#lost surfboards clothing

[amandabbbbb]

summary: stalker!rafe who saves pogue surfer!reader from the obx storm!

tw: stalker!rafe, dark!rafe but that’s just him tho, a storm, idk anything about boats or surfing

word count: 564

you were used to big waves. surfing is your life. you are no professional but you thought you could handle the obxs storms waves but turns out the roughness of the salt water was too much for you.

“hey hey it’s not safe out there come here i can help you get home,” a tall man yelled from his yacht, reaching out a hand for you. you felt stupid being out in a storm. when you lost the pogues and got pushed out to sea you knew your idea had become deadly so the strangers help might save you.

“here lemme help you. you are way too delicate to be out here in these tough waves, pretty girl,” rafe smirked, pulling you out of the water.

“i’m fine but i guess i’m used to smaller waves,” you said with an insecure giggle. “i’m y/n. um i live on the cut. you said you could get me home?” you said with a nervous smile, never meeting this handsome man before.

“why don’t you stay a while y/n? i got fresh clothes that you can wear and beer and snacks if you’re hungry. seriously whatever you want. i’m rafe.”

rafe was so excited to be around you. he’d been watching you surf from his yacht for months. staring at your body from a far wasn’t doing it for him anymore so when you took off your wetsuit rafe audibly moaned, standing up fast and coughing staring at your body in the pink bikini he only saw from a far distance.

“thanks, rafe but i need to get home. you’re really sweet but my friends will be worried since i got pulled into sea by the waves.” rafe made a fast excuse looking out on the horizon.

“i don’t think my boat will make it to shore. it’s just pouring now and it uh l-looks real bad. we um should probably just stay out here for the night.”

“are you sure because i think a yacht this huge can handle a storm like this.” you laughed staring at him confused.

“you think you know yachts y/n? you’re a pogue, stick to your surfboard,” rafe said laughing. you didn’t like his obnoxious joke but brushed it off.

“ya whatever, i’m a pogue. so what? can i get some clothes? i’m about to turn into a ice cube.” you rolled your eyes while walking down to the cabin exploring the living space of the boat. it was a scene straight out of a frat house nightmare, old beer cans and porn magazines.

amongst the clutter, a picture caught your eye: a girl in a pink bikini, surfing on a vibrant wave, laid provocatively on his bed. you reached out to inspect it, but he snatched it away before you could get a closer look “umm so you live here, rafe?”

“does it matter?” rafe frowned as you put on his old shirt and sarah’s sweatpants over your bikini, you asked “no but um where am i gonna sleep stranger? you know this is a major stranger danger situation right now.” you laughed, pointing at the both of you.

he smirked at your bubbly personality that he’d seen from afar as he would watch you at kook and pogue bonfire parties.

“next to me,” rafe said, watching your every movement. “no, that’d be weird. i don’t even know you. i’ll sleep on the couch, it’s no big deal,” you said so casually. mad at your rejection, rafe stood up, hovering over you.

“just seriously y/n. you can trust me ok? just stay in the bed with me, it’s cold out,” rafe said with intensity. as you noticed his blue eyes getting darker and his body getting closer, he gently tucked a loose strand of hair behind your ear, his touch sending a shiver down your spine. “you know,” he whispered, his voice sending ripples of unease through you, “you always fidget with your necklace when you’re nervous, your fingers trace its outline when you’re anxious.”

your heart skipped a beat. how did he know about that? it was like he could read your mind. feeling exposed, you backed away. his gaze locked into yours, making you feel vulnerable and like he had uncovered parts of you that were meant to stay hidden. you noticed the storm seemed to be calming down since rafe pulled you up on the cameron’s yacht. a perfect getaway.

“you know what uh i- i can handle these waves. don’t worry about me. thanks for helping me though,” you said as you bent over to pick up your wetsuit and surfboard. he grabbed your bicep forcefully pulling you up. he thought of every excuse but couldn’t manage to create one.

“no, no you can’t leave ok.” rafe stated, grabbing you by the wrist firmly. “yo dude, don’t fucking touch me. i don’t even know you.” as you scoff at him, you look deep into his blue eyes and recognize him, letting his rough hands grip onto your waist. you couldn’t put your finger on where from.

“dont fucking dude me. god you are such a pogue. y’know you do know me. i’m rafe. i’m someone you can trust y/n. imma proactive person. if i wasn’t there to help you get out of those waves who knows what could’ve happened to you. i protect you. i’ve been protecting you for months for fucks sake and you don’t appreciate me.”

a/n: idk maybe a part 2 is needed??? send me ur thots!

[byunpum]

Aunt Y/N sully being the 'cool one' in the family.

Pair: Nephews sully x Aunt human reader x Ao'nung and tsireya and rotxo baby.

Warning: None, cute moments with sully and metkayina kids. Aunt Y/N being cool.

Note: I received these two request "click here".i I wanted to put them together since I had no ideas on a scenario. But I still hope you like it a lot. Thanks for leaving these requests, I love the aunt Y/N series.

AVATAR MASTERLIST

Jake had to beg Ronal to let you stay with them at the Metkayina clan. He was worried that you were in danger. You were his younger sister, and he was very sure that Quaritch would come looking for you. So he went to great lengths to get them to let you move in with them. To his good luck they agreed.

On the other hand your nephews were so excited to have you with them in their new home. You made the adjustment more comfortable and fun.

It didn't take long for them to introduce you to the Metkayina children. They were so curious, they had heard so many stories about how amazing you are and all that. "Hello…I am" you start to speak, when you feel Rotxo take your hand and greet you. Trying to make you feel comfortable with a human greeting. Lo'ak had taught you several things. "hello my name is rotxo!!!" the boy shouts, you think he is very adorable.

From that moment on, no matter where you went or what you were doing all 6 boys were after you. Watching and asking everything you did, everything you did was new and cool to them. Like riding waves, human style.

"This is called a surfboard" you say, while presenting the new work of art you had created. You got an old wood, and you were working on it to make it perfect for the waves. "And you climb on it?" asks ao'nung, the boy's tail wagging from side to side. While neteyam and lo'ak was already getting on the board.

"Yes, you get on it and let you ride the waves" you make a motion with your hands. You watch as tsireya copies you and imitates your movements. You take the board and walk out into the ocean. The day was perfect for surfing. You watch as all the guys sit on the sand to watch you demonstrate.

You are sitting on the board, moving your hands in the water. You had a beautiful metkayina outfit. You weren't ashamed to wear navi clothes, they looked great on you. You were waiting for the perfect wave, but you look back and see your new admirers looking at you with excitement.

A very big wave is coming and this is your chance. You swim towards it and with ease you can ride the wave. The guys are fascinated, watching how you glide with ease, how you have a perfect balance. And how you get lost in the tunnel and the wave drops.

"Oye…. your aunt is gone" says ao'nung while looking at neteyam. The boy gets up from the ground, trying to see if you are on the surface. Out of nowhere you swim out with your board. You see that all the guys are clapping. "That was awesome…it's my turn" says lo'ak running into the water.

Later that week, after a day of practice. All the kids are sitting around talking, and you walk up to them with something in your hands. "Hello my loves" you say tenderly. " Helloooo" sings tuk, coming up to you, to hug you.

You start handing her some kind of knitting ponchos. You had made one for each of your nephews. Since they were little, but you realized that they had already grown up a lot. They barely fit him and tuk ended up wearing them all.

You give one to kiri, neteyam and lo'ak. And a smaller one to tuk. You notice how the other kids look at you curiously. You laugh a little. "I also made some for my new kids" you say. You give tsireya, ao'nung and rotxo their knitting ponchos. The kids are so excited. They watch as the sullys kids try them on and they do the same.

"They look great!!!" you arrange the garment a bit on rotxo's shoulders. "Can we call you auntie Y/N?" asks tsireya, you adjust her hair a little bit. "Of course!!!" you smile. Saying goodbye to the guys.

"Your aunt is so cool… and pretty" says rotxo while blushing. Everyone looks at him in silence and then laughs all together.

[just-my-latest-hyperfixation]

Too hot to be true

Written for the @steddieholidaydrabbles, day 16

Prompt: Modern AU

Rated: T

CW: none

Tags: Modern AU; Podcaster!Eddie; Steve and Dustin are brothers; sexual tension

Eddie almost snorts his morning cereal through his nose when he checks his messages, because - yeah, right.

Eddie pls answer me, the message starts. 

If that wasn’t enough, it is decorated with a veritable explosion of red exclamation marks. 

As if that wasn't enough, the guy in the profile picture looks like he walked right out of a wet dream. Big, hazel eyes and a beaming smile under a shock of wet, windswept hair. He's leaning on a surfboard, tanned chest sprinkled with shiny droplets of water. Eddie absolutely wouldn't mind pushing him down into the sand, tracing those glorious pecs with sun-warmed lips - if he were real, that is.

"Nice try, big boy," he mumbles and hits the block button. "Can you believe how persistent these scammers are getting? I dunno what they think you earn making podcasts and vlogs for video game nerds, but- … sorry, did you say something?" 

Chrissy scowls at him for a second longer, but then she shakes her head and sets down her coffee. 

"Just asked when that kid will be here." 

Eddie checks his phone. "Any minute now, the flight arrived an hour ago." 

She picks up her bag and they walk into the hallway together. 

"You really think it's a good idea? Him staying here?" 

Eddie shrugs. "It's only for the con. And Dustin’s a cool kid. Way smarter than his age, and his podcast slaps. Maybe we can record an episode or two together, that would- … what?" 

Chrissy still has this unhappy look on her face. 

"Eds," she says. "He's a fifteen-year-old you met online. I'm surprised his parents allowed this." 

Eddie laughs and holds out her coat. "Don't worry about it. His brother is chaperoning him, so it'll all be perfectly prudent. Dustin said he'd reach out, but somehow- oh, that'll be them." 

If Chrissy was going to say anything else, it's lost under the sound of the doorbell. Eddie opens and is promptly tackled by a curly-haired blur in a baseball cap. 

"Eddie!" Dustin cheers, "So cool to finally meet you in person, you won't believe what happened on the flight. That one guy…" 

But Eddie doesn't hear what the guy on the flight did, hardly processes how Chrissy pushes past them, mumbling something about needing to catch her bus. He's too busy gaping at the guy standing in the apartment door. Because he saw him just a few minutes ago. 

Granted, he's carrying a bulging suitcase instead of a surfboard, and he's wearing decidedly more clothes, but Eddie is pretty damn sure he'd know that ridiculously handsome face anywhere. Even though those pretty eyes are narrowed in an impressive deathglare now, and instead of a smile, those plush lips are twisted in a vicious scowl. 

"Oh," Dustin says offhandedly, shouldering past Eddie and into the apartment as if he owns the place. "This is my brother Steve. I don't think you’ve talked?" 

"No," the guy drawls, spearing Eddie with his gaze. "We haven't." 

If Dustin notices the tension hanging in the air, he masterfully ignores it. 

"Cool," he chirps. "Where do we sleep? I promised Mom I'd call once we're here."

"Chrissy's room," Eddie mumbles. The collar of his flannel is feeling too tight all of a sudden and when the fuck did it get so warm in here? "She's staying with her girlfriend over the weekend."

Dustin doesn't even wait for him to finish the sentence, just bustles down the hall and into Chrissy’s room. Eddie is left alone with the brother. 

The very hot, very mad brother who's still leaning in the open doorway, looking at him as though he just kicked a kitten. 

Well, shit. 

"Sooo," Eddie tries. "Steve, is it? Would you like to come in?" 

"Oh?" Steve’s eyebrows climb all the way up to the roots of his hair - neither wet nor windswept, but so absurdly floofy Eddie wants to bury his fingers in it and yank. "Can I? You're not gonna, like… block me on sight?" 

Eddie winces, even as his stupid, smart-ass mouth answers. "Don't think that's how it works in real life, dude." 

Steve's scowl deepens. Eddie wants to simultaneously cringe away and throw himself at him. It's a very weird feeling, to say the least.

"I dunno. I've been trying to contact you through every available platform for days, and you've been doing a pretty impressive job of it." 

"Yeah, sorry about that," Eddie blurts. "In my defense, I thought you were a scammer." 

The annoyance on Steve’s face is joined by confusion. He cocks his head. It makes him look like an upset puppy. 

"A scammer?" 

Eddie nods, brain-to-mouth filter rapidly eroding. "Or a pornbot. Real users usually aren't that hot." 

Steve opens his mouth. Lets out a strangled sort of croak. Shuts it again. A blush is rapidly creeping out of his shirt collar, pink and pretty.

"Told you," Dustin hollers from stage left. "Not a good profile pic." 

"Shut up, dipshit," Steve retaliates and finally pushes into the apartment. Eddie's grin drops off his face as the suitcase is pressed into his hands and he sags under the weight. 

"C'mon." 

Steve, already half on his way to the kitchen, turns, and Eddie is treated to a smile. It's just a ghost of the one from the profile picture - which is probably just as well, because if Steve unleashed the real thing on him here and now, he might as well go blind. 

"I got up in the middle of the night to catch that flight. You can fix me a coffee, and then you're gonna unblock me. If you're nice, I'll maybe let you follow me back." 

Eddie gulps as he trails after him into the apartment. It's gonna be an awkward weekend.

All my holiday drabbles

[scribble-dribble-writes]

Plastic heart

Next>>>

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Pairing: Ken 2023 x fem reader

Word count: 480

Warnings: none

Content: You love him but he's in love with Barbie

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Sorry y'all but Ryan gosling had that heartbroken energy down to a fault and served bucket loads of angst as he sang his song. So Ken deserves to be loved.

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There was only ever one Ken for you, but he was in love with stereotypical Barbie and you were in love with him. You’ve been meaning to tell him, but every night was girl’s night and every night you watched him try to retain Barbie’s attention for five seconds while being so oblivious to yours.

But the more you longed for his attention, the more it made your day worse. The clothes in your barbie house were faded, the music wouldn’t play and your favorite cake never ever tasted like chocolate anymore.

It was beginning to eat you away, this feeling, one you had never experienced before. One that grew worse with having to see Ken be miserable.

You wanted to draw closer to him, to comfort him and it was odd. It was never a Barbie’s job to worry about how a Ken felt, but it made your day just to catch his gaze and when he flashed you his signature smile, there was nothing better.

“Come on, dance with me.”, you took his hand as he sulked in the corner watching backflip Ken dance with Barbie.

“I don’t feel like it.”, he mumbled but the cold sensation of his hand in yours, if made that feeling worser.

You swayed clutching the side of your head and you were sure this was going to be embarrassing, as you fell to the ground in front of this crowd but a solid frame embraced you.

“Are you alright?”, he held you close like he did with his surfboard he never used, the only two objects that could love him if he let it.

You huffed a laugh, trying to apologize but before you could pull away, you felt his fingers tilt your chin towards him. His eyes glimmering a tone of blue that all this felt real for a second. The worry in his voice, the noise muffled in the background and the warmth in his touch. Maybe you were imagining it but maybe he was dealing with the same feelings as you.

“Shall I call for doctor Barbie?”, he asked creasing his pretty forehead.

“No.”, you whispered lost in the stillness of it all because you could only admire him as he fussed about stereotypical Barbie.

“Can I stay here for a while?”, you asked, your fingers wanting the trace the glossy gleam of his skin.

His lips parted and for a second your hopes began to soar, in this illusion that he would say yes. He leaned in, almost as if he was seeing you for the first time, as though he was thinking this through. But his eyes turned distant as he looked behind you, his intrigue turning into a frown as he sat you down.

“Sorry, but I’m needed on the dancefloor.”, he said. His attention now not on you as you watched him join the coordinated dance.

Your eyes longing for him but his was reserved only for her.

[obaex]

dying to tell you - jj maybank

summary: after a normal beach day takes an unexpected turn, jj has something he needs to say.

word count: 3.7k

tw: 🦈

a/n: inspired by real events that happened to professional surfer mick fanning in 2015 - it is wild to watch!! (see above trigger warning before taking a peek!)

It was the perfect beach day.

You pulled off your flipflops and the bottom of your feet and your toes were tickled by the warm sand. You could hear the woosh of the waves rushing to meet the shore and receding again, a familiar melody. It was early, so the beach was quiet but for the waves and the occasional call of the seagulls flying overhead as the breeze kicked strands of your hair up around your face and made the seagrass in the dunes shake. You smiled to yourself - home for you was this place and the person next to you. You snuck a glance at JJ only to find the same smile on his face, his surfboard tucked under his arm. The beach, and its overwhelming sense of calm, peace, rightness was a love you both share. Your friends were running up ahead of you, dragging coolers, chairs and more surfboards, but the two of you hung back, walking side by side, enjoying the moment. JJ reached out and tangled his fingers lazily in yours and you squeezed back.

A few other locals dotted the shore and several surfers bobbed in the sizable waves. This part of the beach was a revered locals spot, tucked far enough away from the hotels and tourists to remain untouched by their noise and disruptions.

You helped set everything up before unfurling your large blanket, pulling off your clothes and collapsing on top if it, ready to spend the entire day squeezing every bit of sunshine and vitamin D you could into your skin. You loved the hot weather, the way the sun's rays baked ten times hotter off the glinting ocean, the way your skin would feel salty and sticky by the end of the day. You would live here if you could.

The boys were eager to get in the water, haphazardly chucking their backpacks and tearing off their shirts, John B and Pope making a beeline for the water as Kie chased after them yelling something about sunscreen, a lost cause. JJ eyed the water eagerly but his eyes wandered back to you, outstretched in his favorite bikini, the shape accentuating every curve of your body and the color amplifying your tan skin and bright eyes. He wrestled with his choice for only a second before flopping onto the blanket beside you, eyes glimmering mischievously as he reached for you. He couldn't keep his hands off of you on any day, but you looked so tantalizing he couldn't help himself as he pulled you into him and you giggled. His lips found yours and you were immediately lost in each other, lost to the world. Sarah took one look at you both and rolled her eyes. "Every time" she muttered to herself as she walked away to give you some semblance of privacy, wanting to be salty but secretly so stinking happy that the two of you finally got over the stolen glances and dancing around each other to go from friends to more than friends.

He tasted like peppermint from his toothpaste, salt and sunscreen as pushed his tongue in your mouth and you ran your fingers through his tangled blonde hair, a small involuntary moan escaping you at the feeling of his body crushed against yours, his muscular arms around you. JJ responded immediately, and without missing a beat, he lifted you off the blanket, and began walking back towards the Twinkie, never breaking your kiss. "JJ!" you laughed in surprise.

"Can't make noises like that without me wanting to do something absolutely indecent to you, sweetheart. M'taking you back to the Twinkie to spare everyone on this beach the show of a lifetime."

"We just got here!" you said, swatting him playfully on the shoulder. "The boys are waiting for you, we can pick this up later, promise." You pressed your lips to his cheek, sealing the deal.

With a resigned sigh, he placed you back on your feet in the sand, a mischievous smirk resting on his lips as his eyes searched your face, the flirtatious energy lingering but something deeper now running under the surface of his expression. He cupped your face, running a thumb gently over your cheek and his lips parted like he was going to say something. You looked at him inquisitively, unused to him being so serious. As he met your gaze, he stopped himself and smiled warmly. You wanted to ask, wanted to know what he was going to say, but as his lips found yours again, your brain scrambled.

You had been together for a few months but neither of you had said those three little words. Big words, really. You had felt them for a long time, longer than you'd even been together, but you were still trying to navigate this whole thing. Your feelings were overwhelmingly strong but what you had with him felt so special you didn't want to disrupt the balance. The words were on the tip of your tongue, dangerously close to spilling over, like your body's involuntary reaction to his proximity; when you fell asleep in each other's arms, each time you hung up the phone and every time he kissed you and then gave you that look, that smoldering, soul-crushing, heart-squeezing smirk that he was giving you now. And then he was off, peeling off his shirt, grabbing his board and running towards the water, leaving you breathless.

Kie and Sarah made their way back to you as JJ crashed into the waves. They shared knowing glances at you and made sneaky comments. They loved to tease you even though they were your biggest supporters. The boys could surf for hours and that was fine for the three of you, it gave you much needed girl time to catch up and discuss all the things the boys would roll their eyes at. You were comfortably seated in your chairs, facing the water and passing around fruit and snacks chatting idly as you watched the boys surf. They were spread far enough apart in the water to give each other opportunities to catch the waves. It amazed you to watch them surf. You didn't know a lot about surfing, but you knew JJ was good, very good. You could see it in his practiced confidence on the board and the ease with which he navigated each wave. You loved to see him so happy and in his element.

You had turned your attention back to Sarah's story when you heard a loud splash. You had been coming to the beach your whole life, your mind and body in tune with every kind of noise and this one was not one you had heard before. It wasn't the splash of the waves, the splash of children playing, the splash of a surfer at the end of their run, this was loud, aggressive... foreboding. Your eyes scanned the water fast enough to see JJ seated and bobbing alone on his board, his back to you as he faced the oncoming waves before his head snapped back to look behind him as a large fin crested the water.

You were on your feet before you knew what was happening. It was probably only seconds but it felt like a lifetime, like one of those dreams you have when you're running but don't actually go anywhere, your feet pounding the sand, your lungs burning as you shouted for John B and Pope, JJ never leaving your sight. JJ's eyes found yours momentarily before the large fin resurfaced and he got knocked off of his board and you couldn't see him anymore.

JJ didn’t think he could ask for a more perfect day as he bobbed in the waves, feet dangling in the cool water beneath his board. In fact, ever since he had gotten the courage to tell you how he really felt, heavily aided by beer, his friends, and an unrelenting pounding in his chest every time you were close to him, it was like his life had gotten exponentially better.

He stared into middle space as he ran his thumb over his lips, deep in thought at the feeling of yours pressed against them, and reveled in the fact that he could still taste you. He didn’t know how he went without you for so long, now he couldn’t get enough. He loved you. He knew he did, and he’d almost said it to you. Today, and about a hundred times now, including the night he first confessed his feelings. He knew it then. He’d known it for awhile. In truth, he was dying to tell you, dying to get it off his chest. He almost word-vomited it on a daily basis, when you curled into his chest as you fell asleep, every time you scrunched your nose and bit your lip when you were focusing, the way you looked at him when he kissed you, eyes glazed with desire for him. Goddddd, he thought. But a part of him was still insecure. What did he ever do to deserve you? In what realm of possibility could you love him back? He was deep in thought when heard a loud splash behind him that snapped him back to reality as chills ran down his spine.

He knew before he saw the fin. He had been in the water when other surfers spotted sharks, and he John B and Pope did occasionally get that unexplainable sense of foreboding that pulled them out of the water, the intangible surfer’s sense that something simply wasn’t right and the risk wasn’t worth it. That feeling washed so quickly over him now that it felt like someone had poured a bucket of ice water over his head. He turned to see a large fin breaking the water behind his board as a dark shape moved beneath him, and that’s when he heard you. He turned to see you running towards the water and met your eyes just as the dark shape crested the waves and he was knocked off his board, into darkness.

John B saw you running towards the water and his first instinct was to laugh. You weren't unathletic but he'd never seen you move that fast before. He'd wanted to laugh until he heard the tone of your voice as you called his name. It wasn't joking, it wasn't fun, it was pure terror and his brain began piecing the puzzle together as he saw Sarah and Kie running towards other people on the beach, calling them out of the water and as you pointed desperately at JJ. John B turned his head quickly enough to see his best friend, the one person that had been there through every high and every low alongside him get knocked off his board by a tailfin as a large shape loomed in the water and he crashed into the sea.

He could hear Pope shouting at him but his heart was pounding and the blood rushing in his head made everything sound like he was underwater. Pope was paddling towards the shore.

"We have to help him!" John B cried, his voice high-pitched with emotion, knowing already that their efforts would be fruitless. What were they supposed to do? As far away as he was, he was already shaking as he tucked his own limbs onto his board, like this thin piece of fiberglass would do anything to protect him. He had seen the size of that shark, they were fucked.

JJ swam quickly to the surface, his body pulsing with fear, trying to get a sense of his surroundings, wanting to know what was around him but terrified to find out at the same time. He crested the surface, searching for his board, for any lifeline before deciding it didn't matter and he needed to get the fuck out of there. He began swimming strongly towards the shore, but panicked at the idea of the shark attacking him from behind so he stopped and turned around, frantically searching the water around him, kicking his legs and trying to swim backwards. He couldn't see a thing. He was hyperventilating and as he tried to suck in deep breaths water filled his mouth, causing him to cough. He continued to swim backwards, his eyes never leaving the dark water.

You had never felt as helpless in your entire life as you did standing on that beach, screaming, screaming for JJ, for John B, for Pope, for God, for anyone to intervene as your eyes searched the water for him, stomach roiling and mind churning with the worst possible outcomes. When you saw his head emerge from the waves, you began to run into the water.

"What are you doing?!" Kie shouted, exasperated as she threw her arms around you to pull you back.

"I have to go! I have to get to him!" you shouted back, trying to wrench yourself from her grip as you gestured to the waves. Wasn't if obvious? JJ needed you. Your whole heart was out there alone, bobbing in the water alongside an eight-foot shark. You wrestled in her arms, eyes never leaving the water as you watched him swim, heart catching each time a wave crested and you momentarily lost sight of him. He looked okay? Could that be possible? Was the universe that good? That he could look death in the face and still come back to you? Suddenly he stopped swimming for the shore and turned around, looking back in the murky depths, trying to backpedal, to backstroke. Did he see something? Was it coming back?

John B and Pope caught up to you both and Sarah put her arms tightly around John B as you watched. The group was stone silent.

Finally, it was too much for you, you shoved Kie off of you and sprinted into the water despite her shouts and the gasps of the crowd that had gathered. You were about waist-deep in the rough current, getting rocked by each wave when JJ finally turned to see you standing there, wading towards him.

"N-NO!" he shouted, motioning you back, moving as quickly as he could to force you back into shallower water, but his limbs were sluggish and tired and the current tugged him deeper. "GET OUT OF THE WATER!" He shouted, surprised at the anger and fear in his voice. You jumped slightly at that, never having been the object of JJ's anger before, but you didn't listen, you didn't care. You needed to know he was okay more than you needed to be okay yourself. You met him in chest-high water, your body crashing into his. He held you tightly, he wanted to enjoy this moment, but his brain and his body were still tightly wound in survival mode as he tugged you forward with him, needing to get you to safety, needing to know you were okay more than he needed to be okay. He wouldn't feel good about that until you were both firmly on dry land. When you were in ankle deep water, your friends converged on you, pulling you both into a hug as the small crowd that had gathered clapped and cheered, murmuring with disbelief at what had just occurred.

Everything thereafter was a blur. The beach day was over, no one wanting to spend any more time here after what had happened. Your friends buzzed around you, packing up the coolers and chairs and walking back to the Twinkie. You didn't leave JJ's side, didn't bother getting dressed or picking up your blanket, you stayed tucked into him, with his arms wrapped around you and he couldn't have been more grateful for the feeling of your body pressed to his, grounding him, a constant reminder that he was safe. The car ride home was mostly silent, the radio scratching in the background as JJ sat hunched over, his head in his hands, your head on his shoulder. You caught John B's eyes in the rearview mirror from his spot in the front seat, where he shared a brief, knowing smile with you. He's here, he's with us, it said. It's going to be okay, and I'm glad he has you.

By the time you got back to the chateau the mood was shifting slightly. There was still a heaviness in the air, thick with all that could have been, but the fog was parting and JJ couldn't stand the tension anymore. "I'm sensing a real heavy vibe right now" he said jokingly. "I don't know about y'all but I could use a fucking drink" and with that everyone cheered and his face lit up in a smile.

The night passed in typical pogue fashion with beers around the bonfire. Everyone was eager to shed the events of the day and relax, yourself included. You joined in on the fun but kept one eye trained on JJ, tracing his every move with your gaze. You told yourself it was to make sure he was okay, but a part of you couldn't stop staring, afraid that if you looked away for too long he would disappear again under a dark wave. He hadn't left your side, a hand resting on your thigh, an arm around your shoulders or tugging you to sit on his lap. He was always handsy with you, but this felt different, like you were a lifeline, a buoy he didn't want to let go of. You were in his lap, your head resting against his with his arms around you, his fingers tracing patters on your leg when he nuzzled into your ear, pressing a kiss along your jaw. "Hammock?" he whispered and you nodded, smiling as you hopped off his lap and the two of you made your way to the secluded spot amidst catcalls and whistles from your friends.

He settled into the swinging fabric first, holding it steady for you to crawl in to lay beside him. Your bodies fit perfectly together as the hammock swung gently back and forth, your head tucked into his neck, your arm around his chest. You felt him breath a deep sigh as his arms tugged you impossibly closer to him and he planted a kiss on your head. You turned to look at him and met his eyes, midnight blue in the starlight as he looked down at you.

"Are you okay?" you whispered. A simple question that had ten other questions behind it.

He nodded sincerely but didn't say anything. You had been hoping for more. Hoping to talk to him about this. If he wasn't going to say anything, you were going to have to break the silence.

"Jayj, I-I was really scared" you said, your voice quivering a little as you spoke. "I'm so glad you're okay. All I could think as I watched you out there was what I was going to do if something happened to you, I was out of my mind."

"I gathered that when you were sprinting into shark infested water while everyone was running out of it" he said, smirking as he pinched your arm playfully. You could tell he was trying to lighten the mood and that maybe he didn't want to talk about this, but you didn't want to talk about it with anyone else, you didn't think they'd understand.

"I'm serious, JJ. I guess I don't know how to explain it, I don't have the words for it. It was more than just the idea of not being able to reach you, of losing you, it was the idea of all the things we wouldn't get to do together. Like never having another bonfire night or taking a ride on your bike, or w-waking up in your arms or g-getting to k-kiss you or --" you could have kept going but your tears bubbled over and JJ's heart broke at the sight of you unravelling in his arms. He was holding himself together as best he could and he knew you were too.

"C'mere pretty girl, it's okay, I'm okay" he said as he wrapped you deeper in his arms and your tears left wet marks on his shirt.

"I'm sorry Jayj" you said, trying to collect yourself. "I know I'm probably blowing this out of proportion--" and hearing you apologize was the last straw.

"-- You're not" he said softly. "I felt the exact same way." He sighed. He didn't want to relive it, like maybe if you didn't talk about it, you could pretend it never happened.

"Really?" you asked.

"100%" he replied. "When I turned and saw you before I got knocked off my board all I could think is how far away you were and what I would have to do to get back to you. I was going to wrestle that thing if I needed to." You both laughed at that. "But for real, I know what you mean, I had the same thoughts. Even though I was absolutely shitting myself, it was like flashes in my head of you and all the things I still wanted to do and experience together... all the things I should have said..." he paused and fidgeted a little.

"Hey, look at me" he said finally, putting a finger gently under your chin and tilting it towards him. He smiled and met your eyes, wiping a tear off your cheek. "If I was shark bait today, my biggest regret would have been not telling you how I felt, how I feel. I-I love you. A lot. A whole hell of a lot. I have since before we were together. You're the first thing I think about in the morning and my last thought before bed. You're the girl of my damn dreams Y/N and I never want to do life without you. You're it for me, gorgeous. Full stop. No one else." He said it with more confidence than he felt as it came pouring out of him, relieved to finally have it off of his chest.

Now he was desperately trying to read your response. She's smiling, that's a good thing, right?

Yes, you were smiling. Grinning from ear to ear as you listened to the boy of your dreams absolutely gushing over you. You were speechless for a moment, grasping at the words to say, words you'd wanted to say for so long.

"I love you too" you said finally, "So much, JJ" you were able to eke out before he crushed his lips to yours.

ps: sharks are friends and are so important to our ecosystem and our lil' planet! you are more likely to get bit by another human than you a shark (fact), more likely to die from ants, elephants, hotdogs and texting than a shark attack (also fact), and they only bite because they are curious, they do not want to eat you (also fact). so, be kind, be respectful, support sharks. #endrant

taglist: @ietss, @gillybear17, @palmwinemami, @sweetestdesire, @softcoremaybank, @m-indkiller, @maybankslover, @sickyrat

[lostbetweenvampiresandmusic]

Changes Chapter 5

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Julie held on tightly as David raced over the beach, sand flying everywhere. The sun was slowly beginning to rise, and they didn't have much time. As much as Julie still struggled to believe that she would actually burn in sunlight - despite experiencing it before - she didn't want to find out. So, even though David's driving scared the living hell out of her, she kept quiet, hoping they'd have enough time to get to their place.

Soon, the beach made place for the woods. David took sharp twists and turns, never hitting a stone or a branch. Wind blew in Julie's face, and she kept her eyes tightly closed. She wasn't quite sure if it was because of the wind or his driving. When the bike stopped and the engine turned off, David easily stepped off and made his way down the stairs into the cave. Julie sat at the back of his bike still, trying to recollect herself and her thoughts.

Julie realised she was exhausted. That night had been taxing. Learning what she was, learning what she had to do, shopping for clothes, and then hunting - and realising that something about her was off - and then the race home... It was a lot. Not only that - what happened during the hunt made her wonder. Why did the boys still attack those people if they smelt so horribly? And why if the scent alone was enough to make her want to hurl, did the boys seem totally fine? It was weird, and it confused her more than she'd like to admit. Was it because they were older? Had they had more experience with hunting, and did they know that odd smelling blood was just a thing that could happen? Julie didn't know. It comfused her, and somehow, deep inside, there was a voice, telling her something was wrong with her. That she was just not fit to be a vampire. What if it wasn't something to do with age or experience, and there was something wrong with her? What if she was broken because of what happened to her? What if this would make her vampire life only so much harder?

She sighed softly as she contemplated about these things. If only she could remember her past. If she could remember what had happened to her, she could work on getting better. If she understood what happened to her, then she could explain. She could ask for help - and know what exactly she needed help with. In turn, others would be able to help more accurately, instead of doing what they thought would help her most. It would benefit everyone if she did remember, so why didn't she?

"Jules?"

Marko looked at the young vampire, a curious frown on his face when she didn't respond. David had sent him to get her, but she seemed completely lost in her own world. He was never able to sneak up on any of them. Their senses always told them someone was approaching - so why did Julie not notice? Was she truly lost in her own world, or did something happen? He moved to stand in front of her, gently touching her hand.

"Julie."

Startled, the girl looked up, looking quite a bit like a deer caught in headlights. Marko gave her a gentle smile, not wanting to frighten her.

"Let's go inside."

Marko took her hand as she stepped off the back of David's bike, leading her down a pair of wooden, wonky stairs, into a cave. Once there, Julie stopped to look around, amazed at the place these boys lived in.

The walls were lined with bookcases and cabinets, posters, surfboards, a giant mural of a singer she recognised from somewhere but couldn't quite place. In the middle of the room was a giant broken fountain, with shards of glass and empty take-out boxes laying in it. An old stuffy couch stood under the mural, and straight across from it was a bed with thick, sun-blocking curtains.

"We thought you'd prefer sleeping in a bed." David told her, not saying anything else as he went to sit in an old fashioned wooden wheelchair stuck in one of the many nooks in the cave.

Julie nodded, a curious yet appreciative look on her face. Did this mean they didn't sleep in a bed? Where and how would they sleep if they didn't sleep in a bed? And - she realised as she looked at it - it meant they had to have placed the bed here especially for her. They hardly knew her, and already, they had done so much for her. Whether it was on Max' command or not didn't matter for Julie. It was incredibly sweet.

"We sleep further back in the cave." Marko told her upon seeing her confused look. She nodded, just to let him know she heard him, as she took her shoes off. Dwayne had taken the bags with clothing inside, and she was glad to see them standing next to the bed. She searched through them for the loose shirt she'd gotten and went to sit on the bed. She closed the thick curtains, knowing the boys wouldn't see her, and changed into her new shirt.

She laid down, sighing comfortably as she realised how fluffy her pillow was and how soft the blankets were. She contemplated signalling to the boys that she'd go to sleep, but she figured it was obvious. Besides, the bed was really comfortable. With a content sigh, she closed her eyes. It didn't take long before she fell asleep.

"I think you're right," Marko said as he walked into the backroom of the cave, joining the others. "Her senses are all over the place. She didn't even know I was standing in front of her until I said her name."

"It's probably a trauma response, but it's worrysome. She didn't notice we entered the house while she was alone." David sighed, lighting a cigarette as he leaned backwards in his chair. Dwayne nodded before speaking up.

"What if her sire didn't just command her to be silent?"

"Why would anyone want to fuck with that? Blinding their senses?" Marko sat down, shuffling a pack of cards.

"If where she came from was as bad as I think it is, it might have been an act of mercy."

It was quiet for a moment as Marko dealt the cards, placing the leftovers in the middle of the floor. He laid one card - a king of hearts - open on the table. No one said anything. What if Dwayne was right? And if so, who would do that?

David looked at the cards he was dealt, wondering if what Dwayne said was right. He believed that the command placed upon Julie was about more than just the usage of her voice - but he doubted the idea of it being a mercy. No, if he saw her responses and heard what Max had told him, he was quite certain that it was meant as torture.

"Also, what was the deal with her feeding problem?" Paul asked eventually, looking at the others. He was known to be quite picky, having a certain taste and style he liked to go for - but he wasn't picky like Julie seemed to be. He looked through his cards, placing a seven of hearts upon the king.

"No idea." Marko shrugged. "I think it's more important that she gets to deal with whatever happened to her."

The boys nodded. This wasn't the first time that Max had taken in a stray, a young vampire with a rough change. This was the first time, however, that they actually hung out with said vampire. Normally, they kept their distance, not bothering Max with their pressence. But since Max mentioned that she'd be coming, they had been curious. Maybe that's why they got involved now. That they offered their assistance. Maybe that's why they felt for the fledgling. Mere curiosity. And yet - something was different. Not about her per se, but the situation.

They all knew it, whether they liked to admit it or not. Somewhere, deep inside, they knew that this fledgling would not go back to her original coven. No, something about Julie made them say she would stay either with Max or with them. Whether it was the fact that where she came from had hurt her that much, or the fact that somehow they all cared for her - reality was that she would not go back there. Not if they had a say in it.

"I had a sister once," Paul said after a long silence. "Might be nice to have one again."

No one said much after that, just them placing their cards on the pile - picking new ones if necessary. In the end, it was David who won - placing an ace of spades upon the Queen- causing the others to groan.

"How is it you always win?" Paul asked, as he put the cards back in their box. "Statistically it's not possible."

"You're just sore because you haven't won since the sixties."

"You are cheating."

"Maybe you should cheat better," Dwayne grinned before leaving the room. Bit by bit, the boys left, each going off to sleep. Except for David. He stayed up, having a gut feeling that it was necessary.

The widow Johnson, as the town not so affectionately called her, was sat in her small cottage, waiting for her guest to arrive. Ever since the phomecall she'd gotten the day before, she felt stressed. Something was going on. She knew that, and so did her tarot cards. All day, shed been laying them out - getting different visions every time, but none of them particularly good, The tarot cards were still laying on the table. Where at first she'd seen despair and the loss of hope in this town - now she saw that same despair, but a chance of a resolution. A happy end for the town. No big losses to be mourned, people reunited with each other. As much as she dreaded the despair to come, she liked this ending much better. She just hoped that she could make it happen. But, if she compared it to the dozens of negative visions she'd had in the past twenty-four hours, she doubted it.

She looked up as she heard a loud, firm, single knock on the door. As she stood up to open it, she saw through the window that her guest hadn't come empty-handed. As much as she disliked the man, he had manners. Jo opened the door, looking at the man in front of her. The thick plastic rimmed glasses, the suit with shoulder patches. The man tried so much to fit in with the eighties that he almost seemed to parody it. The widow sighed.

"Hello, Max."

"Josephine."

For a moment there was a tense silence between them, before Jo relented. "Come in, please."

Max smiled at her, handing her the bouquet with wild flowers and sitting down at the kitchen table. Josephine closed the door. She walked past Max into the kitchen. From underneath the green sink, she grabbed an empty vase, placing the flowers inside. She filled the vase with water, leaving it in the sink as she turned to look at the guest sitting at her kitchen table. She gave him a stern look.

"The thing you want isn't easy to come by."

"I know."

"It's going to be painful for her."

"I know, and she understands."

"Does she?" Josephine sounded sceptical. She knew Max. If it benefitted him, he was not always known for telling the truth. "Does she also realise that by removing the commands from her previous sire, any mind control pertaining to the memories of that place will be gone?"

Max was quiet. He hadn't told Julie that. He was certain that he could help her get through it, though. He had helped a dozen vampires before. She was no different. She could also be helped.

"I've done some digging and found something that might work," the widow continued. "But it is not going to be easy."

Josephine sighed, shaking her head as she handed him the recipe needed to start the process of resiring the young vampire. She doubted it would be successful, but one would never know until they tried. Max looked through the list, frowning. There were some rare ingredients on there.

"How would I know what bloodtype was used for her original change?"

"Ask the one that brought her to you. He might know."

Max sighed, frustrated by this turn of events. Ever since Lucien had left that early morning, he hadn't been in touch. Not that it was that weird. It had only been five days, but still - that evening he had seemed to really care about Julie, and then to not check in? As Max left the widow's place - thanking her for the recipe - he stopped at a payphone, calling Luciens number. The phone rang multiple times, but no one answered. Max tried again, and when he still got no answer, he decided that the best thing to do was to go and visit Lucien himself. Of course, that meant that Julie would be alone with the boys, but he suspected that it would be fine. Besides, this was a necessary thing to do if he wanted to help her. He needed to find Lucien, and find out how Julie was changed and what was used to change her.

The cave was silent. The sun was slowly beginning to rise, and most of the boys had already made their way to their nest. All, except for David. He sat in his wheelchair, hidden in the shadows. His gut feeling had proven right. Shortly after the boys had gone to sleep, Max had called out to him through his mindlink.

I'll be gone for a couple of days, looking for a way to break Julie's original sire bond. Keep an eye on her. If I'm not back within three days, expect a phone call in the videostore. I'll call around 8.

After that message, he'd tried to fall asleep. He quickly found he couldn't. He had been plagued by horrifying images, not his own. He saw flashes of torture, doctors grinning, medical experiments, and fighting - lots and lots of brutal fighting. It didn't take long for him to understand what he was seeing. Julie had been troubled by nightmares the second she had fallen asleep, and he didn't like the idea of her waking up alone. So, he decided to stay awake for a bit. If she'd wake from a nightmare, he'd be there - and he could take her to the back of the cave if she felt more comfortable around him and his brothers.

David had been right. As the flashes of pain and torture in his mind worsened, he could hear her breathing spike - and then the shifting of the sheets, someone rapidly sitting up.

"It was that bad, hm?"

It took a moment, but then Julie opened the blackout curtains around her bed, looking at David. She shrugged slightly. She had remembered more of her dream now than she had done before, but still - she didn't want to believe it had happened to anyone, let alone her.

"Forgetting might seem like the best idea, but it will only make it harder to deal with the change."

The girl sighed, glaring at him, as if to ask him what he would know about it.

"I know more than you think. You're not the first Max helped."

Her gaze softened. She hadn't known.

"If you want, I can stay here, or you can come to the back with me."

She shook her head. It was a nice offer to not sleep alone - but she already knew she wouldn't be able to sleep anymore. Or, not much anyway. She preferred to be alone and not worry about him worrying about her not sleeping. David nodded, throwing a small brown package in her direction. It was the same one he'd put under his bike sear that evening. Julie looked surprised as he motioned for her to open it. Inside was a stuffed animal of a bat. She smiled softly as she looked at it. It was really sweet. It was also - decided Julie after looking at it - rather funny. The tiny bat was dressed with a vampire cape.

Without saying anything else, David left. Julie laid back down, bat in her arms, thinking about what she remembered of her dream. The pain, the constant force used - whether it was to change, to feed, to kill - she never had any choice. She was hypnotised over and over again, forced to do their bidding, forced to not fight - forced to become a mindless puppet in their sick and twisted game. And for what? She sighed. She didn't know, and she would be very glad to not ever know why she went through all of that. She wanted to move on to live her life and get rid of these memories. She was done with her past.

Little did she know, as she stared up at the ceiling, looking at the small rays of sunlight entering the cave, that her past wasn't done with her.

On the other side of town, near the boardwalk, a young woman was out for a walk. She greeted her neighbours, fed the local neighbourhood dog some of her bread - and then disappeared. No one had seen where she went. No one knew where she could have gone. By noon, when she was supposed to start her shift in the local clothing store, she didn't show up. By late afternoon, the police was involved. The young woman was officially missing.

Next chapter >

[yourmomxx]

[prom date]

jj maybank x male!reader

words: 0,6k

Didn't they tell us, don′t rush into things?

Didn't you flash your green eyes at me?

Didn′t you calm my fears with a Cheshire cat smile?

—

Purple-blue and pink light swept across the hall. Huge snowflakes and strips of silver tinsel hung from the ceiling, giving no indication that the dance floor was a converted gym.

You had smiled as you had entered the room. JJ had only felt nervousness when he had squeezed your hand.

The initial confidence he had felt when you had picked him up from his home in your car had quickly evaporated.

You only had to glance at JJ as he approached you in the black suit he was wearing, to add to your enthusiasm for the evening. The two of you stood close together, amidst other dancing couples and you could smell JJ’s perfume.

JJ's hands were on your shoulders and yours were placed on JJ’s hips. JJ was nervous. Was that right? Was that how you dance with a boy? Was this comfortable for you, or should he take a step further away from you?

You only had eyes for JJ. As you swayed to the slow song, your gaze rested on the blonde hair, styled in soft waves today. They looked so soft and you had to resist running his fingers through them all evening. JJ’s eyes looked different in the dim light depending on the color of the headlight hitting them—pink, purple, dark blue. But you didn't need headlights to know that his eyes were that piercing light blue you loved so much, that only reflected in the waves beneath your surfboard. Maybe that's why you’d been so smitten with them from the start.

JJ’s eyes darted nervously over the people standing around you. Other couples swaying to the song, entwined tightly, but none of them were like... you two.

Today JJ had decided to wear a formal suit. You thought he was pretty anyway. You found that JJ had different auras depending on the choice of clothing that he wore. JJ with the tank tops and cargo shorts was a sort of reckless boy from the poor part of the island, who'd found his best friends in teacher's favorite Pope Heyward, climate activist Kiara Carrera and surfer John Booker Routledge. JJ with the black suit and a tie represented the crush of all girls, the heartthrob, the flirt. But as you looked at the blond boy in front of you, hands on his hips and pink-purple-blue light all around you both, all you could see was JJ, your JJ.

JJ felt the nervousness growing in him and instinctively turned his head forward again, where he was immediately caught by your gaze. His boyfriend’s warm eyes looked down at him, and while the lighting around them didn't give him a good view, JJ knew what color they were. Y/E/C like the lush spring days he knew from his childhood. Maybe that's why he always felt so safe in them. JJ noticed his heartbeat slow down and his doubts recede as he looked into your eyes, because wasn’t everything around him meaningless when Y/N Y/L/N was standing in front of him, his Y/N?

"They're staring," JJ whispered hoarsely. You almost didn't hear him. JJ felt you look around, becoming aware of the fixed eyes that were only on you two. But you just shrugged, a faint smile playing on your lips, and JJ wondered how one person could be so brave.

"Yes, because I’m dancing with you. They're jealous.” JJ’s eyes widened at your statement.

"Jealous?" he repeated, dumbfounded.

You nodded. And with a slight smile in your purple eyes, you leaned down to him and whispered, "I know that I would be."

JJ could feel your breath on his skin. Then you bridged the gap between him and you and placed your soft lips on JJ’s in a slow, promising kiss. And the pleasantly warm feeling that spread through the pit of his stomach when he was touched was always worth the staring looks.

—

We found Wonderland

You and I got lost in it

And we pretended it could last forever

- Wonderland by Taylor Swift

[trashbag-baby666]

Shoreline Redemption-Clegan

Summary: It’s been over a month since Gale lost his arm from a shark attack. He’s questioning everything in his life and confined himself to his house. But not for much longer if John has anything to do with it.

WC: 1,140

C/W: tiny mentions of blood

mota masterlist! ~ ao3 link

Gale's toes curled into the hot sand, the warmth seeping through him as he relaxed back into John's comforting embrace. He thought he was ready, but now, standing on the beach, doubts crept in, and he began second-guessing his decision. For the past month and a half, he hadn't left the house except for his appointments.

At seventeen, Gale felt his life was over. He envisioned himself stuck working at his grandfather's surf shop, forever wondering what might have been if he hadn't gone out that fateful day. Once a nationally ranked champion surfer, now the dream slipped through his fingers like grains of sand.

"Do you wanna go inside?" John’s voice thrummed reassuringly against his back. They stood on the wooden path leading to the beach, John having finally pried Gale out of his room to watch the sunset. The waves, once a source of joy, now seemed like a taunting threat. In the distance, Meatball ran up and down the beach, waiting for them to join him.

"No," Gale shook his head, bringing his hand up to where John's arms wrapped around him. "I think I can do it."

"Come on, Buck!" John had chased Gale around his grandpa's little bungalow. Gale was frantically shoving his schoolwork into his bag, ignoring his boyfriend’s pleas. "The conditions are glassy out at the cove are perfect! You know the universe won’t forgive you for missing a day of perfect surfing to go to school and on Halloween!"

"Why can’t we just go after?" Gale asked, slinging his backpack over his shoulder and filling Meatball's water bowl.

"I promised Ma we’d take Bethy trick-or-treating, remember?" John leaned against the wall, arms crossed over his chest. He was already prepared, wearing Birkenstocks, board shorts, and a shirt. It was clear he wasn’t going to school, whether Gale did or not. Gale sighed, glancing out the kitchen window at his granddad, already busy at the small surf shop across the street with one of his college-aged employees.

"Fine," Gale huffed, walking down the hall to change out of his school clothes and into his swimsuit.

Once in the water, Gale was glad he had come. He and Ken raced down the beach, surfboards in hand. October was his favorite time of the year on the island—no tourists, perfect surfing conditions, and the occasional Halloween parties. Last year, John had surfed in an inflatable dinosaur costume and won a costume contest.

"I'm going to catch that wave," Gale called out as he began paddling.

"Not if I get there first!" Ken shouted, nudging Gale’s board slightly off course.

"Hey! You're cheating!" Gale laughed.

Curt and John lingered on the beach for a moment. Curt lit a joint while John spread out blankets and snacked on cheese from Ken’s cooler.

Gale smiled up at the sun and fluffy white clouds, lying on his back on the board. He moved his hand back and forth in the water, feeling its pull. John lay next to him, eyes closed, head resting on his hands. Gale glanced back toward the shore, where Curt and Ken were relaxing on the blanket, Ken giggling at something Curt said. The two were still practically inseparable even after two years of living together in Ken’s parents' beach house.

But then everything changed in an instant. An ear-piercing shriek escaped Gale's mouth before he could process what was happening. An intense pressure gripped his shoulder, and he heard John's muffled scream of "Shark!" Panic set in, but he couldn’t comprehend it fully. Warm blood trickled down his shoulder, but he couldn’t move his other hand to touch it. He closed his eyes, feeling the warmth of John’s hands as he drifted into a dreamlike state.

The waves crashed at their ankles as they walked along the shoreline, Meatball darting ahead and returning with a piece of driftwood for them to throw. Gale inhaled deeply, savoring the fresh, salty air. He had missed this more than he wanted to admit.

Suddenly, his feet halted of their own accord. John, a step ahead, turned to face him. "Everything alright?" John's eyes searched Gale's, reflecting the orange hues of the setting sun. He knew it took immense courage for Gale to come down to the beach. Since the accident, Gale hadn't ventured further than the edge of the backyard.

"Yeah," Gale nodded, his eyes distant. His blonde curls fluttered in the breeze as he freed his hand from John's and pulled off John's shirt off of himself, tossing it onto a nearby log.

"Buck?" John called, shading his eyes as Gale ran into the water and dove in. Moments later, Gale resurfaced, waving with a bright smile. Meatball bolted past John, joining Gale in the water.

John's smile widened, the kind that made his eyes crinkle. He tugged off his shirt and followed, diving into the waves. It felt different this time—maybe because Gale's smile was genuine. They stood in waist-deep water, Meatball happily splashing around them.

They shared a moment of silent joy before erupting into childlike giggles. John took Gale's hand and rested his forehead against his, their eyelashes nearly touching. "Doesn't it feel good?"

Gale nodded, wrapping his arm around John's neck and kissing him. The taste of saltwater on their lips made the moment all the more real. As they pulled away, still gazing into each other's eyes, John cupped his hand in the water and let it fall gently over Gale's left shoulder, where the small, rounded stump remained. Gale watched him, feeling the self-loathing begin to ebb away.

As the sun dipped below the horizon, casting the sky in shades of pink and purple, Gale and John walked back to the shore. They toweled off, the cool evening breeze rustling through the palm trees. Meatball, exhausted but happy, flopped down next to them, panting with satisfaction.

"Let's do this again tomorrow," John suggested, his voice soft but hopeful. "Just a little bit every day until it feels normal again."

Gale looked out at the ocean, the rhythmic sound of the waves now a gentle lullaby instead of a taunt. He turned to John, seeing the unwavering support in his eyes. "Yeah," he agreed, feeling a sense of peace he hadn't felt in a long time. "I'd like that."

They gathered their belongings and made their way back up the path to the house, the sky now a blanket of stars. Gale realized that while his life had changed, it wasn't over. With John by his side and the promise of new beginnings, he felt ready to face whatever came next.

The future, once clouded with uncertainty, now seemed a little brighter. Gale squeezed John's hand, grateful for the love and support that had carried him through. Together, they walked into the night, ready to embrace whatever tomorrow might bring.

-

-

Taglist: @austeenbootler @executethyself35 @coastiewife465 @slowsweetlove

-

Not sure I’ll write more about this au unless you guys would like to see more!!!

[moonseonghwa]

Cruel summer 4 - P.SH

word count: 3k, fluff, suggestive

warnings: none specifically

series masterlist

‘’I can’t get this’’ You yelled, falling back into the water. 

‘’You can, let’s try it one more time, focus on what I did’’ Seonghwa replied, swimming towards you as you were practicing one of his signature surf moves. A hard twist he had under his control ultimately, yet something you couldn’t do after what felt like a hundred tries. 

Seonghwa had knocked on your door this early morning, surfboard in hand as he looked at you with a bright smile. You didn’t see him at all yesterday, after both of you went stargazing the night before. So you thought maybe you crossed a line, or that he didn’t consider you as a friend. The careless attitude you had was sometimes just a facade for all the overthinking going on in your head. Yet when he showed up this morning, all the doubts went away when he told you he had to help his uncle out in his surf shop the entire day, not being able to come to the cafe. 

Both of you went on for a while, moving around in the water and trying to go in sync with each other which horribly failed as both of you had completely different techniques. So when you rested on the sand for a while, you noticed the redness of his cheeks, realizing he probably didn’t put on sunscreen.

‘’Have you put on sunscreen?’’ You asked him, fingers ghosting his red nose.

‘’No, I forgot’’

‘’Seonghwa! I told you how important it is’’ You exclaimed, making him laugh. 

‘’I know, but I forgot it at home’’ 

‘’Let’s go for a walk then, I need to stretch my body for a bit’’ You said, Seonghwa agreeing before both of you started to put on lighter clothes after taking off the wetsuit, the bikini underneath is still a bit damp as you put on some jean shorts. 

Seonghwa’s house was just behind the beach, a bungalow with a dark brown wooden theme. It was huge though, the pool in the back visible as you made your way through the front door. 

‘’Is this your own place?’’ You asked, wondering how he could afford this while you were living off leftovers in your student life. You gazed around, noticing the interior seemed a bit cold, there were no pictures on the wall, no adorable flowers on the coffee table and no warmth radiating off the marble floor. Yet it did feel like a home, as if memories were made without evidence of them. 

‘’Yeah, it used to be my mom’s’’ He said, walking into the kitchen to find the sunscreen on the countertop. You wanted to ask about the word ‘used’ to see if he was slightly ready to open up, but before you got the chance his deep voice was heard again.  ‘’Can you put it on me?’’ He pouted,  making you chuckle as you shook your head disapprovingly. You decided to drop the question, waiting for him to open up to you himself. 

‘’How old are you?’’ You playfully asked, taking the bottle out of his hand as you squirted a tiny bit on your pointer finger, placing dots all over his face as you stepped a bit closer, examining his perfect features in the process. He was tall, so you had to stand on your tippy-toes while he was staring at your eyes, before moving down to your lips as they were so close to his. You rubbed the creme over his face softly, before moving on to the next spot which made him lean even closer. 

‘’How is your skin so smooth?’’ You mumbled, in awe of his perfect skin. 

He ignored the comment, noticing the piece of hair in front of your eyes, his hand coming up to slowly tuck it behind your ear. You stopped in your tracks, Seonghwa’s hand remaining on your face as his thumb rested on your cheek. He was holding it like you were delicate, as if a bit more pressure could break you. 

His eyes fell back to your lips, before his thumb fell on them, your mouth opening as he looked back into your eyes. You were so close to kissing him, him leaning down to almost close the distance, feeling his breath on yours. You lost balance while you stood on your toes because of the slight pull towards him, falling against his chest as his other arm came around your waist, your front pressed against his.

‘’Careful’’ He whispered in a low voice, making butterflies erupt in your stomach as you couldn’t bring yourself to look up at him, afraid of how close both of your faces would b if you did. You felt his hand on your waist, burning the skin with his touch and you couldn’t stop yourself from blushing. Before he could do anything else, you heard a sudden bang from behind you, making you snap your head back to see the door closed shut. You looked at Seonghwa with a scared look, a smile taking over his lips.

‘’`The wind’’ 

You started laughing in embarrassment at the moment, realizing the two of you were about to kiss, your head falling against his chest at the timing of the wind as he laughed with you, his hand coming up to stroke your hair. You looked back at him, missing the way his lips felt so close already, before rising back on your toes and pecking him on the pillowy lips, your hands on his chest as you leaned back, realizing what you just did. 

‘’I’m sorry I-’’ Regrets started flooding your brain, but before you could continue you were cut off.

Seonghwa placed his lips on yours, cutting you off as he deepened the kiss, his hand supporting your head on the back of your neck as your knees got wobbly.  Your arm went around his neck, feeling his lips move with yours blissfully, before his tongue teased your lower lip, making you open your mouth. He turned both of you around, his hand coming under your thigh as he lifted you up, placing you down on the countertop. 

You couldn’t get enough of his lips, smiling against them as you placed your hands on his jawline. He kissed you deep and intense, like he had waited for this moment for ages, before parting as he leaned his head against yours with a smile plastered on his face. 

You pulled him back in, this time a bit more slowly as you tilted your head to match his rhythm, feeling your insides twist with every slight groan that left his mouth, almost inaudible if you weren’t so pressed up against him. Your hands were resting around his shoulder as you both turned it into a lazy make-out session, not getting enough of the feeling. 

-

‘’I don’t get how you do this’’ You said, peeking behind him at the perfectly made surfboard. 

After the kiss a few days ago, you’ve been hanging out with Seonghwa constantly, joining him on the beach, walking late at night with him,  helping each other with the small jobs you had— well, he helped you in the café, you gave him moral support in the surfing shop— and joining the group while both of you were stuck by each other’s side. 

‘’It’s not easy, but I’ll teach you one day’’ He said, placing a kiss on your lips as your eyes lit up because of it, making him kiss your cheeks in adornment. 

He knew he was falling for you, more than he would like to admit. He felt like someone else when he was with you, as if he was someone he hadn’t been for years. Someone who was bright and calm, excited to fall in love again instead of someone constantly sour and cold, which he turned into after his mother died. 

He liked everything about you. He liked how carefree you were, living the day instead of thinking too much forward. Your cheerful attitude was contagious to everyone around you and the funny thing was you didn’t even notice it. You never asked him why. Someone he needed to move on and forget. 

July 30th 

You are regretting not coming here earlier in summer break, because if you did, you may have had more time with Seonghwa and the others.

 The first month of break consisted of working in the city though, saving money for the next semester, and applying for inter positions already as you tried to be fully prepared so you wouldn’t have to worry about it in your off-time. You knew yourself, and if you didn’t get your business for university together before coming here, you wouldn’t have enjoyed the time at all. 

‘’Y/n? This is dangerous’’ Your thoughts got interrupted by the handsome man behind you. 

‘’I know, that’s what makes it fun’’ You grunted, as you climbed the cliff at the very end of the beach. It wasn’t really a climb, you just had to get up a few rocks to get to the top. However, the sound of the water hitting the cliff underneath you two made Seonghwa cringe.

 ‘’Just a tiny bit higher’’ You said, throwing your leg over the upper part before climbing on it, seeing the ocean from a high view while Seonghwa followed right behind you, sighing in exhaustion. 

‘’Look, how nice’’ You said, sitting down on the edge as your lower legs were dangling over it. Seonghwa dropped next to you, staying a bit further away from the edge. ‘’Are you afraid of heights?’’ You asked, noticing the fear on his face.

‘’Being at risk of falling into the water is not looking very appealing, no’’ He said, making you laugh. 

‘’It’s not that bad, you could survive it’’ You replied, placing your head on his shoulder as you enjoyed the view ‘’I’ll save you when you fall’’

‘’I trust you with my life then’’ He said, a smile on his face, enjoying the moment with you, the sound of the waves beneath you making you sigh in contentment. ‘’You know that the waves are usually calm at this time, they just decide to act up when you are here’’ He said, observing the violent waves that crashed against the cliff.

‘’They love me’’ You looked up from his shoulder, making him place a kiss on your lips. ‘’Sometimes I wish I could stay here forever’’ You whispered, looking back at the ocean, the sight instantly calming you down. Seonghwa’s hand went around your shoulders, rubbing it up and down as he pulled you even closer.

‘’Me too’’ 

‘’Can you tell me something about you that no one knows?’’ He asked a few minutes later.

‘’I don’t know’’ You said, after a minute of thinking. Wondering what you were able to tell him which wouldn’t change the way he thought about you. 

‘’Nothing?’’ 

‘’I love seals’’ 

He kept quiet, before bursting out laughing ‘’Can you be serious for a minute?’’ He asked after, throwing his head back.

‘’I’ve never told anyone that before!’’ You exclaimed, pushing his chest playfully as he pulled your hands towards him, your body crashing against his before he placed his lips on yours. 

August 4th

You were currently at the lake, chilling on the grass as you were having a small picnic with him. Your head was laying on his lap, a book in his hand as he read to you while you played with his other hand. Your gaze went to his face, admiring his features, the shining black hair falling loosely on his forehead, his eyes tracing the words before averting to yours. He smiled at you, leaning down to place a kiss on your nose as you buried your face in your hands. 

‘’Don’t hide from me’’ He said, taking your wrists in his hand as you pulled them away from your face. ‘’You were staring at me, weren’t you?’’ 

‘’Maybe, it’s hard not to’’ You mumbled, going back to playing with his hands as he laughed with you. He placed the book down, leaning back down to kiss your lips, before you got up to kiss him properly, his hand landing on your thigh as yours came up to his cheek. 

You were wearing a skirt, maybe not the safest choice today, as your core was placed against his thigh. His hand slowly rid up your thigh, the skirt riding up more and more as you continued making out with him, your breathing becoming heavier every time you inhaled. He felt your legs closing, moving his lips towards your neck as you couldn’t stop but let out a sigh. 

He pulled away shortly after, though, making you pout. 

‘’We’ve got plenty of time, let’s take it slow, darling’’ He said, making you drop your head in his neck as you smiled. This man would become the death of you. 

You felt yourself lowly falling for him more and more as you couldn’t really stop yourself from doing so. Not when he always made you feel so different like you were another person. Something nobody has ever made you feel and a feeling you didn’t want to lose just yet, even if that meant going through the pain when the dream would be over. 

A few more weeks, you told yourself. 

August 6th

It was raining today, and you spent the entire morning in bed, reading the same book again as you were stupid enough to only bring one. However, you weren’t really focusing on the book when all you were thinking about was Seonghwa. You had texted him this morning, but he didn’t reply yet, so you figured he was probably busy with something. You had spent the whole day with him yesterday once again, cooking together for the boys in the evening and parting ways in the middle of the night as Jongho walked home with you. 

‘’So you and Seonghwa, huh?’’ He said, looking at you mischievously as a smile took over your face. 

The past days with Seonghwa had been nothing but dreamy. You felt something different with him, as if he was the first person that utterly and completely liked you for being yourself. Something you haven’t felt in a long time.

You were used to staying quiet, letting other people do the talking as you observed. However, you turned into a different person this summer, telling yourself to spend this time being someone you haven’t been before, yourself. 

Then eventually, when you’d go back to the city, you’ll be the same again, and it’ll be like you and Seonghwa had never met 

‘’Nope, not talking about this’’ 

‘’Oh come on, we are close’’ He sulked, pushing your shoulder as you shook your head, but when you looked at his face and saw the adorable puppy eyes, you couldn’t deny him. 

‘’I don’t know what we are’’ You said, shrugging. 

And you were completely honest at that moment because you wished you would be able to tell him what you guys were. Not just friends, souls who were the same, a bit broken inside but prepared to pretend they were not. 

You dropped your book on the bed, sighing in frustration as you longed for his touch. You already missed his fingertips tracing your skin, leaving a burning sensation behind as you fell deeper into his touch. Or the way he kissed your cheeks when you blushed because of him. 

So you got up, threw on a hoodie, and walked downstairs. You found your mom and aunt in the kitchen, trying to figure out a new recipe for the café, as you quickly bid them goodbye. They didn’t have time to stop you before you were out of the door, walking fast through the streaming rain to Seonghwa’s place. 

You knew it would be a bad idea, that it would only hurt more when you would eventually leave the town. However, that didn’t stop you just yet, not when you saw the familiar bungalow down the street after a while. Your hoodie was already soaked, the sky breaking open with the sound of thunder just as you made it in front of his door. 

You knocked, waiting for a bit, before knocking again, thrice without anyone answering. You checked your phone, and your messages to Seonghwa were still unanswered. So you started worrying.

Is he okay? Where would he be? He told you yesterday he would be free today so why isn’t he answering? Your mind started forming all kinds of scenarios and before you knew it, you tried to open the door. Surprisingly, it opened right away, indicating someone was probably home.

‘’Seonghwa?’’ You said, voice barely above a whisper as you slowly made your way inside. Your dripping clothes formed a pool of water as you stood in the doorway, not daring to go any further. Until you heard a sniffle, coming from the room in the hallway. 

You strutted forward, repeating his name as you walked towards the sound, finding him sitting on the floor as he was leaning against the bed. His arms were placed on his knees defeatedly, before you noticed the tears streaming down his face as he didn’t dare to glance at you. 

‘’Seonghwa’’ You whispered once again, afraid the scare him as you slowly got closer to him. He looked up at you with red, puffy eyes, as if he’d been crying for the past hour. You dropped down next to him, taking his face in your hands as you wiped away the tears. ‘’Are you okay?’’ 

‘’It rained when she- when she..’’ He didn’t finish the sentence, more tears falling from his eyes as he sobbed. ‘’She died when it rained, Y/n’’ 

Your heart broke at the view, pulling him close to you as he sobbed into your hoodie, his hands holding you so tight you almost couldn’t breathe. 

“It’s okay, I’m here, It’s okay’’ You chanted, scared of the way he held onto you as if you would leave. 

‘’It was my fault’’ He sobbed, making tears form in your own eyes, before you started stroking his head softly to comfort him. ‘’I killed her, it was my fault she died’’ 

‘’Shh Seonghwa, don’t say that’’ 

You felt your heart break, figuring out he wasn’t as tough as he seemed to be.

[maybank-archives]

valentine's day - fluff edition - jj maybank

⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯

warning: none

author's notes: a little bit late but mushy jj is never too much.

mastelist

⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯

“my lady.” JJ says gesturing to the boat “come into the love ride.”

JJ put together a little picnic/boat ride to you two

he refused to let you pay for things

and only asked for you to bring your tradicional cheese grilled sandwich.

he wanted to make a fun/romantic surprise

the phantom (rip) had some petals in the floor

and string lights wrapped around the corners

there was blankets and food on the deck

on the menu: pizza

“I know that is not a full kook date, but I try to give my girl the best.”

you could cry right now of how cute he is

you hug him and hold his rosy cheeks 

you kiss him and he lift you and spins you in the air

you two had hour long conversations

talking about the future and dreams

“I don't need much, just my weed, my gun, my surfboard and my girl.”

eating and drinking while laughing and sharing stories to each other

making fun of your friends

and making good-natured fun of each other

jj tried to make a good deal at the shop for a gift to you, with the money that he saved, he did manage to buy you a necklace and a ring.

“it's very minimal and simple but i hope you like.”

if he gave you a leaf you would be more than happy

he also gave you his worn out shirt, that happened to be the one that you steal the most

“i guess i lost this shirt a long time ago plus you look so hot in my clothes, that now it's officially yours.”

he also hand you a little note that we wrote but told you to read later

"here you go handsome."

you spoil him with new clothes, a vintage hat and new headphone

he becomes all mushy and shy and hug tight

you two lay down on the blankets 

you put music on your phone 

jj touch his forehead to your

he gives you soft smiles 

you close your eyes and he reach for your hand and plant a kiss 

he stroke his thumb to your cheeks 

and kiss the corner of your mouth

you come close to him and rest your head in his chest

you feel peaceful in his arms, listening to water sound and music in the background.

you could stay there forever

smelling his cologne and playing with fingers

love confessions

“i would not be half of the person that i'm if i didn't had you in my life baby.”

he holds your hand and trace lines at them

he lower his head as he talks

“I really, really like your freaking pretty face.” 

“i just want to spend my life with you y/n.”

“gosh jj, i don't think it's possible to love you more, you're making this really challenging.”

he laughs and kiss you one more time

you sit on the edge of the boat

as the night comes and

watch the stars 

at each other arms.

⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯

© maybank-archives 2023 — no one has permission to copy or translate any of my works, if you see any of my work being reproduced in another platform please contact me! :)

[yourkimjaejin]

AG Presents: The Time Of Day Tour - The Encore

General Information

After five long month's, NCT AG wrapped up their first world tour back in Korea with a three night run of encore shows

To really celebrate the ending of a huge moment of AG's career, the girls decided to make more work for themselves and change EVERYTHING!!!! The setlist, costumes, vcr's, the whole shebang.

As for the encore's story, The mech-shark from previous shows is back and has banished AG to the real world. The group has to travel across different dreams and collect more Dreamergy to get back to the Flat and destroy the shark once and for all

The show takes place over three days on November 4th, 5th and 6th. The beyond live was on the 5th.

While the group did change quite a few things, the stage set up, including the massive light rigged circle, did not.

VCR Info

Opening

The action kicks off as soon as the VCR starts. We're back in The Flat and Moxy gets thrown across the screen but she lands on her feet (Kindof like Black Widow). Hannah runs over and helps her up. "I though we took care of this thing."

Aurora flies by and ducks under the shark attacking dorsal fin, "We didn't really defeat it. We just sent our misplaced guests back home."

Up in the skies Juno floats on a metal disk keeping a watch on her friends, "Guys watch out. We gotta portal in coming." She jumps up and the disk transforms into surfboard. Juno lands safely and rides right into the fight. A sword appeared in mid air that Juno grabs. She plants the sword in the underbelly of the shark, slicing thru the underside of the shark just as a portal to the real world opened.

"JUNO!!" The other three girls screamed as they watched their friend fly right into the portal. The wind picks up, dragging all the girls off the ground and into the air. Moxy was able to grab ahold of a light post. Hannah flew past but Moxy grabbed her hand. Hannah grabbed Aurora out the air by the collar. For a moment the three girls held on but the winds current grew stronger and stronger.

Slowly, Moxy lost her grip on the light post, sending the three girls flying. One after the other, each girl gets pulled in as the shark roars in victory

Aurora, Hannah and Moxy land on the other side of the portal in normal clothes. They tried to jump back in but it closed too quickly. The girls heard a groan behind them. They ran over to help Juno stand.

"What do we do now." Hannah asked as the four girls stood in the empty alley where their way home stood inaccessible.

"I guess we go hunting for Dreamergy." Moxy turned around with her hand up. A black smoke engulfed her hand and shot out at the camera making the screen go black

AG ended up in the backstage of an arena once again. This time they stood in front of the lift as stage hands ran around them. Stylists were adding jewelry while makeup artist finished their final touch ups. A voice sounds from a walkie-talkie, "30 seconds till show time. Girls make your way to the lift."

A manager stepped up and guided the girls to their positions as the lights go down and the girls are lifted out of sight.

Rockband VCR

The girls walk into a garage set up with band equipment. Each of the members take a instrument.

Moxy takes Bass. Aurora sits behinds the drum kit. Juno grabs the lead guitar and Hannah steps behind the keyboard. Aurora counts them off with her drumsticks and the girls play a instrumental version a new song, Me Vs. The World.

The girls are rocking out when the camera cuts to a couple walking down the street. They look over and see that AG aren't playing real instruments, they're playing air instruments. The couple quickly walks away, shielding their faces.

Neo Got My Back VCR

Each of the members walk into the shot in outfits that represent the song they are performing. They stand together in the middle then a white flash obscures the screen.

When it fades out, AG are wearing outfits reminiscent of The 7th Sense music video

Solo Exchange VCR

A close-up on Moxy eyes as they open. the camera pans out while Moxy looks around. Finding herself on a sidewalk with a guy she doesn't know next to her. She stands in the same outfit the Juno wore in History.

The camera zooms back in on Moxy eyes. She blinks and we switch to Hannah who stands in small pool of water wearing. Aurora white outfit for On + Off

Zoom into Hannah's eyes. With a blink, we switch to Juno standing amongst a crowd of dancers in a crowded club. Juno looks puzzled while she wears Hannah's Let Me Get Me

With one more zoom and a blink, Aurora is on the set of Headphones in Moxy's white puffy jogging suit. Aurora shrugs at the camera. Unsure about what's happening.

Love Rollercoaster VCR

Quick scenes of the girls in happy relationships. Juno cooking in a kitchen, trying to avoid the tickling fingers her boyfriend. Aurora digging her cold toes into her partners thigh. Hannah eating dinner with her man as the sun sets. Moxy slow dancing in the living room with her boyfriend

A storm brews in the sky and a bolt of lightning strikes across the screen. Now the relationships aren't so happy anymore.

Juno is screaming, throwing plates and glasses at her boyfriend. Aurora crying, her face buried in her hands as her boyfriend yells at her. A single tear rolls down Hannah's face, realizing that her boyfriend is missing another dinner. Moxy and her partner standing in the living room screaming in each others faces.

Moxy keeps screaming as her boyfriends quiets. The camera circles them and focuses on Moxy face over his shoulder as a hand smacks across her face. Moxy falls to the ground holding her cheek. Shock in her eyes. The camera pans out and fades to black

Love Myself Mini VCR

the girls stand in a field tall grass in white outfits. The wind flows thru their hair.

Juno holds a broken plate. Aurora wipes away her tears. Hannah swirls around a glass of wine. the camera focuses on Moxy's bruised cheek. She smoothed her hand across her cheek and the bruise healed instantly

All four girls take a deep breath simultaneously as the camera flies around them and into the sky

Christmastime VCR

The girls walk around on a snowy street decked out in the winters finest. Around them families and couple play around in a winter wonderland.

Kids are sledding. Parents are making snow angels and snowmen. Teens are having a snowball fight. Couples are sitting together and sipping hot chocolate.

The girls stop in front of a snowglobe display window. In the center, illuminated by spotlights, was a huge snowglobe with a city skyline. White snow fell over the small city. On the base read the words Ncity.

The girls smile as snow begins to fall.

Setlist

[opening]

Breakout new choreo

Hit Me Up

Let Me Move You all four members

Emergency

Fuego

[VCR - Rockband ~ opening continued]

Ultimate 

Breakthrough

Shut Up and Dance Rock ver.

Me Vs. The World (Freaky Friday soundtrack, New Song)

[VCR - Neo Got My Back ~ NCT Covers]

Hot Sauce

Phantom

Volcano

Limitless

The 7th Sense

[Mnet ~ Solo Exchange VCR ~ Solos]

Moxy - History

Hannah - On + Off

Juno - Let Me Get Me

Aurora - Headphones

Phoenix

Fly

[VCR - Love's Rollercoaster ~ Extended Stage]

Circle Game

Say Ok

Technically Single

Down In Flames

[Mini VCR - Love Yourself]

Back To My Love (OG song by Becky Hill)

Body Talk (OG sing by Foxes)

[VCR - Wonder ~ Finale]

Future Starts Now

Welcome To The Jungle

Give It Up Queendom Ver.

Cannonball

Congratulations

[Mnet ~ VCR - Christmas Time ~ Encore]

The Simple Things

The Perfect Christmas

Our Time Is Here

Show Ending

This video is shown once the girls go back stage at the end of the encore.

The girls stand in the alley from the beginning of the show. The each have a bottle of some pink liquid in their hands. Moxy looks from side to side before uncapping the bottle "Alright. Here goes nothing." All the girls chug the pink liquid. They all make faces at the taste but get it down with minimal gagging.

AG joins hands and a bright white light shoots out of their chests and weaves together, forming an arrow. The arrow dashes across the alleyway, flies up then dives straight down creating a new portal to The Flat. The girls celebrate, finally being able to make it home.

They walk through and come face to face with a sleeping shark. Moxy smirks, making a massive scythe appear in her hands. Around her, the other members also grab weapons to take down the shark once and for all.

The shark feels something tap his nose. The shark's eyes blink open to see AG standing before him. Aurora waves at him then takes her mallet and smashes his nose to pieces.

The girls proceed to destroy the shark that's been tormenting them and The Flat. Moxy cut off its fins before it could fly off. Juno cracked off his jaw open, leaving him with no way out. Hannah took the last blow, launching a missile at the sharks broken remains. Nothing was left except for scatter nuts and bolts.

The camera follows the smoke up to the sky and comes back down as the smoke clears. The girls sit on silver disk floating in the air, staring out at the peaceful Flat

"Its been awhile since we've been gone. We should probably get back before the boys worry and go looking for someone that isn't there." At Hannah's mention, the girls get moving.

Just as they walk to the edge of the disk, Aurora calls out

“Are we ready? For the future? Like what's in store for us?"

Moxy gestures for Aurora to come over. Once she’s in reach, Moxy pulls the younger into her side.

“We’ll never be ready for the future cause we’ll never know what's in store tomorrow. What I do know is with the four of us, I’m sure we’re ready for anything.

With that, one by one, they dive off the platform until only Moxy is left. Moxy turns around to face the camera and smiles. She winks before flipping off the platform following the girls into AG’s future

Outfits

Opening - The girls wear matching black leather outfits with platform combat boots and black cadet hats. The stars of this outfit were the customized leather jackets that had patches and trim in each members signature color

Rockband - This outfit was all about the plaid, graphic tee's and ripped up denim. The girls alternated between blue and green plaid mixed with denim jeans, tops and jackets.

Neo Got My Back - Each member wore outfits from their groups music videos but customized to their signature AG colors. Aurora wore the racing fit from the Hot Sauce mv. Hannah wore the red and white outfits from Phantom. Moxy wore her classic Limitless fit in green. Juno had a whole new outfit made cause the Boss Unit never performed Volcano. Her outfit was all black with an pink leather jacket and pink combat boots.

Solo Exchange - AG wore white/beige/light brown outfits. The pieces fit the girls performance of each others solos.

Love's Rollercoaster/Love Yourself - The girls were decked out in all white with silver accents. Moxy wore a pants suit with a sparkly sliver top. Hannah wore a white bell sleeve top with silver pants. Juno had a white dress with lace overlay. Lastly, Aurora wore a white high-low dress with a silver corset at the waist.

Finale - the girls ended the concert in white and green outfits. Once they got to Give It Up, The girls put on custom oversized varsity jackets with tons of patches to represent them and NCT

Christmastime - AG came back out in classic Santa dresses with Santa hats. They all had different necklines. Juno's was a sweetheart neckline without straps and a shawl over top. Moxy had a classic v-neck. Hannah's was a halter. and Aurora had a sweetheart neckline with a jacket overtop

Extra(s)

On the day of the concert, The AG Youtube channel posted the first of the many behind the scenes videos of the girls working with their staff planning the whole concert. Showing fans everything that has been released was planned in advance by the girls

netizens all over, while they've been enjoying the content, expressed concerns over the schedule. Especially now that they know AG juggled with the schedules of their various unit schedules as well.

TO celebrate the girls finishing their tour back in Korea, AG's Exhibition added outfits from the tour. The various screens around the space played performances from the Time Of Day Tour: Live in Los Angeles dvd

The AG staff hosted a dance competition with the fans. Fans were asked to get into teams of four and dance to a chosen AG title track. Whoever was chosen as the best group, their video would be posted to the AG Instagram and TikTok

The dress code for the both days of the concert was Neo Pearl Champagne. The girls wanted the whole stadium covered in green and they delivered once again.

Fans were not ready for how many changes the girls made. The encore was basically a brand new show. Twitter, or i guess X, was alight with users posting videos and updates for the whole two and a half hours.

After the opening vcr, The show started with the lights off. Smoke fills the stage. Very quickly, four white spotlights shined at the top of the stage. illuminating the smoke billowing across the floor. Taeyong's voice resonated across the stadium as he introduced the four members. With each name, the girls rose up from the floor.

Breakout kicked off the show with brand new choreography. This time AG added more step moves and they had a producer remix the song as well.

Second surprise: Ag performed Let Me Move You with choreography for all four members.

Out of all their solo/duo songs, fan were wishing to see Let Me Move You as a four members song and the girls delivered.

The next section included all of AG's rock inspired songs. Along with Ultimate and Breakout, for the first time, Shut Up and Dance debuted a rock version that really played up the guitar.

During the encore AG also debuted new songs they wrote while on the road. And up first is Aurora's

Our resident maknae wanted to write a song a la Avril Lavigne circa 2003. And that's how Me Vs. The World was born. Its a song about those days when the world won't let you win and you just want everyone to leave you alone until the days over.

in the middle of the stage a single mic rose from the floor. During the song, AG push and shove each other to sing into the mic while the other parade around the stage engaging with fans.

The crowd lost their MINDS when the members came out in their outfits for the NCT covers section.

Juno and Taeyong worked together on new choreography for Volcano. The singer wanted to do something new because all the fans have seen Boss.

To end this section, the girls decided to really show off and perform The 7th Sense. In a higher octave! Anyone who still said AG didn't belong in NCT were immediately silenced with this performance cause the girls KILLED! IT!!!!

AG wanted this encore to be about once in a lifetime stages. Performances that may never be seen again so any fan who was watching, online or in person, felt like they got their money's worth. So they all decided to switch solo songs by drawing straws.

Most fans rank Moxy above Aurora on their rapping skill but when stood on the stage and performed Headphones flawlessly, alot of people had to reconsider their ranking. (Like why rank them at all, theres only two of them.)

Hannah surprised everyone with the emotion she poured into her performance of On + Off. Her experience with contemporary dance really elevated the choreography

Out of all the members, fans praised Juno the most. It can be challenging to do a song with complicated choreography but Juno looked like she barely broke a sweat. The singers come a long way from her early days in NCT

In the next section, AG performs all their lower tempo love songs but with a surprise at the end. AG debuted the next two new songs written by them.

Say Ok was stripped down and reworked into an all acoustic track with Hannah playing the acoustic guitar on stage with them (Giving off early TSwift vibes)

After another vcr, the girls performed the new songs. Back To My Love and Body Talk both have a theme of loving yourself. More like learning to love yourself. Realizing you don't need anyone adding toxicity to your life

Moxy worked on both of the new songs. She did Body Talk with Juno and Back To My Love with Hannah.

In the finale, AG performed Give It Up. The version the group did for Queendom. AG decided to save the dance performance version for special occasions like their encore concert.

To end the show, The members decided to perform a new Christmas song along with their previously released one. The song, called The Perfect Christmas, was recorded while the girls were in California.

To celebrate the end of the tour, SM released two albums. The first was the live album that was recorded at their L.A show.

The second album was called Time Of Day: AG Presents. The album consisted of studio recordings the new songs debuted in concert. It was released in December, a week before Christmas.

Tracklist: Let Me Move You (4 Member Ver.), Shut Up And Dance (Rock Ver.), Take A Hint, Body Talk, All About Us, Back To My Love, Me vs. The World, Wonder

The Perfect Christmas was added as a bonus track on streaming platforms. On Christmas Eve, AG's Youtube channel dropped the music video for the song. Where the girls are walking through a picturesque city during Christmas on their way to a holiday party with all the members of NCT (The og song is from the Cheetah Girls Christmas album just like AG's last Christmas song)

/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\

and with that, AG's first tour is OVAH!!! I hope you enjoyed reading my ideas of the concert. Both posts were a lot of fun to write but it's gonna be awhile before another one!! I have more stories from the tour that'll be posted within the next two months so thank you for waiting patiently!! Thank you for reading and have a great day! ~ Author Izzy

Taglist: @alixnsuperstxr / @1-800-call-ria / @sophrodite / @sunflower-0180

[bearsinpotatosacks]

It Must Be Difficult (Dealing with the Concequences of Your Own Actions) - Whumptober2023

People don't change, time does

Summer was nice in Hawkins, she thought, staring at the blue sky. Not California nice, sandy beaches, surfboards and ice cream. It was vibrant green trees against the cloudless sky, hiking in the woods and barbecues in backyards. Also Steve had a pool, which helped. 

Black suited a blue sky and emerald trees. So did the church, brown brick with a full garden of flowers out front. Picturesque and manicured. It was a shame it was for a funeral, and not even for anyone good or pretty. Billy didn’t like flowers, or anything that wasn’t his car, himself or heavy metal. Although now she was wondering if he’d even loved himself.

The ceremony had been insufferable. Stuffy air filled the room and not from the heat. There was an arbitrary picture of Billy next to an open casket, they’d cleaned up his body enough that with a suit, his prom suit, it almost wasn’t like he’d been killed by a monster from another dimension that he’d helped to create. 

For day 20 of @whumptober . Also on AO3

Words: 3768

She didn’t know why she was doing this at night, it wasn’t like she’d get in trouble, Neil hadn’t involved her in any of the funeral arrangements, even when he made all the wrong decisions. Billy was going to hate it. It wasn’t exactly all to boost Neil’s ego but it mostly was, make him out to be a loving father who’d lost his only son. Not a dad who regularly beat up his own kid for stepping a toe out of line. 

“Are you sure about this?” Lucas asked behind her. 

The party were on their bikes, they’d been out all day, trying to forget the horrors they’d seen over the past week. She’d have to go home soon, not that she wanted to. Neil was crying, honest to god crying, like she’d never seen. Her mum was frozen in place working automatically as if nothing had changed, but she could see in the way she moved that she was frozen in shock too. 

Max felt sick a lot. Guilt, trauma. The idea that she couldn’t tell anyone how he actually died, Neil just had to live with ‘he saved me and my friends from a mall fire’ and how he went on and on about how he’d been stupid to go in there, they all had. He hadn’t quite stepped over to ‘if you hadn’t gone in there, he wouldn’t be dead’ but she could sense it coming. If she thought the house was tense before, then it definitely was now. 

“It’s worth a try, right?” She said, posting the invitation into the letter box and getting back on her bike.

Lucas just shrugged, “My mom says you can stay around again if it helps.”

“So did my mom.” Added Will, El was on the back of his bike, staying with Joyce until further notice.

If there was anyone who was sharing her grief right now, it was her. Although her relationship with Hopper had been much better and less complicated, they still lost people to the same fight, still wondered if they could’ve done better, fought better to save them. She tried to tell herself that she would’ve died but that didn’t seem too bad at the moment, with how much her mum and Neil were arguing. 

“And mine.” said Mike.

Dustin nodded. It was great to have such supportive friends, sometimes that house felt claustrophobic, but others it was comforting. It was the only place she really had to feel connected to Billy. His things were there, his camaro had been sold off to someone and they were miles away from California, so it was the only place to go if she wanted to remember and grieve without shame. Sometimes she woke up in his bed of all places.

“Thanks guys but I think I’ll go home,”

“As long as you’re sure,” Lucas added.

She nodded. She’d gotten most of Billy’s things after he’d died, all his music and books and random shit filling up the spaces. They weren’t sure what to do with his clothes. That had made her break down, because she could always keep the music, she actually liked some of the heavier stuff he played, and he didn’t have many books. But his clothes were so uniquely him that didn’t know how she could get rid of them, even if they were of no use to her otherwise. 

She just nodded and began to cycle away. She couldn’t look back, she knew she couldn’t because they all looked so worried. Worried about her, worried about the fact that she just sent off that invitation, worried about her going home. They didn’t need to worry, she told herself, she could handle herself. 

Summer was nice in Hawkins, she thought, staring at the blue sky. Not California nice, sandy beaches, surfboards and ice cream. It was vibrant green trees against the cloudless sky, hiking in the woods and barbecues in backyards. Also Steve had a pool, which helped. 

Black suited a blue sky and emerald trees. So did the church, brown brick with a full garden of flowers out front. Picturesque and manicured. It was a shame it was for a funeral, and not even for anyone good or pretty. Billy didn’t like flowers, or anything that wasn’t his car, himself or heavy metal. Although now she was wondering if he’d even loved himself.

The ceremony had been insufferable. Stuffy air filled the room and not from the heat. There was an arbitrary picture of Billy next to an open casket, they’d cleaned up his body enough that with a suit, his prom suit, it almost wasn’t like he’d been killed by a monster from another dimension that he’d helped to create. 

Neil had cried more. Maybe all of those tears he’d saved up and put out as anger had finally come out in waterfalls. Her mum had stayed still, as per usual when it came to Billy, she wasn’t sure if it was some kind of guilt or relief that he was dead that made her so statue-like but something was making her more and more absent recently, even to her. 

They’d sang some hymns that Billy would’ve hated. The Priest talked about forgiveness in the kingdom of heaven and how sometimes god worked in mysterious ways. Yeah, he did, psychic powers, other universes and Lovecraftian monsters were a weird way to work. It was something else that Billy would’ve hated. 

Half the people in here barely knew him. There was some of Neil’s family that Billy never talked about, his Nana, his Uncle and some cousins. Some of his ‘friends’ that survived Independence day, Tommy and Carol sat at the back looking uncomfortable. Then there was Max and the Party, Steve, Nancy, Jonathan, Joyce, even Robin. She didn’t expect them to come with how Billy treated all of them but they’d all insisted on coming for her. She tried to hide how that almost made her cry, she knew that didn’t matter. 

They’d buried the body, threw dirt in and watched him get covered up. Any chance she had to try again and connect were gone. Even though she hated him, there was always a chance they could try again and get closer. Now he was dead, there never would be.

The rest of the crowd had either dispersed or were hanging around their cars. There was a small gathering happening at their house, Max would have to go even if it was all fake and the memories of Neil screaming at Billy and throwing him against walls were everywhere.

Steve came up behind her and sat down on the grass. Billy’s headstone, void of any personal notes, was behind them. The party sat scattered around, keeping their distance but close enough that she knew they were there.

“I didn’t know Billy was Catholic.” He said.

She looked up from where she was pulling up pieces of grass and sprinkling them back down again. “Yeah, I think Neil is, or was, and his mom.”

Her dress was getting scratchy now. The humid summer was making everything awful. It wasn’t just the humidity making her uncomfortable, of course, but it was nice to blame something else for once. Nothing supernatural, just annoying. 

“I don’t think she showed, though,” she said. “Either that or I got the wrong address.”

“Who’s that then?” Dustin pointed to the lone woman standing near a tree behind them all.

The party followed his point and stared at the woman with long, fluffy blonde hair and a black pantsuit. They knew who it was by the way she stood, the tense way she held her body. Sunglasses covered her eyes, she wondered if she was crying behind them or just felt ashamed. 

She knew they’d noticed her. Her body jolted upwards and she turned to go. But Max wasn’t satisfied with that. If she’d walked out on Billy, left him to become a piece of shit with Neil then she could at least give him some closure, or was it her getting closure?

“Hey, are you Billy’s mom?!” She shouted across the graveyard. 

She stopped and nodded, turning around to them. After a moment of hesitation, she came closer and took off her sunglasses. That’s when they could really tell who Billy looked like out of her and Neil. It was the eyes, the clear blue piercing through you, going steely with that gaze. Her nose too, that was the same, the way her skin wrinkled around her eyes, her facial structure. Billy was kind of a spit image of her.

“I was a bit surprised when I got the invitation,” she said, she didn’t talk like Billy though, it was too gentle, too sure of herself. “I mean, Indiana? I bet Billy hated it.”

Max huffed and nodded. She’d hated it too before she met her friends. She didn’t think Billy got that far.

“I was a little scared that Neil knew my address, or I guess I should be comforted that he knew and didn’t do anything.”

“I sent the invitation.” Max spat out. “Neil doesn’t know you’re here, I don’t think.”

She stepped back a bit, gulped and collected herself. Was that a wash of relief or a touch of hurt? If it hadn’t have been for Max seeing her name on Billy's birth certificate, and finding her in the yellow pages, then she wouldn’t have even known her own son died. 

“And you are?”

“Max, Max Mayfield, Billy’s-” she looked back at the grave. “Step-sister.”

“Oh, you must have really cared about him, to try and find me for his-” She didn’t say the word. It must be difficult dealing with the consequences of your own actions 

“That’s debatable.” Was all she said. 

Flashes of when he almost drove into her friends, when he grabbed her arm and left her at the arcade. All the times he gave Lucas shit just because of the colour of his skin. When he barrelled in and hit Steve so hard he almost passed out.

Then the time when he showed her how to drive. When he said ‘fuck this’ at a family reunion and took her to get milkshakes instead, when he let her play that mixed tape labelled ‘M’. She’d never been sure if that had been a mixtape for her or someone else, but she did like it. 

“Debatable? How?” She stood in the middle of the group now and seemed to shrink under their watchful eyes. “What was he like, now?”

“A piece of shit.” Steve said, not looking at her. 

“What?”

“He almost killed me once when we fought, just kept punching-”

“-he targeted me because of who I am-” Came Lucas.

“-he almost ran us over with his car-” That was Mike.

“-he took his anger out on me for a while,” Max added as a final statement to their bundle of explanations. 

Again, Billy’s mum seemed taken aback. This time something broke through her steely gaze and reddened the white’s of her eyes. Was this guilt?

“That doesn’t seem anything like the Billy I knew,” she said.

The one you left behind, Max corrected mentally. Instead she opted for, “Well that’s what happens when a kid’s left with an abusive father and no one else, you get angry and take it out on the closest thing to you, so in his case, literally everyone.”

Her hand covered her mouth. “I thought-”

“That he stopped? No, he definitely didn’t.”

She looked down. Away from them and at her hands. Max did feel sorry for her, she’d wanted to run too, run away from Billy’s abuse and Neil’s manipulation, but she knew that without her for Neil to use as a pawn to hurt Billy, her mum would be next. And she knew that her mum could turn a blind eye far too easily than she thought she should, but she was still her mum, she was still someone stuck underneath an asshole’s thumb and she couldn’t abandon her. She’d seen what that had done to Billy, and she didn’t want her mum chewed up and spat out, angry in a world that didn’t have a clue.

That’s what Billy’s mum had done, though. So while she could understand, it didn’t mean she liked what she’d done. 

“Neil didn’t just hate you,” Max said. “He was angry and turned to the next thing he could hurt, Billy, and he got hurt and confused and must have guessed that this is how the Hargroves dealt with their emotions, that this is what love was and this is how the world worked, so when I came into his life, I was the next thing he could hurt.”

She didn’t go any further. Everything about Billy was this confusing, conflicted mess deep inside. She wanted him back because of how bad everything was now, because everything seemed peachy in comparison, she wanted to see if he really meant that sorry and if he would change, get out from under Neil and just be himself away from their shitty home. 

But there was that other voice that reminded her of what Billy was like the entire time she’d known him. She didn’t entirely believe that if he’d lived, he would’ve changed. What if he’d only apologised because he’d been dying with a dirty conscience? If he’d have lived, all the evidence suggested that he’d be the same, now even more traumatised by being possessed by some monster he didn’t know anything about. They’d had good moments but they’d been few and far between.

“He hurt you?” Billy’s mum was just looking more and more horrified by the second.

“Not for most of the time we knew each other, for most of it he was a super dickish older brother, distant, cold, uncaring, but that was it, you know? It wasn’t until we moved here, in ‘84, that he really turned on me.”

With a deep breath, she asked, “What happened? It must have been something big for him to turn on you and for you to move to California, right?”

She was smart for connecting the two. It wasn’t exactly hard to figure out. She just hadn’t told anyone the truth, the full truth anyway, of why the Hargrove-Mayfields had moved to Indiana in the first place. 

“It was because of your dad, right?” Lucas said. He was the person she’d been the closest to telling, he was a good listener, I guess you had to be when this was your reality, fighting demons. 

“Kind of.” 

“What do you mean, kind of? That��s what you told us!” Mike added.

“Well people can not tell you things, you know, omit stuff!” She turned to say to him.

Billy’s mum cleared her throat, “Why did you then? Really?”

Max thought back to that night. Her last summer in California. Rays of sunshine, waves crashing on the beach, meeting her friends at the skatepark and occasionally seeing her dad. She would’ve appreciated it more if she’d known it would be her last. Maybe she would’ve done something differently.

“It was the middle of the summer,” She started, everyone now looking at her. Even Billy, she could just tell. “Billy had been more distant than ever, would always be in a rush to get somewhere, anywhere out of the house but never with me. I didn’t care. Any time away from Billy was time well spent in my book, so what if he barely told me when he’d pick me up before speeding off with a wheel spin and speeding fine? It didn’t bother me.”

“Until one day, it was July 11th and I wanted to go to the skatepark, Neil and my mom were at work and he usually got told to do something with me or take me somewhere in the morning but I guessed that that day he just couldn’t be bothered, because he told me to walk and slammed his bedroom door, turned up his music. I was tempted to just steal his car or some of his money as revenge but I ended up calling my dad, we went for milkshakes and he took me to the skatepark instead.”

It was one of the last meaningful times they spent together. All the rest was arguments with her mum, not Neil, never Neil, and letters that got more and more distant.

“And when I got back, Billy wasn’t alone, I didn’t think much of it because it made sense, he wanted to be alone with a girl, big deal, he always wanted to be alone with girls.” She remembered it exactly. While most of her memories of California were terrifyingly fading after the dramatic events of the past year, this one was like a movie seared into her brain. “But he wasn’t with a girl. When I looked through the crack in his door, he was kissing a guy.”

Mumbles of ‘whats’ from her friends rippled. Billy’s mum didn’t budge. She was his mum and probably knew him before he shielded everything below ten plus layers of emotion. 

“I was shocked, but didn’t think about what it would mean, I just knew I had ammunition now. So at the dinner table that night, I told Neil that Billy left me on my own to go kissing boys and I spent time with my dad, two things he hated.” She said. “And I expected him to blow up but he didn’t, he told Billy to be a respecting brother and to not do that again.”

“I was disappointed but Billy, he was nothing like I’d seen him before. Still, quiet, wide eyed and terrified. And he was like that for days. Did everything asked of him and more, didn’t make a sound, almost like he was trying to make it so he wouldn’t exist or something. The tension was horrible.”

Tears pricked in her eyes at this part. Like a lot of things lately, all she could think was all the ways she could’ve done things differently, better. Guilt making her throat stick, eyes sting and hands go clammy. She hated it yet was getting used to it all at the same time. 

“On that Saturday, though, all the tension came crashing down.”

She wiped her eyes and felt Steve’s hand on her shoulder. Lucas was sitting next to her when she looked to her right. And Billy’s mum’s red stained eyes bore into her back.

“Neil told me and my mom to go to the movies while he and Billy ‘had a talk’. We saw the Karate Kid and got pizza afterwards, I just thought that they were having another fight, they had them all the time, almost every night they were screaming at each other.” She said. “When we got home there was an ambulance outside the house. Billy was being loaded into it and Neil was talking about him getting into a fight with some other kids on a Saturday night.”

She could see the flashing lights now. Hear Neil’s structured panic and the deathly calm underneath. It fooled the paramedics, and the cops, and her too, for a while at least. 

“I believed it, Billy got into an argument and got into a fight because he was mad, he did it all the time. But I realised afterwards, seeing his injuries, the fact that they had to glue his skull back together and the bruising on his chest for a few weeks after, that it wasn’t a fight, he and Neil didn’t just have talks. Neil put him in the hospital, Neil decided that there were too many distractions in San Diego and moved us to Hawkins. And Billy blamed me for all of it, so he turned on me.”

This was too much. Seeing her face, being forced to tell her biggest secret because she too felt like this was her fault. Her hands clenched again as she squeezed her eyes shut to fight back tears.

"But if you'd have stayed or taken him with you then Neil wouldn't have treated him like this, so he wouldn't treat me the same, but he did and we never got close and he died protecting me in a-" she took a breath, she couldn’t tell her about the upside down now. "Mall fire before I got the chance to properly talk to him."

She stood up, brushing of Steve and Lucas' comfort. Firey, just like her hair, as she stopped trying to be careful with this woman she'd never known and tell her how it actually was - to an extent.

"So this is all your fault!"

Billy's mum looked taken aback again. She squinted her eyes and tightened her jaw again. 

"Why did you invite me, then? If you seem to hate me so much?" She said.

Max looked at Billy's grave. If he was watching this, she'd love to hear what he thought. Although, saying that would probably cause the upside down to make her see ghosts which she didn't want, so she stopped that chain of thought there.

"Because I thought he might like it."

Max turned around. The tears couldn’t be held back now. They flooded her face as she clenched her hands and walked over to Steve's car at the bottom of the bank. Lucas slipped his hand into her’s, stopping her nails from piercing her palms, and smiled.

The rest of the party joined in,  all going into their cars but not pulling away as Max found herself alone with Billy’s mum. She didn’t exactly want to leave her alone, she didn’t hate her with her entire heart and soul. It was just the knowledge that if one little thing had gone differently then most of her life would be different. Well, you could say that about anything to be honest, so it didn’t hold much weight.

“There were good times, you know?” She said, not turning around. “When he taught me to drive his car, or took me to the movies instead of making me study.”

“If things were different, he could’ve been the Billy you knew, again, at least a little bit.”

She was silent behind her. Max went to get into Steve’s car, she could see everyone looking through the windows.

“Thank you for sending me that invite.” Was all she said as Max got into the car.

She watched her turn back to Billy’s grave and kneel down, her hand on her mouth. It was weird, this woman who’d missed so much, was grieving more than anyone. Perhaps you could mourn the living after all?

----

If there's one thing that I really appreciated in Stranger Things 4, it was that it showed Max's comflicted feelings, and part of me does know that Vol 2 was solely written by the Duffer Brothers who probably wanted to just make Max hate Billy, but I like to think that she holds both feelings in her heart. Billy was horrible when he was alive but he died before they could've been close, what if he'd gotten a chance to change? And her time before he died seems so much better compared to her life in Season 4 but it's all nostalgia so was it really better? I love it! Also Billy's mum, I basically put all my thoughts on her in here too, she was hurt and ran but she also left her kid behind to become horrible. I tried to foreshadow something for a future Stranger Things fic I've been planning for a while here with Max talking about seeing ghosts because I would love for her to be able to see them as she's died and also is blind so what if she can only see ghosts?

Thanks for reading! @whumptober-archive

[dicktective]

[werner herzog in the mandelorian vc] eye would like to see 'CALIFORNIA HERE WE COME' 👀

bahahaha well it's written partly by myself and party by kat but i'll share some of what i wrote:

It starts with Robin. 

Not that he was ever the sort of person to believe in like, fate, or God, or whatever, but every single action--every single moment up until this exact moment in time--started with her.

Beneath him, as his feet dangle knee deep in the depths of the cold morning surf, he tries not to feel overwhelmingly suffocated by this particular fact. Because he can’t hate Robin. He can’t. He knows that none of this is actually her fault--that he and he alone was in charge of the series of spurious, half-baked ideas that lead to this particular sequence of events--but god, why didn’t she try and stop him? 

Oh, right. 

She had. 

She had tried to tell him this was a dumb idea--just wait it out for another year, dingus’; we can move in with each other then--and Steve had looked her, scoffed with his eyebrows raised cheek achingly high, and let an incredulous: fuck that. 

So he bought a van. 

He put in his two weeks notice with his boss at Sears--the older woman was almost sad to see him go--said he had a way with the customers--and took out a bank draft.

He bought a van, packed it in a moment of ill-conceived anger directed vaguely towards his father, and spent two days driving to California. He got lost only once (or maybe twice), but when he showed up outside the dormitories of UCLA, unshowered and half asleep from two uncomfortable nights spent sleeping curled up on the floor behind the driver seat, Robin had nearly killed him. 

He had to listen to her rattle off a list of all the reasons why dumping half of his savings into a stupid van (a really, really ugly one, she added) to follow her halfway across the country was crazy! And also, Steve, where the heck do you think you’re going to stay? I already told you before I left you can’t crash at the dormitories and apartment prices in downtown L.A are crazy. 

“The van,” he had simply told her. As if this van was going to be the solution to all of his life's problems. 

“The van,” Robin had parroted. “The van with no mattress, no running water, and no way to cook a meal in it.”

Steve had just shrugged, but one of the first things he had done was go pick up a crappy mattress from one of the local Salvation Armys. 

And for a while it was fine. 

He spent a few days parked outside the dormitories and they would get lunch together, or sometimes hangout in the park near the campus library and there was even the occasional movie night when Robin's roommate was out visiting her boyfriend.

But then classes picked up and Robin got busy. The security guard at her dormitory complex told him politely if not firmly that because he wasn't a student at the university he couldn't keep parking there overnight. There was no place to shower and he couldn't keep sneaking into the building with Robin to wash his clothes without getting dirty looks.

Also eating a steady diet of gas station food--of bagged jerky and teeth-rottingly sweet snack cakes--was really starting to do a number on his stomach.

He didn't tell her his.

Instead, he went back to the same Goodwill where he had picked up the mattress and bought a surfboard. 

He smiled and told her half-truths about how amazing this all was. Of mornings spent at the beach and afternoons getting sun tans. Of all the sites he was seeing. The people he was meeting. Of this killer wave he hit the day before and God, Robin, you should have been there to see it. 

Robin always laughs and smirks and rolls her eyes when he talks about it all. About surfing at sunrise (she still doesn’t fully believe that it’s something he’s capable of, he believes), of the late afternoons spent sleeping on the beach, of the weird cat he sometimes gets to see when he’s grocery shopping in the gas station near the freeway. 

“I’m glad you’re enjoying yourself, Steve,” she had told him. “I’m glad this is working out.”

The water beneath his board swells in a sudden and unnatural crest and Steve’s fingers clamp down on its edges, steadying himself just to stay afloat. 

Then, he turns and looks to the beach. People are slowly arriving, slowly unpacking beach towels and folding metal chairs. There’s a kid with a ball and a family with a dog and a group of teenagers perched in a huddle near the sandy stairs leading to the boardwalk. Steve sighs and begins to paddle the board back towards shore. 

He woke up to another parking ticket. It was there, plastered in its disgustingly muted pink under the rubber edge of his van's windshield wiper. It’s another thing he won’t tell Robin. Another half-truth. 

Because a part of him really wanted this. A part of him had wanted her to be wrong. 

She isn’t though--and rarely has been. 

But again, Steve won’t tell her this. He can’t.

[grad604marcominogue]

20 Items

Vintage Globe

Have kept in my room for years, reminds me how big the world is and is a reminder of opportunity. Has this vintage look and beautiful embossing. Will keep it forever.

Rising Sun Pendant

I bought this after overcoming a deep change in my life. Lost a lot of weight and overcame depression and an eating disorder so I bought it to signify the ‘new day’ in my life. Helps keep me grounded .

Surfboard

Broken first board that got me in to surfing. Was passed down from my sister to my brother to me so I held on to it for decorationand keep it to remind me of my family. Surfing has always been a unique way I’ve been able to express myself and was a massive part of my youth.

Operation Doomsday Vinyl

Favourite album of all time. Was an immediate purchase as soon as I got my record player. The albums sampling and experimentation changed the way I listen to music and had a profound effect on me as a creative.

Record Player

A recent gift. Listening to vinyl gives me this raw sense of creativity. The clearer sounds I hear from the record player help me understand musical compositions and It ispires me to think deeper about the decisions I make within design.

Laptop

Birthed my abilities, allowed me to unlock my abilities and get my ideas on paper for the first time ever. Learning to utilise digital creation has been the most important step in identifying myself as a creative person.

Lamp

Emitting a warm orange light, the old school lamp is the only light source in my room. The tint it gives and the deep shadows it casts creates a space I can be creative in.

Headphones

Noise cancelling truly locks out the rest of the world and gets me in the absolute zone. Helps me push out any external noise and allows me to think, reflect on my work and draw inspiration from the music I listen to.

Stationery

Been integrating analogue process into my work. Keep them handy at all times so I can get any random idea on paper, helping unpack any ideas I might have.

Paintbrush

A new tool in the box, I’m struggling to figure out how to use this effectively. I’ve been using it to challenge myself as a creative and is telling as to how I strive to expand my creative range.

Speaker

Even on low volume, my speaker is on daily. I draw a ton of creativity from music. It’s simple, sleek design ties in to my room cleanly. My speaker is key in getting me working productively and happily.

Wales Bonner Shoe

A recent purchase by a designer I admire, Wales Bonner. A classic Adidas silhouette with several unique fabrics and colours.Reflective of how I love putting a spin on traditional ideas and art across a range of mediums.

Vicinity Denim

Statement piece with super maximalist type design. I have began expanding my style to match my creative ideas and values. The embroidery remindsme of David Carsosn’s work.

Chelsea Kit

Chelsea Football Club is my first love. It is the first thing I found myself being truly passionate about. Football being my first means of self expression, incorporating flair, hard work and reflects my desire to improve myself always.

MF DOOM Ring

A gifted piece of jewellery. Super big ring that really stands out. A big identifier in the way I portray myself When someone recognises it in public we give eachother that silent nod of approval. A bit of an artistic validation.

Wardrobe

How I represent myself. Surfwear, Jerseys, Hats. All of it. Have a lot of clothes and its becoming a passion. Reflects me as a person through various stages of my life each garment is telling as to how I portray myself through fashion.

Doomsday Poster

Beautiful framed composition. Was a freebie from the vinyl and is now displayed right above my bed. Has such an interesting art style. The influence of DOOM on me as a creative is greater than anything else.

Handmade Rug

First piece of art I made that has a real life use. Was made in a class and is a very different medium I’d never worked with. I thoroughly enjoyed challenging myself with this creation. Was so difficult to make and I take pride in having it on display.

LEGO Countach

Two childhood favourites combined. The countach is the most stylish car of all time. It is my dream vehicle. For now I just keep one made out of lego. But you never know what the future might hold.

Painting

A work in progress… Working on a massive canvas and in a new medium with no rules for the first time. Enjoying the challenge but intimidated by the process. Shows my open mindedness towards new mediums and methods of creation.