#told ya'll it'd be shitty

[bumblesimagines]

Midnight Beach

Part 19

Request: Yes or No

Taglist: @nathan-no @hyubg @ash455   @gills-lounge

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The sun hadn't risen yet, and the world around them had been reduced to a gentle blue that slowly lightened with each passing minute. Small goosebumps spread across his arms, skin cool from the early morning chill. He would've put on his shirt if a certain blonde hadn't taken it for herself sometime during the night. Sarah remained curled at his side with her head on his chest and arms loosely draped over his stomach, quiet snores escaping her.

His shirt looked bigger on her, with the hem reaching her bare thighs. The bikini top and shorts she'd been wearing the previous day rested beside them, covered in specks of sand and waiting to be put on again. He took in the silence around them, the feeling of peace and tranquility before the other Kooks began to rouse and he'd be forced to wake the girl. (Y/N) wondered what she'd say, and every thought surrounded regret. 

One of the nearby tents unzipped and he tilted his head, skin flushing with embarrassment and mild shame when he noticed Liv stepping out. She paused and stared at him through squinted tired eyes, and once she processed the sight of Sarah Cameron practically sprawled out over him, she shook her head in disappointment. He released a breath and carefully pushed himself up, his movements causing the blonde to stir and grunt quietly, head groggily lifting and brows knitting in disoriented confusion. 

"Get up, Sarah. We have to go home." (Y/N) told her gently, slipping from her grasp and standing up. He spotted Kelce's shirt half buried in the sand and picked it up from the ground, shaking it free of the sand and slipping it on. Not the best fit, but it'd have to do until he got home. He glanced toward the sun when it peeked over the horizon and sighed quietly, avoiding meeting Sarah's eyes as he walked around the bonfire in search of anything that any of them owned. 

"I think it's common sense not to fuck your ex, especially if they're in a relationship," Liv murmured as she stopped at his side, lifting her brows at him. His heart felt heavy at her words. He didn't particularly like John B and he knew for a fact the brunette hated his guts, but he'd never wish the pain of a partner cheating on anyone.

"I wasn't exactly planning on hooking up with her, Liv. It just... happened. I can't go back in time."

"You can't go back in time but you can definitely stop it from 'just happening' again in the future, (Y/N)! Listen, I'm sure Sarah is a great friend to you and the little shitbirds she hangs out with. I'm sure she'd do anything to help you if push comes to shove. But you can't deny that all she's done since meeting those shitbirds is cause you problems. Can't you see it? I mean, look at Kie! She was a good, hardworking girl on her way to being top of her class until she went back to them and now all her parents do is worry about her wellbeing because her life has gone downhill. I.. I don't want you to end up a high school dropout who's forced to live off his parents cause of a bad friend group and some shitty decisions. You're smarter than that." She gently cupped his forearm with her palm, the hardness in her voice giving way to a softer tone. Liv stared at him with all the concern and sweetness that she reserved just for him, just for her so-called 'brother from another mother', and gave his arm a squeeze. 

"Morning, ya'll," Topper's raspy, groggy voice called out from the nearby half-zipped tent. He clumsily unzipped the rest and staggered out, knuckles rubbing against his eyes and face scrunched up. Kelce's soundly sleeping form lied further within the tent, sprawled out and with a beer can resting idly next to his hand. Topper zipped the tent back up and stretched out his arms, grunting quietly and glancing around the messy beach until he caught sight of Sarah wiggling on her shorts. With eyes nearly bulging out of his head, he whipped around to look at (Y/N) with a slacked jaw. 

"Don't." (Y/N) hissed sharply and Topper's mouth clamped shut, stiffly nodding but the small grin he failed to wipe off his face told him the blonde would be bringing the topic up again. 

"So," Topper drawled and clasped his hands together, head turning in the direction of Sarah who pointedly refused to meet any of their eyes. "How 'bout we get ourselves some breakfast?"

The ride back to the mainland had been a deathly quiet one. With Liv nursing a growing headache, Topper frantically texting his angered mother, and the realization of what they'd done setting in for Sarah and (Y/N), none of the teens had much to say to each other. The boat eventually reached one of the many restaurants sitting at the edge of the water and Topper hopped out onto the wooden deck, making quick work of getting the boat secured. He seemed awfully upbeat and gleeful, unlike the sluggish Liv who followed him up the steps and into the restaurant. 

"God, I'm starving," Topper groaned, the heavenly smell of cooking bacon wafting through the air and making (Y/N)'s stomach rumble. Sitting down at one of the many unoccupied tables, Liv took one swift look over the menu before dropping her head down on the table, with enough force to make the silverware clatter. The typical theatrics of Liv.

"She's fine." (Y/N) murmured, running his eyes over the breakfast options on the menu, the hunger toiling in his stomach only growing. With all his attention focused on it, he hardly noticed the feeling of something brushing against his knee until it happened twice, thrice, and then one last time. He shifted in his seat and tilted his legs in the other direction. From the corner of his eye, he spotted Sarah glancing up at him, her eyes glimmering from the sunlight pouring in beside her and he raised the menu further to block her from view. 

"The eggs are so good here- Oh, and the french toast is fucking delicious." Topper spoke, as oblivious to the slowly forming tension as always, and continued rattling on and on about each of his favorite menu options until it began to sound like he favored all of them. (Y/N)'s lip twitched up in amusement and he exhaled softly, setting his menu down on the shiny wooden table and waiting for the waitress to pop by. 

"Shit." He heard Sarah hiss quietly and he tilted his head in her direction. Sarah's eyes peeked over the top of her menu and when they connected with his, she subtly nodded her head toward the front of the restaurant. His brows furrowed slightly at the panic in her eyes and he craned his neck to peer over his shoulder, easily spotting the familiar curly-haired brunette standing by the counter. Kiara flashed the girl at the cash register a polite smile as she braced herself against the counter and began surveying the room until her attention landed on the four of them.

Kiara's lips pulled into a small smile at first and her fingers lifted to wave before her brain processed the two kooks sitting beside them. Her fingers curled toward her palm and her brows lowered, head turning away from them to grab a box and to-go order. The deep frown on her face spoke volumes, and it'd been enough to get Sarah to rise from her chair. Her hand snatched the collar of (Y/N)'s shirt and gave it a tug, causing him to sigh heavily and follow her outside.

"Kie! Kei, please, wait," Sarah called out desperately and rushed down the steps to catch up with the fast-paced brunette. "We're just having breakfast. You should come join us."

"Breakfast?" Kiara repeated, stepping down into her father's boat and setting down the box. Her long braid whipped over her shoulder when she spun around to face them, brows lifting as her mouth formed a scoff. "Sarah, you're literally wearing (Y/N)'s shirt."

"Listen, I- I had nowhere to go last night, okay? John B and I- We got into a fight and I couldn't find anyone else to stay with. We hung out at Mase with Top and Liv. That's it. Nothing else happened, I promise." Sarah stuttered out an explanation and turned to him pleadingly, the pure desperation on her face doing little to tug on his heartstrings. 

"Nothing happened." (Y/N) echoed and Kiara's eyes narrowed. "Nothing happened, Kie. You don't have to worry about anything, I swear. I was actually wondering if I could bring Josie Bekkar to your parents' party. I'm sure she's already invited but I just want to double-check."

"Josie Bekkar? Wow, uhm, yeah. Go for it." The suspicion on Kiara's face dissipated in seconds and she quietly snorted under her breath, attempting to hide it by scratching the bridge of her nose. Sarah stared at him with furrowed brows and parted lips, her slightly widened eyes flickering between his. (Y/N) simply smiled and nodded toward the boat.

"You should go, Sarah. The Carreras were busy with family stuff, right? They'll probably appreciate some help setting things up. I'll drop your things off later." He casted Kiara one last glance before turning around and heading up back up the steps. Back to his real friends, his real family. 

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"It's been so long since I've seen any of these people," Rachel muttered quietly as they strode further into the heart of the party. Mike and Anna's 15th anniversary, and they'd hosted a big party to celebrate their relationship and the return of their daughter. Rachel flashed her perfectly curated smile at anyone who glanced their way and heavily eyed the beverages offered for the adults. She swiped her hand over her son's arm and stepped away, approaching the Carreras with a wide, beautifully fake smile. His father, Joseph, rolled his eyes and (Y/N) began wishing he'd stayed home. 

"Thanks for bringing me." Josie, right. 

"It's no problem, Jo." He smiled and she giggled, flipping some hair over her shoulder and batting her eyelashes at him. Joseph grunted and muttered a quick excuse about getting food before slipping away toward the snack table. They couldn't even stay together as a family unit. (Y/N) exhaled through his nose and looked back at Josie with the same smile he'd inherited from his mother. "Thirsty?"

"Oh, yes. I'm parched." 

"I'll get us some drinks, then." He slipped his hand out of hers and made his way around chatting and dancing guests until he reached the table holding the punch bowl. He only had time to get one cup before Kiara appeared at his side, voice light and high-pitched as she laughed at something someone said, then turned to him with a grimace. She casually took the cup from his hand and drank from it, sighing heavily when she looked over the people present.

"I still can't believe you brought Josie Bekkar. I mean, I get it, she looks great. Just never thought you'd be into geeks like Pope." Kiara chuckled into the cup and tilted her head back to catch the last of the punch. (Y/N) resisted the urge to bring up her own relationship with Pope and instead shrugged, retrieving another cup and pouring punch into it. Sadly for him, slim fingers wrapped around the base of the cup and swiftly took it from him. 

"Seriously?" (Y/N) groaned and turned, breath nearly catching in his throat at the sight of Sarah. She smiled cheekily at him, lips glittering from the gloss she had applied, and sipped from the cup. Her typical straight hair had been curled at the ends, bringing out the fading blonde and the eye-catching brown roots settling in. She'd gone for a natural makeup look that suited her perfectly and wore the pretty yellow dress with white floral patterns he'd convinced her to buy ages ago. It stung, just slightly, to see her in it. 

"You look nice," Sarah said softly, twinkling eyes dropping down to the plain white button-up he wore. He hadn't gone for anything fancy, just a simple shirt, dress pants, and dress shoes. He'd mimicked his father in unbuttoning the first couple of buttons and rolled up the sleeves the minute he felt the heat of the evening. 

"You do too." He breathed and noticed Kiara's gaze flicker between them curiously. Sarah swiped her tongue over her lips and finished her cup, the previous pride on her face disappearing and replaced by a more serious look. She took in a deep breath and glanced over her shoulder for any nosy ears before stepping closer to them.

"Ward's on the island." She revealed quietly and Kiara's head shot up with widened eyes. (Y/N)'s posture stiffened. "He... He used Wheezie to send me a voice message. He gave me the key to a condo and a credit card."

"Ward's on this island? Like, the one we're on right now?" Kiara questioned, mouth agape and brows tucked in. First Rafe, who had luckily steered clear of the (L/N) house, and now Ward fucking Cameron. The dream of being home had soured into a nightmare. "Christ... I swear, the second I see him, I'm turning him in. I don't know how you deal with it, Sarah. I mean, every time I want to complain about my dad, I think about your guys' dad." 

"Glad to be of service." 

"So sweet of you to say, Kie."

"Anytime." Kiara grinned widely and bumped her hip against (Y/N)'s, pulling a small smile out of the teen. Sarah dug her teeth into her bottom lip as she gazed at (Y/N)'s face, watching his eyes meet hers and then flicker away while he finally poured himself two cups of punch. He glanced over his shoulder and she followed his line of sight, spotting Josie mingling with their neighbors and feeling a stabbing feeling in her gut. He turned back to them and opened his mouth to bid them farewell, but her hand shot out to grab his arm and stop him. 

"I need to talk to you." She said hurriedly, fingers lightly tightening around the fabric of his shirt. (Y/N) blinked at her, still clutching the two cups in his hands. The sound of mic feedback interrupted the music and drew their attention away from each other and onto the stage where Mike and Anna Carrera stood. Mike smiled awkwardly and chuckled into the mic. 

"Uhm, I just want to say a few words, and I'm not much into giving speeches, but I do want to say thank you for coming out and thank you for your support after a rough month. I want to say thank you to our daughter for being here. Hey... we love you. But most of all, thank you, Anna, for fifteen years, for making this restaurant a symbol of our life. I love you." Mike smiled widely at his wife, gazing at her with all the love in the world. Anna laughed and dipped her head bashfully before murmuring the words back to him. Mike slipped his arm around her and pulled her snugly into his side before addressing the crowd again. "Figure Eight, the Cut. Everyone's together here. As one island. So, thank you for putting up with us. Cheers." 

(Y/N) watched with unsurprising bitterness as Kiara strolled over to her parents with a smile. They embraced her eagerly and cradled her in their arms, looking at her as if she hung up the sun in the sky. Anna stroked her cheek affectionately and pulled her daughter in, tenderly kissing her forehead and giggling when Kiara squirmed in her arms and groaned. He hated the prickly feeling at the back of his eyes and forced himself to look away, raising one cup to his lips and wishing it'd been tainted with some alcohol. He slipped past Sarah and returned to Josie, quietly apologizing for the delay and taking a seat on the nearest empty chair. 

Pursing her lips, Josie rubbed her finger against the ridges of the cup. "I-I just have to ask, (Y/N). Are you and Sarah, like, over? I know you've been through a lot together and I know she's with that weird guy from the Cut but..." 

"We're not secretly together if that's what you're asking, Jo. You-" (Y/N) sharply inhaled and propped his arm up to rub his forehead. His eyes wandered around the party until he spotted Sarah speaking to John B. His jaw twitched, threatening to clench but he forced himself to relax. "I like hanging out with you, I do. But things are really complicated right now. I just... I need to figure some things out and I don't want to string you along." 

Could complicated even begin to describe the hurricane passing through this life? His parents, his new and past friends, the wild goose chases and the treasures, Sarah? Only a few months prior, he'd been a normal guy living a normal life. His only concerns were college and dealing with pompous assholes until the Pogues turned the tide, changed the course of his life, and set him directly on the path of a storm. Normalcy felt like a distant dream he wouldn't be able to attain. 

Before he could drown in an ocean of self-loathing and crippling thoughts, Josie gently tilted his chin up and smiled sweetly. "We can be friends. And my first duty as your new friend is getting your mood up before Liv gets here and thinks I'm an uncool Debbie Downer." (Y/N) snorted and allowed himself to laugh, graciously taking her hand and rising up from his seat. 

(Y/N) let himself enjoy the day, dancing with Josie and the others with a genuine smile on his face. Liv practically collapsed into his arms the moment she arrived and whined about the heels she wore, yet outright refused to take them off in the name of having a great outfit. Just as promised, Josie and his friends lifted his moods significantly and everything clicked into place. No danger, no running, no worrying for his life. Everything felt okay... up until he noticed Sarah chugging an unattended glass of wine with obvious tear streaks on her face. Christ, couldn't John B go a day without hurting someone's feelings?

"I'll be back." He murmured to Liv and pulled away from her side, already hearing the scolding she'd give him after the party. Swiping some napkins from a table, he approached Sarah and took the glass from her. She hiccuped softly and clumsily rubbed at her wet cheeks but her eyes remained watery with tears. He gently took her cheek and delicately dabbed at her cheeks, sighing softly. 

"I'm sorry." She whispered and the hot tears slipped from her eyes. "I ruin everything. I-I fuck everything up. God, why do you even bother with me?"

"Because I care about you, Sarah. I know you're a good person at heart." He answered and dropped his hands to his sides. Her lips quivered and she sniffled again, stumbling toward him and wrapping her arms around his waist. Her head leaned against his shoulder and she buried her face in his neck, her body easing its trembles as she took in his warmth and comfort. (Y/N) draped his arm around her shoulders, content with comforting her until the crying ceased. 

Glass shattered from behind him and they pulled apart to look, spotting a furious John B heading straight for them. Sarah quickly detached herself from him with a soft gasp and moved forward, quiet pleading falling from her lips as she met him halfway. Her pleading fell on deaf ears, however, seeing as he pushed her aside and gave (Y/N) a hard shove. He stumbled back and caught himself on the table behind him, a heat of anger washing over him.

"Fuck you, man." John B seethed. "I never once believed that bullshit nice guy act. You prance around here acting so great when you slept with my fucking girlfriend, you piece of shit!" 

"Guess you don't like getting a taste of your own medicine, huh? But I guess I shouldn't have expected less from a guy who parties while his 'girlfriend's grieving the death of her father. Real charming of you, John." (Y/N) spat back, maintaining his tone evenly and smoothing out his crinkled shirt with the palm of his hand. John B's jaw clenched and his eyes flickered around when the people around them began murmuring lowly. 

"I was giving her space!" He barked defensively.

"Did your friend give you space when you thought your dad died, asshole? No, they didn't. They stuck by you 'cause they're good people. You're just the guy who got lucky a pretty girl even spoke to him in the first place. You could learn a thing or two from Pope or J." (Y/N) liked the way John B's ears burned hot red with embarrassment and the Pogue let out a humorless, sharp chuckle.

"Of course, Mr. Perfect is lecturing me. Mr. Perfect who always knows what to say or do. Always cheers everyone up. Always has everyone wrapped around his perfect little finger. I bet you were just so perfect your parents couldn't handle it. Maybe that's why they left you alone all these years." The air escaped (Y/N)'s lungs and his shoulders deflated, the venomous words slithering around his brain. Sarah slapped John B on the arm and glared at him fiercely while Kiara hissed his name angrily. The disapproving looks sent John B's way turned pitying the second they moved onto him. Pity, always pity. He took in a breath and released it in a dry laugh. 

"Then, I guess you must be perfect too considering your mom skipped town when you were a baby. I mean, shit, you've gone missing like twice now and she hasn't even bothered showing her face around here. And we certainly can't forget daddy dearest 'cause fuck, I can't imagine leaving my son to deal with all my shit and not even caring enough to reach out. I think we ought to give him a Father of the Year award for that one, don't you think?" His lips curled up into a grin and John B pushed Sarah aside one last time to lunge for him. A mop of bleached hair stepped into view, arms shoving John B back before he could get close to (Y/N). Topper pressed a hand against (Y/N)'s chest and extended the other out toward the fuming John B.

"Let's all calm down, alright? There's no need to ruin Mr. and Mrs. Carrera's day with-" Before Topper could finish speaking, John B swung his fist and connected it with Topper's jaw, hard enough for Topper to stumble and trip over his own feet. Sarah shrieked John B's name but he refused to listen, the pure rage in his eyes deadset on the fallen Kook. Topper cradled his jaw and lifted his head only for John B to swing at him again, and again, and again. 

Breaking out of his momentary shock, (Y/N) darted forward and grabbed the back of John B's collar. He tore him off the unconscious Topper and while John B attempted to regain his foot, (Y/N) clocked him hard enough to knock him onto the grass with a low groan. Mike rushed in and pushed (Y/N) back as Topper's mother cradled her son's head in her lap and screamed for an ambulance to be called. (Y/N) moved to step toward John B again but Anna stepped in his way and grasped his arms.

"Baby, baby, no, that's enough." She urged softly, in the same tone she used on Kiara when she and her father argued. (Y/N) took in a couple deep breaths to calm his racing heart but his eyes watched JJ rush over and help John B up onto his feet while Mike shouted at them to get out and followed them until they left. Sarah stared at him helplessly and teary-eyed, the start of an apology forming on her lips but he turned away from her. 

[noblehcart]

There be none of Beauty’s daughters; With a magic like thee. indie, private. multimuse rp blog featuring : grand duchesses romanov (historical / musical), clockmaker’s daughter, puppet history, empress elisabeth of austria, jekyll & hyde, midnight poppy land, wooden overcoats and original characters. loved by alexa (21+)