#anyway a break from the ocs for the sunshine crew

[moriaarts]

212th Attack Battalion

I’m not saying I have a favourite battalion, but I have a favourite battalion and it’s all of the 212th. Whom make all their hair decisions as a result of being under Obi-wan’s command.

[third-arch]

The concept Law crushing on Kanna is so cute

I ramble about my OC and Law being in love with her

Whenever I write Law, I keep instinctively writing this very stoic and serious mix of Batman, my mom, and Atticus Finch. It’s a very weird combo, but I really think he encompasses both characters in their own way. Using other characters just really helps as a guide for how I write Law. Obviously there are other inspirations and canonical things that make him up, too, but it’s how I would summarize him. Just black cat energy I guess.

I never really saw him as this scary cynical doctor of bad boy. I think he tries to be cool and might also try to/instinctively have those characteristics, but ultimately, he’s just someone who’s very pragmatic.

He’s a genius. And he doesn’t like silly emotions.

Kanna on the other hand is an Aerith-Tohru Honda mixed with any other cinnamon roll fluffy character, like Madoka Kaname or Raphtalia. She’s warm and gentle, yet cheerful and comforting. There’s this sunshine that she brings to others. She goes from being like more soft and emotional to intuitive, compassionate, and perceptive. She’s brave and resilient, yet still silly and cute.

Both of them are introverted dorks who bring out the best in eachother.

191 cm doctor and his 154 cm MA

Sometimes when I write Kanna as a character, I think like

“Oh she actually too silly or too innocent sometimes with Law”

Or like,

“Law is acting too soft. He wouldn’t smile widely like that.”

But then I realized like well when you’re in love you break character almost. You start acting different. Like more vulnerable.

I’m sure when Law is in love, he tries to act stoic and cool, but unknowingly, the cold ice around his heart is being chipped away, causing him to be more and more vulnerable.

That’s why only the crew in my fanfic notice it. All of the crew is aware LOL. I might even have a segment where he gets advice from Ikkaku specifically.

Law will be self aware once his feelings reach a certain point most likely.

Also, it would be boring if he acted the same all throughout and then suddenly like,

“Law leans over and kisses Kanna.”

Like in my fanfic, I plan to have a very unusual buildup for Law “confessing” to Kanna.

He just starts doing more and more soft things and eventually does something very cute and innocent.

It’s almost like she’s healing his inner child with her kindness. Their love for eachother is tender and sweet.

Law is obviously afraid of this. He doesn’t want her to get hurt. He’s a wanted man. She could potentially be in a lot of danger. Even thought he’s aware of her potential, his overprotectiveness is in full override.

As far as conflict between them, I think the idea of Kanna challenging this overprotective nature is their main issue. Sure, there’s him being bratty at times, but that’s just something that I think Kanna accepts, as what happens with any couple.

Once he learns to trust himself more, I think he can truly learn to properly love.

“Stay close, Kanna-ya. Walk behind me.”

Anyways, that’s all I wanted to say for now. I might come back and add more. I just really like rambling about these two as I work on my fanfic.

[avispraeda]

I'm constantly stuck in the crushing rift between "keep all of your ideas secret and surprise people when they're ready" and "share your ideas-in-progress because who knows if they'll ever be ready"

So anyway if anyone happens to be curious, here's a brief list of current multichapter wips I'm bouncing between like a puppy excitedly taking a bite out of every food bowl around them! They're all TreyRid focused btw lol

The Beach Villa Fic

Rook invites some buddies to one of his family villas in the Sunshine Lands over Spring Break, but the situation spirals wildly out of control and suddenly the whole student cast is involved. Shenanigans ensue.

Been in the works since Book 6 first dropped in JP, a warm-up for MNP chapters that grew and grew and haha oops. Sort of a drabble collection, sort of tied together by an overarching plot. Though it's TreyRid focused, this is a fic where some minor background pairings may or may not also pop up👀. This is a double-edged sword though as it means I have to figure out how to write a lot of people, even if I cut the cast down to a fraction of its size, and that's more or less the main block stopping me from really knuckling down even though the Stitch event in JP gave me ideas.

The Freedom Fic

After coming to terms with some capital-T Things, Riddle decides to take his own path in life and moves out of his family home in the summer of his third year following a falling out with his mom. His summer is spent with Trey's family, where he gets effectively adopted as one of them while working through Some More Things.

Started shortly after finishing MNP. Not really a sequel but definitely influenced by it. Originally just meant to be pure sugary feel-good fluff, and then I went and added angst as per usual. Still mostly just cute stuff though because I like cute stuff and I write for me. Just like the Beach fic, the main block is having to write a lot of people, with the added caveat of trying to cobble together and develop Trey's family. The siblings are the bane of my existence.

The Crossover Fic

A mysterious phenomena overtakes NRC, and while investigating the Heartslabyul crew get whisked away to a strange, blank world. With the help of some eccentric locals, they must find a way home while surviving the wrath of a Queen who should not exist.

My current fic fixation (fic-xation, ha), though who knows how long that'll last. Entirely For ME, the most self-indulgent thing. Not explicitly a crossover in that two properties are colliding, but in that the concept of one is used as the basis for the story with the characters of another. Which property it is is part of the surprise ;) Despite having a decently sized cast with OCs made from the ground-up, the biggest block is actually just plain ol' real life things. Sucks.

Also may or may not be another collaboration! Though possibly not quite as intertwined as MNP and NTYH and again, due to irl circumstances that's up in the air.

Honorable mentions:

The Horror Fic: Trey and Riddle are again whisked away, and must brave a wilderness full of hostile creatures and disease. Meant to be more of a tense survival-horror style romp compared to the big one above. Guaranteed to never see the light of day.

The Trey Fic: MNP from the perspective of Trey, continues beyond the original story and explores his experience with therapy because boy you are not immune to traumatic events. Only exists in notes and one-off scenes. Maybe some day.

The Other Crossover Fic: The only non-ship fic. Omori but it's with Idia. If you know, you know. Only in planning, no actual writing to be had yet.

[lil-goat-is-watching]

First batch of Grumpified OCs!!

AYO, CHRISTMAS ON SUNDAY!!???

Anyways, besides dat and being inactive so much, I’ve actually been working on my OCs I had before getting into Bugsnax, and making ‘em into Grumpuses! Maybe I’ll use em more?

This is my first half due to Tumblr’s image limit, so here we go!

Lissy (Lucy) “Lil Grump” Puffergoat

A soft, excitable and a never-serious small Grumpus. Seems to be hard to agitate. Likes hopping on grass, hugs and oversized knitted sweaters.

Kromsie (Rosie) Promisebloom

A once rebellious young Grump with a history of hospital visits. Worships Bugsnax and wants to perform experiments with their DNA. Likes the dark, fruit snax and a few of the Grumpinati Members (and secretly Wiggle’s music, she snuck into a concert one time on break).

Teaoa (Tia) Diamondswish

A shy, aspiring gymnast. Born with a strange eye that she TRIES to keep hidden. Likes doing cartwheels, simple talk and hot days (despite the fact she almost always wears a thick sweater).

Glarbby (Gabby) Lemontears

An energetic bundle of sunshine with a (probably) mysterious necklace and natural fur blotches. Pretty adventurous, but can get into danger a lot from bigger Bugsnax. Likes digging, fiddling with small objects and honesty.

Henel/Semar (Helen/Sarah) (latter name most preferred) Simmerheart

A one-eyed softie who seems like she doesn’t belong at their job (all due respect). Sees Lizbert’s crew as a major threat and bad Grumpuses and quite cowardly. Likes nature, soft voices and comforts of tea.

Chamlory (Charlie) Moonpond

A serious worker who has a sharp tongue when angered. Aspiring to become the next leader of the Snakolytes as she thinks Jamfoot isn’t suitable. Likes good listeners, loyalty, and long walks (also enjoys helping her brother who she has never mentioned to anyone (except Semar and someone else).

Jewelnyan (Julian) Moonpond

A quiet-ish grump, Chamlory’s younger brother. Rather good on terms with self defence. Likes quiet areas, clear skies and light stretches.

Mellasdra (Cassandra) Peacebook

A passionate flower turned bitter by her peers. Escaped the Grumpinati after reaching out for (definite needed) help and is being hunted for as if missing. Likes reading, “haunting” others and pranking in the dark.

Pinaten (Peyton) Shiverangel

A small grump with a pretty big heart. Seems to have a strange dream and wonder if Grumps can fly…Likes gentle tapping sounds, snak hunting and having proper arm warmers that fit (can’t wear proper sleeves due to skin flaps).

Dandisrid (Astrid) Alpineglove

A massive sweetheart with weird yet vital visors. Her snak-like deformities have her known as “The foxgrump”. Likes telling stories, helping others and not being weirded out for her “natural fruit horns”.

Dandisrid's snak deformities consist of a Stewdler (Left hand), Puffy Snakpod (nose) and Ruby Peelbug (Horns)

I hope y’all like em! I know they ain’t too accurate, but ye-

[diaxfeliz]

𝐚 𝐟𝐚𝐯𝐨𝐫 𝐟𝐫𝐨𝐦 𝐦𝐞 𝐭𝐨 𝐲𝐨𝐮 | 𝟗𝟑𝟎

A Genshin Impact Fanfic

➵ Character/s: Beidou

➵ OC/s: Captain Pix

➵ Warning/s: none, just fluff?

A/N: I guess the universe didn’t will me to properly write, huh. Anyway, this is pretty much just self-indulgence bc I got Beidou and her voice??? I am <333.

•

What happens when a pirate thinks she owes a rumored Fatui captain a ride home? Nothing. She’s just doing them a favor so the Fatui captain would owe her.

•

•

•

“Captain Beidou, this really isn’t necessary from you — I can just request a ship from home to—”

“Oh, stop being so modest, Sunshine.”

Beidou shoved Pix onto the deck of the Alcor despite their protests saying that she didn’t need to ‘make it up to’ them. Pix was at the Wanmin Restaurant writing a request for a ship after Signora had left with their ship, leaving them in Liyue, when Beidou had accidentally bumped into them, spilling their tea all over their letter. Beidou, thinking it was a proper way to repay Pix, told them she’d personally bring them back to Snezhnaya. Pix really didn’t mind but she was insistent on bringing them home.

“Everyone,” Beidou began, joining Pix’s side as they stood in front of her crew and put a heavy hand on their head because of their not so drastic but Beidou considers to be a drastic height difference. “This is our guest, Pix, and we’re taking them to Snezhnaya. If I hear about any of you tormenting our guest, you can answer to the cold waters, got that?”

There was a resounding ‘yes, Captain’ from the crew before they dispersed to get the ship ready to leave. Pix felt uncomfortable that all of this was being done over spilled tea. Not to mention Beidou going as far as to slinging Pix over her shoulder on their way to the docks.

“You really don’t have to, Captain.” Pix rubbed the back of their neck. “You’re putting the Crux through too much trouble just for me.”

“It really isn’t.” Beidou assured them with a flash of her teeth. “But if you really can’t let go of that,” A smirk replaced her smile. “then consider it as a favor from me to you, which means you” Beidou pressed a finger on their chest. “owe me.”

Pix was confused for a moment, but soon laughed and shook their head. “Fine. Just send me a letter and I’ll do whatever I can in my power.”

“I’ll make sure to remember that, Sunshine.” She winked. 

It’s been a good few hours since they’d left the harbor and night had fallen. Pix sat on a crate that rested by the ship as they scribbled on paper, occasionally stopping to put a finger over their mouth as they thought. Meanwhile, Beidou leaned on the mast and watched Pix fidget in their seat, trying to find a comfortable position as they worked.

Beidou knew who Pix was before she met them. She’s always heard of rumors surrounding her every time she’d be in town, until one day, instead of the townspeople talking about her, they were talking about the Snezhnayan captain in the high ranks of the Fatui. What intrigued her most about this captain is the fact that they’re seen as kind and compassionate unlike any other Fatui visitor they’ve had before. There were even rumors saying that they probably weren’t Fatui, but no one really knows what to believe.

She caught on to one of their aliases — the Rising Sun, taken from the comparisons their troops always made. According to the rumors, Pix was always compared to a sunrise because of their compassion to their troops. They made them feel like a family and an important part of the organization. It was like feeling the warmth of the sun in the early mornings. Once recruits join Pix’s unit, they don’t leave, they die whether it’s by Pix’s graceful hand or another’s. If they ever do die by the captain’s hand, Pix makes sure to make it swift and painless which shows just how merciful they are.

But Beidou wouldn’t actually know what goes on behind the scenes with their guest. They were only rumors after all. She just liked their alias, deriving the pet name she gave them from it.

“Hey, Sunshine.” Beidou said as she approached them. The captain looked groggy and tired when they looked up at her. “Doing work?”

“Y-Yeah—” Pix winced in pain and put a hand over their head.

“You alright?” Beidou asked with a tip of her head.

Pix chuckled painfully. “Just… just a migraine, I think. That and I think the sea sickness’s getting to me. I can’t…” They scrunched the hair under their fingers. “…get work done.”

“I think you’re just tired.” Beidou said. She took the pen and paper from Pix’s hands and sat next to them. “Maybe a break would help.”

At this point, Pix couldn’t answer because of how nauseous they were from the constant rocking of the boat. Beidou took their shoulders and settled their head on her lap. Pix couldn’t protest and their tired eyes just fluttered closed as they slightly curled themselves into a fetal position. They breathed out slowly as Beidou comfortingly caressed their shoulder.

She chuckled at Pix’s vulnerable state. “Comfortable?”

Pix mumbled something incoherent, but Beidou just took it as a yes. Pix’s clenched fists loosened after a while which was hinting them falling asleep. Beidou brushed away the hair from their eyes and saw them comfortable closed. They’d fallen asleep. The blush Pix constantly had on their face lessened significantly since they met back at the harbor. It was probably from the stress of being left behind that made it so red, but now, it was a soft rose color.

Beidou caressed their rosy cheek with the back of her hand, Pix flinching in their sleep from the contact.

“Father… I’ve already done the reports… Let me sleep…” they grumbled, eyebrows scrunching.

“Sorry, Sunshine.” Beidou mumbled, caressing their shoulder to calm them down again.

[maria-scribbles]

glitter + crimson (let’s start a riot)//part one

“and that’s sailor, our resident mermaid, shell collector, surfer chick, and all-around ray of sunshine. she’s always down for a kegger at the boneyard so she can show off her dance moves; they’re not the best but she doesn’t let that stop her from getting down. her mom owns the surf shop on the beach, that’s how jj and i met her when we bought our first boards when we were ten. she’s been part of the crew ever since.” ~john b routledge

pogue sailor flynn just wants to have a great time with her friends this summer and try to ignore the fact that her flight-risk dad took off again to gamble his life (and her family's savings) away in atlantic city, leaving her with a mom who doesn't know how to cope. between surfing at the beach and cruising around on the hms pogue for hours, it's easy to keep her mind off her shitty home life. what isn't so easy though, is trying to deny her feelings for her best friend, jj.

summary: the pogues hit the beach for a day of sand, surf, and shells. sailor commandeers a hat, willingly participates in cardio, makes bank, and has a heart-to-heart with jj.

word count: 4k+ 

ship: jj maybank x oc (sailor flynn) 

warnings: mentions of abuse/neglect/parental abandonment, swearing, fluff, a lot of flirting 

a/n: hi there! i’ve had this little plot bunny in my head for a few weeks now and it wouldn’t leave me alone so here we are! this is the first piece of writing i’ve posted in a very long time so i apologize in advance if it’s terrible. i’m planning on this whole thing being at least eight to ten parts so get ready for the long haul! i actually split this into two parts cause my word count was insane and way too long for one post lmao. let me know what you guys think! title comes from “glitter & crimson” by all time low. also this is unbetaed, so i apologize for any mistakes.

another quick thing: i tried writing this with sailor as an unnamed or y/n reader but it just wasn’t the best. i adore fleshing out characters and i had so many good ideas for her backstory and personality that she kind of just wrote herself and i went with it. i hope you all enjoy reading about sailor as much as i enjoyed writing her!

~Masterlist~

part two | part three | part four | playlist

gif credit goes to @heapass​

part one: catching waves

The beach has always been special to Sailor; the soothing crash of waves against the shore, the warmth of sand under her feet, the comforting feeling of salt drying on her skin. It’s where her mother taught her to surf, where her father taught her to dive, where her friends taught her that family didn’t always mean having shared blood. It’s her home, her place, her safe haven. Nothing is more perfect than a day at the beach with the pogues, her board, and a bucket for shells. 

Today is shaping up to be one of those days. The weather’s balmy, the water’s clear, and most importantly, she hasn’t seen these many perfect shells in quite awhile. Sailor reaches out and grabs the delicate golden scotch bonnet from the ocean floor, inspecting it closely for any cracks or holes. When she finds none, she smiles and runs her fingers over its smooth surface, marveling at the way the sun’s rays filter through the water and make the entire shell shine brilliantly. Although she sells most of the shells she finds at her mom’s surf shop (or gifts them to her friends), this one’s going to be proudly displayed on the shelf in her room. 

She scans the sand for her next target before pushing off from the floor and heading to the surface where Kiara floats on her board, legs dangling in the water as she watches the rest of their group surf. 

“Kie, check this out! It’s a scotch bonnet!” She exclaims, placing the shell beside the half full bucket in front of her friend. Resting both arms on the board, she lets herself take a quick breather as the other girl gently picks up her treasure and turns it over in her hands. 

“Holy shit, how do you always find the good ones?” She asks, gently putting it into the bucket with the others as Sailor shrugs, tucking a wet strand of red hair behind her ear. 

“You guys always say I’m part mermaid, so...” Kiara rolls her eyes and splashes her friend, who just laughs. “Are you done now? We can’t let the guys have all the fun.” 

“Almost, there’s a gorgeous whelk down there that I have to have. Be right back!”

She dives before the dark haired girl can reply, swimming down twenty feet to where she spotted the shell. When she was younger, she used to find the pressure on her ears a bit painful but now she hardly notices, instead focusing on the muffled sound of the waves above. Down here it’s just her and the water: peaceful, quiet, and oh so beautiful, infinitely stretching out in front of her. It used to scare her, the vastness of the deep ocean, the secrets lurking in its depths, the unknown. Now, it brings her comfort. Inspiration. Hope.

She plucks the shell from the sand and heads back the the surface, where three more boards have joined Kiara’s. She swims straight under Pope’s, knowing he’s the most ticklish of the group, and runs the tip of the whelk along the sole of his foot. His yell is so loud she can hear it clear as day under the water and she laughs bubbles as his board wobbles before he topples over with a splash. The other three are still laughing as she surfaces beside her fallen friend and feigns shock.

“What happened? Did he touch a fish again?”

“Oh ha fucking ha. So funny.” Pope deadpans but he’s smiling as Sailor holds his board steady so he can climb back on. “I’m surprised you actually touched my foot, Miss Feet Are Disgusting.”

“First off, smelly, dirty feet are gross. And second, I didn’t,” She replies, pulling herself onto JJ’s board without warning and laughing as he nearly falls off just as Pope had. She sticks her tongue out at him as he shoots her a mock glare and shifts closer to he for balance, their knees knocking together.

“This did, here.” She holds the shell out to Pope, who inspects it like Kiara had done earlier and nods in approval before passing it off to John B.

“It’s...nice, right? It’s a good one?” He asks as he hands it over to Kiara. She meets Sailor’s eyes and shakes her head, mouthing ‘boys’ while carefully placing the whelk in the bucket.

“Seriously, JB-”

“Whoa, wait! I don’t get to see it?” JJ pouts, crossing his arms over his chest and Sailor fixes him with a flat look.

“I seem to remember that you, like a damn child, dropped and broke the last one I let you hold.”

John B laughs so hard he nearly falls off his board while Pope and Kiara glance at each other and hide matching snickers behind their hands. JJ has the decency to look embarrassed as he pleads with her and she tells herself that the slight flush creeping up the back of his neck is just from too much time in the sun, nothing more.

“Hey, I said I was sorry for that and I meant it! I swear I’ll be more careful, please, Sail?”

Trying her best to ignore the little thrill she feels at the sound of her nickname coming from his mouth, she relents with a sigh, “Fine, on one condition.”

He looks at her expectantly as she holds up one finger and points at the black hat turned backwards on his head.

“Gimme that, I can feel my scalp burning as we speak.”

“Holy shit, you’re such a fucking ginger,” He laughs but pulls the cap off anyway, running a hand through his blond hair before fixing it on her head properly, the bill facing forward and giving her eyes a much needed break from the bright summer sun. She only hopes her face feels hot as he lays one hand on her knee and holds the other out to Kiara, palm up. “Fork it over, Kie.”

Kiara hands it to him with a roll of her eyes and then fixes Sailor with a pointed look that the redhead pretends not to see; instead, she watches JJ carefully turn the shell over in his hand before holding it aloft, like Rafiki held Simba in The Lion King.

“Listen up, class- especially you,” He says, the hand resting against her leg pointing at John B, who looks affronted at being called out, much to the amusement of the rest of the group, “This here is a lightning whelk and yes, JB, as a matter of fact, it’s a great one. No holes, minimal damage, and defined markings. Ten out of ten would recommend.”

He passes the shell to Kiara with a satisfied grin as everyone sits in stunned silence, just bobbing up and down with the waves until Pope finally says, “Damn. Better watch out, Sailor! We’ve got a new shell expert in town.”

“Yeah, I don’t think so. I’m not giving up the crown that easily.” As the others burst into laughter, she turns to JJ and pokes him in the side, asking, “Since when you know so much?”

The look he gives her is all mock offense, but his blue eyes are soft as he says, “I always listen when you talk, you know.”

His answer catches her so off-guard that she tries and fails to form a coherent reply as her face flushes before settling on giving him a sweet smile, which he returns with a playful tug on one of the tiny braids in her hair. Out of the corner of her eye, she can see Kiara staring at them with a devious smirk on her face and she knows she’ll be hearing about this later.

“Enough shell talk- no offense, Sail,” John B says, steering his board toward the waves. “We’ve got surfing to do.”

Sailor waves her hand dismissively then reaches over and grabs the bucket from Kiara. “None taken, I’m just gonna drop these off at the shop real quick and I’ll be right back.”

“I’ll go with,” JJ says, popping up onto his knees and turning his board toward the shore. “After all,” He yells toward the rest of the pogues over his shoulder, “you guys need all the practice you can get!” He winks at Sailor and she laughs as she turns to face forward, pulling her legs onto the board and placing the bucket in her lap while the other three flip him off in perfect unison.

The two teenagers paddle toward the beach together and catch a small wave that shoots them straight to shore. JJ holds the board steady as she hops off and then touches his shoulder in thanks before they walk toward where Sailor’s own board is propped in the warm sand with their things. She puts the bucket down and kneels beside it, carefully digging through the haul to find the scotch bonnet.

“There you are, gorgeous.”

“I didn’t go anywhere, babe.”

She snorts at JJ’s quip but doesn’t give him the satisfaction of looking up from wrapping the shell in a small towel and placing it in her backpack (she does blush though, and hopes he doesn’t notice.). As she stands to pull on her shorts, the redhead can’t help but glance at the lightning whelk, sitting pretty in the sand where she put it while looking for the bonnet. It really is beautiful, a ten out of ten as JJ put it, and damn it, she just can’t let it go to some touron who won’t appreciate it. So before she can change her mind, she kneels again to wrap it in another towel and gently nestles it alongside the other shell.

“Chop chop, time’s a wastin.’“ He says, grabbing the bucket with one hand and holding the other out to her; she rolls her eyes but takes it anyway and lets him pull her to her feet, muttering, “Jesus, you’re impatient.”

“It’s all part of the charm. Come on, race ya!” After a quick squeeze to her hand, he drops it and takes off running toward the shop without warning, leaving Sailor scrambling to catch up as she yells, “If you break those shells you’re buying them, Maybank!”

The duo weaves through the crowd of tourons and natives alike, ignoring the dirty looks thrown their way as they run by, kicking sand up in their wake. Fifty feet ahead stands The Sandbar Surf Shop in all its salt-weathered, sun-bleached glory, all but two of the rental boards gone from the stand out front. Alison sits on a stool with one of them on her lap as she waxes it, the boom box resting on the floor beside her blasting The Beach Boys as usual. She looks up in surprise as Sailor bounds onto the deck and slaps her hand against the shop’s door a few seconds before JJ does, both teenagers out of breath.

“Sweet victory!” The redhead shouts, sending a quick wave toward Alison, who returns it with an amused smile and watches the blond roll his eyes, holding the shell bucket close to his chest like a football.

“Victory my ass! I saw you jump over that cooler and that’s cheating.”

“Oh, I cheated? Who gave himself a head start? Oh yeah, you!”

Alison returns the now waxed board to the rack and wipes her hands on a spare rag. “Sounds like you both cheated, so no one wins.” She says with a shrug, chuckling to herself as they both stutter excuses and follow the older redheaded girl into the shop, empty sans for a young boy browsing the display of shells.

“I’ll get your mom.” She says to Sailor before heading through the beaded curtain to the back room and she’s grateful. She doesn’t think she has the strength to go back there anymore.

“I was carrying extra weight,” JJ says, placing the bucket onto the old surfboard-turned-counter and then leaning his back against it, “so I think the head start was justified.”

Sailor props her chin in her hand and drums her fingers along the board’s worn surface, her eyebrow raised. “And I think my jump was justified considering I had some ground to make up from that head start so...”

“Agree to disagree.” They say together, sharing a quick smile before he picks a pair of heart shaped glasses from the stand and puts them on, looking at her over the neon pink frames as he asks in a high-pitched British accent, “What do you think, darling? Too much?”

“No, I think they’re quite dashing!” She bursts out laughing as he strikes a vogue pose, then spins and dramatically leans back against the counter. “Rock that pink.”

“Hell yeah, fuck gender norms!” He says loudly, both middle fingers raised toward the roof.

“In this house, we stan non-toxic masculinity-” she starts, but she’s interrupted by a stern voice from behind the counter that says, “If you’re not going to buy those, put ‘em back, kid.”

Sailor’s mother sweeps into view and stares pointedly at JJ, who hastily stands up straight and returns the glasses to their place on the display as Alison silently heads back outside, shooting both teens a small, awkward smile.

“Sorry, Mrs. Flynn.”

Sailor wants to tell him there’s nothing to apologize for, that he did nothing wrong, but she knows he already knows that, so instead she just scoots a little closer and presses her hip against his. His hand moves to rest on her lower back in thanks and her whole body feels the sparks from his touch.

“I-I found some good ones today, Mom.” She says, pulling shells from the bucket one by one and lining them up on the counter. “A few coquinas, some scallops, a whelk or two...”

She trails off when Carmen doesn’t respond and looks down at her hands, twisting her fingers together anxiously as her mother inspects each shell. her face blank. JJ’s thumb starts to run tiny circles on her back and she concentrates on the feel of his ring, warm and soothing against her bare skin, instead of the fact that her mother hasn’t even glanced her way yet. She hasn’t looked her in the eye in almost three months.

The silence is thick in the air until Carmen finishes her evaluation and gives a small nod in her daughter’s direction. “Good job.” She says, heading to the register and pulling out some cash before counting out five twenties and holding them out to Sailor, her eyes fixed on a point somewhere over the teenager’s shoulder. She swallows thickly and takes the money with a near inaudible thank you, slipping it into her back pocket before grabbing the now empty bucket and nudging JJ toward the door with her hip.

As she’s about to cross the threshold she pauses with one hand on the door frame and turns back, asking, “Hey, Mom? Are...are you gonna come home tonight?”

Carmen’s brown eyes only meet her green ones for a split second before she looks away to fiddle with the register and Sailor can’t help feeling the dull stab of disappointment as she says, “Oh, um, I don’t think so. I’m pretty busy here with, uh, inventory, bookkeeping...”

(That stab used to be sharp as a knife, cutting her to the bone, but she’s almost gotten used to the pain.)

“Oh, right. Just...text me if you do, okay?” She takes one last look at her mother, bathed in the cool shadows of the shop that’s tearing her apart before turning and stepping back into the bright sunlight without another word, her throat tight. She’s not sure Carmen was even listening anymore.

“See ya later, brat.” Alison calls to her as she lets the screen door swing shut behind her with a slight bang. The older girl may not be related to her by blood but she’s most definitely Sailor’s honorary big sister, having babysat her for years in addition to working at the shop, so she waves to her with a small smile and a “bye, ho” before joining JJ on the beach.

The duo slowly starts walking along the water together, a stark contrast from their earlier mad dash and Sailor’s mind races with a million thoughts, most of them her hating herself for foolishly putting a scrap of faith in her mom once again.

“Whoa, you okay? That bucket’s not going anywhere, promise.” He says, pulling them to a stop with a gentle tug on her elbow and reaching down to take it from her clenched hand. She doesn’t even realize she was holding it that hard until she sees the little half moons pressed into her palm from her nails and she sighs, rubbing them away with her thumb.

Opening up has always been something Sailor struggles with, even with a friend group as close as the pogues. She’s the one who’s all sunshine and good vibes, the one everyone goes to for cheering up, the one that’s always...happy. She’s the friend who listens, the open ear, the trusted confidante. She knows all her friends struggles: John B’s fear of being abandoned that often keeps him up at night, Kiara’s terrible guilt over leaving her friends behind during her kook year, Pope’s feeling of drowning under his dad’s impossible expectations, JJ’s abusive household that has him convinced he’s not worthy of love. Every secret she holds close to her heart, guarding them with impenetrable walls that no one can break through.

The walls protecting her own secrets, though? They may be strong around the others but they crumble like sand when she’s alone with the boy standing beside her, his hand still holding her elbow as he starts drawing circles on her skin once again. Talking to JJ has always come easy to her, almost infuriatingly so, and she has no qualms about calling him her best friend. While the other pogues know she’s been having some problems at home with her flight-risk dad and indifferent mom, none of them know almost the full story like he does, just as none of them know exactly how horrible his father really is.

(She knows. She’s seen the aftermath far too often and has been there each time, cleaning cuts, soothing bruises, holding him in her arms and never wanting to let him go.)

“I just...don’t know what to do anymore.” She can feel him watching her as she talks and she avoids his gaze like her mother avoided hers, instead staring out at the ocean. In the distance, she sees one of their friends -Kiara, she thinks- drop in on a wave while the other two look on a little further away. “She won’t even look at me and I don’t know what I did wrong.”

“Hey, it’s not you, got it? God, you’re...perfect, Sail.” JJ says softly, so soft that the crashing surf nearly drowns the sound of his voice as the water washes over their bare feet. Sailor curses the fact that she blushes so easily because her whole face is on fire at his words, and she’s so distracted that she almost misses what he says next.

“Your mom’s always, uh, weird when your dad dips. It’ll be better when he comes back.”

Her heart clenches in her chest. If only it were that simple. She turns to face him and meets his eyes, blue as the ocean, open and honest, and sends him a smile that lacks its usual brightness. “I think you might be right, J. For once.”

His thumb stills on the crook of her elbow and she knows he knows she’s not telling him everything. She feels like she should say something, anything- apologize, explain herself, just tell him the damn truth- but before she can even open her mouth he says, “Listen, I get it.”

She can feel the hand on her arm start to slip away and she grabs it between both of hers, her voice tight as she says, “No, you listen. Today’s been...so perfect and I don’t wanna bring everyone down with my problems.”

“You know they won’t mind.”

(She does, but that’s beside the point.)

“I know they won’t, but I do.”

It’s her turn to run her thumb in circles on the back of his hand now as she continues, “I’ll tell you everything later, okay?”

“You don’t have to-” He starts but she smiles, genuine and bright this time, and cuts him off.

“I want to, J. And I will, promise.” Like a child, she holds her pinky out expectantly. He quickly glances down at her hand and then meets her eyes again before finally returning her smile, showing off that dimple that makes her heart skip a beat, and hooking his finger around hers.

“Come on, we’ve got waves to catch and friends to show up.” He says and just like that they’re back to normal. Sailor’s hyper aware of the fact that her pinky is still linked with JJ’s, but he doesn’t pull away as they start walking back to their things again and she can’t help but hold on a little tighter. She doesn’t think he notices until he walks a little closer, his shoulder brushing hers; out of the corner of her eye, she sees him smile and feels herself mirroring him without a thought, her cheeks turning as red as her hair.

Talking with him may be the easiest thing to do for her, but flirting comes in a close second. It’s natural: the teasing, the casual touches, and especially the clothes stealing (a good fifth of her sweatshirts probably actually belong to him). He’s the biggest flirt she knows, with that bad boy swagger and killer smile that make all the giggling touron girls fall over themselves to get to him. She tells herself it’s fine, that she’s so not jealous, when he dances with them at keggers on the beach, whispering things in their ears that make them blush, taking their hands and leading them away to dark corners or the spare room at the Chateau. After all, there’s the one golden rule of their group: no pogue on pogue macking, so friends is all they’ll ever be, all they can be.

She tells herself she’s fine with it, really. Being his friend is better than being nothing at all, and she wouldn’t trade his friendship for the world. Deep down though, she’d give anything to kiss him again -the first time was when she was eleven and JJ had just turned twelve, awkward yet sweet, the day she first saw the full extent of his dad’s abuse- but she holds herself back, unwilling to ruin the relationship that means so much to her. And sometimes, like now, she thinks (hopes) that he’s holding back, too.

Their pinkies linger together when they come to a stop at their things, both holding on just a bit longer than what’s considered friendly before their hands drop away. Sailor feels his eyes on her as she pulls off her shorts, money still in the back pocket, and stuffs them in her bag.

(So she just might’ve taken them off a little bit -okay, a lot- slower because he was watching, sue her.)

“I hope you know this is mine, now.” She points to his hat before freeing her board from the sand and waiting for him to do the same, hand on her hip.

“It looks better on you, anyway. Here,” He says, taking a step closer and reaching up with one hand to turn the cap backwards. “Don’t want you to lose it.” His finger brushes along her jaw when he drops his arm and she feels her breath catch as she replies, “Wouldn’t dream of it.”

JJ smiles at that, then nods toward the waves. “Race ya? I’ll play fair this time.”

“Nah, but I’m glad you can admit that you cheated!” She says, pausing for a second to laugh at the way his jaw drops before she takes off running and leaves him hurrying to catch up. “I’m proud of you!”

“I changed my mind, I want my hat back now, Flynn!” He yells after her and she just laughs harder as they splash into the ocean.

-

tagging some of my fave writers ❤: @pogue-writings​ @o-b-x​ @jjbabyouterbanks​ @heywards​ @obxsummer​ @jjmaybanky​

let me know what you think!