'm just saying..."

"I should warm up too," You say suddenly, standing and picking up your board. The morning sun catches the shell necklace around your neck - the one JJ made you years ago - making it gleam.

"Want company?" Kiara offers, but you shake your head.

"I need to..." you gesture vaguely toward the opposite end of the beach from where JJ went. "You know."

They watch as you walk away, your hair blowing in the ocean breeze. John B wraps an arm around Kiara's shoulders. "They'll figure it out," he says confidently. "They always do."

"Yeah," Kiara agrees, leaning into him. "But how many hearts are gonna get broken in the process?"

The question hangs in the air as they watch you two paddle out into the waves from opposite ends of the beach, like magnets simultaneously attracting and repelling each other. The waves crash against the shore as the competition gets underway, the beach packed with spectators cheering from the sand. The morning sun glints off the water, creating perfect conditions for the surfers waiting in the lineup. JJ sits on his board, straddling it as he watches the sets roll in, his injured hand gripping the rails slightly tighter than necessary. He's in heat three, along with you and Kiara, a cruel twist of fate that has his stomach in knots.

From the beach, John B's voice carries over the crowd. "Let's go, JJ! Show these kooks how it's done!" Sarah and Pope join in with their cheers, their enthusiasm infectious enough to draw smiles from other spectators.

JJ catches sight of you about twenty yards to his left, the shell necklace he made you glints in the sun. You're focused on the horizon, reading the waves with an intensity he remembers well from your late-night surfing sessions years ago. Kiara floats between you two, creating a triangle formation in the water, her presence both a buffer and a reminder of everything that's changed.

"First wave of heat three!" the announcer's voice booms over the speakers. "Riders, get ready!"

A set approaches and JJ feels the familiar surge of adrenaline. He watches as you turn your board, positioning yourself for the wave. Your form is different now - more refined, more confident. You catch the wave with practiced ease, your movement fluid as you drop in. The crowd cheers as you execute a perfect bottom turn, spraying water in an arc that catches the sunlight.

"Fuck," JJ mutters under his breath, both impressed and frustrated. He spots his own wave approaching, bigger than yours, and paddles hard. As he pops up, everything else fades away - the crowd, the competition, the complicated mess of emotions. It's just him and the wave, the way it's always been. He drives hard off the bottom, launching into an aerial that has the crowd screaming. His injured hand protests as he grabs his rail, but he sticks the landing, finishing with a powerful snap off the lip.

Kiara catches the next wave, her style more aggressive than yours but equally skilled. She shoots JJ a quick smile as she paddles back out, no trace of their earlier conversation in her expression. You're all competitors now, regardless of your personal drama.

The heat continues, each rider pushing themselves harder with each wave. JJ finds himself watching you more than he should, noticing how you’ve incorporated new techniques into your surfing. There's a grace to your movements that wasn't there before, a confidence that makes his chest tight with something between pride and regret.

From the beach, Pope's voice cuts through the crowd noise: "Time check! Two minutes left in the heat!"

JJ sits up straighter on his board, scanning for one last good wave. He needs something big to secure his spot in the finals. A set approaches, and he can see both you and Kiara eyeing it too. It's the kind of wave you used to fight over during your dawn patrol sessions - clean, powerful, perfect for showing off.

The tension in the water is palpable as you all turn toward shore, ready to battle for position. JJ glances at you, catching your eye for the first time since you paddled out. For a moment, it's like nothing has changed - you're just two kids from the Cut, living for the next wave. Then the moment breaks as the announcer's voice booms: "Final wave of heat three approaching! Who's gonna take it?"

The tension crackles through the air as all three surfers eye the approaching wave. JJ's muscles tense as he prepares to paddle, but suddenly you make your move first, cutting across his line with precise timing. You catch the wave perfectly, popping up with fluid grace that makes the crowd gasp.

"Holy shit!" John B's voice carries over the noise as you drop into the face of the wave. Your form is flawless, body low and controlled as you set up for your first maneuver. 

JJ can't help but watch, even as he and Kiara paddle back to position. You carve up the face of the wave, your movements more aggressive than before, spraying water in an arc that catches the sunlight. You transition into a series of snaps that have the judges leaning forward in their seats, before setting up for your finale.

"No fucking way," JJ mutters, recognizing the setup. It's a move you used to practice together, late at night when the beach was empty - a risky aerial that you’d perfected during those endless summer sessions. You launch off the lip, grabbing your rail and rotating in a way that seems to defy gravity. The landing is clean, and precise, sending another spray of water toward the sky as the crowd erupts.

"That's my girl!" Sarah screams from the beach, jumping up and down while clutching John B's arm. Pope's got his phone out, recording everything while shouting his own encouragement.

As you paddle back out, JJ catches your eye again. There's something different in your expression now - a mix of pride, challenge, and something else he can't quite read. Kiara paddles up beside him, a knowing look on her face.

"Damn," Kiara whistles low. "She's been practicing."

"Time!" The announcer's voice booms across the water. "Heat three is complete! Riders, return to shore for scoring."

The paddle back is quiet, each lost in your own thoughts as the judges figure out scores. JJ can feel the energy on the beach, knowing without looking that your last wave changed everything. As you hit the shallows, John B and Pope rush out to help with your boards.

"That was fucking insane!" John B exclaims, grabbing your board. "When did you learn to fly?"

You push your wet hair back, that shell necklace still somehow perfectly in place. "Maine has waves too," you say quietly, but your eyes flick to JJ as you say it. "Different, but good for practicing."

"Attention competitors," the announcer's voice cuts through their conversation. "Scores for heat three are ready..."

The group falls silent, tension building as you wait for the results. JJ finds himself holding his breath, his injured hand throbbing. The morning sun is high now, turning the ocean into a field of diamonds, and somewhere in the back of his mind, he remembers teaching you that aerial on a night just like this, under a full moon with no one else around.

The announcer's voice crackles over the speakers: "In third place, with a score of 8.7 - Kiara Carrera!"

Kiara grins, accepting high-fives from the group. "Not bad for a warmup," she says, squeezing water from her hair. Her eyes dart between JJ and you, anticipating what comes next.

"In second place, with a score of 9.2..." The pause feels endless, "JJ Maybank!"

JJ's jaw tightens, his fingers flexing around his board. He knows what's coming, and can feel it in the electric tension running through their little group. Pope claps him on the shoulder, but he barely feels it.

"And taking first place in heat three, with a score of 9.8 - Y/N L/N! That final aerial was something else, folks!"

The beach erupts in cheers, but JJ's focused on your face - the way your eyes widen in surprise, the slight tremor in your hands as Sarah pulls you into a crushing hug. You look exactly like you did years ago when you landed your first aerial under his guidance.

"Holy shit, Y/N!" John B whoops, lifting you off your feet in celebration. "That was fucking incredible!"

"All riders advancing to the finals, please check the board for heat assignments," the announcer continues. "Thirty-minute break before the next round."

JJ watches as they swarm you with congratulations, his emotions a tangled mess he can't sort through. Pride, jealousy, regret, and something deeper, something that feels like the undertow that used to drag you both out during night sessions.

"You taught her that aerial," Kiara says quietly beside him, her voice carrying a knowing tone. "I remember watching you two practice it for weeks."

Before JJ can respond, you break away from the group, approaching them with hesitant steps. You're holding something in your hand - his old surf wax, the one he'd always let you borrow during your sessions.

"Found this in my bag this morning," you say, your voice barely audible over the beach noise. "Thought you might want it back." Your finger brushes his as you hand it over, sending a jolt through his system that has nothing to do with the competition.

"Keep it," he finds himself saying, his voice rougher than intended. "Looks like you're putting it to better use anyway." He tries to make it sound casual, but there's too much history in those words, too many memories of dawn patrols and midnight sessions and promises made under starlit skies.

The moment stretches between you, heavy with unspoken words, until Pope's voice breaks through: "Guys! They're posting the final heat assignments!"

The group moves toward the bulletin board, but JJ hangs back, watching you walk away. The shell necklace catches the light again, and he remembers making it for you on this very beach, his fingers working the knots while you talked about constellations and dreams and futures that seemed possible then.

"You okay?" Kiara asks, lingering beside him.

"Yeah," JJ lies, running a hand through his salt-stiffened hair. "Just... fuck." He doesn't need to finish the sentence. Kiara understands - she always has.

The finals loom ahead, but all JJ can think about is that aerial, and how your form was exactly the same as when he first taught it to you, right down to the way you point your toes during the rotation. Some things, it seems, don't change - even when everything else does.

The beach is winding down as the sun begins its descent, painting the sky in brilliant oranges and pinks. The competition crowd has thinned, leaving behind only the most dedicated spectators and the Pogues, who are sprawled out on their blankets celebrating their friends' success. JJ, you, and Kiara stand together on the podium, your medals glinting in the late afternoon light.

"Third place, Kiara Carrera!" The announcer's voice booms one final time. Kiara grins, holding up her bronze medal as Sarah and John B whoop and holler from the crowd.

"Second place, Y/N L/N!" You step forward, accepting your silver medal with a small smile. The shell necklace around your neck catches the light, drawing JJ's attention momentarily.

"And your first-place winner, JJ Maybank!" The crowd erupts as JJ accepts his gold medal, his signature cocky grin in place despite the storm of emotions brewing beneath the surface. His final wave had been spectacular - a combination of raw power and technical skill that even the most critical judges couldn't deny.

As you step down from the podium, Pope approaches with a cooler. "Time to celebrate properly!" he announces, pulling out beers for everyone. The group gravitates toward your usual spot on the beach, away from the dispersing crowd.

"To the most talented pogues in the OBX!" John B raises his beer, his other arm wrapped around Sarah's waist. "And to Kiara for not killing JJ when he snake dropped her wave in the finals!"

"Hey!" JJ protests, but he's laughing. "All's fair in love and surfing, right?" The words hang in the air for a moment, loaded with meaning as his eyes unconsciously drift to you.

"That last aerial though," Pope interjects, sensing the tension. "Thought you were gonna break your neck, JJ."

"Please," JJ scoffs, taking a long drink from his beer. "That was nothing compared to the shit we used to pull during night sessions." He freezes slightly, realizing what he's said, and who he's referencing.

You shift beside him, your silver medal catching the dying light. "Remember that time we tried to surf during a lightning storm?" You say quietly, surprising everyone. "John B had to come to rescue us in the Twinkie."

"Jesus," Sarah laughs, but her eyes are watchful. "You two were always doing crazy shit like that."

The group falls into a comfortable rhythm of storytelling and laughter, the competition tension slowly easing. JJ finds himself hyper-aware of your presence, the way you laugh at John B's terrible jokes, and how you unconsciously play with that shell necklace when you're thinking.

"You've improved," he says suddenly when the others are distracted by Pope's dramatic reenactment of a wipeout. "Your form, I mean. It's... different. Better."

You look at him, really look at him, for what feels like the first time since you’ve been back. "Had a good teacher," you reply softly, your fingers still toying with the necklace. "Some things you don't forget, even when you're trying to."

The weight of unspoken words hangs between you, heavy as storm clouds. Kiara watches you two from across the circle, a knowing look in her eyes as she catches JJ's gaze.

The Wreck is bustling with the usual dinner crowd, but Kiara's parents have reserved the back section for their celebration. The smell of fried shrimp and hush puppies fills the air as you pile around your favorite table, medals still hanging around the winners' necks. The sunset streams through the windows, casting everything in a warm golden glow.

JJ slouches in his chair, one arm draped over the back as he nurses his beer. His eyes keep drifting to you, who's sitting between Sarah and Pope, your hair still damp from the ocean. The shell necklace catches the light every time you move, a constant reminder of everything that's changed and everything that hasn't.

"Yo, check it out," John B nudges JJ, nodding toward the entrance where Topper and Rafe are making their way over. The entire table tenses slightly, years of rivalry making everyone wary.

"Hey," Topper says, stopping at their table. He looks different - less aggressive than usual, almost humble. "Just wanted to say... that was some sick surfing today. All of you." His eyes linger on you for a moment longer than necessary, making JJ's jaw clench.

Rafe, surprisingly sober, nods in agreement. "That move in the finals, Maybank? Pretty fucking impressive." He shifts uncomfortably, clearly not used to complimenting pogues. "And Y/N... didn't know you had moves like that."

"Thanks," you reply quietly, your fingers automatically going to the shell necklace. The gesture doesn't go unnoticed by anyone at the table, especially JJ.

"Yeah, well," JJ starts, his voice carrying an edge, but Kiara kicks him under the table. He swallows whatever sarcastic comment he is about to make. "Thanks, man. You weren't half bad either, Topper."

"Listen," Topper says, running a hand through his hair. "We're having a bonfire in Figure Eight tonight. Victory party kind of thing. You guys should come." The invitation hangs in the air, surprising everyone.

Sarah raises an eyebrow at her brother. "Rafe? You're okay with this?"

Rafe shrugs, looking almost uncomfortable. "New leaf and all that shit, right? Besides," he grins, some of his old cockiness returning, "can't let you pogues have all the fun."

The group exchanges looks, years of kook-pogue rivalry making them hesitant. It's Pope who finally speaks up. "Yeah, alright. Could be fun."

"Cool," Topper nods, already backing away. "Starts at nine. Bring whatever." He and Rafe head back to their table, leaving you in stunned silence.

"Did that just happen? Did we just have a civil conversation with Topper and Rafe?" Kiara says surprised.

"End times," Pope declares solemnly, making everyone laugh. "The apocalypse is definitely coming."

"Well, that was weird," John B says, voicing what everyone's thinking. "Think it's a trap?"

"Nah," Sarah shakes her head. "Topper's been different lately. And Rafe... well, rehab changed him. A little, anyway."

JJ snorts, taking another drink. "Still don't trust them." His eyes find you again. "You gonna go?"

The question feels heavier than it should, loaded with implications. You meet his gaze, something unreadable in your expression. "Maybe," you say softly. "Might be nice to see how the other half lives, right?"

The tension at the table shifts, everyone pretending not to notice the way JJ's grip tightens on his beer bottle, or how your fingers haven't left that shell necklace since Topper walked away.

"Well," Kiara stands up, ever the peacemaker, "if we're doing this, we should probably get more food first. Can't show up to a kook party on empty stomachs." She heads toward the kitchen, leaving the others to navigate the complicated dynamics at the table.

The bonfire casts dancing shadows across the beach as JJ stands near the water's edge, the sound of waves mixing with distant laughter and music from the kook party. He's already several beers in, trying to drown out the memories that keep surfacing every time he catches sight of you. The others have conspicuously disappeared - John B and Sarah wandering off toward the dunes, Pope getting caught up in some debate about marine biology with a group of college kids, and Kiara conveniently remembering she needed to help set up the speakers.

You approach quietly, your presence announced only by the soft crunch of sand under your feet. You’ve changed since dinner, wearing a loose white beach dress that catches the firelight, that damn shell necklace still around your neck. Without warning, you reach out and take his beer, replacing it with a bottle of water.

"The fuck, Y/N/N?" JJ protests, the nickname slipping out before he can stop it. His voice is rougher than usual, whether, from the alcohol or emotion, it's hard to tell.

"You've had enough," you say softly, but firmly. "And we both know you get mean when you drink too much." There's no judgment in your voice, just stated fact - you know him too well, even after all this time.

JJ runs a hand through his hair, agitation clear in every movement. "Yeah? And what makes you think you still get to make that call?" The words come out harsh, but he takes a drink from the water bottle anyway.

You settle into the sand, patting the spot next to you. After a moment's hesitation, JJ sits too, maintaining careful distance between you two. The fire casts an orange glow across your skin.

"Remember the last bonfire we were at together?" You ask suddenly, your voice barely audible over the waves. "Before... everything?"

JJ tenses beside you, his fingers digging into the sand. "Don't," he warns, but there's less bite in his voice now. "We're not doing this, Y/N."

"Aren't we?" You turn to look at him fully, the firelight reflecting in your eyes. "Because I think we've been doing this dance since I got back. Everyone sees it, JJ. Even Kiara-"

"Leave Kie out of this," he snaps, but you both know it's a weak protest. His hand unconsciously moves toward yours in the sand before he catches himself. The shell necklace gleams as you shift, drawing his attention. "You kept it," he says suddenly, nodding toward the necklace. "Even in Maine."

"Never took it off," you admit quietly. "Even when they..it was the only piece of home I had left. The only piece of you."

JJ's breath catches at your words, his fingers curling into fists in the sand. The firelight dances across your faces as the party continues behind you, but you might as well be alone on the beach. The sound of waves seems to grow louder, matching the thundering of his heart.

"You can't just..." he starts, his voice cracking.

"You can't just say shit like that, Y/N. Not after... not after everything."

You shift slightly closer, the hem of your white dress brushing against his leg. "Then what can I say, JJ? Because we need to talk about it. About that night. About why I really left." 

"Yeah?" JJ's voice turns sharp, defensive. "What's there to talk about? You made your choice. You left. End of fucking story." But his eyes betray him, constantly drawn to your face, to the necklace, to the way the firelight catches in your hair.

"It wasn't a choice," you say quietly, your voice trembling slightly. "My parents found the letters, JJ. The ones I wrote to you about... about everything. About your dad, about what we were planning..." You take a shaky breath. "About how much I loved you."

JJ's whole body goes rigid at your words. The water bottle crumples in his grip, forgotten. "Stop," he says, but it sounds more like a plea than a command. "Just... fuck, Y/N."

"You want to know why I really left?" You continue, your voice stronger now. "Because that night, after I left your house, after your dad..." you swallow hard. "After I saw what he did to you, I went home and wrote everything down. Every bruise I'd helped you hide, every night you climbed through my window bleeding, every time you flinched when someone moved too fast. I was going to turn him in, JJ. I couldn't watch him hurt you anymore."

The confession hangs in the air between you, heavy as storm clouds. JJ's breathing has become ragged, his jaw clenched so tight it must hurt. Behind you, someone cranks up the music, but it feels distant, muffled like you're underwater.

"My parents found the letters before I could do anything," you continue, your voice barely above a whisper. "They read everything - about us, about your dad, about how we were planning to run away after graduation. They didn't give me a choice, JJ. It was either Maine or..." 

JJ stares at the water, his whole body vibrating with tension as he processes your words. The firelight catches the tears threatening to spill from his eyes, but he blinks them away furiously. His injured hand flexes in the sand, leaving small indentations that quickly fill with darkness.

"You were gonna..." he starts, his voice hoarse. "You were trying to protect me?" A bitter laugh escapes him. "Fuck, Y/N. I thought... all this time I thought you just couldn't handle my shit anymore. Thought you got tired of dealing with the fucked up pogue kid."

You shift closer, close enough that your shoulders brush. The contact sends electricity through both of you. "I could never get tired of you, JJ," you whisper, your voice catching. "Even in Maine, even when they had me so medicated I could barely remember my own name... I never stopped..."

"Don't," he cuts you off roughly, but he doesn't move away. "You can't just come back here and tell me all this shit. You can't just..." he runs his hand through his hair again, agitation clear in every movement. "Fuck, do you know what it did to me? Finding your room empty that morning? Your mom wouldn't tell me anything, just kept saying you were 'getting help' like you were some kind of..." he can't finish the sentence.

"I tried to call," you admit quietly. "That first month, I called your number every day until they took my phone. Left so many voicemails I filled up your inbox." You touch the shell necklace again, a habit he's starting to recognize as nervous comfort. "Did you... did you ever listen to them?"

"Every fucking one. Over and over until the system deleted them." He finally turns to look at you fully, his eyes intense in the firelight. "I still have that old phone. Can't bring myself to throw it away because it's got your last message saved."

The confession hangs between you, heavy with meaning. Behind you, the party continues, but you might as well be alone on the beach. The waves crash steadily, a rhythm you both know by heart from countless night sessions together.

"I kept every letter," You say softly. "The ones they wouldn't let me send. There's a whole box of them under my bed. Three years' worth of things I needed to tell you." Your hand moves unconsciously toward his in the sand, stopping just short of touching.

JJ stares at the ocean for a long moment, processing everything. The firelight dances across his features as he finally turns back to you, his expression raw and vulnerable in a way you haven’t seen since that last night three years ago.

"Every time something good happened, or something shit happened, or just... anything happened, my first thought was always 'I gotta tell Y/N.' Then I'd remember you weren't there anymore." He lets out a shaky breath. "Took me almost a year to stop turning to tell you stuff."

Your hand finally bridges the gap between them, your fingers brushing against his in the sand. Neither of you pulls away. "I did the same thing," you admit. "In group therapy, they'd ask who we missed most from home. I'd always say my parents, but..." You touch the shell necklace with your free hand. "It was always you, JJ. Every single time."

JJ's thumb unconsciously strokes across your knuckles, a gesture so familiar it makes your heartache. "I can't..." He starts, his voice catching. "I can't go through losing you again, Y/N. I barely survived it the first time." The admission costs him, you can see it in the way his jaw clenches, the way his fingers tighten slightly against yours.

"I'm not going anywhere," you whisper, the words carrying on the ocean breeze. "Not this time. Not ever again." You turn your hand in the sand, properly lacing your fingers together. "I'm done running, JJ. From you, from us, from everything."

The silence that follows is heavy with possibility. Behind you, someone calls your names - probably Pope or Sarah looking for you - but neither moves. "We can't just pick up where we left off," JJ finally says, but he doesn't let go of your hand. "Too much has happened. We're different people now."

You nod, understanding in your eyes. "I know. But maybe..." you squeeze his hand gently. "Maybe we can start something new. Something better."

JJ looks at your intertwined hands, then back at your face - at the girl who's haunted his dreams for three years, who's sitting here now in the firelight wearing his necklace and holding his hand like you never left. "Yeah," he says softly, a small, genuine smile finally breaking through. "Maybe we can."

The party continues behind you, but you stay there on the beach, hands linked, watching the waves and starting the long process of healing what was broken. It's not perfect, and it's not fixed, but it's a beginning. And sometimes, that's enough.

The moonlight streams through your bedroom window as you and JJ slip inside, your footsteps quiet on the hardwood floors. Your room looks different than JJ remembers - new paint, new decorations, but somehow still unmistakably you. The fairy lights strung across the ceiling cast a soft glow over everything, creating shadows that dance across the walls.

JJ hovers near the door, hands shoved in his pockets as he watches you drop to your knees beside the bed. The fabric of your dress ghosting around your legs as you reach under the bed frame. His shell necklace catches the light as you move, making his chest tight with memories.

"It's here somewhere," You mutter, pushing aside boxes and old notebooks. "I kept everything organized when I moved back, but..." you trail off, stretching further under the bed. 

JJ forces himself to look away, focusing instead on the photos newly tacked to your wall. Most are recent - your time in Maine, new friends, new places. But there, in the corner, partially hidden behind others, he spots one that makes his breath catch. It's you two, three years ago, on the beach after a night session. His arm is around your shoulders, both of you grinning at the camera, saltwater still dripping from your hair.

"Found it!" Your voice pulls him back to the present. You emerge from under the bed with a large shoebox, worn at the edges and covered in doodles. Your hands shake slightly as you set it on the bed, looking up at JJ with uncertainty in your eyes.

"That's... all of them?" JJ asks, his voice rougher than intended. He takes a step closer, drawn by the box like a magnet. Three years of words you couldn't say, couldn't send, all contained in one shoebox.

You nod, sitting cross-legged on the bed beside the box. "Every letter I wrote. Every time I missed you, every time something reminded me of you, every time I..." you trail off, fingers tracing the edge of the box. "Every time I needed you to know I still loved you."

The admission hangs in the air between you, heavy with possibility. JJ moves closer, perching on the edge of the bed, careful to maintain some distance. The fairy lights cast soft shadows across your face as you open the box, revealing stacks of envelopes, some crisp and new, others worn from being handled repeatedly.

"You don't have to read them now," you say quickly, noticing how JJ's hands have started to shake. "I just... I needed you to know they existed. That I never stopped trying to reach you, even when I couldn't actually send them."

The tension breaks as he lets out a snort of laughter, picking up one of the envelopes. "Your handwriting still looks like shit, Y/N," he teases, falling easily back into your old dynamic. "Seriously, did they not teach penmanship in Maine?"

You gasp in mock offense, snatching the letter from his hands. "Excuse you, this is art." You fought back a smile though, relief evident in your features at his attempt to lighten the mood. "Not all of us can have perfect surfer boy handwriting."

"Perfect?" JJ grins, reaching for another letter. "Have you seen my grocery lists? Even Pope can't read them." He settles more comfortably on the bed, his earlier hesitation melting away. "Oh shit, this one's got little hearts drawn all over it. Fucking sap."

"Shut up," You laugh, shoving his shoulder playfully. "I was heavily medicated and missing your stupid face." You pull out another letter, this one covered in doodles of waves and surfboards. "Oh god, my therapy art phase. We don't talk about this one."

JJ snatches it before you can hide it, his eyes scanning the page with growing amusement. "Holy fuck, is that supposed to be me?" He points to a stick figure with spiky hair riding a wave. "My hair does not look like that!"

"It absolutely does when you first wake up," you argue, reaching for the letter. JJ holds it above his head, laughing as you try to grab it. "JJ Maybank, give that back!"

"Make me," he challenges, his blue eyes sparkling with mischief. It feels like old times - him in your room, playfully arguing about nothing important, the weight of your earlier conversation temporarily lifted.

You lunge for the letter, causing you both to tumble backward onto your bed, letters scattering around you. JJ's still holding the drawing above his head, grinning as you try to reach it. "You're such an ass," you complain, but you're laughing too.

"Yeah, but you missed this ass," he quips, then freezes slightly, worried he's pushed too far. But You just roll your eyes, finally managing to snatch the letter back.

"Unfortunately," you sigh dramatically, settling beside him among the scattered letters. "Though I'm starting to question my judgment."

JJ clutches his chest in mock hurt. "Wow, three years and you're already tired of me? That's cold, Y/N. Ice cold." He picks up another letter, this one dated from about a year ago. "Oh look, more hearts. And are those little JJs surfing?"

"I'm going to murder you," you threaten, but there's no heat in it. You're watching him with soft eyes, taking in how the fairy lights cast shadows across his face, how his smile reaches his eyes for the first time since you’ve been back.

"Nah, you love me too much," he says automatically, then stills as he realizes what he's said. The playful atmosphere wavers for a moment, the weight of your history threatening to crash back in.

But you just smile, reaching out to fix his messy hair. "Yeah," you say softly. "I do."

The admission is simple, honest, lacking the heavy emotion of your beach conversation. JJ looks at you, really looks at you, surrounded by three years worth of letters you wrote to him, wearing his necklace, smiling at him like nothing's changed and everything's changed all at once.

"Well, shit," he says finally, a grin tugging at his lips. "That's convenient. 'Cause I might still love you too."

The moment stretches between you, charged with three years of unspoken feelings until JJ finally closes the distance. His lips meet yours softly at first, hesitant, like he's afraid you might disappear if he pushes too hard. His hand comes up to cup your face, thumb brushing across your cheekbone as letters crinkle beneath you.

You respond immediately, your fingers threading through his hair as you pull him closer. The kiss deepens, three years of longing and regret and love pouring into it. JJ tastes like ocean and bonfire smoke, exactly how you remember.

"Fuck," JJ breathes against your lips, pulling back slightly. His blue eyes are dark with emotion as he looks at you, his thumb still tracing patterns on your skin. "I've missed this. Missed you." His voice is rough, and vulnerable in a way he rarely allows himself to be.

You smile, tugging gently at his hair. "Yeah?" You tease, though your voice trembles slightly. "Even with my shit handwriting?"

JJ laughs, the sound rumbling through his chest where it's pressed against yours. "Especially with your shit handwriting," he murmurs, before capturing your lips again. This kiss is different - deeper, more urgent. His hand slides from your face to your neck, fingers brushing against the shell necklace.

You shift on the bed, letters scattering to the floor forgotten as you pull JJ closer. His weight settles over you naturally, like you never spent time apart. The fairy lights cast a soft glow over them, creating shadows that dance across your skin.

"Is this okay?" JJ asks between kisses, his forehead resting against yours. Despite his usual confidence, there's uncertainty in his voice. "We don't have to..."

You cut him off with another kiss, your hands sliding under his t-shirt to trace the familiar planes of his back. "JJ," you whisper against his lips. "Shut up."

He grins against your mouth, some of his usual cockiness returning. "Make me," he challenges, echoing your earlier playful banter. But there's heat in his voice now, promise in the way his fingers trail down your sides tracing the curve of your waist through the thin fabric of your white dress. His touch is familiar and electric, leaving trails of heat in its wake. The fairy lights cast a soft glow over them as he captures your lips again, deeper this time, more urgent.

"Fuck, Y/N," he breathes against your mouth, his voice rough with want. His fingers find the hem of your dress, playing with the fabric as he kisses down your neck. "Tell me if you want me to stop."

"Don't you dare," you whisper, tugging at his hair the way you know he likes, The action draws a low groan from him, his hips pressing instinctively against yours. JJ pulls back slightly, his blue eyes dark with desire as he looks down at you. The shell necklace gleams against your skin, making his chest tight with emotion. He leans down, pressing open-mouthed kisses along your collarbone, following the path of the necklace.

"You're wearing too many clothes," he murmurs against your skin, his hands sliding higher under your dress. His touch is reverent, relearning every curve and dip of your body. When his fingers brush against the lace of your underwear, you both inhale sharply.

You tug at his shirt impatiently. "So are you," you breathe, helping him pull it over his head your hands immediately explore his chest. "God, I've missed touching you."

JJ's response is to kiss you again, hard and deep, as his hands work to dress up your body. "Lift up," he instructs softly, and you arch your back so he can pull the fabric over your head. The sight of you in just your underwear, his necklace resting between your breasts, makes him pause.

"What?" You ask, suddenly self-conscious under his intense gaze. But JJ just shakes his head, leaning down to press kisses across your chest.

"Just..." he murmurs between kisses, "trying to memorize everything." His hands slide up your sides, thumbs brushing the undersides of your breasts through your bra. "In case this is a dream."

You reach up to touch JJ's face tenderly, your thumb tracing his bottom lip. "Not a dream," you whisper, pulling him down for another deep kiss. Your legs wrap around his waist, drawing him closer as his hands explore your body with increasing urgency.

JJ's fingers trace the edge of your bra, his touch teasing yet reverent. "Can I...?" he asks against your lips, and you nod, arching your back so he can reach the clasp. His hands are slightly shaky as he unhooks it like he still can't quite believe this is real.

"Fuck," he breathes as the garment falls away, revealing your breasts. The shell necklace rests between them, catching the fairy lights. JJ leans down, pressing open-mouthed kisses across your chest. His tongue traces patterns on your skin, remembering exactly how to make you gasp.

Your hands tangle in his hair as he takes a nipple into his mouth, your back arching off the bed. "JJ," you moan softly, mindful of the quiet house. His free hand palms your other breast, thumb circling the sensitive peak until you're squirming beneath him.

"Missed these sounds," JJ murmurs against your skin, switching his attention to your other breast. "Missed making you fall apart." His hand slides down your stomach, fingers playing with the waistband of your underwear. "Can still remember every spot that makes you shake."

To prove his point, he kisses down your ribs to that sensitive spot just below your left breast - the one that always makes you gasp. Sure enough, your breath hitches, your fingers tightening in his hair. "Still so responsive," he grins against your skin, nipping gently.

"Shut up," you breathe, but there's no heat in it. Your hands slide down his back, nails dragging lightly across his skin in the way you know drives him crazy. JJ groans, his hips pressing against yours instinctively.

"Make me," he challenges, echoing your earlier banter as he kisses lower, across your stomach. His fingers hook into your underwear, but he pauses, looking up at you with dark eyes. "Tell me you want this, Y/N/N. Tell me you want me."

You prop yourself up on your elbows, looking down at him with eyes full of love and desire. The fairy lights cast shadows across his face, highlighting the intensity of his gaze. "I want you, JJ," you whisper. "Always have, always will."

When you reach the waistband of his shorts, he groans softly against your neck. "Can I?" You ask, fingers playing with the button of his shorts. JJ nods against your skin, his breath hot on your neck as you work the button free. The sound of his zipper seems loud in the quiet room.

JJ helps you slide his shorts down his legs, his breath catching as your fingers trace the waistband of his boxers. The fairy lights cast a soft glow over his skin, highlighting the muscles that flex under your touch. "Fuck, Y/N," he breathes as your hand palms him through the thin fabric. His hips buck involuntarily, seeking more friction. "You're gonna kill me."

You smirk up at him, enjoying the way his breath hitches as you hook your fingers in his boxers. "That's the plan," you tease, slowly pulling the fabric down. JJ kicks them off impatiently, leaving him completely bare above you.

His hands slide up your thighs, fingers playing with the edge of your underwear. "These need to go," he murmurs, pressing open-mouthed kisses along your hip bone. "Want to taste you again."

You lift your hips, letting him slide the lace down your legs. The shell necklace gleams against your skin as you move, drawing JJ's attention. He leans down, pressing kisses along the chain until he reaches the shell pendant resting between your breasts.

"Still can't believe you kept it," he whispers against your skin, his hands exploring your now-bare body with increasing urgency. "Kept wearing it all this time."

"Never took it off," you breathe, arching into his touch as his fingers trace patterns on your inner thighs. "It was like keeping a piece of you with me."

JJ groans at your words, capturing your lips in a deep kiss. His hand slides higher, fingers teasing where you want him most. "Tell me what you need," he murmurs against your mouth. "Want to make you feel good."

Your response is cut off by a gasp as his fingers find where you need him. Your hands clutch at his shoulders, "You," you manage to say. "Just you, JJ. Always you."

JJ's fingers trace slow, teasing circles against your sensitive flesh, watching with dark eyes as you arch beneath his touch. His other hand explores your body with reverent familiarity, relearning every curve and dip that he's missed for three long years. The fairy lights cast shifting shadows across your bare skin as you move together on your bed. "Fuck, you're so wet already," JJ breathes against your neck, his voice rough with desire. His fingers slide lower, teasing your entrance as his thumb continues its maddening circles. "Always so responsive for me, Y/N."

JJ can't resist leaning down to trace the chain of the necklace with his tongue, following its path down to where it rests against your sternum. "Please," you gasp as he slides one finger inside you, your legs spreading wider to accommodate him. "JJ, I need..."

"Tell me," he murmurs against your skin, adding a second finger and curling them just right. "Want to hear you say it, baby. Tell me what you need." Your response is cut off by a moan as his thumb presses harder, his fingers finding that spot inside you that makes you see stars. JJ watches your face intently, memorizing every expression of pleasure that crosses your features. His cock throbs insistently against your thigh, but he ignores it, focused entirely on making you fall apart.

"You," you finally manage, your voice breathy and desperate. "Need you inside me, JJ. Please."

JJ groans at your words, his control wavering. But he forces himself to maintain his slow pace, wanting to draw this out, to make it last. His fingers continue their steady rhythm as he kisses down your body, paying special attention to each sensitive spot he remembers.

"Not yet," he whispers against your hip bone, nipping gently at the skin there. "Want to taste you first. Been dreaming about this for three years, Y/N. Gonna take my time."

JJ settles between your thighs, his hot breath teasing your sensitive flesh as he presses open-mouthed kisses along your inner thighs. His fingers maintain their steady rhythm inside you, curling just right. "Missed how you taste," he murmurs against your thigh, nipping gently at the sensitive skin. "Missed making you fall apart like this." His free hand slides up your body to palm your breast, thumb circling your nipple as he finally presses his tongue against your clit.

Your back arches off the bed, one hand tangling in his salt-stiffened hair while the other grips your sheets. The shell necklace catches the light as you move, a constant reminder of your shared history. "JJ," you gasp, trying to keep your voice down despite the pleasure coursing through you.

JJ hums against you, the vibration making your thighs tremble. His tongue traces patterns around your clit as his fingers continue their steady thrusting, finding that perfect spot inside you that makes you see stars. He watches your face intently, memorizing every expression of pleasure that crosses your features.

"That's it, baby," he murmurs, pulling back slightly to blow cool air against your heated flesh. "Want to see you come apart for me. Been too fucking long." His words are punctuated by another curl of his fingers, another swipe of his tongue.

Your hips buck against his face as he sucks your clit into his mouth, your breathing becoming more ragged. JJ's free hand slides down to hold your hips steady, his grip firm but gentle. "Close," you manage to gasp, your fingers tightening in his hair. "JJ, I'm so close..."

JJ doubles his efforts, his tongue moving faster as his fingers maintain their perfect rhythm. He can feel your walls beginning to flutter around his fingers and can taste how close you are. "Come for me, Y/N, Want to feel you fall apart on my tongue."

The combination of his words, his fingers, and his tongue finally pushes you over the edge. Tour back arches sharply, your thighs trembling as waves of pleasure crash over you. JJ works you through it, his movements becoming gentler as you come down from your high.

When he finally pulls back, his lips are glistening and his eyes are dark with desire. He presses soft kisses up your body as you catch your breath, paying special attention to the shell necklace that rests between your breasts. His cock presses insistently against your thigh, but he makes no move to rush things.

"Beautiful," he murmurs against your neck, nipping gently at your pulse point. "Fucking beautiful, Y/N. Missed watching you come undone like that."

Your hands slide down his back, nails dragging lightly across his skin in a way that makes him shiver. "Need you," you whisper, pulling him up for a deep kiss. You taste yourself on his tongue, making you moan softly. "Please, JJ. Need you inside me."

JJ positions himself between your thighs, his cock pressing teasingly against your entrance. The fairy lights cast shadows across your sweat-slicked bodies as he captures your lips in a deep, passionate kiss. "Need you to be sure," he murmurs against your lips, his voice rough with desire and emotion. "Tell me this is what you want, Y/N." His cock slides against your wetness, making you both gasp at the sensation. 

You wrap your legs around his waist, pulling him closer. "I'm sure, JJ," you breathe, your hands sliding up his back to tangle in his hair. "Been sure since the day I left. Want you, need you, love you."

JJ groans at your words, capturing your lips again as he slowly pushes inside you. You both freeze at the sensation, overwhelmed by the feeling of being connected again after so long. "Fuck," he breathes against your neck, his arms trembling as he holds himself still. "You feel fucking perfect, baby."

Your nails dig into his shoulders as you adjust to his size, your breath coming in short gasps. The fairy lights dance across your skin as you start to move together, finding your rhythm like you’ve never spent a day apart. JJ's movements are slow, and deliberate, wanting to savor every moment.

"Missed this," he murmurs, pressing open-mouthed kisses along your neck. "Missed you, missed us." His words are punctuated by slow, deep thrusts that make you gasp and arch beneath him. One hand slides down to grip your hip, angling you just right.

The shell necklace moves with each thrust, catching the light and drawing JJ's attention. He leans down to trace it with his tongue, following its path between your breasts. The action makes you moan softly, your walls clenching around him.

"JJ," you gasp as he hits that perfect spot inside you. "Please, need more." Your hands slide down his back, nails leaving light scratches that make him groan and thrust harder.

He continues his slow, deliberate pace, savoring every gasp and moan that escapes your lips. His hands explore your body with increasing urgency, one sliding down to grip your thigh as he adjusts the angle of his thrusts. "Fuck," he groans against your neck, nipping gently at your pulse point. "Feel so good around me, so fucking perfect." His words are punctuated by deep, measured thrusts that make your walls clench around him. The shell necklace gleams between your breasts, moving with each roll of his hips.

Your hands slide up his back, nails leaving light scratches that make him shudder. "Please, JJ," you gasp, your legs tightening around his waist. "Need more, need you harder." Your voice is breathy, and desperate, making his control waver.

But JJ maintains his torturously slow pace, wanting to draw out every moment. His free hand slides between them to circle your clit, making your back arch sharply off the bed. "Not yet, baby," he murmurs, capturing your lips in a deep kiss. "Want to feel every inch of you, want to make this last."

JJ's thumb continues its maddening circles on your clit as he thrusts deeper, hitting that spot inside you that makes you see stars. "JJ," You moan, your walls fluttering around him as you get closer to the edge. "I'm close, so close..." 

His thrusts become slightly harder, and deeper, but still maintain that measured pace that's driving you both crazy. JJ's free hand slides up to palm your breast, thumb circling your nipple as he continues to work you higher. The combination of sensations has you gasping his name, your body trembling beneath him.

JJ grins against your lips, his hands sliding down to grip your hips. "Want to try something?" he asks, his voice rough with desire. Without waiting for an answer, he suddenly rolls you over, keeping himself buried deep inside you as you end up straddling his lap.

"Fuck," You gasp at the new angle, your hands braced against his chest as you adjust. The shell necklace swings between you, catching the fairy lights as you move. JJ's hands slide up your thighs, gripping your hips as he guides you into a slow rhythm.

"That's it, baby," he groans, watching as you start to move above him. Your breasts bounce slightly with each movement, making his mouth water. "Ride my cock just like that." His hands explore your body freely from this new position, one sliding up to palm your breast while the other keeps a steady grip on your hip.

You set a torturously slow pace, rolling your hips in a way that has JJ cursing under his breath. Your walls clench around him with each movement, drawing low groans from deep in his chest. "Missed watching you like this," JJ breathes, his hands roaming your body possessively. He sits up slightly, capturing a nipple in his mouth as you continue to ride him. 

His hands guide your movements, helping you maintain that slow, deep pace that's driving you both crazy.

"JJ," You moan as he hits that perfect spot inside you. Your nails drag down his chest, leaving light scratches that make him buck up into you harder. 

JJ's control starts to slip as he watches you move above him, your head thrown back in pleasure. "Fuck, Y/N," he groans, his hands tightening on your hips. "You look so fucking good riding my cock like this."

He watches in awe as you continue to ride him, your movements becoming more confident with each roll of your hips. His hands slide up your sides, thumbs brushing the undersides of your breasts as you move above him. "Fuck, just like that," he groans, bucking up to meet your movements. His hands grip your hips tighter, guiding you into a rhythm that has you both gasping. 

You brace your hands on his chest, using the leverage to grind down harder. Your walls clench around him with each movement, drawing curses from his lips. "JJ," you moan, your head falling back as he hits that perfect spot inside you. "So deep like this..."

JJ works faster on your clit as he continues to thrust up into you, hitting that spot that makes you see stars. You gasp, and your movements become more desperate. He suddenly pulls out of you, making you whimper at the loss. His chest heaves with heavy breaths as he tries to regain some control, his cock throbbing painfully between you. 

"Need to slow down," he groans against your lips, his hands sliding up your sides. "Don't want this to end yet." His fingers trace patterns on your skin as you straddle his thighs. Your hands slide down his chest, nails dragging lightly across his skin in a way that makes him shiver. "JJ," you whimper, trying to move closer. Your pussy is dripping wet, clenching around nothing as you seek friction.

"Fuck, you're so wet for me," his fingers slid between your legs to tease your entrance. He watches as you gasp and arches into his touch, your walls fluttering around his fingers. "Could stay here all night, just watching you fall apart."

You rock against his hand, seeking more friction. JJ's free hand slides up to palm your breast, thumb circling your nipple as he continues to tease you with shallow thrusts of his fingers. "Please," you moan, your hands gripping his shoulders for support. "Need you back inside me, JJ. Been too long without you."

You shift in JJ's lap, deliberately grinding against his thigh. The friction makes you gasp, your wetness coating his skin as you rock your hips. His hands gripping your hips to guide your movements. "Fuck, Y/N," he groans, feeling your pussy slide against his thigh. "You're so fucking wet." His fingers dig into your flesh, leaving marks that will be visible tomorrow. 

Your hands brace against his chest for leverage as you grind harder, chasing the friction you need. The shell necklace swings between you with each movement, occasionally brushing against his heated skin. "JJ," you moan, your head falling back as pleasure builds.

JJ's free hand slides between them, thumb finding your clit as you continue to grind against him. "Please, more, need you inside me again." Your words are punctuated by the roll of your hips, your pussy sliding against his thigh with increasing urgency.

His thumb works faster on your clit as you ride his thigh, drawing you closer to release. "Come like this first," he commands roughly. You continue grinding against JJ's thigh, your movements becoming more desperate as pleasure builds. Your wetness coats his skin, making each slide of your pussy against him smoother, more intense. JJ's hands grip your hips tighter, guiding your movements as he watches you chase your release. 

"Want to feel you soak my thigh before I fuck you properly." JJ’s words, combined with the pressure on your clit and the friction against his thigh, finally push you over the edge. Your body trembles as waves of pleasure crash over you, your pussy pulsing against JJ's thigh as you come. Your wetness coats his skin, making everything slick and hot between you. 

"Fuck, that's it," His cock throbs painfully between you, demanding attention. "So fucking beautiful when you come." His thumb continues to circle your clit, drawing out your pleasure until your gasping and squirming.

Without warning, JJ flips them over, pinning you beneath him on the bed. His cock slides through your wetness, teasing your sensitive flesh. "Need to be inside you again," he groans, capturing your lips in a deep, passionate kiss. "Been too fucking long without this."

You wrap your legs around his waist, pulling him closer. "Please, JJ," you whimper, still sensitive from your orgasm. Your walls clench around nothing, seeking the fullness of his cock. "Need you inside me."

JJ lines himself up with your entrance, watching your face as he slowly pushes back inside. You both groan at the sensation, your walls stretching to accommodate him again.  "Fuck, still so tight," JJ breathes, setting a slow, deep pace. His hands explore your body possessively as he thrusts into you, memorizing every curve and dip. "Feel so good."

Your hands slide up his back, nails leaving light scratches that make him shudder. Your pussy pulses around him with each thrust, drawing low groans from deep in his chest. JJ maintains his deep, steady rhythm as he thrusts into you, his hands gripping your hips with bruising force. "I’m close," you gasp, your hands clutching at his shoulders for support. "So close, JJ. Please don't stop."

His hand slides between them to circle your clit as he maintains his punishing pace. "Come for me again," he commands. His thrusts become more erratic as he feels his release approaching, his grip on your hips tightening with bruising force. The fairy lights cast dancing shadows across their sweat-slicked bodies as they move together with increasing urgency. Without warning, he suddenly pulls out, his cock throbbing painfully between you.

"Fuck," he groans, his hand wrapping around his length as he strokes himself. "Where do you want it, baby?" His eyes are dark with desire as he watches you beneath him, your chest heaving with heavy breaths.

Your hands slide up his chest, nails dragging lightly across his skin. "On me," you gasp, still trembling from your release. 

JJ's control finally snaps at your words. With a low groan, he comes hard, painting thick stripes across your stomach and breasts. The shell necklace gleams in the fairy lights, covered in drops of his release.

You collapse together on the bed, breathing heavily as you come down from your high. JJ reaches for his discarded t-shirt, gently cleaning his release from your skin. "Stay," you whisper, curling into his side. Your fingers trace patterns on his chest as your breathing slowly returns to normal. "Please stay this time."

JJ pulls you closer, pressing a soft kiss to your forehead. "Not going anywhere," he murmurs against your skin. "Never again." The fairy lights continue to cast their soft glow over the room as you drift off to sleep, tangled together like they never spent a day apart.

His phone buzzes on the nightstand, the screen illuminating the dim room with a soft blue glow. He groans softly, careful not to wake you who's curled against his chest, your breathing deep and even. 

The group chat notification shows several messages from John B and Pope:

John B: yo where tf did you and y/n disappear to??? 👀

Pope: they definitely left together bro

John B: fucking FINALLY

Pope: 20 bucks says they're at her place

John B: nah man, bet they're at the chateau

JJ can't help but grin at his friends' messages, his free hand absently playing with your hair as you sleep.

His phone buzzes again:

John B: JJ we know you're reading these messages asshole

Pope: let him live, he's probably busy 😏

John B: BUSY WITH WHAT POPE??? 🤔😂

JJ rolls his eyes, typing out a quick response with one hand:

"fuck off both of you”

The response is immediate:

John B: HE LIVES!!!

Pope: told you they were together

John B: you better not fuck this up again maybank

JJ's jaw tenses at John B's last message, his arm tightening slightly around your sleeping form. The fairy lights cast soft shadows across your peaceful face as he looks down at you, remembering everything you’ve been through to get here. The shell necklace rests between you, a constant reminder of your shared past and the promise of your future but for now, in this room with its fairy lights and scattered memories, nothing exists beyond the two of you.