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miazetomer · 1 month ago

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Heartless | Rafe Cameron x pogue(ish)!fem!reader (Part VII)

Warnings: 18+ MDNI, angst, fluff, smut, alcohol use, drug use, mention of abortion, takes place during season four, the usual

Summary: You were back on Kildare after two years. You were able to finish your business degree at UNC Chapel Hill in just two years after earning enough college credits in high school. But, you came back as a force to be reckoned with. You had your own very successful development company which just so happened to be Cameron Development’s newest competition. Two years later and you’re still finding ways to get under Rafe’s skin.

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♡♡♡

You stepped off your family’s private jet at the Kildare airport. The strong smell of salt and sea water hitting you like a train. The last time you were at this airport you saw your then-boyfriend, Rafe Cameron, kill Sheriff Peterkin.

Two years earlier…

“What did you do Rafe?” You said breathlessly as you ran into the Cameron estate.

“I-I had to, baby, you saw what was happening. She was gonna get my dad.” Rafe said, pacing around. He looked crazy. You always knew there was something different about your boyfriend, but you didn’t think he was capable of murder. “I-I needed to save my dad.”

That was the last time you saw him. After that, you stayed in The Cut, didn’t go anywhere you knew where he would be, you stopped helping John B and JJ with the hunt for the gold, you basically became a recluse until you left for school.

Everyone had kept you up to date on their adventures. You even let them stay at your family’s house in Barbados when they needed some place to stay.

After settling in at your mom’s house, you quickly made the drive to the newly established Poguelandia.

“Y/n.” Sarah cheered with a smile, running over to you. You quickly hugged her as the two of you jumped up and down, smiles plastered across your faces. It felt like suddenly you were sixteen years old again, seeing your best friend after you were in Europe for the summer.

You thought you were going to cry when you saw your brother. You left Sarah’s side and ran over to him, practically tackling him to the ground as you hugged him.

“You know, I expected the first hug, but the second one is fine too.” JJ joked, returning your hug. His voice was like music to your ears. It broke your heart to leave him here on Kildare, but you needed to get out of here, away from everything and everyone.

“You are never hunting for gold, ever again.” You warned, pointing your finger at him. “I’ve never been so worried in my life when my mom called to tell me you were a missing person. She came and got you right? From the airport.”

“Yeah, yeah.” He answered, nodding his head. “She actually let me crash at her place for a while.”

“Good.” You smiled before walking over to John B.

“You know when you left I was pretty certain you were never coming back.” John B said as he hugged you. “You had me pretty worried.”

“Never say never, JB.” You returned the hug with a smile before moving over to hug Kie and Pope. “You must be Cleo.” You smiled towards the girl who you didn’t recognize but had heard plenty about.

Everyone hung out in the backyard and you told them all about your company that was quickly taking off and they told you about the business they started in the backyard.

“So, like, do you have an assistant now?” Sarah asked, knocking her shoulder against yours.

“I do.” You answered, cringing a little. You never imagined having your own assistant, you always thought it was pretentious, but when things started piling up, you realized quickly you would need one.

When the pogues told you about what happened at the Enduro, you felt a fresh wave of anger surge through you. The type of anger you hadn’t felt in a long time. The type of anger only one person has ever been able to bring out in you, Rafe Cameron.

“I’ll see you guys later.” You muttered, standing up and pulling your car keys out of your jean shorts pocket.

You raced to the Cameron estate, typing in the gate code that you had had memorized since you were a kid. You quickly pulled into the driveway once the gate opened and got out of your car, slamming the door shut. You thought about just storming in there like you owned the place, but instead you took a second and knocked on the door politely. You knew that if you pounded on the door, no one would open it, probably terrified.

“Y/n.” Sofia said softly when she opened the door.

“Where is he?” You were fuming. Sofia didn’t know a lot about you, but she knew when you were angry, not to try to stand in your way.

“H-He’s upstairs in his bathroom.” She answered and you pushed past her, before running up the stairs.

You pushed open the door to his bedroom, a room you spent countless nights and hours in, but before you let yourself reminisce, you walked into his bathroom. The bathroom was steamy, Rafe obviously just got out of the shower as he wrapped a towel around his waist. He looked up at the sound of the door opening expecting Sofia, but his smile dropped when he saw you. His eyes raked over you, he thought you looked good, older, more mature. But when his eyes landed on your face, he already knew you were pissed.

“Y/n.” He said cautiously.

“Are you crazy?” You walked over to him and pushed him, but Rafe barely moved. “You could’ve killed him.” Another push. Rafe almost killing JJ wasn’t the only reason you were pushing Rafe, it was like every emotion you had suppressed about Rafe was suddenly bubbling to the surface and threatening to spill over. “Seriously, do you ever think? You told me in that letter you wrote that JJ would be off limits, no matter what.”

“You read my letter?”

“Yes, I read your twenty page letter! But, that doesn’t change anything, Rafe, you still almost killed my fucking brother!”

“Let’s not be overdramatic, I tapped his bike and he fell.”

“Really? You just tapped it? Is that why you both went flying?”

“Oh, I see why you’re so upset, you were worried about me.” Rafe smirked down at you, crossing his arms over his chest.

“Worried about you? Please, Rafe, I haven’t worried about you in two years.” You scoffed, crossing your own arms. But the truth was, you did worry about Rafe. Not about his physical well being, but his sanity. You worried about it every day since he killed Peterkin.

“Right, and that’s why you didn’t send those flowers when my dad died?”

“I-I didn’t send any flowers.” You were lying straight through your teeth. Of course you sent flowers when you heard Ward had died, you wanted Rafe to know you would always be there for him without him knowing it was you.

“Really? Y/n, your signature flower was in the bouquet.” Your face faltered a little, you knew you shouldn’t have put those stupid flowers in the bouquet, but you wanted to do something that showed it was you, even if Rafe didn’t realize it. You never would’ve thought he would remember what your favorite flower was.

“I’m not here to talk about what happened almost two years ago, Rafe, I’m here to talk about yesterday.”

“What happened, happened, y/n, there’s nothing you can do to change it.”

“No, but you can apologize.”

“Apologize? To a pogue?”

“Look, I’m giving you until the end of the night to apologize and if I find out you didn’t, I will ruin your life, Cameron.”

As you turned to leave, Rafe called out saying, “I’ll see you later tonight, Thornton.”

That was your breaking point. The idea that Rafe would show up at your homecoming party with the help hanging off his arm pissed you off to no end. Every emotion you felt coming back here was boiling over and you picked up the closest thing to you, throwing it towards Rafe’s head. But, Rafe ducked before the glass hit his head, smashing against the wall.

With that you turned on your heel and walked out of the Cameron estate, driving just next door to start getting ready for your homecoming party.

“Everything okay?” Sofia asked Rafe, standing in the doorway to the bathroom.

“Everything’s fine.” Rafe responded, a little snappy. “Just an old friend saying hi.”

“An old friend? Or an old girlfriend?”

Sofia knew all about your relationship with Rafe. She would see the two of you at the club, golfing together or playing tennis, grabbing lunch or getting drinks. She saw how happy the two of you looked, until you stopped showing up one day. No more golf or tennis games, no more lunch, no more drinks before going to get dinner at an expensive restaurant. No more you.

That was when she swooped in. She attempted to put Rafe back together piece by piece, but it was like none of the pieces fit each other. Eventually, she just accepted she would never get to experience the love he had with you for herself, just happy that she had Rafe to herself for the time being. In the back of her head she knew you would come back one day, but she just kept that thought locked up, ready to deal with it when the time came. But, now the time has come and she doesn’t know if she’s ready to deal with losing Rafe.

♡♡♡

You walked through your childhood home’s backyard, with a glass of champagne, saying hello to everyone you came across. This was your chance to network on Kildare, gain the clientele and investors you really wanted and needed to start building on Kildare. Your eyes darted over to a table by the house and there he stood, talking to people you had just chatted up. You excused yourself from the table you stood at and made your way over, downing your glass of champagne before putting it on a server’s tray.

“The woman of the hour.” An older man said with a smile, raising his glass towards you, you returned the smile with your own, followed by a quick hello.

“I hope I’m not interrupting anything important.” You laughed politely. “I was just wondering if I could borrow Mr. Cameron here just for a moment.” You put your hand on Rafe’s bicep, looking up at him with the fakest smile you could muster.

“Of course.” The older man responded with a small nod of his head.

“Thank you.” You excused the two of from the table, dropping your hand from Rafe’s arm as you walked in front of him, leading him to the porch, away from everyone so you could have a private conversation. You would’ve gone inside, but the woman of honor could not be seen sneaking inside during her own party, much less with her ex-boyfriend.

“Keep smiling.” You started while plastering a polite, fake smile on your face. “I don’t need them thinking something is wrong. What are you doing here?”

“I told you I was coming.” Rafe smirked down at you, shoving his hands in his dress pants pockets.

“I didn’t think you’d actually show up.”

“I’ll always show up for you.”

“Where’s your girlfriend?” You asked, ignoring Rafe’s comment.

“I don’t have a girlfriend.”

“I don’t know, Rafe, I think you do and I think you’re scared to admit it because you’re scared of what people are going to say when they find out you’ve been sleeping with the help.”

“Sofia is not the help.” He scoffed.

“Really? Because if I remember correctly she used to make us drinks at the club all the time. I mean we would be there and she would be there, but she would be behind the bar serving everyone drinks. Or if we were playing a round of golf she would always be a cart girl, you know now that I think of it, she was always around, wherever you were at the club, she was there ready to help. Sounds like the help to me, oh and a bit stalker-ish. Also, if you could tell her to get off the balcony, she’s dampening the mood of my party.” You pointed to Rafe’s balcony where Sofia stood, scanning the crowd for him, looking like a starved, sad puppy. You grabbed a champagne flute off of a server’s tray and walked back out into the crowd before Rafe could say anything else.

“Ms. Thornton.” A blonde woman said with a smile, stopping you in your path. You recognized her, you just couldn’t place it. “How nice to see you, welcome back to Kildare.”

“Mrs. Robinson.” You greeted her with your own polite smile. “Thank you, it’s so wonderful to be back, I forgot how nice everyone is.”

“You know, I heard you’ve become one of the leaders in the development business lately. I have a fantastic business opportunity for you, if you would love to hear it sometime.”

“I love business opportunities, let me give you my number.”

♡♡♡

“So, did Rafe, ever like apologize to you for knocking you off your bike at the Enduro?” You asked your brother as you sat across from him on your boat. You decided everyone deserved a break from working so hard and invited them on your yacht for the day.

“No.” JJ answered with a confused look on his face. “Why would he ever apologize for doing something like that?”

“No reason.” You said, looking off towards the water. “I have to make a call.”

♡♡♡

You were at the club playing a game of golf when one of the managers came out to talk to you.

“Nice swing, Ms. Thornton.” He said with a smile, his hands behind his back.

“What’s up, James?” You asked, putting your 9-Iron back in your bag.

“You asked me to come get you if Mr. Cameron showed up, he’s here.”

“Thank you, James.” You smiled, pulling your gloves off as you walked inside. You walked outside the front doors to where Rafe stood with his arms crossed.

“Seriously, you had my club membership revoked?” Rafe asked.

“You know that’s the nice thing about my step-dad owning the country club, I can do whatever I want.”

“You think that this is ruining my life?” Rafe chuckled, looking down at you.

“Oh no, this is just the start. I mean what will everyone say when they find out Rafe Cameron, the owner of Cameron Development, got kicked out of the country club? I mean all it takes for you to become an outcast is for me to tell one person that you got kicked out for assaulting the owner’s prized step-daughter.”

“You wouldn’t.”

“You’re right I won’t, if you apologize.”

“You’d be willing to ruin someone’s life because of a race?”

“No, Rafe, I’m willing to ruin your life because of all the other bullshit you’ve pulled with my brother and friends.” You said, glaring up at Rafe. “It’s about time someone held you accountable for your actions and if the cops won’t, then I will.” You added with a shrug. You went to walk away, but Rafe grabbed your elbow, pulling you back.

“I am not that person anymore, y/n. You can’t hold that shit against me.”

“You mean I can’t hold you almost drowning Sarah, or shooting her, or the countless times you beat the shit out of Pope, against you?”

“And what if everyone found out about the abortion you got?”

“Keep your voice down.” You said through gritted teeth, your face a mixture of hurt and embarrassment. “You don’t get to do that. You don’t get to throw that in my face. You know that was one of the hardest decisions of my life.”

When you and Rafe first started dating you had missed a couple of your birth control pills. You were so wrapped up in applying to colleges and scholarships that you thought it wouldn’t hurt to miss one or two every time you turned off the alarm, saying you would take them later. But, before you knew it, you had missed a week.

Luckily, with your form of birth control you still experienced your periods, so you knew something was wrong when you missed your next period. You had chalked it up to stress, but when it didn’t come the next week or the week after that, you decided to buy a couple tests. When they all came back positive, you panicked, you didn’t know what to do. This wasn’t part of your plan.

You thought the decision would be easy, but when the day of your appointment came and you sat in the chair as the doctor went over everything with you, you thought about everything. The color its hair would be, if it would have your eyes or Rafe’s eyes, if it would be good at sports. But, then you realized that’s all it was to you, an it.

After the abortion, you laid in bed for a week, unable to do anything. You didn’t regret it, but the thought that you had just gotten rid of a part of you and Rafe was tough for you to deal with. Rafe wasn’t upset, or mad, or disappointed, he was understanding. He laid in that bed with you for a week. He helped you shower, he helped you with your homework as best as he could, he helped you study for your tests. He didn’t leave your side until he was certain you were okay.

“Apologize to JJ and I won’t say anything to anyone, you’ll get your membership back, and we can go back to pretending like we don’t know each other just like the last two years.”

“I’ll apologize to your brother, but I’m not just gonna walk around here pretending I don’t know you.”

“I don’t know what you want from me Rafe. Do you really expect me to forget all the atrocious things you did to my friends?”

“No, I just want you to know I’m not that guy anymore. I’m trying to do better, I’m in therapy, I got off coke, Cameron Development is better than ever.”

“Rafe, all of that is great, but I can’t just ignore everything. I have a game to finish.”

With that you walked back inside the club, leaving Rafe standing outside.

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amiableness · 1 year ago

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At Last

pairing: jj maybank x fem!reader

summary: jj's cousin comes to town and attempts to get with y/n, pissing off jj in the process.

wc: 7.6k

warnings: dean turns out to be an ass, pet names (baby & sweetheart), oral (m & f), dirty talk, language, and p in v {there might be more, let me know!}

a/n💌: she's here! thank you for all your patience while i worked on this fic, hit some writers block while working on it. some of the smut might be familiar if you've read some of my old work, it's because i copied it from gentle. i will be deleting that fic and 'replacing' it with this one!

JJ Maybank couldn’t remember his childhood without Dean Maybank in it. There wasn’t a time he could recall when the nearly identical blonde wasn’t by his side. From diapers to teens, both boys spent most of their time together. Separated by only two months, the boys were practically brothers. There were mistaken for siblings nearly everywhere they went. Whenever one went, the other one was sure to follow. Their moms used to pretend they couldn’t tell the boys apart when they were little, sending both boys into a fit of giggles as they desperately tried to get their moms to remember their sons.

He was twelve when his mom left, and everything fell apart instantly. Luke turned to bottles upon bottles of alcohol to soothe the ache she left in her wake, and JJ was forced to grow up quickly. Andrew and Cecelia Maybank weren’t far behind, taking Dean with them. JJ never knew why his mom left or why his aunt and uncle followed him closely behind. But he was left alone to wonder for many nights why he was left behind.

JJ had years of practice burying the hurt and anger he felt, but as he sits across from his cousin at a table of The Wreck, he can feel the anger simmering. He’s not particularly fond of his cousin being back in town, but that’s not getting under his skin. It’s the fact that Dean has been eyeing you for the past twenty minutes.

“Wait, how long since you have been here?” Cleo asks Dean, attempting to break some awkward silence between JJ and him. Cleo slides into her chair next to Pope while she sends a welcoming smile to Dean, who sits across from Pope.

“Been a while, about seven years now.” Dean Maybank answers with a soft smile. He’s got the same blonde hair as JJ, but he keeps it a lot shorter and has dark blue eyes. They look like they could be twins.

“No wonder I haven’t met you then; I haven’t been around long.” Cleo supplies as Pope tosses his arm over her shoulder and presses a kiss to her temple.

“And Y/n?” Dean asks as he glances back over at you as you laugh with Kiara and Sarah while waiting for your order. Cleo’s lips part a little, and she spares a glance over at JJ, who has pulled his attention away from his phone at the mention of your name. His eyebrows are furrowed, and his body is tense as he stares down at his cousin. Dean doesn’t notice, his eyes glancing back at you.

“She joined the group about six years ago.” John B answers just as the three of you walk over with full hands. John B is sitting next to Dean, saving a spot for Sarah. From the look his best friend is giving him, he’s glad he sat next to Dean.

“Kiara, I love this place, but it’s so slow when you aren’t working here.” Sarah sighed as all the plates were set down and passed around. There’s a rumble of agreement at the table, and Kiara laughs loudly before sitting beside Sarah.

You slip into your spot between Cleo and JJ. JJ would never admit it out loud, but having you fall into the seat next to him and speak softly to only him sends a spark of possessiveness. He loves it when your attention is only on him.

“I got us a milkshake to share,” He watches as you rip the wrapper off the straw before pausing, eyes darting between the straw in your hand and the milkshake sitting in front of you. “They only gave us one; I’ll go grab-”

“We can share.” He grabs the straw from your hands before plunging it into the chocolate shake between you and taking a quick sip. You flush, realizing that you both will be sharing a straw. This wouldn’t bother you in any other case, but it’s JJ. You wouldn’t have thought twice about it if it had been anyone else. But something about him fills your stomach with that giddy feeling that makes you almost jittery with nerves.

His grip is still on the straw as he gives you a slight nod to take a sip. Your cheeks flush when you realize that he’s holding the drink, expecting you to take a sip like this. You lean forward, taking a tentative sip, ignoring how JJ watches you so closely. Having his eyes on you sets off that flurry of butterflies again.

“So cute, guys.” John B teases, making a heart with his hands, and your cheeks burn. You fight the urge to toss a fry at him. John B was notorious for calling out any moments you shared with JJ, which always left a hot flush on your body. Were your feelings for him that obvious? Did JJ know?

You peek over at JJ, who is flipping his best friend off.

The table is quickly drawn back into the conversation as your friends try and get to know Dean more. JJ stays quiet, instead choosing to eat and mutter things to you occasionally. You can’t help but be curious about why he avoids talking to his cousin. John B said that they used to be close, but from how JJ is acting now, you can’t help but wonder what happened.

“Y/n isn’t much of a surfer either.” Your ears perk up at the mention of your name. Sarah is giving you a pointed look indicating that you totally missed out on something.

“I was saying I’m not a big surfer,” Dean supplies at your confused expression. “Maybe we could do something else so everyone heads out to surf later.” The soft smile he sends your way makes your cheeks flush.

You open your mouth to answer, but JJ cuts you off.

“You used to surf all the time.” JJ’s tone is flat, surprising you that he finally decided to speak during this lunch. He had spent the last hour not saying a word to Dean. You glance over at him to see he’s sending an unimpressed look toward his cousin.

“Used to. Not anymore.” Dean shrugs, and you can tell he feels a little unsure around JJ, and you don’t blame him. If JJ was looking at you the way he was looking at Dean, you would feel a bit unwelcome too.

Ever the people pleaser, you send a smile over at Dean. “I would love that, Dean.”

“Dean Maybank is cute.” Sarah breathes out dramatically once all four of you are alone in her room. The boys are all at the Chateau; Cleo thought this might help JJ warm up to Dean more. You highly doubted it.

Your cheeks flush when you realize Sarah is directing this comment at you. You give a little shrug as you sit on the edge of her bed.

“Are you calling JJ cute then? Because they look like brothers.” Cleo teases as she pulls her bikini out of her bag. In front of the mirror, Kiara braided tiny pieces of her hair, laughing lightly at Cleo’s comment.

“Is that what we’re really gonna talk about right now?” You ask, feeling apprehensive about comparing the two. There’s no way you wanted to compare the two, mainly because you knew that JJ would always come out on top in your eyes.

“Yes! He seems pretty damn interested in you.”

“Maybe, but Dean isn’t the Maybank she wants.” Kiara sings songs, and your mouth parts as your sputter out a reply, but you can’t seem to deny it.

“I-no! JJ and I are just friends; we always will be.” You wanted to be sick saying these words.

“Are you serious? He looked ready to kill Dean when he asked you out.” Kiara glanced over her shoulder at you making your cheeks burn.

“He did not ask me out.”

“He made a move for sure,” Cleo called as she headed towards Sarah’s bathroom with her bikini. A sigh passed your lips just as the door clicked shut.

“Nothing is gonna happen whether he made a move or not.”

“Why not?” Sarah asked, tossing herself on her bed next to you.”

“I just-it feel wrong.”

“Because it’s not JJ,” Kiara states this like it’s the most obvious thing in the world as she finishes her hair and turns to face you. Sarah and Kiara nearly scream at the expression on your face, giving you away.

Maybe it was selfish, but JJ had been hoping you had forgotten about agreeing to spend time with Dean while the group went surfing. But here he was, watching the two of you walking up the beach and away from the group. Surfing with his friends meant you would be sat higher up on the beach immersed in one of the many romance books you owned.

Not this time. He watched as you walked away, this time as his cousin held your bag for you.

“JJ, you comin’ or what?” John B hollered. JJ sighed and headed towards the beach, aware that this was the first time in his life that he did not want to go surfing.

“It’s not a date, man; quit pouting.” His best friend mumbled, clapping JJ on the shoulder. The blond sent him an irritated look.

“But he damn well wants it to be,” The thought made JJ’s stomach tighten with discomfort. “She could want it to be.”

“I doubt it,” John B shook his head in disagreement. All the different times he had caught Y/n or JJ pining after each other had proved otherwise. But that wasn’t his place to tell. “Listen, if you like Y/n, you need to tell her. I’m not saying she’s gonna end up with Dean, but I know she won’t be single forever.”

“It’s complicated,” JJ grumbles as he rakes his hand through his hair. He needs a haircut but refuses to get one after he overhears you say you like long hair on guys. Maybe that makes him pathetic, but so be it.

“It’s really not; you’re just making it that way by avoiding telling her.”

“John B, fuck off,” JJ snaps, but his best friend knows not to take offense. “Telling her how I feel could mean losing her as my best friend, and that’s not worth it.”

“But what if telling her means you get her as your girlfriend and best friend?” John B’s words cause his stomach to flip at the thought.

“Wishful thinking, man.”

Your time with Dean was going well, and you were thrilled that you got on with him so quickly. Part of you wanted to ask, but you were scared of making a fool out of yourself if he told you no. Not that you were hoping it was; you just genuinely weren’t sure how Dean viewed this hangout.

He had taken you to a little ice cream shop, one that he said his mom used to bring him and JJ to all the time. Your heart had squeezed in your chest at the reminder that you weren’t there to watch him surf, one of your favorite pastimes. Quickly reminding yourself to enjoy the present moment, it was fair to Dean if your mind was caught up somewhere else.

“This is the best ice cream I’ve ever had; how did I not know about this place?” A quick moan of appreciation slips pasts your lips as you bite, proving your statement true. Dean laughs at your reaction, thrilled to see you enjoying one of his favorite places so much. The last time he was here was with his mom and JJ to have a quick treat after dinner. They left two days after that.

“One of the best places in OBX, hands down,” He replies, studying you with a soft fondness that you are oblivious to. Your entire focus was on stirring your ice cream to make it nice and smooth.

“Totally out of my comfort zone today,” You confess as you take another bite of the cotton candy ice cream. But the soft pink color was so pretty you just couldn’t resist. “JJ and I usually share mint chips.” Dean drops his eyes down to his ice cream at the mention of his cousin.

“Can I ask you something?” He finally asks, and you quietly hum to tell him to go on.

“Are you and JJ..?” He trails off, unsure if he should continue his question by the look on your face. You place your spoon in your bowl and sigh.

“We’re just friends,” By the shrug of your shoulders and the way you naw on your bottom lip, Dean can tell you aren’t a man of this.

“And you’re alright with that?” He asks, hoping for an answer that could turn this into a date between you.

“I-uh-” You clear your throat and glance at the window towards the ocean, hoping to catch a glance of JJ. To no avail. “I’ve liked him for years, but I’m pretty sure he isn’t interested, so we’re just friends.”

Dean gives you an understanding look, but inside, he’s thrilled about your answer. You weren’t JJ’s.

It had been a couple of weeks of hanging out with Dean: trips to the beach, talking about books, getting ice cream, and movie marathons. You knew how this looked, but it was purely just as friends. You knew that, and Dean knew that. Or so you thought.

“So let me get this straight, you guys have been going on dates pretty much but just as friends?” Cleo asked, totally confused by what was happening between you and Dean.

“Yes, just friends,” You clarified as you attempted to fix your hair in a way you liked for tonight’s party.

“He brought you flowers this morning.” She deadpanned, glancing over at the bouquet of pink poppies on your bedside table. They were placed next to a picture of you and JJ, making Cleo snort quietly.

“He was just being nice,” You sounded exasperated, and Cleo wasn’t sure if it was because of your hair or her nitpicking. “Nothing is going on.”

“Maybe for you! He’s clearly interested; he’s been taking you on dates -“You open your mouth to cut her off. “Yes - dates, all week. He’s interested.”

“I thought you were team Dean.” Your hair fell from your hands as you gave up on making the perfect bun; it just wasn’t going to happen tonight.

“That was Sarah. I’m team whoever makes you happy.”

“So, would you be happy if I went out with Dean?” You nibbled on your bottom lip as you waited for her response. Her eyebrows rose, and she stared at you for a second.

“Thought you were just friends.”

“We are! I just-“You paused, taking in a big breath of air and holding it for a second. “I don’t wanna miss a chance with a great guy because JJ doesn’t return my feelings. I can’t hold out hope forever.”

“First party of the summer, Dean! You excited?” John B asks as he presses a beer into Dean’s awaiting palm.

“It’s not the first party of the season,” JJ grumbles, and you shoot him a look, hoping he can control his anger towards his cousin for the night and enjoy the party.

“The first one he’s been to; he’s been too busy with our Y/n here.” John B taunts, sending you a wink when he sees you looking flushed. JJ feels sick. Are you blushing at the thought of being with Dean? Have you actually been going on dates with him all this time?

“Baby, leave them alone,” Sarah admonishes, giving a light slap to his arm. He lets out a laugh and drops his arm over her shoulder, leading her in the direction of the house.

An awkward silence falls over the three of you. Pope, Kiara, and Cleo had already headed inside to get drinks, and you were now desperately wishing JJ had too. Anything would be better than the way he is currently glaring at Dean for standing too close to you.

“Want a drink?” Dean leans to whisper in your ear, and you send him a grateful smile.

“Yes, please,” You smile up at him, watching him for a second longer as he slips through the crowd. JJ clearing his throat is what brings your attention away from him.

“Yes?”

“What are you doing with him?” He asks, taking a step towards you.

“We walked here together, and I-”

“No. What’s up with you spending so much time with him? I’ve hardly seen you in the last few weeks.” He steps closer and closer until the two of you are standing so close you can count all the freckles on his nose.

“We’ve been hanging out.” You supply, not wanting to give too much away. It’s not that we’re trying to be secretive, but you knew that JJ had a habit of getting protective over you. Guess what happens when you’re friends with someone for so long.

“Hanging out or going on dates?” His hand pushes the stand of your hair, blowing in the breeze. At the proximity of him, your heart squeezes, and your breath catches.

“Hanging out?” You answer in nearly a whisper, so focused on starting up at him. The heat of his fingers touching your skin feels like you have been branded.

“You don’t sound so sure.” There’s that cocky tone. He can tell you’re flustered by how close he is to you. You’ve always reacted to him this way. It’s moments like these where it doesn’t seem unbelievable to him that you might like him back.

“We’ve been hanging out, but it might be becoming more and-”

“Y/n” At the sound of Dean’s voice, you take a step away, startled. There’s a tone to Dean’s voice that JJ doesn’t like. He sounds possessive, too possessive for a guy who has only met you a couple of weeks ago.

Dean’s eyes flicker between the both of you, quickly picking up on the tension and closeness. In an act of jealousy, he slips his arm around your waist, pulling you into his side, something he’s never done before. Your features flash with surprise that JJ quickly notices.

“Have a goodnight, JJ.” Dean bites out before steering you toward the direction of the house.

“I thought you said that you and JJ didn’t have anything going on.”

“We don’t.” You glance up at Dean, who still has his arm wrapped around your shoulder. His jaw is tense, and you feel a flash of discomfort at seeing this new side of him.

“Didn’t look that way. He was close enough to kiss you.” Dean grits out, squeezing your shoulder that makes you wince.

“But he didn’t. I don’t understand-”

“You said that he wasn’t interested. I thought I clarified my intentions when I started taking you out on all these dates.” Your stomach flips, and you glance around at the crowd. None of your friends are nearby.

“I didn’t-“You clear your throat, willing yourself to make your voice come out stronger. His shift in personality has really thrown you off. “I thought we were hanging out. I didn’t realize you thought these past few weeks were dates.”

“They were dates, Y/n. Does John B or Pope ever take you- just you - out for ice cream or to the movies?”

“No, but JJ-”

“Jesus, Y/n! JJ doesn’t view you as a friend. If we’re gonna be dating this summer, I don’t think you should hang out around him.” You were utterly confused. There was never a time when you two were hanging out. Did he act like this or make his intentions about dating you clear. And there was absolutely no way you would give up being around JJ, even if Dean’s attitude hadn’t done a 180.

You were beginning to panic, unsure how to handle his growing anger.

“Dean!” Your shoulders immediately relaxed at the sound of another Pogues voice. You were sure his name was Noah, and that he was friends with the boys, but other than that, you didn’t really know him. You watched as Dean plastered a smile on his face and greeted his friend. Without warning, you slipped away from Dean and slipped through the crowd towards the bathroom.

Usually, a party like this is just what JJ needed, but his mood was much too sour to enjoy it. Not when you had shown up with Dean and disappeared into this run-down house on the Cut nearly an hour ago. He has tried desperately to shake you from his thoughts. But nothing has worked in the past couple of weeks, so he has spent this entire night pathetically sober and on edge.

John B and Pope had tried to include him in the conversation with other guys from the Cut, but he didn’t have the energy to pretend to be interested. So instead, he sat next to the fire along the group and continuously glanced back at the door as if somehow he could keep an eye on you that way.

Dean’s voice catches his attention and pulls him from his thoughts of you. Dean comes jogging down the steps carrying a beer and quickly finds an open seat amongst the guys. JJ ignores the urge to tell him his seat is taken; it feels too middle school.

“Where is she?” JJ asks, sounding terribly protective, but he can’t help it. He’s sat rigid in his seat, waiting for his cousin’s answer. He wouldn’t have left you alone at that party even for a second if he was with you.

“She wanted to spend some time with the girls.” Dean looks flatly at JJ, both boys growing frustrated with each other. Dean is becoming sick of JJ only acknowledging him when it has to do with you. He doesn’t want JJ’s thoughts to be of you at all. The tension between the two is glaringly apparent to the group, so Pope incessantly glances at the house door for about twenty minutes before JJ incessantly glancing at the house door finally pays off.

There you were.

Standing on the porch with tears streaming down your pretty cheeks and arms wrapped protectively around your stomach. JJ felt his stomach drop and the immediate desire to kill whoever made him feel like this. But it seems his cousin has the same desire because both boys stand up at the sight of you.

Dean is the first to step towards you, softly muttering your name. You don’t even glance in Dean’s direction. It isn’t until he repeats your name again, louder this time, that you finally look over at him.

JJ watches as you descend the steps, whip away a stray tear on your face, and stand a couple feet before the group of boys. You don’t take your eyes off Dean, and JJ prepares to watch Dean take you home and knows he will comfort you.

“I just wanna go home,” JJ doesn’t think he has ever heard you so broken up, and it makes him feel physically sick. “Can you please take me home?”

Dean immediately turns to grab his jacket that it tossed over one of the logs he was sitting on. “Of course, let me just-”

Then, you make eye contact with JJ, and the brief eye contact causes your eyes to tear up again. Without thinking, JJ jogs over and wraps you in his arms.

JJ has hugged you plenty of times, but he doesn’t think he’s ever felt you hold him this tight. Your arms are tossed around his shoulders as his arms are looped around your waist. Dean turns, ready to take you home, and falters when he sees you wrapped in JJ’s arms.

“JJ, I’ve got her. She asked me to take her home.” Dean’s voice is flat, and you tense in JJ’s arms. Hoping to get a look at Dean, you pull away from JJ slightly so you can look over at him. While hugging JJ, both of you had shifted so JJ’s back was no longer to the group. Instead, Dean has a clear shot of both sides and how you and JJ are so intertwined. He feels sick watching you grip JJ so tightly.

“I was talking to JJ.” At this, JJ’s grip tightens around you as a possessive feeling strikes through him. He wants to be smug; rub it in Dean’s face that you chose him. But he would much rather get you home and figure out why you were so upset.

You turn your head, looking up at him, with his shirt clenched between your fists. Looking down at you, he can see the tears glistening in your eyes. “JJ, I want you to take me home.”

“I know, baby. Let’s go home.” He places a gentle kiss on your forehead and leads you in the direction of the Chateau.

It wasn’t until you got to the Chateau that you finally let JJ know that happened, and he had been pacing around his bedroom ever since.

“I’m gonna kill him,” JJ practically grits out, his jaw so tense from anger.

“No, you’re not,” You sniffle as you stay wrapped up in JJ’s hoodie and sheets. The second you had reached his room, you climbed into his bed, you’re ultimate comfort place. There were so many times when you ended up in JJ’s bed, feeling wholly protected just by being next to him.

“Y/n, he acted like you were his. He didn’t even ask you! He was-fuck!” The bed squeaks as JJ tosses himself down at the bottom edge of the bed. His head is buried in his hands, and you can see the tension in his back. You slip out from beneath the covers and crawl towards him without saying anything. He tenses when he feels you wrap your arms around him and rest your head on his shoulder, but then he shifts to hold you to him.

“I’m sorry. I don’t know what the fuck is wrong with men in my family.”

“You don’t have to apologize; you’re the only Maybank man I care about.” JJ nearly melts at the kiss you place on his cheek.

“Y/n.”

“JJ.”

“This wouldn’t have happened if I had told you sooner.”

“Told me what sooner?”

“About my feelings for you.” Your heart feels like it has given out when you hear him say this.

“No.” Your voice is a whisper as you look up at him.

“No?” His voice is just as soft as yours.

“That isn’t fair to put on yourself; Dean did what he did because he’s a dick.”

“I should have told you that I’ve been in love with you for a long that I can’t even remember when it started. It feels like I’ve loved you from the moment I saw you. I’ve loved you so for so fucking long, and I never told you,” He pauses, tucking a stray hair behind your ear like he did earlier in the night.

“I never thought I’d have a shot with you, and then I saw you with Dean. God, Y/n, I wanted to kill him. He had everything I ever wanted,” A soft sigh leaves his lips, and you simply watch him, your stomach fluttering at his confession.

JJ, you sigh, “Everyone knew my feelings about you; I don’t know how you didn’t. Why do you think I was always the first to clean you up after a fight? I would always share the couch with you if I had to. Not like it was a problem for me. I invited you to stay at my house; when have I ever invited Pope or John B to stay in my bed? I’ve always liked you, J, and always will.”

He stared at you as you talked, and you moved closer to him, taking a chance, sitting in his lap, and interlocking your hands behind his neck. His hands quickly found your waist and held you in his lap.

“I’ve always been in love with you,” You whispered softly, too nervous to say the words too loud, worried you might scare him off despite his previous comments. He didn’t say anything at first, simply tugging you into his chest so you had your legs wrapped around his waist as you hugged him. He pulled back to look at you, and your stomach flipped when you saw how he looked at you.

As close as you and JJ always were as friends, you had never been this close as you stared at him. Your heart was racing to see him stare at you like he found you stunning; he had never looked at you like this before. If he had, you had never gotten to see it.

“J?”

“Yea?”

“Can you kiss me?” When his lips meant yours, it wasn’t rough, or fast-it was gentle and soft-like he wanted to take all his time in the world with you. He brushed his lips against yours, slipping his hands into your hair. Relishing in the feeling of you pressed against him. His lips were soft and slow against yours, making you melt into him. Of all the times you had pictured kissing him, it had been quick and heated. But as he laid you down and pressed gentle kisses to your lips and neck, you preferred this to your fantasies.

He brushed his lips against yours, mumbling about how much he loved kissing you, making you smile against his lips. His hands trailed all over your body, barely touching against your skin, but enough to leave goosebumps behind. When he reached your hips, he would give a gentle squeeze. Sitting up, he used an arm to bring you up with him. You had waited so long to kiss JJ; now that you were, you didn’t want it to stop. His hands trailed along your thighs as you sat in his lap, leading the kiss.

“Arms up, baby,” He told you as he pulled your sweatshirt over your head, tossing it to the ground. Watching his eyes raking up and down your body made you dizzy. You let his eyes take in your body before tugging at the hem of his shirt, silently telling him that you wanted it off. This was your chance to admire his body’s dips and curves. There was never a time that you could admire him up close, and that you had, you never wanted to stop. You knew he was muscular from the countess times you had watched him surf and walk around shirtless, but getting to touch him this way was entirely different. Being alone meant you didn’t have to worry about your friends catching your longing looks; there was no John B to relentlessly tease you. Just you and JJ.

“You’re fucking beautiful,” He said as he slipped his fingers under your white bra straps and let them fall down your shoulders.

“Thank you, you’re pretty beautiful too,” Your voice teased as you threw your arms around his neck. Quickly, he leaned forward to kiss you, not wanting to waste another second without tasting you.

“Damn right,” He mumbled, making you giggle. You were about to reach around your back to rid yourself of your bra when he stopped you.

“That’s my job from now on,” He shot you a cocky grin and pushed your hands away from your bra to do it himself. He reached one hand around you, and you felt your bra drop.

“One hand, baby,” He joked. You laughed loudly, remembering that JJ and John B had borrowed yours and Kiara’s bras years ago, hoping to learn to do it one-handed. They eventually did know after you and Kiara stepped in to teach them.

“Pure fucking talent,” You sarcastically answered him, but he wasn’t really listening anymore. He groaned when he saw your bare tits and perky nipples. Your mind blanked as you heard the noise that came from him.

His mouth closed around your nipple, biting gently, ripping a gasp from your throat. Their back arched into his chest to give him better access. He wrapped an arm around your waist to pull you closer to him. Beneath you, you could feel how quickly this was turning his hair wild from when you had your fingers through his hair. Soft sighs were filling the room as he licked and sucked, alternating between both of your tits. The wetness between your legs grew more apparent as he touched you.

He grabbed your waist and moved you off of his lap, pushing you down so that you were laid out underneath him. His hands slipped under the waistband of your shorts, tugging them down, bringing your underwear with them. Your first reaction was to close your legs; you were not used to having someone see you like this. But he gently placed his hands on your knees and pushed them apart.

You sat up as he stood at the end of his bed, slipping his shorts down. Oh fuck. Wetness pooled between your thighs as his cock was released from his underwear. You had always wondered whether he would be big or small, and you weren’t surprised he was in the bigger size. A quick kiss was placed on your lips before he touched your chest, pushing you back on the bed. With your back against the pillows and your legs spread, he finally got to look at all of you. All bare and glistening, and he swore he had never been harder in his life. He glanced up at you, asking for permission, and you nodded. Pressing kisses from your ankles to between your thighs, he slowly made his way to where you wanted him most.

“God baby, you’re soaked for me,” You could only answer with a whimper as he slipped his fingers over your clit, causing you to arch your back. He was slow as he began to circle your clit, adding fingers to pump in and out of you.

The moan you let out was pornographic when he replaced his fingers with his mouth, letting his tongue slide along your pussy. From the bottom to the top, he licked through your folds. You could feel yourself dripping down your thighs, but you knew he wouldn’t if you asked him to go faster; he seemed pleased to take things slowly and gently.

“Your pussy tastes so good, it could eat you out for hours,” He mumbled against you, causing you to moan loudly. Your fingers twisted in the sheets as you continued licking and sucking your clit, bringing you closer to your orgasm. Your legs began to shake, and you were momentarily embarrassed. It had been months since you were last touched, and without warning, JJ between your thighs was bringing you to your orgasm embarrassingly quick. Without warning, he pulled away from you, leaving you a little confused.

“Lay at the end of the bed,” You were still shaky, but you did as you were told and glanced up at him, kneeling at the foot of his bed. He kissed your lips before standing up, and you realized what he had in mind.

You watched as he grabbed his cock between his hand and guided it into your mouth. The moan that left his mouth as he felt your mouth had you squeezing your thighs together.

“Holy fuck, you look so pretty like this,” Desperation laced through his voice, making you feel entirely feral for him. You were willing to do anything that he told you to do.

His hands were in your hair as he created a makeshift ponytail to hold you in place as he fucked your mouth. Youhines were muffled b cock, and from the sounds that were leaving him, you could tell he was enjoying this. A quick peek up at him let you know just how good he was feeling. The flush on his cheeks and his furrowed eyebrows were your indicators.

You pulled away from him with a pop, leaving a trail of salvia attaching you to him, “I need you to fuck me; I’ve waited too long to do this.”

Your voice sounded incredibly desperate as you begged him. He said nothing, just leaned down to kiss you before reaching beside the bed. He dug around in his shorts before grabbing a condom from his wallet. You sent him a soft smile and laid your back against the pillows, waiting for him. He sat before you, then situated himself between your legs and used his arms to hold himself above you. He looked down at you, and you sent him a giggly smile.

“I love you, J,” You told him, causing him to gently lean down and kiss you.

“I love you, baby,” He whispered against your lips, sending butterflies throughout your stomach.

He sat up, grabbing your thighs with both hands, moving your legs so that you could slip between them. Your knees were bent, and your legs were on either side of him as he brushed his fingers against your clit again.

“God, you have the prettiest pussy I have ever seen,” His simple words caused a gasp to be pulled from you.

His cock replaced his fingers, teasing your clit before sliding the tip inside you. At the feeling, both of you let out satisfied moans. JJ quickly grabbed your hands and intertwined your fingers before fully pushing inside of you slowly. “Jesus Christ,” He was nearly gone. “So fucking good.” All you could do was moan in response.

His thrusts began slow, sliding in and out of you at an agonizing pace, making you cry out at him to go faster. He didn’t listen.

“You look so pretty getting fucked,” He reached his hand down, using his thumb to rub against your clit in the slowest circles. “You’re doing such a good job, sweetheart.”

If you hadn’t been so fucked out, you would’ve been embarrassed at hearing how wet you were desperately cried a pathetic, moaning as he quickly flipped you over and grabbed get enough of you.”

When he slipped out of you, you desperately cried in protest. But he was quick to flip you over and grab your hips, pulling you onto all fours. He gave your hips a gentle squeeze and placed a few kisses on your shoulder. Your skin prickled with goosebumps as he ran his fingers down your spine. Lifting yourself up so your back was pressed against him and your neck was exposed so he could press kisses against you. His arms slid around your waist, his right hand going up to grab at your tits as he nipped at your neck. Your legs felt shaky as he held you up and against him. The moans that filled your ears being this close to him drove you crazy. You didn’t think you would ever get used to hearing him like this. So fucked out and close to coming.

“Fuck J, please go harder.”

“You want me to fuck you harder, baby?” You babbled incoherently in response, making JJ grin.

“Beg me, sweetheart.”

“Fuck, JJ! Please, I need more of your cock. I want you to take me, be rough with me.”

He pushed you forward, forcing you back on all fours. You let out a loud ‘fuck’ when he shoved his cock back into you, not sure how long you could hold yourself up. His hands gripped your hips tightly, keeping you in place, and he slid his cock in and out of you, the room filling with both of your moans.

“Is that what you wanted, baby? Wanted to fucked rougher?”

As he quickened his pace, you stuck your ass in the air and pressed your cheek against the bed, raising your arms above your head as he fucked you. Your fingers were tangled in the sheets, and you knew the neighbors could probably hear you. Out of all the times you had been with a guy, you didn’t think you had ever been this loud. Each time he thrust into you, you let out a high-pitched moan, unable to stop yourself.

His name and curses fell through your lips, and you got closer and closer to coming. You knew you would come quicker than you usually would since you had spent years fantasizing about JJ. You had spent countless nights getting off to the thought of getting to be with JJ, and if you knew him at all-he did too.

“Fuck JJ, I’m getting close,” You whined, your voice shaky as he pounded into you. “Gonna cum!”

“Fuck. Cum on my cock, sweetheart,” you knew you could let go with him. You could tell by his quickened pace and sloppy thrusts.

When you felt him grab your hips hard and pound into you a few more times, you knew you could let go with him.

“JJ! Fuck, I-”

“I know, fuck. I’m gonna cum.” that admission, your back arched as you felt your pussy squeeze around him. The moans leaving you were beyond loud, and you hoped to God none of your friends had decided to come back from the party.

“Fuck.” He grunted as he thrust one final time into you before squeezing your hips tightly. The feeling of him switching inside you sent you over the edge. You let go, pleasure coursing through you as you felt your whole body shake as the feeling shot through your entire body.

“Jesus, baby,” JJ mumbled as his head dropped to your back. You let out a giggle, understanding how fucked out he was feeling.

He slowly slid out, falling onto the bed next to you. You let your hips drop, moving so that you were on your side facing him. You were both breathing hard and knew you would need a shower and clean sheets after this.

“God, I love you.” He kisses your head before standing up and heading into your bathroom. You hear him come back after a few minutes.

“Turn over, baby.” You turn to see him with a warm washcloth; he slowly moves your legs apart and cleans up the mess between them. Your heart melts as you watch him take care of you. Once he’s done, he tosses the rag and lays beside you; you move so that you’re lying against his chest, and he throws his blanket over the both of you.

“JJ?”

“Yea, sweetheart?”

“Thank you for taking me home.”

“Be fucking quiet; you’re gonna wake her up.” JJ snapped, sending a glare over at John B. It was nearly 9 am, and they were the only two awake, the rest of the group fast asleep after the party.

“I am being fucking quiet, dumbass.”

“I don’t need her finding out what happened this morning,” He grumbled, glancing down at his bruised and bloody knuckles. John B’s snort caught his attention, and he glanced up at his best friend, who was looking at his hand.

“Like that won’t give it away?”

“I’ll just say I got into it with some kooks.”

“You’re gonna lie to her?” John B sent him an unimpressed look.

“Jesus, John B! I don’t know what I’m gonna tell her yet.”

“Tell her the truth. That you beat the shit out of our cousin for her,” He shrugged like it was the most straightforward option. “Where is she anyway? Did you take her home?”

JJ faltered at that question, the memories of last night running through his head. He still needed to update John B that your friendship had been properly ruined. But he didn’t know what the two of you were now. Were you dating? Casually seeing each other for now? That was something that he should clear up soon.

“No, she’s uh-“His door creaked, and you were wrapped in his sheets. Your hair was a mess, a couple of marks littered your neck, and your eyes were squinted with sleep.

“J?” You called quietly, and JJ nearly melted. How did he get so lucky? How did this angel have feelings for him? “Can you come back? I miss you.”

You must have been delirious with sleep and not have even noticed John B because there was no way you would’ve felt comfortable looking and speaking this vulnerably in front of him any other time.

“Yea, baby. I’ll be there.” You sent him a sleepy smile and closed the door. JJ nearly jumped up from his spot to get to you.

“Baby?” John B let out, sounding incredibly smug and wearing a grin. “Looks like you finally told her.”

JJ didn’t say anything; he just flipped him off with a smug smile as he closed the door to his bedroom and slipped into bed with you.

“Hi,” He quietly greeted as he settled into his pillow facing you.

“Why’d you leave?” Your voice was laced with sleep as you scooted closer to him.

“I went and saw Dean,” He felt you tense in his arms, and for a second, he wondered if he had made the wrong decision by telling you. He would never regret punching his cousin for the way he treated you.

“J, what did you do?”

“I punched him, and I know you aren’t a fan of that, but-“His words were cut off by pressing your lips to his.

“Thank you, he deserved it,” You quietly mumbled before snuggling back into his chest.

JJ had never loved you more.

#jj maybank x reader #jj maybank x y/n #jj maybank #jj maybank smut #jj x reader #jj maybank imagine #outer banks jj #jj x y/n #jj maybank fluff #jj x you #rudy pankow #rudy pankow x y/n #rudy pankow x reader

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cakesunflower · 27 days ago

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lovelorn (and nobody knows) [rafe cameron au fic] chapter 11

Summary: Isla Carrera had planned for the summer before college to be focused on three things: helping out at her family’s restaurant (the helpful daughter), preparing for college (the good student), and having fun with the Pogues (the loyal friend). But one fateful night, where her car breaks down and her rescuer is none other than Rafe Cameron, seems to send her summer down a path she didn’t see coming–one teeming with a secret, illicit romance with the last person she expected. And if her friends and sister found out, Isla isn’t sure they’ll be so understanding, no matter what her feelings are.

The weather is perfect for an outdoor party, not too hot despite it being summer, so Isla’s parents lucked out for their anniversary party. The sun is shining, though it’s not blistering hot as it begins its descent into the evening, and there’s a pleasant breeze that teases Isla’s skin, exposed thanks to the summer dress she’s wearing. Much to her relief, all of the dessert she had ordered had arrived exactly when it should have, decorating the dessert table near the bar.

The decorations included gold and white balloons tied to the tables and chairs, two number balloons that read 20 in front of a backdrop of the same color theme with a banner above that says Happy Anniversary. Along with the desserts, the table also holds small bottles of bubbles for guests as party favors to enjoy throughout the nice that has Mike & Anna’s 20th written on them. There’s a live band that plays music while everyone mingles, two bartenders serving the guests as Isla’s parents greet and thank people for coming.

Isla and Kie’s friends were invited as well, along with their families; it’s majority Kooks, with some Pogues sprinkled in—and Kie had, very specifically, warned their friends to be on their best behavior and not get into it with any of the Kooks. As long as they keep away from each other throughout the party, things should be fine. The last thing anyone needs is a fight breaking out during her parents’ anniversary party.

“Sarah’s here,” Cleo says, looking past Isla’s shoulder as she bites into a cupcake.

The group of them are by the dessert table, idly eating and enjoying the music. Isla’s heart jumps as she turns to look, her gaze immediately landing on Rafe as he arrives with his family. He’s in a simple blue polo and beige pants, sunglasses covering his eyes, and Isla bites the inside of her cheek at the sight of him. Isla also sees her parents approach the Camerons to greet them, just as she feels a nudge to her side.

“Come on,” Kie says with a sigh. “You know Mom’s gonna want us to go say hi.” Glancing over at John B, she adds with a teasing grin, “Don’t worry, we’ll bring your girlfriend around.”

He rolls his eyes, the wind dancing through his tousled hair. “Thank you so much,” he says dryly.

Kie hooks her arm with Isla’s and pulls her along, nearly making her stumble thanks to the wedges she’s wearing, the necklaces she’s layered tinkling together as she moves. Her sister is in sneakers so with her heels, Isla’s the same height as Kie, which she finds both ridiculous and hilarious.

They approach their parents and the Camerons, and Isla smiles at Sarah before she notices the slight shift in Rafe’s head and Isla swears, despite the sunglasses covering his eyes, he’s looking right at her. She can feel it in the way her skin prickles with awareness and Isla has to bite the inside of her cheek to keep her smile from growing. With a glance at Kie, she sees her sister not even acknowledge Rafe, which isn’t surprising, and instead is offering polite smiles to Sarah’s parents, and more genuine ones to Sarah and Wheezie.

“The place looks beautiful,” Rose comments, looking around the decorated area.

“All thanks to my girls,” Anna says, smiling at Isla and Kie. “Kie helped with the decorations, and Isla personally took care of all the dessert and made sure it got here on time from Chapel Hill.”

The mention of that has Isla’s gaze subtly flickering to Rafe. His head is dipped as he fixes the watch on his wrist, but she sees the way his eyes flick up from over the rim of his sunglasses, blue eyes meeting green as, in that moment, they both reminisce about their day together. A secret between them among their families and Isla’s cheeks flush, forcing herself to look away before anyone else notices.

“Sarah,” Kie says, nodding her head to where the others are.

While the parents talk—Wheezie having wandered off to find kids her age—Sarah and Kie begin walking to where their friends are, and Isla suppresses a sigh as she slowly turns to follow them. Her gaze meets Rafe’s once more, and he shoots her a small smile, a mutual understanding between them that as much as they want, they can’t exactly hang out at her parents’ party.

Even still, as she walks off with her friends, Isla feels a tug in her chest, as though her body is begging her to go back to Rafe. But she can’t, and she forces herself not to look affected as she rejoins her friends. “This is all so Kook-central,” JJ says, blue eyes looking around at the several guests around.

Kie rolls her eyes. “Enjoy the free food, JJ,” she tells him with a laugh, picking up a cupcake and offering it to him.

JJ takes it with an incomprehensible mutter. “How am I supposed to keep it down when Top’s stupid face is right there?” he asks, even as he takes a bite of the cupcake, blue frosting smearing at the corner of his mouth.

Isla and the others follow JJ’s gaze where Topper is standing at the other side of the party, sipping a drink and standing with a few other Kooks that Sarah went to school with—including Rafe. They’re chatting among themselves, sipping their drinks, and Isla doesn’t miss the way Topper looks back at them and glares. Specifically at Sarah and John B, because apparently he hasn’t moved on despite it being over a year since Sarah started dating John B.

“He’s never gonna let it go, is he?” Pope muses, seemingly thinking the same as Isla.

“One can only hope,” Sarah huffs, turning to give her back to her ex as John B’s arm goes around her shoulders.

Isla sees the way Topper’s glare tightens before he looks away, taking a long sip of his drink. Unable to help herself, Isla’s gaze slides to Rafe, who stands leaning back against the railing that separates the area the party is in from the sidewalk leading up to the dock. His sunglasses hang from the neckline of his shirt, elbows resting on the railing behind him as he laughs at something Kelce says.

She looks away quickly before she gets caught staring—gawking, admiring—and tunes back into the conversation in time to hear Cleo ask her and Kie, “When are your parents leaving?”

As his anniversary gift to their mom, Isla’s dad surprised her mom with two tickets for a long weekend away in Vermont, from this coming Friday morning to Monday evening. Their parents don’t often go away, since they like to be in town for the restaurant, but between Isla and Kie and the restaurant’s assistant manager, Holly, and the fact that it’s their anniversary, they’re making an exception to go to Vermont for four days.

“This Friday,” Kie answers with an excited wiggle of her eyebrows.

“Party?” JJ asks, perking up with brightened eyes.

Both Isla and Kie shoot him a look, simultaneously responding, “Hell, no.”

As much as Isla and her sister love going to parties, hosting them is a whole monster that neither of them particularly enjoy. Because while the party itself could be fun, the aftermath of cleaning up isn’t something Isla and her sister want to deal with at all, even if they recruit their friends to help.

JJ blows a raspberry, shoulders slumping. “Lame,” he remarks, laughing when Kie smacks his arm and takes another bite of the cupcake. “Shit, these are delicious,” he adds with an appreciative mumble.

“We can get them for your birthday,” Kie offers and Isla suppresses a knowing smile, her eyes meeting Sarah’s knowingly. Jeez, Isla wishes her sister and JJ would just get their heads out of their asses and get together already. Especially when JJ’s gaze softens ever so slightly at Kie’s offer, his smile turning appreciative. Isla is certain she’s only seen him smile like that at Kie.

John B reaches around Cleo and snatches up one of the bubble bottles, twisting the top off to reveal the wand. Pointing it upwards, he blows and several bubbles of all sizes form out, Isla grinning as they seem to rain down on mostly her and Sarah.

Isla holds a hand forward, grin widening as a bubble lands in her palm, lingering for a second before it pops. “Pass me one,” she says to Cleo, who’s standing closest to the table.

Cleo tosses her one bottle, keeping another for herself, and soon each of them have their own bottle and Isla grins, taking a step back as she pulls out the wand and tilts her chin back to blow some out. Her eyes watch with childlike fascination, the rainbow of colors reflecting in the bubbles as they float, some popping quickly while others dance along the breeze, several in the air thanks to the whole group blowing the bubbles.

Sarah faces her, her own grin wide and small wand in hand, and she and Isla laugh as they blow bubbles at each other, squinting her eyes as one pops a few inches away from her face, though it doesn’t sting her eyes, fortunately. Giggling, Sarah says, “Maybe your parents decided to have these to distract us from starting shit.”

Isla snorts out a laugh, shaking her head. “Smart thinking on their part,” she says, dipping the wand back into the bottle. As she pulls it out again, Isla’s gaze flicks to the left, feeling the weight of someone’s gaze on her, and her heart trips to see Rafe staring at her. Or she assumes, given the fact that he’s wearing sunglasses, but he’s facing this way. And the way her skin prickles, she just knows he’s watching her. The distance between them feels too great and—

All of a sudden, her view of Rafe is obstructed as her mom appears in view. “Hey, honey,” she greets with a breathless smile. “Can you do me a favor?” she asks, digging into her purse and pulling out her car keys. “I left my jacket in the car, can you bring it?”

“Jacket?” Isla blinks, spinning the top closed as she lets out a chuckle. “Isn’t it a little warm for a jacket?”

Anna scoffs, holding out the keys. “It’s not a jacket-jacket. More like a lace cover up. Pulls the outfit together and, plus, it’s going to get a little chilly when the sun goes down.” Her dark eyes give her a look over, as well as Kie standing behind her, chatting with the others. “You girls should’ve brought something to wear over, too.”

Isla laughs, taking the keys. “Alright, alright. I’ll get it.” Glancing at her friends, she tells them, “I’ll be right back.”

The gravel crunches under her shoes as she walks towards the main opening of the party area, walking around the metal fence separating the area with the sidewalk and heading towards the parking lot. It’s pretty crowded, almost every spot filled, not just with people attending Isla’s parents’ party but for the restaurants around and since it’s tourist season, padding boating on the water nearby.

Her dad’s pick up truck is a few rows away and Isla weaves between the other cars until she reaches it, walking around to the passenger side. Squinting slightly against the sunlight, she opens the passenger door and frowns when she doesn’t see her mom’s cover up before her gaze flickers and sees it in the backseat.

Huffing, Isla shuts the door and opens the back passenger door, leaning in to reach for the lace cover-up towards the other end, stepping up on the runner to be closer. A breeze tickles the back of her thighs and Isla reaches back to make sure she’s not flashing anyone—not that she thinks anyone could even see anything given the tons of cars around. Once the cover-up is in hand, Isla moves backwards and puts her foot back on the ground, gravel crunching once more, and is about to step away to close the door when a hand suddenly lands on her hip.

Isla freezes for a split second, feeling the warmth of someone behind her, before a familiar voice says, “Anyone ever tell you yellow’s your color?”

A shiver rushes down her spine, a smile tugging up the corners of her lips as Rafe’s hand slides from her hip to her front, resting on her stomach as he pulls her to him. His touch is warm, burning her deliciously through the thin material of her dress as she feels his solid torso pressing against her back.

He makes her pulse quicken as Isla tilts her head to the side the slightest, sighing happily when she feels his lips skim the side of her neck. “I think you’re the first,” she replies, her voice surprisingly not as breathless as she feels at the softness of his lips.

“Hm,” he hums and she can sense the smile as he kisses her neck, spreading heat throughout her body. It’s risky, being here like this with him. But they’re on the other side of the truck from the party, and the height of it blocks them anyway, if anyone were to look. Rafe’s hand slides even further to her other hip, tightening his hold to turn her around, and Isla smiles as she finally looks up at his face, sunglasses still covering his eyes.

She watches as his own smile curves up his lips, the sight making her pulse quicken as his strong arm wraps around her waist, holding her close. Her free hand slides up his chest, the material of his shirt soft, until her arm is loosely wrapped around his neck. “You look pretty good in blue,” she tells him through a smile.

Rafe arches an eyebrow, dipping his chin so their eyes can meet over the glasses. “Just pretty good?” he asks, still smiling.

Isla’s smile widens. With her mom’s cover-up draped across her arm, she reaches her hand up and swiftly swipes his sunglasses off. Rafe squints briefly against the sunlight, his smile remaining as he watches Isla put the Ray Bans on her face. Warmth spreads through her chest at the way his eyes soften, watching Isla give a sly grin. “Very handsome,” she corrects before lifting her chin. “How do I look?”

Rafe’s hand rests on her lower back, blue eyes looking over her face, his bangs grazing past his eyebrows. “Very much like a girl I want to kiss.”

Her heart skips a beat or two, her fingers teasing his hair at the back of his head. She glances over her shoulder, though the truck obscures her view of anything. “We don’t have much time,” Isla says as she turns back to face him.

Rafe is already leaning towards her, Isla’s grin growing the closer he gets as she takes his sunglasses and slides them up to rest on the top of her head. His hand on her back increases pressure and his gaze drops to her lips, heat slipping through her veins as Rafe’s voice drops low when he murmurs, “Any time with you is worth it.”

He seals his words by pressing his lips to hers, barely giving Isla any time to think of what he just said, too distracted by the way he kisses her. Isla’s stomach presses against his, humming happily against Rafe’s lips as he leans towards her, and Isla’s fingers thread through his hair at the back of his head as Rafe moves her backward until she’s leaning against the edge of the backseat.

When his tongue slides into her mouth, a low moan escapes Isla, and it seems to push Rafe in moving his hand that’s resting at the small of her back until his arm winds itself around her, just under her ass, and Isla gasps out a laugh into the kiss when he suddenly lifts her just enough to rest her on the seat. Rafe leans forward, ducking into the truck, and all thoughts eddie out of Isla’s head as she parts her legs to let his lean body fit between them where he stands next to the truck, and Isla’s heart thunders wildly at the way Rafe’s tongue teases hers.

This is so risky, Isla knows, but God, she can’t bring herself to care when Rafe’s kisses make her head spin so wildly. Anyone could walk by and spot them, but it doesn’t really matter right now. She’s already addicted to the taste of him, has already memorized the shape and feel of his lips as she sucks on his lower lip, relishing in the deep groan he releases. His hands slide along the sides of her thighs, somehow both heat and goosebumps spreading through her skin in response to his touch, and her own fingers tighten in his hair.

“It drives me fucking crazy,” Rafe mumbles, Isla gasping against his lips when she feels his fingers press into the flesh of her thighs. Her heart is running a mile a minute, heat dampening her underwear at having him so close and desperately needing him—but knowing now definitely isn’t the time. It’s all she can think until Rafe continues, “Seeing you like this and not being able to even fucking talk to you.”

“Like this?” Isla questions breathlessly as Rafe’s lips trail kisses down the line of her jaw, her head tilting back and eyes shut as she enjoys his kisses.

The air hitches in her throat when Rafe kisses in that spot right where her jaw and neck meet. “Beautiful,” Rafe answers, grip on her tightening, pulling her close.

Isla moans as his teeth teasingly nip at her skin, and she cups his face and brings it back up so she can kiss him again. “You’re tired of keeping this a secret already?” she asks, her words practically a whisper. “We only just started.”

Their kiss breaks for a moment and Isla’s eyes flutter open to see Rafe looking down at her with his own hooded eyes. Her heart launches to her throat when she sees his kiss swollen lips, slightly glittering with the shine of her lip gloss having rubbed off on him. The sight only dampens her underwear even more, breathing heavily against him. His blue eyes have darkened and, God, the way he’s looking at her, like he wants to swallow her whole. Oh, she’d let him.

“I know,” Rafe replies, his voice roughened. One of his hands slides away from the hem of her dress, coming up to brush her dark hair out of her face. Her racing heart melts when his knuckles gently graze along her cheekbones, watching her with a look that has her sliding her hand out of his hair and resting at the side of his neck.

Some of the haze of lust fades away as Rafe straightens, Isla sitting on the edge of the seat sideways, his body still standing between her legs. “You changing your mind?” she asks him with a slight tilt of her head. Her stomach knots slightly at the idea of Rafe having any kind of regret when it comes to her and this relationship.

His gaze snaps back to hers, forehead creasing. “Absolutely not,” he says firmly, the conviction in his voice relaxing Isla as she rubs her lips together for a second. “It’s just. . . An adjustment,” he finishes with a flash of a half smile.

“Dating a Pogue?” Isla supplies with a small, teasing smirk.

He huffs out a laugh, rolling his eyes. “No,” he says, and that alone makes her heart swell. Such a small thing, but it somehow holds a lot of significance for her. Meeting her gaze, Rafe clarifies, “Wanting someone so badly and not being able to kiss you whenever the hell I want.”

“It’s hard for me too,” Isla tells him with a gentle smile, fiddling with the collar of his shirt. In the distance, she can hear the party going on, the chatter of people overpowered by the music playing by the band. But her gaze is on Rafe. “It’s only temporary though, right? Just for now. Just until the time is right to tell everyone.”

Truth be told, Isla isn’t a hundred percent certain when the time will be right to tell her friends about her and Rafe. She wants her and Rafe to be seeing each other for a bit, to be in an established relationship between them, before she tells them. So they don’t think she’s lost her mind, or think she’s only hooking up with him. No matter when she tells them, or how, no doubt the Pogues will have something or another to say.

It’s a thought that makes her more anxious than she’d like to think, trying her best not to dwell on it too hard. The fact of the matter is, Isla just wants to enjoy being with Rafe, to savor the excitement that comes with sneaking around, and get to know him more and more while they’re alone in their bubble. This thing between them, tentatively unlabeled but quickly heading in the direction she wants it to, is still very new and they both are learning to navigate it. She doesn’t want to put a timer on things as to when they can be public—when she will tell her friends. And she hopes Rafe is in the same mindset as her. Though, as with any healthy relationship, open communication is where it all comes down to, isn’t it?

Throat working briefly, Isla continues, “I know it’s annoying to keep this a secret—” She trails a finger along the sharp curve of his jaw until it’s under his chin, tipping his face towards her, smiling gently when his softening eyes meet hers. “And that it’d be much easier to be with someone you don’t have to sneak ar—”

“What’d I tell you before?” Rafe asks with an arch of his eyebrow. “I don’t care that we have to hide, because I know it’s important for you to find the right time to tell my sister and your friends.” He smiles then, giving a one shouldered shrug. “I’m just looking forward to the day we can do whatever we want, whenever we want. No matter how far down the road that is.”

Her heart swells. “Yeah?”

Rafe dips his chin in a nod, pressing a swift kiss to her lips. “Yeah,” he answers, pulling back with a smile.

She relaxes even more, his reassuring words providing more comfort than she expects. “Well, in that case,” she starts slowly, smile growing as she shifts her hand so it’s cupping his jaw, using her thumb to wipe at his lips to get rid of the glitter from her lip gloss still on his lips. “How ’bout another date?” Isla tilts her head, briefly biting her bottom lip when she sees the way his eyebrows flick upwards in curiosity. “Our third one,” she adds with a wiggle of her eyebrows.

“Third?” he asks with a laugh, moving back so Isla can get out of the truck, her mom’s cover up in hand as she fixes the skirt of her dress. As Isla takes off her sunglasses and hands them back to Rafe, he asks, “When’d we have the second one?”

She laughs as he taps a closed fist on top of his folded sunglasses. “I think our day in the park counts as a second date,” she muses.

Rafe shoots her a flat expression. “Seriously?”

“Seriously,” she shrugs with a grin. “But it’s my turn to plan the date this time.”

His expression shifts to one of amused curiosity, his smile making her heart flutter. As always. “Oh, yeah?” he asks, his hand reached out so his fingers lightly grasp her chin. Her skin sizzles when he touches her, air locking in her throat when his thumb gently wipes at the skin just beneath her bottom lip. She has a feeling he’s wiping away her smeared lip gloss.

“Yeah,” she breathes out, wanting to lean into him and kiss him again. But she can hear the party, and no doubt her parents and friends will begin wondering where she is. “Friday night?”

Her parents leave in the morning and she has a shift at The Wreck, but it’s not a closing shift. She also knows for a fact that Kie is going to be at the movies at the park with Cleo, because they both have a wild crush on Dev Patel and Monkey Man is playing, and while Isla doesn’t know about the others, she knows they’ll be busy, too. It’d be the perfect night for her and Rafe to hang out.

“I’m down,” Rafe says with a grin. “Text me the details?”

She nods, running her fingers through her hair before gently rubbing at her lips. Her purse is back at the party, so she can’t fix her lip gloss, so she just hopes for the best as she asks Rafe, “I look okay?”

Rafe’s gaze lingers on her face, flickering around as though he’s watching every feature—from the curve of her eyelashes to the gold nose ring to the pout of her lips. It only makes her stomach flutter. “Gorgeous,” he says, voice low and reverent and enough to make that flutter into a hurricane. Rubbing his bottom lip with his thumb, Rafe looks past her for a second before saying, “You go ahead. I’ll, uh, be back in a bit.”

His eyes drop down for a moment and Isla’s eyebrows raise as she follows his gaze until it stops at his pants, noting the very prominent bulge that has Isla’s throat drying in realization. The heat that had melted through her veins returns in that second, desire tightening her throat as she forces her gaze to flicker back up to him. When she meets his gaze again, he doesn’t look embarrassed—not that he should—but the way he’s got a ghost of a smirk has her pressing her tongue to the roof of her mouth, because she knows he knows exactly what’s going through her head.

“Um, yeah, sounds good,” Isla says with a quick clearing of her throat, cheeks flushing deeply that she’s sure she resembles a tomato. She also does her very best not to think about how, so far, they’ve only just kissed and she can’t wait for the moment they finally get to do more. “I’m, um, gonna go.”

Rafe’s smirk widens and Isla can feel his gaze on her as she shuts the truck door and locks it. When she looks up at him, Isla shakes her head, rolling her lips into her mouth briefly when he chuckles. “Don’t look at me like that,” she mumbles, lightly smacking the sleeve of her mom’s cover up against Rafe’s chest as she moves to go past him.

He laughs again and Isla gasps slightly when his arm slides around her once more, hand on her stomach, and stops her long enough for him to duck his head forward and press a swift kiss to her cheek. “See you there,” he murmurs against her skin before pulling back, and oh boy, the butterflies in her belly belong to him.

Isla walks back to the party before she convinces herself to stay with him, the music and chatter growing louder the closer she gets. She swears her lips still tingle from kissing Rafe, struggling to bite back a smile as she easily finds her mom talking to some guests.

“Thanks, baby,” Anna says with a smile as she takes the cover up, before doing a double take. Her forehead creases, turning away from the others to face Isla fully. “You okay? You look flushed,” she adds, lightly pressing the back of her hand against Isla’s cheek.

Isla blinks, forcing her eyes not to widen in surprise as to not give away anything. Sure, her mom knew that Isla went on a date with Rafe, and her mom’s been great about keeping things quiet—especially from Kiara. Still, Isla isn’t exactly ready to tell her mom that the reason for her oh-so-flushed cheeks is because she has just finished making out with Rafe in her dad’s truck.

“Oh, yeah, I’m fine,” Isla assures with a laugh that she hopes doesn’t sound too forced.

Anna pulls her hand back, looking at her for a moment. Her gaze flicks around before stepping towards Isla, dipping her chin even as her gaze remains locked with Isla’s. “I know Kie and your friends have some issues with Rafe,” her mom whispers, which Isla isn’t expecting her to say. “Everything good on that front?”

Isla’s gaze flicks to where her friends are, sitting at a table now and talking amongst themselves, keeping their distance away from the Kooks and enjoying their little bubble. She loves that bubble. Even if, right now, there’s a fear of popping it because of her evolving relationship with Rafe.

“Mom,” Isla starts, shooting her mom a pointed look and putting on a smile so anyone watching doesn’t think anything is amiss. “I love you, but you don’t need to worry about anything. Let’s not have this specific conversation right at this moment?”

Realization is quick to dawn on her mother, thankfully. She laughs and nods, much to Isla’s relief. “Got it.”

The rest of the party goes on easily, with Isla and Kie sitting with their parents during the dinner. Before it was served, though, their dad had made a beautiful speech about their mom, expressed his love for Anna and their daughters, and Isla had definitely teared up during it. While Kie wrapped both of her arms around Isla’s shoulder and pulled her in, sitting next to each other, Isla had wiped her nose with a tissue and her gaze had somehow found Rafe’s, where he sat with his family. And with his sunglasses off, she saw that he was looking directly at her, and when he noted the tears in her eyes, had given her a small smile, his own gaze softening, and while Isla hugs her sister back, she also kind of wishes she had Rafe’s hand to hold, too.

That’s not possible, though. Not yet, anyway.

Later on in the night, Isla’s laughter rings out as JJ gives her a twirl on the makeshift dance floor, the band playing a cover of Check Yes Juliet, and the skirt of her dress flares around her as she does. Her friends surround them while other guests dance as well, the sun having long since set and the fairy lights that are hanging above them illuminating the area beautifully. With the sun gone and the sky darkened, it is a little cooler out, but Isla’s having too much dancing with her friends—and dancing off all of the food she happily ate during the dinner.

JJ spins her again and Isla laughs, throwing her arm around his shoulders once she’s straightened. “Okay, okay, I’m gonna get dizzy,” she says over the music, her other hand finding Kie’s and pulling her sister over, her other arm around Kie’s shoulders as the three of them dance—or jump—to the music. When she glances to her left, Isla notes Kie’s gaze lingering on JJ, her smile a little distance, and Isla leans towards her and whispers, “Maybe let him twirl you.” Kie looks at her like she’s insane and Isla has to stifle a laugh. “Or maybe not.”

God, these two idiots.

“Sarah.” Isla’s gaze snaps to Rafe making his way towards their group, standing taller than everyone else. Because of her arm around JJ, she can feel his shoulders tense at Rafe’s arrival and with one glance, Isla sees the way JJ’s jaw clenches, blue eyes trained on Rafe, who is focused on his sister. Sarah turns to look at him, John B’s arms around her, though her smile doesn’t falter as she looks at her brother. “We’re heading out. Are you coming with us or staying with John B?”

“No, no, I’m coming,” Sarah tells him.

Rafe dips his chin in a nod as Sarah turns to give John B a kiss and, right then, though Rafe doesn’t fully face her to his right, his eyes still meet Isla’s. Everyone around them dances, other than her friends, really, but Isla feels her stomach flutter, the heat of her surroundings nothing compared to what ignites when Rafe just looks at her. It’s dangerous, given that they’re around all of her friends, but her heart hasn’t gotten the memo.

“I’ll see you guys later,” Sarah says to the rest of them with a smile before nodding her chin at Rafe. “Let’s go.”

Rafe’s gaze darts away from Isla, and she misses the weight of it as the brother and sister make their way out of the crowd, Rafe easily parting the people around them and Sarah following in his wake. As the band changes songs and Isla sees Rafe disappear from view, JJ huffs from next to her. “Can’t stand that guy.”

Isla blinks before her head turns to him. Ignoring the tightness in her stomach—this time more painful than anything else—she forces out a laugh. “He didn’t even do anything. This time, at least,” she hastily adds, feeling a bitter taste in her mouth.

“Doesn’t matter,” JJ shrugs, running his fingers through his hair while his arm drops from around Isla’s shoulders. “He’s the fucking king of the Kooks. Asshole by default.”

“I thought Ward was the king of the Kooks?” Cleo muses with an arched eyebrow. “Since Sarah was the Kook princess?”

“Yeah, that’d make Rafe prince of the Kooks, right?” Pope pipes in, and the whole conversation seems so surreal that Isla isn’t sure if she wants to laugh or spiral a little, knowing they’re all talking about Rafe.

JJ, though, is a little fed up. “Shut up, y’all know what I meant,” he says with a roll of his eyes. “He’s an asshole. Always has been, let’s leave it at that.”

Isla doesn’t want to leave it at that, but she bites her tongue—literally, feeling the sting as she traps it between her teeth. There’s a tightness in her chest, hearing Rafe being talked about like this. The change is sudden and new and something Isla is readily becoming familiar with—this change of completely disliking when one of her best friends openly calls Rafe an asshole. Especially when she has seen a side of him none of them have—a side she has a very strong feeling is the real him.

It’s been a while since there has been any physical altercation between Pogues and Kooks—one that has involved Rafe, anyway. John B and Topper often get into it, since Topper still can’t seem to accept that Sarah left him and hates to see her with John B, but Rafe has kept his distance from these fights. Since even before he and Isla got together.

Come to think of it, it’s been since Sarah’s birthday—the night that he had told Isla changed his feelings for her. Like he was keeping himself out of trouble with her friends in respect to her, and the notion is sweet and lovely, but not one she can disclose to her friends. She so badly wants to defend him, to tell JJ he’s being ridiculous and unfair since Rafe hasn’t done shit, but that would so obviously raise suspicions. Her friends would think she’s insane for defending him.

So Isla stays quiet—and hates every bit of it.

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rapidwaterzzz · 4 days ago

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random hermitcraft/ life series headcanons cause my brains rotting over both ;^)

OVERALL:

- after each life series all the members come back to hermitcraft and throw some form of a house party

-no one rlly dies on hermitcraft, they just tend to gets lots of injurys(broken bones, sprains, concussions, all the fun stuff)

- they definitely have an infirmary there somewhere

-each smps like a city, for example hermitcraft and empires smp r neighboring cities

INDIVIDUAL:

- Joel, Grian, and Jimmy are all siblings cause i said so

-grians oldest, joels middle, jimmys youngest

i imagine a good majority of them played some sport/ activity before coming to hermitcraft so heres some cause idk y this has been plaguing me:

bdubs: volleyball, golf

cub: some form of student council maybe??

doc: golf, lacrosse (definetly js whacks ppl w his stick)

etho: ice hockey, lacrosse

false: field hockey, track

gem: field hockey, wrestling, lacrosse

hypno: hockey

iskall: wrestling

scar: student council w cub (convex ;))

grian: tennis

jevin: football, wrestling

impulse: football, shotput

joehills: yearbook/ newpaper club(idk i get the vibe)

keralis: soccer,gymnastics(i could see him js doing a roundoff backhandspring out of nowhere dw abt it)

mumbo: golf, photography club

pearl: swimming, cross country

rendog: THE theatre kid

skizz: football, basketball, baseball

smallishbeans: soccer, volleyball, baseball

stress: cheerleading, wrestling, volleyball

tango: baseball

beef: lacrosse, football

wels: volleyball, golf

xb: swimming

xisuma: golf

zed: some form of a science club,

cleo: field hockey, softball

bigb: swimming(idk i get the vibe)

inthelittlewood: theatre kid, soccer

lizzie: field hockey, cheer, lacrosse

smajor: cheer, golf

solidarity: soccer, tennis

these could go for a highschool au or anything but i imagine they did these in highschool and then move to “hermitcraft city” or smth and they still like practice all these andn stuff

monthy hangouts are set up by the magic mountain group, usually consisting of movies and games(always sleepovers at someones base)

cleo is the best cook on the server,she host bi-annual seever wide dinners (w the help of beef and false for cooking)

bdubs and joel draw out there bases together, only time youll see them not beefin w eachother

the redstoners r covered in burn marks due to redstone lighting at wrong times or js blowimg up

cub and xisumas are the servers doctors, running the infirmary if needed

if a hermit gets a cast, crutches, a boot, splint, etc, gem, bdubs, keralis, skizz, and stress make it a goal to decorate it as much as possible(they have a competition to see who can get it done first)

after parties, xisuma, impulse, hypno, and false are usually the ones to make sure everyone gets home, being “designated walkers”(they dont drink so they can walk everyone home)(no idk where im coming up w this stuff either)

team zits definitely have movie marathons weekly(they play uno to decide who picks the series)

mumbo and grian love watching dance moms(holly is mumbos fave, kelly is grians fave)

doc, etho, beef, and gem play eachother in lacrosse all the time, getting way to agressive each time (always some form of an injury outcome)

jevin is a weirdly good baker, makes the best cakes(taste and decoration)

pearl is rlly good at anything art related (loves painting/ drawing other hermits doing whatever)

ren makes the server put on plays (hes director and the main character in every one)(hes hires whatever hermits he can get to also act in them)

75% of the times tango sneezes, something catches on fire (theres fire extinguishers everywhere imaginable)

xb is the fastest swimmer on the server by a landslide, every hermit has tried to best him but he always wins by atleast 2 seconds

zed collects little trinkets, and leaves them in peoples bases as gifts

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watarfallar · 1 month ago

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I don't know what to put for a title...INCORRECT QUOTES!

BigB: Are you drunk? Impulse: Only on the spirit of Christmas! Pearl: And the spirit of whisky.

Skizz: Three of the four elements are represented as types of hockey. Air hockey, ice hockey, and field hockey. Fire hockey needs to be a thing. Scar: Fire hockey absolutely does NOT need to be a thing. BigB: Do you care NOTHING for the balance of the four elements?!

Gem: What must it be like to live in your head? Are there happy ponies in there? It’s really something how utterly delusional your optimism is. If I didn’t hate you so much, I might even be impressed. Martyn: Huzzah! I got a heavily qualified and slightly sarcastic compliment from Gem!

Etho: But when all hope seemed lost, I had an epiphany! Etho, earlier: I'm going to throw myself into the sea.

Joel: I hate Scar. Pearl: "Hate' is a strong word. Joel: I have strong opinions.

Impulse: I am strong! I beat Jimmy at arm wrestling! BigB: Anyone can beat Jimmy at arm wrestling! Jimmy: Hey-

Grian: Hey, I see those leaves, where are you from? Impulse: Illinois. Grian: AAYYYE, I KNEW IT! ME TOO! Ren: Did you just identify a state by looking at its leaves.

BigB, when Scott walks in: Oh, hey, I'm just making pizza. BigB: *accidentally smacks Ren in the face with the baking sheet*

Grian: *walks into the kitchen, ignoring everyone* Martyn: Hey, Grian, how was your day? Grian: *picks up an onion and bites into it, staring at Martyn* Hell. Mumbo, watching this unfold: *whispers* Who hurt you?

Martyn: It’s impossible to make a sentence without using the letter A. Scar: Despite your thinking, it is quite possible, yet difficult, to form one without the specific letter. Here’s one more to further disprove your theory. Joel: Fuck you.

Etho: Are you ever going to listen to me? Ren: Yes. Absolutely. Etho: When? Ren: When you're right.

Skizz, teaching Grian to drive: Okay Grian, what does a green light mean? Grian: Go! Skizz: A red light? Grian: Stop! Skizz: And what about a yellow light? Grian: If you floor it, you can make it! Skizz: …No—

Lizzie: We are gathered here today because someone- *glares at Bdubs’s coffin* -couldn’t stay alive!

Martyn: What if we were stranded on a desert island? Who would you eat? Jimmy: Etho. Martyn: So fast? Wh-what about me? I would eat you! Jimmy: That’s very nice, I guess. Martyn: Why wouldn’t you eat me? I’m your best friend. Jimmy: Look, if other people are having some, I’ll try you.

Tango: Say no to drugs. Gem: Say yes to drugs. Jimmy: It doesn't matter if you say yes or no to drugs. If you're talking to drugs.. then you're on drugs.

Impulse: "What are you into?" is such a broad question, like do I reply with a TV series or choking?

Lizzie: There. How do I look? Jimmy: Like a cheap French harlot. Lizzie: French?!

BigB: My dad died when I was little so whenever someone jokes about fucking my mom I’ll pretend to be really sincere and say some shit like “Glad to see she’s moving on, my dad’s death hit her pretty hard.” Then watch them absolutely fumble trying to figure out a response to that statement. BigB: Update, she got a new partner I can no longer make the joke.

Cleo: It'll be fun. Cleo: We'll make a day of it. Cleo: Come on you punk bitch. Scar: I can't believe I have to say this. Scar: I don't have time to get tested for sti's with you tomorrow.

Grian: Capitalization is the difference between "I had to help my uncle Jack off a horse.." and "I had to help my uncle jack off a horse.."

Scar: I haven’t lost my virginity. Jimmy: Because you have no friends? Scar: No... because I never lose!

Lizzie: *banging a pen on the table out of frustration* Gem: Stop that. How would YOU feel if I banged you on the table? Lizzie: I— Lizzie: I don’t know the correct answer to that question.

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jadienjaystoriesandart · 4 months ago

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I’m tempted to write a sit com style of Limited Life.

It follows the Clockers, a family of a single mom, Cleo Clocker, and her two sons (who we think are adopted) Scar and Bdubs Clocker (who we also swear that those aren’t their real names).

The local biker gang, Bad Boys, Grian, Joel, and Jimmy (who we aren’t sure are related but people speculate Jimmy and Grian are. And that Joel has a wife we don’t see)

The neighbors, Pearl and BigB (of which we think Pearl is Grian’s sister but isn’t confirmed. And is dating BigB to piss off her brother.) who are very nosey and tend to get involved in the family drama because of this.

Their absent dad, Etho Slab (Formerly Clocker), as he causes problems in the families life trying to ‘reconnect’ with his sons. And running a bar with his old college buddies Tango, Skizz, and Impulse. (We think they are in a poly or something. But none of them are straight.)

And the two resort owners, Scott and Martin, well ‘resort’ is an Airbnb they rent out and make great money with. (We think they are in a relationship (?), but Scott acts weird around Jimmy, and Martyn seems to have some weird trauma around Cleo. We aren’t sure why, but something happened.)l

Noted Plot points.

- Grian and Scar used to be a couple when teens, and Grian cheated on Scar with BigB.

- BigB was under the assumption that Scar was into this, and has tried to get Grian to do a threesome.

- Pearl is ‘dating’ BigB because both want to make Grian jealous. (It’s working)

- Scar still has feelings for Grian but also hates his guts. Several times through the series they have hate sex.

- Bdubs has some ‘dad’ trauma. And constantly looking for Etho’s approval.

- Etho only ever liked Bdubs and doesn’t like his eldest son Scar. He thinks Cleo had an affair. (Fans speculate that Scar is adopted)

- Fans speculate Joel has a secret wife that he hides form the Bad Boys and her name is Lizzie. They think she’s Pearl’s best friend or former girlfriend before she got with Joel.

- Gem is Cleo’s girlfriend in this, but people seem to think she’s Cleo’s sister which is confusing as to why.

- Renchanting is a closed down shop after Ren broke up with Martyn and left for a different city.

- The place takes place on a costal town a few miles away from a city. So Beach shenanigans (And Scar in a tight swimsu-)

- Jimmy is always having doubts of being a Bad Boy and seems to have a crush on Tango. (Fans love the angst for this shit).

- Bdubs and Scar have a great brotherly relationship even if they don’t see eye to eye.

- Tango, Impulse, and Skizz all keep trying to get Etho to ‘man up’ and actually be there for his kids. (Or at least Bdubs, Scar is doing fine on his own it seems). While also being bad influences on him for ways he can get Cleo to not hate him.

- they also own a tie shop business on the side of their bar. And no one knows why.

- Fans speculate the family is in a gang or mafia, but aren’t sure what. There is little evidence but it is scary how this little bit shows a darker picture.

- fans also speculate both Scar and Bdubs aren’t Cleo’s or Etho’s kids due to the stupid always changing their ages. Hence the mafia theory.

- both Scar and Bdubs are whores, and so is everyone else. I don’t make the rules.

-0-0-0-0-

This is about all I got for now. But if I come up with more ideas, I’ll let you know.

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its-muffin-tyme · 3 months ago

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#life series smp #the life series #grian #bdubs #mumbo jumbo #pearlescentmoon #goodtimeswithscar #clockers family #zombiecleo #limited life smp #double life smp #last life smp #secret life smp #3rd life smp #martyn inthelittlewood #polls #life series polls #tangotek

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firenati0n · 5 months ago

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wip wednesday <3 :)

hello friends <3 sorry for the late upload. thanks to all the sunday and wednesday tags (will tag below the cut), love you long time :)

here's the only thing i have written in like a month and it's not even for proposal au whoops sorry (hopefully proposal ch 4 shakes out soon)

idk what the fuck this is because i wrote it at like 3am so enjoy david and his friends ganging up on a stuffy poodle.

David's best friend Milo's tail is wagging before the three of them have even fully entered the dog park. David's tail starts to swing in return on instinct. Every day is exciting for him, but Thursdays at the dog run are for people watching with his friends—gossiping is pedestrian, but everyone must fall victim at some point. Before David can even greet Milo with a bark hello, the insufferable poodle Cleo next to him goes, “My, Henry's looking rather submissive and breedable today, wouldn't you say, Milo? That scarf, oh!” David growls in the back of his throat, moving to stand guard in front of Henry's ankles as he chats amiably with Cleo’s owner. Henry’s always showing everyone kindness. David is not inclined to do the same. He's historically selective, it's practically in his breeding. “Don't be weird, Cleo,” Milo's brother Leo snaps. “Henry is a gentleman. He doesn't let just anyone on the street pet him.” He side eyes her with rampant disdain. “Maybe we should all learn and take notes, hm?” Cleo sniffs, nose upturned. “Don't get your paws in a twist, boys. I didn't know it was a crime to say someone was pretty.” “Speak on Henry one more time, and I'm gonna bite your mom's ankle,” Milo threatens. David is so lucky to have a friend like him.

xoxo roop

p.s. my eventual vision for this fic is that david sounds like david attenborough and narrates some of alex and henry's life like a nature documentary. anything is possible.

+ open tag and all the people who tagged me this and last week:

@thinkof-england @thedramasummer @thesleepyskipper @stellarmeadow @getmehighonmagic

@saturntheday @seths-rogens @priincebutt @judasofsuburbia @miss-minnelli

@welcometololaland @littlemisskittentoes @sophie1973 @suseagull04 @porcelainmortal

@eusuntgratie @tailsbeth-writes @myheartalivewrites @kiwiana-writes @stratocumulusperlucidus

@duchessdepolignaca03 @blueeyedgrlwrites @14carrotghoul @benwvatt @leaves-of-laurelin

@cha-melodius @sparklepocalypse @cricketnationrise @onthewaytosomewhere @toadsdrool

@wordsofhoneydew @anincompletelist

#fic: david attenborough #roop writes #wip wednesday #rwrb fic #rwrb #thanks for letting me immortalize your dogs kore #ily

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theminecraftbee · 2 years ago

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Scar's busy trying to make their rock look prettier. Cleo leans against it. It's cold against their back; good. They still feel the heat of burning mansions and anger and TNT and burning pyres. They don't have long now until they're yellow. Both they and Scar know exactly what they'll do then.

They and Scar do, at least.

Bdubs is loudly muttering indistinct things to himself while repeatedly shoving a hoe into an enchantment table. Cleo watches for a bit.

"Scar and I have some people to get revenge on tomorrow," Cleo says.

Bdubs nods. "Oh yes. Those nasty Bad Boys, they won't know what's coming to them! Just as soon as I finish dealing with this stupid hoe."

Scar snickers from the corner. "But Bdubs, I thought that was -"

"HEY!" Bdubs says. "WATCH IT!"

"Yeah Bdubs, I thought you were good with your hoes," Cleo says, because they've never been one to let a joke like that just go by.

"I'll have you know that I'm excellent at handling hoes. The best at it. The best at hoes," Bdubs says. Scar laughs so loud he nearly chokes.

"Wow, didn't need to know you thought that," Cleo says.

"I'm - no you idiots!" Bdubs says. "You're putting things in my mouth!"

"Like the hoes?" Scar says.

"Screw you guys," Bdubs says, huffing and returning to the steady chime of the enchantment table and grind of the grindstone. Cleo tries to catch her breath again through the laughter to remember her original point.

Wiping at her eyes, she leans back. "To be honest though, I have no idea what your plans are. You sort of just... vanished today?"

"Yeah. We lost you," Scar says. "Not very responsible parenting. Or older sibling-ing."

"Who said you were older?" grumps Bdubs.

"Well you see, the older sibling is normally taller, and -"

"Boys," Cleo says. They both stop.

"Sorry mom," Scar says, sounding not even remotely sorry.

"I regret you two," Cleo says.

"Awww. But you love us," Bdubs says.

"Absolutely not," Cleo says. "Besides, you're dodging my question. Where were you?"

"Well, I can't just tell you that," Bdubs says. "Then people will know!"

Cleo and Scar are both quiet for a long moment.

"That's sort of the point? It'll just be us," Scar says. "Us, your partners in crime, knowing where you were. That's all we're asking."

Bdubs harumphs. "And I said I'm not telling. They'll know if I tell you. The people who are watching. And they don't get to know, you hear me? Nope, I'm a man of mystery. I'm here to keep them guessing, I am!"

Cleo and Scar glance at each other. Scar is grimacing. Ah. He knows what Bdubs is talking about, doesn't he. Cleo's not sure they do. They almost do, but clearly not in the same way Scar does.

Still, they know enough.

Cleo huffs overdramatically. "Fine then. Keep your secrets. See if I tell you mine."

"You can't have secrets! You're our mom!" Scar says.

"You have a bizarre idea of how this works," Cleo says.

"Aha!" Bdubs says. "A - no I read it wrong. Gosh darn it."

He puts the hoe in the grindstone again, washing off whatever he'd enchanted it with. Cleo leans back against the wall to cool the burns they still feel. They prepare for the next morning.

#limited life smp #limited life spoilers #bdoubleo100 #zombiecleo #goodtimeswithscar #a bee fic #yeah guys bdubs can't just tell you where he was. then the audience would know!#......hm.#also i am proud of the stupid hoes conversation. because like. of course they would

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mermaidgirl30 · 8 months ago

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Love Amidst the Blue Ch 2: Captured✨

Series Masterlist

A/N: I hope you enjoy chapter two! Joel and mermaid reader are so 🥰 Enjoy all the fluff and please let me know yours thoughts!

Chapter Summary: After discovering a magic necklace that’ll give you what you desire, you get caught in a net and find yourself trapped. It’s not just any boat though, it’s Joel’s boat.

Pairing: sailor! Joel x mermaid fem! reader

Word Count: 7k

Rating: Explicit (18+ Only MDNI)

Chapter Tags: Reader finds a magic shell necklace, pining, fluff, a little bit of angst, tension, longing, Joel takes care of reader

Dividers by @saradika-graphics

The next day you can’t wait to see Joel. You’d stayed awake half the night just daydreaming about those dreamy brown eyes and calloused hands as you rolled back and forth in the silky pink clam shell bed. You want to see him again, want to ask him about all his sailing adventures and treasures he’s found. So that’s exactly what you’d do. Tonight.

You quickly check your hair in the long standing mirror and pick a rainbow colored sea flower from the ocean floor, spinning around in a circle as you bring it to your face to smell and place it back down in the soft sand. You flick your tail and swim through the kingdom of Capri as you pass other mermaids and mermen, trailing your fingers along golden palace walls and shimmery pearls that hang from strings beside the palace entrance.

Before you can make it out, you run into your father, the king of Capri. “Oh, hi father,” you say dreamily as your head fills with images of Joel’s handsome face.

“Morning, sweetie. Where are you off to in such a hurry? Haven’t seen you lately, you okay?” he asks as he trails his eyes over your lovesick expression, trying your best not to give yourself away.

“I’m okay. Just wanted to get a head start on picking some shells in the kelp beds. You know how I love making jewelry,” you lie, trying your best to keep a straight face as a slight giggle escapes your lips.

Your father looks at you carefully, his golden crown slipping further down his long locks as his glistening gold triton sits next to his intricate throne made of shells. If he suspects something, he doesn’t say. He just nods his head as a smile tugs at his lips.

“Ahh, I see. You always did make the finest jewelry in the kingdom,” he smiles. “Just be careful. Take Scar with you. I’ve been hearing rumors that humans have been getting close to the area. Don’t want you getting tangled up in that nonsense,” he warns, his eyes on fire as he thinks about the day he lost his most precious wife. The day you lost your mom and half your people. That cold, dreadful day.

“Promise, daddy. I’ll be safe.”

Marissa and Cleo narrow their eyes at you in the back of the room, knowing damn well you are in fact meddling in human affairs. You drag your eyes over to them and give them a pleading look, begging them not to say a word. They must acknowledge it because they don’t say a word, they just float and stare at you with beady eyes.

“Alright, well have fun. Just be careful and don’t talk to the eels. They’re always pulling nasty tricks with us,” he says with narrowed eyes.

“Goodbye, daddy,” you say as you wave and head out, swimming through thick beds of seaweed as you pass a school of clown fish.

You don’t get very far until Marissa and Cleo are swimming in front of you, blocking you from going any further.

“Where are you off to really?” Cleo asks as her long blonde hair spirals down her back, her aquamarine tail fanning out as she narrows her piercing blue eyes at you.

“You’re going to see that human again, aren’t you?” Marissa just copies her menacing look and crosses her arms as her tail turns a deeper purple than it was a few minutes ago.

You’re trapped. They know what you plan to do, and there’s no point lying to them. They know. “Tonight, yes,” you confess with a sigh, feeling them judge you harshly by the way they gnash their teeth in your direction.

“You’re so selfish, you know that? Risking our kind, for what? So you can live out your little daydream of finding love with a human? You’re so fucking selfish, sister. So stupid,” Marissa says with sharp incisors snarling in your direction.

You take it upon yourself to fight back, defend your stance. “I’m not being selfish! If you just for once listened to me, you’d know he was different. He doesn’t want to hurt me. He’s going to tell me all about the human world, answer all my questions about being on land,” you fight back, standing up for yourself.

“Pffft. Gods, you’re delusional. You’re going to risk everything!” Cleo shouts as her blaring voice booms through the water. You gasp at the force of her words.

“I’m not though…” you say quietly, biting your lip to soothe the guilt inside your stomach. Maybe you are risking it all, but he wouldn’t hurt you. Would he?

“You forget your place in this family,” Marissa snarls bitterly. “Do you remember what happened to Stacia? Remember how she was so sure she found a nice human man? Remember how he dragged a knife through her heart and left her to bleed out on the ocean floor!” The pain in her voice is stifling as you cringe against her rough accusations.

Stacia. Of course you remembered. You remembered how heart broken your mother and father were, remembered him banishing any of his people from ever speaking to humans again. Now all they did was sing their siren songs to sailors while drowning them in the water which you were supposed to be a part of, too…

“Of course I remember! But Joel, he’d never do that…” you say quietly, trying your best not to shed a tear at how furious you are.

“Go on then. We won’t wait up for you,” Marissa says sharply as her and Cleo turn and swim back to the palace.

You sigh and swim the opposite way of them, feeling Scar follow behind as a large shadow takes form over your body. You can already feel Scar’s judgement wearing down on you, can feel the warning that lies in his big eyes.

“Scar, don’t make me feel anymore guilty than I already do,” you sigh out, carrying your body through the crystal clear water as you pass another school of colorful fish. “I know what I’m doing,” you press. He just rolls his eyes and continues following you, watching over you just like you did for him that cold, dark day years ago.

You continue swimming through the blue water as you flip through small rock tunnels and coast along the sandy bottom. You’re so close to your cave full of treasures that you can practically feel your collected items start to hum. Or wait, did you actually hear a buzzing sound?

You dive down further, dodging floating kelp and going into darker regions like places you shouldn’t be going. The water becomes colder, more frigid as you pass in between a rock formation. One that Scar won’t be able to fit through.

You look up at him swimming close by and you can hear his warning words come deep from within him. “Don’t go places where I can’t protect you. You know what lies beneath this area,” he warns as his large tail swishes back and forth, making circles in the water.

“Just give me a second. I hear something. Be right back,” you promise as you push your way through the narrow surface of crowded rocks.

You slide against the rocky terrain and follow the buzzing noise. It seems to reverberate off the rocks, making its way all the way down into your bones. The humming seems to ring in your ears, making its way all the way down to your fast beating heart.

Thump, thump, thump.

You can hear it, can feel it all the way down to your shiny fins. Whatever it is is calling to you, yelling your name as it echoes off the jagged rocks. You can hear Scar slashing against the water, but you keep going. You have to find out what it is.

The narrow rocks form into a wide open area that’s dark and cold, no other fish or coral reefs around this area. It’s a place you shouldn’t be. Before you can turn back around, you hear the humming noise pick up. It burns your ears as white noise takes hold of you, and when you look down is when you see something shiny sitting underneath a long grey rock.

You swim to the bottom of the dark area and brush away the sand that covers the hidden object. When you get ahold of what’s been humming and bring it back into the light, you freeze. What’s now in your hand is a long golden chain that holds the most beautiful clam shell you’ve ever seen before. Soft, creamy orange colors turn to purple and iridescent pink colors as you feel along every crevice of the shell. It’s unique, unlike any you had found before, and now it’s yours.

When you turn around to go show Scar what you have found, you’re stopped in place, unable to move as a long, slimy eel stands in your way of your only exit out of here. You gasp as your eyes go wide, remembering the warning your father had given you earlier.

Don’t talk to the eels, they only want to trick us.

“Well, well, well. So, someone finally found the magic necklace,” she says as she flashes you a sly smirk.

“Magic necklace?” you ask confused as you look back over the shiny shell. It didn’t look magical, not that you could see.

“My dear girl, that there is no ordinary necklace. It only shows itself to those who are worthy, to those pure of heart, to those desperate for something more,” she teases as she slithers around you with her cold, slimy tail.

You knit your eyebrows together and hold it tighter in your hand. “But what does it do? What makes it magical?” you ask conflicted. You shouldn’t be talking to an eel, shouldn’t even be here alone. But yet you stay, unable to leave as you need answers now.

“You long for legs, don’t you?” she smirks as a small laugh echoes around the dark water as you stare into the light that shines from behind the narrow rock formation.

“What makes you say that?” you ask sharply, not wanting to give your intentions away with Joel.

“It’s obvious, dear. That necklace there is a powerful thing. Put it on and you are free to go on land, have legs, explore the human world as if you were a human yourself.”

“What?” you gasp as you feel your eyes widen more.

“Yes, child. Put it on and you’ll never have to worry about being stuck with a tail again. Unless that’s what you want. You’d be free to take it off anytime and return to the sea. It’s up to you, but looks like it’s yours now.”

A low snicker cackles from her sharp teeth and her eyes glow a tinted yellow. Something malicious and evil sits in her voice, and you know something isn’t right. It’s almost like she is tricking you.

“You’re tricking me!” you accuse, voice higher as you shout your accusations.

“Oh, but I’m not. Don’t you trust me?” she laughs as she rubs up against your arm and swirls her tail against the back of your neck. You squirm at her cold touch.

“My father told me not to trust your kind,” you say carefully.

The eel spits in your direction. “Your father is a fool, child. I’m not lying to you when I say that necklace does just that. It’s an old, ancient magic. One so strong that it was kept in a tiny vessel and hidden away many years ago. You keep it safe, and it’s yours. Don’t let anyone take it from you because in the wrong hands it could be very, very dangerous,” she warns as she stalks around you slowly, her flashy eyes staring into yours like a hunter watching its prey.

You examine the necklace in your palm, watching the shiny shell glisten around your hold. The colors seem to swirl like a rainbow, the golden chain calling you to put it on. And you want to, you want to so bad. Human legs? Could you really go on land at your own free will without any consequences? No. There had to be consequences, there had to be something.

“What’s the catch?” you ask nervously, eye darting back to the slimy eel in front of you.

“The catch? Oh, yes. The catch,” she smiles a devious smirk your way that screams danger. This is dangerous, she is dangerous. “The catch is, don’t let it get broken or taken. For if you take it off on land, you have two days to make it back to the ocean.”

“What happens if I don’t make it back in time?” you ask slowly, your voice as quiet as a sea urchin.

“You die,” she warns as your pupils expand into pure terror. “Basically, you’ll turn back into a mermaid and suffocate to death. Your body will turn to dust, and you’ll be left with nothing but a mere breeze carried out to sea.”

“Oh.” You have no words, nothing to say except is this really what you want? To risk your own safety for a human?

“Well, go on now. Put it on, child,” she coaxes, her grimy teeth snarling up at you like a trickster would.

You slowly look at the necklace, turning it over as you think and think and think. Joel. The human world. So many things you want to see. Before you really think it through, you unclasp the latch and throw it around your neck, clipping the clasp into place as the glistening shell sits just above your breasts. This is it. This is what you always wanted. Right?

The eel laughs sadistically, curling her tail along your wrist as she brushes past you back into the dark shadows. “Remember, two days. Be careful out there, child. You never know who you might run into…”

With that, she disappears into the dark depths of a cave, and you waste no time as you swim free of your confined area. You push your way through the narrow, rocky opening and meet scar on the other side. You see him eye your new flashy jewelry and see the way he looks at you as if you had done something bad.

You grip it tight and try to take his focus off it. “It’s nothing, Scar. Just something I found under a rock. It’s nothing to worry about.”

You see him brush past you as he swims ahead of you, and you follow silently. You can already feel the judgement coming off his large body. Maybe you shouldn’t have taken it, maybe this was too risky, but you did. You did. No going back now.

You swim ahead of Scar, pushing your shimmery tail as fast as you can possibly go. You brush up against silky kelp beds, making bubbles swirl up to the surface like a whirlwind. You keep swimming and swimming and swimming until you’re there. Back at the boat. Back at his boat.

Pushing free to the surface, you feel the sunlight rain down on you as bursts of warmth hit your bare shoulders, letting the salt water drip down your radiant face as you slowly slip closer to the grand boat. The water is calm, the boat gently rocking side to side as you watch the sails slowly sway in the warm breeze.

You swim closer, keeping your head down as you circle one side of the boat. You see a crew of men shuffling their way back and forth on the deck, watching the way the men shout to each other as they work. One man with a blue bandanna across his matted hair is untangling a large fishing net, another is scrubbing the deck with an object you don’t know the name of. There’s no sign of Joel though.

You sulk on the surface and slap the edge of the water with your palm as you pout your bottom lip out. One look. You just wanted to see his beautiful face once until you could see him tonight. You slowly turn the other way, about to head back underwater, when suddenly you hear a high pitched whistle from the deck. You turn and freeze, your eyebrows knitting together as you see one of the men staring at you in awe.

Oh no. No, no, no. They weren’t supposed to see you.

He’s still staring at you, eyes wide and mouth hanging open as you hear him call out to the other men on the ship. You sink down into the water, dropping into the dark shadows as you stay still, afraid you’ll be seen again.

You weren’t supposed to go out until tonight. Why didn’t you just wait?

After a few minutes pass, you slip out of the shadows and swim back close to the surface, making sure not to stick your head out of the water. Scar swims past you with a warning, and you turn your head to tell him you’re okay.

“Everything’s fine, Scar. I think it’s safe now. I think…”

Before you can finish your sentence, something rough and jagged falls on top of you. You try to swim away, but your tail gets tangled up and caught in something you can’t quite get out of. As you look back at what it is, your heart drops out of your chest. A net.

“Scar!” you scream, cries of bloody murder reaching the deep depths of the water.

No, no, no. This can’t be happening. Joel wouldn’t hurt you. Would he?

The more you try to squirm, the more your tail gets twisted in the bindings. The net starts to reel you in, taking you up further to the surface. Scar tries to desperately get you out, but the netting only rubs up against his rough skin.

“Go on, I don’t want them to hurt you,” you say sadly to your friend. His big black eyes stare at you, but he silently agrees.

“And don’t tell father or my sisters, please. I’ll find a way back. This won’t be the end,” you promise.

You watch Scar swim off in a hurry, muttering words under his breath as he heads further beneath the darkness. You really hope he’ll keep his word and not tell your father. He’d kill every single man on this boat, including Joel.

As the net pulls you up further, you toss and turn. You lash at the bindings, but it only makes it tighter around your body. Your shimmery scales on your fins feel like they’re about to be pulled off the harder you fight.

Anxiety starts to take over, you feel like you’re suffocating underwater as you’re pulled to the surface. Your entire body feels like it’s on fire as the harsh net tears into your skin. You let out a blood curdling scream as the net scratches at your arm, forming a large gash as crimson blood starts seeping out.

You’re going to die, you’re never going to see your family again. Why the fuck did you put your faith in a human? Why?!

Joel hears the horrifying screams and sees his men hauling up the large, heavy net. Cold seaweed filled water starts dripping over the side of the wooden deck as the flash of a sparkly pink tail comes into clear focus.

Joel goes wide-eyed, dropping his golden telescope to the floor as he screams and runs to his crew. “What the fuck are you doing!” His voice is panicked, his heart pounding in his chest as he takes in your terrified face. He’s afraid they’ll kill you.

“Catching a mermaid, cap’n!” Jasper laughs out as he helps haul up his precious treasure. “Told ya mermaids were real, didn’t I?”

Joel’s shocked, his boots frozen to the sea clad wood as his mind races. Without thinking, he runs over to the men and starts pushing them out of the way as the net comes crashing down to the deck. Salt water spills over the edges as you shiver in fright, horror written all over your beautiful face.

Your necklace seems to burn hot against your chest as the orange color glows brightly under the sunlight. You look down at your perfect tail and see the sparkly scales start to shed as the tail starts to evaporate. You stare in horror as your tail splits in two, forming smooth legs in its place.

Suddenly you realize you’re naked as the men stare in hunger, their mouths drooling as they take in your curves. You hug your knees to your chest to try to pry their eyes away. Cold. You feel so cold, so scared as the men surround you like starving hounds. You want to go home. You want to go home. This was a mistake, a huge mistake. They’ll hurt you. They’ll hurt you.

Joel pushes the men out of the way and starts peeling off his white button-up shirt as his worried look encases all of his features. He bends down to your level and wraps the shirt around you to cover your exposed body up.

“Can you guys back up? For the love of God, give her some air! Christ,” he yells out annoyed as he looks back at you with wide eyes, his calloused hand brushing the side of your cheek as you push back out of his reach.

“Hey, hey. It’s okay. I’m not gonna hurt ya,” he responds as he puts his hands in the air as if to show he’s harmless. Your body relaxes a little, but you still don’t fully trust him.

“A mermaid, cap’n! What happened to her tail?” a man with shaggy hair hanging over his slumped shoulders and dirty brown shirts yells appalled.

“Didn’t know mermaids could come on land with legs. What sorcery is that?” another rugged pirate asks as he untangles the rough net they used to catch you.

You cover your ears and sink your knees deep into your chest as you hide your face from view. You want to go back home, get away from all the noise of prying eyes and raspy voices. You regret coming to shore, you regret it all, you shouldn’t have come because you trusted a human. How could you have been so stupid?

“Silence!” Joel yells as he bends down to your level and cups your chin as he raises your head to face him. You shiver, your body sinking into itself as you shake from the cold air and damp shirt.

“Hey, it’s alright, sweetheart. Nobody’s gonna hurt ya.”

His calloused fingers linger under your chin, dragging along your smooth skin as you stare into honey flecked eyes. You try to look away, but you can’t escape those eyes. Those beautiful orbs made of light and dark brown flecks mixing together to make the prettiest shade of brown eyes you’ve ever seen in your entire life. Those alone tell you he’s safe, he won’t hurt you.

Safe. He’s safe.

Your eyes travel down his glistening tan, salt water coated skin as you take in how broad he is. Flexed biceps and spidery veins skating down his entire arms. He’s so handsome.

Suddenly, he’s gripping at your wrist. “Your arm. It’s bleeding,” he says with a rushed breath as he scans the large cut on your forearm. “C’mon, let’s go clean that up. Can you stand?” he asks as he reaches out a large hand.

You take a minute to weigh your options. You can either stay in the presence of the grimy pirates, or you can go with Joel where it’s quiet. You choose Joel. When you lift yourself up with your arms and try to take a step forward, your legs start to shake and your knees cave in. You almost go tumbling to the deck until strong arms catch you before you hit the hard floor.

“Whoa, slow down there. Here, let me help you.” Joel picks you up and cradles you in his arms as he starts to walk toward the stairs that’ll lead him beneath the boat.

“Get back. Give her some air,” Joel growls as his men start to part the sea, dirty bodies backing up to make way for Joel to get through.

You unknowingly sink into his warm chest, hiding your face in the crook of his neck so you won’t have to see their wandering gazes to your barely covered body. Joel pulls you tighter against his chest as he feels your discomfort.

“I got ya, sweetheart. It’s alright, they’re not gonna hurt ya. I promise,” he says against the shell of your ear, and somehow you believe him. He’s not lying to you. Why would he?

He takes you down some wooden steps and back into a large room. You slowly peek up from his chest and take a look around the room. Light shines through the little portholes of the boat. A couple of glowing lamps hang from the wooden walls as a table covered by maps and compasses lays in the middle of the room. A small bed with crisp white sheets sits in the left corner of the room, and pictures of the ocean and secluded islands line the walls. It’s very… cozy in here.

“Is this your room?” you ask as your eyes scan the small area. It has to be his room, it just screams Joel.

“Mhm. It’s where I come to sleep and scan out maps when I’m on the boat. I live just up the coast, but I spend so much time out on the water that I needed my own little space. A place where my crew wouldn’t bother me,” he chuckles out as he carefully sets you down in a wooden chair.

“Do they just sleep upstairs?”

“No,” he laughs as he shakes his head, “They have their own little quarters down on the opposite side of the boat. Didn’t need them wakin’ me up with their snoring and drunken nonsense.”

You laugh as you see a smile curl around his soft lips and a dimple forms in the center of his cheek. You swear he’s the most beautiful man you’ve ever seen. So strong yet so soft. You get so caught up in his charm that you almost forget you’re shaking and your arm is bleeding.

“You cold, sweetheart?” he asks softly as he grabs a couple of fluffy towels and a first aid kit from the other side of the room.

“Just a little,” you say with chattering teeth as his white button-up shirt barely grazes the bottom of your thighs. You’re very aware now that you’re almost naked in front of him which gives you a weird fluttering sensation in your low stomach that you’ve never felt before. How strange.

“Here ya go. Maybe this’ll help.” He throws a soft white towel over your shoulders, and you wrap it around yourself as it brings you a little comfort and warmth. “Better?”

“Better,” you confirm with the nod of your head.

“Good, that’s good. Now let’s take a look at that arm.”

He rolls the cotton sleeve up slowly and reaches for something that’s in a clear bottle. As he unscrews it, he says, “Now this might sting a bit.”

When he pours some of the liquid onto the cut, you flinch and try to pry your arm away, but he holds tight to it. “Hey, hey, hey. It’s alright, the worst part is over,” he reassures as he presses a towel into the wound and rests a hand gently on your knee. The sudden shift of his softness makes you stop flinching and makes you look down at him.

His soft brown eyes threaten to swallow you whole, his crooked smile could calm raging hurricanes with how beautiful it shines around the room. Like the sunlight beaming through the waters of Capri, all crystal like and calming.

He watches you closely as he wraps your cut up with some kind of material you don’t know the name of. His touch is so delicate, so soft as he takes the proper care to make sure you’re not hurting anymore.

Warm. He’s so warm. So very gentle. And you see yourself falling for him even more now.

“There ya go. All bandaged up. We can probably take this off tomorrow, but just want to make sure it doesn’t get infected.”

“Thank you,” you say quietly as your fingers trail along the clothed material that covers your wound.

“It was nothin’, don’t even mention it. It’s the least I can do for my stupid men catchin’ you in that net. I’m really sorry for that, I had no idea. Those men had no right and I’m gonna give them hell about it the rest of the week and…”

You silence him as you reach your shaky arm out and cup the side of his jaw as your thumb trails along the lines of his dark, patchy scruff. His eyes widen as he looks up at you under the fringe of his dark eyelashes. His full attention is on you now.

“Joel, it’s okay. I know now you didn’t mean to harm me. You don’t have to apologize for them. It wasn’t your doing.”

“Yeah, but still. They could’ve harmed you even more if I wasn’t there. They could’ve…”

“Joel.” Your calming voice stops him again as the panic seems to leave his eyes for good. “It’s okay, really.”

Joel looks unsure of himself but nods his head anyway. His calloused fingers still graze along your knee as the contact of his skin on yours seems to send a fire down your legs.

Legs. That’s right, you have legs now. Joel’s eyes look down at your long, smooth legs as he takes them in slowly, his eyes shifting back up to yours as one of his hands slide down one of your calves cautiously. Your breathing hitches at the feel of his calloused fingers on your skin.

“How is this possible? Your legs, I mean. I didn’t know mermaids could exist out of the water,” he says with the expression of surprise written all over his tan face.

“With this,” you say as you hold up the iridescent shell necklace around your neck, watching the way the pink and orange colors shine around the room from the glow of the outside sun. “It’s a magic necklace I found. As long as I wear this, I’ll have human legs. I’m free to take it off whenever to go back to sea, but I have to wear it on land to be able to survive outside the water.”

Joel reaches up and cups the shell in his hand, tracing the crevices of the shell with his thumb as his brows knit together to take in everything you just said. He looks starstruck, not believing his own eyes as he sets it back down to your chest.

“Magic necklace, huh? Mermaids? This is all unbelievable,” he chuckles as he shakes his head. “I can’t believe I met a mermaid this week, and now you have legs? Christ,” he murmurs as he stands up and starts pacing back and forth in front of you while his right hand rakes through his thick scruff.

“Is that bad?” you ask cautiously, afraid he’ll leave at any second and leave you here all alone.

He stops pacing and comes back over to you. He bends back down on one knee and gently cups your face as you gasp out in surprise. The touch of his hand is so warm, so soothing. You want to stay like this forever.

“No, sweetheart. S’not bad. It’s just… how is it that I met the most beautiful mermaid and got you on my boat now? It’s almost like it’s…”

“Fate?” you answer for him, your eyes sinking into his light honey eyes that seem to set your soul on fire.

“Exactly that. Fate.” He repeats as he looks closely into your eyes.

His thumb traces over your bottom lip as his brown eyes flick to your mouth. He looks like he wants to kiss you, looks like he wants to devour you with his plush lips that call to you like one of your siren songs. He’s so close, so very close as he grazes his thumb gently back and forth.

Before you can react, he gets up off his knee and holds out his hands to you. “Can you walk?” he asks as he reaches out to you.

“I don’t know…” you answer quietly as you shift your feet beneath you.

“C’mere. I’ll help you. I won’t let you fall, promise.”

You nod and take one more look at your new legs before you grab his hands and lift yourself up. Your legs shake beneath you, but Joel has a strong grip on you.

“Alright now. Take a few steps for me, walk towards me,” he instructs as you listen to his words. You take one, two, three steps as your feet start to get a hold of how to move on their own. Your legs feel more firm underneath you the more steps you take. Joel leads you around the whole living corridors as you take one hand off him.

“There ya go, sweetheart. Doin’ so good. Now try without me. Go on.” He slips his other hand from you and watches as you take the next few steps over to him without any help. Your legs feel stronger, more powerful with each step you take. It’s not so hard after all.

“I think I’ve got it!”

“Yeah, think ya do, sweetheart.” He crosses his arms and leans against the hollow table as the warm brown flecks in his eyes seer into yours like two stones being melded into one.

You smile up at him shyly and then come across the maps splayed all across the table in a heap. Your fingers trail along the sheets of paper as you take in all the different markings on the maps. Red circles, black lines, words sprawled in different locations on the maps. It looks like he was studying them closely.

“Are these yours?” you ask curiously as he circles around and comes up next to you.

“Yeah, these are all mine,” he answers as he twists one of the colorful maps around.

“What are you looking for?” you ask wondrously as you scan along a long line next to the shoreline.

“Well, there was a shipwreck many years ago that happened around this area. There’s said to be some rare treasures hidden around this location from the wreck. I’ve been trying to find it for a year now, but no such luck. There’s other areas I could be searching, but this one just piqued my interest. So I haven’t given up.”

Your brows furrow together as you study one of the maps, letting your mind wander into far off places. “Maybe I could help you.”

His eyes go wide as his mouth drops open. “You’d help me?”

“Why not? I know these waters better than anyone. And treasure? It’s one of my favorite things to find. I’m always collecting what I can from shipwrecks that people don’t even know about.”

“Really?” he asks incredulously as stares at you in wonder, like you’re a goddess from another world.

“Really,” you giggle as you face back towards him, “but only if you show me your world, too.”

His eyes fade into a warm honeysuckle brown as his lips relax into a crooked smile. “Deal.”

As your eyes fade back down to the marked up maps, he starts to tell you something else. “Ya know, I have a whole room back at home full of treasures I’ve collected over the years. In fact, I have an entire library full of artifacts and books you’d probably love.”

Your eyes shoot up in a frenzy as your mouth drops open. “You do?”

“Mhm. Ya know, I was plannin’ to go back home for a few days tomorrow. Would you… would you want to come back with me? I could show you around the land. Could show you around my place. Could show you anythin’ you wanted to see.”

Your eyes gaze into his as his hand slowly grazes over yours, and you swear you see stars in his eyes. “I’d show you the whole world, gorgeous.” He grabs your hand and brushes his lips over the back of your knuckles, and you about drop to your knees right there.

Charming. He’s so charming.

“Yes,” you whisper out, your voice deceiving you as you shake your head out of the love sick trance you’re under. “I’d love to see it with you.”

He nods his head and settles it. “Alright then. It’s a deal.”

He drops your hand back to the table, and he spends hours after that showing you all his maps, telling you all about his adventures on the water, and you just soak in every bit of him that you can.

By the time the sun goes down and the lanterns light up the dim area, you’re yawning and trying hard not to fall asleep. Throughout all the events of the day, it’s just about knocked you completely out.

“Here, why don’t you take my bed tonight? You look exhausted.”

You shake your head and try to refuse. “No, no. I couldn’t possibly take your bed.”

Joel places a hand gently on your bicep and lingers there. “Please, just take it. I have a small cot in the corner I can dig out. I’m alright, you take the bed tonight. Please.”

His calloused fingers linger on your arm, and you feel the heat all the way through the cotton shirt as it simmers down into your blood like hot lava filling your lungs. You take another look at his lips that hang just inches from yours and whisper out quietly, “Okay.”

He drops his hand from your arm and grabs a clean t-shirt from his small cedar closest. “Here, put this on. I'm sure you want something more comfortable to sleep in. I’ll get you some real clothes tomorrow. There’s so many dresses I think you’d love, I’ll pick some up tomorrow,” he confirms as he holds out his hand for you to take the white cotton t-shirt.

Your hand grazes his, and you can’t help but always gasp when his skin comes in contact with yours. It feels electric, like you were made to touch him. You take the shirt from him and he turns around and walks to the other end of the room. “Go on now. I won’t peek. Just want ya in somethin’ more dry.”

Your eyes flick to him, and he keeps his word. You quickly unbutton the long sleeved shirt and drop it to the floor. When the shirt hits the ground, you see Joel fighting with himself to not take a quick peek at your body. You hang there for just a second gazing across at him. You watch the way his strong back muscles flex as his jaw clenches up, his fist flexing at his side as he fights to keep himself composed.

You almost wish he’d turn around because there’s a weird sensation between your thighs that you can’t quite pinpoint. Strange. He makes you feel so strange. So alive. It’s just so weird.

You avert your eyes from Joel and slide the cotton shirt over your head as it grazes your thighs. You climb into bed and feel just how comfortable the soft sheets and white blankets feel on your skin. This might even be more comfortable than your shiny clam shell bed back under the sea.

“Alright, I’m dressed,” you confirm as he slowly turns around and walks over to you as his boots scuff across the wooden floor.

“Is it warm enough for ya? You comfortable enough?” he asks as his hands come to rest on the side of the bed.

“Mhm. It’s perfect,” you yawn as you turn to the left to get a better view of his sun tanned face.

“Good. Well, get some sleep, sweetheart. Got a busy day tomorrow.”

He trails his fingers over your jawline as he runs the pad of his thumb over your cheekbone slowly. Your breath hitches in your throat as he so carefully grazes it down to your bottom lip again. You really think he’ll kiss you this time, but he crushes those hopes as soon as he drops his fingers from your face.

“Let me know if you need anythin’, sweetheart. I’ll be right here.”

You sigh and watch him set up his little cot in the corner of the opposite side of the room, wishing he was in the bed with you instead. As he sits down after it’s set up, you start to close your eyes as the last few words leave your lips before darkness takes over. “Goodnight, Joel.”

“Goodnight, my little mermaid.”

And then you fade into the darkness.

Joel stays up for the next hour just watching you sleep. He watches the way your hair falls over your shoulders as you hug the cotton pillow to your cheek. He watches the way your chest rises and falls softly when you sleep. He notices the long eyelashes that kiss your skin as a small smile creeps over his lips. He thinks you’re so beautiful, so perfect. He knows he’s falling fast, he knows he should be more careful, but with you he doesn’t want to be cautious. He wants to dive in head first and drown in your saltwater coated skin. He wants to be the one. He wants to be your only one. And he will be. He will.

Tags: @morallyinept @littlevenicebitch69 @mountainsandmayhem @vividispunk @pedroswife69 @maried01 @vee-bees-blog @keylimebeag @pedrostories @poeticpascal @tuquoquebrute @bbyanarchist @sheepdogchick3 @forgetmenotsexy @ayamenimthiriel @readingiskeepingmegoing @dreamingofleon @syd-djarin @dugiioh @amyispxnk @msjarvis

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