#Beach Boys Surfer Girl shirt

[hopelesslyromanticshark]

⋆ ˚｡⋆౨ৎ˚ Every Surfer Needs Their Stem Lover

content: mortal! leo valdez x mortal! reader warning: language and could be seen as like soft angst at the end author's note: in every other universe, peter parker finds gwen stacy, percy jackson finds annabeth chase, and leo valdez finds MY ASS ALSO ALEXA PLAY LETS GO SURFING BY THE DRUMS highkey suggest yall listen that while reading, heightens the experience fr

leo was sat on the beach, his sketches for his engineering class propped up on his knees. he was doing some math off on the side, his lips twitching at the thought of y/n struggling to do her math homework mere hours before. speaking of the girl, he looked up, just barely catching the end of her surf before she went falling into the water. as always, leo’s heart jumped to his throat but he swallowed it down as she popped back up and climbed back on her board. his eyes darted back down to his homework but then they were drawn away by the shuffling of the sand, a new couple joining the beach. it was a boy and a girl, clearly as in love as they could be. leo would know, certain that's what he and y/n looked like to everyone else. the boy was your picture perfect surfer guy - beach blonde hair with dirty highlights, sun-kissed skin, and a megawatt smile. behind him trailed his girlfriend, a girl with long braids that were held up with a clip and a sketch book of her own hugged to her chest.

"hey, man, you cool if we set up right here?" the boy asked, looking over at leo.

"yeah, totally," leo hummed back, nodding to the spot next him. the girl plopped down, digging her feet into the sand and using her knees like a table, similar to leo. the boy got to work, nearly buzzing with excitement as he looked out at the waves. he lost his shirt, handing it off to the girl, who rolled her eyes but folded it anyways. he then grabbed his board and pulling it out of the sand, leaning down and pressing a sound kiss to the girl's lips. leo looked away, not wanting to intrude. the boy then raced away, running straight into the ocean.

there was nothing but the sound of the waves for a few moments, partnered with the scratching of pencil on paper. leo heard a splash and his head shot up, scanning the crowd of surfers for a few seconds, breathing once more when he saw y/n, now talking up the boy who just got into the water. he smiled softly going to go back to his homework until the girl next to him tapped his shoulder

"sorry, do you have to have another eraser? mine broke," the girl asked, presenting the eraser to him like he needed evidence.

"always bring a spare. i break far too many not too," replied leo, earning himself a small chuckle from the girl as he handed his extra over to her.

"thank you. i'm annabeth," she introduced, holding her hand out. leo grabbed it, giving it a firm shake like his mom taught him to.

"no problem. we stem majors gotta look out for each other, right? i'm leo."

"true! i'm going into architecture, you?"

"engeering," added leo and annabeth whistled impressively. cheers and whoops came from the ocean as one of the surfers caught a big wave, the others excited for the man as he jumped off into the wave.

"which one's yours?" annabeth questioned, nodding her head out towards the ocean. the question brought a smile to leo's lips and annabeth could just tell that whoever it was, was the love of his life.

"that girl over there. yellow board," leo explained, pointing over to where she were sitting on the board before raising his hand in an overexaggerated wave. clearly, she was looking this way, as she instantly waved back, excitedly. leo's smile widened, and seeing them so in love made annabeth's widen too.

it was a few minutes later when y/n came running up the beach, percy in tow. leo learned his name was percy from annabeth, seeing as they had both ditched their homework a while ago and just got to talking. they both just kinda clicked, like they've know each other for years when they'd just met thirty minutes ago.

"leo, leo, leo! did you see that wave?" she asked, rapidly, as she stabbed her board into the sand and rung her hair out, smile wide as could be. actually, it took a striking resemblances to percy's smile, now that he could see them side by side.

"i did, baby! you did so good!" he cheered instantly, enjoying the small blush that splattering her face, despite the many years they'd been together and the many compliments leo'd payed in the past. she pressed a salty kiss to his lips before grabbing the baggy shirt that was once his, pulling it over her bikini, and grabbing a towel for her hair.

"annie, you get your homework done?" percy asked, ruffling his own blonde hair with a little towel, smiling down at his girlfriend, who huffed and waved a dismissive hand.

"ugh, no! leo here was distracting me," she replied with a huff, shooting a wink at leo, who laughed.

"oh come on, wise girl, i thought it was due tomorrow or whatever," cut in percy with a roll of his eyes and a joking frown. the girl glared up at him, smacking his arm which she could just barely reach.

"like you have anything to say about due dates! you legit turned that one assignment in a month late, seaweed brain!"

"that's crazy, a month is crazy! little miss over here turned in an assignment two weeks late and it was giving me an aneurism," added leo and y/n gasped, shooting forwards and shoving his shoulder gently as the couple laughed at them.

"i told you that in secrecy!"

"oops," leo taunted, smirking up at her, causing the girl to gape and glare at him, shaking her head as a smile fought to come to her lips.

"don't worry, y/n, we can turn our assignments in late because we don't have big fancy majors," percy mused, throwing an arm over the girl's shoulders, the pair laughing. and leo smiled, certain that in that moment, no two people could have looked more like siblings.

"fair point," annabeth shrugged, bumping her shoulder with leo's.

"hey, lee and i were gonna grab some food after this, wanna come with? we could make it a double date," y/n offered, smiling at the couple that they'd just met even though it felt like they knew each other from a time long since past.

"he's always down to eat," annabeth taunted as she started packing up and percy let out a flabbergasted noise.

"i’m a growing boy. you ever have blue pancakes?" percy questioned, turning to the girl, who smiled and shook her head.

"nope! just regular ol' pancake-colored ones for me!" y/n laugh, leaning into leo's side as he wrapped an arm around her and pressing a kiss to her salty temple.

"blasphemy!" percy shouted as the four of them started to make their way off the beach, "those are a staple in my house!"

"you're crazy, jackson!" y/n joked, sharing a soft glance with leo.

"no, no, not crazy! i'm the future!"

"okay, keep telling yourself that, percy!"

"i feel attacked!"

"good."

in some far off world, these four kids have the world on their shoulders, monsters and gods and prophecies a reality for them. but here, these kids only dream of weddings and college degrees. here, these four kids, got to just be kids. and yet, they still found each other. that's something divine, don't you think?

#postcards from covey ౨ৎ #all my love ౨ৎ #pjo #pjo fandom #heroes of olympus x reader #hoo #percy jackon and the olympians #percy jackson #leo valdez x reader #annabeth chase

[dibs4ever]

Family Beach Vacation

In honor of DickBabs week day 3 Parenthood.

“Mommy, why is Daddy painting my sister?” The 4-year-old son of Dick and Barbara asked

Barbara glanced over at her husband a few feet across the room. He’d dressed their 2-year-old daughter in a long-sleeved one-piece bathing suit and was currently using a makeup brush to make sure he applied sunscreen to every inch of her exposed skin. Barbara slipped her son's swim shirt over his head

“Cause Nathan your daddy is an overprotective machine.” She grinned

Dick rolled his eyes “Daddy is not overprotective.” He passed the redheaded toddler, who was covered in white lotion off to Barbara. He scooted over to be in front of his son. “Your sister and mother are both redheads. Leah has your mom's skin tone. They have pasty white skin that burns easily. It’s the first day of our summer beach trip last thing I want is your Leah getting burnt .”

The 4-year-old boy smiled “Do I burn easily Daddy?”

Dick chuckled bopping his son's nose with the brush “You have the same skin tone as me.” He brushed his son's jet-black hair back “But that doesn’t mean we don’t need to protect our skin too. Close your eyes so I can put some sunscreen on you too”

The boy obeyed allowing his father to put on the thick white lotion

As the family of 4 made their way from Bruce’s beach house down to the water Barbara leaned into her husband to whisper to him “You and Nate both tan. Do you think it was necessary for him to also wear SPF 110?”

Dick chuckled watching the boy run ahead a few feet from them toward the beach. Leah on Barbara’s hip, him carrying all their Beach items

“I mean my point stands we do need sunscreen too. Maybe not spf 110.”

They both laughed

“Where’d you get that anyways? Barbara inquired

Dick shrugged “Online, I researched the highest SPF on the market. I meant what I said, I’ve been looking forward to our first family vacation for months. I didn’t want anything to spoil it, including my two little redheads getting sunburned.” He reached over, ruffling Leah’s hair “Even if the trip is just 4 nights and 5 days at Bruce’s Key West beach house.”

She smiled “This is more than a perfect trip. Honestly I quite like using Bruce’s house. It's comfortable and private.” she looked over at Dick. She could tell by his body language that he was wishing their lives were simpler so that he could wisk his family off for a week somewhere that isn't directly linked to the Batfamily- a house linked with a zeta tube so if a crisis arose one of them could boom tube back to Gotham. Arranging 5 days took months of planning, compromise, and worm from the whole family, just for them and they were thankful for it. But sometimes they desired normalcy from time to time.

They stopped and set down their things, watching as Nathan grabbed his same toys. Barbara set Leah down, smiling as the little girl felt the same between her toes.

Nathan walked over taking his little sister's hand “Come on Leah let's make a sand castle.”

“Castle!” the two-year-old chirped

Dick chuckled “And maybe later Daddy will rent a surfboard and show you two how he can do that.” he pointed to the surfers out in the water

Nathan's eyes widened “Daddy you can surf!”

Leah gasped “Daddy Surf!” she mimicked her brother

The man smiled “Yup before you two were born Mommy and I went to the beach and I taught myself.”

Nathan grinned “Daddy you can do anything.”

Dick smiled down at his son til he felt something poke his back “Like put sunscreen on me? We were so busy getting everything together I forgot to put some on”

Dick grinned “I didn't bring the brush.”

She smiled “Looks like you'll have to rub it on me with your hands “

He grinned “Oh no what a chore.” he dramatically squeezed the lotion into his hands, rubbing them together. “Now take off the cover up and let me get to work.”

#dickbabs #barbara gordon #dick grayson #batfam headcanons #batfamily #batgirl #dickbabsweek2023

[hannahssimblr]

Chapter Three

I’ve taken to my sketchbook this summer. I bring it down to the beach every morning, and after my eight o’clock swim I sit on my beach towel and draw for about an hour. Sometimes I draw from my imagination, and sometimes I draw from life. If there’s a person walking along the shore I will challenge myself to capture them in a few rapid strokes of my pencil before they’ve moved too far away for me to continue, or if a house is cast in interesting light that day I’ll try to capture it with a few fluid strokes of paint from my travel watercolour kit and a thick brush. I don’t show my drawings to anybody because I’d be too embarrassed to, but they aren’t for anybody else either. I don’t paint or draw to get approval, it feels like the one area of my life where I can be free of judgement, able to create something without being marked or graded or compared to somebody else. 

I usually work on my sketchbook until my phone alarm buzzes at half past nine. This is the time that I know Kelly and Claire will be getting out of bed and I’m usually starving by then anyway. I meet them back at the mobile home and we walk together into the village cafe to buy a bag of pastries and cups of hot coffee for breakfast. 

“It’s cloudy.” Kelly observes one morning in early July. We amble over the sandy boardwalk towards the beach and settle in together onto a bench outside the local surf shack. 

“Not a day for the beach” Claire agrees, looking up at the sky, a woolly grey shawl wrapped around the cliffs. It had been clear and bright earlier, but a mist had settled in during the last hour and blurred the sea and sky into one . I wonder what we’ll do today if we won’t be hanging out on the beach again. I tell them that the water is still warm, and if they want to go for a swim it might be nice all the same, but they disagree. The clouds furthest away are black and filled with rain, and neither of them wants to get their hair wet. 

The village is so much busier this week now that the primary school children have finished up for the summer. Small children and families mill about, a constant stream going in and out of the surf shack, buying ice cream cones and slotting coins into arcade machines. There’s something very retro about this place, the kind of sun bleached seaside haunt that looks as though it’s sat here in the sand unchanged for fifty years. The Beach Boys are playing over the speakers and a middle aged man with white hair and a Hawaiian style shirt is serving coffees and bags of chips over the counter inside as he sings along. The shelves behind him are stacked with bottles of suncream, cans of fizzy drinks, first aid implements, and T-Shirts that all feature the same cartoonish shark with a wide grin. They truly have everything. 

The Hawaiian shirt man comes out to the front of the shack to add a poster to the community notice board and gives us a grin when Kelly calls out a hello to him. 

“Well girls.” He says and ambles over towards us, moving in that slow, easy way that people who live on the beach year round do. “Lovely weather eh?”

“Yeah sure.” Kelly snorts. “Grand auld day.”

“Nice one for the surf though.” He looks over his shoulder where a line of children in wetsuits are heading towards the shore. It’s true, the waves are bigger now than they have been since the storm last week. “Ye wouldn’t think of signing up for the camp would you?” We laugh, clearly the surf camp is not intended for girls our age. 

“I see that Liam is helping out with it again this year.” Kelly says, gesturing to a young man loading surfboards into a beach buggy behind us. “Good on him. He’s got his work cut out with all these children running around. ”

The boy who is apparently called Liam hears this, and he calls out to us from the surfboard shed. “Havoc, sure they go mad once the boards are brought out, most of the work is to control the crowd.” He has a boyish grin and classic surfer looks. His curly blonde hair is lighter than the tan on his face, and a tiny scar above his eyebrow stands out white against golden brown. He comes over and places a hand on the back of the older man’s neck, shaking him playfully. “Skiving off again are you dad? Out here chatting shite to the women as usual.”

He smiles at us “Good to have you back again Kelly, and you’ve brought some friends?”

“Yes,” She says. “Liam, this is Evie and Claire, Evie and Claire, this is Liam. And his dad Anthony.” Liam shakes our hands, and I feel shy when he looks at me. His eyes are very blue. 

“Will you all be coming to the karaoke night later on?” He points to the flyer that his dad pinned up on the notice board moments earlier. “It’ll be in the pub down on the quay. It’s always great fun, at least I always think so.” 

“I’m not sure about that.” I laugh. The idea of standing up in front of strangers and singing is making my cheeks feel hot already. For me, being observed at all sometimes feels like a horrifying ordeal. Liam smiles “Are you a bit shy, Evie?” Again, I blush. 

“She’ll be grand when she gets there.” Kelly says. “It’ll be a bit of fun. What do you think, Claire?” Claire shrugs and sips her coffee. “Could be good. I can’t sing but I don’t mind karaoke.”

“We’ll see you all there.” Says Liam decisively, and then looks over at the children waiting on the beach. “Better get to work.” He races back over to the beach buggy, hops in and drives it over the boardwalk towards the sea. We say our goodbyes to Anthony too, and we three are alone together again Kelly nudges me sharply in the ribs. “What about him?” I pretend not to know what she’s talking about. “What about him? Seems like a friendly person to me. A very normal boy.” 

She rolls her eyes. “What about him for you? Do you think he’s good looking?”

“Yes I suppose.” I admit “But he’s not really my type.”

“If he’s not your type then who is?”

I feel interrogated. I don’t know how to explain it to her, but the idea of being romantically attached to Liam in any way makes me panicky. There’s nothing wrong with him, it just feels like too much pressure. “I don’t know, I just think he’s more your type and not mine.”

My attempt to flip the focus onto her backfires. “Oh, so he’s not good enough for you, but he’s good enough for me?” I feel like she is deliberately misunderstanding me. 

“No…” I say, trying to keep my voice steady. How do I explain that if I like a boy, I want the connection to happen organically? I don’t want to be set up like some loveless little freak who needs someone to hold her hand through the dating process. I want to meet somebody and feel comfortable enough to get to know them without the pressure of my friends watching me from the sidelines, judging my every move, coaching me in what to say and how to act, and then forcing me through the humiliating debrief period after. I feel like I’m a pitiful project sometimes, a specimen in a lab labelled ‘never had a boyfriend… and is also very weird.’

I don’t say any of this though, and as usual I end up apologising to her. I tell her that I’ll try talking to him at the karaoke night and we leave it at that. 

Prev // Next

#sims #sims 4 #ts4 #simlit #sims 4 story #sims story #writing #fiction #romance #sims 4 storytelling #sims4 storytelling #sims storytelling #lucky girl part 1

[ashley-slashley]

i have made another welcome home oc, this time just one massive reference to the beach boys and 60s surf culture! info about her under the cut

full name - caroline rhonda sunshine

birthday - june 16

height - 4'7"/140 cm

favorite colors - green, blue

hobbies - surfing, playing the drums, marine biology

likes - surfing, surf rock, concept albums, the ocean, oceanic/aquatic life, music, vegetables

dislikes - people who don't understand concept albums (glares at mike love), coconuts

segment - caroline's surfin' safari

animated segment where caroline talks/sings about beach safety and how to properly act on the beach

intro music for segment is an instrumental cover of surfin' safari by the beach boys

each segment features a "cover" of a surf rock song performed by caroline (lead vocals/drums) and ocean creatures (other instruments used in the song)

song lyrics are changed to fit the message of the day (except the intro music), most notable songs featured are surfin' safari (the beach boys), surfin' usa (the beach boys), walk, don't run (the ventures), and fun, fun, fun (the beach boys)

trivia/misc.

named after the beach boys' songs caroline, no and help me rhonda, and the numerous references to sunshine in the beach boys' discography

color scheme derived from the album art the beach boys' albums surfer girl, shut down vol. 2, summer days (and summer nights!!), and the beach boys' greatest hits

vibes influenced by the songs surfer girl, caroline, no, and i get around by the beach boys

plays drums as an homage/reference to the beach boys' drummer dennis wilson

like of vegetables homage to the beach boys' song vegetables

caroline's red hair is a reference to a line in the beach boys' song deirdre

shares birthday with release date of the beach boys' album pet sounds

surf board is the one seen on the beach boys' albums surfer girl and surfin' safari

style is based on 1960s surf culture

lives in a beach bungalow

main outfit is based off the blue and white striped shirts with white pants made famous by the beach boys

favorite number is 409

#the shitposter creates #art #artists of tumblr #artists on tumblr #welcome home oc #welcome home #welcome home arg

[templeofalice]

21, 25, 27, 43 and 44 for the asks ❤️❤️❤️

(PS: I love you!)

Aww... I love you too, Liz!!!😘😘😘

These are so fun!

21. What I love most about myself? I love that I'm 100% genuine with everyone. What you see is what you get. I'd give you the shirt off my back and expect nothing in return. I'm not afraid to apologize when I'm wrong or when I've hurt someone. 🩷

25. My idea of a perfect date? Anywhere with my husband! We're foodies so we love going to restaurants. We also enjoy casinos, concerts and shopping together. I guess if I was looking for something really romantic I'd say a nice candlelit dinner on the beach during a soft, summer evening. 🥰

27. A description of the boy/girl I like? I like both so I'll describe both! The boy would be a bohemian surfer kind of guy. A good example is Aaron Taylor-Johnson in Savages. Tanned with soft, hair and blue eyes. Sweet and romantic. The girl would be smart, blonde and badass like AJ Cook or Robin Wright. 👀

43. Sexiest person that comes to my mind immediately? That's always going to be Jerry Cantrell. I'm such a goner for him. That hasn't changed in 33 years so I doubt it ever will. 🫣

44. A random fact about anything? I live in one the largest US military areas of the country. We represent every branch, the DOJ, DOD, NSA, the Space Force (formerly known as NASA) and Homeland Security. 🇺🇲

Thank you for the asks my sweet girl. Hope you're doing well!

#best mutuals ever #asks answered

[chickensarentcheap]

Esme stuff :)

@youflickedtooharddamnit​, @tragiclyhip​, @secretaryunpaid​

Millie (who recently came out to her dad and I as bisexual, wanted to go pride in Melbourne.  So that’s what the entire family did.  Even daddy wore a rainbow shirt!  Still can’t get the tiara on him, though. Not for lack of trying on Addie’s part, mind you lol

Afterwards, we hit up a street fair and daddy, Brookie, Millie, and the boys killed it on the midway.  As if we didn’t have way too many stuffed animals at home before this!

We love you so much, Amelia.  We are so, so proud of you.   You are beautiful and kind and creative and brilliant.  You are going to achieve amazing things.

 Oh fuck no!!!!!

Don’t make friends with it!

Let’s burn the house down and start over!

God he’s beautiful. 

And yes, people intimidated by him, he DOES crack a smile.

You’re just not important enough to get to see it :)

We make little beach bum babies around these parts :)

Date night in Phuket.  Damn he fine.

I might let him get me drunk and take advantage of me later ;)

I was in my office minding my own business and doing bookwork,  and my husband snuck in and dropped this...whatever this is...down in front of me.

Apparently his name is Potato. Why our children insist on food names for our pets, I will never know.

Welcome to the family, Potato. I guess.

#souglyheiscute #theanimalnotthehusband #justtoclarify

One thing about being a girl mum? Especially to a girly girl? All the cute dresses I can buy!

My husband reconnected with an old friend from his early years in the military.  Said friend sent me this pick! Taken on a leave.  Oh my gawddddd.  I would have crushed big time even then.

He was 24 at the time.

I was 18.

It could have worked!

I mean, the him being married thing would have been a problem.

Our newly renovated and decorated living room in our ‘mum and dad only’ place in Tasmania :)  Look at the ceiling.  That was the hubs’ idea :)  and hard work :)

I’ve been ignoring texts and calls from my brother for DAYS. Guess what just happened...

This won’t end well.

We finally got to the France! Staying for a few days at a beautiful home in Provence (owned by a client of Tae’s and graciously lent to us) before we head to Paris!  I finally get my kiss under the Eiffel Tower :)

Don’t let that cute, innocent smile fool you.  He’s deliciously evil ;)   In the best possible ways ;)

My sleepy surfer :)

We’re away for client business and we got a text from Millie saying she was asked out  the grade eight prom.  She’s in grade seven. AND she got asked by two people. A boy and a girl.  She’s not sure who she likes better and wants OUR opinions.  I was squealing with excitement, but Dad isn’t sure how to handle the news that his baby girl is has been asked out on a date. 

Family trip!! Enjoying some time in the Outback. Going to camp for a few days and then head to The Kimberley for a week :)

Our little peanut :)

Can you tell he just woke up?

And only a bit of sand was eaten that day ;)

There’s always that one.  Wait for it...

Holy crap who is the giant dude? ;)

First morning at Disney! Nanny Stel and the other kids are still asleep, daddy is in the gym (we’re on our way to see him) and this is already hyper AF and ready to go!

Ohhhhh....what are these?

Holy shit, I look fabulous

#Tyler and Esme series #Esme Rake #Rake kids

[casualneonglitterpainterposts]

This is entirely based off of knockabiller's and her pal KineticMint Hawaiian Riders AU- I absolutely love it and all of Knockabiller's artwork. I will mention it now- I don't ship Jet with Wave, he's more of an annoying younger brother more and nothing else. So here's A drawing I did of gijinka Jet , lost in thought about a certain beautiful and loving Magenta and blue ombré haired young lady after she patched up his face from a bit of a surfing disaster 🏖😅❤   BTW Coral is her name ( my OC), she's 14 years old, Coral is supposed to be Waves life long childhood friend who she grew up with- they were / and still are like 'sisters'. Though Coral's family moved down town, they still stay in contact and she comes over every summer to spent it with her relatives- But mostly Wave. But yeah I kinda see this drawing Idea as the first time they met/ Jet kinda grew to have a huge crush on her. So this is the idea: It was the day Coral was coming over to stay for the summer, Wave had left the hotel early- leaving a note for the others that she'd BRB soon- they find the note, read it, then shrug their shoulders and head off to go surfing without her. Down at the station, Wave is greeted by her young friend- the two making their way over to the taxi and throughout the entire ride back down to the hotel talk about what they've been up to and techy stuff... After being dropped off back at their hotel- dumping Corals stuff into Waves flat, locking up e.t.c, Wave takes Coral down to the beach to meet her two friends, both with their boards and in their swim wear. On the way down, Wave warned Coral that her friends could be a little strange (especially being she is the first/ only cousin she has to introduce to them). Either way they arrive down to the others Wave shouts out to the boys... "Oi, JET! STORM! Come over here and meet my childhood friend" Of course though, they pretend they didn't hear her... "COME ON, HURRY UP. DON'T MAKE ME COME DRAG YOU OVER HERE" (She says starting to tap her foot in frustration) "FINE" (Jet shouts back), As he turns his head around and looks over in Waves direction he notices A young woman (he doesn't realise that this is her cousin yet) He just looked over eyes wide open gawking over her beauty. Being that he was still out on the ocean on his board, he did notice the slower surfer on the water and ran into him- His board smacking him/ grazing the side of his face and Jet of course falling semi unconscious into the water.. Coral ran over and into the water quickly- Storm, making his way out of the water- concerned of course for his "Boss". Wave and Storm just stood their on the sand waiting and concerned- but in that very moment Coral popped out of the water with her cousins friend in her arms still a little unconscious. Quickly laying him down she cleared his throat of sea water, just as she was about tho check his air ways again, he sat up, coughing a little.. Coral: "Are you alright?" That was a nasty wipeout you had their". Jet: "Huh?  (he looks up to see the girl he was starring at).. O..Oh.. I..I'm fine, Pfft Don't worry about it" Coral (Looking at his right cheek- making him blush): "Your cheek!" Jet (all flustered): "W..WHAT ABOUT MY CHEEK?''... Coral: "your cheek is grazed and bleeding, here let me clean that up" And with that she gently wiped the blood up with a semi damp cloth, as she let it dry for a second, she grabbed some bandaids from her bag an d put them on his cheek. Jet of course was just beet red the whole time. After she was done he stood up Storm ran over and helped him at least put his Hawaiian shirt on- no time to put his whit tank on. Then Wave and the others all calmed down after that little incident introduced her cousin to them.. Wave: "Now your out of the water and still in one piece, I want you two to meet my childhood friend- well I guess you've already met her though Jet, Storm. This is my fourteen year old pal Coral, she's the one I told you that would be spending the summer with us " Storm (Walking over to her with open arms/ hugging her): " It's nice to meet you miss Coral" Coral (hugging him back): "it's nice to meet you too Storm" Then she came over- standing a good foot and a bit away form Jet, who was flustered and purposely looking the other way. Then he sighed, facing Coral he welcomed her.. Jet (stilling blushing a little): "I..It's nice to finally meet you, erm Coral" Coral (Smiling sincerely, a little blushy in the cheeks): " Nice to meet you as well, Jet" Wave: Alright then, come on Coral, let's hit the water, show these boys those moves of yours" Coral: "Alright Wave.. Storm stay here with Jet he needs to rest after being  knocked about like that" Storm: "Sure, I'll help out boss" Coral: "Just sit back and relax now Jet, we can't have you knocking yourself out again like that" Jet, absolutely flustered and blushing deeply as he sat their on the banana lounge chair. Just chilling and watching the two cutting up the big killer waves- even though he was watching Coral more of course. And from that onward he soon realised he had a massive crush/ a thing for her. But yeah that's the idea/ story behind this piece. Anyways, I'll share a sketch of Coral- still working on some other stuff of her/ doodles of her in this AU to share.   Either way, hope you like the drawing and idea- and I hope to share more of Coral soon. "Coral the Swallow belongs to me" Gijinka design/ AU belongs to knockabiller 

#jet the hawk #babylon rouges #sonic fanart #sonic the hedgehog #gijinka #hawaiian riders au #hawaiian shirt #summer time #day dreaming #traditional art #traditional illustration #pen and ink drawing #markers #coloured pencils #gel pen #posca pen #my oc #my artwork

[fardell24b]

A Variant Lawndale 01 - Beach Party Invitation Part 4

Jane paddled out to the wave and started to surf. However, there was trouble. Tori had entered straight after her and was dropping in on her. “Hey! We’ll both wipe out!”

“Tough, Jane!”

Daria looked on in disbelief as Tori leapt from her board towards Jane. ‘What?’

“Crazy!” Spatula Man cried out.

Tori crashed into Jane, knocking her off the board.

Jane crawled out of the pool and then turned to face Tori, who had followed her out. “What’s wrong with you?!”

“I’d ask that of you,” Tori retorted.

“I’m not the one who leapt off a surfboard at another surfer in a wave pool! I’m sure Brittany saw you!”

“I’m sure she did.”

In fact, Brittany was already aware. “Oooh!”

“She had stirred up trouble all summer,” Donna said.

“I’m going to give her a piece of my mind!” Brittany exclaimed.

“Wait!” Donna called out.

“Huh?”

“Probably not a good idea,” Angie said.

“Why not?” Brittany asked.

“Because she will fight you,” Donna said.

‘Of course,’ Brittany thought. “So…”

“Ban her from future parties,” Donna suggested.

“I shall!” Brittany declared.

Jane came over. “Can I go again?” she asked Brittany.

“Of course. Tori had no right to do what she did!”

“After that interruption, Jane Lane is going again,” Spatula Man announced.

Jane’s second attempt went off without any interruptions.

“Jane gets an 8, a 9 and another 8!”

Daria was impressed.

“You did well!” Daria said.

“I did, didn’t I,” Jane said. She looked around. “Now where did that Tori go?”

“I don’t think that would be a good idea,” Daria objected.

“You can make sure it doesn’t go beyond words,” Jane added.

“Sure,” Daria said although she wasn’t sure.

Jane and Daria approached where Tori was resting. “Tori!” the former called out.

“Jane!” Tori said.

“What you did, you could have hurt me quite badly!”

“That was the point!”

“I could have died!” Jane exclaimed.

“I don’t think so,” Tori said. “Now go, before I leap at you again.”

Jane seethed, but realised that was what Tori wanted.

It seemed that Daria was thinking similarly. “It’s not worth it!” She said quietly.

Jane nodded and turned away from the provocatory teen.

Daria followed her.

Meanwhile, Kevin joined the limbo competition. “Are you sure, Kevin?” the cheerleader, Donna, asked.

“Brit suggested it,” Kevin said.

“Of course,” Donna sighed. “Line up.”

Kevin nodded.

The Limbo competition had already started. Kevin didn’t do well at all. It seemed that he was too top heavy. He didn’t get past halfway. “Oh man!”

Daria and Jane were then approached by a couple of boys. “Hi, girls,” one said.

“Those guys are looking at us,” Jane said.

“Don't they know we're from two different worlds? Regular and popular?” Daria asked.

“The one in the green shirt is cute... in a head-too-big-for-his-body kind of way.”

“I saw you on the board earlier,” one said. “Tori was wrong.”

“Thanks.”

“So, you want to come to the Laundry Room?”

“Really?” Jane asked.

“We’re hardly interested,” Daria retorted. She turned away, but quickly found that Jane wasn’t following. “Huh?”

“Go on ahead!” Jane said.

“Are you sure?”

“Yes.”

Daria walked off and saw that Kevin was getting frustrated with the limbo. “Of course,” she commented.

Jane exited the laundry room. The experience hadn’t really been satisfying, compared to the rush of surfing.

She quickly found Daria.

“What was it like?” Daria asked.

“I wasn’t really interested,” Jane said.

“Really?” Daria asked dubiously.

“Fine! He thought my head was a lollipop!”

“Right.”

#brittany taylor #daria #daria morgendorffer #fanfic #jane lane #kevin thompson

[sapphiredhearts-a]

whitney + jacob brainrot : closed starter for @lcstpaths !

there was a certain aesthetic attached to frat parties that jacob never really cared for . the parties back home were usually with bare feet in the sand of first beach - a bonfire blazing in some homemade barrel while the younger generation milled about . you could take off into the ocean , for instance or get away from the crowd for a quiet moment alone with your thoughts  . . . or the cute girl you saw across the flames . a party in some random frat house with people pressed into the walls shouting over the thumping bass coming out of hundred dollar speakers seemed claustrophobic at best and jake found himself drinking more than usual to try to drown out the headache quickly forming . 

whitney had wanted to come , though , so he had agreed and even worn a nice shirt over his jeans to look the part . there was a small piece of him that was grateful for her asking him to come tonight . it was no secret that he wasn't going to have the chance to have a college experience like other kids his age . billy needed him home too much and after rachel and rebecca flew out of town at the first opprotunity all of the responsibility had come crashing down on his shoulders . in a way , whitney was giving him a chance to live vicariously this weekend and he intended to soak up every piece of it .

and he had to admit he was happy she hadn't gone off to college and completely forgotten him .

thinking of whitney made him realize that he hadn't seen her in a little while . he had gone off for another beer and somehow lost her in the crowd . so , sighing a little , he pushes back into the throng of people - eyes searching for her familiar face . he's just spotted her when he nearly runs into a guy in front of him - standing near a wall with a friend and staring at exactly the same girl jacob had just begun to seek out . naturally , jacob falls into the shadows - sipping at his beer casually as he listens to the guy's conversation . 

after all , if they mean whitney harm he is not above being escorted out of here for a small brawl .

' so did she bite ? ' the shorter one asks , all blonde hair and surfer body . he kind of reminds jacob of solomon - rebecca's husband from hawaii - the one jacob doesn't particularly care for . call him biased but he feels he won't particularly care for this jerk either . 

' of course not . she never says yes to anybody - you know that . at this point it's almost a ruse to even ask her out . ' the taller dark hair one scoffs and downs the rest of his drink , rolling his eyes . are they talking about whitney ? does it matter ? perhaps jacob should slow down on his drinking - his heart is doing a weird dance that can't be healthy .  ' i'm telling you , it's the guy she came with . ' the blonde one nods solemnly , peering back at whitney and strangely , as if on cue , jacob's heart thumps out a weird rhythem . ' there's something weird about them . ' he looks as if he's going to say more but is cut off by a cute albeit very intoxicated girl flouncing over and under his arm with a grin .

' ooh are you gossiping about whitney and her mystery guy ? ' she gushes , making jacob be the one to snort into his cup - trying to silence it with plastic so he's not seen eavesdropping by the trio . ' she swears they're not dating but be real . anyone would hit that . '

the tall boy rolls his eyes again , looking crestfallen . does he like whitney ? maybe jake should roughen him up - make sure his intentions are pure . that's probably why his blood is boiling at the thought of them .  in fact , he's so irritated that he pushes off the wall - melting into a different part of the crowd to make a roundabout path to whitney - downing his cup and grabbing another one at random off of a counter on his way . definitley not healthy . he eases up on his glowering a bit as he nears her - he's never been able to stay upset in her presence - and comes up behind her shoulder , leaning in to mummer in her ear . 

' I think you have a fan club . ' he tries to keep his voice light and teasing but as he moves around to her front , he downs his next drink - wondering idly if there are shot glasses anywhere near .   

#tumblr is being DUMB and wont let me format this the way i want #also jacob black: KING of denial #also should queue this but idcc #☾ ` not a perfect soldier but a good man ; jacob black ic . #lcstpaths

[motownfiction]

surfer girl

Steph is only up to her ankles in the lake, but Daniel isn’t stupid. He’s known Steph pretty much all his life, and he knows she never does anything halfway. After all, he’s got a summer’s worth of examples. Reluctantly (maybe), he slips off his own shoes and follows her into the water, ankle-deep.

“We really shouldn’t be doing this,” he says.

“Why not?” Steph asks.

“Fischer’s gonna get mad.”

“Since when do you or I care what Fischer thinks?”

“Since he can refuse to count us on the retreat. That means we don’t graduate.”

Steph snorts like it’s nothing – like maybe she’d be better off not graduating, after all.

“I’m pretty sure he’s bluffing,” she says. “And if it ever really came down to it, I’m pretty sure we could sue.”

Daniel closes his eyes and thinks about all the places he’d rather be. In the common room at the retreat center, holding Sadie close like a doll. In AP Lit, making three-dimensional boxes in the margins of Othello. In the kitchen at Wendy’s, burning his forearms on the fryer. Anywhere but ankle-deep in this lake with the only girl he really wishes he could take back.

Isn’t that what he wishes?

“I still think it’s a bad idea,” Daniel says. “You could get into a lot of trouble, and I don’t really feel like getting into a lot of trouble with you.”

“Sure you do,” Steph says.

Daniel feels the back of his neck get very warm.

“What?” he asks.

“Of course you feel like getting into trouble. Otherwise, you wouldn’t have gotten into the water with me. I don’t know everything, but I do know that.”

Daniel doesn’t say anything – just feels the water get colder and colder. Steph looks him in the eye and winks. How brazen.

“But if you’re really worried about getting away with it …” she says, and Daniel doesn’t have enough time to stop her from doing it. Before he knows it, she’s pulling off her outfit, revealing the same blue one-piece she’s had since the summer of ‘83. Daniel’s heart stops, but only for a second.

“You’ve been planning this,” Daniel says. “You’re wearing a bathing suit.”

Steph shrugs and breaks into a sidestroke.

“I knew this place was on the water,” she says. “And I knew we were gonna have a warm September. I mean … I gotta admit, I saw myself swimming with Sam, but …”

“You’re not swimming with anybody,” Daniel says instantly. “I’m not … just because I’m standing in the water doesn’t mean I’m swimming.”

Steph throws her head back and laughs. The water makes her blonde hair look brown. She’s always looked pretty that way.

“Daniel,” she says, and he hates how well she says his name. “We both know you’re gonna join me in about thirty seconds.”

“Do we?”

“Yeah. You deny it, but you are just as adventurous as I am. And don’t forget that I’ve got all the proof.”

She says it like a joke, and Daniel knows it. He makes it feel like a threat, anyway. Before he can give it a second of rational thought, he peels off his t-shirt and gets deep into the water with Steph. Maybe not with Steph, exactly. He’s sure to keep his distance. Sadie isn’t too far away from the lake, and he is in love with her.

Steph swims closer to him, and he thinks of Sadie again.

“This is nice,” Steph says, floating on her back. “I kinda wish we were on a real beach, but I’ll take this.”

Daniel can’t help but smile, just a little.

“You always did love the beach,” he says, “and The Beach Boys. I remember you used to sing the name song everyday when we were together.”

“‘Do you love me? / Do you, surfer giiiiiirl?’” Steph sings, and it makes Daniel laugh. He hasn’t thought about Steph and “Surfer Girl” in over a year.

But he is still thinking about that sentence she left unwritten.

“You know,” Steph continues, “I was kinda scared I’d get paired up with you.”

Daniel snorts.

“Yeah, no kidding,” he says. “I was hoping I’d get paired up with Will or Sam.”

Steph shakes her head, and Daniel realizes she’s standing close enough for her hair to splash him. He swims backward, only a little bit. Steph notices, but she just treads water.

“Couldn’t have been done,” she says. “Did you see the way they were pairing us off? Boy/girl, boy/girl, boy/girl. There’s an even number of boys and girls in this whole class, too. That’s not a coincidence.”

“Why not?” Daniel asks.

“Because they’re Catholics. They don’t want us to have sex before we’re married, but they want us to think about marrying each other all the time. It’s always been this way. I mean, think all the way back to when we made our First Communion. What do you remember about that day?”

“I remember I was afraid to drink the wine – not ‘cause I really thought it was blood, but ‘cause it was wine. And my mom always told Lola and me that wine wasn’t for kids. It was barely for grown-ups, and it was especially not for our dad.”

Steph laughs.

“OK, maybe something a little less tragic than that,” she says. “How about the way they had us walk into the church like boy/girl, boy/girl, boy/girl? And the way we were wearing little suits and mini wedding dresses? It’s a practice wedding, Daniel. Like a debutante ball without all the pretty music and a lot more guilt and shame.”

Daniel looks at Steph like he doesn’t recognize her. She notices and flips her hair to the other side, splashing him in the face again.

“What?” she asks, moving through the water like it’s nothing. “You think just because I wear Bonne Bell, I don’t understand sexism? You read any woman artist’s biography and see how you turn out.”

She moves into a backstroke, and for a second, Daniel remembers why he used to think that he could fall in love with her.

A second later, he’s still thinking about it.

“You know,” Steph says, still on her back, “I think maybe it’s a good idea we got paired together, after all.”

Daniel almost smiles as he wades deeper into the water – and closer to Steph.

“Really?” he asks. “Why?”

He hopes she’ll say something about their unfinished business – about the sentence she left only half-written. She flips over onto her stomach and begins to swim even closer to him.

“Well, me and you,” she says, “we’re kinda like outsiders, don’t you think?”

Daniel sinks into the water a little bit more (to go along with the sour look on his face).

“What?”

Steph doesn’t answer. She just swims closer to him, letting her leg brush up against his underneath the lake.

Good Lord, does Daniel wish she would speak.

#drabble #ch: daniel deluca #ch: steph armstrong #year: 1984 #series: love will keep us together

[briancarldenny]

Brian Wilson in some LOUD shirts

#the fourth pic??? #i’m cracking up #brian wilson #the beach boys #beach boys #60s fashion #70s fashion #california music #pet sounds #love and mercy #smile #heroes and villains #loud patterns #loud shirts #fun fun fun #60s icons #60s nostalgia #good vibrations #surfer girl #dennis wilson #carl wilson #al jardine #mike love #bruce johnston #60s music #surf music

[secret-blog-of-secrets]

#bono #u2 #guys I need to look at all the JTB #because I now have the idea of AU surfer JTB stuck in my head thanks to @mtb-red #and the Jersey girl in me will always love a surfer boy #I am having serious flashbacks to summers down the shore #but like JTB in a wet suit peeled down to his waist #or his his baja shirt with his beaded necklace playing guitar on the beach #yes this is a late 90's surfer scenario stfu #this is killing me

[pankowfruitsnacks]

Shattered JJ Maybank Three

master list | series master list

warning: self-hatred, insecurities, making new friends

word count: 1084

———————-

Avalon sat in the passenger side of Sarah's car. "We're here." Nerves ran through her body. Sarah and Kiara were easy to get along with, but what about the others. Would they like her? Would they see right past her charade to see what really is? She began to shake.

Sarah's eyes were filled with worry. "Ava are you okay?"

The girl returned a smile. "Just nervous I guess." She tried to shrug it off.

"Try not to think too much about in hon. They are all really cool and will love you." But you don't even know me, Ava thought to herself. If they really did know her would they run.

No one wanted the broken girl, but they should would pity her. Who wouldn't feel bad for the child who was beaten and raped at the age of four, sold off to other men by the age of six, $100 for thirty minutes of her stolen time. Who would chose to stand by and defend a prostitute?

Ava pushed down all her thoughts with a swallow. She would get through this, she would preform for the sake of her aunt and uncle, she would be polite and speak when spoken to. Ava knew how to play this game and she would play it well. "Okay I'm ready."

With each step closer to the house, Ava could feel her shell hardening. It's going to be okay, she reassured herself.

"John B?" Sarah called into the house.

"In the kitchen!" A mans voice called back. They both could hear the chit chat and laughter. "Hey babe." The curly haired brunette ran to his girlfriend and embraced her with a smile. When they released, he turned to her. "You must be Ava." John B extended his hand and she gratefully accepted.

"This is JJ and Pope." Sarah smiled introduced the two younger men in the room. "And that's Big John, John B's dad."

A chuckle left Ava's throat. "I'm not surprised. They both have the same name." Big John let out a deep laugh. Ava could see the warmth and admiration for his son in the old mans eyes. It was the same her uncle held for Macy. The look was different from the way her uncle looked at the broken teen. There was a special connection between father and child, one she would never receive.

Once introductions were made, the group and Ava made their way into the living room to watch some television and hang out.

Ava sat on the end of a couch next to JJ, along with Pope. Everyone was in their own conversation, which she didn't necessarily mind. "So Ava, where are you from?" Pope asked with kind eyes.

"Huntington Beach, California."

JJ's eyes widened. "Ah, surf city."

"That it is indeed." Ava let a small smile play on her lips as she shifted to looked at both boys. "Swells year round."

Pope spoke next. "We'll you've come to the right place. Might be cold right now, but waves come year round."

"So I've seen. I've definitely thought about going out a few times."

"JJ is a pretty decent surfer if I say so myself." John B chimed in.

"I'm the best surfer you know, and you know it."

Everyone was set off in a roar of laughter.  Must of been some inside joke she didn't fully understand, but the comment was funny to her, even still feeling slightly out of the loop.

"So you surf, what else does kook royalty do besides live off daddy's credit card?" JJ questioned. Ava was taken back. Macy explained what kook meant and the status it held, but she was barely kook. Back in California, she lived a small shack the size of John B's living room, and worked to pay rent and other expenses on her own.

Ava wanted to get mad and scream, but she knew they didn't know where she came from. Plus growing up on the poorer side, she hated the rich and understood where he might be coming from.

"I have a small business."

"Doing what, selling candles and T-shirts?" JJ continued to mock her, so she decided to play back.

"No I make handcrafted surfboards. Just one of them sells more than your family probably makes in a year." Ava stuck out her bottom lip and made a mock sad face, then patted his shoulder. The blonde boy next to her stiffened and became quite.

"I like her, we're keeping her." The rest of the group agreed with Kie.

Once JJ calmed downed he leaned closer to her. "We'll played, Goldielocks." She felt a sense of relief when she realized it was all in good fun to him. It hurt a little to her at first, but Ava learned to have a thick skin when it came to these things and now that it's behind her, she even thought it was funny.

"You too, JJ." The both laughed and continued small conversation about what she did.

"So how much does one board go for?" He smirked.

"Depends anywhere from $400 to $2,500. It's different for each board shape, size, and design."

"Damn. Do friends get a discount?"

"Who said we were friends?" Ava shifted backwards as if she didn't know what she was doing.

"Will you be my friend?" He practically begged.

"I don't know if you want that JJ." Now she was just playfully teasing him.

"I'd do anything for a discounted board."

Ava scoffed. "I feel so used. My feelings are hurt."

"I'm sorry baby girl. Please forgive me?" His blue eyes sparkled.

"Maybe this one time, I'll forgive. As for the discount, we'll see."

The night went on with everyone making jokes, watching whatever was on John B's twelve channels, and getting to know each other. Then Sarah took her home, other than the radio, it was fairly silent.

She slipped into the main house and was greeted by her uncle reading a newspaper. "How was your time sweetie?"

"I enjoyed it very much. They are very nice people. I hope to hang out with them again."

Uncle Matt beamed with excitement. "Ward says they are a good group of kids and I trust his judgment."

She smiled at his approval. "Well I have to finish some homework and then head to bed. Goodnight."

"Goodnight, Ava." He glanced back down to the sports section. "Oh, Ava? It's good to see you smile." With that, she nodded and left to carry out her work.

#outer banks cast #outer banks x reader #rafe outer banks #outer banks imagines #outer banks #john b routledge #jj maybank #jj maybank imagines #jj maybank x reader #angst #slow burn #fluff #sarah cameron

[ve1vetyoongi]

wherever you will go | jjk

Pairing: Jungkook x female reader

Genre: actor!oc, director!jungkook, smut, angst, humour.

Word count: 21k

Summary:  Not much happens when you grow up by the coast. Tourists come and go, the theatre where you work shows the same shows over and over and there’s always sand and salt in the air. Your dreams of making it big in the city are exactly that: dreams. When your hopes of becoming an actress are shattered into a million pieces, you find yourself getting drawn to a captivating up-and-coming movie director by the name of Jeon Jungkook. With his bright eyes and charming smile, he seems determined to glue your pieces back together -- even if it means leaving Ocean City behind for good.

Warnings: themes of loss/grief, mentions of death of a parent, dom!jungkook, dom/sub themes, spanking, squirting, unprotected sex, oral sex (f recieving).

Rating: Mature.

A/N: Hello loves! HAPPY JK DAY!! This fic is a lil celebration of our golden boy Jungkook so I hope you enjoy!! This whole fic is sickeningly fluffy and reads like a pretentious YA novel but ya girl wrote this while she was stuck in quarantine a few weeks ago and I debated not posting this bc I lowkey love it lowkey hate it so pleasedonthateme if it’s bad LOL. Also -- just incase you haven’t read the warnings already there is a running theme that deals with the loss of a parent (a topic very close to my heart, hence why this piece was especially healing to write.) so reader discretion is advised if that is triggering to you in any way shape or form!!!! P.P.S Largely unedited so pls bare with any mistakes!

Prelude.

You're late for your work shift, you note, as you catch sight of your watch face glaring up at you menacingly from the arm clutching the handle bars of your bike. As if your mood couldn't get any more miserable -- the dreary morning drizzle that falls from the sky and drips icily down the back of your nape was bad enough.

Goddamn, you groan to yourself as you will your feet to pedal ever faster. Now my hair is gonna be frizzy.

It's a Saturday and the theatre where you work always opens earlier at the weekends. You promised you'd be on time today, but yet here you are, speeding down the worn in sandy sidewalks of your seaside town a whole block away when you should've been opening up half an hour ago.

It's a habit of yours, being late. And as hard as you try, you just can't change a habit. But it can't be helped you suppose. Continuity is all you've ever known. That's the thing about living in a tiny seaside town. Things never change.

The view from your bedroom window has been the same for as long as you can remember — Ocean City — Aka, block after block of rainbow coloured houses with flaky paint leading up to the harbour where boats bob nonchalantly and fishermen reel in their catches beneath the gull filled sky. Beyond it the beach; greyish rolling waves and upturned pebbles nestled atop of hard sand in the winter and clear water and brightly coloured beach towels and brave surfers in the summer.

Nobody ever leaves, and the tourists that arrive in summer never stay. Life becomes a predictable practice, just each day lived out to the next in an endless cycle of never ending continuity. It's suffocating and endless and sometimes you feel like you're just a pawn on a giant chess board, destined to move one agonising square forward at a time, never diagonally. It's hard to change directions when you've been taught to stick to what you know.

You didn't always live here, in this town of continuity. You lived in the big city for a while, where no day was the same as another. But after your mother died you and your older brother were shipped off to live with your dad, who wouldn't know the definition of adapting if it hit him square in the face. He's always been the same square shouldered, balding dude in his forties who never wanted kids and never quite got over losing your mother to the big buck actor she ran off with when you were two.

So that's how you ended up here. Late for work at your job in the country's most prized vacation spot. And your boring reality.

You roll past the beach huts on the shoreline that alternate between vibrant pink and muted blue, barely paying attention to the boardwalk with its little boat house that stretches out into the horizon like a crooked finger. When it gets dark, you can spot the pier carnival lights flashing in the distance from here as they dance across the reflection of the pale white moon and play among the waves.

Even now, the yellow lights of the ornate street lamps that line the water's front shine like tiger's eyes against the sky just like they always have when you turn down the familiar route that takes you past the winding lanes of trinket shops and the happy hour bars and the carnival that feels strangely empty at such an early hour, not a single rollercoaster ride in operation.

Before long you're skidding to a stop outside of the The Crestmont, the old theatre where you work. It's everything you'd expect from a vintage cinema; pink and blue neon lights and a gold trimmed ticket booth out front with a three-sided marquee that extends from the front of the building like a brightly lit airport runway. You hurry beneath it, grateful for the protection it provides from the rain that has started to come down in lashes now, before heading over to the rack around the back of the building where you can chain your bike.

The Crestmont used to be somewhat of a hotspot back in the day or so your told, but these days it only shows cartoons at a discounted price for the neighbourhood kids and the occasional local production of some worn out musical everyone has seen a hundred times before. It's lost all it's magic, everyone says. But you disagree; you probably spend more time here than anyone, and there's magic in every inch of this place.

From the red velvet curtains to the grand chandelier, The Crestmont is one of a kind. Sometimes you disappear into the theatre by yourself for a while unbeknownst to your manager. You can almost taste the laughter and the tears and the love that has been spilled and shared unapologetically amongst these seats. Pure magic.

Your mom left a piece of herself here, too. If you close your eyes you can hear her laughter spilling out into the theatre, or her lilting singing voice filling every nook and cranny like a haunting siren. She was the Crestmont's star. Ocean City's sweetheart.

There's a wall of fame in the lobby. It's covered in portraits crested with gold frames, all filled with pictures of the Crestmont's greatest performers. You've spent hours there — (turns out it's the perfect hiding spot from your manager) — fingers tracing the plaques beneath each one, all inscribed with names that townsfolk whisper with dreamy looks in their eyes. Some are black and white, some colour, but all of them depict pretty faces with beaming smiles that never seem to fade.

Not even your mom's. Her smile is pearly and bright, right above the plaque with her birthdate. And her death date.

And right there at the end, an empty frame. Your frame. You can feel it. You already know how you'll pose for your picture. Hair over one shoulder, hand on hip, smile so convincing that it'll be like every happiness in your heart is written right across your forehead proudly, and you won't have to dull it any longer.

You finish hooking a chain around the handlebars of your bike, catching sight of your reflection in the darkened windows. Staring back at you is a girl dressed in a maroon v-neck with a preppy dicky bow tied around her collar. You frown. The white shirt itches and the high waisted pants make your crotch look weird but the uniform is compulsory. The only thing uglier is the sour expression on your face, which you try to smooth out with your thumb, experimenting with plastering a sickly smile to your face instead. It might be convincing if your lips didn't strain and your eyes weren't so prone to rolling without your permission.

You need to learn to hide your emotions, your father said. You have your feelings written across your face. Customers don't like that.

It's true; customer's didn't usually like you, your unforgiving face or when you spilled cola down their blouse or spat in their popcorn. One more complaint and you were on the path to being fired once and for all, and although in some ways you would be glad to say goodbye to the stupid slushie machine that always gets stuck and the ungrateful customers and the goddamn uniform, you can't loose this job.

Not when it's your ticket to making it big. Then customers will point to your picture as they pass and clutch their chest with a snide superiority, Oh! Can you believe she served me a cola once? I always knew she was gonna make it! instead of Would it kill you to smile a little, honey?

So you swallow a sigh and make your smile as convincing as possible and march inside of the ornate theatre doors of The Crestmont, hoping that today may be the day where things finally change for once.

Where it begins

"I'm going to work!" You call as you you pull a baseball cap down over your hair to cover it's unbrushed wildness. "I won't be back for a while so don't wait up, okay Taehyung?"

You pause with your hand on the door, listening carefully for a response; the small house you live in pulsates with the bass of some indie rock album your brother and his friends are obsessed with at the moment, and your eyes roll when you peer up the staircase and find Taehyung's bedroom door firmly closed like always.

With a shake of your head you scribble out a message on a sticky note — GONE 2 WORK. — and leave it for him to read when he eventually emerges from his man cave in search of sustenance and finds you gone.

You brush away the funny ache that nestles in your stomach. This is nothing new. You're used to not being heard. Your dad is always gone for trips you suspect involve more play than work, and your older brother pretends he's not broken by hanging around with the neighbourhood cool kids and barraging himself in his room for days on end. Despite living under one roof it feels as though you're miles apart, an invisible barrier separating you indefinitely.

You weren't always like this; distant, always stepping on eggshells around each other. You were a family once. A happy one. But since the accident there's been an absence in this house, and nothing has been the same since.

Still, you know that beneath Taehyung's standoffish persona, he's still your big brother. He worries about you. So you tack the note to the fridge and make your way outside.

The lawn is already brown despite it only being late May, and summer is shaping up to be hot and sticky, though you live two blocks away from the beach so the coolness of the ocean still thankfully pervades against your perspiring skin, the gulls already calling you with their high pitched squaks from down at the shoreline.

You've barely made it to the end of the drive before there's the sound of knuckles rapping against glass. You look up and your heart jumps into your mouth. Staring back at you is a pair of dark eyes from behind the upstairs windowpane. Even from this distance you can see how they shine, deep and dark like a cup of black coffee, and you'd recognise the annoyingly cute smirk that matches them anywhere.

Jungkook. Jeon Jungkook. Taehyung's best friend, and, unfortunately, your crush for as long as you knew what the word love meant.

"Hey, Y/N!" Your heart sinks when the window slides open and a messy head of brown hair sticks out through the gap and points at you with a pout. "You're leaving already? Without me?"

Oh; another thing about Jeon Jungkook. He's also your co-worker, which means you spend 16 hours a week in his company, much to the glee of your heart and the dismay of your conscience.

You weren't exactly surprised when you turned up to the Crestmont theatre for your first shift and were left in the capable hands of none other than Jungkook to teach you the ins and the outs of the popcorn machine and the ticket booth.

For as long as you've known him he's been somewhat of a film buff. He practically grew up holding a camera. You always used watch him and your brother making home movies in the backyard, fit with ketchup sachets for blood and endless costumes from your mom's closet. And the one time you stayed at his house when your dad went away for a while after the accident, you saw all the classic movie posters on his bedroom wall; Casablanca, Singing in the Rain, Jaws. So it made total sense for Jungkook to be at the Crestmont. In fact, you couldn't imagine him anywhere else.

That day you were mostly just surprised that he knew who you were at all. While you had spent years watching him from your bedroom window while he kicked a ball around with Taehyung or avoiding his eyes at the table when he stayed for dinner, he had never so much as glanced in your direction.

Deep down you think the reason he was so quick to take you under his wing is because he knew first hand how hard the accident hit your family. You suppose he feels he owes it to Taehyung to keep you in high spirits.

Although if you weren't you and he wasn't him, you'd swear Jungkook's attentions had become almost flirtatious as of late. He always goes the extra mile to spend time with you, and you even though you know it'll end up with you getting hurt you can't bring yourself to stop him.

You see, Jungkook has a gift for subtle charm. Like how he always sneaks you sodas out back on your lunch break, never forgetting the extra syrup — tooth rottingly sweet just how you like it — slipping one of his own dollars into the cash register to avoid a telling off from your manager. Or how he insists on helping you clean up after the theatre is empty, showing you the best secret places like down the back off seats to find misplaced trinkets and the creaky floorboard where your manager hides his cigarettes. How he insists on walking you home after the evening shift, even if he says he's going this way to see Taehyung anyway.

You've spent countless hours pondering over whether his sweet talking words mean as much to him as they do to you. And as much as you know it's unlikely for someone like Jeon Jungkook to ever have feelings for you, you can't help the way your heart speeds up every time he shoots you one of his signature bunny smiles that light up his whole face like he's happiness personified. And you can't bring yourself to hate him for it.

"I did call," you respond matter of factly, finally sucking in a breath of courage to turn around and squint up at him through the afternoon sun with a shrug. "But that trash you're listening too was too loud for you guys to hear me."

Jungkook's eyes widen as he fumbles around beneath the windowsill and pops up again holding up a shiny vinyl record sleeve. You recognise it instantly; it's from his favourite film — Submarine. He hardly ever shuts up about it.

"This is not trash. This is, like, the best movie soundtrack ever made!" He shakes his head as he takes the needle off of Taehyung's vintage record player, music ceasing with a scratch, and slips it into the sleeve with a grin. "Good thing I have it downloaded so we can listen to it on the way to work, hm?"

You roll your eyes and tap your foot impatiently, and at that, Taehyung appears behind him.

"You're leaving already?" He frowns, words directed at Jungkook even as he glances through narrowed eyes at you stood awkwardly on the front lawn.

"Yup. My shift starts in twenty." Jungkook shrugs, disappearing into the room for a second before he emerges again with a backpack slung over his shoulder. "Sorry dude. I can come back afterwards though, if you want?"

Taehyung purses his lips. Even from here you can see the stress lines embedded in his forehead that make him look older than his humble age of nineteen, somehow weak unlike how you always saw him as a kid. Big and strong; untouchable; your brother.

His blunt eyes never quite meet Jungkook's as he shakes his head softly. "'S good. I was gonna try and sleep, anyway, before the sun goes down. Didn't get much shut eye last night. Not with the..."

Nightmares. Taehyung trails off, but you know that's what he's alluding to. The nightmares that turn your big strong brother into a sniffling mess in the dead of night, kicking around mercilessly until you sneak into his bed and whisper to him until he slips into slumber again. Not that you ever acknowledge it in the morning over your bowls of cereal and vacant good morning's.

"Okay." Jungkook's face momentarily falls; a rare occurrence from the boy who seems to be perpetually cheerful. He pats Taehyung on the shoulder gently. "Take care of yourself, okay man?"

Taehyung just nods, letting out a yawn as he rolls into a stretch. "See ya tomorrow."

You're jolted from your thoughts when Jungkook throws his left leg out of the window, then the other, arms bulging in just the right way where they poke out of the sleeves of his plain white tee as he climbs down the drainpipe and lands with a thump on the soles of his high top sneakers.

"Hey kiddo." He grins as he wipes the palms of his hands on the thighs of his ripped jeans, before messing up your hair despite your groan of protest.

"Don't call me that. You're only a year older than me."

You're startled when you meet the pair of warm eyes that glint golden brown in the summer evening light, chest contracting as you look away and break into a fast walk towards the street.

"And you know you can just use the front door right?"

You hear him snort behind you, neglecting to use the front gate and instead launching over the fence so he lands directly in front of you on the sidewalk.

"How am I supposed to impress my best friends little sister if I can't show off my guns?" He flexes his arm, but you just brush past him with a roll of your eyes.

"You're an idiot."

You hear the clunk of his bike chain unhooking from the gate, before a set of wheels pedal up on the sidewalk beside you. "Hey! Where are you going?"

"Uh, to work?" You offer bluntly, squinting at him through the sun. "You should be too, we start in fifteen minutes."

"I mean why are you walking? What happened to your bike?"

You roll your eyes. "Some tourist kids slashed the wheels at the beach."

"Shit. Really?" Jungkook tuts, but you don't miss the glint in his eye as he nods towards the pegs on the back of his bike that were made for carrying a passenger."Then I guess it's my lucky day. Hop on, we can ride together."

You come to a standstill, arms crossed tightly. "I'd rather walk."

"Oh come on!" He wiggles his eyebrows. "It'll take double the time if we go on foot, and I recall it being you who got a final late warning last week."

"If we go on foot?" You laugh breathily, determined to stand your ground. "Just go on ahead, I'm good here."

"Well, I'm not exactly going to leave you here alone on the side of the road now am I? So I'll be forced to walk with you. And I'm older than you remember? Look, I'm already out of breath! My legs aren't what they used to be, y'know."

"Fine!" With a pout you take the helmet resting in his front basket and hook it underneath your chin, biting your lip to stop a smile from gracing your lips at the excitement that lights up Jungkook's features. "But only because I want you to shut up."

"Your wish is my command." He says with a pat to your head. "Hold on tight, okay?"

And as you wrap your arms around his waist, you're sure his ears heat up a deep shade of red, even it could just be the evening light playing tricks on you.

The theatre at the Crestmont feels eerily quiet when its empty.

You know that because even though your shift was supposed to end at 5, you offered to stick around to help clean up after today's performance. Phantom of the Opera.

"Jesus," You groan as you pick up another sticky soda cup that someone had kindly spilled all over the ground for you to clean up, dropping the offender into a black trash bag. "Doesn't anyone around here know how to use a trash can?"

You fall into one of the theatre seats with a sigh and run your fingers over the scarlet velvet, worn yet plush, the texture soothing you instantly. You tilt your head back and let the silence engulf you. No orchestra, no musical numbers, no stage crew shouting directions. No whirring cotton candy machine. Just you and the stage.

From here you can see every detail on the high ceiling littered with renaissance-style paintings of mermaids and babies armed with heart shaped bow and arrows. Your mom was an actress. When you were a kid you used to spent hours staring at them while she rehearsed. You were convinced they came alive once the theatre closed up for the night, their cheeky smiles evidence of a secret only you knew.

A trail of rainbows is cast by the grand chandelier hung in the center, and it draws your attention all the way down the aisles and up to the stage.

The Crestmont is only small, fitting perhaps 200 people at most. It's hardly Broadway. But the fire in your chest ignites as you glance side to side before sidling up the creaking wooden steps that wind up to the Crestmont's center stage. Your favourite part of the whole theatre.

It's not the first time you've done this. You often like to come up here after everyone has gone home, even though you technically aren't supposed to. There's a certain magic about being alone up here as you collect the lone roses that were thrown on stage by tonight's audience. Breathing in the musty smell of butter popcorn that lingers on the velvet curtains, feel the warmth of the bright stage lights glazing your skin. Something about it feels like home.

The first time you ever saw the Crestmont stage was on tv, watching a grainy camera shakily capture your mom in the very same spot you find yourself right now.

Your mom used to have a cardboard box filled with her old audition tapes. Everything from Hamlet to A Streetcar Named Desire, she'd starred in it, and you spent hours together in front of the television set trying to memorise the way she spoke your favourite lines and listening to her lilting voice recite backstage anecdotes about her rendezvous with foreign directors who dined on her in Paris or underground parties with celebrities you had never even heard of as she stroked your hair.

It wasn't until you got a little older that you realised that, just like you, your mom was a dreamer. Sure, she'd visited a couple different states and starred in some makeup commercials once, and that was enough to make her a celebrity in a town as small as this.

But really? She was just a small town actress with dreams larger than herself and way larger than the Crestmont where she made her name. And suddenly the gaps in time where she would disappear for weeks — sometimes months — on end no longer made sense to you. If she wasn't drinking cocktails with the prince of Monaco or clubbing in London, then where was she?

"Down town with those no good roadies," Taehyung told you once. "They made all these empty promises. Told her she'd make it big if she just did what they said. But look how that turned out."

That was the day you realised your mom was a better actress than you ever knew.

She always thought that her dreams would come true. She believed it so hard that you believed it too, naively. But who knows? Maybe they would have if she didn't get into an accident on her way to New York for her big break.

It's easy to imagine how your mom felt up here. She always looked so alive and free in those VHS tapes as she danced effortlessly across the stage with an ethereal weightlessness, the theatre silent except for the melodic sweetness of her monologues that drew tears to the eyes of those who listened eagerly.

If you close your eyes you can hear the roar of the crowd, hands clapping furiously. The orchestra tuning their brass in the pit, bows melodic against strings. Flowers landing at your feet. The deep breath of satisfaction as you take your final bow and the curtain closes.

Just like that you're moving across the stage, reciting the lines you know so well...

"You're gonna be a star like me some day," A voice whispers against your ear, soft and gentle. A memory. Your mom. "Just like me."

And just like that, she's there. In the audience, clapping. For you. And you feel invincible.

The sound of applause breaks you out of your trance. Real applause. You find yourself stood center stage, broom in hand, staring out at row after row of empty seats that gape with the same emptiness that was here when you arrived.

Except one of the velvet lined seats is filled now. Right at the front.

"Encore!" Jungkook whistles, the harsh thwacks of his palms clapping together clanging inside your ears. "Do it again! That was amazing!"

Your chest seizes painfully, a sudden bout of panic turning your blood cold. You feel the colour leave your face. How long has he been here? How long has he been watching?

Jungkook is watching you attentively, eyes soft at the edges with wonder. It makes bile rise in your throat. You can't be up here. Not when there's a pair of eyes looking at you, judging.

"I..." You begin, but the words get caught in your throat.

"I can't do this."

The way Jungkook's eyes widen and he lurches forward to catch you is the last thing you see before your vision goes black.

The boardwalk is strangely quiet for a summer evening. It's happy hour so you suppose most vacationers are already in the bars in their I LOVE OCEAN CITY T-shirts drinking cocktails or whatever. Not that you're complaining.

The smell of hotdogs and vinegar from the vans that line the strip still fill the air, snatches of conversations from children begging their parents to let them go on the waltzer one last time barely audible above the tinkling bells of the carousel. The ride operators drink soda's as they fan themselves with rolled up newspapers, grateful for the gentle hubbub on such a sticky evening, and then there's you, caught up in the middle of it all.

The wooden boards of the pier are warm against he backs of your thighs. You're sat with your legs dangling through the peeling guard rail that lines the strip. It was painted pastel blue at some point but years of sea spray and grubby hands made it fade to a sickly green tinge that matches the ocean.

Speaking of, the ocean would usually be directly below your feet, murky and wild, but today the tide has receded right back to reveal a large strip of sand. The stands suspending the pier rest on top of it so that you could walk right under and around them if you wanted to. You and Taehyung used to do that all the time when you were kids. Searching for barnacles. Exploring the dark places.

"Here. Eat up. You totally passed out on me back there. You could probably do with some sugar."

The soft voice beside you is the only thing loud enough to permeate your daydreams. You don't have look up to know who it belongs to. Jungkook.

He peers down at you, sun beating down against his back. He's holding two vanilla ice cream cones, double scooped, and he thrusts one into your hands before mirroring your position at the edge of the boardwalk.

The walk down here from the Crestmont was more or less silent, and your stomach twists now you realise Jungkook wants to talk.

"What are you thinking about?"

"Nothing." You lie. The ice cream is cold and sweet and covers the bitterness. "I just think it's funny."

Jungkook's tongue sneaks out to lick up the melted cream dribbling down his cone. "What is?"

"How this place stays the same but I feel so different." You were born here, raised here. This place was your whole life once, with it's salty air and bustling casino's. But since the accident, something's been bubbling inside you, swelling and crashing like the ocean below that taunts you and you've never felt farther from home in your life as you do now, looking out over the town that just won't budge, just like the funny ache in your chest. "Forget I said it. I don't know why I'm even telling you this."

Jungkook fidgets beside you and runs a hand through his hair with a sigh."It's okay, y'know. To miss her."

Your mom. You know that's who he means. Just the mention of her stings.

"Mhm." You snort. "Tell that to my family. If we all carried on missing mom then we'd be in pretty hot shit by now."

"If it's Taehyung you're worried about, then don't be. He's stronger than he looks."

"Until he's not anymore. And we lose him again just like—" You pause. You hate how you can hear the pain in your voice so you smooth it out. "Just like before. And I can't let that happen. I won't."

Jungkook shifts. As Taehyung's oldest friend he was there for everything in the aftermath of the accident. He was there when you put on a brave face for the sake of your family. He was there when Taehyung couldn't be any more.

"That doesn't mean you have to be strong all the time. Think about it this way. The ocean isn't always this calm right?" He gazes wistfully out over the ocean that swells and crashes against the shore, fingers twirling the gold chain around his neck. "Last winter when we had that huge storm, the waves were so big they smashed right through the pier support beams."

You furrow your brows. "What about it?"

"The ocean was just too much for the pier to bare and it would've come crashing down forever if half the neighborhood didn't come down to the beach in the dead of night, despite the rain, and hold it together until the storm calmed and the emergency repair boats could get to shore."

It's true. You remember how unforgiving the rain was as it pelted down against your back and froze you through to the bone that night as each and every familiar face from your neighborhood came down to the seafront to lend a hand, your family included.

Jungkook was there too. He was the one who knocked on your door in the early hours to spread the word. He got given free churros for life by one of the pier stall owners as a reward.

"What I'm trying to say Y/N, is that Taehyung has you to lean on, right? So who do you have?" Jungkook says, staring at you head on now. His sincerity almost makes you blush.

You bite your lip. Deep down you know that your beams are just as broken as Taehyung's and it's only a matter of time before they come crashing down into the water, and this time there'll be nobody to hold the pieces together.

"I don't need anyone. I'm just fine on my own. I can handle my ocean."

Jungkook brushes your hand. You flinch, so he pulls it back into his lap. "Well if you ever need a life boat, then you know where I am okay?"

You don't believe him, but he's staring at you so expectantly that you just tell him what he wants to hear. You're good at that.

"Okay." You whisper. "Okay."

Children's laughter bubbles up from the beach. You watch their distant silhouettes dancing among the waves. It's Jungkook who breaks the silence before it settles between you and becomes uncomfortable.

"Anyway, what were you doing up there on the stage today?" He smiles, like he's trying to lighten the mood. "You looked like you were having the time of your life before—"

You feel your cheeks start to burn. How long had Jungkook been watching you at the Crestmont? Had he seen the whole thing?

"It was nothing. I was just being dumb."

"Nothing?" Jungkook cocks his head to the side and punches you playfully. "It didn't seem like nothing."

"It just...it makes me feel close to my mom when I'm on the stage." You admit. "I loved watching her when I was a kid. She was always larger than life in my eyes. She had this way of making you really believe she was someone else. It was like she wasn't just acting -- she was becoming. Sometimes...sometimes I think I liked her better when she was in character."

You shake your head with a small smile. "I like me better when I'm in character. I used to dream about going to New York one day and becoming an actress just like she wanted to. Small town girl making it big in the city and all that." You scoff. "But I'm nothing like her. It's just fun to pretend sometimes."

"You're good. At performing. Like, really good." Jungkook's eyes are wide. When he places a hand on your forearm you don't shake it off this time. "You take after her. Everyone says it."

It's true. There's one photo of your mom in the house. It's in Taehyung's room. When you were younger you thought it was your face staring back at you from behind the glass. Sometimes you'll be walking down the boardwalk or serving soda's at work and you'll hear the whispers. See their heads turn. Is it her?

"Pfft. Looks mean nothing." You scoff. "She was fearless. I can't even speak in front of one person without passing out, let alone a crowd."

Realisation crosses Jungkook's face. "Oh. So that's what happened back there? Stage fright?"

"Uh huh." You roll your eyes. "So don't give me the follow your dreams spiel or whatever."

"Hmm." Jungkook uses his arms as a makeshift pillow so he can lay back against the ground. You mirror him, peering through your fingers to watch how the golden rays of the sun swallow his frame. "Remember that play they made us do in middle school?"

"The Nativity?" You raise your eyebrow. It was the first theatre production you were in, before the accident and way before you had stage fright.

"Yeah." He grins. "I was the sheep. Taehyung made fun of me for months afterwards because of that stupid costume my grandma made."

"Yeah." You snort. "You did look sorta dumb."

Jungkook bumps your arm with a playful pout that makes you giggle. "And do you remember how I forgot my lines on stage and nearly pissed myself with stage fright? God, I still remember how mad my dad looked in the front row. We'd practiced that part for weeks. I don't know why it happened. I just froze—" A small smile forms on his lips. "But you didn't. Next thing I know there's a kid in a gold star of Bethlehem costume running on stage to recite my lines for me. You stole the show, remember that? Everyone loved you."

"That was then." You murmur, but you can't suppress the smile tugging at the corners or your mouth. "I'm not the same person."

"You were a year younger than the rest of my class but you auditioned anyway, because you knew that you were the only person who could play the star. Because you were a star."

Jungkook turns so that his head rests on his elbow and you're suddenly so close you can feel his breath ghost across your cheek. Your heart pumps in your ears as you gaze dips down to his rosy lips and back up to his sparkling eyes which bore into yours.

"You still are a star."

The words echo in your ears, soft and sincere. His tongue snakes out to wet his lips. You lose your breath. And then you jump away, placing a safe distance between your bodies before you can do something you regret.

"And what about you. Are you still a sheep?" You tease, turning your face so he can't see how it burns rosy red.

"Nah. Figured out pretty quickly after that that I was better off behind the camera." He chuckles.

"Oh right. You still have that thing?" You nod to the camera in his lap. It's one of those old ones that looks like the type that needs a film reel and a projector, but it's been modified so there's a little viewfinder at the side to check the footage instead. "Can I see?"

"What?" Jungkook blinks.

"Some of the stuff you've filmed?"

"Oh! Right!" It's his turn to flush now, scratching the back of his neck as he anxiously thrusts the camera into your hands and pays close attention to the hangnail at the edge of his thumb as you watch the footage.

Your eyes widen when a familiar scene rolls out on the tiny screen. You, on stage at the Crestmont. Jungkook filmed you.

"This is..."

"You." He rushes."Yeah, I know. Sorry if this is awkward—"

"No. Not at all. I just—" You watch in awe as the you inside the camera moves across the stage with an effortless grace. How the lights make your eyes shine and your skin brighter than you remember it being in the mirror this morning. "How did you do that?"

Jungkook's forehead creases. "Do what?"

"Make me look like...that."

"I didn't do anything." Jungkook shrugs. "That's just how I see you."

You could listen to him say that all day, but you stop yourself mid swoon.

"Don't say things you don't mean."

"I do mean it. And I'll show you." He wiggles his eyebrows.

"How?"

He grabs your hand and squeezes it. Tight. "I don't know how yet but I will."

You roll your eyes. "Good luck, Jeon."

"You know I like a challenge." Jungkook laughs, and the melodic sound goes right to your chest. "I'll make you see yourself how I see you. Just wait."

"Since when did you have four wheels?" You call to Jungkook with a quirk of your brow, resting your elbows on the window ledge of the beat up truck he pulls up in outside the Crestmont.

It's a sticky August afternoon and the rusty red vehicle purrs— or more like splutters — in the parking lot as Jungkook untangles your bike from the rack and lifts it into the cargo bed like it's weightless. Just yesterday he came by with his pump and a patch to fix that goddamn slashed tyre, and now he's stealing it?

"Hey! What are you doing with my bike?"

He is clad in nothing but a white vest and board shorts, and you can see perspiration glimmering at his temples as the salty breeze blowing from the beach ruffles the dark curls that flop over his forehead.

"This is my dad's truck," His eyes flash with pride as he hops into the open drivers side door and makes the engine growl. He nods to the empty seat beside him and pushes his dark round sunglasses down the bridge of his nose, fanning his face with his hands. "And you won't be needing your bike today. Now hurry up and get in, loser. I've been waiting ages for your shift to finish and the AC is broken."

You raise a brow. "We're going somewhere?"

"Yeah. Why else would I be waiting for you to get in my truck?"

"I mean, we're going somewhere in this?" You nod towards the truck's worn tires, the fumes that wisp from the exhaust pipe like a lit cigar. "Are you sure it's safe?"

Jungkook notices the way you bite your lip. You don't even have to tell him the worries that are running through your mind. It's as if he can read them like an open book.

"Are you still scared of riding in cars?" He questions, softly.

You nod. That's what an accident does to someone. Makes them scared of something they ordinarily wouldn't even question.

"A little." The breeze ruffles your hair and you hide behind it. "I'm getting better." You add, so he doesn't feel bad because you know he does. His face tells you as much.

"It's a short drive, if that helps." He rushes. "And I asked Taehyung and he said you'd be okay, but if you aren't then I can just walk you home—"

"No." You shake your head firmly. There's a funny fizzing in your stomach that's been there ever since that day on the boardwalk, and it's only growing stronger and stronger now you're inches away from Jungkook and his warm eyes and gentle smile. You don't want it to end just yet. It's enough to outweigh the wriggling fear that's always inside you just a little. "Where are we going?"

Jungkook's face lights up and your heart flips when you realise it's because of you.

"I told you I was gonna make you see what I see, didn't I?"

"Oh that was today?" You tease. "Must have missed it it in the calendar."

"Stop asking questions! Just get in. Please?"

"Fine." You walk around to the passenger door, sliding in beside him and throwing your bag into the back seat. "But I need to be home by midnight or Taehyung will worry."

"No problemo." Jungkook salutes as he switches on the engine and the truck roars to life. You clasp your hands tightly in your lap and breathe through your nose. You're okay. You're safe."Home by midnight. It's a promise."

You gaze out of the window to stop your thoughts from running wild. Jungkook turns left, away from town and the beach and everything familiar. You watch it get smaller and smaller in the mirrors, strangely relieved. Strangely excited.

"Now will you tell me where we're going?" You ask.

"Nope." Jungkook chuckles when you pout. "Just sit back. Relax. Take in the view. Listen to the music."

He leans across the dash, making a point to keep his eyes on the road as he fiddles with the stereo. A familiar string of guitar chords fill the truck. You recognise them, even if vaguely. Probably from Taehyung's vast collection of records.

"The Beatles right?" You ask, resting your chin on your knee as you dare to take a peek at him, blushing when you find him already staring at you.

"Pfft, yeah. Of course it's The Beatles! Only their greatest soundtrack, like, ever."

You shrug. "I've never listened to them before, so I wouldn't know."

"Oh come on? You haven't seen A Hard Day's Night?" His eyes widen when you shake your head. "Super Fly? Pulp Fiction? Purple Rain?"

You stifle a giggle at the look of pure shock he's sending you. "Nope. Should I have?"

"Absolutely!" He splutters. Passion shines in his eyes. "You're missing out on some of the greatest cinematography known to man!"

"I guess you have a lot to fill me in on, then."

"I sure do." His eyes soften. "Open the glove box."

You open it. Inside you find an assortment of cassette tapes, old and new. You send him a curious look.

"Close your eyes and choose one." He nods. "Go on."

You do as he says and shut your lids tightly, feeling around until your fingers curl around a tape you're strangely drawn to. When you open your eyes you find a worn box in your palm, yellow at the edges, and you're momentarily disappointed until Jungkook hums in approval beside you.

"Good choice! Dirty Dancing. A classic." He takes it from you and slides the tape into the stereo. It crackles a little before the music starts. "Trust me, you'll love it."

The stereo tracklist flashes amber. 01: Do You Love Me?

"You broke my heart 'cause I couldn't dance," Jungkook sings along in a deep voice, eyebrows bouncing as you loll your head to the side to send him an eye roll. "And now I'm back to let you know I can really shake 'em down!"

The song starts, all vibrant guitar and drums. It has a funky 60's groove, like it belongs in a swing dancing club instead of on the highway at sunset. It's a happy song and you think it suits Jungkook just right.

Speaking of Jungkook, he starts to bob his head in time with the beat, fingertips tapping in rhythm against the steering wheel. He looks adorably dorky, losing himself to the song, like he's forgotten you're even sat beside him.

"You look like an idiot." You deadpan, though you can't cover the laugh that escapes you as he sings along louder.

"No, I look like I'm having fun!" Jungkook rolls down the window and turns up the music so loud he has to shout for you to hear him. "Don't you ever do this? Just give in to the music for a while? Let your body do what it wants?"

"Uh, no. I prefer to just listen." You shout back. "Besides, your body should be focused on driving this car right now--"

"Oh come on! Just try it."

"Try it?" You blink, stomach suddenly knotting."Like now? In front of you?"

"Well duh. Look. Copy me."

He starts to shake his shoulders from side to side, fingers clicking as he nods for you to do the same.

"I...okay." You start to copy, but you catch yourself in the rear view mirror and you just look stiff compared to how effortlessly Jungkook moves to the rhythm.

"See you're doing it!" Jungkook grins, throwing his head back. "Feels good huh?"

"Kinda..." You have to admit there is something liberating about just letting go. "Like this?"

Your knees volunteer themselves to the beat, and then your arms, and before you know it you've got your eyes closed, hair whipping around your face as you speed down the interstate

"That's it. Feel the music!"

Before you know it, the song ends and you realise all at once that you're laughing. Loud and free, enough to make your belly hurt. Jungkook is too, the sound better than any song you've ever heard, and neither of you can seem to stop.

"Oh my god." You pant, covering your face with your fingers, embarrassed. "Now we both look like idiots."

"Don't hide from me." Jungkook bites his lip. You're suddenly aware of how close he is. His arms grab your wrists, pulling them away from your face, but he doesn't drop the one closest to him. Instead he links your fingers and uses your shared grip to change the gear as he turns down a winding road.

"I'm shy." You say, and you can feel the heat in your cheeks.

"Why? You're beautiful." Jungkook puts the car into park. You realise all at once that you've been driving for ages and you didn't even panic once. "Besides, we've arrived. And you're not gonna wanna miss seeing this."

The destination Jungkook seems so excited about turns out to be a concrete parking lot.

"Where are we, Jungkook?" You ask, looking around but finding nothing but tyre tracks and dirt.

Jungkook has already hopped out of the drivers side, sliding over the hood of the car to tug open your door with a quirk of his brow.

He holds out his palm, upturned and calloused. "Do you trust me?"

You bite your lip, heart pounding. Do you trust him?

Your body speaks for you and you slide your hand into his. His thumb traces your knuckles reassuringly.

"Yes." You breathe. "I trust you."

"Good."

You yelp when an arm wraps around your waist and hoists you out of the car, tightly interlocked fingers blocking your vision like a makeshift blindfold. "Don't open your eyes until I tell you to."

"Okay." You giggle, feet stumbling as you try to find your balance with the help of a sturdy hand beneath your elbow.

Jungkook hums gently beneath his breath as he guides you up a path that turns from concrete to loose rock to dampened grass beneath the soles of your beat up sneakers. There's a voice in the back of your mind that tells you to be nervous; who knows where he could be taking you right now.

But as you breathe in the musty notes of his cologne and feel your heart flutter in your chest when he comes to a stop and rests his chin on your shoulder, just close enough to feel his laugh ghost across your neck, you don't care where in the world you are right now as long as it's beside him.

"Now, open."

The sun is startlingly bright when you open your eyes for the first time and see the vibrant meadow that stretches as far as you can see.

Wait — that's not the sun. It's sunflowers. Clusters of them, cheerfully waving with the breeze from where you stand on the path that continues for a few steps before it disappears among their stems.

The sunflowers are a burst of golden colour against the fading green of the meadow, and the horizon beyond that which boasts the silhouette of beach rock against the soft blue of the ocean at sunset. There's tracks here and there where the uncut grass is trampled, like some children had played hide and seek.

You reach out a hand and brush your fingertips over the velvety petals; breathe in the botanical scent of the fresh sunny blooms that dances through the meadow. It's breathtaking, you think. There's no coordination, just freedom choreographed by the wind as the tall stems sway back and forth in their gentle dance.

Before you know it you've taken off into a run, grinning with childlike glee when the tall grass tickles your nose and the sun whispers against your neck.

"Jungkook, this place is—"

"Beautiful right?" You nod breathlessly, blushing deeply when you come to a stop and find him staring right at you. He squeezes your hand and that's when you notice your fingers are still interlinked. "I come here a lot. When I need to think."

"How did you find this place?"

"Taehyung and I stumbled upon it a few summers ago by accident." He says. "Nobody knows about it. It's our secret."

"It's so beautiful." You whisper. "The whole world needs to see this."

Jungkook kicks at a stone with the toe of his boot. "I kinda like it being a secret. This place...is special to me."

"Then why...." The words get caught in your throat. You swallow and try again. "Why did you bring me here?"

"I wanted to show you the things I find most beautiful. Remember?"

"The sunflowers?"

"Well yeah..." He scratches the back of his neck. Swallows thickly, like he's preparing himself. "But I was thinking of something a little different..."

You close your eyes, a smile appearing on your lips as you let the crisp breeze caress your face. "Then what?"

There's a sharp click of a shutter, and when your lashes flutter open in surprise, Jungkook is shaking a Polaroid picture back and forth, his eyes glinting with something mischievous.

"Hey! Give me that—" You reach for the Polaroid, stomach churning with a sudden shyness that makes you hug your arms.

"Just — don't do that okay?" He holds it out of reach, pleading with his eyes. "Please."

"Do what?"

"Give up on what makes you happy just because you're scared." His palm cups your cheek. "You said it yourself. Being in front of the camera is where you belong. Don't you see that?"

"I'm not scared." You feel the heat rise in your cheeks when Jungkook sends you a knowing look. "Okay maybe I am scared. And so what if I am? You've already given me the face your fears spiel and I told you. I'm perfectly happy avoiding every camera known to man for the rest of my life if it means I never have to face them."

"But you've already faced one of your fears today. You got in my car, remember?" He raises an eyebrow, smug. "Well, two technically, 'cause you're here with me now and I know how nervous you used to get around me--"

"Did not!"

"Do too! Every time we talk outside of work you get all shy and--"

"Shut up."

"See! You're doing it right now!"

You don't know what compels you to do it. Maybe it's the heat rising in the apples of your cheeks or the way your heart quickens when Jungkook closes the gap between you, but before you can stop yourself you're reaching up and grasping his face with both hands.

"Oh just shut up and kiss me, doofus."

The smug smirk on Jungkook's face is replaced with wide eyed surprise, his lips falling still for a moment when yours crash against his. But then his steady hands find your waist and he supports you on your tip toes so he can pull you ever closer, melting into the plush press of your lips.

When you pull back, you're smiling. You can't help it. You've been dreaming of this moment since, like, middle school. And goddamn, he even tastes how you imagined. Like black coffee and toothpaste.

"See." He tucks a strand of hair behind your ear. "Happiness suits you."

"Whatever, Jeon." You smirk. "Don't let it go to your head, but it's thanks to you."

Jungkook flashes you the biggest bunny grin you've ever seen, eyes sparkling at your words.

"Wait...stay like that." He reaches for his camcorder in his backpack and points the lens at you. The smile falls from your lips. You place a hand on his arm, grip tighter than you intended.

"Jungkook stop."

"What's wrong? Just keep smiling like that, the shot was perfect—"

"I don't know what to do." You shrug, the lens boring into you like a judgy aunt at Thanksgiving dinner. "The camera makes me nervous."

"Just pretend I'm not here."

You sniff. "I don't want you to not be here..."

"Listen," Jungkook cups your face, thumbs tracing your cheeks fondly. "The reason I brought you here? It's because this place reminds me of you. Beautiful."

"Jungkook--"

"Just like you said, the world needs to see this place. Just like they need to see you."

"I..." Your heart is on the verge of exploding, you would swear it. "Okay." The word rolls off your tongue before you can stop it because somehow you trust him. And deep down, there's still that fizz of excitement mixing in with all the nervousness. The Jungkook Effect. You don't want to lose it to the darkness like everything else.

"I'll try. Just-- don't laugh at me okay?"

"You have my word, sarge." He salutes with a thoughtful grin. "Hold on a sec. I know exactly what you need to get you going."

Jungkook jumps to his feet and you watch with your chin tucked between your knees as he jogs down the rocky path and opens all four of the truck doors, even the trunk, before his head disappears into the vehicle and the same pumping bass from earlier starts blasting into the quiet serene of the sunflower field.

"There," He grins as he returns, out of breath, and sits back down beside you cross legged, holding his camcorder to his eye. "Now do what you were doing before again, but over there. Just pretend you're on stage at the Crestmont, okay?"

You feel the music wash over you and the urge to move hits you like a wave. Jungkook nods encouragingly and there's something in his eyes that flips a switch inside you. And for the first time in a long time, all the passion and spirit and feeling inside you fizzes up to the top and you can't contain it any longer.

"That's it!" Jungkook calls, shutter clicking uncontrollably. "I knew you could do it!"

An oak tree provides sun-flecked shade, a cool sanctuary from the sun that sets on the horizon and splashes the sky's canvas magenta.

Jungkook laid out a checkered blanket from the trunk of his truck which you both lay upon, shoulders pressed together as close as humanly possible, surrounded by your devoured picnic consisting of his mom's fruit punch and bags of snacks he took from the concession stand at the Crestmont when nobody was looking.

"Holy shit, Y/N." He says through a mouthful of popcorn, jabbing his finger at his favourite shot of you in front of the sunflowers. "This is what I've been saying! You're a natural in front of the camera."

"No, you're amazing, Jungkook." You feel for his hand. It's funny how natural it feels already when his pinky links with yours. "Behind the camera."

"You think?" He chews his lip, eyes searching yours for approval.

"I know. You should do something with these. People need to see them."

"I'm thinking of becoming a filmographer, actually"

"Like at the pier?" You think of the tacky photo booth that overlooks the sea in town, fit with all the silly cardboard cut outs that tourists come and take a photo with for a dollar.

"No, I mean a real filmographer." He shrugs, and you're sure there's a trace of a blush on his cheeks. "Y'know. Movies and stuff."

You nod. It makes sense for Jungkook to spend his life with a camera glued to his right hand. You can't imagine Jungkook anywhere else, and you have to ignore the sinking feeling that comes with the realisation that he would eventually leave Ocean City -- and you -- behind for the big screen.

"Well you bet your ass I'll be front row to watch each and every one, Jeon Jungkook."

"My lucky star." Jungkook smiles.

"Always."

He must see the sadness brimming inside you, his body shuffling closer so your knees brush. It's reassuring somewhat.

"Actually...there's something I should tell you."

He shifts under your gaze. The nerves rush back. "What is it?"

"I guess I finished writing my first screenplay..."

"That's like a movie script, right?" You ask eagerly, and he nods. "That's great, Kook!"

"Yeah, it's great it's just --" He pauses, and clutches your hand tighter like he's scared what he says next will make you let go forever. "It's about you."

You pale. "M-me?"

"I mean, it's about you and...and Taehyung! And your mom." Jungkook rushes. "I was inspired by your story at the boardwalk and it just happened! I'm sorry, I know you probably hate me now and think I'm crazy but--"

"Burn it." You deadpan.

Jungkook blinks. "W..what?"

"I said burn it." You pull his hand into your lap and he lets out a sigh of relief. "I don't hate you, Kook. I just think you were right earlier when you said I need to face my fears. And the only way I can do that is by forgetting my past. The last thing I need is a whole freaking movie about it."

He joins in with your strained chuckles. "Sure you aren't mad?"

"Not mad." You assure with a smile.

"Then I'll burn it."

You avoid his gaze shyly. "I'm kinda honoured you wrote about me, though." You admit.

"I guess...I guess I could call you my muse." Jungkook blurts hurriedly. His nose is a deep shade of pink and it makes you want to tease him forever.

"Yeah." You nod to yourself with a smile. "I like that. Your muse."

And then his lips are on yours again, like he can't quite help himself, and you start to forget where yours begin and his end.

This time it's not delicate and sweet. It's slow and languid, hot and heavy. The sunflowers break your fall, Jungkook's lips never leaving yours as he climbs on top of you, one hand tangled in your hair, the other planted beside your head so that his chest hovers above yours. You're almost certain he can feel how hard your heart is pounding in your chest, but you don't care, too lost in the bliss of finally feeling Jungkook's plush lips against your own.

"Come to New York with me." He says breathlessly between kisses, and your heart stops.

"What?" You can hardly drag your lips away from his but you have to be sure you heard him right. New York?

"I mean, in the future. I'm gonna go to New York. Get a job at a film production company or something, I don't know--" He tucks a piece of hair behind your ear. "Come with me."

"I...I can't."

"Why?" He frowns. "Is it me?"

"No! God no."

"Then why? You said it was your dream right?" You nod. "So what's stopping you?"

"I..I have to take care of Taehyung, and my job at the Crestmont and--"

"Okay. Lets pretend none of that exists. It's just you and me." His breath ghosts against your forehead. "Y/N, will you come to New York with me?"

"Yes." It comes out breathless, but you mean it. With every atom and nerve and fiber in your body. "Lets go to New York."

Where things change.

3 years later.

A postcard sits on the Welcome Home! Doormat you and Jungkook bought before you left for New York. You recognise the picture perfect image of Ocean City on the front, and Taehyung's messy scrawl on the back that tells you he's doing fine at his new management job at the Crestmont and he will be sending a housewarming gift imminently.

— Stay smiling, Y/N. Miss you already! Taehyung. :)

With a small smile you tack it onto the bare fridge. It brightens up the empty kitchen somewhat, a little piece of home and a reminder that you don't need to worry about leaving your brother behind to fend for himself so much any more. Since he pulled his life together and got a job at the theatre, it's like he came alive again. Found his purpose.

Speaking of purposes, you suppose that's how you found yourself here. In your very own apartment in a nice complex on the east side. The east side of New York City.

There's a pair of satin curtains hung over the balcony doors, probably left behind by the old tenant as it's the only form of furniture in the whole apartment. They rustle in the morning breeze and you tiptoe across the room barefoot to rip them open, letting your eyes flutter shut when the early morning sun filters through the glass and cascades over your face like a warm embrace.

You press a hand to the glass, studying your reflection; the messy lump of hair atop your head, the soft shadow of your lashes atop your cheeks. And beyond it, New York. Your new normal in all it's familiar glory from your dreams, yet still so deliciously foreign it makes your heart leap whenever a cab horn rings out in the distance or you breathe in the smell of fresh bagels from the shop down the street.

Home. You could finally call it that now. But New York is just a city and this apartment is just a house. The real reason you get to call this place home is because of who you came here with.

Jungkook.

You've been dating for two and a half years by now. He let you borrow one of his old much-too-big t-shirts to sleep in last night. There's a hole in the shoulder and the hem brushes your knees but it's warm and smells like his cologne and your heart expands when you close your eyes and remember this is just the beginning. You have so much to do, so many things to see here in New York. So many things to learn. And there's nobody you would want to explore life with more than Jungkook.

His camera equipment lays in a cardboard box by your feet, and something compels you to take out the old-school camcorder he loves. The leather strap tightens perfectly around your hand and the red RECORD button flashes as you open the doors wide and lift the lens to take in the view. Something tells you you're gonna want to remember this moment forever.

It's not long before a pair of arms wrap around your waist, chin tucked cheekily into your shoulder. "There you are." Jungkook husks, stilly groggy with sleep as his lips ghost across your cheek.

Turning around in his grasp, you find him still shirtless, sweatpants slung low around his hips. He's been working out recently, and you can't deny you don't love how firm his shoulders feel when you brace yourself on them to stand on your tip toes and leave a peck to his lips.

"Morning sleepyhead," you say, running your fingers through the strands of his silky bed hair. It's longer these days, whispering across the nape of his neck and falling across his round eyes sweetly. They flutter closed when you massage his scalp just how he likes it. "I was wondering when you'd finally get out of bed."

"Missed you." His lips turn up when he sees the camera pointed at his face. "Whaddya doing with that?"

"Making memories." You say simply, zooming in on him as he rubs his sleepy eyes. "So we never forget this."

A cheeky smirk appears on his lips as he wraps you in his arms, a surprised giggle leaving you when he spins you around and grabs the camera so he can point it at the both of you, his chin resting on your shoulder now as his bare arm snugly wraps around your waist.

"Hey stop! I just woke up, I look bad!"

"Hello us of the future," Jungkook chuckles, pulling your fingers away from your face when you bury your face in his chest to hide from the lens. "It's our first day in New York and Y/N is being all camera shy--okay, okay fine, lets show them the view instead!"

Jungkook finally flips the lens around so it focuses on the distant silhouettes of tall skyscrapers skimming the blue skyline, before he turns it back onto you guys once more with a mischievous look this time.

"But we have to go now because we have far more interesting business to attend to..." He lowers the camera as his lips start to trail up your collar bone and he smiles when your eyes flutter shut and you gasp at the feeling, but it's quickly replaced by a pout when you wriggle out of his embrace with a stern look.

"Not now. Later."

"Mmf? Why?" He whines, making grabby hands towards you. "You're so warm, jus' wanna cuddle for a bit."

"No time!" You call over your shoulder as you grab him by the hand and drag his heavy feet behind you. "We've got an apartment to decorate."

Before you know it you've enlisted Jungkook's help in laying tarps across the living room floor, two pots of bright white paint plonked in the center. It's not like you could afford a decorator after all. You are two broke twenty-something's trying to make it big in New York, and all that cliche stuff. So you would just have to do it yourselves.

Jungkook's over in the corner, miming along to the guitar solo from some rock song playing from the radio balanced on the windowsill, the paint roller his instrument as he dances around the room with giddy impulse. There's paint all over his butt where he accidentally leaned against one of the wet walls and he's got his hair tied back into a bun at the crown of his head and you watch him out of the corner of your eye while an affectionate smile creeps onto your face no matter how hard you try to curb it.

That's when you notice the camera in his other hand. He zooms in on the stepladder in the corner, the paint spillage in the hall, the heart with Y/N + JUNGKOOK FOREVER written inside it on the back wall. Documenting everything as usual.

He was always filming you, too. Whether you were making coffee in the morning or drying your hair. He'd even slow down beside you on the sidewalk to get the perfect shot.

You find it cute, even though you pretend to hate it. It makes your heart flutter every time you catch him rewinding the footage with a contented smile on his face, like he just captured the whole world with his lens.

It's no surprise when you finish putting the final coat on the wall and step back to admire your handy work that you find him wandering around the apartment with his hand curved around the lens of one of his bigger cameras like it's natural to him. You always joke that thing is like an extra limb, but he looks so calm as he looks through his lens at the room that is now drunk on the afternoon sun pouring through the window, the golden rays like honey on his skin, that it's easy to see that the camera really is a part of him. Passion lies in the soft lines of concentration on his face, in the plump lip tugged between teeth as he fiddles with the settings.

Jungkook sees beauty where others don't, where others can't. It might as well pump through his veins. And it's one of the reasons you love him so much.

You shake your head when you see how a small smile finds his lips when he leans a shoulder against the door frame and lets the camera land on the thing he swears is most beautiful.

"Hey." You warn, shooting a side wards glare at the camera lens you spot Jungkook not so discreetly pointing in your direction. "Stop it."

"Stop what?" He runs a hand through his hair, lips pulling back into a sly bunny smile when you bend down to reach a spot you missed at the bottom of the wall. "I'm not doing anything."

Your upper lip twitches. "Are you zooming in on my ass?"

"What? No!" Jungkook scrunches his nose with wide eyes, a habit you knew meant he was guilty, a pout forming on your lips as he snaps the viewfinder closed and shoves the offending piece of his equipment behind his back.

You narrow your eyes affectionately. "Perv."

"I don't know what you're talking about." He blows a strand of hair out of his face innocently but there's a playful glint in his eyes and you can hardly keep a serious face as you plant your hands on your hips in what you hope is a menacing manner.

"Then lemme see it." You challenge with a nod to the camera behind him.

He feigns indifference, cocking his head to the side like an overgrown puppy. "See what?"

"That's it!" You shake your head, charging towards and him making grabby motions towards the camera. Jungkook looks down at you fondly as he holds it above your head, out of reach, and it only makes you you pout harder. "Hey! Give it!

"Never!" You jump pitifully, fingers grasping around nothing. A melodic chuckle spills from Jungkook's lips when you cross your arms over your chest in defeat and blink up at him crossly. "You have to say the magic word first."

You scoff at the teasing look on his face as he wiggles his eyebrows and waves the camera just above your head, before an idea strikes you and within seconds you're wielding a paintbrush, Jungkook's eyes widening when you point the paint coated bristles at his face.

"Give it up." You hold out your palm with a smug look. "Or the walls are not the only thing getting a fresh coat."

"You wouldn't." He smirks, despite being backed into a corner now.

"Oh yeah?" Without further ado you swipe the brush down the bridge of his nose, swallowing a giggle at the white smudge it leaves behind and his shocked expression beneath it. "You underestimate me, Jeon."

Jungkook pushes his tongue into his cheek, eyes dancing up and down your body before they lock with yours daringly. "You shouldn't have done that."

"Or what?" You taunt playfully, a laugh escaping you, but you quickly bite down on your lip when you see the glint in Jungkook's eyes as he submerges both his hands into the nearby bucket of paint.

You don't run when he steps closer. Instead your breathing quickens, heart doing a funny somersault when he brushes your hair to the side and clamps both of his wet hands on the sides of your jaw to bring your face up to his.

He tastes like coffee and desire when your lips crash together in a delicious tangle of teeth and tongue, all the thoughts racing through your mind dripping away like honey until all that's left is the thump of your heart against your chest and Jungkook's warmth as he backs you up against the wall.

When he pulls away he rubs his paint covered nose against yours, cocking his head and smiling sweetly when he leans back and admires his handy work.

"You have paint on your face." He looks down at his white hands innocently with a shrug. "Whoops?"

His hands trail down to your hips. You reach to your side and grab a fistful of paint, wiping it down the centre of his face and giggling when he groans and scrunches his eyes closed . "So do you."

"Okay, that's it. This means war!" Jungkook growls, strong arms wrapping around your waist, and before you know it you're stumbling over to the mattress in the corner, Jungkook's body hovering over yours.

"You wanna play dirty, huh?" Desire-filled eyes trace your face, travelling down the expanse of your neck before zeroing in on your collar bones. You gasp when Jungkook's lips attach themselves to the sensitive skin, every inch of you set alight when his burning fingers slide beneath the hem of your tshirt and find your thighs. "Always being such a bad girl, huh?"

"So? What're you gonna do about it? Punish me?" You say teasingly, and he stiffens, lips leaving a mark behind on your neck with a pop. Jungkook's narrowed eyes meet yours and you feel your heart speed up with anticipation.

His lips twitch, like they're dying to turn up. "Brat."

With that, you're being flipped over onto your knees with a yelp. Jungkook's hands work quickly and before you know it your tshirt is over your head and the sudden breeze from the open balcony doors against your hardened nipples makes you gasp.

"You love it." You laugh breathily.

"Too much," Jungkook confirms, before his large palm presses you down into the bed firmly between the shoulder blades so that your ass is thrust up in the air. You wiggle is teasingly, though the breath catches in your throat when the first spank lands on your bare skin. Then a second, the sound ringing out through the empty room like an echo and making a damp spot appear on your panties.

"Hey!" You chastise when you remember the paint on his hands that just left two glaring handprints right across your ass.

Jungkook just smirks. "What? Now everyone knows it's mine."

A third slap and you have to bite the blanket to stop from groaning, then a fourth, and a fifth and by then your eyes are watering but in the best way. Calloused hands smooth over the burning area, soothing it.

"Good girl," A raspy voice whispers next to your ear. "Such a good girl for me, taking your punishment. I think you deserve your reward now, hm?"

"Please." You moan as he reaches around to grasp your breast, tweaking your nipples in a way that has you writhing beneath him.

"Don't say I didn't warn you though," Jungkook chuckles as he rips your panties down your legs, gasping at the sight of your dripping slit like it's the first time. He runs a finger down your folds, biting back a groan when it makes your legs fall open a little further, desperate for his touch. "I'm not gonna go easy on you."

"Jungkook, what do you-- oh!." Before you can finish, Jungkook is pushing your face back into the comforter, spreading your cheeks with his palms and licking an agonizingly slow stripe up your throbbing core. His tongue finds your clit easily, toying it with the tip playfully until you're gasping for air.

"Mmf, tastes so good." He murmurs against your folds, the vibrations of his chuckle making you moan so hard your legs start to shake. His tongue finds your hole, swirling around teasingly before it slips inside and you can't handle it anymore.

"Jungkook!" You gasp, reaching behind to grab his hair. "I..I can't-"

"You can." He says, almost a command, mouth leaving your pussy only so he can slide over onto his back and pull you back down onto his face by the hips.

"Oh g-god!" Your hand reaches for the headboard, landing on the wall to steady yourself when you remember you still haven't bought a bed frame yet. Your legs are starting to ache from holding yourself up but you don't care, too lost in the feeling of Jungkook's tongue lapping at your swollen folds as you grind in lazy circles on his face.

"C-close, Kook." You manage to splutter, head thrown back with pleasure when he slides two of his fingers inside you and starts to pump in time with his tongue, the sensation of being filled enough to send you over the edge into a shuddering climax that is unlike anything you've felt before, the only thought on your mind the way your hole clenches around your boyfriend's fingers.

It takes a few moments for your legs to stop shaking, your hearing slowly coming back into focus as you hear both of your heavy breaths intermingled. You look between your legs to find Jungkook staring up at you with a grin, eyes filled with wonder. His chin gleams with your juices, the front of his t-shirt damp as you realise with a gasp what just happened.

"Did I--?"

"Yup."

"Holy fuck." You swing your leg over his shoulder so you're beside him, Jungkook sitting up to look at you, still mesmerised. "I...I'm sorry, that was--"

"The hottest thing you've ever done." Jungkook finishes, grinning at you like he just won the lottery.

You raise a brow, surprised. "Really?"

"Yeah. Can I fuck you now?"

You can't help but laugh at his eager puppy dog eyes, hands practically twitching at his sides to touch you. A quick glance at his crotch confirms the biggest tent in his pants you've ever seen, and you crook a finger towards him with a sultry smile and a nod.

"Let's see if you can make me do that again."

"O-Okay!" Jungkook pulls his shirt over his head eagerly, and then he's on top of you, burning skin meeting burning skin. Your palm runs down his chest, Jungkook's eyes falling shut when it reaches the hem of his sweatpants. You cant help but gasp when your fingers wrap around his length through his boxers, core already throbbing again to be filled. He shivers when your finger circles his tip, admiring the wet patch on his boxers.

"Eager?" You smirk.

"You squirted on my face, Y/N, of course I'm goddamn eager."

"Get these off then." You tug at his pants and he kicks them off without a second telling.

"Your wish is my command."

When he returns to hovering over you, both completely bare now, he pauses. His eyes meet yours, a gentle smile appearing on his lips as he tucks a stray piece of hair behind your ear and grips your jaw protectively.

"I love you, y'know."

You close the distance between you, pressing your lips against his but barely able to keep yourself from grinning with the elation swirling in your chest. "I love you too, doofus. Now hurry up or I'm gonna have to fuck myself."

"That sounds kinda awesome--"

"Kook!"

"Okay, okay, on it!"

Palms spread your legs, and you both gasp when Jungkook runs the blunt head of his leaking cock up and down your slit, coating himself in your juices before he lines it up with your entrance.

"Ready?" He checks, thumb tracing circles into your inner thigh.

"As I'll ever be."

And with that, he pushes inside, his head falling into the crook of your neck with a sigh of relief at finally feeling your walls clenching around his throbbing length. The stretch of his girth stings, but it makes you feel so deliciously full, so perfectly whole to be connected to Jungkook like this that all you can get out is another soft I love you that earns a blissful smile from your boyfriend as he starts to move.

Each stroke makes you lose your breath, the tip of his cock hitting your sweet spot just right. It's when Jungkook takes your nipple into his mouth that you feel a second orgasm start to build, one hand gripping the sheets as the other drags scratch marks down his muscular back in blissful agony.

It's not long before Jungkook spills inside you with a deep growl, your own high hitting you as you feel him coat your walls. He collapses onto your chest, breaths deep and exhausted, and wraps you in his arms before you can even catch your breath.

Jungkook pulls the sheets up over your shoulders and places a kiss to the top of your head. He's so warm you feel yourself start to drift off into a blissful sleep, the smile on your lips never faltering.

"I love you too." Is the last thing you hear him say before sleep takes you under, and you're safe wrapped up in each other's arms.

When you open your eyes, the room is warm with sunset's rose tinted blush, and Jungkook's body is no longer beside you. Rubbing your bleary eyes, you sit up on your elbow and find him on the ground in front of the freshly painted wall, intricate petals and stems flowing from the end of the paintbrush he delicately waves across the surface to paint the prettiest sunflower you've ever seen.

"I'm home!" You hear your boyfriend yell out as he shuffles into the apartment, quickly followed by a yelp. "Hey, Gureum, stop trying to lick my face!"

You can't stop the smile that spreads across your features when a ball of white fluff comes bounding into the living room, the puppy that excitedly jumps into your arms tracking a trail of muddy paw prints over the script in your hands.

"Hey Gureum," You coo, scratching him behind the ears where you know his sweet spot is. "You're such a good boy, huh?"

"Don't praise him! He totally ran away from me in Central Park and I had to chase him all the way home!" You can practically hear Jungkook's eye roll, shaking your head fondly at the mock annoyance in his voice. It was Jungkook who begged you to adopt a puppy for months in the first place, and they've been more or less inseparable ever since — the little guy hardly ever leaves his side. It's safe to say Jungkook is definitely Gureum's favourite.

The smell of coffee and fresh bagels wafts through the apartment, a warm sensation settling in your stomach as your boyfriend rounds the corner and waves a brown paper bag.

"Still got us enough coffee to stay up all night learning lines though." Jungkook grins, dumping the contents onto the coffee table and raising his eyebrows when your hands dart straight for the chocolate cookies. "Speaking of learning lines, how is it going, pretty?"

He nods towards the script in your hand. It's worn at the edges and ferociously dog eared from all the nights you have stayed up until sunrise reciting the words littered across the pages over and over, until it's like your lips are moving by muscle memory and the words are a part of you.

After what felt like hundreds of failed auditions, you had started to lose hope. With every letter that landed on the porch with another SORRY or MAYBE NEXT TIME, you felt all the confidence in the dream you worked so hard to uncover start to dwindle.

But Jungkook was always there, by your side no matter what. Encouraging you when you forgot your lines or holding you when you didn't get the callback. Reminding you to eat whenever you were too absorbed in your work to cook or cheering you on from the crowd at your weekly improv performances.

It was Jungkook who cried with you when the director of the small theatre downtown called and gave you the lead part in his upcoming stage production. Your big break. And you were determined to make sure everything ran smoothly at opening night tomorrow, which is how you find yourself snuggled up on the couch rewinding your VHS copy of Dirty Dancing over and over again until you have every word memorised by heart.

"Pretty good." You say as you pop a salted peanut into your mouth while Jungkook slips out of his tweed jacket. He's been trying to dress more New-York-ish these days, or so he says. More dress pants and less sweats. "Final rehearsals start at five."

"Aren't you nervous?" Jungkook squishes into the space beside you, Gureum cuddling up between your bodies.

Tomorrow night's show is sold out, along with every night after that for the next week. You heard there were going to be at least 700 people there each night.

"Terribly." You admit, stomach churning at the thought of 700 pairs of eyes staring right at you. You try to focus on the fizzing excitement that lingers there too, growing stronger and stronger. "But I think I'm more excited".

"I'm excited to see you up there doing what you love." Jungkook smiles, tucking a piece of hair behind your ear. "My star."

"Well don't get too excited because I still keep messing up this one goddamn scene," You flip the script to a page covered in bright highlighter scribbles and run your fingers through your hair exasperatedly. "I'm totally gonna mess it up and then I'll never get another job and—"

"Shhh," Jungkook takes the script from your hands and runs his eyes over it quickly. "Don't talk like that. You're gonna be amazing — hold up..." He raises an eyebrow. "Is this...the kiss scene?"

You feel your cheeks redden, voice small. "Yes."

"Then you're in luck because who better to help you practice than the best kisser in all of New York?"

You snort. "Wow, I sure could use some of your expertise Good-Sir-Makes-Out-A-Lot."

"Then you're in the right place..." He runs his finger over the script, jabbing at one line in particular.

[Johnny and Baby kiss.]

"Let's start here, hm? For practice, obviously."

"For practice." Your eyes roll but your heart still beats a little faster as he closes the space between you, hand pressing into the wall so his sturdy body hovers over yours, hands instinctively pulling him closer by the collar.

"Come give me a kiss, m'lady..." Jungkook murmurs, but before he can tilt your chin up towards his lips there's a sudden series of frantic knocks at the front door.

"What the heck?"

You both jump out of your skin, Jungkook's eyes narrowing as he glances over his shoulder at the shadowy figure outside, fist pounding the glass fervently, like they're trying to break it down.

"Okay, damn, I'm coming!" He yells with a roll of his eyes. He wraps the blanket around your shoulders as he hops up from the couch with a sigh. "Probably just some dumb marketer again or something — dude, chill! I said I'm coming! — be right back."

The lock slides open and you hear Jungkook gasp. Your stomach drops. "Who is it?"

"Uh, Y/N..." You hear the door click shut and the sound of squeaky shoes shuffling inside. The anxiety in Jungkook's voice makes your heart skip. "You might wanna come see this."

"Huh?" Your legs feel shaky as you follow him out into the hall, chest seizing when you lay eyes on the dripping wet hair and chattering teeth of the shivering man stood before you, eyes dark and grave like they used to be.

"Taehyung?" You splutter, ripping the blanket from around your shoulders and swaddling him in it as quickly as you can, Jungkook already bounding into the other room to get dry clothes and towels after shooting you a terrified glance.

Taehyung grabs your shoulders and pulls you into a tight embrace. His cheeks are wet against your shoulder, but you can't tell if it's because he's been crying or because he's been out in the freezing cold rain — hold on, did he walk here?

"Y/N," He murmurs frantically, eyes darting back and forth but never quite focusing on anything. You knew this look. This is how he looked that day you found out about the accident. Murky, far far away. Devastatingly sad. Something wasn't right.

"What is it?" You ask, pulling him into the living room and sitting him on the couch before his shaking knees buckle beneath him. "What are you doing here, Tae?"

"It's...it's the Crestmont." He whispers.

"What about the Crestmont?" Jungkook appears behind Taehyung, placing a comforting hand on his shoulder, but it's like your brother doesn't even feel it.

"They're tearing it down." He mumbles. "They're tearing down the Crestmont. Forever."

"Okay, now let's start from the beginning."

Jungkook's calm voice lilts from beside Taehyung who, after a warm shower and two cups of cocoa, has stopped shivering and seems to be ready to talk.

A hand reaches across the coffee table to tug on your wrist mid-lift to your mouth, a reminder from Jungkook to stop biting your nails. An old nervous habit you thought you'd left behind in Ocean City but apparently more than just Taehyung showed up here unannounced tonight.

"I...I got a call this morning." Taehyung begins, pausing to take a sip from the mug he cradles in his lap. His hands are shaking so he places it on the coffee table for safe keeping, right beside your discarded script. "It was from a construction company."

"And?" You prod, somewhat impatiently, making Taehyung jump.

"And apparently the owner of the theatre is behind on rent and...and..." He swallows hard. "And they're buying the rights to tear it down and build an apartment complex in its place."

"What?" Both you and Jungkook exclaim at the same time.

Jungkook's fists clench. "I always knew that old man was shady."

Taehyung fumbles in the pocket of the coat he arrived with, retrieving a brochure which he thrusts towards you.

The image on the front is of a metal skyscraper, far too shiny and new to belong in a seaside town like Ocean City. Fusion Apartments — modern living.

Jungkook rakes a hand through his hair, eyes sorrowful as you pass it over to him. "This sucks. Big time." He murmurs. "The Crestmont is the heart of Ocean City. How can they just bulldoze it like it means nothing?"

"That's why..." Taehyung swallows. "That's why I came here. I thought maybe you guys could help me, and we could do something before they—"

"We?" You furrow your brows. "You want us to help stop them from tearing down the Crestmont?"

"I mean yeah, I guess? I figured you guys would understand how important it is—"

You bite your lip. Taehyung flinches when you place a hand on his knee. "Tae. It seems like they've already got it figured out I mean...what can we do about it? The Crestmont has had a long run and maybe it's time for something new in Ocean City..."

"Y/N?" Jungkook warns, but there's a betrayal in his voice. How could you say that? It pains you, but you continue anyway. "What are you saying?"

"I just...I think it's time to let the Crestmont go."

Taehyung stands up so abruptly his mug smashes onto the marble tile.

"How could you?" He roars, but his bottom lip trembles. "The Crestmont is mom's place! It's all we have left of her in that fucking town and you want to just let them burn it to the ground?"

You tut, kneeling to pick up the broken pieces of china with a sharp glance at your brother. "For goodness sake, Taehyung. Mom isn't there anymore. She never was. She was always running off with some roadies and leaving us behind because she thought she was something special."

Taehyung scoffs. "What? Just like you?" He grabs the cocoa sodden script, crumpling it up in his shaking fist. "You are exactly the same as her. Running off to New York and leaving me behind to get your big break."

Jungkook steps forward warily. "Taehyung, you don't mean that—"

"Yes I do! If Y/N had just gotten in the car that day she wouldn't have died. It was all her fault. And now she's just gonna let them take what we have left of her."

"What?" Jungkook blinks.

Your stomach sinks. Is that really what Taehyung thinks? You wouldn't blame him. Deep down, his words strike a nerve. Because you know they're true.

Taehyung's eyes are hazy, unfocused. You reach for him dizzily, but he backs away into the hall.

"I shouldn't have come here." Taehyung whispers. He looks between you and Jungkook one last time before he's grabbing his coat and running down the steps to the first floor.

"Taehyung, wait!" You hear Jungkook's footsteps follow him out into the stairwell, but you're trapped on the ground, heaving for air.

Your hands shake as you pull yourself up to the window pane and watch Taehyung disappear into the gloom of the city, the sorrowful raindrops that lash against the glass mirroring the ones on your cheeks.

YOU: Taehyung??? YOU: [CALL IGNORED] YOU: please Tae YOU: can we at least talk about this? YOU: we're worried about you

It's been nearly 12 hours since you watched Taehyung disappear among the hustle and bustle of New York from your apartment window.

You and Jungkook were out all night searching for him. By the time you gave up the sun was rising and the birds were chirping and Jungkook somehow convinced your shivering form to return home to rest with a Taehyung shaped hole in your heart.

"It'll be okay. He'll be okay. He always is."

A phone call to your dad revealed he hadn't returned home that night; so where did he go exactly?

The weight of that question sits heavy in your chest as you sit backstage at the theatre, staring into your own vacant eyes in the dressing room mirror.

It's opening night. The show is due to start in fifteen minutes. Your lips are painted a deep shade of red, hair backcombed to perfection by one of the makeup artists. Beneath the harsh lights of the exposed bulbs that line the mirror, you look almost unrecognisable.

Confident, strong, successful.

Anyone would say your dreams had come true, or something sappy to that effect. But even as you sit among the hustle and bustle of the costume team and breathe in the fragrance of perfume and powder blush, you couldn't feel further away from the New York version of yourself if you tried.

Staring back at you is a reflection of the shy, terrified girl from Ocean City you worked so hard to forget. Yet here she is, mind whirring with worries for her brother instead of the lines she should be rehearsing to death before curtain call.

This should be your big moment. One which you will remember forever. But all you want to do right now is hold Taehyung close like you used to and tell him you're sorry and that you won't leave him again.

"Y/N!" You're snapped out of your thoughts by a familiar hand on your shoulder. You cover it with your own, instantly eased somewhat when you glance up and lock eyes with Jungkook in the mirror.

"Y/N, I found him."

"What?!" You jump to your feet, chair scraping obscenely. It draws the eyes of the people around you who quickly register Jungkook's polite smile as their cue to shuffle out of the dressing room and leave you two to talk. "Where is he? I need to talk to him—"

"He's not coming."

"What?"

Jungkook sinks into the chair beside you, forehead creased. He runs a hand through his hair and momentarily you catch a glimpse of the old Jungkook. The Jungkook that always took care of his best friend Taehyung.

"I...I gave him a ticket for the show tonight and told him to come. To see how much this really means to you...but—"

Your finger nails press half moons into your palms. "But what, Kook?"

"He was already leaving for Ocean City."

A sob wracks your frame. "Do you think he hates me?"

Jungkook's arms engulf you before the first tear can roll down your cheek, his chin tucking perfectly into the cleft of your shoulder. "Of course not, he's just...he's hurting right now."

"I can't lose him — not like this, Kook..."

"Shh. It'll all be okay."

You jump back and start to pace. "But it's not okay! What he said last night is true!"

Jungkook sucks in a breath. "What?"

Your knees buckle and you crumple. You can hardly breathe, shame washing over you as you admit the truth for the first time.

"I caused the accident! I'm the reason my mom's...she's..."

Jungkook wraps his arm around your shoulder, voice soothing. "What are you talking about?"

"The night of the accident she got a call from some big buck director. She was cast in this huge movie. Her big break." You're speaking to fast, but Jungkook nods to tell you he's listening.

"So she told Taehyung and I we were leaving for New York that night. And we were packing our bags before my dad got home and...and I said I wasn't coming. I didn't wanna leave Ocean City behind."

"I kicked and cried and said I didn't want to go, so her and Taehyung took off by themselves and that's when they got into the crash. She was upset and going too fast. It was all because of me." You start to sob. You've never admitted this to anyone before. Not even yourself. It tears your heart in two to say it out loud. "I'm the reason Taehyung's broken."

"You can't think like that." Jungkook clasps your face in his hands, thumb wiping away a stray tear. He looks scared, but his voice stays calm and convincing. "What happened was an accident. You were a kid. None of this is your fault."

"That's why Taehyung must hate me so much." You choke. "I'm doing what mom always wanted to, but she never had the chance because of me."

"Y/N?" A crew member steps into the room awkwardly with a cough. "I'm sorry to interrupt but the show is about to start. The audience is getting restless."

"Go. I'll take care of Taehyung, okay?" Jungkook pulls you to your feet, engulfing you in a final hug before he pushes you towards the stage entrance at the small of your back. "You're needed out there. Show them what you're made of."

Your eyes widen. This can't be happening. Not now.

"I...I can't."

"You can." Jungkook grabs your face and captures your lips, hard. It tastes salty with tears. "You're my star remember?"

"I love you." You whisper when you pull back, fingers reaching for him weakly as a costume designer hurries you towards the door.

"I love you too." Jungkook calls. His smile is the last thing you see before the door slams shut and there's no going back. "Now go break a leg, pretty!"

Particles of dust float in and out of your vision beneath the blinding stage lights.

Everything feels different from side stage. Your heart races as you press your ear to the velvet curtain separating you from the world, listening to the hubbub of laughing children and chattering adults filtering into the theatre. You imagine them taking their seats, buying icecream from the vendors, alive with anticipation.

The lights dim. You hear the director behind you, shouting something about places please! but it's like you're underwater, limbs weighted as you move like a ghost to your position for the opening number.

Your palms are clammy and you wipe them on your dress.

Show starting in 5...

Your legs turn to jelly. You close your eyes and try to calm your racing thoughts.

4...

Taehyung. Is he okay? Why didn't he come tonight?

3...

Shit! What was your opening line again? Goddamnit, Y/N, think!

2...

Mom. Would she be proud?

1...

You open your eyes.

The curtain is gone, and a pair of hands pushes you out into the harsh white spotlight. You shield your eyes with your fingers, heart dropping when you look up and find hundreds of eyes staring. Staring right at you.

It's like you're on the edge of a cliff, about to dive into the cool water below. Or fall.

Everything starts to blur. You're a teenager again, stood on the stage at the Crestmont. Panic rises like bile in your throat, and you don't know whether to scream or to run.

Run. Run. Run.

Your mouth opens, then closes. There's an awkward cough from the audience. Words run your mind in circles, but none of them are right, and before they can reach your lips they evaporate on your tongue.

Your panicked eyes roam the sea of seats that zoom in and out of focus. Your knees buckle, and you're sure you are going to pass out right here in front of everyone, but then your eyes meet a familiar pair of brown ones that makes the room stop spinning for a moment.

Jungkook. He's smiling at you, fingers crossed in his lap. There's not a trace of nerves in his gaze as he nods for you to go ahead.

I believe in you.

Just then the door to the theatre flies open and every head in the audience turns towards the darkly clothed figure shuffling through the aisles, mumbling sorry's and excuse me's until he reaches the empty seat beside your boyfriend.

He lets down his hood, shakes free a head of blonde hair that's still damp from the rain. He's out of breath, like he ran here.

Taehyung.

Your brother looks up at you, frozen in place, and his eyes soften. He flashes you a thumbs up and his lips curl around the four words you needed to hear.

You can do this.

And just like that, the panic disappears. The words come flooding back, and your body flies into action, moving across the stage

You forget all about the fear, and the anxiety, and Taehyung and the Crestmont. For now it's just you and the stage, together in harmony.

And you've never felt more alive than when you take your final bow and the crowd roars to life, just like you always imagined it would.

Your jaw hurts from smiling, and before you know it you're crying. Because when you squint against the theatre lights, you see Taehyung and Jungkook in the front row, holding each other and shouting your name.

Y/N! Y/N! Y/N!

"Hey! Be careful!"

The bouquet of congratulatory geraniums cradled in your arms gets crushed between your body and your brother's. He practically tackled you as soon as you entered the dressing room, carried on the cheering shoulders of the other cast and crew members.

"Holy shit." Taehyung holds you at arms length. His eyes are ringed red around the edges. "You were amazing, Y/N."

"You really think so?" Tears start to well and you're so happy to see him that you throw your arms around his waist. "I'm so glad you came, Tae."

"Yeah. You were just like her." He smiles. "Just like mom."

You share a small, sad smile. You've heard those words all your life but it feels different when it comes from Taehyung.

Jungkook pops his head into the room. He catches your eye over Taehyung's shoulder, and flashes you a small smile when he sees you cradling him in your arms.

Talk to him. He mouths, and you're suddenly reminded of why Taehyung came here in the first place.

"Hey listen—"

"Taehyung—"

You both start to talk, bursting into easy laughter when the other stops, seemingly hit with the same idea at the same time.

"You go first." You smile, encouragingly.

"Okay." He pulls you over to the couch. "I'm just...I'm sorry for storming out last night. I shouldn't have come here and expected you to help me—"

"No, stop. I'm sorry." You place a hand over his. "I want to help." You hold an arm out to Jungkook, who crosses the room and slides his hand into yours. "We want to help. We want to save the Crestmont."

Taehyung's eyes bulge. His voice drops to a whisper. "Really?"

"You were right. The Crestmont was mom's place."

You think about how it felt to be out there on the stage, in front of a crowd cheering your name. The excitement, the exhilaration. Your first stage.

The Crestmont is your mom's first stage. It's where she felt those same emotions for the first time. You can't let it be demolished. Not for anything.

"She deserves a legacy. We can't let them tear it down. I don't know how yet, but we'll save it."

"Thank you." A tear streaks his cheek, and his arms pull you and Jungkook into a tight bear hug.

"Thank you. For showing me what really matters, Tae." You whisper. "Let's do this together, okay?"

"For mom."

Taehyung holds out his pinky finger, and you link yours with his.

"For mom."

Where things go wrong.

Six months later.

Every second that passes is marked by a deafening tick from the kitchen clock.

Jungkook was supposed to be home 10 minutes ago. You're sat alone at the dinner table, a carefully presented meal for two spread across your mom's old polka dot table cloth. You even lit candles.

With a sigh you drop your chin into your hand, absentmindedly pushing your spaghetti around the dish while your eyes remain trained to the front door that will open any moment.

To be honest, it's been months since you and Jungkook shared a meal together. He spends most of his nights in his office, hunched over his laptop staring at the blinking cursor on some script he'll never finish. And ever since Jungkook's big script got rejected and he fell into a slump of no work, he had to get a job at a local convenience store all day for some spare cash to get you through the month.

You know he hates it. He hates the rude customers and how he can never shower the smell of grease out of his hair.

You know the bickering that turned into arguing that turned into fighting was just a result of his restless aggravation at being shot down too many times. Of watching his dream slip right through his fingers.

But you haven't exactly been as understanding as you should have been. You're overworked too, with the play, and The Crestmont, and you hate how easy it was to accept sleeping apart and missing dinner dates.

So you texted him to tell him you were making dinner tonight. A cease fire of sorts, or maybe just a feeble attempt at glueing back together the cracks that have appeared between you recently with pasta sauce and meatballs.

But he's late. Again.

And it makes you wonder whether there was any point in trying.

"Y/N?"

A gravelly voice jolts you out of your thoughts. Keys jangle onto the counter, shoes are slipped from feet and thrown into the storage cupboard with the creaky door.

"I'm in here." Your voice sounds meek, but you straighten and muster up a smile. To show at least one of you is making an effort.

Jungkook appears in the doorway, clad in his ugly traffic cone orange uniform. His shoulders are slumped, bangs limply stuck to his forehead. He looks tired, exhausted.

"What's all this?" He nods disinterestedly towards your untouched homemade buffet before heading to the sink to fix himself a glass of water.

"Dinner." You cough. He stiffens. "Remember?"

"Oh." He scratches the back of his neck. His eyes flash with something close to guilt momentarily, but then he smoothes it out. "Yeah. Dinner."

"It's okay, you're not too late. We can just heat this up in the microwave—"

"I already ate, Y/N." The glass in his hand slams onto the counter a little too loudly. "At the store."

You can't hide the way your face drops.

"Please." You whisper. "For me?"

Jungkook stares at you for a few seconds, unblinking, before he exhales shakily and pulls out the seat opposite you.

"What's on the menu?" He asks, hands already grabbing for the bottle of red wine in the middle of the table without so much as a glance at the food you worked so hard to prepare.

"Pasta."

"Right."

An uncomfortable silence settles. Jungkook nibbles at a meatball, and you suddenly feel too sick to the stomach to keep anything down.

You jump when Jungkook's fork clatters to the table. He wipes pasta sauce from the corners of his mouth with a napkin and you're sure you can see a slight tremor in his grasp.

"There's something I need to tell you."

His words ring out into the deafening silence that shrouds the apartment. You train your eyes to the candle in the middle of the table that flickers back and forth and carefully place down your own cutlery.

"Should I be worried?"

"No...I mean, I don't know. Maybe." Jungkook waves his hands around and when his eyes meet yours they're distant. Like the table that separates you spans oceans. "Just promise not to freak out."

"I'm not promising anything. Why are you looking at me like that?"

He shifts and the cheap flat pack dining chairs you bought when you moved in creak like they always do. "I...I got a movie deal. They loved the script I told them I've been working on and they want me to direct it."

Your heart fills with something sweet; pride. Even despite your downs recently this is still incredible news. You knew your boyfriend should be ecstatic...so why is he staring intently at the table cloth like it killed his whole family? "That's awesome, Kook. So what's the problem?"

"I gave them a different script."

Something shifts in the air. You hold your breath.

"Huh?"

"The script. The one you told me to burn before we came to New York. The one about you...your life."

Your blood runs cold and it's like your frozen. Just searching through the never ending blackness behind Jungkook's eyes that fails to falter, no matter how hard you pinch your inner thigh and hope you're about to wake up from a bad dream.

"You wouldn't." Your voice sounds strained and Jungkook doesn't even flinch. "You...I don't believe you."

"I'm sorry." He runs an exasperated hand through his hair. "It's just that they hated the first one and I wanted this deal so bad. It's a once in a lifetime chance Y/N, don't you see?"

The boy staring back at you isn't the sweet and sensitive Jungkook from Ocean City or the strong and passionate man from New York. His words get all mixed up in your head as you repeat them over and over and it's as if you don't even know him at all. All you can feel now is betrayal. And just like that all the anger that has been building inside you for months explodes.

"So my life is just a fucking plot for one of your indie movies, Jungkook?"

"It's always your life isn't it? Never mine." He slams his hands on the table hard enough to make your insides shake. "Ever since we came to New York I've supported you, sat back and watched as you achieved all your dreams. And it hurts, Y/N. To come home from my dead end job, and write another goddamn script that nobody wants to even read."

"I came to New York because of you!" You don't even realise you're crying until you taste the hot salty tears that won't seem to stop. "I came here so you could make it big! You're the one who encouraged me to audition for the play in the first place!"

"God, are you really that naive? Don't you see? I came to New York because I saw how much it meant to you." Jungkook lowers his voice, and there's something in his words that makes your heart twist. Pain. His eyes look watery and you long to reach out for him. Like the skin on skin contact will somehow make all of this okay. "And not once have you ever considered how it might feel for me to sit back in your shadow."

"So that's what this is? Jealousy?" You shake your head and get up from the table and turn to leave, but Jungkook grasps your wrist.

"Why can't you be happy for me?"

"I am happy for you Jungkook. And I always will be." Your heart softens and you're reminded of the boyfriend you know. The boyfriend you love. You want to believe he's in there somewhere so you place your hand over his, and for a second he looks hopeful. "But this was never your story to tell. That's what hurts."

He drops your arm, gaze cold and distant. "Then I guess that's it then."

"What?"

The room starts to spin.

"If you can't accept my decision to go ahead with the project then I guess we can't do this anymore."

"This?" You whisper.

"Us."

"Jungkook...Are you saying we're over?"

He drops his head into his hands and lets out a sigh. "Maybe. I don't know."

"You don't know?" You chuckle but it's hollow, empty. "You don't know if you love me any more?"

Jungkook's face drops and he lurches towards you, but you step back.

"No, shit Y/N I didn't mean it like that!" He looks scared. "I was just angry and it slipped out."

"Don't." His arms reach for you again but the brush of his fingertips feels scalding hot, wrong. "Don't fucking touch me."

"I'm sorry..."

"Don't lie to me Jungkook." Your vision is blurred with tears as you rip open the closet and yank out a suitcase. "You're not sorry. I was never your muse. I was just a stepping stool to the top."

"Where are you going?" Jungkook's crying now too. It comes out as a sob.

"Home." You say as you rip open your shared closet door and start throwing your things into the case. "I'm going home. Where I belong."

"I can't lose you like this. Please." He reaches for your wrist again but you're already half way to the door.

"Too late." You say. "I'm going home. And I'm never coming back."

The familiar scent of burned popcorn and candyfloss soothes you as you creep through the backdoor of the Crestmont. It always had a broken hinge which opened just enough for a body to squeeze through. Seems not a lot has changed since you left Ocean City.

It's dark inside. Silent too, without the popcorn machine running and the movie trailers playing on LED screens. You don't know what you expected. It's gone midnight by the time you get back to Ocean City, but you don't want to go home just yet.

Comfort washes over you as you run your fingers over the gilded edges of the counter, and slip beneath the hatch on auto pilot. It feels strange to be back here without the starched shirt and bow tie you used to hate. You've swapped out worn sneakers for heels that click against the tiles and you've performed on stages for crowd's bigger than the Crestmont's but here and now, you feel like yourself. Even though everything in your life has changed, you're still the same small town girl underneath it all.

Without thinking your legs carry you to the wall of fame. The faces smile up at you, like they're saying welcome back.

"Hey mom," You whisper, stopping momentarily in front of her portrait. You stared at it for so long as a kid that you have every detail committed to memory but seeing it up this close makes your breath hitch. "It's me."

With a sigh you force yourself past into the hall. Your hands tremble as you push open the door to the theatre. It's just how you remember it, sparkling gold and red velvet and mystery. But there's yellow tape strung up across all the seats and a sign has been propped up on the stage, red glaring letters burning a hole in your heart as you read them.

DANGER. DUE FOR DEMOLISHMENT. STAY AWAY.

All you can do is let your legs buckle, back sliding down the wall as you hug your knees to your chest and let out a throaty sob that echoes from the high ceiling.

When did everything go so wrong? You must be cursed. Everything you touch gets destroyed.

"Y/N?"

The lights flicker on, bathing the room in a soft golden glow. You wipe your tears, but that doesn't stop them from coming.

"Over here."

Your voice is small but a few seconds later Taehyung's face appears from behind one of the velvet seats. His eyes soften when he sees you curled up in the corner.

"What are you doing down here?" He clambers over the seat to join you, his long legs folded awkwardly in the small space.

"Having a one man party." You snort and point to your tear stained cheeks.

"Are you okay?" His hand covers yours and the contact makes you jump.

"Yes..." You sniff. He raises a brow. "No. Jungkook broke up with me."

Taehyung chokes. "What?!"

"I mean, we fought and then he...he said we were over." Your heart stabs painfully but you shrug. "So I came here. Didn't know where else to go."

He places an encouraging hand on your shoulder. "Listen...I know I haven't always been there for you when I should've. Hell, you always took care of me and I never even asked how you were doing." He offers a small smile. "But I'm here now. And you can tell me anything. If...if you want to."

A few seconds tick by in silence. You try to form a sentence but everything just comes back to the same three words.

"I miss mom." You blurt.

It echoes through the theatre, and you can practically hear the mermaids and the cupids painted on the ceiling gasp. It surprises you too, the combination of grief and relief that washes over you at finally admitting it.

"I know." Taehyung pulls you into his chest, lips whispering against your hair as you let out a sob and it's like all the sadness and denial is rushing out of you like a faucet, filling the whole room up like a water tank. You're terrified of the moment it gets too full, and you stop being able to breathe. "But you're a lot like her, y'know."

"That's exactly the problem!" Your words come out as a yell and it makes you both jump. "Everyone always says I look like her, I talk like her, I act like her. And I hated it for the longest time because I hated her for leaving us!"

"But without even realising it I became her, Tae. I did what I always said I wouldn't and became selfish. I hurt you, and Jungkook and even the Crestmont."

"That's not true."

"It is! And the worst part is I don't even hate her any more. I need her. To hold me, and tell me it's going to be alright. But she isn't here!"

"What does this have to do with Jungkook?"

"Jungkook wrote a script. A long time ago. About mom. And you and I. And everything that happened." You swallow, Taehyung's eyebrow raises though he doesn't look at all surprised by this information, nor as horrified as you that a record of your bleak shortcomings exists for anyone to read. "He got a movie deal. That's why we fought."

Taehyung hums. "You don't want him to make the movie?"

"It's not that I...I want to be happy for him. But I can't." You choke. "It's too painful. Remembering."

Accepting.

"When I said you were a lot like mom, I meant that you are headstrong." Taehyung pauses. "I felt that way once too. Like I hated mom and the goddamn world for taking her too soon. But in the end, the only person I hated was myself. Like however hard I tried I could never get over her, and all the pain I was pushing down into a dark place kept taunting me through the nightmares." He shivers, and you grip his hand tighter. "But one day I realised I don't have to be afraid of that pain any more. That pain is a part of me. But that doesn't mean I have to let it win."

"So what did you do?"

"I let myself feel it . I faced it. The only way I could let mom go was to stop running away." He pats your shoulder. "You need to set the girl in that script free, so you can move on."

And just like that, you're swimming...up, up, up, until you reach the surface of the water tank and you can take a heaving breath for the first time.

You throw your arms around his neck. It feels weird to hug him like this, but it's nice. "I missed you, Tae. Thank you.”

"I didn't do anything." He says. "The strength is inside you, you just need to find it. Just like you need to stop holding on to the past and let the new you shine for once."

You shake your head. "I need to talk to Jungkook. I don't know why I stormed off like that and..." You trail off. "Wait, how did you know I was here?"

Taehyung grins. "I didn't. I got called in to sort some paperwork and I noticed the back door ajar. Good thing it was you and not some crazy with a baseball bat, right?"

"At this time?" You nod to his still pyjama clad state. "Is it important?"

"Y/N," He laughs lightly. There's excitement shining in his eyes. "Someone just bought the Crestmont."

You scramble to your knees. "What?"

"We're staying open, and I get to keep my job."

And then you're hugging again, and laughing and crying because the Crestmont is going to be okay. You're going to be okay.

"That's incredible, Tae! Who is it? Who bought the Crestmont?"

"I don't know, it was an anonymous transaction. But the guy said he would be here...." He glances at his wrist watch, and as he does, the door creaks open. "Around now."

"Hello? Anyone here?" A familiar voice calls out.

"Jungkook?" Both of your jaws drop as you poke up from behind the seats. Sure enough your heart flutters when you see him, all wind swept and out of breath like he ran here.

"I thought you might be here." He scratches the back of his neck awkwardly. "Can we talk?"

The car ride to the pier was mostly silent. Jungkook borrowed his dad's old beat up truck -- it was that or his old bike with the pegs on the back -- and it still smelled like leather and petrol like it used to.

Everything about Ocean City is the same as you remember it. The pier stands strong atop the rocky sand, sea air deliciously fresh as it fills your lungs. The rolling waves shimmer like gold dust below the wisps of pink clouds that greet the rising sun. The beach is a peaceful view at this time. No tourists, all of yesterdays sandcastles swallowed by the sea spray. It took a couple hours to work through the paperwork so by now it's early morning — 5:30am according to your phone lockscreen.

It's chilly, and your skin is covered with goose bumps even despite Jungkook's suede jacket wrapped loosely around your shoulders. But you don't mind.

You've missed this. You've missed Ocean City.

"No ice cream, I'm afraid." The breeze ruffles Jungkook's hair as he emerges from the fairground and settles beside you with his legs poking through the rails. He flashes you an apologetic smile. "I guess the parlour doesn't open until 9..."

You feel a pang in your chest. Being here is like a serious case of deja vu. Countless hours spent in this very spot, eating vanilla scoops with rainbow sprinkles beside Jungkook used to be so normal. When did you grow so far apart that you're surprised he even remembers?

"Jungkook..." You swallow hard when you meet his eyes, hands longing to reach out and stroke the stream of sunrise on his cheek that makes his dark eyes sparkle. "We...we need to talk. About everything."

There's a moment of silence filled only by the calls of seagulls greeting the morning before he speaks. "I sold the script."

He sounds nervous. Like he's not quite sure what your reaction will be.

You swallow. "And you used the money to buy the Crestmont?"

"Yeah." He says matter of factly, scratching a phantom itch at his nape. "I guess I did."

"Why?" Your voice is small.

"I can't loose you, Y/N." He murmurs. "Just like you can't loose your mom. The Crestmont was her everything. But you are mine. And loosing the Crestmont would be loosing a piece of you, and I couldn't stand that."

The breeze ruffles his hair as he reaches for your hand and links your fingers and squeezes hard. You don't make any move to stop him. You know what it means, so you squeeze back and return the sentiment. I'm sorry.

Before you can stop yourself you lurch forward, arms curling around his neck and it's like coming home. His hands pull you flush to his chest, hearts beating in sync and you know everything is going to be okay now.

"Thank you." You whisper against his nape. A tear rolls down your cheek and soaks into his collar and before you know it you're blubbering. "Thank you so much, Kook."

"You aren't mad?" His voice is muffled but you can hear the quirk of his brow.

"Mad? No..no..." You lean back and wipe your eyes with your sleeve. "But what about the movie? And your dream to be a director and--"

Jungkook grabs your shoulders. His own eyes are glassy as he tucks a piece of hair behind your ear.

"That was never what mattered to me, Y/N. Not even a little bit. There's one reason I went to New York and it's the same reason I came back to Ocean City tonight. You."

"But--"

"No but's. As long as we're together, I'm already living my dream." His lips turn up into a smile, his eyes tracing your face like it's the first time and he can't get enough. "And I never ever want to wake up."

You shift in your spot to face him properly for the first time, and emotion hits you like a tidal wave. It's like all of a sudden you realize how stupid you've been; to fight with the man before you, a man who only knows kindness, about the trivial when the things that mattered the most were always right here, in front of you. The things that mattered most were always in Ocean City.

You brace your hands on his shoulders and lean up so your lips are inches apart. His eyes fall shut naturally, and you can't help but laugh with what you can only describe as one thing: happiness.

"I love you." You whisper against his lips. A warm palm cups your jaw and closes the distance between them and you're almost too lost in the way Jungkook's kiss takes your breath away to hear his response.

"I love you too."

"Sooo..." You bite your lip with a coy smile when Jungkook pulls away, the blush upon his cheeks scarlet beneath the sun which is rapidly rising. "I take it we're no longer broken up?"

"Well duh," He swats you playfully. "You think I'd do all this just to dump your ass?"

"Hey!" You pout. "I dumped your ass."

Jungkook shakes his head with a laugh.

"Besides," He glances out over the horizon nonchalantly and shrugs. "I'm gonna need help if I'm gonna start my own film company and run the Crestmont."

Your jaw drops. "A what now?"

"A film company." He explains. "A different type of film company, right here in Ocean City. For the outcasts like me who have a vision that even the biggest names in New York can't see yet." He smiles, so big and bright it makes your heart leap. "I'm gonna show them, Y/N. And everything I need to do it is right here in Ocean City."

"I know you will. I never doubted you for a second." You take his hand and link your fingers, squeezing hard. "And you bet your ass I'll be front row to watch each and every one, Jeon Jungkook."

Epilogue.

"Just keep your eyes shut!"

"I already know where we're going, so why can't I look?" You laugh, attempting and failing to tug Jungkook's interlocked fingers away from your eyes.

"Shush, it's a surprise! Just roll with it."

A surprise. That's what Jungkook said earlier too when he woke you up at the crack of dawn by throwing a dress at your head and telling you to meet him outside in the truck in 10 minutes or else.

By the time you pulled up into the familiar parking lot of your not-so-mysterious destination, the sky was already aflame with the glow of morning skimming the horizon, and Jungkook practically leapt out of the truck, palms unusually sweaty as he grasped your hand and pulled you towards the path quicker than your feet could carry you.

"What's the hurry, Kook?" You get out between heavy breaths, quads burning as the path gets steeper beneath your feet.

Come to think of it, your boyfriend has been acting strangely all week. Like hiding things behind his back when you walk into a room or talking in hushed whispers on the phone to Taehyung when he thought you were sleeping.

"You'll see." The path levels out and you stop. Jungkook wraps his arms around your waist, chin tucked into the cleft of your shoulder like a perfect puzzle piece. "Okay. Now you can look."

You round the corner, heart racing when your eyes flutter open and your vision is filled with a sea of yellow flowers. Your place.

The meadow is just how you left it, tall grass and sunny blooms dancing beneath the rays of morning sun peeking out from between the clouds. A warmth spreads through your chest and you both laugh when Gureum lets out an excited yelp, before bounding off between the stems playfully.

"I think the little guy wants us to follow him." Jungkook raises a brow and throws you a knowing shrug.

Excitement flutters in your stomach like a butterfly trapped between cupped palms. "How could I refuse?"

Fingers interlinked, you part the sunflowers and jog after the ball off fluff bouncing across the meadow, the breeze cool and forgiving as it ruffles the strands of hair that billow behind you.

Eventually you reach the clearing, and Gureum wags his tail at you proudly when you stoop down to scratch him behind his ears.

The sun reflects in Jungkook's eyes, turning them a warm golden brown. "Turn around."

You spin on your heels with a questioning glance. "Why?" That's when you see it. The spot where everything began. The tree where Jungkook kissed you all those years ago has bloomed with fragrant blossoms, and twinkle lights glow like tiny stars around it's branches. A blanket is laid out in the sun flecked shade beneath it, littered with feather cushions and lanterns and a trail of sunflower petals that begin at your feet.

"You did this?" You take his chin in your palms, face beaming despite the tears that have started to blur your vision. "Oh, Kook."

"Surprise." He smiles knowingly, grabbing you from behind and spinning you round and round until you both land with a soft thump in the middle of the outdoor cushion fort. "You haven't even seen the best part yet." He says with a nod to his right.

It's then that you notice the white sheet that's strung up a couple meters away between the trunks of two trees, Jungkook's vintage projector set up in front of it.

"What is this?" You ask, bewilderment evident in your voice.

"Gureum, would you do the honours?" Jungkook chuckles, extending a finger to point at a remote that your puppy obediently picks up with his teeth and drops into your lap with a wag of his tail.

Jungkook tucks a piece of hair behind your ear and takes a deep breath, like he's been waiting for this moment for a long time. "Go ahead. Press play and find out."

Your head shakes fondly, but your fingers tremble with anticipation as they find the PLAY button. You press it and the projector starts turning, a light flicking on at the top that makes a grainy image appear on the sheet.

The first scene is you. A teenager, dancing through the sunflower field, laughter spilling from your lips. The first time you hung out. And then it switches. You, again. Cleaning up a spill at the Crestmont, unaware of the camera. You. Paint in your hair as Jungkook chases you around the apartment in New York. You. Tears in your eyes as you hold baby Gureum for the first time. You. Asleep on Jungkook's shoulder on the subway, the camera panning to his face which lights up in a big grin, lips mouthing three words.

I love you.

Tears are hot on your cheeks, laughing as you remember the good moments and the bad, the funny and the sad, all immortalized forever through Jungkook's eyes.

The film fades out, and you throw your arms around your boyfriends neck. He chuckles when you tackle him to the ground, throwing a leg over his lap so that you can lean down and capture his lips between yours in a kiss that says all the words you want to say but you don't know how to. I love you too.

"I take it you liked it, then?" Jungkook says coyly, thumb stroking your cheek.

"It was beautiful Jungkook." You place your hand over his. "Now I know why you're always goddamn filming me."

"What can I say? You're my muse."

"Shut up." You punch him playfully. "You're gonna make me blush."

It's Jungkook's cheeks that flush pink. "Actually..." He starts to sit up, fumbling around in his back pocket. "There's something else."

"Oh?"

He clears his throat. "The first time we came to this place I knew I loved you. Back then, I said I wanted to show you what I found most beautiful. And it was you. It's always been you." He takes your hand, grip tight. "When we met we were just kids with big dreams. We might be older now but heck -- I still don't know what I'm doing. All I know is dreams come and go but you never left. You always stayed by my side. Which is why I want to promise you something."

"What, Kook?" You manage to whisper. Your heart is beating a million miles a minute in your ears. Is this what you think it is?

Jungkook swallows hard, eyes boring into yours.

"That I'll go wherever you go. New York, across oceans, up mountains -- you name it. As long as we're together, everything will be okay. So that's why I wanted to ask..." His fingers tremble as he produces a tiny black box, flicking it open to reveal a ring that sparkles see through in the sun. "Y/N, will you marry me?"

"Oh Jungkook," You throw your arms around his neck, overcome with emotion now as you capture his lips with your own. "Of course I'll marry you. You didn't even have to ask."

He lets out a sigh of relief, and then he's spinning you around in circles until you're both dizzy with love and belly laughter.

"I love you." He whispers, eyes shiny. His hand gently grasps your wrist as he slides the ring onto your finger.

You've heard him say it a hundred times before, but this time it's different. This time it's forever. Your heart flutters.

"I love you too, Kook."

Where there are new beginnings

Ocean City is the same as it always was.

You wake up each morning to the distant crash or waves, and you fall asleep each night to the tinkling fairground music that makes your heart sing. Tourists come and go, flooding the casinos and eating churros on the beach.

The Crestmont is doing better than ever. Once Taehyung took over as owner, the theatre became the heart of the city, attracting visitors from near and far to see the renowned plays directed by none other than Jeon Jungkook, the most sought after playwright and filmographer in all of the East Coast.

And then there's you. Ever since you starred in one of Jungkook's plays, about a girl from a seaside city moving to New York with big dreams, there's been no shortage of movie deals and acting opportunities thrown your way.

But in the end, you always find yourself coming back to Ocean City.

Tonight the Crestmont reopens for business after some much needed renovations. Taehyung is throwing a party, and there will be plenty of big Hollywood faces attending to see the brand new theatre and the updated __.

But one thing will always remain the same. The picture of your mom hung in the gallery. Her big smile is the heart of the Crestmont, greeting each and every visitor with pride.

And in the empty frame at the end of the wall of fame, there's a new picture.

You. Smiling, with your hair over one shoulder, just how you imagined. And beside you is Jungkook, with his arm wrapped around your waist and Taehyung holding Gureum and making a silly peace sign behind your head.

And you wouldn't have it any other way.

Okay so hi if you’re still here!! I decided to put this at the end because I didn’t wanna spoil the ending so please send love to @brekkiejeon​ !! They sent me the request for the ending of this fic all the way back in January and i’m trash and took like 7 months to finish writing it so i hope you enjoyed it even so lovely !!! <3 thank you for the request and sorry for the wait, this one really got me creative lol! 

Also I’d like to dedicate the smut in this fic to @atastefulwonderland​ because I know you love some good ole JK loving!! Hehe, ily~~

Also lemme know if this was bad because I never usually give OC so much backstory because I want it to be as relatable to the reader as poss obvi but these characters wrote themselves lmao like i’m just the writer i had no control okay???? I just do what these mfkers say. LOL.

#bts #happy jk day #bts smut #jungkook #jungkook smut #ksmutclub #smutcentralnet #jungkook fluff #jungkook imagine #jungkook fanfiction #jungkook fanfic #bts fanfic #bts fanfiction #bts imagine #btswriterscollective #btsguild #kwordsmiths #bangtanarmynet #thebtstown #my writing #fic: wywg

[anxiousstark]

Gone with the waves | JJ MAYBANK

Request:  Could I please get an imagine w JJ where everyone knows that you’re his only weakness and then something happens so y/n gets hurt so we get protective and worried JJ🥺 maybe Barry or someone else hurts her

I wanted to be original, and I got this idea! I believe it is quite cool? Hope it’s up to the anon’s expectations and that you all enjoy it as much as I did writing it! I’m quite proud of this tbh!

Warnings: Mentions of severe injuries, shark-related content, blood, swearing (a lot). Angst, but really just protective JJ confessing his feelings.

Word Count: 2067

All Rights Reserved. The author, me, don’t allow any type of copy or adaption.

A/N: If you guys like Teen Wolf or Dylan O’Brien, I have a Teen Wolf Rewrite. I would be so happy if you guys check it out.

BIG MASTERLIST

People screamed, cheering on. Smirks decorated their faces while their eyes followed the waves of the sea and the people riding the waves as if they were controlling them. Plastic bags were everywhere, hoping that people would throw their trash there, avoiding more sea pollution while they enjoyed the tournament.

A cold object against the back of your neck made you jump, a tiny screech coming out from in between your lips. "JJ, you scared the shit out of me." The blond boy smiled, sitting down on the sand, next to you. His fingers gripped a cold water bottle, extending his arm and offering it to you.

"The sea it's going to be colder today." He brushed his hands together, trying to get rid of the sand as he wanted to take off his shirt. You tried not to make it obvious that you were glancing at his body. "Nervous?" He grabbed your bag, pulling his shirt inside.

Swallowing two big gulps of freezing water, you nodded. "Yeah," You gave him back the bottle, which he gratefully grabbed, taking some sips. "It's been so long."

A couple of months ago, you had arrived at the Outer Banks with your big brother and his soon-to-be wife. Sadly, your parents passed away when you were younger, but you were lucky to have someone like Scott, your big brother. Emily, your sister-in-law, was also marvellous.

Back where you used to live, surfing was what kept you from wanting to give up. The heat of the day against the cold water, both fighting to change the temperature in your body. The sound of the calming waves, elegantly getting bigger and louder. The way your fingers grazed the water, helping to get you deeper into the sea.

However, two years before you had an accident.

The day you arrived at the Outer Banks, you spent the night wandering along the seashore. For you, the sound of the waves at night was magical. You were completely sure it had healing properties. The calm of the night was interrupted by a storm. A storm rounded by pretty girls, trying to flirt with him. A storm with blue eyes and blonde hair.

Without noticing, you got closer to the storm, which is something no one in their right minds would do. His name was JJ Maybank, and he was telling the story of how a shark had bitten him. You snickered, and he noticed, asking what was so funny about something that almost got him killed.

JJ Maybank didn't expect seeing you rolling your pants up, showing a real shark bite. For him, it was cool and badass. He immediately wanted to get to know you. He was even more mesmerized when he knew you were new to OBX. He wouldn't have forgotten your face so easily if you were from there.

For you, it was terrifying. It made you fear what you loved the most. The sea. It also meant that you weren't able to get into the sea. The physical and emotional pain being too much to withstand.

Now, exactly 11 months after arriving at the Outer Banks, you were ready to participate in your first Surfing tournament after what happened. You had to thanks JJ, who walked beside you, helping you get over your aversion towards the sea.

"Where are the others?" You asked, fingers slightly grazing your surfboard.

"They went to buy some food and drinks." He closed his eyes for a moment, letting the breeze caress his hair. He completely ignored the people screaming, and the ones that were participating in the tournament. "Told them to buy you something for when you come out of the water."

You hummed. Your heart started beating wildly when some of the participants came out of the water, meaning that the next ones would have to start getting ready. It was your turn.

"We are here!" Kiara's mouth was full of french fries, hands tightly holding a brown paper bag, offering it to the blond sitting next to you. The others were back too, sitting behind you two, knowing that your anxiety was kicking, and knowing that JJ was the only one capable of soothing you.

"Please, from number 5430 to number 5440. Get ready." The voice sounded all around the beach, making you gasp, trying to breathe.

"Okay," JJ moved, now looking directly at you. His hands grasped your thighs, moving you, so you were staring at him. "Did you warm up?" You nodded. "Did you put suncream?" Nod. His hands went down to your ankles, fingers rubbing circles, massaging them. "Any pain?" This time you shook your head. "Alright. Did you have a good breakfast and long ago?" Again, you nodded.

"Please, from number 5430 to number 5440. Go to the seashore. You know how this works. Every surfer will have their judge. They will take into account the precision to ride the waves, the height of the waves, time taken by the participants to ride them, times you fall, and times you continue trying. Have fun and enjoy the waves."

Maybank got up from the sand, one hand helping you stand. His other hand grabbed the surfboard, without any trouble, placing it under his armpit. He walked with you towards the seashore.

The surfboard was stuck into the sand, he turned you around, pulling up the zipper of your neoprene suit. "You got this." He whispered. When he stood in front of you, his eyes examined yours, knowing you were anxious. He bit his lower lip. "What did the great white shark say to the surfer?" You gazed at him, confused by his words. "Don’t worry, I’ll catch you."

You gasped, not being able to hold your laugh. "JJ, stop!" You groaned, a smile still in your face. "Don't do jokes like that!"

"At least you smiled!" He grinned, kissing your forehead. "You better concentrate on how loud I'm going to cheer you up." His hands squeezed your shoulders. "I believe in you. Good luck."

When JJ went back to the others, he couldn't eat his food. His stomach was upset enough to make him bite his nails, no appetite. "Should I say it now?" Sarah voiced, glancing at John B, who nodded. "Topper is in the tournament."

The blond moved his head so fast that he almost got dizzy. "As in at the beach?"

John B shook his head, burger being left on top of a brown paper bag resting on his lap. "As in the tournament. He is participating."

"What number?" JJ asked, glaring at them.

"5433." A voice behind him sounded. When JJ turned around, he saw Rafe Cameron, a smirk decorating his stupid face. "Isn't Y/N 5434? Aw, they are going to be next to each other."

Blue eyes snapped to the blue sea. You were already sitting on your surfboard, like the other participants, waiting for a great wave to come your way. Topper was a couple of meters away from you, but still quite close, also ready to ride those waves. "I swear to god," He suddenly got up, pushing Rafe. "If Topper does anything to her I will drown you both with my own hands." His fists clenched as he saw how Rafe walked away, smiling to himself. JJ turned around, looking at his friends. "Why did no one told me about Topper before Y/N went into the water?"

"Dude," Pope decided to speak. "Even if we had told you, you can't forbid her to get into the water just because of Topper."

"I can." He was convinced. "I can if I know Topper is in there. You guys know he doesn't play fair. She doesn't need to go through any of his fucking insane jokes."

"She's going to be alright." Kie tried to calm down her friend. However, she was terrified of what Topper could do. He wasn't going to play fair. He would do anything to win, especially when money was involved.

You kept calm, remembering all the things JJ had taught you. You were so thankful. Not only had he taught you to enjoy the waves again, but also to keep calm. At first, it was difficult. The fear of something big swimming under you, ready to attack, being fascinated by the smell of your blood. It terrified you more than ever.

There was no time to get lost in your thoughts as you perceived a magnificent wave coming your way. "This is it." Your chest was immediately pressed to the surfboard, arms moving faster, taking you to your destination.

You could hear people cheering back at the beach. They were cheering for you. You were riding the biggest wave of the day. Smiling to yourself, you forgot about concentrating because you were enjoying it, which was better than focusing.

However, you felt your surfboard abruptly shifting. Thankfully, you were able to maintain your balance. "Yo, get out of my wave." You snapped your head quickly, looking behind you. Then, concentrating on your balance again. Topper was so close to you. He was in YOUR wave, the front of his surfboard hitting the back of yours.

You could hear the commotion on the beach. Not only the judges had noticed that Topper was getting too close to you, breaking the rules. Not willing to follow the rules. "Stop," You screeched, your entire body tensing as you felt him hitting your board again.

Everything happened so fast, one minute you were telling Topper to get away from you, the second you were falling out of your board. The fins of Topper's board slicing your left shoulder. The sea consuming you.

Back at the shore, everyone fell silent, gasping. JJ held hands with John B, eyes wide open, dry mouth, heart beating like crazy. You weren't coming out of the water.

His hands went to grasp his hair as he saw three red boats getting father into the water, hoping to find you. "Fuck, fuck, fuck." He gasped for air. "Oh my god." He aggressively rubbed his face. "I'm going to kill them."

JJ thought he couldn't feel as worse as he felt at that moment. However, when the boats came back with you, he almost passed out. You were violently sobbing, blood covering your entire left arm. One of the lifeguards was pressing as many clothes as possible, trying to cut the blood.

The blond boy didn't think twice, running towards the boat. He was scared of touching you, terrified of hurting you. "Oh my god." He didn't dare to ask if you were okay, you clearly weren't. "I-I-."

"Hey boy, who are you?" The lifeguard asked.

"She's my girl." He nodded, eyes not leaving your wet face. "Yeah, I'm her boyfriend." The man explained to him that he had to press the clothes tightly against your shoulder as he had to run back to the tower, getting what he needed to take care of you while the ambulance was on its way.

"S-so I'm your girl now?" You continued whimpering, avoiding looking at the blood dripping down your entire arm.

"Always were." He offered a quick smile, swallowing hard. "Just making it official."

As the ambulance came and you were taken into the back, JJ held your hand tightly after telling the others to meet you two at the hospital. He sighed. "I-I thought you were going to die." He started crying, tightly holding your hand.

"You aren't getting rid of me so easily."

"I think you are too busy not trying to bleed out, but you won."

You groaned, whimpering a little due to the pain. "Did I win because of this?" You referred to the wound. JJ shook his head, letting you know that it was already decided before Topper threw you off your surfboard.

"You are bleeding out, I thought you almost died, I'm going to kill Topper and you are 100,000 dollars richer."

"50,000 dollars."

"No, the prize is-."

"I know." You turned your head to look at him. "My intention all along was to give you half of the money if I got a big prize. All if I got a small one." JJ's heart thumped painfully. "You deserve it, and you need it." He was going to complain, but you didn't let him. "Just a girl sharing her prize money with her boyfriend." You grinned.

"Well, at least it wasn't a shark this time."

"JJ!"

#jj maybank #jj maybank x you #jj maybank fic #jj maybank x y/n #jj Maybank x reader #jj maybank x oc #jj maybank fanfic #jj maybank fanfiction #jj x reader #jj x you #jj x oc #jj x y/n #jj fic #jj fanfiction #jj imagines #jj imagine #jj maybank imagine #jj maybank imagines #obx #obx imagine #obx imagines #obx fanfic #obx fic #obx fanfiction #obx x you #obx x reader #obx x y/n #outer banks #outer banks x you #outer banks x reader

[countryclubstarkey]

Competition - Rafe Cameron x Reader x JJ Maybank

Requested  (I hope you like this! @countryclub-sloppytop​)

Pairings: Rafe Cameron x Reader x JJ Maybank 

Warnings: NSFW, 18+, Smut, Threesome, Drinking, Choking, No protection, Cream Pie, Anal, Squirting, Overstimulation, this is also extremely dirty (I don’t know why I keep doing this LOL).

Word Count: 3.5k+ 

A/N: The rivalry between the pogues and Rafe isn’t that big in this, so he’s basically the rude brother of Sarah. The beginning is kind of long because I want to introduce the character, but then it gets into it. 

The Outer Banks, paradise on earth. Which is bullshit in your opinion, recently your parents decided to move you to the Outer Banks far away from your childhood town and friends. You were grateful for everything they give you, but moving you away on your last year of high school is stupid. They know that it takes you a while to open up to people, graduating with no friends isn’t that fun either. 

The only thing that you don’t mind is the beach, and living by the ocean. You come from a big city, so going to the beach is a once in a while thing that you and your friends did. 

“Okay, y/n, we have a family friend who lives here and they’ve invited us for dinner so please be ready by 7 pm.” Your mom says while walking into your room. 

Rolling your eyes playfully at her, “Mom, I don’t want to have dinner with a bunch of adults,” you whine at her. Rolling her eyes at you, you can see where you get it from now. 

“They have three kids, and two of them are around your age so please socialize tonight and come out of your shell,” she pulls out a black dress setting it on your bed. “Wear this tonight, and start getting ready, or else we are going to be late,” while walking out of your room. You let out a loud sigh dreading tonight’s dinner hoping it doesn’t end as horribly as you think. 

Around 7 pm, you finally arrive at a mansion in the extremely rich neighborhood of the Outer Banks. You feel out of place right away, their kids are probably some snobby rich kids. You’re wearing a black deep plunge dress that comes to your mid-thighs. Earlier, You felt slightly overdressed, but now seeing the house you feel like you should have came in a gown. 

A middle-aged man opens the door when you reach it, “Hello, oh you must be y/n, nice to meet you sweetheart,” he tells you while shaking your hands. You shake his hand and walk into the house amazed by the architecture and the decor. Your eyes land upon a blonde girl who looks about your age smiling widely at you. 

“Hi, I’m Sarah, nice to meet you,” while pulling you in for a hug. You didn’t expect her to be so straight forward, but you return the gesture, “I’m y/n.” 

She grabs your hand and begins to give you a tour of her house, you didn’t expect Sarah to be this nice. The rich kids at your old school looked down on everyone and laughed at everyone who they thought was beneath them. She takes you down to the basement where you heard laughter, which seems to belong to a teenage boy. 

“Rafe, this is y/n and y/n this is my annoying older brother Rafe,” she says while ruffling his hair. He slaps her hand away and stands up where you can actually see his face. All you can say is wow. He’s at least a foot taller than you, broad shoulders, dirty blonde hair, and a chiseled jawline. 

He looks you up and down, biting his lips before extending his hand out, “Nice to meet you, sweetheart.” You blush at his nickname and shake his hand. Sarah pushes him away from you, grabbing your arm and pulling you back upstairs. 

“Please, don’t fall for my brother’s game, he has a reputation and I don’t want you to be added to his list,” she rambles on letting you know. You nod your head, but you know you’re going to fall into his trap at some point. 

“Kids, dinner,” Ward yells out at all of you causing you to walk towards the dining room. You meet Rose, who is definitely an interesting personality. Also, Wheezie who’s Sarah’s younger sister, she seems a little bratty but it’s probably because she’s not close to your age. 

You take a seat next to Rafe across from Sarah, who narrows her eyes at Rafe sending him a warning. Throughout dinner, it was just the parents talking, while the rest of you just ate your food in silence. Towards the end, you felt Rafe’s hand land on your thigh causing you to let out a slight cough. He smirks at your actions and removes his hand pretending like nothing just happened, just wanting a reaction from you. Before you can head out with your parents, Sarah pulls you aside for a second. 

“There’s a party on the cut tomorrow night that my boyfriend and his friends are hosting, and you are going to come with me.” Debating whether or not you should go. “I don’t know, I don’t really party,” you simply reply to her. Back home, you preferred partying with your small group of friends rather than a large group. 

She pushes you out of the house yelling, “I’ll pick you up at 7.” You laugh at her actions and realize that tonight wasn’t as bad as you thought. 

The next night, Sarah picks you up on the dot with Rafe driving the car. While Sarah is talking, you glance at Rafe admiring his features. He notices your stare and sends you a quick wink causing you to pull away and pay attention to Sarah again. You notice the car stop by a huge beach filled with teenagers drinking and basically humping each other out in the open. 

“Come on, I want you to meet John B and his friends.” You come face to face with a group of teenage boys who are extremely attractive and a stunning curly-haired girl. 

“Guys, this is y/n, y/n this is John B, Pope, Kie, and JJ,” while pointing to each one. You all acknowledge each other, but your eyes linger on JJ a little longer than the others. He throws an arm around your shoulder pulling you towards the keg. 

Handing you a cup, “You got to be a bit tipsy for these parties to be fun,” he whispers in your ear cheering his cup to yours and chugging his down. For the few hours, you try to keep up with JJ but the boy was like a machine. Downing each drink like its water, you’re slightly concerned but too drunk to care. You get to know him a little and can point out that he is a natural flirt, which you don’t mind at all. 

You forget all about Rafe until you see him walking towards you and JJ. You notice JJ’s mood alter once he reaches you. 

“Pogue,” Rafe sneers at JJ. Okay, maybe this really is paradise on earth, because you never thought you would be between two of the hottest guys you have ever seen. “Kook,” JJ replies with the same attitude. However, the tension is a bit much between the two of them, you don’t know why and you don’t want to know. 

“Umm, the testosterone is a bit much here so I’m going to go find Sarah,” you say while patting their chests. The two watch your hips sway as you walk away, and look at each other before rushing after you. As they’re running after you, JJ pushes Rafe a little bit causing him to stumble a little falling behind. JJ grabs your waist spinning you around before you could walk any further. His fingers tickling your sides causing you to break out into giggles. Your fun is cut short when Rafe pushes JJ causing him to trip and land on his ass. You burst out into laughter at the look on JJ’s face, but he retaliates by pushing him back. 

You sober up a bit when you notice the harsh expressions on their faces, so you stand between the two pushing them away, “how about you both put your toxic masculinity aside and not fight tonight.” The two scoff at you continuing to glare at each other like they’re arch-nemesis. 

Feeling bold for the night, you pull the two boys closer to you so that you’re stuck between the two, “how about you fight it out another way,” you whisper at the two. The two boys frown at you not understanding your statement before smirks appear on their faces. 

“I don’t know, I don’t want to humiliate you JJ,” Rafe tells the surfer boy. Letting out a low chuckle causing you to feel the vibrations through his body. JJ steps even closer to your body grabbing your hips tightly, “Don’t worry pretty boy, let’s just hope you can get it up.” You try to cover up your giggle with your hand, but JJ does it for you. He leans forward pressing his lips to yours, he tastes like cheap beer, weed, and surprisingly sweet like honey. You wrap your arms around his neck bringing him closer to you, feeling like putty under his touch. 

Rafe grabs your body pulling you away before connecting his lips with yours causing you to let a soft moan satisfying him. He tastes like the opposite of JJ, you could taste the vodka that he drank earlier, and his mouth still minty fresh from the gum he took earlier. Rafe’s touch is a bit rougher than JJ, he’s kissing you like you are his last meal. You pull away not wanting everyone in the Outer Banks to see your business, “Is there a place where we can go that’s more private,” you murmur at the two. JJ nods grabbing your arm pulling you away from the beach with Rafe following you guys close behind. 

The three of you pull up to what looks like an old fish shack turned into a little house, it looks extremely cozy. Rafe looks at the place in disgust, “you live in this trash?” Rafe questions. You slap his stomach, scolding him.

JJ rolls his eyes pulling you into his lap while sitting on the couch, “Sorry, my daddy doesn’t pay for everything.” You felt another fight coming, so you grab JJ’s face pulling him into a bruising kiss. 

“How about instead of fighting, one of you fucks me,” you tell them and tugging your shirt off leaving you in your lacy light purple bralette. The alcohol is still in your system making you bolder than other times. They look at each other, agreeing to be civil just for one night before turning back to you looking you down like you’re their prey. 

Rafe connects your lip, moving one leg on his lap, while the other remains on JJ’s lap. JJ leans forwards pulling one of your straps down exposing your breasts to them. He grabs the one closest to him and kneads it in his hands. Bringing it into his mouth, his teeth brush against your nipple causing your core to ache for him. His mouth begins to suck and nip the area, leaving love bites all over your breast leaving a reminder of the sinful night you’re going to have. 

Rafe turns your attention back on him, biting your bottom lip bringing it in his mouth. His tongue envelops your own, his hand reaching up to wrap around your neck bringing you closer to him. Loosening his grip a bit, “Harder,” you whimper at him. He readjusts his grip slightly causing your breathing to become uneven. The mixture of the tight grip on your neck and his tongue in your mouth causes you to pull away for a second to catch your breath. Rafe immediately pulls you back in basically fucking your mouth with his tongue. The sensation from Rafe on your lips and JJ on your breasts cause your core to tighten.  

JJ unbuttons your shorts, slipping his hands down feeling your pussy shudder at the sudden touch, “Fuck, she’s soaking,” he tells Rafe. His fingers move your panties to the side, slipping into your heat. You pull away from Rafe whimpering, panting from the pressure on your core. Rafe starts to rub figures on your clit joining JJ. The two begin to match each other’s pace, JJ pumping two fingers in and out of you with Rafe rubbing your clit leaving you wanting for more. Rafe’s other hand returns to your throat stimulating you further causing you to let out a loud moan, “Come on, let me hear you scream,” JJ mumbles in your ear-biting your lower lobe. You feel yourself getting closer, and let out a shrieking scream as you cum all over JJ’s fingers. 

JJ slips his fingers out, glistening with your juices. He taps your lips urging you to suck his fingers clean. 

You lean forward wrapping your pink lips around them tasting yourself, you lick a long strip gathering your wetness before wrapping your mouth around his fingers again pulling away when you feel satisfied. You felt their members poking your thighs, reaching out grabbing both of them rubbing them through their pants, “How about you suck us off like you just did with his fingers.” Rafe says while unbuttoning his pants and rolling them down his legs, JJ copies his actions urging you to get on your knees. It’s an intimidating sight, the two standing up with you facing them in their briefs, their bulges prominent. 

You pull down each of their boxers, their erections pop out hitting their belly buttons. Grabbing each one in your hands, Rafe’s shaft is a lot thicker, while JJ is winning in length. You pump JJ’s length while wrapping your lips around Rafe’s thick shaft spreading his precum around with your lips. Rolling your tongue around his tip causing him to let out a muffled grunt, he grabs your head having enough with the teasing, “Open wide.” He begins to thrust in your mouth, grabbing your head as leverage letting you adjust to his length before delivering harsher thrusts. 

On the other hand, JJ begins to thrust in your hands wanting some pleasure as well. You spread his precum around using it as lubrication before speeding up your movement making him let out tiny grunts. Your movement comes to a halt when Rafe thrusts a little too deep causing you to gag around his length. He gives one more thrust not moving back, causing you to control your breathing around his member. Finally, pulling away and looking at your face with your mascara running, a few tears blotched on your face and your plumped lips. 

JJ turns your attention to his length before thrusting a little more in your hands and pulling you up from your knees. He pulls your shorts and panties down tossing them in a random corner of the house, “Come on,” he grunts at the two of you. He tosses you on a random bed before diving in between your legs and smashing his lips against yours. 

You reach for his member, but he slaps your hands away. He spreads your legs, eagerly thrusting into you. Both letting out a sigh of relief, lifting your leg he puts it on his shoulder continuing his stirring thrusts. Rafe joins you on the bed, palming your breasts under his large hands. He starts playing with your nipples increasing the pleasure that you’re feeling all over. JJ moves you targeting your g-spot causing your body to rip away from the bed before Rafe grabs a tight grip on your hips pushing you down onto the bed. JJ reaches down rubbing your clit causing your orgasm to build up, “Fuc-k, JJ I’m coming,” you scream out. He places a harsh slap on your clit causing you to jolt and making you feel like you’re floating after calming down from your orgasm. 

JJ lays down on the bed pulling you on top of him before Rafe reaches down circling his thumb around your tighter hole, “You’ve ever been touched here,” he whispers in your ear. You shake your head, body trembling from the previous orgasm. JJ pulls his lips against yours giving you an impulsive slap to your ass. Gasping out from the sudden action, JJ swallows your gasps slipping his tongue back in your mouth. 

“You got any lube, she’s tight as hell here I got to stretch her out a bit,” Rafe asks JJ. He reaches for a bottle hidden in his dresser tossing it to Rafe who catches it with ease. Pouring some lube over your hole, and his fingers he slowly presses one in your rear. An uncomfortable squeak blurts out from your mouth, which JJ silences with his lips. Rafe continues to stretch you out with his fingers pausing when he feels you stiffen. After managing to get his third finger in, he decides to try it with his cock. He signals JJ to distract you, you feel his member press against your tight hole slightly whimpering, “It’s okay princess, you’re going to beg me to go faster in a minute,” Rafe grunts in your ear. Moving slightly, pushing his length inch by inch, feeling yourself stretch out, you grab JJ to steady yourself. He reaches down rubbing your clit to distract you from the uncomfortable feeling, you feel Rafe’s hips touch your backside when he finally enters you fully, “F-uckk,” he whimpers. 

Not moving for a few minutes, he feels you clench on him causing him to give shallow thrusts, “I want you too,” you tell JJ. He grabs his cock watching it disappear between your legs again, Rafe’s thrusts stopping so you can get used to the feeling of the two. You shut your eyes in pleasure and pain, never feeling this full in your life. The two begin thrusting simultaneously, while Rafe would thrust in, JJ would pull out. Feeling yourself already getting close, you move your hands to your clit rubbing it pleasuring yourself further. Rafe pulls you up moving you towards his body, one hand on your chest while the other grabs your neck once again. JJ moves your hand out of the way replacing it with his own rapidly rubbing your clit. 

A new feeling begins to build up with your core causing you to scratch at the air trying to grab onto something, the boys quicken their pace gripping every part of your body trying to get closer to their own orgasm. Beginning to see stars, you try to push JJ’s hands away, his strength preventing you. Your vision goes blurry as you let out silent scream falling limp in Rafe’s arms, “Fuck, she just squirted, that’s so fucking hot,” JJ groans. Finishing up their own orgasm the two fill you up with their cum, milking it out until every bit is inside of you. 

Pulling out of you and watching their cum leak out of each of your holes onto your thighs mixing together with your own juices. Slowly opening your eyes from your euphoric state, you face JJ’s baby blue eyes, “Welcome back Sunshine,” he grins at you. Rafe begins leaving sloppy kisses all over your body, your body trembling from the new feeling. 

He reaches down getting close to your heat before you can stop him, his fingers slip inside you gathering your wetness using it as lubrication. Your body moves off the bed trying to move away from him because of the overstimulation, “Please, Rafe I can’t anymore.” JJ pulls you on his lap whispering sweet things in your ears, “He didn’t see you squirt babe, you going show him how beautiful you look right?” JJ asks you while twisting your nipples between your fingers. Rafe nods his head giving you a pouty look, “You going to do it again right, just for me sweetheart.” 

He speeds up his fingers while lowering himself and presses his tongue against your clit at the same time, your body craving him and inviting him further to continue his actions. He finds your g-spot when you let out a yelp, screaming “Right, there.” He claims the same spot over and over again, while JJ continues to whisper in your ear urging you to cum for them. The same feeling comes back building up in your abdomen once again, “I---,” you try to say but it’s too late you squirt all over Rafe’s fingers, tongue and body. Your body trembling and exhausted from the multiple orgasms you had that night. Feeling satisfied with seeing your shaking body because of what he did, he pulls his fingers out of you, slipping them in his mouth, licking your juices clean. You sigh at the sight, feeling turned on but no ounce in your body wanting to continue. 

JJ leans in one more time leaving a passionate kiss on your lips before laying down beside you, while Rafe lays on the other side. The room is foggy smelling like pure sex and sweat with the only sound echoing through is your deep breathing. 

Breaking the silence, “So who was better?” Rafe asks you. You look at the two boys and realize that they were serious, leaving you a giggling mess you shake your head at them. 

“I never said I’ll choose, I just said you guys should do me instead of fighting,” you tell the two before wrapping your arms around Rafe pulling JJ closer to cuddle you from behind. They share a look before leaning in pressing their lips against your body again. 

“Maybe, we need to try it again, so that you have an actual answer.” 

#rafe cameron #rafe cameron x reader #rafe cameron smut #rafe cameron imagine #rafe cameron x reader smut #jj maybank #jj maybank x reader #jj maybank imagine #jj maybank smut #jj maybank x reader smut #outer banks