#It’s the same place I worked at last summer except I’ll be a lifeguard instead of a camp counselor this year bc reasons

[cryptid-on-a-string]

hhhhhhh well. I got my first day at my new(ish) job tomorrow

[neonponders]

Okay I’m in this Flayed!Steve thing now. Here’s part 2 for this post ~

It’s the angsty middle (I don’t know if I’m doing a part 3 so this might just be angst with no conclusion LOL) so I’ll put it under the cut.

• • • • • • •

Billy frowned at Max’s gaggle of weirdos from atop his lifeguard throne. She had a pass to the pool - courtesy of his job - so the extremely obvious sneaking around was even weirder than that herd of freshmen usually behaved.

Whatever. It’s summer. It’s closing time, and Billy’s got plans to be nowhere in Hawkins tonight. He’s got a concert ticket burning a hole in his locker, and he can’t help but touch it fondly after he finishes his shower -

The lights go out.

He wants to slouch and tip his head back like Max does when she’s just over it. But since he’s the boss around here, he puts strength in his legs and barks, “HEY! Lights on and get out!”

When nothing changed, he quickly yanked on his jeans, t-shirt, and shouldered his backpack - ticket safely locked within an interior pocket -

Billy’s mouth opens to bellow, but someone else beats him to it.

“MAX!”

The voice is familiar but he can’t place it. Or rather, it’s out of place, so he doesn’t believe it until he sees Steve Harrington for himself.

“Max! Get out of the freaking sauna! I’m not interested in smelling like old men.”

Billy frowned. There was only one sauna, and women didn’t use it. A mild warning bell moves through Billy’s head at why Max could possibly be in the sauna at all, but instead he chooses to intercept the guy yelling for his stepsister.

“Hey, Harrington.”

It was convenient that Billy stood behind him; he got the full view of that Scoops Ahoy uniform as Steve turned around and -

Got a sandbag in the stomach. The pool staff used those to weigh down signs and traffic cones on busy days in the parking lot, but for the life of him, Billy had no idea where it had just come from. They weren’t stored anywhere near the locker rooms or sauna.

Billy gaped as the guy vocally coughed and flew backward. A good bit of spit got knocked out of him on the way into the sauna, and then the door slammed shut.

Freshmen swarmed around Billy, running at the door to bar it shut. Byers’ brother read the thermometer on the wall. “Almost at two hundred!”

“Max.”

Her red ponytail flew around her head as she looked at him and his confusion. “Billy, I don’t have time to explain.”

“You might!” Lucas intercepted. “We don’t know how long this will take!”

A new voice asked, “How long does it take?”

Billy analyzed this new person’s sailor uniform. “Who are you?”

“Robin. Who the hell are you?”

“I work here!” Billy growled. “What the hell are all of you doing after hours?”

“Steve’s possessed by something,” Robin said.

Billy’s voice went deadpan. “It’s July.”

She grimaced, “So?”

“So take your Halloween bullshit out of here - ”

Slow...quiet laughter turned their heads to the sauna door. Yet...the laughter didn’t match the sobbed, “Bullshit. My life is bullshit. Bullshit. Bullshit.”

“Two-fifteen,” Byers narrated by the thermometer. As if connected to the temperature, Steve got louder, wailing an atrocious sound that made even Billy wince.

“We’re all getting arrested for this if you don’t let him out - ”

“We can’t let him out!” Wheeler shouted. Jesus, the kid was just as bullheaded as his sister. “The Mind Flayer’s inside of him. Maybe you might be bored enough to let this thing take over our dimension, but we’re not!”

“Mike, he doesn’t know,” Max said as if trying to soothe the situation, but Billy’s eyes were on the sauna window. Steve had stood up. And Max stood too close to the door.

A fist broke the glass and gripped her hair the same time Billy dove for her. Max screamed as they both landed against the sauna door. Everyone was yelling, but through the chaos, a hand entered Billy’s vision and Steve flew away from the door as if pulled by a rope behind him.

Billy dragged Max away, but not without seeing how Steve landed on the floor, broken tiles following him from the wall. A girl stood beside them, but Billy didn’t know her. She had a nosebleed but didn’t seem to care. “Steve. Fight it. Fight.”

No laughter this time, but the sound of Steve crying was...hard to listen to. Billy and Max slowly returned to the others, all of them peering into the sauna at Steve slumped on the floor.

“I can’t. I’ve been trying. I can’t anymore. I’m sorry. I’m so sorry.”

He held his bleeding hand, but all of him sounded broken. Billy heard himself ask, “What’s wrong with him?”

“Mind Flayer,” the girl said.

“Yeah, that doesn’t mean anything to me,” Billy remarked.

“It’s a creature from another dimension,” Byers said...a bit too calmly. “It possessed me last year.”

“You seem fine,” Billy retorted, even though Byers was pale, skinny, and for some reason stayed true to that ridiculous bowl cut.

“My mom and brother got it out of me, but it won’t be as easy this time. All of the flayed people have been eating chemicals. Steve’s house is a mess.”

Robin pointed at the window, “Does that look all right to you?”

Billy refocused on Steve...and all the black veins on his arms, his face.

“Two-forty,” Byers said.

The curly-haired kid...Dustin, Billy remembered from some locked cabinet of his brain, said, “The human body can’t survive past one hundred and ten.”

“What if he’s not human anymore?” Lucas said quietly, like a secret.

“Steve’s still in there!” Dustin yelled, even though his tone was soaked with doubt. “Steve, you gotta fight it, man. Come on! I know you don’t have the best track record, but this is a fight you can’t lose!”

“I ALREADY LOST!” he screamed. Max was crying in Billy’s arms. He hadn’t realized they still held onto each other. Steve cried, “I lost. Soon as this thing’s out of me...I’m dead. I’m so thirsty. All he drinks is bleach. I’m not okay. There’s no way I’m okay. I’m sorry. Robin. I’m sorry. I tried. I tried so he didn’t see you. I tried every time...”

Billy didn’t know what the hell was going on, but Steve’s veins were black, all of them bulging beneath his skin as he began to convulse. Will moved, gasping and weirdly riveted to Steve vomiting something that looked too thick to be saliva.

Then he deflated. “That’s not it. That’s not enough. Two-fifty.”

“What’s it look like?” Lucas asked.

“It’s a cloud - a vapor. It’s - ”

“A shadow.”

Like rats scattering, they retreated from the window where Steve stood again. Except the girl remained, gazing steadily back at him as he reached through the window...not to grab her, but to test the distance.

Steve smiled. Billy felt cold. “Limited human parts.”

Her jaw stiffened as her hands formed into fists at her sides. Opening. Closing. Opening. Closing.

Opening, and rising to point her palm at the window. “When the spider leaves, the web dies.”

Billy couldn’t believe that Steve moved because of this girl, but he landed against tiled wall again...and again.

Dustin was shrieking as Lucas and Mike held him back. “You’re killing him! Stop! Please!”

The girl sobbed through the blood dripping past her mouth -

A guttural hack of a sound wrenched out of Steve, and the sauna went dark. Not like the lights going out...but like dust out of a vacuum. Soot from a faulty firework making Billy squint and then dodge out of they way of Lucas wielding a lighter and hairspray.

To Billy’s horror, the soot cloud moved. Dodging and evading the hairspray flames - some of it even catching light and moving like cinders.

Lucas, Mike, and the girl chased it out of the building, but Billy and the others looked at Robin wrenching the sauna open. Steve lay unmoving inside.

“Steve? Steve! Oh...god. We need a hospital.”

They didn’t have a hospital. But they did have a lifeguard.

“Move. Let me see him.”

Billy still had no functional idea of what the hell was going on. All he knew was that he didn’t get paid enough for any of this, and his CPR training told him: when in doubt, keep compressions going until better helps comes.

“Max, call an ambulance. Then stand outside to flag them down. Robin, help me move him out of here. It’s too hot.”

For all of Max’s faults, an unsteady head was not one of them. She took off for a phone and Robin was thankfully nearly as tall as Steve and Billy. They lifted Steve with ease and got him to a locker room bench. Dustin and Byers put cool-soaked towels underneath Steve’s armpits as Billy began chest compressions.

Both boys flinched back at the sound of bones snapping. Dustin exclaimed, “That’s not right! That can’t be right!”

“I have to break the sternum off the ribs to compress his heart. Stay the hell out of my way.”

Maybe it was the sound, or the sound coupled with Steve’s sweat and slimed-drenched face, but Robin finally broke. She ran for a toilet and heaved. Then both boys held onto her, crying as Billy gripped Steve’s hair and jaw to open his windpipe and breathe into him.

It was gross. It was terrifying. And it felt like nothing was happening. Steve was cold and unmoving. He tasted strange. Soft lips made acrid and sharp.

Voices echoed in Billy’s ears but he didn’t stop. He counted to thirty and breathed for Steve twice.

Thirty.

Breathe.

Thirty.

He still counted even after an EMT ripped him off of Steve, and left him standing vacantly in the lot as the firework of a truck sped away.

[xsecretblastsx]

2x01 Summer Kind of Wonderful

SEASON TWO HERE WE GO.

I was dying to get here, this is one of my favorite episodes in the whole show. It’s also the episode were I really turned into a Chair shipper, so there’s that too, also The Hamptons!! Honestly was not to love about this episode.

I think this is the longest recap I’ve done in a while. As usaul recap under the cut.

Thoughts I had while watching:

I’ve watched this before and yet I’m still surprised our first taste of S2 is Nate going at it

After the super promising tease on Nate and Serena on the S1 turns out... she’s covering for him while he sleeps around... 😒

Chuck being Chuck, still a womanizer, still obsessed with Blair and as always ignoring Serena’s disgusted face. Also hilarious his enormous basket with cuttlery and such.

Look Joe Goldberg!!! Or is it Dan Humphrey? This bookstore setting is making it even more confusing.

Hi Jenny! And her never ending disatisfaction with her place at whatever she’s trying.

This scene between Chuck and Serena is so underrated. Her mocking face is hilarious. Pimp all you want Chuck it’s useless. Good luck in your suicide mission indeed.

What’s a Jitney? 😆How about where Blair returns to the Hamptons with a new beau. On your face Chuck Bass! On the words of GG: ain’t karma a bitch? We know Blair Waldorf is.

“A hot lifeguard is like Kleenex: use once and then throw away, you couldn’t ask for a better rebound” so says Blair 🤔

“The only thing lamer than dating Dan Humphrey is mourning Dan Humphrey” speaking words of wisdom Blair Waldorf

Of course all the wisdom goes out the window when Chuck appears. With the most extra polo ever and the shortest shorts in the history of menswear

Not that Blair wasn’t transparent with all her talk about James but oh my god Serena’s is so bad a going along with it.

“You’re lying. Your eyes are doing that thing were they don’t match your mouth” Chuck Bass: a walking manual on Blairisms

“I bet you’ll like him as much as I do” “If by that you mean I won’t like him at all then you’re right” meanwhile Serena is trying to pretend she’s anywhere else and not there silent witness to that verball pin pong

I always wonder how Jenny and Dan end up being like that with a Dad like Rufus

So this is “Jenny admitting she was a bitch and that Eric didn’t deserve it” first season.

“A honk instead of a knock? Did someone order a townie?" Blair’sn lines this episode are hilarious

I feel bad thinking that Nate’s main contribution so far is looking really good without a shirt.

Chuck Bass: a walking encyclopedia on everything Blair Waldorf.

If only the show had given us more Chuck and Cece interactions.

I feel I should have kept a score for all the Chuck and Blair jibes to each. That pin play on Blair’s part was check mate though. Auch. I almost feel bad for Chuck. Almost

In terms of cinematography that scene were they talk about the pin is gorgeous probably my fave in the show only behind that scene in Paris in S4. The matching outfits, the colors and the scenery are sooo good. Also the acting.

Knowing her like he does it’s interesting Chuck doesn’t realize Blair only gave that pin to James to hurt him. But the fact that it works is very telling on Chuck’s insecurities and feelings.

Nate being kicked out so the husband won’t catch him wouldn’t be half as hilarious if it wasn’t for Serena’s “no effing way face”

“Damn that Motherchucker” a novel by Blair Waldorf

I love Blair’s summer dress by the way

“All I could see was that Chuck Basstard” the sequel novel, also by Blair Waldorf

What a difference a summer makes: Nate and Chuck talking about Blair. I do feel Nate’s like “thank god it ain’t me anymore”

“And unlike you I don’t lose something if I let it out of my sight” Blair strikes again, this girl is on fire.

This episode is kind of proving that I barely care for any other storyline that doesn’t have the original four. After those two side by side arguments, getting back to Dan is really annoying

I kind of love it when Rufus points out to Dan how he never stops talking and doesn’t let anyone else said anything. Is kind of boring already how he only seems to write about Serena and the UES.

Chuck’s cricket outfit reminds me of how I should enjoy the crazy outfits while they last.

Ofc Chuck’s has a PI on speed dial Eric, duh. Gotta love him though: “i know that face, that face is not your friend” sorry Nate

I’m still trying to come up with the reason why the show let the fake dating storyline between Nate and Serena be such a waste. Whyyyy????

Just in case I forget: this white party was sponsored by Vitamin Water. For real there’s product placement and then there’s this.

The constrast between Serena looking like a greek goddess next to Nate’s I didn’t bother of an outfit is making me dizzy.

Chuck’s outfit for the white party kind of deserves a post of his own. Then again is probably my fave outfit of his on the whole show.

James calling out Blair for using him, while mentioning charade feels kind of overplayed now. Anyway he’s already pointing out how Blair and Chuck are the same and that’s why they deserve each other.

“Don’t you see? We’re the same? Stop trying to fight it” “I will fight it to my last dying breath because any resemblance to you is something I would hate about myself” this whole dialogue feels like a premonition.

Serena and Nate kissing and being totally into it while paparazzi plays is the background is just one of those moments. This is the kind of content I’m here for. Only to be ruined by Dan Humphrey.

And here we are again Dan getting mad when he doesn’t have a right to, thankfully karma is a thing in the form of drinks poured all over him

And somehow is Serena the one busy cleaning that suit, useless Dan is useless

Chuck’s “I’m so screwed” face when his PI tells him Blair’s guy is actually a british Lord is priceless.

THREE WORDS EIGHT LETTERS SAY IT AND IM YOURS.

Epic scene aside they both look so good here. This episode is gift in matching outfits.

Dan, Serena and fireworks. 😪 here we go again

I loved this episod the first time I watched it and I think I love it even more so now. It’s really good, full of funny lines, great outfits and epic moments. Season two is as of now my fave season (i think this is also true for many people) and it starts with a bang. Quite literally actually with the opening scene being Nate going at it with an “older” woman, which I guess was meant to be shocking in part because we ended last season wondering if something was going to happen between Nate and Serena.

Sadly it didn’t and that’s my biggest complain for this episode because how on earth did they thought it was ok to waste all that set up, and to add insult to the injury they are like so Serena and Nate are secretly dating... but it is just like a throway line because except for that amazing kiss at the white party we never see them fakee dating and I honestly want to pull my hair out of frustration. Just imagine the possibilities that weren’t, granted fake dating is one of my favorite tropes but it could have been quite the storyline imagine: Serenate fake dates and that sparks the feelings that were pushed aside on S1 but that were always there, and now there’s nothing that can stop them to act on it, except Serena has feelings for Dan too, and she struggles because of it all the first half of S1 until eventually she picks Dan and breaks Nate’s heart, combined with all the other pressures in his life, he wants something easy and this happens to coincide with Blair’s downright spiral and that’s how Nair happens again in the second half of S2.

My point being you could add so many more moments in the Serenate saga, also give more force to the idea the show always tried to do: that Serena can’t really let go of Dan, because Nate and her are quite something and yet... and still have almost the same story on the second half which was important because it gave closure to Nair and also had both Chuck and Blair realizing a couple of things. Alas one can only dream and be happy that at least we got that kiss at the white party

So back to the episode, we learn that Nate is having and affair with a married woman, Serena misses Dan a lot and basically mourned him the whole summer meanwhile he was being an asshole in the City fooling girls he met at his intership and Jenny is working and trying to stand out in her own internship at Waldorf desings. Which reminds me Eric is such a gem of a character, he’s always have good one liners but whe’s also a nice counter balance to all the manipulation and bitchery going around him. Anyway all of these storylines are barely a tease of what’s coming, and they really take off in the next episode, so I’ll get into them then, so at the end of the episode Nate manages to keep the affair goin into the city, Jenny earns a bit of respect from her boss and Serena and Dan see each other again (thanks to Cece which is another character I wish we had see a bit more) they meet at the beach ready to see if there’s something to salvage between them. We’ll see.

The real star of this episode are Chuck and Blair. This episode belongs to them. I’ve seen comments that claim this is the season that made them epic and really take off and I quite agree, and this episode in particular sets up the stage for it, touching on a lot of the aspects that are going to be their arc for this season and even beyond. So at the end of S1 Chuck stands up Blair and she goes alone to Tuscany and he doesn’t goes after her the whole summer. Instead he spends the summer in The Hamptons being Chuck Bass, she ends up in France. We soon learn that while Chuck  enjoyed himself during the summer Blair wasn’t far off in his mind:, the minute she’s back he goes aftet her, roses in hand only to find out she came back with a new guy, and she does everything in her power to rub that fact in his face which Chuck should have expected, it obviously bothers him but truth is they both know this is just Blair trying to get back at him for abandoning her, he hurt her, she obviously doesn’t tell him but he ruined his summer and she couldn’t stop thinking about the motherchucker

Shenanigans ensue but there are bits that really stand out: first of them the heart pinn. That's a telling bit about Chuck’s feelings, when that pin make its first appearance on S1 it was the beginning of the end for Chuck, the meaning of it was what got her to accept going to Cotillion with Nate  and now she has gave it to James and Chuck buys it because I guess part of him couldn’t believe she would go as far as to use that to hurt him, that’s a low blow and she also didn’t gave it to him that week they were going out after the wedding, even though it went really well but most importantly he believes she can’t really feel that way about him because he’s just not the kind of guy someone can feel something for, but specially someone  like Blair Waldorf, who dreams of finding her prince charming and such, and to his utter horror it’s revealed that Blair’s new guy is actually a british lord. Just his luck.

He’s anything but that, therefore not for Blair. He tells her as a much later in the episode when he let’s her know that he basically stood her up because he was afraid of her getting to really know him and see he was not good enough nor someone she could be with. And this is something that’s going to be quite the struggle for him for a long time, more than once during the show he’s going to remove himself from the picture because he believes she deserves someone better who can actually make her happy, and this season this happens quite a few times.

Thing is nothing is ever that simple, and this is the other bit that really stands out for me: when James calls her out on how she just use him to make Chuck jealous she justifies herself by pointing out Chuck’s an awful person, who lies and deceives so he kinds of deserve it, and James points out the fact that well she’s sort of the same, and they deserve each other. She lashes out at Chuck because of this and blames him for her argument with James, it’s his fault she played with James, and Chuck’s point out that no one force her to do anything she did it because they’re the same, meaning they scheme and manipulate to get what they want, so she should just stop fighting this thing between them, she rejects him claiming she would hate any resamblance to him. This whole argument is honestly quite interesting, because variations of it are going to keep popping up the rest of the show, and depending on who you ship you either take literally as if  Chuck is the root of Blair worst tendencies or rather see this argument as representation of Blair struggles not with Chuck, but with herself.

Blair struggles in accepting herself, at her core she’s an insecure person, and the fact that she has a dark side that she can’t exactly change because it’s so deep roothed in her bothers her even before she and Chuck were anything, to me it bothers her not because she really wishes she was nice & good person, but rather because Serena is  nice person, who’s regarded as literal ray of sunshine at times, and Serena got two things she wanted for the longest time: positive atention from Eleanor and Nate’s interest.So that fight within herself was always there, it didn’t appear the day she started dating Chuck, is just that in the same way they brought out the best in each other, when things go bad between them the opposite sometimes happened, and even then when they blame each other for something half the time it was to share some of the hurt and to avoid dealing with their own shortcomings and mistakes. Truthfully Chuck and Blair did something for each other no one had really done for them they accept each other fully, Blair’s able to accept and love his darkness, and for Chuck there’s no darkness in Blair she’s the way she is and that’s what makes her wonderful. It was easier for them to love each other than to love themselves. 

Finally the biggest stand out of the episode is that iconic scene, the one that really puts into place the dynamic they will have for the rest of the season: Three words, eight letters are brought to the table, and they won’t move forward until the words have been said. It makes sense, because they tried this twice before, the first one came out of nowhere and it ended with Chuck getting dumped in favor of Nate, and that burned him badly, the second one Blair was the one who got hurt, and both times this pretty much happened because they aren’t able of telling each other how they feel, particularly Chuck. The first time he didn’t let her know he actually cared and wanted to be with her, the second one he didn’t tell her he was afraid, and all of this was too much too soon. So Blair wants, needs some kind of reassurance, and it makes me wonder how that week after the wedding really went, what happened? how wonderful it must have been that even though he abandoned her a that helipad she still had hope in the fact that he may love her. He doesn’t say it, and yet I still love this moment so much for  because jus by asking him to say it is in some way an admittance on her own feellings, and he fails to saythe words  but he did try, and the fact that he did try is also a form of admittance and as such  from here on no matter what happens, how much they fight and toy with each other there’s always an undercurrent of love behind their actions,and this is (borrowing a phrase from a certain popstar) the most amazing unspoken dialogue ever. 

Random bits I’ve noticed

Chuck has a bouquet of yellow roses for his intent on getting Blair back. If my memory serves right, those were his mom favorites

I’m such a sucker for the little backdrop details like the Van der Bass house having all these background pictures of the wedding

Thanks to Chuck for giving us the rank on Blair’s favorite films: Breakfast at Tiffany’s, Roman Holiday & Funny Face (even if he said Charades to prove a point)

I’ve read somewhere I think it was on twitter that Blair’s crying in the garden scene was unscripted, Leighton did because she got really caught up in the scene particularly by Ed’s acting. I’ve looked it up but so far I haven’t found anything on this.

There’s a bunch of miniature cyclists under the mirror where Cece’s doing the final touches to her hair, looks sort of weird.

that vitamin water is even on the invitation, agust 30, 2008.

[captainrogers-ass]

Save Me - Chapter 2

Pairings: Steve Rogers x Reader, multiple MCU characters

Word Count: 2482

Summary: Y/N has finally landed her dream job as a lifeguard on Midgard Beach, but how well will she fit in with the team and how will she cope after grabbing the attention of the blue-eyed captain?

***Masterlist***

A/N: I’ve had a lot of free time recently so I’ll try to post as quick as possible. For some reason it’s not letting me add line breaks so I’ve just put asterisks where a line break should be. I’m really enjoying writing so far so I hope you all enjoy it as well xx :))

“Hi,” the new girl spoke up, raising her hand to wave at the group.

Bucky leaned closer to Steve’s ear, whispering quietly so the rest of the room couldn’t hear, “She’s kinda cute.”

Steve chuckled to himself as he shook his head; of course that was Bucky’s first thought about their new coworker.

“I thought you were dating that redheaded swimsuit model?” Steve whispered back, causing Bucky to laugh quietly.

“Hey, what’s wrong with acknowledging beauty?”

“You’re impossible,” Steve smiled.

“She’s kind of small to be a lifeguard, don’t you think?” Clint whispered to Natasha

“That’s what you said about me when I first started,” Natasha responded.

“That’s because you were small. Are small I should say,” Clint laughed as Natasha playfully punched him.

“I can still beat your ass old man.”

“I didn’t know we were getting a new member,” Peter exclaimed to Tony.

“That’s because you don’t read Fury’s emails,” Tony laughed, watching as Peter dropped his head in embarrassment.

“Well it’s not my fault he sends so many!”

The room was lulled back to silence from a single stare from Fury, grabbing everyones attention once more.

“I want everyone down at the beach in ten minutes in your gear. I’ll leave you to get to know Y/N,” Fury said, turning on his heals as he exited the way he had come.

***

You pleaded for Fury to come back as you watched him walk away, his strides long and quick as he carried himself out the door, leaving you alone with a group full of strangers. When his presence had left the room all eyes returned to you once more.

The silence was deafening.

“I guess I’ll introduce myself first then,” a redheaded woman spoke up, getting up from her chair to shake your hand. “I’m Natasha.”

“It’s lovely to meet you,” you replied, flashing Natasha a friendly smile as you took her hand in yours, grateful for the break in the awkward silence.

Natasha went around the room one by one, introducing everyone to you. None of them bothered to get up and shake your hand as Natasha had done, simply opting  to stay where they were and wave or nod at you in acknowledgement instead. All of the new names became overwhelming as you tried to remember everyone. You had always prided yourself on your exceptional memory, however it was really being put to the test as each new name was presented.

Before Natasha had the chance to introduce the last person, he spoke up instead, “I’m Steve.”

Without a moments hesitation the large blonde-haired man stood from his seated position on the couch, making his way towards you with an outstretched hand. As your eyes met his you were suddenly a bit star-struck, the sharpness of his jawline and the kindness of his smile causing you to swoon internally.

“Pleasure to meet you,” you responded as he returned to his seat, his eyes never leaving yours.

“How long have you been a lifeguard for?” A voice spoke up, making you severe your eye contact with Steve. You turned to face the man who had spoken; Tony, if you remembered correctly. He was watching you with one eyebrow raised, his face void of emotion.

“Oh pretty much all my life,” you responded. “I was in a junior lifeguard program when I was in high school and then when I graduated I just took any lifeguard job that would have me.”

You began reminiscing about your many years away from your hometown, packing nothing but your board and a few clothes as you chased the summer all around the world. Hawaii, South Africa, Indonesia - you went anywhere that would take you. The coasts of Australia had been your favourite; the suffocating heat mixed with the multiple death threats of the land ensuring that your time there had been full of crazy adventures. You had longed to go back the second you had boarded the plane home. However you knew that the nomad lifestyle had been taking its toll on you for years, finally deciding that a full-time job back home was the best way for you to begin a new chapter of your life.

You conversed with the team for a few more minutes, being asked various questions about your lifeguarding experience. The questions came in rapid succession, each one catching you off guard as you scrambled to think of answers, becoming more uncomfortable by the minute.

“I reckon it’s about time we head down to Fury,” Steve spoke up, standing from his chair without another word.

A few groans escaped the room in acknowledgment of the fitness test that they were all about to be subject to, whilst others began trash talking each other once more. As the team began heading down to the beach you clung close to Natasha’s side before Wanda joined the two of you. Being the only girls on the squad meant that a bond of camaraderie had already been formed between you and the other girls. You chatted idly with them as you walked across the sand, watching as your other coworkers talked quietly among themselves, glancing back at you periodically.

“Everyone here looks so intimidating,” you spoke up, motioning to the tall and muscular figures of all the men.

Natasha threw her head back and laughed, “I wouldn’t worry about them. They may all look big and strong, but it takes stamina and determination to win these fitness tests.”

You took that in mind as the team met up with Fury, beginning to take off their various forms of warm clothing to reveal their swimsuits underneath. You, Natasha and Wanda all wore matching red one-pieces that had LIFEGUARD in big bold letters on the back whilst the boys simply took their shirts off, already dressed in their red board shorts.

You couldn’t help yourself as you looked around at the various handsome and half-naked men surrounding you. Steve, however, was the one to especially capture your gaze as your watched his back muscles in action as he took his shirt off. Natasha smirked next to you as she followed your gaze.

Dumping your clothes and towels in a pile on the sand, everyone stood at attention, waiting for Fury’s instructions.

“Ok everyone!” His voice boomed, trying to combat the howl from the vicious breeze whipping around you.

“I know you’ve all done this a handful of times, but for Y/N’s sake I’m going to walk you through the test. You will start off with an ocean swim. You must swim up to, and go around, the first buoy, swim across to the second one, and then swim back to shore. From there you will grab a paddle board and paddle through the same course that you swam. Once back on shore you must run up and around the three flags I have placed along the beach. You will then repeat the course. Once the first person crosses the line, the rest of you will have five minutes to cross the line or else you’ll be disqualified. If you do not pass this test you will not be qualified as a lifeguard. Do I make myself clear?!”

“Yes, sir!” The team shouted back.

Fury’s words had seemed to strike a cord among the group. The trash talking had come to a halt as everyone now became serious. You looked around at the others as you lined up along the shore, their faces stoic as they took deep breaths to calm their nerves.

“Pace yourself,” Steve whispered from next to you. You hadn’t noticed him as he had stepped in line next to you, your nerves calming significantly as you met his piecing gaze. You nodded in acknowledgement and thanks as you flashed him a grin before turning your head back to the ocean.

“On your marks!” Fury roared. “Get set! Go!”

The entire teamed rushed forward as Fury began the time on his stop watch. As your feet touched the water a chill ran up your spine at the temperature drop. It was still early morning, and the sun hadn’t had sufficient time to warm the water yet.

Having gotten to a deep enough spot in the ocean you dove head first, submerging yourself under the waves as the cold water encompassed your entire body. Like always, as soon as you were submerged a calming feeling washed over you, allowing you to forget about the race and your competition around you. It was now just an early morning swim; one of countless you had completed before.

As you swam along, letting your mind wander, you couldn’t help but think back to Steve and his God-like muscles. Wanda had informed you of Steve’s position in the group as the Captain. It didn’t surprise you; he seemed to have an authoritative presence and by the way he interacted with the group it was clear no one protested his command. Well, except for maybe Tony.

The quick-mouthed genius was the longest running member of the squad, as Natasha had informed you. He had saved countless lives, his quick thinking and expert problem solving leading him to be one of the best members on the team. His onslaught of questions back at the tower had made you a bit uneasy. But by the way he interacted with his coworkers - constantly bantering with them whilst maintaining his easy-going attitude - you could tell he was a good man.

Before you knew it the drag of the waves had began aiding you as you swam back to shore, pulling you out of your thoughts. You couldn’t quite remember when you had passed either of the buoys, knowing that your body must have instinctively taken you in the right direction. You let the waves do most of the work as you glided back onto the sand. Climbing out of the ocean, you started off in the direction of the paddle boards before a wave of confusion washed over you.

Each paddle board stood still and untouched where Fury had left them by the shore.

“Wait…I’m first?” You mumbled to yourself, looking out back at the ocean to see your team mates all still on various stages of the course. You watched as Steve was the next one to emerge from the water, looking at you with confusion as he saw you standing motionless on the shore next to your paddle board. The look  brought you back down to earth as you quickly got back into action, grabbing a board and dragging it back down to the shore.

You had been in your element during the swimming portion of the trial, however it became more and more clear to you that you were now currently in Steve’s element as you felt him get closer and closer to your board. You were neck and neck as you rounded the first buoy, him gaining momentum and easing ahead as you rounded the second. He reached the shore before you, dragging himself and the board out of the water with ease.

Dumping your board next to his, you ran off down the beach after him.

***

The rest of the trial went by in a blur. For the most part you and Steve were constantly competing to inch in front of one another. There were points where he’d start to ease ahead of you only to be overtaken by you a couple of minutes later. Nat nearly overtook both of you as she ran across the sand with ease, whilst Thor, Tony and Clint trailed closely behind her. The rest of the team were constantly shifting positions. Bucky and Sam too busy trying to beat each other to care about the placements of the rest of their team mates.

You had made sure to be more focused during the second ocean swim, pulling ahead as far as you could before you reached the paddle boards again. Racing out of the water you began to feel the effects of the strenuous exercise. You were now breathing quite heavily and your legs and arms felt quite fatigued due to your increased pace in the water. Nevertheless your plan had worked as you noticed your lead in front of your competition had grown significantly.

You gave him a cheeky wink as you passed him with your paddle board under your arm.

He was quickly on you as you paddled though the water, his strokes long and powerful, propelling him further ahead with each stroke. You weren’t surprised when he eventually passed you, reaching the shore further ahead of you than you’d like.

It was now the last stretch.

You could see Fury standing next to the flag that signalled the end of the course, holding the stop watch in his hand as he eyed you and Steve clearly battling it out for first place.

Sand running had never been your favourite past time, a trait you now wished you had practiced more considering how much your calves were burning. Steve was watching you from the corner of his eye as you slowly caught up to him. You could see the effects that the course was having on him; his forehead was covered with a mixture of sweat and ocean water and his mouth hung open, panting heavily. Knowing you mirrored his tired expression you tried to push the pain in your calves and lungs to the back of your mind. You knew Natasha couldn’t be too far behind you, and with how fast you saw her travel along the beach, you knew you needed to keep up your pace.

The finish line was so close now and with a newfound burst of energy you began sprinting, Steve followed your lead and upped his pace to match yours. You were nearly there, Steve inching ahead before you pushed in front of him. It was neck and neck and Fury couldn’t help the smirk that spread across his face as he saw your determined expression mirroring the Captain’s.

With one more burst of energy Steve surged forward, crossing the finish line only moments before you. As soon as your legs crossed the line you toppled over, laying down on your back as you gasped for air.

“Five minutes!” You heard Fury yell, notifying the other team members of their impending timeframe.

One by one, each member crossed the finish line, each one panting for breath as they congratulated Steve on his win, not bothering to congratulate you on your victory in getting second place. It hurt you just a bit as each team member ignored you, instead making their way over to Steve. Everyone made it across the line well before the timeframe was up with Peter, the junior trainee, coming in last due to his inexperience.

The sound of the team’s heavy panting filled the air as you all began to make your way back to the tower.

[stayz4ever]

Insomnia- Minsung//CHAPTER 2

Pairing: Minho x Jisung (some sort of Changlix)

Stuffz to know: Fluff, angst, mention of sexual activity, family problems, and last but not least my bad humor

Summary:  It’s not Jisung’s fought that a little somebody deiced to come back in town. It is his fault for the events that will happen this summer though.

I can’t sleep

So tell me

I stay awake again tonight

Maybe tomorrow night, too

So tell me now, I’ll find a way

Tomorrow night too, there is no other way

I can’t sleep

————————————————–

People already are lined up waiting for the park to open, the line gotten bigger from just an hour. On the inside of the park the owner gave everyone working a greeting and a little bit of an lecture.

“Minutes from now the park will open and I’m hoping that everyone will be on their best behaviors.”

“Don’t just look at us, they are the kids here!” Jackson exclaimed and Bam whined too, “We worked here longer. We know what we doing man.” They’re are a hand full of those who basically graduated from this program that still work here. There’s Jae, Bam, Jackson, Jinyoung, Younghyun, Mark, Momo, and Sana. Jisung plans to stay too. The college life is not suitable for him, he barely graduated high school. The park did finally open and the line outside gathered about to the inside. All the workers were at their respective areas before people came inside. Eight hours from now the park will close and everyone will go back to their rooms, just to be bored. Even if the park was packed the time went by slow. Maybe it was because the weather was unbelievable that even the ones in the coldest of water complained. Chan and Woojin stayed cool in the office of the ticket booth, lucky is what the others call them. Almost the whole park can hear Jeongin from the highest slide complain about the heat. Jisung didn’t mind it at all. He lives for the heat. Of course he knows it’s crazy that he would rather stay baking in the sun instead of standing knee level in the pool like Minho. The heat for him is almost.......comforting?

“You look like a fish on a grill.” A soft voice got Jisung to sit up from the lifeguards’ tower. Sana plopped her chin down on the arm chair to look at him with a little smile. 

“I’ll bake like one too.” Sana is nice. Actually the first person to say hi to Jisung and the other boys when they first got here, she was entering her jr year.

“So he’s back this time?”

“Yea...so he says.”

“Shouldn’t you be happier? With a skip in your step? Last year you cried because he didn’t show up at all.”

“I didn’t cry! I didn’t give a shit.” 

“I still don’t understand how you two are so close.”

“Me and Minho? Close? Ha."

“What the hell did he do to you that you basically want him dead?”

“When you put it that way you make it sound like I hate him.”

“I have good reasons to...” She murmured under her breathe and rolled her eyes at Jisung.

“I don’t hate him.” Jisung looked in the direction of Minho, “I just don’t want him in the same room as me.” 

“Wonder why?”

————————————————– 

“Alright kid, go!” Jeongin yelled to the next kid waiting his turn to go down the slide. 

“He looked like he could be your older brother.” Felix whispered to Jeongin as that said kid pushed himself down the slide.

“Go eat your freckles.”

“So he can get more?” Changbin cheered as he walked behind them and roughened up Jeongin’s hair, “Now you’re using your head.”

“You like my freckles?” Felix shyly hit Changbin’s arm and he nodded almost instantly with joy, “I would be a fool not to!”

“I’m gonna vomit on the both of you.” No one really understands Changbin and Felix’s relationship, not even the two. They share glances, flirts, skin ship around the others, and go to the other in the need of relief on some daring nights. The conversation of becoming serious never really happened even if they want it to. Chan and Woojin, being the good observers they are, would call the two cluelessly in love.  

“You still never told me why Minho left sophomore year.” 

“You were gonna tell him and not me? The disrespect, Changbin.” Jeongin exclaimed into the conversation the other two were about to have.  

“I had to tell my favorite first.”

“Well tell me!”

“Apparently he had a sexual identity crisis or is still having one? I don’t really know, he wasn’t so detailed in how he said it.” 

“Good on him!”

“So that means he had so much sex during the time he never saw him. Damn.”

“Doesn’t have to mean that at all.”

“How else would he know if he likes the dick or vagina and might fuck around for both?”

“He got you there.”

“Don’t side with him, Binnie!” 

————————————————–

Jisung laid out in the tower’s chair long enough to fall asleep since it’s the only time he’ll be able to. All was well until Minho splashed water in his face to tell him to get up for his scheduled break.

“No splashing, asshole.” Jisung stood up from his chair and wiped his face with the end of his shirt. A little skin showed that Minho stared for only seconds and of course Jisung didn’t see.

“Couldn’t use my sweet charm to wake you or I would’ve gotten another punch to the face like this morning. How else should I wake you up?”

“Don’t.”

“That’s no fun.” Jisung rolled his eyes as he walked past and Minho followed right behind him. They both sat at the snack bar controlled by Seungmin and Hyunjin. 

“At least my name isn’t a generic one!” 

“There were like ten jays in our graduating class!”

“All spelled with an y but not mine because I’m different and better.”

“His name isn’t even Brian.” Seungmin handed them both water bottles and Jae tsked, “You won’t get it.” 

“The last time I checked Seungmin doesn’t get anything.” Minho grinned and Seungmin forced a smile back, “Shut up.” Hyunjin gave Jisung’s usual of an ice tea with a lemon and tossed Minho a water bottle. The summer wasn’t suppose to turn out like this. Jisung wasn’t ready for this sudden change, isn’t. Maybe he really does hate Minho? Or maybe it’s something else? Let’s look at some signs. When Minho talks Jisung can’t help but listen even if he makes it look like he isn’t, he hates that. Jisung accidentally used Minho’s shoulder as a pillow the other day during the Mario Kart session and Minho didn’t mind it, he hated that. It has to be when Minho smiles at him and he gets all warm on the inside because he loves that. Oh shit. Fuck it’s something else!  

“What are you plotting in your head over there?” Jisung jumped at the question and looked up at Hyunjin sighing, “Nothing important.” It just has to be something else and not that I hate his fucking guts instead. Dumb stupid brain! 

“At least he knows that his opinion is invalid.” Minho shrugged his shoulders to Hyunjin.

“I’m gonna wring your fucking neck in.” 

“Oh you won’t do anything you big baby! You could punch me in the face for real and I’ll feel nothing.” Jisung cocked an eyebrow at him and punched him dead in the nose. Minho groaned at the sudden pain and Hyunjin sighed, “I’ll get the ice.” Jisung looked at Minho with a blank stare and walked away.

“You good, Minho?” Hyunjin handed him an ice pack and nodded.

“Did he really have to hit me?” He whined as the ice pack made his nose burn with the contact.

“To be fair your face is punch able- I mean you tempted him and Jisung never bluffs.”

“Maybe I should only bother him in the morning. That punch he gave me in the morning felt like nothing!”

“Or you could just not bother him?”

“Don’t ruin my fun, Hyunjin.” Minho tsked and Hyunjin put his hands up in defense. In the meantime, instead of dealing with the situation he caused Jisung hid away in a changing room until closing time.

————————————————– 

The boys laid down in the living room bored out of their minds. Since some of them didn’t have a shift in the morning they got to stay inside. The lucky four stayed inside, played some games, and even cleaned  the place up a little bit. Mostly Chan and Woojin did.

“What should we eat tonight?”

“Ramen?” Chan shrugged his shoulders at Woojin and the other whined, “We had that last night.”

“Then cook something.”

“My cooking is bad.”

“Okay, I’ll do it.”

“Your cooking is even worst.” Woojin said the final blow and Chan clicked his tongue then dialed a pizza place. Seungmin giggled at the two as Woojin grinned happily at Chan.

“It will be here in 20.”

“What will?” Minho walked in the room after just taking a shower and sat down on the couch across from them.  

“Pizza!” Seungmin cheered and Jeongin cheered along with him,“Finally some good fucking food!”

“Where did the other four go?”

“Chan complained about there being no dishes so they went to IKEA.”

“Fuck off, Jeongin. I only said there is a lack of silverware and they were going to IKEA anyway.”

“For what?”

“Changbin wanted frozen yogurt.” Minutes later they came back from the store just in time for there to still be pizza left over. Felix and Hyunjin fought over a slice, Changbin pushed them out the way for two more slices. Everyone hung out on the couch watching some really bad TV while some commented on it or they talked about what happened at work. Jisung stayed in the kitchen part, he didn’t bother trying to communicate with others today. It’s been a total of two days since he punched Minho in the face. Minho still continues to wake him up even if he’s sleeping, ‘If I’m up you must be too.’ The thing about that is Jisung is always up in the middle of the night as the others get a goodnight's sleep. He doesn’t know why he does it. It’s always been this way since he was little, he got it from his grandfather. Just a couple of months ago his grandfather died from insomnia and yes you can say that Jisung is slowly going down that path too. The others don’t know anything about it except for Woojin and it’s better that way. They shouldn’t have to worry about it too.

“Did you get any sleep last night?” Woojin always asks him whenever the others are distracted so they don’t overhear the conversation. Jisung appreciates that.

"Kind of....like 3 or more hours."

"It wasn't cause of a nightmare this time, right?"

"Yea.....just couldn't sleep."

“You know I’m always ready to stay up with you so you’re not alone.”

“I know but it’s okay.” Jisung smiled at him and Woojin shared one back after patting him on the back. Woojin went back to the others and Jisung stayed in the kitchen. Maybe I’ll get some sleep this week? It only started.... He can only hope. 3 hours of sleep can only be enough to get him through the day until he falls asleep in the middle of doing something. He once had his doctors prescribe him some sleeping medication. It’s not a big deal........really. Some people won’t get it. Some people don’t get it even after it is explained to them by multiple of people. Jisung has had too many experiences with that and they all ended bad. Excuse him if he doesn’t to go through that.......pain again.