#banking convenience

[rottengurlz]

she’s like if the virgin mary smoked a pack of pall malls every day 🚬

[inthedarktrees]

Twin Peaks: Fire Walk with Me (1992) dir. David Lynch

[deadpcnned]

Sealed by the Storm (jj.m)

chapter one

pairing: jj maybank x reader; marriage of convenience

content warning(s): none, just angst

author's note: first chapter! i didn't expect it all to be in jj's pov lol. PLEASE read the author's note here, but i want to reiterate that this fic is canon-compliant up until season 4, ep. 5. for example, in this chapter we learn there are still a few days before the court hearing regarding the maybank property. this story will not be canon-compliant from this chapter onwards!

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JJ can feel the air in his lungs running out, and the pressure from the wind and rain around him only speeds up the process. He’ll have to stop running soon, his endurance can only last so long, but until then he needs to run. Run away from the lighthouse that Luke is maybe still shouting from. Run away from the lies. Run away from his remaining hope for the man who raised him — if you can call it that. 

JJ’s on autopilot, not having to think about where he’ll go. He’s always known where his feet take him in these moments of desperation. The place has changed, ironically from the Chateau to the place he used to run from, but the reason has stayed the same. The people have stayed the same. Still, he can’t think straight. The pinching feeling in his chest is growing and he knows what’s next. The pinch will get tighter until it feels like his weight has collapsed on itself, landing right on his weak heart. Usually, the pressure builds quickly. Right now, though, it’s a slow build. Those are always the worst. Sometimes, when the build is slow and sneaky, the pain doesn’t go away until the next day. 

He can’t let it stop him right now though. Not until he’s back at the shop with the other Pogues. It’s probably not much longer before he’ll reach the boat that will take him where he wants to be, needs to be. It doesn’t ease the pressure in his chest, but it clears his mind a bit. It lets him think just a little longer about what’s next. He’ll drive it as quickly as he can and head straight to the Pogues, then he’ll tell them what happened. They’ll help him. He knows they will. 

As he steps onto the boat and starts to undock, the rain still falling steadily, he thinks of what the Pogues are probably doing right now. Wait. Shit, Shit, Shit. 

They’re not home, not all of them at least. The Pogues had gone to follow the clues left behind regarding Blackbeard’s treasure, but Kiara was home. She was there alone, waiting just for him, to make sure he didn’t get in any trouble he couldn’t get out of. That should’ve been enough. Knowing Kiara would be there should’ve made his path clearer, like the break of dawn in the dark, rainy night surrounding him. Yet, it’s like his hands moved without his permission, turning him away from his intended path. JJ turns the boat around, buying himself time before he eventually makes it back to the surf shop. For now, he just needed to think. The solitude would do him some good, let him think about the lies Luke had just tried to sell him. JJ could handle this. 

He hadn’t expected to return the next day, but every time JJ thought he was closer to driving the boat home, he’d start reeling again. He didn’t want to go back to the Pogues at the height of his emotional turmoil, especially when what Luke said was no doubt bullshit. His friends didn’t have parents who were in the running for some Parent of the Year award — well, maybe Pope— but they also didn't have Luke Maybank as a parent. Their parents could be murderers and treasure hunt junkies, but they loved their children. The worst of them still took their last breaths for his daughter. Forget loving him, Luke’s only thoughts regarding JJ were about how he could get his next crash gab. He was willing to give away his title as JJ’s dad at the first opportunity of something better. It was embarrassing– humiliating to let them see just how unloved he was by his father. 

“JJ where have you been?” JJ’s eyes met Kiara’s as she stood up from where she was crouched in her garden. JJ looked away, training his gaze on the crops surrounding them. He could still remember how excited Kie had been when she had started the garden. She had spent an entire smoke sesh sprouting predictions about how far each crop would come within a three-year timeline. Now, he didn’t even know if she’d be able to see the results of her hard work or if some Kooks would bulldoze the whole thing in a few weeks. JJ cringes, looking back to Kie. It was easier to look at her than their withering dreams. 

“Long story,” He mumbled. “Where are the others?” 

“Almost here, why? What happened?” JJ suppressed his groan at her questioning. He knew his lies never got past her, but that didn’t mean he wouldn’t still try. 

“Nothing, Kie,” His insistence was met with a deadpan look. 

“Don’t lie to me.”

“It…” JJ ran his hand through his hair, jaw clenching. This was the part of the conversation he was dreading most, admitting that Luke was back and he never even told him. Somehow the fact that Luke didn’t find it worth telling JJ he was back on the island was worse than the lies he had spun. “Doesn’t matter. It’s just my dad.” Dad. 

“Oh shit. He’s back?”

“Yep,” JJ did his best to hide how badly this was affecting him. Whether it was believable or not, he didn’t know. “He’s been holding up at Barracuda Mike’s, I guess.”

“JJ…” 

“Don’t,” JJ said, putting a hand up. “I don’t wanna talk about it.” 

JJ let the silence stretch between them, debating his next words. How could he say this without sounding like he’d gone too far off the rails this time?

“He…uh…” Kie moved closer, watching her step as she approached JJ.

“Yeah?”

“He… told me he wasn’t my real dad,” Kiara looks at JJ for a second which feels much too long before she smirks at him.

“You wish,” It does feel like a cruel joke, but even if it’s a lie, Luke wasn’t trying to be humorous. 

“Kie, it wasn’t a joke. Like, he was being…I don’t know what he was being, but,” JJ trailed off, reaching into his pocket. He pulled out the crumpled letter, he’d been turning over in his hands every couple hours since he received it. 

“I got this,” JJ mumbled, waving the letter in his trembling hands. Unfolding the letter haphazardly, JJ extended it for Kiara to take. Kiara wiped her hands against her shorts one more time, before taking the letter.

The sound of grass crunching underfoot pulled both their gazes toward an approaching figure. Y/N stepped into view, her expression calm but with the slightest arch of her brow. She held an apple in one hand, idly passing it between her hands.

“What’s that?” Y/N asked, her gaze trained on the letter Kie had yet to read. JJ reached out and snatched the letter back from Kie’s hands, stuffing it in his pocket again.

“Nothin’,” JJ replied, his tone clipped. Y/N’s gaze lingered on JJ’s pocket as she took a bite of her apple. In response, she simply hummed and let her gaze trail back to JJ’s. Looking between the two girls,  JJ searched for a way to avoid any more discussion. “You two didn’t go with the others?” He directed the question to Kiara even though he knew she had stayed behind.

“Kie said she was gonna wait for you, so I decided to stay back with her. In case she needed backup,” Y/N shrugged. 

“Backup for sitting in a garden?” 

“Backup for whatever trouble you’d inevitably bring back. Guess I called that one.” Y/N nodded her head at JJ’s pocket, her tone sharp but not necessarily unkind. Still it was a sharp contrast to the usual warmth she showed the others. JJ felt that familiar itch of irritation crawl up his spine, igniting sometnhing raw within him. It always seemed to happen when Y/N was around him lately, like she merely existed to remind him of every single one of his shortcomings. 

 “You figure out whatever was more important than helping us?” she added. 

Two years ago, JJ couldn’t have imagined he’d feel this way about her. This tension hadn’t always existed between them, not until a few months ago. Y/N had been with Cleo and their ship captain, Terrance, since she was 14, which meant that she’d been with Cleo when helping John B and Sarah try to retreive the Royal Merchant gold in the Bahamas. When it came time to decide if their alliance would shift to something more, she’d turned to Cleo for guidance. It was Cleo who decided that they’d join the Pogues from that point onwards.  

When Y/N and Cleo had first joined them on Poguelandia, it had been a wonder how effortlessly they fit in with their unconventional family. They may not have had the same heartfelt bond that was cultivated over years of knowing one another, but he and Y/N had shared many laughs, just the two of them. They didn’t feel like they meant much at the time, but he would find himself clinging to those memories like a lifeline– a reminder that she didn’t always look at him with such disfavor. 

JJ always thought Y/N was funny in a way that went under the radar – a quiet, cutting kind of humor. She’d let out a sarcastic comment under her breath or give a look that had impeccable comedic timing. JJ was often the only person to catch these little moments and in return he’d get a small smirk. She was still funny, still fun, but it was like any time JJ was near her she lost the ability to even pretend she didn’t hate him. Her smile would disappear when he’d try to make a joke or suggest an activity for the group to do, albeit those suggestions were usually a little reckless.  He understood that he wasn’t anyone’s favorite person right now, but he didn’t understand why it seemed like Y/N had a personal grudge against him. Now, every look she gave him felt like judgement he couldn’t escape, and every word seemed calculated to remind him of how much he’d messed up. Can’t a man make a few mistakes without being chased with metaphorical pitchforks? Jesus. 

Since Terrance’s death, Y/N had been reeling. Her version of reeling at least. Turning in on herself, withdrawing form everyone else. She had seemed like a shell of the person he had come to know. At this moment, she seemed to be doing better and JJ was relieved to see it. It didn’t matter what was happening between them, if a Pogue was in pain JJ felt it. But he wasn’t relieved enough to be glad he was at the receiving end of the anger that had started to become far too familiar. 

“Yeah,” JJ rolled his eyes, turning away from Y/N. “Something like that.” If Y/N was going to say something, she never got the chance because just then the Pogues were pulling in with the Twinkie. JJ looked towards Kiara, widening his eyes as if to say ‘Keep this a secret, please?” Kiara furrowed her brows, clearly not receiving the message, and looked to Y/N to see if she understood. JJ groaned looking back at Y/N, as well. Seeming to get the message, Y/N snorted and rolled her eyes.

“Relax. I’m going,” She said before walking towards the other Pogues as they got out of the Twinkie. 

“Can we, uh…not tell them,” JJ sighed, looking back to see if the Pogues would be able to hear him from where they were gathered. “I mean I just don’t want them to know how far Luke would actually go. You know, to get some cash.” Kiara nodded, giving him a small smile.

“Another one of our little secrets?” JJ smirked, nodding in agreement. He took one more glance behind him, before stepping closer to whisper his next words.

“A secret for the streets and a secret for the sheets,” JJ winked, causing Kiara to groan at the cliche and JJ to burst out laughing. Suddenly, a blur of blonde hair sped past JJ and Kiara, knocking JJ’s shoulder as it went.

“What’s wrong with Sarah?” JJ asked turning to find Pope walking closer to him.

“Rat swarm,” Pope said, a dazed look in his eyes as he followed Sarah inside. 

Rat swarm?

“The weirdest part is other people were looking for the same thing we were looking for,” Pope’s movements are animated and his voice passionate as he recalls what he and Sarah saw in the catacomb. JJ’s trying his best to push the past twenty-four hours out of his thoughts and focus on his friends, but he keeps catching himself thinking ‘What next?’ on a never-ending loop. 

“I hate that I missed that,” He hears Kie say, but he’s not sure what she’s referring to exactly. His absentmindedness is why he takes a minute too long to respond when John B directs a question to him. 

“Where’d you ghost off to, big guy?” John B asks, his expression a mix between expectant and worried. JJ stands up from where he’s slumped against the railing, turning to look at Kiara to make sure she’s not about to give anything away. But as he turns to look at Kie, he catches Y/N staring at him. She’d been looking at him oddly for the past twenty minutes that they’d all been gathered on the patio, but he figured she was just at her witends with him again. Now, her expression has suddenly intensified and she’s looking at him like she knows something. But that’s impossible. 

Looking at Y/N, he replied. “Oh, I was, uh… just trying to help out the team. Quick cash grab. Yeah.” His voice seems a bit lost as he explains, but he shrugs and clears his throat. “But the plan fell through, ‘cause it was Barracuda Mike.” 

“As much as I’d hate to hear JJ tell us that story,” He hears Y/N cut in, not a trace of her previous insight left for anyone to see. “We need to talk about the zoning hearing. It’s in a few days.” Was her frustration real or was Y/N covering for him?

“Anyone got any ideas?” Cleo asks, walking to sit next to Pope. 

“Oh, yeah, let me just study up on real estate–” Pope’s quip is silenced by a single look shot at him by Cleo. “Sorry.” 

JJ hears Y/N chuckle at that and he smiles as he looks at her. Y/N is generous with her laughs, as long as JJ isn’t involved, but they’re always genuine when she’s watching Cleo and Pope interact. He remembers she’d once told him something was healing about watching Cleo and Pope together, but he’d never gotten the chance to ask her what she meant. 

“How about we call people,” John B suggests, ever the leader. “The whole island’s pissed about what they’ve been doing. We get everybody over there, pack the house, and rally the troops.” 

“More the merrier,” JJ nods. “I could get the surf squad out there. From the beach.” 

And just like that, the Pogues are all brainstorming how they can help and who they can call. JJ hears Kiara mention something about Rafe Cameron, but he still feels a swell of hope as he thinks about all the Pogues on the island showing up to fight for the shop. He’s mistrusting of hope, because of what it inevitably leads to, but he always falls for it. That low thrum seems to course through his veins and grows with each passing moment. That feeling is like the antithesis of when he feels his heart pinch. It’s better than any drugs or alcohol that he usually uses as a mask for his darkest thoughts. It also has  a worse crash down to reality than both combined. 

Unfortunately, it seems he won’t be experiencing the full high of hope, because as the group disperses to handle their individual tasks, the last person he’d expect to willingly talk to him is stood in front of him.

“Um, yes?” JJ tilts his head at Y/N, who’s bouncing slightly on her feet. That’s odd. Y/N’s a very collected person, more in control of her emotions than the average person. She’s so much like Cleo in that way and which makes sense considering the upbring they’ve had. So to see her in obvious distress about something is far from normal. “You okay?”

“Yeah…” Y/N nods, but as JJ makes a move to side step her, she steps backwards blocking his exit. “JJ, I made a mistake.” Okay… but why is she coming to him?

“What happened?” Y/N lifts her hand, which he didn’t notice she was holding behind her back until now, and reveals a crumpled piece of paper. A very familiar crumpled piece of paper. JJ’s hand flies to his left pocket where he thought Wes Genrette’s letter was safely tucked away. 

“How…?” 

“Are you really asking me that?” Y/N’s eyebrow arches because everyone knows she’s neck in neck with Cleo for best pick pocket. It’s almost funny, but really it’s not. JJ clenches his jaw, snatching the letter from Y/N. He needs to leave. 

“JJ, wait,” Y/N blocks his exit again and JJ huffs, taking multiple steps away from her. “I’m sorry. I didn’t know it was personal.”

“You didn’t know a letter I clearly did not want you to read was personal? Really?” JJ’s just grateful that no one else is at the shop right now and he can be as pissed as he wants. “How dare you take this from me?”

“I had to make sure.” JJ doesn’t have to ask her what she means by that. She had to make sure it wasn’t something else he’d drop on all their heads when they were already so far under the water. 

“Huh,” JJ gives a mirthless chuckles, shaking his head. “You had to make sure I didn’t fuck up.” Y/N looks away, but she doesn’t attempt to convince him otherwise. She takes a moment before straightening her posture and facing him head on. 

“I’m sorry. I shouldn’t have read it and I should’ve trusted you enough to know what was worth sharing and what wasn’t.” He knows she means it, that she truly is sorry. 

“Whatever,” JJ never claimed to be a mature guy. 

“Okay…” 

“Alright.” JJ waits a minute and when he hopes the conversation is finally over, he starts to leave. But what’d he say about hope? You inevitably crash down.

“For what it’s worth,” JJ sighs, looking over his shoulder at Y/N. “I think you should talk to him.” When JJ doesn’t respond she clarifies, “To Groff.”

JJ turns towards her, a chill running down his spine. “You do?” JJ’s compass for good ideas is in dire need of calibration, but even he feels like this is very obviously not a good idea.

“Yeah. You deserve to know if he’s your… or if Genrette was off base.” 

“I think we both know that he’s way off base.” JJ’s arms cross with an air of nonchalance that doesn’t suit him. “Why bother asking?” 

Y/N purses her lips in thought, like she’s debating whether to say what she’s thinking. He’s not sure what she decides, because all she says before patting him on the shoulder and leaving is:

“Maybe. But whatever you decide, don’t do it alone.” 

[sexhaver]

i've been listening to Not Like Us on repeat since it dropped and it's blowing me away how catchy it is. it's so unbelievably funny that he pulled DJ Mustard out of semi-retirement for this

[potatoes-tomatoes]

my brand is drawing characters that are so eepi 🙃

[river-of-wine]

Replaying RDR2! It’s Molly time

[neechees]

Tricked & coerced into watching my niblings again.

[pastelchad]

Sekaiichi hatsukoi is so much fun bc the tyrannical boss who takes their job way too seriously and the new employee who doesn’t know a damn thing is such a relatable concept and you can plop the entire cast into whatever au you want and it would still work just as well

[pilonciillo]

lol didn’t think someone giving money would give me anxiety

[coyoxxtl]

when people say falin had “pretty girl privilege” with how people treated her autism are insane like, she wasnt at that magic school by choice, she was sent there by her father because everyone in their community shunned her. and when she was there everyone but marcille thought she was a weirdo and didn’t fuck with her so, literally what are y’all talking about

[bimdraws]

I am queer for Palestine because bombing Gaza also kills LGBT+ Palestinians. The bombs and the IDF won't stop and ask you if you are gay.

I'm queer for Palestine because my support of human rights isn't just for people who agree with me. I don't want homophobes to die.

I'm queer for Palestine because homophobia is everywhere and flat out genocide would never solve that. Are you seriously arguing that it's morally justified to bomb every "homophobic country" on Earth? Because we wouldn't be left with much.

I'm queer for Palestine because I've been listening to queer voices in Palestine.

I'm queer for Palestine because there will never be freedom for queer Palestinians without liberation for all Palestinians.

I'm queer for Palestine because I refuse to engage in racist portrayals of another ethnic group by colonizers.

I'm queer for Palestine because there's no safe zone in Gaza anymore and I can't be comfortable with that as thousands of people, men, women, children, have died and will continue to do so under Israeli regime.

[theladyofshalott1989]

Hogtober, Day 18: Gringotts

On Monday, Sebastian and Damien arrived at Diagon Alley early, allowing for the possibility that Ominis might be able to slip away sooner than expected.

Sebastian's anticipation was palpable; he was apprehensive about seeing Ominis, torn between the desire to hear about Anne's worsening condition and an instinctive aversion to facing the grim reality. It was a perplexing mix of emotions, as though avoiding the news from Ominis somehow kept the harsh truth that she may be dying at bay.

Ominis hadn’t arrived yet. Damien sat on the ground, leaning against the impressive white marble facade of Gringotts while Sebastian paced.

“How do you suppose Ominis will get here? And how will he get around?” Damien asked, glancing up at Sebastian, his hand shielding his eyes from the blazing sun.

“Floo, I’m sure. I think he’s mentioned before that his fireplace has a connection to Diagon Alley.”

“That’s convenient.”

“Very.”

⭐ Ch. 25 ("Diagon Alley") from "Book Two: Burning Bright" on [AO3] and [Wattpad]

[tideswept]

i may be cheating going for a second word in the wip game! i may be a roguish internet maverick. choose whichever prompt you will, but my second request is "scream"

! darn. The only scream I have in the WIP mines is one I already posted. :( (and of course it was Obi-Wan screaming in agony, of course.)

but as you've been a very brave maverick, I will choose a new word for you. And that word is--(multiple sources whisper urgently in my ear) bath, because I know you got it, and let's--

Oh. Oh.

From the camboy Obikin AU! (aka, 20 year old Anakin tries to do Only Fans)

---

It was getting late. Do-or-die time.

Anakin twisted the doorknob, making sure it was locked, and tucked a towel around the door gap to muffle as much noise as possible. Ahsoka walking to her room didn't need to hear what he was up to.

The warm glow of a bedside lamp cast hazy shadows on the walls, illuminating but not revealing everything. He thought it made his skin glow, showing off all the sunbathing he’d done over the summer while working outside.

He tugged his shirt off, throwing it to the side. He lifted the laptop from the desk, bringing it over to the bed.

For a moment, he considered the sheets, then tugged them off, letting them flutter to the floor. They were Egyptian cotton, so pricey that he’d protested to Obi-Wan that they’d get ruined just from the piss-poor quality of the water at school, but Obi-Wan had merely promised to buy another set if that happened.

This was the problem with rich people, Anakin groused. They couldn't appreciate things the way someone growing up with nothing but the clothes on his back did. He was not about to ruin his costly sheets by getting them soaked in lube. And other liquids.

But primarily lube.

[9w1ft]

Don't you find the strict rules of society in Japan overwhelming for you and the kids?

not one bit