dscontinuation

[dscontinuation]

Hello, I was just wondering if the distant shores is getting a chapter 2?

Hello!

I am hoping to at some point, though it won’t be for some time, I’m afraid 😞 life has definitely gotten in the way…

[dscontinuation]

Chapter 1: The Return

Here is a masterlist for the first chapter of my sequel; please find the links to each version of said chapter below.

If you would like tagging in further chapters, please do let me know!

Chapter 1: (She/Her)

Chapter 1: (He/Him)

Chapter 1: (They/Them)

[dscontinuation]

Chapter 1: The Return (They/Them)

Author's Note: This is the first chapter of my sequel to Distant Shores; it may not be the greatest thing that I have written, but I am actually quite proud and would appreciate any feedback that anyone has to offer, regardless as to what it is. I will place a 'read more' link so that you can read the chapter that applies to you with regards to pronouns. I have kept MC's name as their default (Peyton Bellamy).

This series has been written in third person as opposed to first and continues immediately after the events of Book 1, Chapter 16.

Due to issues with posting, each version will be posted separately.

Words: Roughly 1'900

Characters: Peyton Bellamy, Robert

Tag List (can be added to): @bloodboundismylife @sarcastic01lily@justalwayshereandthere @indiacater @rosemaryrainheart @princess-geek

Peyton’s gaze drifts down to the compass, their eyes widening in shock.

‘But…I don’t understand,’ they shake their head in disbelief, ‘how did you know that it…it would…’

‘That I would be able to find this here?’

They nod slowly, their bewilderment evident; Robert chuckles in bemusement.

‘Who’s to say that this is the first time that I have time travelled?’

‘You’re- you’re joking, right?’

‘Course I’m joking,’ he laughs heartily at the absurdity of their remark; once he has calmed himself, he looks down at the compass, ‘then again… I guess it may be possible.’

‘Do you really think that it would be possible? To go back?’

He shrugs, ‘it’s worth a shot, isn’t it?’

Peyton remains quiet for a moment, their eyes cautiously darting to every corner of the room.

‘Relax,’ he replies calmly, a detection of smugness to his tone, ‘no one is going to notice that it’s missing.’

‘I’m sure the security guards would say otherwise,’ they hesitate for a moment, ‘and the cameras-‘

‘Do you see any cameras?’

Peyton takes a moment to study the room.

‘…No?’

Robert looks at them quizzically, his brow raised in curiosity.

‘I thought you were one for taking risks.’

‘I-I am!’

‘Then hold this for me.’

Before they have a chance to respond, Robert shoves the instrument into their hands, barely sparing it a second glance as he focuses his gaze on the doorway. Peyton looks down at the device, h forehead creasing in puzzlement.

‘Why are you giving me this?’ Peyton watches as he walks to the other end of the exhibit, eyeing a collection of pieces, ‘I thought that you didn’t trust me.’

‘I don’t.’

He reaches over the rope, grasping onto a familiar object; he pockets it swiftly.

‘Then why are you leaving me in charge of the compass? Who’s to say I won’t just run off with it…’

‘You won’t.’

‘But how do you know that?’

He sighs dejectedly, as if their incessant questioning is beginning to take its toll, ‘because you need me.’

They scoff, a chuckle of amusement tumbling from their lips quicker than they have the chance to stop it.

‘Need you? Seriously?’

Robert scowls at their remark, but quickly regains his composure.

‘Make sarcastic comments all you want,’ he gestures towards them with an accusatory finger, ‘but I know as well as you do that you wouldn’t be able to pull this off without my assistance.’

Peyton shrugs slightly, eyeing him warily as he starts to approach another display case, ‘I never said that I’d be able to do this on my lonesome, but that doesn’t necessarily mean that you’re the person that I have to work with.’

The comment seems to go over his head, as he does not seem to form any kind of response. He watches the corridor, conveniently placing his hands behind his back as a pair of security guards pass by on their rounds. Once he’s sure that they are gone, he turns his attention back to Peyton.

‘Do you have anything in your pockets? Something that we could put on the cushion in the compass’ place?’

‘Why do we need to do that? It’s not like Indiana Jones; the plate isn’t pressurised…’

‘Obviously…’ Robert remarks, rolling his eyes, ‘it just needs to be something that could act as the compass should they pass by again.’

‘I have a rock!’

‘A…rock…’

They pull it out of their pocket with ease, studying the surface.

‘I mean…it’s round, and from a distance it might pass. We could even draw some little dials on it to make it look authentic from a distance…’

Peyton reaches into their pocket, rummaging around. Eventually, their hand returns triumphant. As they start to draw, Robert looks at them in befuddlement. They don’t look up... but it isn't long before they are able to feel Robert's gaze bearing down on them.

‘If you have something to say, I suggest you come out with it,’ they reply stoically, their concentration still remaining on the task at hand, ‘it hasn’t stopped you before.’

‘I honestly just don’t understand why you’re making such a big deal out of this. Just put the rock on the cushion and let’s be done with it.’

‘And do what? Just run off with it in your pocket and act as if they’re not going to check your pockets on the way out?’ They drop their voice to a conspiratorial whisper, ‘because I’m not entirely sure you remember, but you did just stuff a pistol in there.’

He starts backing towards the door, struggling nonchalantly as he prepares to make his escape, ‘they’re not going to look for something that they don’t know is missing now, are they?’

‘What?’

They glance over at the display, their mouth agape in surprise as they notice what appears to be a plastic replica in its place.

‘But…how did…’

Peyton turns back to face him, but only manages to catch sight of his feet as he sprints out of the room.

‘Robert!’

They make chase, suddenly pausing once they realise that they still have the rock in their hand; they swiftly double back on themselves, placing the stone in the casing before taking off, narrowly avoiding a collection of tourists that seem to be making their way in that direction.

Once they are out of sight from most, they lessen their pace, slowing down to a standstill once they spy the heaviness of security on the doors. Peyton’s gaze darts to every corner of the room, strangely hoping to see Robert waiting somewhere for him.

But he is nowhere to be found.

They take a moment to regain their composure, checking their pockets to make sure that nothing has suddenly made an appearance in a place that it shouldn’t.

And that’s when they find it.

They partially remove the compass from their pocket, cursing under their breath as they quickly realise why Robert is nowhere to be seen.

He has done a runner…leaving the compass in their possession.

‘Is everything alright?’

Peyton startles at the sudden intrusion, swiftly placing their hand on their chest as they attempt to still their frantically beating heart. The curator, whose voice was the cause of their sudden discomfort, frowns at the sight.

‘I apologise if I caught you off-guard.’

Peyton exhales sharply, waving their hand dismissively.

‘It-it’s alright. No harm done, really.’

The woman nods, her attention shifting to the unexpected presence of security at the doors.

‘Hmmm,’ her brow furrows, ‘I wonder why they’ve been called.’

‘Maybe the museum is expecting more visitors today.’

‘That never usually requires this many guards.’

‘You cannot be too careful,’ they admit, ‘maybe they’re trying to implicate a better staff to visitor ratio; last thing you need is to be overwhelmed by guests and understaffed.’

The woman thinks for a moment before nodding, though she appears somewhat uncomfortable with the rash change of staffing.

‘I’m just going to see what is going on,’ the curator gestures with a tilt of her head, ‘excuse me.’

She heads off in the direction of the doors, and it isn’t long before she engages a few members of the security team in conversation. Once they are sure that the lady is engaged, Peyton makes a beeline for the toilets. They head into one of the cubicles, swiftly locking the door behind them. They let out a shaky breath, their hand reaching back into their pocket before pulling out the compass. Peyton sighs, their eyes focusing on the detailing, but as they begin to study its design, a brush of cold air tickles their cheek.

They start to look around for the source, their eyes widening in delight as they spy a small vent, its cover loosened at the corners, a ray of sunshine illuminating the shaft, exposing its connection to the outside world. They cover their palms with their sleeves before attempting to pry it open further.

After a couple of minutes, they manage to force the cover further way from the wall, creating a space that is wide enough for them to slide the compass through. They force it all the way to the other end before pressing their shoulder against the metal, hoping that it will close just enough to deter suspicion.

Once they are satisfied that the compass is safe, they calmly exit the restroom, heading towards the front entrance to the building. Peyton passes through security with ease, taking their time to walk down the steps.

‘You made it then.’

They turn around, their expression dissipating into one of frustration as they regard the man.

‘You left me in there.’

‘I said that we would work together to get back. I never said that I would help you get out of there.’

‘And what would you have done if I had been caught?’

‘I would have stolen the compass whilst security were busy with you.’

Peyton rolls their eyes.

‘Of course you would,’ they look down at their feet for a moment, ‘you have always prioritised yourself, after all.’

‘If you had experienced even an ounce of what I have, you would understand,’ he doesn’t leave them room for a response, ‘spending a couple of weeks on a pirate ship does not qualify.’

They open their mouth to protest…but decide against it. Robert notices, his lips curling into a smug grin.

‘No sarcastic remark? Color me surprised, Peyton.’

‘I’d be wasting my breath.’

He shakes his head in mock amusement.

‘Enough of the pleasantries,’ Robert's eyes befall their pocket, ‘where’s the compass?’

They do not respond in words, instead gesturing for Robert to follow their lead. He follows them apprehensively, both hands clenching into fists as he readies himself in preparation for a more challenging outcome. Peyton, sensing his distrust, decides to throw a remark over their shoulder, unfazed by his tense façade.

‘What do you think I’m going to do? Smite you?’

He shrugs, ‘it’s possible. We may be working together, Bellamy, but that doesn’t mean that I have to trust you.’

‘Touché.’

They head back over to the exterior of the building, quickly arriving at a familiar vent; they reach forward, grappling with the cover.

‘You hid it in a vent?’

‘It’s not like I could just walk out the front door with it in my pocket now, could I?’ They manage to remove the covering with ease, ‘not with more than a dozen guards rather suddenly being posted at the door.’

‘I guess that’s true.’

They place the compass in the middle of their palm, an all-too familiar buzz causing their heart to hammer in their chest.

‘Aren’t you going to open it?’

‘In full view of the public?’

‘Do you see anyone else standing in the bushes?’

Peyton looks around for a moment, settling on their answer shortly after. They gently open the compass, the blue hue growing brighter as they run their fingertips across the dials.

‘Is…is this really going to work?’

‘We won’t know until we try, right?’ Robert grimaces slightly at his words, quickly becoming aware of the hopefulness in his tone, ‘of course it will! It worked the first time, didn’t it?’

Peyton looks down at the compass, their brow narrowing as they examine the ocean-like glow.

‘It doesn’t seem as bright as it was before. Maybe we’ve used it too-‘

But they are unable to finish their sentence.

[dscontinuation]

Chapter 1: The Return (He/Him)

Author's Note: This is the first chapter of my sequel to Distant Shores; it may not be the greatest thing that I have written, but I am actually quite proud and would appreciate any feedback that anyone has to offer, regardless as to what it is. I will place a 'read more' link so that you can read the chapter that applies to you with regards to pronouns. I have kept MC's name as their default (Peyton Bellamy).

This series has been written in third person as opposed to first and continues immediately after the events of Book 1, Chapter 16.

Due to issues with posting, each version will be posted separately.

Words: Roughly 1'900

Characters: Peyton Bellamy, Robert

Tag List (can be added to): @bloodboundismylife @sarcastic01lily@justalwayshereandthere @indiacater @rosemaryrainheart @princess-geek

Peyton’s gaze drifts down to the compass, his eyes widening in shock.

‘But…I don’t understand,’ he shakes his head in disbelief, ‘how did you know that it…it would…’

‘That I would be able to find this here?’

He nods slowly, his bewilderment evident; Robert chuckles in bemusement.

‘Who’s to say that this is the first time that I have time travelled?’

‘You’re- you’re joking, right?’

‘Course I’m joking,’ he laughs heartily at the absurdity of his remark; once he has calmed himself, he looks down at the compass, ‘then again… I guess it may be possible.’

‘Do you really think that it would be possible? To go back?’

He shrugs, ‘it’s worth a shot, isn’t it?’

Peyton remains quiet for a moment, his eyes cautiously darting to every corner of the room.

‘Relax, Lad,’ he replies calmly, a detection of smugness to his tone, ‘no one is going to notice that it’s missing.’

‘I’m sure the security guards would say otherwise,’ he hesitates for a moment, ‘and the cameras-‘

‘Do you see any cameras?’

Peyton takes a moment to study the room.

‘…No?’

Robert looks at him quizzically, his brow raised in curiosity.

‘I thought you were one for taking risks.’

‘I-I am!’

‘Then hold this for me.’

Before he has a chance to respond, Robert shoves the instrument into his hands, barely sparing it a second glance as he focuses his gaze on the doorway. Peyton looks down at the device, his forehead creasing in puzzlement.

‘Why are you giving me this?’ Peyton watches as he walks to the other end of the exhibit, eyeing a collection of pieces, ‘I thought that you didn’t trust me.’

‘I don’t.’

He reaches over the rope, grasping onto a familiar object; he pockets it swiftly.

‘Then why are you leaving me in charge of the compass? Who’s to say I won’t just run off with it…’

‘You won’t.’

‘But how do you know that?’

He sighs dejectedly, as if his incessant questioning is beginning to take its toll, ‘because you need me.’

He scoffs, a chuckle of amusement tumbling from his lips quicker than he has the chance to stop it.

‘Need you? Seriously?’

Robert scowls at his remark, but quickly regains his composure.

‘Make sarcastic comments all you want,’ he gestures towards him with an accusatory finger, ‘but I know as well as you do that you wouldn’t be able to pull this off without my assistance.’

Peyton shrugs slightly, eyeing him warily as he starts to approach another display case, ‘I never said that I’d be able to do this on my lonesome, but that doesn’t necessarily mean that you’re the person that I have to work with.’

The comment seems to go over his head, as he does not seem to form any kind of response. He watches the corridor, conveniently placing his hands behind his back as a pair of security guards pass by on their rounds. Once he’s sure that they are gone, he turns his attention back to Peyton.

‘Do you have anything in your pockets? Something that we could put on the cushion in the compass’ place?’

‘Why do we need to do that? It’s not like Indiana Jones; the plate isn’t pressurised…’

‘Obviously…’ Robert remarks, rolling his eyes, ‘it just needs to be something that could act as the compass should they pass by again.’

‘I have a rock!’

‘A…rock…’

He pulls it out of his pocket with ease, studying the surface.

‘I mean…it’s round, and from a distance it might pass. We could even draw some little dials on it to make it look authentic from a distance…’

Peyton reaches into his pocket, rummaging around. Eventually, his hand returns triumphant. As he starts to draw, Robert looks at him in befuddlement. He doesn’t look up... but it isn't long before he is able to feel Robert's gaze bearing down on him.

‘If you have something to say, I suggest you come out with it,’ he replies stoically, his concentration still remaining on the task at hand, ‘it hasn’t stopped you before.’

‘I honestly just don’t understand why you’re making such a big deal out of this. Just put the rock on the cushion and let’s be done with it.’

‘And do what? Just run off with it in your pocket and act as if they’re not going to check your pockets on the way out?’ He drops his voice to a conspiratorial whisper, ‘because I’m not entirely sure you remember, but you did just stuff a pistol in there.’

He starts backing towards the door, struggling nonchalantly as he prepares to make his escape, ‘they’re not going to look for something that they don’t know is missing now, are they?’

‘What?’

He glances over at the display, his mouth agape in surprise as he notices what appears to be a plastic replica in its place.

‘But…how did…’

Peyton turns back to face him, but only manages to catch sight of his feet as he sprints out of the room.

‘Robert!’

He makes chase, suddenly pausing once he realises that he still has the rock in her hand; he swiftly doubles back on himself, placing the stone in the casing before taking off, narrowly avoiding a collection of tourists that seem to be making their way in that direction.

Once he is out of sight from most, he lessens his pace, slowing down to a standstill once he spies the heaviness of security on the doors. Peyton’s gaze darts to every corner of the room, strangely hoping to see Robert waiting somewhere for him.

But he is nowhere to be found.

He takes a moment to regain his composure, checking his pockets to make sure that nothing has suddenly made an appearance in a place that it shouldn’t.

And that’s when he finds it.

He partially removes the compass from his pocket, cursing under his breath as he quickly realises why Robert is nowhere to be seen.

He has done a runner…leaving the compass in his possession.

‘Is everything alright?’

Peyton startles at the sudden intrusion, swiftly placing his hand on his chest as he attempts to still his frantically beating heart. The curator, whose voice was the cause of his sudden discomfort, frowns at the sight.

‘I apologise if I caught you off-guard.’

Peyton exhales sharply, waving his hand dismissively.

‘It-it’s alright. No harm done, really.’

The woman nods, her attention shifting to the unexpected presence of security at the doors.

‘Hmmm,’ her brow furrows, ‘I wonder why they’ve been called.’

‘Maybe the museum is expecting more visitors today.’

‘That never usually requires this many guards.’

‘You cannot be too careful,’ he admits, ‘maybe they’re trying to implicate a better staff to visitor ratio; last thing you need is to be overwhelmed by guests and understaffed.’

The woman thinks for a moment before nodding, though she appears somewhat uncomfortable with the rash change of staffing.

‘I’m just going to see what is going on,’ the curator gestures with a tilt of her head, ‘excuse me.’

She heads off in the direction of the doors, and it isn’t long before she engages a few members of the security team in conversation. Once he is sure that the lady is engaged, Peyton makes a beeline for the toilets. He heads into one of the cubicles, swiftly locking the door behind him. He lets out a shaky breath, his hand reaching back into his pocket before pulling out the compass. Peyton sighs, his eyes focusing on the detailing, but as he begins to study its design, a brush of cold air tickles his cheek.

He starts to look around for the source, his eyes widening in delight as he spies a small vent, its cover loosened at the corners, a ray of sunshine illuminating the shaft, exposing its connection to the outside world. He covers his palms with his sleeves before attempting to pry it open further.

After a couple of minutes, he manages to force the cover further way from the wall, creating a space that is wide enough for him to slide the compass through. He forces it all the way to the other end before pressing his shoulder against the metal, hoping that it will close just enough to deter suspicion.

Once he is satisfied that the compass is safe, he calmly exits the restroom, heading towards the front entrance to the building. Peyton passes through security with ease, taking his time to walk down the steps.

‘You made it then.’

He turns around, his expression dissipating into one of frustration as he regards the man.

‘You left me in there.’

‘I said that we would work together to get back. I never said that I would help you get out of there.’

‘And what would you have done if I had been caught?’

‘I would have stolen the compass whilst security were busy with you.’

Peyton rolls his eyes.

‘Of course you would,’ he looks down at his feet for a moment, ‘you have always prioritised yourself, after all.’

‘If you had experienced even an ounce of what I have, you would understand,’ he doesn’t leave him room for a response, ‘spending a couple of weeks on a pirate ship does not qualify.’

He opens his mouth to protest…but decides against it. Robert notices, his lips curling into a smug grin.

‘No sarcastic remark? Color me surprised, Peyton.’

‘I’d be wasting my breath.’

He shakes his head in mock amusement.

‘Enough of the pleasantries,’ Robert's eyes befall his pocket, ‘where’s the compass?’

He does not respond in words, instead gesturing for Robert to follow him lead. He follows him apprehensively, both hands clenching into fists as he readies himself in preparation for a more challenging outcome. Peyton, sensing his distrust, decides to throw a remark over his shoulder, unfazed by his tense façade.

‘What do you think I’m going to do? Smite you?’

He shrugs, ‘it’s possible. We may be working together, Bellamy, but that doesn’t mean that I have to trust you.’

‘Touché.’

He heads back over to the exterior of the building, quickly arriving at a familiar vent; he reaches forward, grappling with the cover.

‘You hid it in a vent?’

‘It’s not like I could just walk out the front door with it in my pocket now, could I?’ He manages to remove the covering with ease, ‘not with more than a dozen guards rather suddenly being posted at the door.’

‘I guess that’s true.’

He places the compass in the middle of his palm, an all-too familiar buzz causing his heart to hammer in his chest.

‘Aren’t you going to open it?’

‘In full view of the public?’

‘Do you see anyone else standing in the bushes?’

Peyton looks around for a moment, settling on his answer shortly after. He gently opens the compass, the blue hue growing brighter as he runs his fingertips across the dials.

‘Is…is this really going to work?’

‘We won’t know until we try, right?’ He grimaces slightly at his words, quickly becoming aware of the hopefulness in his tone, ‘of course it will! It worked the first time, didn’t it?’

Peyton looks down at the compass, his brow narrowing as he examines the ocean-like glow.

‘It doesn’t seem as bright as it was before. Maybe we’ve used it too-‘

But he is unable to finish his sentence.

[dscontinuation]

Chapter 1: The Return (She/Her)

Author's Note: This is the first chapter of my sequel to Distant Shores; it may not be the greatest thing that I have written, but I am actually quite proud and would appreciate any feedback that anyone has to offer, regardless as to what it is. I will place a 'read more' link so that you can read the chapter that applies to you with regards to pronouns. I have kept MC's name as their default (Peyton Bellamy).

This series has been written in third person as opposed to first and continues immediately after the events of Book 1, Chapter 16.

Due to issues with posting, each version will be posted separately.

Words: Roughly 1'900

Characters: Peyton Bellamy, Robert

Tag List (can be added to): @bloodboundismylife @sarcastic01lily@justalwayshereandthere @indiacater @rosemaryrainheart @princess-geek

Peyton’s gaze drifts down to the compass, her eyes widening in shock.

‘But…I don’t understand,’ she shakes her head in disbelief, ‘how did you know that it…it would…’

‘That I would be able to find this here?’

She nods slowly, her bewilderment evident; Robert chuckles in bemusement.

‘Who’s to say that this is the first time that I have time travelled?’

‘You’re- you’re joking, right?’

‘Course I’m joking,’ he laughs heartily at the absurdity of her remark; once he has calmed himself, he looks down at the compass, ‘then again… I guess it may be possible.’

‘Do you really think that it would be possible? To go back?’

He shrugs, ‘it’s worth a shot, isn’t it?’

Peyton remains quiet for a moment, her eyes cautiously darting to every corner of the room.

‘Relax, Love,’ he replies calmly, a detection of smugness to his tone, ‘no one is going to notice that it’s missing.’

‘I’m sure the security guards would say otherwise,’ she hesitates for a moment, ‘and the cameras-‘

‘Do you see any cameras?’

Peyton takes a moment to study the room.

‘…No?’

Robert looks at her quizzically, his brow raised in curiosity.

‘I thought you were one for taking risks.’

‘I-I am!’

‘Then hold this for me.’

Before she has a chance to respond, Robert shoves the instrument into her hands, barely sparing it a second glance as he focuses his gaze on the doorway. Peyton looks down at the device, her forehead creasing in puzzlement.

‘Why are you giving me this?’ She watches as he walks to the other end of the exhibit, eyeing a collection of pieces, ‘I thought that you didn’t trust me.’

‘I don’t.’

He reaches over the rope, grasping onto a familiar object; he pockets it swiftly.

‘Then why are you leaving me in charge of the compass? Who’s to say I won’t just run off with it…’

‘You won’t.’

‘But how do you know that?’

He sighs dejectedly, as if her incessant questioning is beginning to take its toll, ‘because you need me.’

She scoffs, a chuckle of amusement tumbling from her lips quicker than she has the chance to stop it.

‘Need you? Seriously?’

He scowls at her remark, but quickly regains his composure.

‘Make sarcastic comments all you want,’ he gestures towards her with an accusatory finger, ‘but I know as well as you do that you wouldn’t be able to pull this off without my assistance.’

She shrugs slightly, eyeing him warily as he starts to approach another display case, ‘I never said that I’d be able to do this on my lonesome, but that doesn’t necessarily mean that you’re the person that I have to work with.’

The comment seems to go over his head, as he does not seem to form any kind of response. He watches the corridor, conveniently placing his hands behind his back as a pair of security guards pass by on their rounds. Once he’s sure that they are gone, he turns his attention back to Peyton.

‘Do you have anything in your pockets? Something that we could put on the cushion in the compass’ place?’

‘Why do we need to do that? It’s not like Indiana Jones; the plate isn’t pressurised…’

‘Obviously…’ he remarks, rolling his eyes, ‘it just needs to be something that could act as the compass should they pass by again.’

‘I have a rock!’

‘A…rock…’

She pulls it out of her pocket with ease, studying the surface.

‘I mean…it’s round, and from a distance it might pass. We could even draw some little dials on it to make it look authentic from a distance…’

She reaches into her pocket, rummaging around. Eventually, her hand returns triumphant. As she starts to draw, he looks at her in befuddlement. She doesn’t look up... but it isn't long before she is able to feel Robert's gaze bearing down on her.

‘If you have something to say, I suggest you come out with it,’ she replies stoically, her concentration still remaining on the task at hand, ‘it hasn’t stopped you before.’

‘I honestly just don’t understand why you’re making such a big deal out of this. Just put the rock on the cushion and let’s be done with it.’

‘And do what? Just run off with it in your pocket and act as if they’re not going to check your pockets on the way out?’ She drops her voice to a conspiratorial whisper, ‘because I’m not entirely sure you remember, but you did just stuff a pistol in there.’

He starts backing towards the door, struggling nonchalantly as he prepares to make his escape, ‘they’re not going to look for something that they don’t know is missing now, are they?’

‘What?’

She glances over at the display, her mouth agape in surprise as she notices what appears to be a plastic replica in its place.

‘But…how did…’

She turns back to face him, but only manages to catch sight of his feet as he sprints out of the room.

‘Robert!’

She makes chase, suddenly pausing once she realises that she still has the rock in her hand; she swiftly doubles back on herself, placing the stone in the casing before taking off, narrowly avoiding a collection of tourists that seem to be making their way in that direction.

Once she is out of sight from most, she lessens her pace, slowing down to a standstill once she spies the heaviness of security on the doors. Peyton’s gaze darts to every corner of the room, strangely hoping to see Robert waiting somewhere for her.

But he is nowhere to be found.

She takes a moment to regain her composure, checking her pockets to make sure that nothing has suddenly made an appearance in a place that it shouldn’t.

And that’s when she finds it.

She partially removes the compass from her pocket, cursing under her breath as she quickly realises why Robert is nowhere to be seen.

He has done a runner…leaving the compass in her possession.

‘Is everything alright?’

Peyton startles at the sudden intrusion, swiftly placing her hand on her chest as she attempts to still her frantically beating heart. The curator, whose voice was the cause of her sudden discomfort, frowns at the sight.

‘I apologise if I caught you off-guard.’

Peyton exhales sharply, waving her hand dismissively.

‘It-it’s alright. No harm done, really.’

The woman nods, her attention shifting to the unexpected presence of security at the doors.

‘Hmmm,’ her brow furrows, ‘I wonder why they’ve been called.’

‘Maybe the museum is expecting more visitors today.’

‘That never usually requires this many guards.’

‘You cannot be too careful,’ she admits, ‘maybe they’re trying to implicate a better staff to visitor ratio; last thing you need is to be overwhelmed by guests and understaffed.’

The woman thinks for a moment before nodding, though she appears somewhat uncomfortable with the rash change of staffing.

‘I’m just going to see what is going on,’ the curator gestures with a tilt of her head, ‘excuse me.’

She heads off in the direction of the doors, and it isn’t long before she engages a few members of the security team in conversation. Once she is sure that the lady is engaged, Peyton makes a beeline for the toilets. She heads into one of the cubicles, swiftly locking the door behind her. She lets out a shaky breath, her hand reaching back into her pocket before pulling out the compass. Peyton sighs, her eyes focusing on the detailing, but as she begins to study its design, a brush of cold air tickles her cheek.

She starts to look around for the source, her eyes widening in delight as she spies a small vent, its cover loosened at the corners, a ray of sunshine illuminating the shaft, exposing its connection to the outside world. She covers her palms with her sleeves before attempting to pry it open further.

After a couple of minutes, she manages to force the cover further way from the wall, creating a space that is wide enough for her to slide the compass through. She forces it all the way to the other end before pressing her shoulder against the metal, hoping that it will close just enough to deter suspicion.

Once she is satisfied that the compass is safe, she calmly exits the restroom, heading towards the front entrance to the building. Peyton passes through security with ease, taking her time to walk down the steps.

‘You made it then.’

She turns around, her expression dissipating into one of frustration as she regards the man.

‘You left me in there.’

‘I said that we would work together to get back. I never said that I would help you get out of there.’

‘And what would you have done if I had been caught?’

‘I would have stolen the compass whilst security were busy with you.’

Peyton rolls her eyes.

‘Of course you would,’ she looks down at her feet for a moment, ‘you have always prioritised yourself, after all.’

‘If you had experienced even an ounce of what I have, you would understand,’ he doesn’t leave her room for a response, ‘spending a couple of weeks on a pirate ship does not qualify.’

She opens her mouth to protest…but decides against it. Robert notices, his lips curling into a smug grin.

‘No sarcastic remark? Color me surprised, Peyton.’

‘I’d be wasting my breath.’

He shakes his head in mock amusement.

‘Enough of the pleasantries,’ his eyes befall her pocket, ‘where’s the compass?’

She does not respond in words, instead gesturing for him to follow her lead. He follows her apprehensively, both hands clenching into fists as he readies himself in preparation for a more challenging outcome. Peyton, sensing his distrust, decides to throw a remark over her shoulder, unfazed by his tense façade.

‘What do you think I’m going to do? Smite you?’

He shrugs, ‘it’s possible. We may be working together, Bellamy, but that doesn’t mean that I have to trust you.’

‘Touché.’

She heads back over to the exterior of the building, quickly arriving at a familiar vent. She reaches forward, grappling with the cover.

‘You hid it in a vent?’

‘It’s not like I could just walk out the front door with it in my pocket now, could I?’ She manages to remove the covering with ease, ‘not with more than a dozen guards rather suddenly being posted at the door.’

‘I guess that’s true.’

She places the compass in the middle of her palm, an all-too familiar buzz causing her heart to hammer in her chest.

‘Aren’t you going to open it?’

‘In full view of the public?’

‘Do you see anyone else standing in the bushes?’

Peyton looks around for a moment, settling on her answer shortly after. She gently opens the compass, the blue hue growing brighter as she runs her fingertips across the dials.

‘Is…is this really going to work?’

‘We won’t know until we try, right?’ He grimaces slightly at his words, quickly becoming aware of the hopefulness in his tone, ‘of course it will! It worked the first time, didn’t it?’

Peyton looks down at the compass, her brow narrowing as she examines the ocean-like glow.

‘It doesn’t seem as bright as it was before. Maybe we’ve used it too-‘

But she is unable to finish her sentence.

[dscontinuation]

Chapter 1 is COMPLETE 😳😮

[dscontinuation]

The first Chapter of the DS sequel will be focusing on the return in itself, so will not focus on the LIs.

Please do let me know if you would like tagging; should hopefully be posted tomorrow if it goes according to plan.

[dscontinuation]

Distant Shores 2

Chapter 1: The Return

My favourite part so far…it’s coming along nicely!

‘Do you have anything in your pockets? Something that we could put on the cushion instead of the compass?’

‘Why do we need to do that? It’s not like Indiana Jones; the plate isn’t pressurised…’

‘Obviously…’ he retorts sarcastically, rolling his eyes, ‘it just needs to be something that could act as the compass should they pass by again.’

‘I have a rock!’

‘A…rock…’

[dscontinuation]

Just sat here and decided that I was going to write. Randomly typed and only realised 20 minutes later that I’d hit my word count for the day 👀😳😐.

And a fair bit of it is talking about a rock 😂…

[dscontinuation]

Distant Shores 2

Chapter 1: The Return

Here’s a little snippet from what I have so far; this is an extract from the version with a F!MC (she/her).

‘You’re- you’re joking, right?’

‘Of course I’m joking,’ he laughs heartily at the absurdity of her remark; once he has calmed himself, he looks down at the compass, ‘then again… I guess it may be possible.’

‘Do you really think that it would be possible? To go back?’

He shrugs, ‘it’s worth a shot, isn’t it?’

Peyton remains quiet for a moment, her eyes cautiously darting to every corner of the room, her brow beginning to crease with worry.

‘Relax, Love,’ he replies calmly, a detection of smugness to his tone, ‘no one is going to notice that it’s missing.’

‘I’m sure the security guards would say otherwise.’

[dscontinuation]

As I am currently in the process of writing the first chapter of my Distant Shores sequel, I wanted to enquire as to the layout of the LI sections.

So far, I have thought about writing a generic start (roughly around 1200 words) and then posting links for the LI parts - particularly their reunion in the first chapter - but the links would be your chosen pronouns? Does that make sense?

So in my head it would appear like:

Edward (she/her) (he/him) (they/them)

Charlie (she/her) (he/him) (they/them)

Oliver (she/her) (he/him) (they/them)

Is that a good idea? I would be incredibly grateful for any assistance when it comes to proofreading - I just want to make sure that I get the pronouns right…

Anyhoo, that is the plan so far!

[dscontinuation]

Update

Hello everyone; I understand that it has been a while since I last posted on this blog, and for that you all have my deepest apologies. The past year has been a struggle, and I often found myself getting drawn back into things that either took up a lot of my time or kept me so busy that I often ended up forgetting everything that was going on outside of work/family.

That being said, I do still hope to embark on this journey, and though I am aware that some of you may want to ‘jump ship’ as it were - a decision that is totally understandable and justified - I hope that my absense and lack of communication has not caused any upset.

To those that are yet to be added into the group chats, I truly am sorry for the long wait; I do not wish to excuse my bad handling of things, but hope that you know that it was never my intent to leave things this long.

Life is known to carry one away, and for the better part of the past year, it seems that I too have fallen into its trap.

I do hope to get back into the swing of things in the next week or so, and after PB’s recent announcement, hope to provide this fandom with something that is well worth the wait.

I hope that you are all well, and wish you a safe and happy evening.

Kind regards,

@kinda-iconic (Amy)

[dscontinuation]

Distant Shores: The Sequel plan

Hello everyone! Firstly, I’d like to thank everybody that has reached out and have taken an interest in this little project; please know that I am ever so grateful for all of the enthusiasm and support that this has received, and that it isn’t too late to participate.

So, as it has been over a week since I created these chats, I think that now would be a good time to share with you all the idea that I had with regards to this project.

Note: I am open to ANYTHING that anyone wants to do! These are simply ideas that popped into my head - I’m quite dumb so please forgive me if they’re not great 😂

Specific Routes

As you are all aware, my initial plan for this project was to write the same generic story but to create three different versions - one for each Love Interest; this is still the route that I wish to take. This would mean that you could choose which story you would like to read/write for based on who you romance. There would be a lot more 1:1 time with your chosen LI, and there wouldn’t be any characters that got more ‘screen time’ than the one that you are romancing. Each writer can hopefully be in charge of writing a little bit for each chapter, though if that is not possible (and I value that it won’t always be possible) than we can make an arrangement that best benefits you, and allows you to get the most out of this project... and you can write for as many characters as you wish!

Generic Beginning/chapter parts

With regards to the parts that are NOT strictly associated with romance, such as the main plot as such, I would like to know if there is anyone that would like to write parts for the rest of the story. This would include sub plots, conversations between characters besides our main character and love interest and anything that would go in between if that makes sense. If possible, it would be good to have a more than two people doing this, as it would make it a lot easier and lessen the work load for each of you. I am very happy to offer my own services for this, but I’m afraid that I won’t be able to do this on my lonesome 😔

They’ll be more of this to follow, though I’m afraid that that will be all tonight, as I’m rather tired and it won’t make sense 😂 if any of you have any questions or take issue with anything that I have said and/or suggested, then please do let me know! You can message me on this blog or my main (@kinda-iconic). I hope that I haven’t been too bossy, and I hope that you all have a wonderful day! If you have any more ideas, you know where I am! ❤️

[dscontinuation]

To those of you that wish to take part in writing for each pairing, I apologise for any difficulties that any of you have faced trying to find the group chats. It has come to my attention that some of you are unable to find said discussion links, so here they are...

For Edward Mortemer: https://www.tumblr.com/chat/YX2vxuf-gxwtp2pRkqxH5A/edward-mortemers-route

For Charlie Smith: https://www.tumblr.com/chat/VmcA8IXvjPhIbcXahNrH_A/charlie-smiths-route

For Oliver Cochrane: https://www.tumblr.com/chat/o4q25G3ECe8jsbyVrD1Irw/oliver-cochranes-route

Thank you ever so much for your patience, and I’m so sorry for any inconveniences that this has caused...

[dscontinuation]

So here it is! The official blog for the fanfic version of a Distant Shores sequel! 😯❤️ The group chats are all set up and ready to go, so please feel free to join one of or as many as you wish!

To those that wish to take part and/or want to read what we, as a fandom, create, please remember that ALL characters belong to Pixelberry, and are not our own creations...

Here are the group chats...

I even made little GIFs as header images! 😅

I made Edward’s based on the screenshots/transparent that I had saved... and technology hates me 😭

(The images above are just screenshots of the chats as they appear).

I hope that I can interest a few of you into taking part! ❤️

Wishing you all the best,

@kinda-iconic