#im coasting on reference photos and a dream here.

[starry-bi-sky]

'Late At Night, When The Nightingale Sings' doodles, because Pathetic Wet Cat Danny is the best Danny to practice drawing young faces with (and expressions).

[northcarolinanative]

𝙲𝚘𝚕𝚕𝚒𝚜𝚒𝚘𝚗 (𝟻)

Chapter 5: The Bigger Picture

A/N: WOW! Y’all are so sweet and amazing <3 Here is Chapter 5. Tension is building, kinda. This is so s l o w burn that it’s hurting me. I kinda want this to be about more than just a romance tho? Especially in the beginning, but I am working on the other chapters, and where it is heading, I promise! Bare with me haha! Also I have no clue if those maps exist or if that’s even a thing. I’m just making it up, but it could be right haha. 

I practically dragged JJ through the front door of the Chateau. “What’s all this about Y/N” JJ finally asked as you both walked through the kitchen. I pulled my keys out of my pocket, fiddling on the keyring, finding the small golden key. I held it up to JJ, rattling the other keys, a smile plastered to my face. “A key? How exactly is that supposed to help us Y/N?” I rolled my eyes in response. I turned to the door, just on the side of the living room. 

My dad’s office. 

As long as I could remember, I was never allowed in there for extended periods of time. I would wander in some late nights when he left the door cracked, or to bring him a glass of water and a snack. I could see him now thinking back, hunched over the desk, glasses low on his nose, pen in one hand, the other holding the map that he was marking up. 

“Ah. Y/N. Taking care of your old man, making sure I stay alive I see” and he would chuckle, but I didn’t. I left, and days later her disappeared, he was killed all because of that stupid shipwreck, just like my brother. 

I rummaged through a few things, pulling binders down and looking through the first few pages. JJ looked over at me, honestly worried. I mean if I was watching someone else in my position I probably would be too. I know I probably looked crazy, I was grasping at short, short straws. It was all because I was not ready to give up on my brother just yet. I found the binder labeled “Ship maps”. I pulled it out and handed it to JJ. Okay, maybe this was a little far-fetched, but it was something. 

JJ took it carefully out of my hand. He hesitantly looked at me before looking down at the map, slowly unfolding it. I started to tap my fingers against the table. My nerves were on edge as JJ looked between the map he was unfolding and me. His hand reached down to cover mine that was tapping at an annoyingly fast pace. I bit my lip as he looked over the map. 

He furrowed his brows and looked up at me. “What am I looking at exactly?” He questioned. I laid the map out on the table. I couldn’t blame him, if my dad had not been into this stuff I wouldn’t know what was happening either. 

“Okay so here,” I pointed to one of the lines that were on the page, and traced it down the coast of North Carolina, to where it landed in a port in Charleston, “is the route that the ship was recorded to talk, based off of the sonar and the GPS in it. Ya know, the kinda thing that the bigger, hauling, cargo ships have? For the long trips?” I finished looking for the key. 

JJ slowly nodded his head looking at me. He could tell I might be on to something, he just was not quite sure yet. I flipped up the side of the map, just the first panel, and it showed an elaborate excel table, filled with numbers and symbols. “Here” I pointed to one of the highlighted symbols along the path that I previously traced, “Is…” I took my other hand to skim the table to the side, trying to find the matching color and symbol. “Ah. Here.” I tapped the symbol in the table, JJ leaned closer to me making my breath hitch involuntarily, we were so close, we were touching, practically no space between us. “See here it says that this ship reached 35.1146° N, 75.9810° W, on Saturday, May 14th, 2007, at…” I followed the line with my finger, 16:45” I finished my rant. 

“Okay.” JJ breathed out, his brows still knitted close together. I could see the worry in his eyes. At this moment I could not see it, but he thought I might have been going crazy, things are starting to get to me.”Y/N, this is great, but I don’t know what this has to do with John B.” He sighed. “But I'm not gonna lie, a girl who knows her way around the ocean, the commanding voyage out to sea, boss babe style, kinda hot Y/N” JJ joked, trying to lighten the mood and his worry, then he realized how close we were, but he didn’t move. 

I let out a laugh. It felt natural, which was nice. “I'm being serious JJ,” I said, still laughing and pushing his shoulder back. 

“Whatever you say,” He paused. “Princess.” I rolled my eyes looking back over the map. “What does all this mean though? How is this map, from before we knew what the Merchant was, going to help us find John B?” 

“Ah, you have to think bigger JJ. You see if we can get the coordinates of the Phantom’s last signals, where it was found, or where it could have been between last night and when they pulled it up, we can cross-reference that, with any boats that may have come through. If we can somehow get a map from any of those larger companies, maybe the ferries, hell we might even be able to get it off the internet. We can see if any boats came around then start from there?” I said, but it sounded like a question. “I know that it’s barely anything, but it’s something JJ!’ I continued rambling. “If the ships picked up JB and Sarah, pulled them on board, then  maybe…” I didn’t know how to finish the thought. I looked up from the scattered maps to JJ. 

JJ stared blankly at the maps then up at me. He both put his hand on the sides of my face and just looked at me. He probably thought I was crazy, that I was losing my mind. “You’re a genius Y/N” He then placed a quick dramatic kiss on the top of my forehead. “Seriously, I never would have even thought to look into any of that.” He stepped back. I was slightly taken about by his actions had we always been this touchy with one another when John B was around. “So where the hell do we start Nancy Drew?” JJ said, rubbing his hands together making me laugh. 

“The ferry would be a good place?” I said shrugging my shoulders. “But I haven't exactly thought that far ahead” I laughed a little, and saw a smile still on JJ’s face.

“Then we’ll start at the ferry’s office!”  JJ said moving out of the office. I looked up and around the room. At all the research that my father did. All the books that line the walls, the maps hung up, all of it. I wanted to get rid of it. My skin felt hot and I could feel it turning red. I gripped the table tightly, hoping the anger would pass. A picture frame on the wall caught my attention. I lifted it from the hook it was sitting on. In the frame was a picture of the Royal Merchant, labeled and matted. Stuck on the outside of the glass, covering the lower corner of the Merchant was a picture of the three of us, John B, my dad, and I. It was taken a few summers ago by our neighbor, we had come back from a long day out on the boat fishing. I felt tears start to form in my eyes. My back was facing the door so I didn’t see JJ enter the room. He came up behind me, putting his hands on either of my shoulders. He looked down at the photos in my hands. 

I reached one hand up to wipe a stray tear. I was so sick of crying. “I can’t believe that a shipwreck from the 1800s made me lose two of the most important people in my life.” 

“I know” JJ spun me around to look at him. “You have a plan,” He said smiling

“We’ve got a plan” I corrected him. “Actually, before we head out on this chase, do you think you could help me with something?” I said softly. 

“Anything,” JJ replied. The worried look still in his eyes.  

“Can you help me clean up here?” I looked around at the mess, from when I got here, and the mess that I had just made. “I don’t know, I just want to clean it up, lock the door, and not think about it for a while,” I said, starting to fold-up maps. 

“Of course.” JJ smiled starting to close up binders and arrange them on the shelf. “If  you were going to use me as a maid Routledge, you could have at least bought me one of those cute costumes?” 

I pretended to gag. “JJ that is an image that I did not need in my head.” 

“You may not have needed it, but I bet you’re enjoying it.” He winked in my direction. I felt the blush creeping back onto my face. 

“In your dreams J,” I said with a laugh. 

CH 6

Tagged; @nikki082489 @lovelymaybankk @dolanfivsosxox @alexa-playafricabytoto @downbytheouterbanks @heyhargrove​ @kayln021 @readysteadygo23   @im-a-stranger-thing @imagines-and-preferences1216

If you wanna be tagged comment or message me:) 

[zapxys]

Answer 30 questions and tag 20 mutuals you want to get to know better

I was tagged by @datasupremacy :3

Name/nickname: zap! 

Gender: nonbinary (he/they pronouns)

Star sign: virgo

Height: 5'3

Time: 4:49 pm

Birthday: September 3rd

Favourite bands: Rush, The Dreadnoughts, The Oh Hellos, AJR, BTS, My Chemical Romance, Real Friends

Favourite solo artists: you know, im sure there has to be a few but i literally can not think of a single one right now

Song stuck in my head: The Other Side of Paradise - Glass Animals

Last movie i watched: The Hunchback of Notre Dame

Last show: star trek TNG babyyyy

When did I create this blog: in 2016 so like 5 years ago. my old main was from 2011 

What I post: not much, to be honest! this blog is pretty much a moodboard and a place to put my particularly colorful art. i don’t really have much to contribute to any of the fandoms im in so i usually just keep quiet.

Last thing i googled: “anthrocon fursuit group photo 2019″

Other blogs: @werevvolves is the home of my fandom reblogs

Do i get asks: nope, never

Why i chose my url: it comes from my old username, xyzzys, which is a reference to the magic word from the text based adventure games i grew up playing. i switched to zapxys after the original was taken on twitter and as you can probably guess, i just mashed together my name and xyzzys.

Following: 336 exactly

followers: 119 here, 97 on werevvolves

Average hours of sleep: usually like 3 to 6

Lucky number: 7!

Instruments: percussion, specifically marching band percussion. i assistant direct high school band, so it’s my job!

What am i wearing: big tie dye shirt, some black basketball shorts, and a brownish/greenish/blackish flannel. no i do not match. no i do not care.

Dream trip: im a big road trip person, so probably a drive from coast to coast here in the US, stopping at landmarks and such 

Favourite food: strawberries! 

Nationality: american, but my family is slovak

Favourite song: of all time? either Welcome to the Back Parade by MCR or Xanadu by Rush

Last book read: im currently reading An Absolutely Remarkable Thing by Hank Green

Top 3 fictional universes id like to live in: Pokemon, Star Trek, and my own fictional universe known simply as Catverse (it’s my fursona worldbuilding epic that will probably never see the light of day) if choosing my own world is cheating then ATLA

Favourite colour: red! especially in combination with yellow and blue, primary colors make my brain go nuts.

TAG: i don’t think i even have 20 mutuals and I also have a weird fear of tagging people in things so if you see this, i’m tagging you! 

[needlekirby]

the tag game✨ Thank u for tagging me: @spunkyghost rules: answer the questions in a new post and tag other blogs u would like to hear from Nickname: um none I guess ppl used to call me by a bunch of cute nicknames but they would usually only last a few weeks at the most they're adorable but ultimately useless lmao Star sign: Aries Height: I usually just leave it at short and don't bother measuring I would guess 5'2 tho Last thing I googled: 'how to donate books to libraries' Favorite musical artists: oh a ton, disparition, gallant, best coast, lady lamb the beekeeper, j dilla, jinsang, vampire weekend, etc Song stuck in my head: the Netflix unfortunate events theme its quite a sticky lil earworm Last movie I watched: big eyes Last show I watched: Netflix's series of unfortunate events (which is how I ended up with Neil Patrick Harris's voice floating in my brain) What am I wearing rn: it's beddie-bye m8, it's nighttime bro, I'm in me pjs,,, confy When did I create my blog: I'm not sure?? At least 2013 bc I started watching su when it came out in 2013 and I was def talking about it on here but when? Exactly? No clue What do I post: oh u know current events, pretty pictures and art, lots of cats and dogs and animal stuff, fan stuff, standard fare rlly Do I have other blogs: yes my poor unattended art and photography blog @bowlingalleycarpet the poor thing I hardly update it Do I get asks a lot: no i tend to use the messenger more it's a lot easier for me that way but if anyone wants to chat hmu in my asks or in the messenger or wherever Why did I choose my URL: well before I had a really stupid URL and then I changed it to something else and then I started playing ocarina of time for the 3ds and nabooru was my favorite character. So I told myself that this was going to be the last URL change for at least a long time if not forever (and it looks like I've stuck w that so far). Changing urls can cause a lot of confusion so I don't really want to change it unless I have a really good idea for one Gender: I don't really associate my identity with any particular gender but I go by she/her bc I rlly don't care and that's easy Hogwarts house: Harry Potter?? Lol miss me w that geek shit 😎😎😎im just kidding but tbqh I have no idea which Pokemon team: I'm not sure if this is in reference to pokemon go or the main series so I'll do both and say instinct and team skull Fave color: that really dark shade of blue you see on China plates and blue glass and deep magenta and warm peachy-pink and warm rich yellow are all fantastic Average hours of sleep: oh I need a lot of sleep, I usually get 8-9 hours a night otherwise I kinda get these weird moments of vertigo or I feel like my head is fuzzy or full of cotton it may just be me Lucky number: I'm not sure, I would say 3 and multiples of 3 are generally trustworthy Favorite characters: there are so many good ones! I like bilbo, coraline (her book personality I especially like but both are great), klaus from asoue, Connie and Steven from su, mulder and scully, Andy Dwyer, yurio and viktor from yoi, I could go on for days How many blankets do I sleep with: a lot m8 I'm a monster when it comes to blankets and I'm a big slut for throw blankets and comforters especially. I got like 4 on there at least but I can have like 6 or 7 Dream job: a character designer or maybe a writer (except I'm not disciplined at all about actually writing), or just being a part of the animation or filmmaking process seems fun, or being a psychiatrist or counselor would be nice, or just being an artist or illustrator, or arranging flowers, or designing clothes, or cooking there are so many things I'd be down as hell to do for a living Following: so many, a lot of them art art or photo or recipe blogs but I'm not going to least them out if that's what ur asking if would take ages I will tag: @downpuor, @katsuraky, @broadwayholster, @fox-muldr, @ghostofgay,