#High voltage ship

[frostbytemyrik]

The idea of Skulktech 9.9 from The Ultimate Enemy is absolutely hilarious.

Like imagine: you start out, you're a human. Probably one of the earliest computer scientists. Then you die maybe, idk, in the 80s? Is that where Technus's slang is from?

Whatever. Point is you're dead. Ghost now. Got cool tech powers. Fast-forward a couple decades and you make an enemy in a teenager who's also a ghost but kinda sorta not really dead? It's complicated BUT basically that kid ends up getting real sad before fucking himself up severely by combining with another ghost and nearly wiping out the entire planet.

And to protect yourself against this guy you team up with this other ghost but he's actually just this little frog-man-blob-thing that was probably never alive in the first place, point is he has a really cool robot suit. And since tech is your entire deal, you decide to team up. You reside in his suit with him as his operating system, essentially, and help him make improvements to it.

And like...neither of you have really said anything about it...

But tbh it's kinda gay

[peachphernalia]

assortage of mind & high voltage doodles . a lot of trying to figure out how the prosthetic works

[sunnydayaoe]

terminal doodles

[pinkyjulien]

🟨 Then n' Now - High Voltage edition ⚡

Yoinking @arcandoria's idea and making one of those before/after post focused on the babies💛 motivated by AND motivating @elvenbeard to do the same 😌🤏

This will be both a VP and Modding journey 👉

▶ December 2020

━ "No mods, we die VP like men!"

AKA open up PhotoMode and get as close as you can to your fav, playing with angles while getting the camera stucks in the surrounding 80% of the time and trying to make the characters look at each others in a "natural" way 👀

▶ early 2021

━ "I learned how to app swap and I cannot be stopped"

I got into modding because/thanks to Mitch 🤠 and the first thing I did was to .app swap him into all of the romance scenes 😩🤏 My BIG MODDER GOAL back then was to have Him and Valentin in the panzer scene, meaning I needed to find a way to:

Swap Valentin into Panam's place

Swap Mitch into V/Player's place

Unlock the camera / have a true free-roam experience

and also remove all of the HUD and green filter

I was just a tiny dude with Big Dreams 👀

▶ first half 2021

━ "I can change clothes now! AKA OOC-fest"

Ugh. JHGFHJGHFJ

Looking back at some of the stuff I did before legit gives me so much icks now 💀 the joy and freedom of being a simp with fresh modding power, you just Do Stuff because You Can! Who cares if the character turns extremly OOC, right? keeping them for the memories 🤭

▶ first half 2021

━ "ReShade? What's a ReShade"

My first month of playing around with Reshade! Everything was way too saturated, too bright or too dark- but it was new and exciting! Experimenting with more swapping, more photomode-posing 🤏

▶ July 2021

━ "the Modding High"

Camera unlocks, Player Replacer, FixSwaps, Bi River trick, Blur Remover, Facial expressions for V, Swap to Everyone... my peak as a modder still to this day ngl

I achieved all I ever wanted, did the mods I needed to be able to smooch Mitch and have my canon panzer scene 🧡 (cannot showcase it here on Tumblr for hornyjail reason)

The "bi river" trick was involving CyberCat, an old save editor software that allowed you to swap V presets! You had to launch the romance scene with River as a fem V, then save at the start of it using the "Save Anytime" mod, edit your save file by swapping in your Male V preset, and Voila~ you had a Masc V in the River scene :D

▶ August 2021

━ "Custom poses Fever"

...and the first true love kisses!

Searching and modding your first poses swaps, then spawning the blorbos in game, timing the expressions and animation correctly and... having them "kiss for real" for the first time 🥺😩 ouugghh IT HITS! It hits so good!

From there, the rest of 2021 was focused on playing around with custom poses and exploring my own canon; giving new canon-compliant appearances to Mitch and Valentin, doing VP comics... also exploring some AUs and doing special occasion outfits, like Halloween!

▶ 2022

━ "I can create my own story"

I focused a lot on my own canon in 2022, via comics and photoset exploring what happens to both Mitch and Valentin's respective past and shared future together

Modding was also a big part of the year! There wasn't any big breakthrough other than the scenerid extract for custom poses, which allowed me to finally use the amazing tender animations from the Judy scene in my boys tent 🤭

▶ 2023

━ "Still here"

There will always be new exciting way of exploring and creating content for my babes- the knowledge of custom made poses allowing us for even more angst, tenderness, passion!

and I'm looking forward to it all 🥺🧡

Those years's been a whole creative journey~ and it's thanks to those two, my blorbos, my beloved stinkies, that I'm the modder and photographer that I am now!

Who knows where they'll take me next 💛😊

[arcandoria]

quick road stop 🚗

feat. @pinkyjulien's bbs 🧡

[pinkydude]

Happy Valentin(e)’s Day! 

Repost of some of my favorite posters featuring my babies 🧡💛 Here’s to a third year full of love~ 

[ghoulishautism]

Skulker x Technus? :3c

I am very normal about them

[arctimon]

Happy Valentines Day to all of the ships that people have somehow managed to get behind over the years!

(Yes, even the Fred/Juniper one.)

All of the fanart is courtesy of @iamaddictedtocoffee​, who is supremely talented and much more articulate in drawing than this poor guy could ever be.

Hope everyone has a good day with their loved ones, whomever that may be!

[hideousvampire]

im forcing you guys to look at the alternate lawrusso cross shipping agenda

my favorite is first!!!!! bulldog (high voltage) and frank della rocca jr (too much sun)

bonus very real image of me and johnny lawrence

clearly they were meant to be!!!! they both look goofy!!!!!

[crusty]

hi, im going down a rabbit hole for a video essay, did you happen to run the turbotasticasks blog back in 2012???

SCREAMS if you've managed to connect me to A TURBO ask blog in 20 fucking 24 that is insane....

I DID run a Turbo ask blog on deviantArt back in 2012

I hadn't checked on it in ages but there are some SOLID STUPID ASS POSTS i was fucking obsessed with his ugly ass as a 14 year old (still am tbh) and I didn't realize how many goddamn pageviews this page got holy christ

There were quite a few Turbo ask blogs on dA at the time, and I was more of a crack/shitposting Turbo, so my version was off the shits insane. Eventually, the fandom died, and I moved onto Homestuck around late 2013 early 2014 and also started using tumblr more than dA! I had some great memories of shitposting, rping on the chatboards, and answering the few questions I did in the short amount of time the fandom was alive

We got some great hits in this crusty era... including but not limited to:

"I'm okay..."

And

Turbo selfcest à la 2012 tumblr sexymen ask account selfcest shipping .... THE REAL OGS REMEMBER

WE were very chummy with the onceler fandom. You could imagine the relationship between these 2 sexymen selfcest shipping fandoms to be like the unbreakable bond between early 2011-2013 era homestuck and hetalia fandoms... very very good memories indeed...

My original tumblr username was like @im-turbo-fucking-tastic and I mostly lurked and rbed art back then! I wasn't the most confident posting art on tumblr at the time (it was new and scary and full of cool older people) and it wouldn't rly be until around 2016/2017 when the homestuck obsession came back in full swing, grabbed me by the cock and swung me into a high voltage line

If you have ANY OTHER QUESTIONS, feel free to pester me. I'd love to see what you're working on!!!! I MISS THE WRECK IT RALPH FANDOM SO MUCHHHHH

Thank you for the ask <3 XD

[peachphernalia]

more stupid shit . hes going through a Lot

Three terminals One soul in a room who comes out alive

fun news : there is now a blog ( @high-voltage-archive ) for everything related to the high voltage hms au ! this was mostly to keep all of the art and posts related to it in one spot & for ease of access !

[writing-reference-redux]

Whump Prompts

60 ideas for writers and artists!

Either choose your own prompt, or ask your followers to choose for you by sending you a character or ship and the number or emoji. Also, let people know if you welcome combos (combining two prompts into a single story or art piece)!

Be aware! Some of these prompts may be triggering! Proceed with caution if you have sensitivities to certain whumpy subject matter!

🤢 - It was probably something you ate

🤒 - Fever dreams

��� - Where's the comfort?

😷 - Better safe than sorry

🥶 - We have to get you warmed up

🌡️ - Heat exhaustion and other summer fun

🌊 - Heavy surf

🏊🏼‍♀️ - Against the (rip) tide

🛟 - Overboard!

🔆 - You forgot to put on sunscreen, didn't you?

🏖️ - It would have been safer to stay in the water

👂 - Auditory issues

👀 - Eye scream

🐺 - When animals attack

🌳 - Why were you climbing a tree in the first place?

🍄 - You ate a wild what?

🌼 - I didn't know you were allergic!

🔦 - Whumped in the darkness

⚡️ - High voltage

🔥 - Where there's smoke...

🏈 - Tackled

🛹 - I told you you couldn't do a kick flip!

🍽️ - Cooking accidents

🍗 - Slow down before you choke

🎲 - The most unlucky day

🚗 - Road hazards

✈️ - Is there a doctor onboard?

⛺️ - Whumped in the woods

🍴 - We'll find food soon

🥤 - There has to be water somewhere

⛈️ - A storm's a'coming!

🌪️ - When the wild wind blows

🏠 - Most accidents happen in the home

🔪 - Getting stabby with it

🔫 - Bang!

🏹 - Bows and arrows

🩸 - That's a lot of blood

🪤 - It's a trap!

💊 - Did you take your medicine?

🦠 - The virus

🫁 - Just breathe!

🫀 - What does a heart attack feel like?

🧨 - Firecrackers are dangerous

🎢 - Having "fun" at the fair

🪜 - Watch that first step

🪟 - Destination defenestration

🛁 - Tub slippage

🕳️ - Down, down, down...

🩺 - Worst bedside manner ever

💀 - It's (just) a (mild) concussion

💉 - I know you hate needles, but you need this!

🪡 - You need stitches

🩹 - Quick fix

🦴 - It's definitely broken

🩼 - You really should stay off your feet

🛌🏼 - Stuck in bed

💤 - Just try to stay awake

💬 - Keep texting until I get there!

🫂 - You're safe now

💋 - I'll kiss it better

[pinkyjulien]

🟨 Dirty A-Z Headcanon List 🔞

I'm in a Seggsy Sunday kinda mood so lets go for a lil tag game!😌

▶ RULES: Pick a few (or all!) letters from this list and fill it for your favorite OTP/blorbos 💛 and tag your chooms!

D - Dominance (do they prefer to dominate, or be dominated? Do they have experience as a Dom? Do they have a Dom that they trust already? What kind of things do they enjoy as/with their Dominant partner?) 

>  Valentin is submissive to a caring dominant Mitch. Since Valentin was inexperienced at first, it was really natural for Mitch to take the lead- it was also like that with his previous partner. The size difference between them, both in height and in body frame pushed towards this dynamic; Val feels safe and comfortable being guided and taken care of. He trusts Mitch in any situation, and vice versa!

E - Extra info (any other fetishes? feet? leather? role playing? blood? fantasies that they might want to experience not on this list?)

> Mitch accidentally burned Val's belly with his cig once, and it awoke something in the boy. It's not something they do in bed, or during the act, but more of a teasing ; Mitch knows that puffing smoke in Valentin's direction will get his attention, making him crave some of that heat. Valentin also has a thing for his hair being played with, gently pulled, grabbed. They both share a love for each other's scars, those are always good lick and kiss spots during foreplay or sex.

Q - Quiet please (what’s the volume like in the bedroom? Are they quiet? Do they scream? Do they like a loud partner? do they prefer it if their partner is more soft spoken?)

> Because they live in a community, with other couples, families and children, they have to keep quiet. Intimate moments often happen at night, the soft sounds of wet flesh muffled by the winds or machinery around the camp. They try to keep their moans to a minimum, keeping each other's mouths focused on one another, kissing at the shoulders, neck, or pillows depending on the positions. During the more relaxing weeks, when work is done, they like to sneak into an empty, abandoned place not far from camp. In between car wrecks, they made themselves a cozy little space, with a mattress leaning against a metallic wall, a little table with a few pizzas and beers. Here, they can be as loud and creative as they want, with nobody to interrupt them. 

Mitch like to praise his boy, telling him how cute and handsome he is, how good he feels, how much he loves him. Valentin returns the words, even if he can't make proper sentences. They are both loud when they cum, moans escaping their lips, Valentin's favorite word often being "Mitch", making the older man shivers and moan a soft petname in return.

━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━

🔹 Tagging: @elvenbeard - @jaymber - @miss--river - @arcandoria - @lokiina - @kittenchrissy - @theviridianbunny - @a-pirate

NO PRESSURE IN DOING IT as always! 👉👈especially cause nsft stuff isn't for everyone either so yeah hgfh no worries!

[brianna-lei]

The High Voltage jacket is back! U.S. shipping only for now, but I'm planning on offering international shipping soon!

[cannibal-nightmares]

Trust Fall: Euclid - (Chapter 1)

Stein has a complete breakdown at Spirit's door.

Writing stuff like this helps me defrag. Such is my river. This takes place sometime after anime canon, more or less. It's loose in that regard. I didn't intend for this to be a multi-chapter project, but I think it flows better this way. I also haven't been able to touch art since I've been stuck on this piece, so breaking it up will help in that.

Soul Eater - Stein x Spirit (ship is up to interpretation, SFW) // hurt+comfort, actually schizophrenic author, schizophrenic Stein, psychosis, panic attacks, paranoia, non-verbal Stein Word count - 3,322 -- [AO3 link]

As familiar and cradling as the dark quiet was, the short memory of a cadence echoed in his ears until he realized it hadn’t been a part of his dream and had him gasp in surprise. Two raps and a delayed third had stirred Death Scythe from his sleep that night. A pause, sitting up now, the sound blurred in his recounting over and over in deciphering where it had come from, what it meant, who it could have belonged to. Why was he awake again? Spirit found his face with his palm and blinked into the room, the window shining faint blue with moonglow, sighing and recollecting consciousness.

Someone was knocking at the door.

The weapon made polite and tossed on a pair of pyjama pants before padding out through the apartment to the entrance. If he were any more present, he would have flipped on some of the light switches along the way for whoever it was he was about to greet, but the nicety was left in the sheets.

Too, he forgot to even look through the peephole before fumbling the door open.

“Yeah?”

Now he was awake.

“Franken?”

At the threshold was a drooping figure of a man in a tired labcoat, his countenance evading sight, though what could be caught of his pale irises contrasted back and forth from his deep circles to pin-dot pupils. His eyes darted amongst the floor in the area around Spirit’s ankles, and Death Scythe had an instinct to comment on his unsteady swaying before his guest nearly collapsed into his chest. He didn’t hesitate to catch him, taking the embrace in like a parent holding a distraught child.

“Hey, hey…!” He cooed with worry startlingly frying his voice. “What is it?”

The response returned was smaller than anything Albarn had ever heard before.

“I need your help, Spirit.”

“Help with…” Death Scythe started, but tightened his arms grip as the desperate man went nearly dead-weight over his feet. Exhausted laughter stifled only by breathiness and the fabric of a night shirt escaped the meister’s lungs. “Wh– Hey, talk to me–” Spirit stammered, then recentered as the shattered professor wedged between them one hand to cover his own mouth and the other to tightly shield his eyes. His shoulders jerked as the tormented giggling no longer had a way to escape.

His partner had managed shenanigans before to weasel his way into Death Scythes's apartment for reasons to reveal themselves, but there was no doubt in his mind now that this was not the case. Still, he was admittingly afraid to move as the doctor was convulsing choked wheezes in his hold.

Spirit gently dipped his body to take a look at the professor’s face, but, as they separated, Franken just curled more into himself at the waist, his shoulders hunched more and more in an assured attempt to get smaller. He was tense down to every muscle; Spirit kept a calm hand to the meister's upper arm and couldn't help but acknowledge the high-voltage anxiety course through his own throat.

“Let's get inside, Stein,” Albarn gently pressed him in, granting a few shuffled steps, but barely as the weapon shifted to close the door behind them did Franken's stressed chuckling become audible again, stumbling one more step inward and going weak in the knees. Spirit gasped and made haste to catch him, but couldn't keep them both from collapsing to the floor, jammed to where the perimeter met the wall. His laughter was starting to sound less like giggling and more like a struggle to breathe, prompting Albarn to circle around low to meet his front. The strain in his squeezed-shut eyes reflected something beyond pain and annoyance with it; Stein death-gripped one side of his brow with a flexed hand, the other he met forcefully with the heel of his palm once, twice–

“Hey, hey, none of that,” Spirit heard a tremble in his own tone. He put his hand on top of the assaulting wrist, but didn’t make a strict attempt to hold it back. With his left, he swept heavy hair behind his ear out from the professor's face.

“None of that, dear. You're safe, Stein. You're safe with me.”

With the singular beat of pause did reality come crashing: The DWMA’s greatest meister had scouted and crumpled at Albarn's doorstep. Spirit had only once seen Stein in such a near-drastic state before, but he otherwise often kept aloof and to himself out of what he perceived as self-preservation. What brought him here now, Spirit didn't know, and that unsettled him like a chilled breeze warning storms. It was his immediate reaction to ask questions, but he could only figure how that was going to play out. Franken muted his laugh with his chin to his sternum.

“Stein,” Spirit decided clearly, his jaw trembling. “Take a second, Stein. Can you hear me?” Albarn adjusted so that he could sit more comfortably close before him, rubbing his partner's shoulder soothingly, hoping the touch would ground him and grant him the ability to listen.

“I'm sure your ears are ringing,” he hesitated, fighting the want to trail off out of uncertainty. “Can you take a deep breath for me?”

The doctor grew impossibly smaller, his throat hitching a few times until his stifled laughter started to sound too uncomfortably like hyperventilation.

He finally let go of his face to take Spirit’s shoulder in search of panicked balance, each inhale becoming shorter than the last.

"Hey, come on now, Stein, listen to your breathing. Here, sit upright." Spirit hoped his tone sounded encouraging and not pressuring, but it was getting more and more difficult to compartmentalize his anxiety.

"Match me, Stein." He squeezed his shoulder with a confident hand. "Feel that?"

Franken kept his eyes strained closed, his head turned deep into himself and away. A short inhale, a shaky but gentle fist-tap to his forehead, a held breath, and at last forced a deep exhale. His right hand remained clutched onto Spirit’s shoulder. An inhale, a giggle, a flinch away, a held breath… He nodded to Spirit’s ask. Exhale, slowly…

A few more times, and the room fell quiet.

“What's happened, Stein?” Spirit released a sigh to himself, eyes long-since watering.

The meister didn’t seem to dare move from his awkward pose. The question was partly rhetorical, but attempting to answer seemed to gag him, his brow twitching in reflexes. A good moment, and his mouth opened to reply but was chased by his left hand to clasp it shut and a minute though frantic headshake. Eventually, that same hand shifted to further blind his vision as if he could see through his own eyelids.

 All of this, he seemed afraid to let go of Spirit.

“That’s okay, Stein. Take your time.”

Death Scythe breathed deep, himself, blinking away tears of shock seeing his ever-strong meister at a loss for words, seemingly as though he had a gun to his head to keep from speaking. To say it was all uncharacteristic would have been a massive understatement.

“Let me help you up.” Albarn said softly. “You can sleep here, I know you need it.” He corrected himself too late with error lumping in his throat. “You look like you need it.”

He shifted only a little in preparation to help him stand, but as Stein accepted the support on his other side, mania neutralized his sheer strength against the exhaustion of fear and Spirit very suddenly realized his current position under his grip.

Death Scythe could have sworn he started to hear a faint yet piercing static-electric ringing.

The difference between them being he was able to ignore it.

His hands having shifted under and near Stein's elbows and forearms, Franken still with one to Spirit's shoulder, the weapon cleared his throat in transition.

“You ready?”

Stein didn't move but a slight pained spasm in his countenance. Spirit didn't, either, but he watched closely in the dim dark for any hint at a micro cue, as if a falling lock of hair could speak more to him. Further pause, and finally Franken gave a small nod followed by a quiet but soothing yet threatening and disturbed shushing to himself. Albarn wasn't sure if he should comment on it. 

“I… Didn’t say anything, dear.” He brought his volume down, anyways.

“Not...” Stein gave a short sigh to the sound of his own voice, then very quickly hummed as if he were distracting from a mistake. “They…”

Spirit saw how instantaneous he was getting worked up again. “Hey, listen to me: You don’t have to explain yourself.”

“I’m not supposed to tell you.” He choked, a misplaced anger in his eyes as he finally met Death Scythe’s in a spontaneous contact, then let a glint retreat him back to cornered despair as the focus was more disarming than anticipated, very clearly catching the sight of tears in his partner’s eyes.

“It’s not…” Stein’s throat hitched again, panic in his pupils, suddenly stuck in an unfaltering stare. “I–”

“I’m in no rush.” Spirit was bold to interrupt, sighing in hoping his meister would reflect him, would feel his soul attempt to calm. “You don’t have to tell me anything. I am here for you.”

A beat.

“Spirit?”

“Yes, Stein?”

Franken almost couldn’t believe the noise over his tongue. “Spirit, is this actually happening?”

Albarn had started to wonder the same thing, but his position made him the last person to be in denial. The question was nearly too ambiguous to answer directly.

“You’re in my apartment. It’s late at night. You’re wearing your favourite lab coat... I’m here to help you through this, whatever you may need.”

Stein started to half-narrow his eyes and turned his head to face the room, his line of sight still locked to his partner momentarily before snapping it away and flicking amongst the dark. The weapon hoped to Death he hadn’t said the wrong thing, though it seemed the professor’s muscles were finally untensing, even if just a little.

“Come on. I’ll help you to the guest room.”

Franken accepted his partner’s grasp with a squeeze under his palm, unlooking, and Spirit didn’t have to think twice about the weight he was about to hoist up, his foot kicking his hip closer to balance them both as they made it to their feet. What took Albarn by surprise, then, was Stein’s hurried instinct to hide his face into the weapon’s collar; he could feel within his meister the irregularities of natural strength and circumstantial physical weakness fighting against each other, his limbs shaking with effort.

“Sorry, I–” Stein forced a chuff, starting to pull away, only to yelp as if something caught his attention, returning himself to Spirit’s chest with a grimace, groaning scared annoyances followed by hushed manic giggling. He brought his more readily-free hand through his hair so that his fingers were around the stem of his screw between his ear and the head of the bolt, pressing his skull like keeping something from escaping.

“Shh, it’s okay, Stein. I’m here.”

He enveloped the junior inward, brushing his hand across his back like comforting a boy afraid of the dark. In his meister’s convulsions, though, Spirit was beginning to admit to himself the struggle of keeping himself together: Five whole minutes into this intervened altercation and he found himself unsure of where to redirect his self-doubt. No, “uncertainty” wasn’t the word, but so starkly seeing the contrast… Before him was the otherwise most fortified man Spirit knew, hiding from the whims of his own mind in the arms of his weapon; the reversed symmetry in the inverted mirror was truthfully overwhelming.

But, as he had before, Spirit took the role of guidance with unhesitated grace. If Stein wasn’t giving up, neither was he.

“Do you want me to lead you?”

Franken deepened himself, flexing his fingers through his hair repeatedly. Despite the different shade of distress, he counted through a breathing exercise and Spirit waited.

In, two, three, four…

As he considered his patience, Albarn took accord.

Hold, two, three, four, five, six…

In the rows did something stumbling find another: A hushed and scrambled cacophony of channels flipping on a television set fell steep with both hands gripping back on a yoke, the descent mere inches from the utmost height to the floor, like tripping over an edge in a nightmare… The other, a boat on a black sea with the mainsail long-pulled taught against unprecedented but not unexpected winds... Intangible and unlikely otherwise, the two came together in the image of a dream and all became but a tolerable buzz, a soothing pendulum...

Out, two, three, four, five, six, seven, eight…

Strain built intentionally tight in Spirit’s chest, but, with the exhale, tension he wasn’t even aware of released from his jaw and neck, his head a bit dizzy with the new air and the familiar scent of his meister. He continued to pause for several more rounds, several more heartbeats, the grip in Stein’s fidgeting lessening in white.

Spirit took his right hand and found his own shoulder where his meister still had not let go. With the smallest smile, Albarn lowered himself in gesture.

“Keep your eyes closed if you need to. I will guide you.”

Stein nodded. Shakily but earnest, he nodded.

The weapon considered prying Franken’s hand off of him to more comfortably take him by the wrist, but instead let his own fingertips suggest that his hand was fine right where it was, turning away and having the placement shift to follow suit. Stein couldn’t help an anxious muttering in the readjustment that had Spirit raise an eye to his attention. He concluded it was all self-soothing. Stein looked so little in his frame.

A few shuffled paces, they made it across the living room to the hall and the spare bedroom door, but a couple clicks of involuntary ratcheting caused Franken to yank back on his escort with wild eyes snapped open in a sudden shock.

“Stein!” Spirit yelped.

“Shhsh! No, no, we can’t��� You can’t–” He brought both hands to the back of his neck, elbows almost touching in the middle.

Spirit jammed his nerves into a lower gear. “Slow down, Stein.” He tried to move non-threateningly to alter his focus, but the panic was becoming intoxicating. “What is it?”

“They’re waiting for us, you’ll see, you’ll figure it out. You’ll know.” Stein’s flickering eyes were just as they were when he showed up to the apartment: Frantic, lost, certain of something displaced. He flinched, he shushed, he giggled false reassurances as an apology for his child-like fear.

“Inside?” Spirit had to retain a quiver. “Did your soul perception tell you that?”

Stein went eerily quiet, his mouth just barely open. His lips met again when he allowed a tiny nod, his pindot pupils unchanging in the confirmation.

Albarn forced an amused huff with a playful smirk. “What are the odds a death scythe wouldn't be able to defend himself?” From his forearm that neared the door, an arching blade flashed out from his ulna to his wrist.

Something wild crossed Stein's face, but, this time, Spirit couldn't place what it was; maybe it was the shift in energy in the now-unwavering eye contact, the desperate nod that followed, the microexpression of curling-upward lips. Franken reached out to return his balance to Spirit.

The weapon turned the knob and pushed in–a bit awkward with his scythe unsheathed–half-expecting the darkness inside to spill out and swallow them whole, but, of course, the room was exactly as it were, save the faint luminescence of the moon. They crept inside, Stein mentally clearing the space from one corner to the next, and the blade was put away with a slight metallic scraping. Spirit threw back the comforter of the bed and circled on his heel to suggest his partner to sit on the edge, his static-electric unease gradually ebbing further from its peaks. He made sure to remain patient in his movements, kneeling to help Franken untie his shoes.

“When’s the last time you slept, hon?”

Stein watched Albarn’s meticulous fingers, but Spirit couldn’t tell if he was observing them as an anchor or tearing them apart like a riddle.

“I keep having nightmares.” He murmured, his voice like that of a child confessing to trouble.

Death Scythe pretended that was a conclusive response with a hum, though genuinely surprised and relieved he had an answer at all. He held the junior’s calf while loosening the tongue of his left shoe, slipping it off and setting it aside.

“I’ll…” Stein spoke again. “I’m not sure this isn’t one of them.”

Spirit looked up from his task once he made a pair, expecting to find the professor’s gaze, but it was a thousand yards away like a bullet that had long gone straight through him.

“Franken…” he said just to make noise. Albarn took his hand that rested in his lap and met his height, closing his eyes and sighed resolutely. He touched his forehead to his meister’s and brought his left hand to the side of his neck only thereafter. Stein jerked at the touch, but seemed to then lean into Spirit’s confidence of trust.

“You’re here with me. Nightmare or not, I am here to get you through this; you've made it all this way.” He stepped back to meet his eye contact. “You don't have to fight this alone, I'm here with you. I am here for you.”

Spirit's rambling went on a bit too long to prevent a trembling in his voice, but he didn't think twice in pressing through to convey his sincerity. He knew talking to Stein in that moment was like talking through a TV screen, but hoped to Death something slipped over the cross-reception to sell him worth-while reassurances.

Franken found himself in a different kind of daze, watching not the stitches fray apart, but the sutures sew together. This time, the eye contact torn away seemed more of an acknowledgement than a retreat, though still unfocused on anything in their plane. Spirit slipped his hands away and stood, returning, then, kind fingertips to the inside hem of the doctor's lab coat, but his wrist was met with a startled grab.

“You want to keep your coat on?” Albarn plainly asked aloud.

Stein shakily agreed with a met haze. “It's keeping me here.”

A softness passed over Spirit. “Alright, dear.” He met his meister's bicep gently in gesture, and Franken awkwardly complied to tuck his legs up onto the mattress and let his body sink into the plushness of the sheets. The beat prior, they both realized, would be the last time their eyes would meet that night.

“I don't know what decision led you to come to me, but I am grateful for your faith.” Spirit brought the blanket over Stein's torso and up to his collar, then leaned in to kiss him smally on the temple. “I will be just in the other room if you need me, Stein. And you can come to me for anything.”

The scythe returned upright and stepped towards the hall, his watch worriedly lingering over the junior who huddled the comforter to his chin.

“Do you want the door open?”

He didn't answer.

Spirit dipped his half in a nod after a moment.

“Good night, Stein.”

Death Scythe left the door cracked and took a few paces to stop dead-center in the living room. His ears were ringing. How long had they been ringing? The blackness of the corners of the walls sighed with a heaviness released from the weapon’s chest, and he stumbled a single step for balance while a cry unexpectedly welled up and out of his throat. He met his hands clasped to his mouth to keep from making noise, but nothing could stop the convulsions in his shoulders.

[bumblesimagines]

Midnight Beach

Part 18

Request: Yes or No

Taglist: @nathan-no @hyubg @ash455  @gills-lounge

~~~

Never in his eighteen years of life did (Y/N) ever expect to be standing atop a train planning a full-blown heist. Searching old, abandoned property like Freedman's Church had been one thing. Sneaking onto a cargo ship to save his ex-girlfriend from her power-hungry family had been another. But planning a train heist to steal back a golden, crystal-encrusted ancient cross right from under Rafe Cameron's nose? With help from Topper Thornton? Discomfort settled in the pit of his stomach. He couldn't even imagine the lengths Rafe would go to get it back from them.

"Looks like there's at least a thousand trains here," Kiara sighed from her spot beside him, rubbing the palm of her hand against her forearm as the chill from the night gently nipped at them. Pitch darkness surrounded them and only the nearly full moon provided them with enough light to make out the trains lined up. 

"Well, we know it's car 750X on the track to Raleigh." Pope carefully recited the words scribbled on the paper, holding it so close to his face it almost brushed against his nose with the slightest movement. He dropped his hand down and leaned his head forward, squinting through the darkness and searching the trains around them. 

Kiara pursed her lips and moved her hand to the nape of her neck, fingers lightly squeezing. "Yeah, well, we're not getting out of here unnoticed with a giant cross."

"We won't have to," Pope murmured. "We can nab it somewhere further down in the country. Just gotta figure out how to stop the train." 

"You say that as if any of us have done that before." (Y/N) scoffed in quiet disbelief. The Pogues were troublemakers, everyone in Kildare knew that. They broke onto properties, ran from cops, smoked and drank from the minute the sun went up to the second it went down. Were they thieves? JJ sure was with his sticky fingers and charming smile. But Pope Heyward, the boy destined for Harvard or Duke, and Kiara 'Save the Environment' Carrera? The uncertainty was plain as day on Kiara's face but Pope had dropped the opportunity for a scholarship to help John B, and the bandana-wearing brunette hadn't even bothered responding to their texts.

"Leave that to me." JJ declared and the discomfort grew. "I got an uncle up in New Bern, right? When he got tipsy, he'd just thrown an old chain across the tracks, just for shits and giggles. And that little old chain would stop all the train traffic in coastal Carolina."

"He's right, actually. There's a low-voltage current that runs across all rail tracks. Throw a chain on it, you close that circuit. It would read as another train. Crossing lights come down. The science is actually pretty sound." Pope explained and JJ nodded enthusiastically beside him despite most of the words flying right over his head. "But, we don't have a chain."

"No, but I bet Topper's dad has jumper cables in the truck. Would that work?" Sarah turned to Pope, a smile breaking out on her face when Pope nodded. As if on cue, Topper began calling out to them from down below, his voice alone making the Pogues roll their eyes. (Y/N) lifted a thumbs up in his direction, pointedly ignoring the exasperated stare from Sarah.

"Alright, you all wait here. Me and Pope will go look for it and send a signal once we find it." Cleo said, and with the plan set in motion and beginning, the two of them climbed down the ladder. They stepped across the tracks and disappeared down one lane, the large boxy trains blocking them from view. (Y/N) nibbled on his bottom lip anxiously until he spotted movement up the side of one of the train cars. From the darkness, a flashlight flickered in their direction.

"That's it. We're green." Kiara laughed breathlessly, but the victory proved shortlived at the sound of a high-pitched horn and metal clanking. "Oh, shit-"

"Train's moving!" The train Pope had climbed on slowly inched forward, the horn blaring every few minutes. They quickly scrambled off the roof and down the ladder, approaching the truck and a pacing Topper. (Y/N) swallowed and clapped his hands over Topper's shoulders, spotting beads of sweat rolling down his temple. 

"This is so illegal, (Y/N)!" 

"I know, I know. I'm sorry you had to get involved with this, Top. I promise you everything's gonna be okay, alright? Just, take a deep breath." (Y/N) squeezed his shoulder and inhaled deeply, nodding for Topper to mimic him. Topper inhaled and his eyes squeezed shut, taking a few seconds before he exhaled and tried shrugging off the tension building up in his body. His eyes opened and flickered over to Sarah.

"W-What are you doing with the jumper cables?"

"Don't worry about it, Top," Sarah responded casually as she stuffed the jumper cables in JJ's backpack. Topper's head snapped back to (Y/N), jaw slacked and eyes widened. (Y/N) only gave a tight-lipped smile in return and patted his back apologetically. Sure, he hadn't exactly explained the whole plan to Topper during the drive to the tracks, but he doubted the blonde would've agreed if he'd known. Like Liv always said, better to ask for forgiveness than permission. 

Climbing into the passenger seat and buckling in, (Y/N) watched JJ and Kiara disappear into the night. With the jumper cables in hand, they had to beat the train to the first crossing and pray the 'science' actually worked. Topper drove down the same road until (Y/N) instructed him to drive off the road and through a small section of trees. Topper carefully maneuvered the truck and followed the tracks, anxiously tapping his fingers against the steering wheel. 

"What the hell are we doing, (Y/N)?" Topper whispered as the halted train came into view. 

"We're helping someone, Top. You're making things right with the Pogues. That's a good thing." (Y/N) answered softly and offered him a reassuring smile. It did little to ease Topper's anxieties but he nodded and stepped on the brakes once they were beside the car Pope and Cleo were searching. Sarah hopped out of the car and took Cleo's outstretched hand, climbing inside with them and helping them search. 

"What are they doing?" Topper exhaled, brows knitting at the three as they began pushing a box that read 'Cameron Development' on the side.

"They're going to put that box-" (Y/N) lightly tapped the window and unbuckled his seatbelt. "-in the trunk."

"What?! (Y/N)-" He could only smile again, climbing out of the car and moving around the truck to pop open the back. He stepped toward the train and reached up, planting his palms firmly against the wooden box and cursing softly at the weight. He helped guide the box into the box, only managing to get it halfway onto the trunk before a horn sounded off. 

"Shit, we gotta move, guys." Pope and Cleo moved around to the back of the box and shoved as hard as they could, getting the box onto the trunk. (Y/N) reached up again and took Sarah by the waist before helping her jump down and getting the box secured with the straps in the trunk. 

"Hey! Stop right there!" A man shouted at them and they quickened their pace, clambering into the car while Pope got in the back to ensure the box would be okay. Topper stepped on the gas pedal, quietly muttering under his breath as he swerved around the man and glanced back toward the security truck following them. They reached the closest intersection where JJ and Kiara were and took down the road. Sirens blared behind them and JJ drove closer to the truck, calling out to Topper to keep the truck straight. (Y/N)'s widened eyes watched as Kiara climbed onto the seat and onto the back of the truck. JJ abruptly braked and turned his bike around, pausing for a brief second before speeding toward the cop car and throwing something at them.

"They're chasing him." (Y/N) breathed. Only JJ would pull off a stunt like that to save his friends. "Top, turn around."

"If they catch us-"

"Topper, they won't catch anyone. Just- Just listen to me, alright?" (Y/N) reached out and grasped his shoulder, squeezing it tightly. Topper cursed and slammed his palms against the steering wheel, shaking his head repeatedly as he turned the truck around and stepped on the gas again, following after JJ and the cop car. He followed Pope's directions, swerving into different streets and roads until they were on the road just below the overpass where the two vehicles were. Then, dust and debris went into the air and the dirt bike hurled over the railing, clattering to the road below in pieces. The truck came to a screeching halt and (Y/N) flew out of the truck, heavy pants leaving him and eyes flickering around in search of JJ. Kiara whimpered and crumbled to the floor, panicked whispering leaving her and face burying in her hands. 

"I wish- I wish I could say I did that on purpose, but that was the gnarliest powerslide I've ever done." (Y/N) spun around and released a breath of relief at the sight of JJ, somehow miraculously alive and unharmed. JJ laughed breathlessly, face flushed and hair sticking out in all directions. Pope bolted toward him and enveloped him in his arms, shocked laughter leaving him. Sarah walked toward him, shoving him back only to pull him back into a hug. 

"You're such a dick, J." (Y/N) chuckled and wrapped an arm around him before they returned to the truck. (Y/N) climbed back into the passenger seat and spotted a flashlight beaming down on Kiara and JJ. The cop shouted down to them and everyone scrambled toward the truck. Cleo, Pope, Kiara, and JJ squeezed into the back while Sarah got in the passenger seat and sat squarely on (Y/N)'s lap. Without time to comment, (Y/N) wrapped an arm around her waist and pulled her against his chest to prevent her from slipping. Topper stepped on the gas once more.

Despite their fleeting moment of victory, the truck soon filled with overlapping voices arguing and telling Topper to go faster. (Y/N) sighed and leaned his head back against the headrest, listening to Topper argue back until he finally gave in and sped up, only for the truck to jerk up and down after running over a bump in the road. Behind them, the box wiggled free of the straps and slammed into the road, prompting Topper to hit the brakes. They unbuckled their seatbelts and jumped out of the car, rushing toward the box only to see the contents within. Tires filled with cement. And not a single sign of the cross.

"It's fake." Pope stared down at the tires hopelessly and JJ sucked his teeth, ripping his cap off his head and tossing it on the road. (Y/N) took a deep breath and ran his hands over his face, the distant sound of sirens growing near and breaking the melancholy air. Pope remained by the box, frozen and eyes distant. (Y/N) gently set his hands over Pope's shoulders and squeezed lightly. 

"Come on, Pope. There's nothing else we can do."

                    ✽        ✽       ✽       ✽       ✽       ✽

"I'm sorry about... dragging you into this whole cross mess, Top." (Y/N) spoke softly, feet dangling off the side of the dock and barely skimming the top of the water. Topper sat beside him, cross-legged and holding a slightly crumbled beer can in his hand. After the previous night's events, he'd been radio silent until he pulled up on his boat with some beers and a willingness to talk.

"I won't lie that was probably the most exciting thing I've ever done. But, I definitely don't want to do it again. I mean, risking two or three years in prison? For a group of people you probably won't even be friends with in five years?" Topper shook his head and raised the can to his lips, drinking the remainder and crushing the empty can. He tossed it into the cooler and wiped his wet lips with the back of his hand. "I mean, where the hell was John B? Ya'll said he hadn't been answering. If he turns his back on them, how fast do you think he'll turn on you? Shit, he might even convince them to drop you altogether."

"I know, Top. I know my friendship with them will be running its course soon with the cross gone and everything." (Y/N) sighed heavily and stared out into the horizon, finger lightly digging into the side of the can. No cross, no gold, and likely no El Dorado either. They had no use for each other, not with each of them safe and sound in Kildare. Even with Rafe's presence, he'd never do anything that'd hurt his father, and any of them could easily out the secret. 

"God, you two are such downers!" A smile automatically spread on his face and he turned to watch Liv walk down the dock. She'd changed out of her casual attire into a swimsuit and denim, per Topper's invite to a party on one of the more secluded beaches called Mase that most typically went to by boat. She flashed them a vibrant smile and wiggled a can loose, basking in the sizzle of it opening before chugging it back in one clean go. 

"Atta girl!" Topper laughed and stood up, picking up the remaining cans as Liv playfully bowed, her large hair bun flopping over in the process. (Y/N) snorted and took her outstretched hand, pulling himself up and finishing his beer. He swiped his tongue over his lips and helped Topper with the small cooler before offering Liv his hand and watching her climb into the boat as it softly rumbled to life. 

"(Y/N)! You have a visitor!" He heard his mother's faint voice call out. He peered over his shoulder and noticed her by the sliding doors, mood slightly dampening at the sight of Sarah standing beside her. He needed a break, not another little quest that could land in in jail or a hospital. But regardless, he jogged down the dock and cut through the yard. Sarah quietly thanked his mother and waited for her to head back inside, fingers toying with the strap of her bag. Once the door shut, she turned back to him.

"You didn't tell me they were back."

"You were occupied, Sarah. Did you need something?" She swallowed and he frowned, bracing himself for whatever request, question, or favor she needed. Sarah took in a deep breath and brushed her hair back behind her ears, lips rubbing together and gaze dropping onto the ground. He could only imagine what'd it be if she hadn't spoken yet-

"I need a place to stay." She revealed timidly. "I got into a disagreement with John B and- and I can't stay with him right now. He said some hurtful things and... and I think he's keeping something from me. I just can't live with him knowing he doesn't trust me after everything we've been through. I-I tried Kiara but she's in trouble with her parents and JJ wasn't even home when I went around so... I came here."

(Y/N) dug his teeth into his lip and grunted quietly. Part of him desperately wanted to turn her down, to turn the other cheek and be done with everything and anything related to the Camerons. Another, more louder, part of him reminded him of their friendship and how she'd take him in no questions asked if he ever ended up in her spot. Besides, nobody could say no to Sarah Cameron's puppy eyes. "Fine. You, uh... You can stay in the guest bedroom again. And uh..." Liv would surely kill him for even thinking about it. "We're going to a party right now. I still have some of Liv's clothes that you can borrow if you want to come."

And so, he dealt with Liv's death stare the whole ride to the island. Sarah, ever the observant type, kept her distance from the fiery redhead and stood by Topper, quietly chatting and pointedly avoiding even looking in Liv's general direction. Despite the death stare and annoyance with Sarah not only being there but wearing one of her bikinis, she stood up from the edge of the boat and plopped down beside him with a little twinkle in her eyes.

"You know," She began loudly, lips tugging into a mischievous grin that made his stomach twist. "I heard Josie was going to be at the party, (Y/N). Little ole Josie who just couldn't keep her eyes off you back at the academy. I've seen her photos on Instagram and damn, she's getting prettier by the day. I bet, my sweet (Y/N), she'd be absolutely thrilled to talk to you."

"Is that so?" No use in trying to ignore her, she'd only persist. Her plan, whether to make things awkward or annoy Sarah, appeared to be working, given how Sarah glanced over her shoulder at them and slowly sipped on her beer. As oblivious as ever, Topper nodded eagerly in agreeance with Liv and the redhead's grin grew.

"She's right, actually. Josie got her braces taken off while you were gone and she finally did something about that bird's nest on her head. She's bangin', dude. If I weren't with Elena, I'd definitely..." Topper trailed off, finally meeting Sarah's hardened eyes and swallowing thickly. He looked forward again, clearing his throat awkwardly and vaguely motioning to Mase. "Uhm, forget about it. We're here, anyways."

"Finally!" Liv groaned and stood up, shifting her weight from foot to foot as she waited for Topper to shut the engine off and ensure the boat wouldn't drift with the tide. Once secured, she leaped over the side and rushed down the beach, arms open and body barreling into the awaiting arms of her old friends. (Y/N) laughed and climbed out, setting the cooler down in the warm sand and greeting Kelce with a hug. A few other Kooks rolled around, embracing him and Sarah and welcoming them back with wide smiles and offers of beers and snacks. 

"You gonna hit some waves today or nah, bro?" Kelce asked, motioning back toward the many surfboards scattered around.

"I'm gonna chill for now." (Y/N) dismissed and Kelce nodded, slinging an arm around Topper and heading off with him to catch some waves. He watched them go and licked his lips as a hint of uncertainty settled in. Sure, he'd been popular for a while but it'd all been due to Liv and Sarah's own popularity. Parties had always been their thing, not his. However, as he began heading down the beach and listened to the enthusiastic greetings, he felt the uncertainty slip away. 

"Hey! I didn't expect to see you here!" He almost wanted to laugh. Josie greeted him with a wide, vibrant smile, the same smile she often hid behind her hand back during the days with the braces. The hair she often kept up in a tight, frizzy bun now cascaded down her shoulders. (Y/N) remembered her as one of the more meeker girls. Someone who attended parties once in a blue moon, hid under baggy clothes, and spent her days watching others from afar. Her newfound confidence made her brighter and even happier.

"Never thought I'd see you here, Josie." He commented with a friendly smile, graciously taking the beer she offered him. Josie laughed and turned her flushing face away from him. Something bubbled in his chest. Comfort? Amusement? Pride? He couldn't pinpoint exactly which one, but he knew he didn't mind it. Having spent a month watching others get cozy while he withered from boredom, he certainly didn't mind the attention or someone new to talk to. 

"And I never thought you'd end up stranded on an island and yet, here we are." Josie brushed her hair out of her face and took a step closer, head tilting to the side curiously. "How was it? It must've been... scary. I can't even imagine being away from my family for a week, let alone a whole month." 

"It was... tough, I guess." (Y/N)'s eyes found Sarah's figure as she strode across the beach in their direction. Josie followed his gaze and turned, her shoulders immediately sagging at the sight of the blonde fast approaching. Sarah offered her a smile, exchanging a quick embrace before she lifted her hand toward him and dangled a set of keys that looked an awful lot like Topper's. Josie smiled weakly at them and slipped away before he could speak. 

"Come with me to check something out." She smiled widely and took his hand into hers, an action so fluid and casual that for a split second, it felt as if he'd gone back in time. Hanging out with Topper, attending a Kook party, being close to Sarah. All things he used to do, and things that made him happy. He debated letting go. He debated letting her down and following Josie to see where things went. But Sarah fucking Cameron and her big brown eyes that enraptured others, the freckles scattered across her cheeks that were only noticeable in the sunlight, her smile that could cheer up even the saddest of people. 

"Fine." He sighed, and he kept his hand in hers. 

They took Topper's boat to the abandoned lighthouse just a ways off the boast of the beach. It was tall and old with the red and white paint beginning to chip off. It'd been occupied once, likely a beautiful sight for the sailors rolling in during its prime. Now, it stood old and deserted, replaced by the lighthouse near the town square that everyone knew well. Sarah basked in its glory for a moment and tossed a smile over her shoulder at him before she crouched down and sat on the edge of the dock. 

"Come, sit down." She patted the spot beside her encouragingly and (Y/N) took it, feeling the furious wind against his body. It swept around Sarah's hair and forced her to continuously tuck strands away and out of her face. He looked out at the water and took in its shimmering beauty, the rays of the setting sun bouncing off it and making it glitter like a diamond. 

"It's nice out here. Better than a deserted island." (Y/N) said and tilted his head back, peering up at the sky. Orange and pale blue clashed and danced together, having their moment before they'd be replaced by the deep blue of the night sky. Sarah hummed absentmindedly, kicking her legs back and forth. While his eyes remained on the sky, hers watched the waves lap up the dock support beams. She stared at the beams, at the barnacles and kelp wrapped around the wound, eyes focused yet distant at the same time. She picked at the strings of her shorts, tugging at the thread and threatening to break it until she lifted her head.

"(Y/N)," She began softly, voice almost carried away by the wind. Her eyes glazed over with fresh tears. "I'm... I'm so sorry... I'm sorry for everything. For- For kissing John B, for ignoring you, for hurting you, for dragging you into this whole treasure hunt. I'm so sorry for everything I did. You were one of my closest friends and I broke the trust you had in me. I never- I never should've done the things I did. I never should've said what I said. I acted as if you were a burden and you never were. I'm... I'm really sorry, (Y/N)." 

(Y/N) stared at her, the rushing wind and waves filling in the silence between them. Tears slipped down the corners of her eyes and she wiped them away with her fingertips, the heaviness on her shoulders more apparent than ever. He'd never gotten a proper apology, he realized then. She'd tried once, after her breakup with John B and Ward's fake death. It'd sounded too forced, too soon, and too wrong. But now, with the tears falling from her eyes and the regret laced heavily in her voice, it all sounded real. Genuine. 

"I know." He murmured, voice barely audible. (Y/N) delicately placed his hand over hers and intertwined their fingers in a comforting and accepting gesture. She sniffled and raised her head to meet his eyes, her quivering lips pulling up and her fingers gently squeezing his. (Y/N) leaned over and pressed his lips to her warm forehead, the last tears sliding down her cheeks and dripping off her chin. He leaned back and wiped the trails away, planting his feet on the dock and standing up. Keeping their hands intertwined, Sarah stood up as well. "I forgive you, Sarah." 

By the time they returned to the beach, many of their friends and former classmates had departed with the disappearance of the sun with only a select few having set up tents to sleep in. Kelce and Topper had started a bonfire and kept it fed with branches and sticks, tossing them in as they chatted and drank. When (Y/N) turned to them questioningly, the two pointed in the direction of one of the tents where Liv's bag rested on the outside. He snorted quietly and took a seat on one of the many towels placed around the bonfire. Sarah sat beside him and they listened in on Kelce and Topper's conversation until the two boys called it a night and headed off to Kelce's tent. (Y/N) lied back on the towel and stared up at the night sky, watching the twinkling stars and searching for the constellations Sarah loved oh so dearly. 

"Remember when we used to do this?" Sarah asked, her head turned upward as well. "We'd go out to the beach at midnight and just watch the stars for a while." 

"How could I forget when you were so insistent on it? Always calling right when I was about to fall asleep." 

"You never complained!" Sarah giggled and turned to look down at him. Her eyes softened as she gazed down at him, lips parting when she exhaled shakily. His brows furrowed slightly and he tilted his head, the words just about to leave him when she swooped down and planted her lips on his. He stiffened, mind going blank at the feeling of her lips before his brain slowly caught up and his muscles relaxed. His hand cupped her cheek and he kissed her back, the familiarity of it all making his brain woozy. Sarah moved, never once pulling away from him as she straddled his waist and kissed him back harder. He let everything slip from his mind. The gold, the cross, the Pogues, John B. He let them wash away with the tide.