#Sol band

[lasaraconor]

Saint Levant - On This Land feat. SOL Band

[wheresbenni]

Instagram profiles: Hamadah , Sol Band Track: instagram , spotify

[oneroomjestershow]

when

[sematarygirls]

               MORPHINE ANIMALS.

♯┆"this may just be a vacation for you, cameron, but it's my life," ⏤ in which, rafe cameron joins a pogue band in an attempt to rebel against his father and show him that he does have ambitions, even if they're unconventional, but everything goes awry when he finds himself having to choose between his cushy, luxurious lifestyle and the gritty, raw world of rock n' roll, challenging everything he's ever thought he wanted.

       NAV ! Part Zero. Part One. Part Two.

⠀     ⠀⠀♯┆Track One  ⏤ Rum and Cocaine.ㅤ  ۪ ୧

ᰋ. ‎ ‎‎ ‎ ‎“ we were born with a taste for trouble, chasing highs that never last, rum in our veins and cocaine in our lungs, we’re living fast, but we’re fading fast ,, ‎‎ ‎ ‎ : ‎‎ ‎ ‎IN WHICH . . . rafe cameron stumbles into the rusty nail with a pair of drum sticks in his back pocket and a determination to prove himself.   ̼ ₊

THE FIRST TIME Rafe walked into The Rusty Nail he knew he didn't belong there. Loud music echoed off the walls, mingling with the sounds of pool balls clacking together and continuous chatter. The bar was dimly lit with a thin layer of smoke, fluorescent colored lights overhead casting a luminous glow over the room and adding to the grungy atmosphere. The establishment was mostly filled with burly, tattooed men who eyed him as he walked by, causing goosebumps to arise on Rafe's tanned skin.

The sticky linoleum floors clung to his designer shoes with each step he took, and the heady scent of stale beer, sweat, and cigarette smoke overwhelmed his senses, making him involuntarily cringe. His eyes darted around the room, landing on each patron briefly before moving on to the next—an overweight man with no hair and a large, bushy mustache at the bar, a tall, thin man behind the counter wiping out glasses with a rag, a redhead with a beard and a blonde with a scar playing pool.

None of these people were who he was looking for, yet all of them were showing a keen interest in him.

He kept his head high and stayed alert, not wanting to show weakness. He kept moving forward, stuffing his hands in his pockets to make sure his wallet stayed safe and sound. He didn't trust Pogues, especially not ones that looked like this.

"Oh, you've got to be shitting me," your voice cut through the noise in the bar, sharp and clear. His gaze immediately snapped in your direction, finding you glaring with a scowl etched onto your features. "Rafe fucking Cameron?"

Rafe's eyes narrowed as he saw you leaning against a graffiti-covered wall toward the farther end of the bar. Your arms were crossed as you regarded him with a look between pure hatred and amusement. How utterly stupid for a rich boy to walk into the lion's den.

He rolled his shoulders back, trying to keep up his confident facade—though he was feeling anything but surrounded by drunk thugs—while he sauntered over to you. "In the flesh," he remarked, yelling slightly to be heard over the music as his lips curled up into a smirk.

Your eyes rolled back effortlessly, as if on instinct. You pushed off the wall, stepping forward toward him. "What the hell are you doing here, Cameron?" You asked harshly, your brows pinched together. Rafe Cameron wouldn't be caught dead on this side of the island, let alone at a Pogue dive like The Rusty Nail.

Rafe’s smirk faltered slightly under your cold stare, but he recovered quickly. He wasn’t about to back down now, not when he had come this far. "Just thought I’d check it out," he shrugged, his tone nonchalant as he looked around casually. "I heard you guys were looking for a drummer."

You scoffed in disbelief, looking at him like he'd grown two heads. "What do you know about drumming?"

Rafe's eyes narrowed. He hated being underestimated. People always expected less from him, and he hated it. It was the whole reason he was going this stupid thing in the first place. "More than you'd think," he shot back, trying to keep his anger in check.

"Yeah, right," you laughed. His jaw tightened at your dismissal, and for a moment, he contemplated walking out and letting his old, cushy life swallow him whole. It would be easier than this, easier than being belittled right to his face, but he couldn't. He had to prove to his dad, to himself, that he could succeed and see something through to completion without giving up when things got hard. He had chosen this path specifically because music reminded him of his mother. She helped him learn how to play the drums.

"I've been playing since I was a kid," he defended, clenching and unclenching his fists at his side to calm him before crossing his arms over his chest. He was wearing a simple white t-shirt, so the action made his muscles strain against the fabric.

You eyed him skeptically before turning to call out to someone over your shoulder. "Jay!" Almost immediately, the dirty blonde emerged from an ajar door that led to another room. His shirt was discarded, his chest covered in a thin sheen of sweat. His hair was tousled, some strands sticking to his forehead.

"Yea—" He paused when his eyes landed on Rafe, his eyebrows furrowing as his blue eyes hardened. "What the hell is he doing here?" He asked you, his gaze not leaving the rich brunette.

"Says he wants to be our new drummer," you snickered, glancing over at JJ. JJ's eyes widened as he looked over at you in disbelief, an objection already forming on his tongue, but then, you two shared a look of understanding, both already convinced that Rafe's performance would be a train wreck and eager to watch it happen.

"Okay," JJ said slowly, turning to Rafe. He grinned, motioning to the old drum set on a slightly elevated platform. The Rusty Nail didn't get much live music, so the owners let Morphine Animals play there for free, so the stage area didn't go to waste. "Show us what you've got."

Rafe let out a small sigh of relief, his legs carrying him toward the stage before his mind could talk him out of it. His hands instinctively reached for the drumsticks in his back pocket. He could feel the eyes of everyone on him, their faces contorted in sneers and grins as they watched, expecting him to fail. He’d spent his whole life trying to be the best, but this felt different. This wasn’t about showing off. This was about him.

He stepped onto the platform, the old wooden stage creaking under his weight and making him tense up as the brief thought of the shitty structure collapsing flashed through his mind. He approached the battered drum set, its cymbals dull and scratched, the bass pedal stiff from years of use. It was a far cry from the pristine, high-end kit he had back home, but when he ran his fingers over the snare, adjusting its position, he felt something familiar settle in his chest.

He sat down on the stool, the cushion worn to the point that he could feel the hardwood underneath. For a moment, everything else faded, and all that remained was him, sitting on that stool with a pair of drumsticks in his hand. His mother's voice echoed in his mind, taking him back to when he was a kid, his feet barely touching the ground as he sat in front of the new drumset he got for Christmas.

"You’ve got it in you, baby," she had told him, brushing a strand of hair from his forehead as he looked up at her with big blue eyes filled with love and childlike wonder that had fizzled out after her death. "Rhythm like that? That’s a gift. Keep playing, okay? Doesn’t matter what your daddy says—music’s a language all on its own. You just have to learn how to speak it."

Rafe twirled the drumsticks between his fingers, the sound of his heartbeat pounding in his ears. Looking out at the bar, he could see JJ watching him with a smug smirk. You had never seen him so nervous, and something about it made you feel good.

He shut his eyes, taking a deep breath and letting the world fade to silence around him. "The world’s full of noise, Rafael, but you’ve got to learn how to drown it out. Focus on the sound that comes from within you. Don't let anyone else tell you that you can't do something."

Taking another steadying breath, Rafe's grip on the drumsticks tightened, letting the familiar feel of the smooth wood around him. He played slowly at first. Letting the beat build with his confidence, ignoring the crowd and focusing on the sound his sticks made against the drums, the music flowing through him like a second heartbeat. The world seemed to slow as his arms moved fluidly as if the drumkit were an extension of himself.

Your smug grin faltered as you watched him play, something so raw and natural about his demeanor. The music was good, great even, but his playing was real, and that was the most important thing to you.

You stood there with your arms crossed, a frown tugging at your lips. This was the same Rafe Cameron that waltzed in here, surrounded by an air of entitlement. The same Rafe Cameron that pranced around Kildare like he owned it, hiding behind his daddy's name and money whenever he did anything wrong. The very same Rafe Cameron who despised Pogues and took every opportunity to belittle them, even though they've done more work in one day than he's done in his whole life.

You would rather shoot up with a dirty needle than allow Rafe Cameron, of all people, to get anywhere near your pride and joy, Morphine Animals, yet as he played, something tugged at you. You looked over at JJ, who looked just as shocked and begrudging as you, his brows pinched and a scowl on his face.

The two of you had been looking for a drummer for the better part of three months with no luck. Everyone who auditioned was either well into their 50s or an amateur, neither of which was worthy. Your last drummer went off to some fancy college on a full academic scholarship. You were happy for her, of course, Stevie had been one of your best friends, but damn if you weren't a little jealous that she made it out and left the band behind.

You shifted uncomfortably on your feet. His skill was undeniable, a natural-born talent in his bones that was impossible to refute, but this was more than just being a good drummer when it came to him. It was the fact that he had everything handed to him. Meanwhile, people like you worked yourselves to the bone for anything more than the dirt underneath your feet.

He didn't have what it took. He would run at the first sign of trouble, the first time his Kook friends caused a stir at the fact that Rafe Cameron was associating with Pogues, and that's what worried you. You couldn't afford to lose another drummer, but you also couldn't afford to have one, especially not so close to the Underground.

Rafe's white t-shirt had dark splotches of sweat, his muscles glistening as he finished playing. His hair, which was once perfectly styled, was now sticking out in all directions. He almost looked like he belonged—almost.

“Well?” Rafe asked, his voice a little rough from the adrenaline as he flashed a lazy smirk, his confidence clearly revived.

“Not bad,” you said, voice flat, your arms still crossed tightly over your chest. "But we’re not a hobby for you to dabble in when it’s convenient, Cameron. This is real." JJ nodded, his jaw clenching like he wanted to curse Rafe out for even thinking they would let him join.

Rafe raised an eyebrow, the smirk never leaving his lips. "I’m not some rich kid with nothing better to do," he said, a slight edge in his tone. "I’ve been serious about this. You think I’m just here for kicks?"

JJ scoffed, shaking his head as he leaned against the wall, crossing his arms. “Oh, here we go,” he muttered. “You seriously think just ‘cause you show up and act all nice, we’re gonna take you in? You’ve done nothing but piss people off around here."

Rafe's gaze hardened, the calmness from before slipping away into a familiar, cold edge. "Are you fucking kidding me? I wasn't just good, I was great, and you know it, Maybank."

JJ’s eyes flickered with a mixture of annoyance and disbelief. "Great? You think you’re great?" His voice was thick with sarcasm as he stepped closer to the drum set, his sneakers squeaking on the worn floor. "Newsflash, Cameron, I'm not your daddy. I'm not gonna tell you you're doing a great job when you're nothing but average."

You sighed heavily, pinching the bridge of your nose. Rafe Cameron was great, but JJ would never admit it; both of them were too caught up in their pissing contest to put their pride aside.

You grabbed JJ's arm, tugging him back. "As much as I hate it, he is our best option," you told him lowly, begrudgingly as you shot a glance at Rafe, who was glaring at the pair of you with his arms crossed defiantly.

JJ huffed, shoving his hands into the pockets of his jeans as he shot one last, heated glare at Rafe. "Yeah, well, that doesn’t mean I gotta like it," he muttered under his breath, but you could see the wheels turning in his head. The tension between the two was thick, but there was an undeniable truth hanging in the air. Rafe Cameron had the skill, even if his presence still grated on every nerve you had.

You bit the inside of your cheek, letting out a long sigh before turning back to Rafe. "You really think you got what it takes?" You asked, quirking a skeptical brow.

"I know I do," he responded arrogantly, grinning in triumph. Your eye twitched, your brain suddenly rethinking this decision entirely. You knew you were going to regret this, but The Underground was swiftly approaching, and you needed to start practicing now if you wanted to be ready to perform.

You swallowed your pride and frustration, giving him a pointed look. "Alright, Cameron. You’re in for the trial. But if you screw this up—"

"I won't," he interrupted, that smug grin still plastered on his face. "Just watch."

You exchanged a glance with JJ, who was still visibly irritated but was already processing the decision. He shot a look at Rafe, sizing him up, and then rolled his eyes, clearly dismayed at your decision, but you were the leader. "Fine. But if you make us regret this, I’m personally going to kick your ass."

"I'd like to see you try," Rafe scoffed, puffing his chest out.

"Oh, yeah? You wanna go right now?" JJ advanced forward before you grabbed the back of his shirt, pulling him back.

"I'll kick both of your asses if you don't knock it off," you rolled your eyes, clearly not thrilled with the idea of having to deal with this during every practice. You looked back at Rafe, swallowing hard. "Listen, we don't have time to waste on your bullshit, so if you're in, there's no bailing on us. You're in it for the long haul."

"Understood," he nodded, his expression turning oddly serious at the mention of not quitting.

You didn’t trust Rafe Cameron, not one bit. But you had to admit, he was good. Too good. And that was going to make this a hell of a lot more complicated than you’d ever imagined.

notes .ᐟ first chapter! not edited bc i'm lazy...

tags .ᐟ   @starkeysprincess / @cometmultiverse / @lovemesailor / @all4l0vee / @kissesfrmriri / @bradshawed / @rafeslittleangel / @bakugouswaif / @fakedhearts / @avada-kedavra-bitch-187 / @piastrify / @kisselxoll / @virgochaos

                                ୭ৎ

[purlty23]

HAPPY HOLIDAYS! 🎁🎉 I know my christmas pieces usually get a lot of traction but Ive never much vibed with Christmas, so this year I went for a most Ghost aligned Sol Invictus piece!

Characters labeled below the Read more!

Support my Patreon for more like this! ✨ | Ko-fi | Pillowfort 

[wlwgoku]

I’m not very good at drawing men so I wanted to practice with THE Guilty Gear

This was also just coloring practice (and cuz I wanted to draw my Latino king Sol badguy [yes I think he’s Latino I can do what I want])

[aztarion]

what was Soledad like before she met Julian? :3c has she changed a lot since her Embrace? if she could give advice to her past self, what would Sol say?

hi wiz <3 thank you so much for asking about sol and im sorry this one took me a while! some of this is CRINGE but im free

Sol was a pretty normal kid growing up in most ways, easy-going and lively and maybe a little too mischievous for her own good – not to be purposefully troublesome, just innately craving excitement and too many experiences at once (as much as she tries to dampen that down later). She has an older brother, Tiago (@/kentuckycaverats asked me more about him but I want to read over a couple things before I publish the ask aghh) that she idolized — they were kids born to Filipino-Mexican immigrants and had moved around several places between Soledad, California and Sierra Vista, Arizona while growing up, and were essentially each other’s entertainment during the multiple interims of not having other close friends. Sol was definitely a little tomboy, probably average-to-low grades in school and eventually would drop out to apprentice under her dad and brother at her dad’s mechanical workshop once they settle permanently in Sierra Vista. This is how she’d end up getting her scar – freak accident with equipment.

The main issues in Sol’s life during her teens and twenties were lack of purpose and direction, which manifested as an excessive restlessness. After her Embrace, it mutated into a sort of mania – like all negative aspects of her new condition simply wouldn’t sink in. A bit of daredevil edge developing here – often would give that impression of someone at a party who is yeah, great company, but also making you nervous about how far they’re taking some things. Julian was a very young sire and he also has a manic energy to him – I think they got carried away more than a few times despite a lot of the lessons he tried to instil. That sounds a bit dark and at times it was, but for ten years it was akin to a bizarre undead honeymoon period. Lots of disconnect – again not fully registering that she was clinically dead and that Julian had killed her. On that note btw, Sol asked for the Kiss. I’m not victim blaming LOL – I know she wouldn’t have realized fully what she was getting into (in fact she was flirting and mostly thought Julian was funny and a little crazy when he slipped up on the vampire thing and rolled with it) — just a part of the backstory fanfic. She was also the one to first initiate intimacy and the blood bond (yet again without taking it seriously, but Julian had only been kindred 5 years longer and I honestly don’t think even he at that time would’ve understood the full extent of the situation they’d find themselves in because of her rampant carelessness either, in his defense lol).

During this period… nothing Sol loved more than cutting Julian’s idealistic prattling short with a suggestive touch and watching his thoughts go off road like the geotracker for a split second. Kisses to slow down or silence; if he’s still trying to put together a sentence afterward, she’d redouble efforts until, for once, he’s the one looking to her wondering what happens next. Intimacy is where dynamics get switched between them, but I don’t think he minds. Julian’s not as physical as Sol is (tbh she is very needy for a kindred but I think even with the sexual desire present, it’s still more of an emotional/comfort thing for her she won’t let go of – she can be intense in that regard) but he is more than happy to go along with anything that’s got her showering him with attention. All fodder for his novels in the meantime :p

In the later 2000s, when he becomes a lot more serious about Changing The World, and after Sol’s diablerie of Aila (which is where things get distant, cold, and honestly kind of spiteful between them for a few months of early 2010), Julian makes use of his crazy ass willpower stat to cut contact and leave — for his vision, for the fact that it had already begun what with an Elder’s essence now present in Sol, and to sever their bond. Man needs full use of his obsessive tendencies to build a tech empire yknow – not having Sol constantly in the back of his mind and her clinging to him. Likewise she has the opportunity to come into her own without that same weight and influence – how he thinks of it at least. He does keep tabs on her during those ten years, making sure she’s alright and staying afloat, sometimes sending work her brother’s way in Sierra Vista too, etc.

Sol is not doing well here and it’s where she changes the most. The separation also initially has Julian a little emotionally ragged due to the nature of the bond, but past the artificial I do think he actually cares deeply about Sol in his own weird way. He believes he’s doing what is the best (frankly only option in his mind) for the sake of the future of the Masquerade with Project 2100; maybe having her be at the center of his work is part of it.

Anyway – out of trauma, Sol develops the bulimia derangement after diablerizing Aila, which strains everythingggg twice over. Despite not getting along at this time, Julian leaving without warning still grossly exacerbates how often it would trigger due to a kaleidoscopic meltdown of too many messy feelings on top of the strain of their bond breaking down over the course of the first year. Really just fucks her up good and hard struggling to get it all under control while figuring out what the fuck she’s going to do with herself. Lots of accidental hunger frenzies, lots of suicidal ideation — there’s this snippet from last year where she’s immediately like boohoo I’m gonna walk into a sunrise (also my fav Julian meme). I imagine she lost humanity during this period until finally getting her shit together as a courier and learning to shut off and distance herself from the intensity of her feelings (while still not giving into the callousness and mindlessness of the Beast).

She doesn’t engage in her predator type as a precaution and instead drinks from bags, which leaves her feeling perpetually unsatisfied and wanting (Sol™), but she pushes that down – goes pro at pushing shit down over the course of the next few years. Selfishly, in her mind, she would rather drain a blood bank than kill someone, which is stupid because she’s hurting more people the other way, but it’s the distance and disconnect. Doesn’t stop guilt from eating away at her when she thinks too hard, but again: push that shit down.

And hey, she got the lime green geotracker in the divorce 🥴

For advice, I was thinking for a while because as her mama I wouldn’t want her to look out for herself or heal or anything to change LMAO. Even in character and before her personality 180, Sol had such a restless spirit and was prone to depression and impulse, I don’t think she would’ve lived or chosen to live a long mortal life as it was, or if she did it would not have been fulfilling to her. Unsatisfied as always! As much as she resents Julian for what he did to her in the name of Project 2100, buried way down deep and unbeknownst to herself (maybe she just refuses to acknowledge it…), there’s twisted excitement in being this catalyst – in having purpose. This is why she still subconsciously leans towards Julian’s suggestions during Night Road, and why she keeps the 2100X serum in her veins once infected. Also, she does just love him too 😭

BUUUT, considering all that, I think if Sol knew she would be Embraced and have to leave everything behind, she might advise her younger self to cherish that time she had. Like a lot of teenagers she was distant from her parents, not even out of dislike because her family was very loving. She was very close to her brother Tiago (and that’s one thing that hurt a lot on top of no longer having Julian from 2010-2020 – that she couldn’t simply go home and see her brother; that her heart was broken, that she was dead, and that she was left with no one). She wasn’t as close to her parents and often clashed with what her mother out of differing views and opinions. Mom and Dad worked extremely hard to prop Sol and Tiago up for their futures but of course Sol wouldn’t have cared about that much at the time… so looking back she would appreciate them more — and maybe developing a better relationship with her parents and going along with what her mother wanted for her would’ve changed her request that night she met and got to know Julian. Maybe he would’ve done it anyway.

Her parents are dead by the events of Night Road, so it remains one of her biggest regrets, not saying goodbye. She keeps an heirloom topaz and mahogany rosary and in lonelier moments of confusion or despair or guilt will apologize and pray to/for them. Sol was never as religious as her parents (devout Catholics) wanted growing up and before her Embrace, but with the absolute desolation she felt after things came crashing down and actually processing her situation, she takes comfort in what she watched them take comfort in during her childhood. More than anything I think she is agnostic — but she feels this is her only connection to them, and as silly or futile as it might seem to her sometimes, the only way she can reach out to them after leaving without a word – to keep them with her even after their passing. Her courier alias of Soledad is in part of where she was born, and an homage to her mom and her mom’s reverence for María de la Soledad (which was also a mural painted on her dad’s workshop)… and it works with having the same nickname as her real name: Solona :)

AND A WIP!

whew!!! thank you so much for asking and letting me ramble!!! you are a gift wiz, i got so excited seeing your ask<3 thank you for always being so nice about my art in the tags too, you make it a joy to share T_T <3

[crimeronan]

you may have already answered this but im obsessed with your ocs so: what kind of music do they all listen to? what's their relationships with music in general?

GREAT question. it's taken me a couple days to answer because i was like "this is probably not going to be surprising to anyone," but hey. we love character consistency. and i will use this as an excuse to plug some artists i like!

nova is the only one whose music taste does not overlap with my own at All. she's an EDM girlie through and through. the thumping bass is stimmy for her. the louder the better. unfortunately i do not have good EDM recs because my own autism recoils from it LMAO

ruby likes traditional music from home. lots of fiddle, lots of clapping, lots of singing. the kind of music you find going into a pub during a jam session. i also like to think her parents are musicians who met through their love of music... one group i really love is afro-celt sound system, which combines west african drums with celtic fiddle. i picture her parents' music sounding like this since she has a fantasy nigerian dad and fantasy irish mum. also, i imagine she listens to fantasy raidió na gaeltachta whenever she's alone. even though it makes her so homesick she feels like she's gonna throw up.

i think devin would LOVE shit like fire from the gods. really angry political rap metal. devin likes music loud and furious. anti-establishment vibes are Technically legal in tachni (as long as they don't "incite violence"), so. this type of band Absolutely exists.

like, take these lyrics from the song excuse me:

like. yeah. devin Needs This.

i think it would be cathartic Especially because devin has the rageful nazi-punching instincts of the best angry metal frontwomen, but has been given a life where she's basically being forced at gunpoint to be an american senator. Harrowing .

sol is the only one who Might be surprising.... i think she mostly listens to soft, sometimes-emotional piano. she wants everything to be quiet forever & i don't think she'd get much out of angry music. i like to picture her listening to stuff like this gorgeous piece by elijah brossenbroek. he's one of my favorite favorite Favorite composers of All Time. i actually bought a book of his pieces for my sister to learn years ago & he was very kind in the emails we exchanged!

[darling-heffron]

Oh I'm so excited for this chapter guys!! Hope everyone had an amazing New Year, WTH 2024 flew past r u kidding. Im ready for 2025 manifesting good vibes!!

Esra✨

Taglist: @malarkgirlypop , @mellow-human , @next-autopsy

Chapter Ten: Stranger Danger 

It had been an awkward walk. Marleen was clearly still pissed at Sam and Sam, well she didn’t know how to relieve the tension. So they walked in silence, which was odd for the chatter-box that was Marleen. But every time she went to open her mouth to speak to Sam, she quickly snapped it shut, remembering the harsh words and new promise Sam had made to her the previous night. 

The older girl’s words flashed through her head, ‘Mars, I think it’s best if we do find someone else to take you.’ 

‘There are better people to help you on your journey.’

‘I am sorry, Mars.’ 

Each time Sam’s voice echoed in her head the more she became angry all over again. 

Mars grunted in frustration as she kicked a rock with force. It flung ahead and pelted into the tree in front of her. Her eyes followed the trajectory of the stone and saw movement. 

Sam had noticed the same, signalling for the pair to stop. Even though she was angry, Mars still abided by the rules. Crouching down next to her taller so-called ‘friend’, they strained their eyes and ears to listen. 

Marleen's eyes widened with shock. She sprung from her hiding spot and sprinted forward towards the familiar voice. 

“Marleen!” Sam called out quietly. Mars had been too quick from her position; she didn’t even have time to lunge for her. 

“For fucks sake.” Sam went against every fibre of her being and ran after the petite blonde woman. 

The younger of the two couldn’t help the smile that plastered itself onto her face. She dove for her target, pelting him full force in the chest. The man who she now had in a bear hug, ‘oofed’ out at her sudden attack. 

“Denver!” She squealed in so much delight. The man’s face went from shocked - to puzzled - to pure joy. 

“Hands off!” Sam emerged from the bushes with her gun raised, she aimed it right between the big man’s eyes. 

“You’ll have to tell her that.” The man’s southern tone quipped. He was right, it was Marleen who clung to him like a limpet. 

“Mars, what the hell are you doing?” Sam questioned the younger girl, had she lost her damn mind all together or was she that pissed at Sam she was endangering her own life to get back at her. 

“What happened? How did you get here? Did you get hurt? I’ve been looking for you everywhere. Do you know how happy I am to see you!” Marleen couldn’t shut up, her word vomit was like a broken dam; forever spilling from her lips. 

“Woah, now hold up there, little lady. Take a breath before you faint.” Denver smiled down at his young neighbour, Mars had no idea how relieved he was to see her alive and well. 

The built man pressed the young girl into his chest to hold her tightly. “My girl, I’ve missed you so much.” He pulled back with teary eyes. 

“I missed you so so so so so so so-”

Denver cut her off with a soft kiss to her forehead, “So much.” He finished her sentence for her. 

Marleen practically shook with delight, she couldn’t contain her excitement, “I could scream. I won’t, but I could.” 

“Wait, I am.” She pressed her face into the man’s big chest like he was a pillow and screeched with all her might. 

“My goodness. Good to see that the end of the world hasn’t dimmed your sparkle, young lady.” The pair couldn’t tear their eyes away from each other, forgetting their surroundings completely. 

Until a clearing of someone’s throat pulled them back down to earth. 

“Well, that was quite a reunion.” The taller man that had been walking with Denver interrupted. Mars finally stepped back from her beloved neighbour. 

She took in her surroundings. Sam still stood with a rigid posture, hands tightly gripped around her weapon. Mars was going to tell her to relax but the two men who stood with Denver captured her attention before she could do so. 

“You going to introduce us, Bull?” The shortest man spoke. Mars couldn’t help but smile at him, his face was built with soft features and kind brown eyes. He looked familiar and inviting. 

“I’m Marleen Finch. But you can call me Mars.” She didn’t wait for Denver to introduce her, she stuck out her hand for the man to shake. A smile broke onto his lips and she eagerly smiled back as he gently shook her hand. 

“Darrell Powers, but everyone calls me Shifty.” He introduced himself to the young blonde. 

After shaking his hand she turned to the taller leaner man, “Pleased to meet you.” She greeted everyone in her friendly manner. 

“Carwood Lipton, call me Lip, ma’am.” The tall man politely spoke. 

“You can lower your weapon miss, we mean no harm.” Denver's soft voice pulled Mars’ attention back to Sam. 

“Bam, how do you know him?” Sam asked questioningly, still not shifting from her defensive stance. Mars forgot that Sam wasn’t as eagerly pleased to see other human life like she was.

“Oh, um. Sam, this is Denver. He is my neighbour. We were together at the start of the outbreak and then I lost him, we got split up by a hoard. I was by myself for a bit before you found me. But he saved my life. This was the nice neighbour I told you about.” 

Mars had avoided talking about Denver, feeling too sad and guilty about losing him. She conveniently ‘forgot’ to tell Sam how she ended up in her predicament and Sam being Sam, she never asked.    

“Denver, Lip and Shifty. This is my good friend Samantha-uh, Sam.” Mars paused, trying to recall her surname but came up blank. Sam hadn’t told her what her last name was. “She saved my life a couple of weeks ago.” 

The men smiled at her cheerily, but unlike with Mars they kept their distance from Sam. 

“Hi.” Sam’s retort was short, she wasn’t planning to stay long or get to know these men. 

“Well, Mars. This looks like the group for you.” Sam tucked her gun back into the holster on her hip. 

“You aren’t planning to stay?” Lipton asked. 

“Mars and I thought it would be for the best if we split up. We were just looking for a safe group for her to join.” But during her explanation Mars huffed in displeasure. 

“We? No, I never said we should split up. But old Sam here doesn’t think I am safe with her.” Mars’ turned to Bull to complain. 

“Would you like to spend a few days with us? If you truly don’t want to stay, we won’t force you.” Denver offered a solution. 

“Yes.” 

“No.” 

The girls both replied in tandem. 

“Don’t listen to Sam. Yes, she will take that offer. Thank you Denver.” 

“Marleen!” Sam tried to argue, but the younger girl held up her hand, in turn silencing Sam. 

“Stay and make sure I’m safe. You promised.” Mars’ tone was firm, she didn’t fuck around with pinky promises. 

“Fine.” The older girl sighed, rolling her eyes at the smug looking Mars. 

After the awkward introduction and decision to stay as a group, everyone continued on in their journey. 

“Where are you guys heading?” Mars asked as she walked alongside Denver, “And what’s with Bull?” She had caught the nickname that Lip had called the larger man. 

“We are heading to a safe zone in Idaho.” Denver informed his smaller counterpart. 

“And Bull got his name from when we first met.” Lip interrupted their conversation, he fell into step next to Denver. 

“Do tell.” Mars pried, curious to know the reason for the odd nickname. 

“Well, Shifty and I watched this behemoth of a man tip a whole car onto an oncoming hoard. He was like a bull on steroids. Hence the name.” Lip clapped his friend on the shoulder as he grinned widely. 

“The car was already half tipped.” Denver ever so modestly clarified. But Lip only laughed and squeezed the man’s shoulder. 

“So, what’s up with your friend?” Bull leant in to whisper to Mars, his eyes cast forward on the lone walking woman ahead of them. 

“Well, when I lost you I thought I could try and find you in Albany. So I did my very best and made my way there. Unfortunately, I didn’t find you, but a group of unfriendly men did. Sam had arrived just as things were getting hairy and saved my ass. I have been superglued to her side ever since.” Mars explained the nature of their meeting. 

“She’s not much of a talker.” The young blonde started and stopped when Bull started to laugh. 

“What?” She asked, tilting her head in confusion. 

“Marleen, you aren’t one to be quiet. Poor girl, you must’ve chatted her ear off.” Denver teased the young woman. 

Mars chuckled and nodded her head in confirmation. 

“So, where’s she from?” Bull naturally enquired about Marleen’s friend. 

“Uh-“ she started, searching her brain for the information, “I’m not sure.” The young blonde shrugged, but Denver’s brows furrowed together. 

“What did she do?” He asked another basic question, one that Mars would surely know. 

“I- I don’t know.” Mars shyly replied. 

“Where is she going?” Bull continued in his line of questioning. She surely had to know something about the girl. 

“I-uh. Um.” The young girl stalled before she sighed, “She didn’t tell me. But in hindsight I can’t remember asking.” 

“Marleen, how long have you known Sam?” Denver questioned his young friend. 

“Like two weeks.” Mars replied meekly, ducking her head out of view. “I told you she isn’t chatty!” 

Bull laughed and swung his arm around the young girl's shoulders and squeezed her in tightly. He had so dearly missed Mars, and was thanking his lucky stars that she had found someone, however mysterious, to keep her safe and well. 

—--------------------------------

Sam walked ahead of the group, she could hear them chatting behind her. Mars seemed thrilled to be reunited with her neighbour, but Sam felt on edge. 

This was now more people she didn’t know and quite frankly didn’t really want to try and get to know. She had gone against everything in her being to befriend the young blonde but now there were three new people. 

“SR-25.” The young man fell into step with Sam. 

“Yeah, government issued.” The tall woman glanced over her shoulder to her army rifle that was slung over her back. 

“Army?” Shifty asked.

“Three years.” Sam confirmed with a nod. “I am, was, a specialist.” 

“You served?” She queried, the man seemed to know his rifles.

“No. But I do enjoy hunting. My father loved to hunt and shoot, taught me everything he knew.” The young man seemed to beam with pride speaking of his father. He appeared to take him in high regard. 

“You must be a good shot.” Sam hummed in agreement. 

“No, no. I’m not a good shot. Now Dad, he was an excellent shot- excellent, I declare. He could shoot the wings off a fly.” 

“Don’t listen to Shifty, Sam.” Lip caught up with the pair as Bull and Mars were hot on his heels, “That boy is the best sharp shooter I’ve ever met. He can toss a coin in the air and hit it with his rifle. Hits it dead centre every time.” The taller man boasted about his shorter friend who blushed.  

“Ah, I’m not that good.” Shifty smiled widely up at the taller man. 

“Shifty, you’re too modest.” Bull chimed in, patting the man on his shoulder. 

Mars smiled along the line that fell into step with Sam and Shifty. Even though she had only known the two men for a couple of hours she could tell they had the same nature as her neighbour. 

The group had made camp in a clearing in the woods. The men had their own tents, and equipment, so Sam and Mars kept their sleeping arrangement. 

Mars quickly set up the tent a couple of metres away from the firepit as Sam searched for wood to burn. She laid flat their sleeping bags and slotted their bags into the opening of the shelter before she zipped it up. 

The young girl perched on the log next to Sam as she started the fire. She watched the girl lean over and spark the flint. Mars sighed in content resting her head on the older girl’s back as she worked. 

“You allgood, Bam?” Sam checked in, cursing slightly when the wind blew out her small fire. 

“Just happy we are altogether.” The blonde let her heavy eyes close as she listened to her friend's steady breathing. 

Mars seemed to be more exhausted than normal. After Sam had successfully started her fire and sat up straight the younger girl let out a groan of complaint. Samantha didn’t think much of what she was doing as she pulled the petite blonde’s torso into her lap. Mars’ head laid on her legs as she snuggled in getting comfortable. 

“Sleepy?” Sam questioned the quiet girl. She nodded, her eyes still closed. “Must’ve been all that excitement. Huh, Bam?” Sam ran her fingers through the girl's hair. 

It was oddly second nature and unlike before it didn’t feel uncomfortable. Sam felt as if she had a small kitten nestled into her lap. 

Mars mumbled incoherently. Sam craned her head down to hear her better. 

“What?” She whispered not wanting to disturb the settled girl. 

“Stay.” Mars said sleepily, her breathing quickly turned even as she fell asleep.  

“She’s tuckered out.” Bull said as he took a seat next to Sam. 

The tall blonde nodded her head looking down at the now peaceful girl on her lap. 

“I wanted to say thank you.” Bull started, making Sam look up. 

“For what?” Her brows furrowed, she had done nothing to this man for him to give thanks. 

“Looking after Marleen. You don’t really seem like the type of person to take kindly to strangers.” Bull had made a quick assumption about the girl, but he wasn’t wrong. 

“And I’ll be the first to say she can be quite a handful.” The bulky man jested, attempting to lighten the mood and extend an olive branch. Sam smirked, she knew exactly what he meant. 

“So, where are you from Sam?” Shifty asked as he sat across from the pair on the log they had placed on the other side of the fire.  

“Massachusetts.” Sam replied politely, it seemed like Mars had rubbed off on her. “Where are you all from?” 

“I lived above Mars in New York but I’m originally from Arkansas.” Sam could tell that Bull was a country boy from the thick twang of his accent. 

“I’m from Virginia and Lip is from West Virginia.” Shifty answered for his friend who settled beside him with a smile. 

“We met up when we were both trying to flee the state.” Lip added. “We both appeared to be heading in the same direction, so we stuck together. And then we found Bull wandering on his lonesome, so we had to pick him up.” 

“Yeah, the boys found me just in time.” Bull replied with his head down. The two other men shared a sad smile. 

“Did something happen?” Sam finally caved and asked the group. 

“A group had found me prior to these two, took everything I had and roughed me up a bit. Bastards left me for dead.” The larger man frowned in displeasure at the memory. 

“When we found him he hadn’t eaten or drunk in days and had some serious blood loss.” Shifty noted. “Didn’t seem fair ten against one.” 

Sam’s brows raised in shock. It was sick how people thought they could get away with anything during this time. But then her own actions flooded through her head, the way she had killed that man was nothing but brutal. However, Sam would never leave someone half dead and struggling. She always finished her jobs. 

“It’s been crazy out there.” Sam stated as the rest of the group nodded. 

“Yeah, people have kinda lost their minds.” Lip agreed. 

They spent the rest of the night sharing stories around the campfire, it was mostly the men who talked amongst themselves while Sam listened. Mars by the end of the evening was still sleeping soundly in the older girl’s lap. 

“Would you like some help?” Bull asked as Sam looked down at Mars trying to figure out how to get the both of them back into bed without waking her. 

“Oh, yes please.” The tall girl lent back as Denver scooped the small girl from her lap and into his arms. He seemed to lift her with ease, the girl snuggled into his warmth as she buried her face into his chest. 

Bull and Sam walked to their tent, Sam opened the sleeping bag for the large man to carefully place Mars. Once she had been sufficiently tucked in, Bull ran his hand over the sleeping girl’s hair. 

“Night, you two.” He whispered waving Sam goodbye as he made his way back over to where the other men had set up their tents. 

The taller girl got into her own sleeping bag and laid her head on her makeshift pillow, which was just t-shirts she hadn’t used yet scrunched into a ball. 

Mars lay facing towards her, her features were at rest. At that moment Sam didn’t think she had anyone look so at peace. The older girl reached over to her sleeping friend and brushed the stray hair away from her face. 

“I’ll stay.” Sam whispered before she turned over and fell asleep herself. 

WHOOP WHOOP Bull is alive and well and we have more BOB men joining us the party is really heating up now! We love Shifty and Lip what cuties, of course they would find each other in the middle of the end of the world, our cute little country men!

[d3molition-lov3rs]

“you’re gonna kill them dead, rockstar.”

third chapter of my dorcasxmarlene sapphic warped tour fic is up rn!!

time for the first show of the tour! the new chapter can be found here, otherwise will be linked below :)

[joanyio]

one of my favorite headcanons about eclipse is that sunjae/inhyuk is a famous ship among capellas (their fandom name) with over 20k works written on ao3 and don’t get me started with postype which is kfans’ ao3 — not an impossible number because they’re basically bigger than lim youngwoong in LR canon universe with even ahjummas being their shooters.

how can they not be shipped? high school best friends who chase their dreams and succeed together, inhyuk who roped sunjae into music after he suffered a career changing injury, inhyuk who one day randomly revealed in bubble live that he loves sneaking into sunjae’s house to take a bath, their closeness, both always there for each other through thick and thin.

thanks to ep 12 i got one of my fav lines from this show. imagine eclipse films a documentary and that’s when inhyuk talks about how he almost gave up music before, but sunjae came to him with 내 젊은 날 가장 빛나는 순간이 온다면 너랑 함께했으면 좋겠어 when the brightest moment in my youth comes, i want it to be with you. crazy material for shippers and fanfic writers im telling you!

[solsarts]

On the mountain tall,

Whisper to me words in a voice so small

[kosalot]

I see some people name their ghost OC ‘Sol’

What’s funny about this is that Sol is a Norwegian name, and a feminine one at that. And I see some male OCs with this name.

So go off I guess-

[solsticeswackstuff]

Hey Y'all! The first chapter of my Bela/Reader fic is here! It is more of an introduction, expect more art and chapters soon! Also, feel free to send asks with questions and criticisms!

[jaybirdhitman]

So GITM by @/venomousqwille has taken over my life, and I inadvertently made another au. This one was on me, it's Band Au. I am lovingly killed there and I love it. I'll drop all the designs under the cute. The au is mostly fun, but there is some story to it that mirrors gitm. It mostly has frat house energy and band shenanigans tho.

I love this au so much and so many other people love it too, I'm so glad to be part of the community and able to contribute in my own little sandbox.

And a bonus doodle bc we all know bands have big gay energy

[semidecentpoet]

NEW CHAPTER IS UP, BITCHES!!!!!!

Featuring adoption, a retirement concert gone wrong, and some fuckin communication

(Thanks to @aubs-the-randman and @daybringersol for being my beta-readers!!!)