xalecjacobs

[xalecjacobs]

Alec was at his regular hang out, stopping by often to check out what was in stock or on sale that week. The Vinyl Hub was a second home of sorts since his time working there himself, as as teenager.

He was walking through an aisle when Jake got his attention, holding up an old DVD. He looked at it closely, taking a moment to register just what film it was. "You know, can't say I have," he shook his head. "As for mermaids around here.. Something tells me they're not hanging out in Merrock."

Who: Open Where: The Vinyl Hub When: June It wasn't unusual to find himself at The Vinyl Hub the moment his phone lit up with the bank transfers of the paychecks and today was no exception though, now, he found himself nose deep in the old DVDs. Turning to someone near, he held out a selection — "Ever seen? Recommend? When I was a kid someone told me it was filmed here. Based off here, Mermaids. Merrock..." He laughed at the memory that stuck, "Still haven't seen it. Still haven't seen some babe with a tail either out on the beach. Think I was lied to. Just a little bit. Bummer."

[xalecjacobs]

"I didn't say that," Alec retorted with a shake of the head and laughter. His grin excitedly grew as Stelly continued to flip through the photos they had captured. His laughter grew as they explained how they had captured proof of race wins. "Oh, that's gotta suck for the other person, thinking you won, and getting photo proof you just missed out on it."

"Sounds like you think I would do these things on purpose!" they parroted, trying to sound offended, but they couldn't muster it. Because it actually did seem exactly like the kind of thing that Stelly would do on purpose, but just to be funny. Not to hurt someone or ruin their entire day… probably. "Oh, of course," Stelly's head bobbed when Alec said that they had plenty of good options for the paper, flipping through a few more photos, and pausing on one of two people running head to head for the finish line, breaking into a grin, "this one was fun, I caught them afterwards to show them who won since they were debating on it. The person on the right had it by a literal nose. Thought that only happens in the movies."

[xalecjacobs]

Nah, I showed up. Can't say Vibrations is my regular hang out or anything, but I'm always there for events. Couldn't miss this one, obviously. You end up having a good night?

I'm actually looking forward to Dickwatch, now. I am. Took off work for Pride, it wouldn't be complete without ending the night there. Are you? Don't tell me you're the aforementioned self hating queer who's too cool for Vibrations. Even I'm giving myself this night and I'm already at Vibrations too much for my liking.

[xalecjacobs]

"Not Pride without glitter and the aftermath," he chuckled. It was a perfect look for the weekend, and for this function in particular. "Exactly that." At Aisha's agreement to head for the bar, Alec wrapped an arm around her shoulder and led her in that direction.

"You get it! Just felt like glitter added that extra something the outfit needed. And it's not a regular going out thing after all," she nodded, a smile on her lips. Pride was a time she went a bit overboard on hastily picking the perfect outfit, regular nights out, and most of the time didn't get the same energy for details. "Works for me! Some liquid courage before we get out there?"

[xalecjacobs]

Guess we'll have to see if we spot him throughout the weekend and see where it's at. Haha, true, true. Are you hitting up Vibrations tonight?

A poor choice, indeed. Maybe he'll make an appearance at Pride this weekend with it on a different angle. And yes, of course I am. Anyone who says they aren't is a self-hating queer that I want nothing to do with. Or a bigot.

[xalecjacobs]

"Accidents," he continued to tease, just an easy thing to pick on, even if he did understand just how easy it would be to make a mistake every once in a while. "The start of the best time of the year," he agreed with a nod. Summer truly was Alec's favorite time and he was excited for everything to look forward to in the next few months. As Stelly showed him a preview of the photos they had captured on this trip thus far, he nodded at each in approval. Obviously, Stelly was a talented photographer. There was a reason they were part of the band's team. But there was something he appreciated about scenic, landscape photography, when one managed to successfully capture the beauty of a place through a camera. Not everyone could do that. "Got a lot of good options for the paper," he smiled.

"Accidents happen, Alec!" Stelly couldn't help but to let out a laugh, shrugging both of their shoulders. Accidents that at least normally ended in a laugh, they were much more careful about some photos than others, knowing that some things just weren't meant to be shared, depending on what kind of photoshoot they had been doing. "That's what I was thinking, too. Makes me a little more excited to go home and do all of the fun summer stuff, I know we have Pride and the parade coming up," they scooted a little closer as Alec asked about getting a preview, turning the camera to show him as they began to skim through.

[xalecjacobs]

"That's always a problem for later, tomorrow, whatever. Not a complete look without it," Alec laughed. Really, it didn't feel like it would be Pride weekend without the concern of the aftermath of glitter. At Aisha's ask of whether to head for the dance floor or the bar, Alec glanced over at both before making a call. "Drinks, then we can hit the dance floor."

who: aisha & open (3/4)

where: vibrations

when: pride weekend (june, 2025)

"This glitter is going to be so hard to get off," Aisha laughed, the dusting along her cheeks and shoulders a choice purely for aesthetic purposes, but she was beginning to question her decision. A problem for her future self, apparently, as she stored it in the back of her mind. She wasn't sure when she had a Saturday night to herself at the club when she wasn't working, so she was going to take advantage of it. "But I'll figure that out later. What are we thinking? Should we hit the dance floor, or get another drink?"

[xalecjacobs]

Didn't get to catch that, but for that man's, probably gotta be a choice. Poor choice, but a choice. Now, you looking forward to Pride this weekend?

LOCATION: Anywhere WHOMST: Anyone (open, no cap!) WHEN: Anytime

"You think Richard Starr knew that his toupée was on backwards this morning or d'you think was it a stylistic choice? At least he seems excited for Pride this weekend."

[xalecjacobs]

"Not intentionally, uh huh.." he teased, shaking his head. As long as unapproved photos didn't end up in the paper, or socials, he was fine. "Place is nice. Pretty much a perfect start to the summer, if you ask me," he agreed with a nod. Now he was looking forward to keeping up with the energy that this long weekend had started, once they returned home. "Sneak peak of what you got? Or, do I have to wait till it's all in the paper?"

"Oh, don't worry, the folder gets divvied up into different dropboxes or zip files or whatever's easiest for people, you won't get embarrassing pictures of anyone else, or vice versa… well, intentionally," they grinned, flipping through a few more photos, "I can't say that I've never accidentally sent something to someone while I was flipping through quickly." Most of the time, they just scrolled by and pretended that they hadn't seen it. "Both, the first day we were here, when we were all exploring, I got a lot of atmospheric shots. It is pretty gorgeous."

[xalecjacobs]

"Hope you plan on sharing that!" Alec called out, with a low chuckle. So maybe just getting her into the boat he was rowing would be the best choice here, he figured. Opting to leave behind the extra oar and to just get Sav back to shore, he began rowing over to where she was stranded. Damn the other boat. Someone could retrieve it in the morning. Had this been back home in the lake, he probably would have just jumped into the water, but he didn't know this pond. Surely, getting Sav from one boat to the other wouldn't be too hard.

Upon reaching her, Alec got the boats as close to one another as he could. "I need you to climb in here," he gestured toward himself, before reaching out in an attempt to steady Sav's rowboat so she had an easier time. "Then we're gonna get you back to your cabin, got it?" This was his one good deed during this trip, hopeful Sav appreciated it in the morning when she didn't find herself in the pond.

"Aw." Her shoulders dropped, brought her joint to her lips again as she watched him pull a full man-mode rescue attempt. "I'm holding. Been holding...not that kind of holding, but kind of actually, holding a lot of weed. Not here here - my cabin though, yessss. Someone knew we were all coming up here, way better than any dispensary back in town. And cheap. Cheap cheap." Totally talking more to herself now, looking down at her little pile, this really wasn't so bad. Then she wobbled again, broke into a new set of laughter, turns out she was way more high than her resting position had let on before, "I don't know can you row you're way back, Al? Can you row two boats too? Wanna try three? Set a world record tonight."

[xalecjacobs]

"You're sending one link to everybody?" Alec shook his head, grin still across his face. "No individual dropbox for each set?" So maybe the unflattering photos would wind up published anyway. However, he was looking forward to the much more flattering ones, always happy for additional content for his socials. "You getting mostly shots of us for the paper, or this place too? It's been pretty cool being here."

Feeling a grin stretch across their face at Alec's approval -- of the good photo, at least, he really didn't know what he was missing out on! -- they knew that it would take quite a while to decide which ones to actually submit to the paper. It was tempting to use photos of their friends, the most, but they never wanted to be accused of playing favorites. But making sure they all had the best Facebook profile pics possible…? A dream come true. "Don't worry, when I upload them and start sorting everything out, I plan on having a folder to just send out to all of my friends. But I am gonna include that goofy one for you."

[xalecjacobs]

Alec shook his head, small smile peaking through. He'd take what he could get with Stelly. As long as the photo didn't and anywhere public or blown up to scale, he was good with that deal. Photos of him looking like a god though, those he appreciated. It was admittedly an ego boost. Looked closer to assess the photo Stelly showed. "That one you can send off for publishing," he chuckled. "Or send my way, at least." It would at least make for a good Instagram grid post. Something to feed to his fans.

"No way, dude!" they let out a loud laugh, shaking their head, "but since I like you and you always provide me with some really rad band shoot experiences… I'll make sure no one else ever sees." And that it didn't get submitted to the Times for the article that Alice would write about the event. They could be nice! Flipping through a few more photos, they turned the camera again towards Alec, a much more flattering photo of him climbing up one of the walls showing, "look! You look ripped as hell in this one, look at those muscles!"

[xalecjacobs]

The second Sav stood up in the boat, Alec figured the smarter option was getting her back as soon as possible, though he couldn't help but laugh alongside her. He wasn't sure how much she had had to drink or smoke, but that, in any excess, wasn't the safest in the middle of water. "I'm coming to get you, hold up." With that, Alec jumped into one of the other nearby rowboats, reaching to a third boat for an extra oar for Sav. "Can you row your way back?" he asked, ready to just grab her and take her back in the boat he was in if need be.

"What'd you mean what'd I do? I didn't do anything, sometimes I don't do anything, Al!" She yelled back, pulling a hand above her brows like she was in sun or something - took the joint in her lips before making the bold decision to stand up, a whole new form of laughter when she rocked the boat back and forth with the feet, "I was dropped out here, kidnapped from my cabin. Someone's got a really fucking sick sense of humor."

[xalecjacobs]

When Stelly motioned for him to take a seat near them, he proceeded to take a seat beside them. His eyes narrowed at Stelly's laughter, knowing that whatever they had captured had to be insanely unflattering. He looked over to the camera, doing his best not to laugh himself as he shook his head. "I will pay you to delete that and never let it see the light of day. Now I gotta see the good stuff you caught."

If there was one thing that Stelly was very, very good at, it was catching Alec's good side… and hilarious side. And as they scrolled through the photos on their camera, they knew that they had a little bit of both, patting the spot next to them for him to come sit down. "There's some that you would absolutely be happy to share on Instagram, and then there's this one where I caught you mid-stride that I feel like I'm going to send you in the middle of the night to scare the shit out of you," they laughed, turning the camera to show him the photo, and all of the unpleasant affects that gravity had on a face in motion.

[xalecjacobs]

"Now's your chance." Of course, he obviously knew cheer was far from being everyone's idea of a fun time. Yet, he couldn't help but continue to tease Noa. It was all in good fun. "I mean, I'd question if you weren't doing at least that," he laughed. "Might just take the chance to camp out. That's the point of a vacation like this, right? Full getaway. Forget real life for a bit."

"Historically, no. I wasn't big cheer material in my school days." She'd been less than enthused by the idea, though that was mostly because she couldn't imagine the effort it took to maintain such a plastic smile. "I'll definitely be there supporting Dare though." She nodded as he spoke about the cabins. She meant to bring Tarot with her, and though she'd have loved to room with her Lupine neighbors she wasn't going to pass up the opportunity to share one with Darrius. "I'm excited to get out there. Leave all this real-life stress behind."

[xalecjacobs]

"I gotta see this," Alec laughed. Stelly was a phenomenal photographer, but Alec did question their idea of him looking good sometimes. Over the years, Stelly had become the band's primary local photographer. This was something he was used to by now. He took a seat beside them, peering over to take a look at the camera to see just what Stelly had captured. He imagined he looked much less cool than when on stage, but you never knew what Stelly would be able to make look much cooler than it was in reality.

WHO: Stelly & @xalecjacobs

WHERE: The Challenge

WHEN: May 24, 2025

No amount of training or hard work was going to get Stelly out on an obstacle course... but a VIP badge had gotten them good position to take great photos of the course, and everyone running, climbing, crawling and struggling through it. After all was said and done, they found themselves at the fire pit, the sun starting to dip below the horizon, camera in hand as they scrolled through the photos they had taken. "You know, you look pretty good in some of these shots," they said with a grin, looking over at Alec.

[xalecjacobs]

Alec was out wandering the grounds, in no way ready to head to bed quite yet when he spotted a row boat in the pond. Heading closer to the shore, he immediately recognized Sav in the boat when she sat up right. He chuckled at her offer of wine and weed, shaking his head as he realized she was seemingly stuck out there. "What'd you do?" he asked, a small sigh proceeding his glancing around their surroundings to figure out the best method of getting her back to the dock. Of course he would help her out, but that didn't mean he wasn't curious as to just how she had gotten herself stuck.

Who: Open When: Nighttime; any night (event) Where: the campgrounds pond

Wine and weed made for a lovely combination - until it didn't in a practical sense when Sav, stupidly, at some point dropped the row boat's oar (singular) mid drift. It hadn't been that long - or maybe it had— she resigned pretty quick in any effort of getting back to the dock. Getting comfortable, sometime mid-toke she heard someone in the area. Forcing herself upright, the boat rocked, startling her and loudly? Quietly? she couldn't tell, giggled then said, "Hey, feel like helping a girl out? I've got more of this and more of that—" Wine and weed, "it'll be like your real challenge."