#surfing air

[saltavista]

[iquincey]

[beccawise7]

Nature's perfection.

My idea of heaven on earth.

~beccawise7 💜🖤

[trashbag-baby666]

Prompt: "Can you hold me just a bit tighter?"

Pairing: Clegan

enjoy enjoy enjoy from my surf au

mota masterlist!

The clock ticked softly in the dark room, its red numbers casting a faint glow across the bed. Gale lay tangled in the sheets, his body tense, trapped in the throes of a nightmare. His breath hitched, his hand clutching at the blankets as if holding onto something—or someone—who wasn’t there.

It was a nightmare he'd had a million times before, being left out at sea with sharks circling. To him it sounded like some stupid childish nightmare but for him it felt all too real.

Suddenly, he jolted awake, his chest heaving, a sheen of sweat on his brow. For a moment, he was disoriented, his heart pounding as he blinked away the lingering shadows of his dream. But then he felt it: the warm, steady presence of John beside him.

John stirred, his hand instinctively reaching out to touch Gale’s shoulder.

“You okay, Buck?” John's voice came out groggy and barely above a whisper

Gale swallowed, nodding slightly, though his gaze remained distant, his breath still uneven. He wanted to say he was fine, to brush it off, but the weight of the dream clung to him, pressing him down. He gently reached for his empty shoulder where his arm should've been.

“Can you... hold me just a bit tighter?” Gale's voice trembled with vulnerability and desperation.

John shifted closer, wrapping his arms securely around Gale, pulling him close. The warmth of John’s embrace seeped into him, grounding him, each steady breath a reminder of where he was, of who he was with.

Softly, his lips brushed against Gale’s hair “I’ve got you.”

They lay in silence for a few moments, the tension between them momentarily suspended, replaced by something raw and unspoken. Gale’s fingers curled around John’s shirt, holding onto him like an anchor.

After a beat, Gale's voice came out small “I don’t... I don’t like needing this.”

John’s hand traced slow, gentle circles on Gale’s back, his touch both comforting and resolute.

“Needing it doesn’t make you weak, Buck. It just means you’re human.” John whispered into the shell of his ear where he pressed a warm kiss.

Gale closed his eyes, exhaling shakily as he let himself sink into John’s arms, the weight of his nightmares finally beginning to fade. For now, with John’s steady heartbeat against his cheek, he felt safe. And in the quiet of the night, even with everything that hung between them, that was enough.

[br1ghtestlight]

script covers and episode titles for season FIFTEEN(!!!!) episodes of bob's burgers have been released by a director :D and that's mort's funeral hearse btw so mort episode is upcoming in the near-ish future (maybe in about a year)

[aniicaballero]

[saltlic]

Some serious talent at The Lane this week.

[relaxedstyles]

[saltavista]

[iquincey]

[elceeu2morrow]

via Helen Seamons IG story [4.29.24]

[beccawise7]

Find your peace.

The place or thing that replenishes your soul.

And immerse yourself within it...

Allow it to rebuild. Heal. Strengthen and brighten your spirit.

One life... Live It Well. ~beccawise7 💜🖤

[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.

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Taglist: @austeenbootler @executethyself35 @coastiewife465 @slowsweetlove

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

[crackinwise]

Rescue HI Surf is so fkn dumb and gets every step of search & rescue wrong that it's somehow worse than Baywatch 30+ years ago