seahymns

[seahymns]

jack graces rose with a crooked grin,  eyes dancing like they know a secret he’s dying to share as they take her in.   “hey,  middle names are fair game when you’re this charmin’.   can’t really tease you ‘bout nothin’ else.”   his voice is easy,  playful,  but there’s warmth underneath,  like he’s daring her to meet him in the joke rather than keep scowling.   he’s never really meant to hurt her feelings but there’s no sugarcoating this one truth —   the name dewitt is atrocious and belongs somewhere next to dwight and howard.   at least according to jack.   shoulders shrugging under white shirt,  eyes focused on the wooden boards beneath their feet rather than her face now.   “i ain’t got one.   my ma said they were useless.   i’m no prince of wales,  i don’t need more than one name.”   he briefly wonders if she’s got some royal blood in her,  judging solely by the way she carries herself with such confidence and effortless elegance but the name,  too.   it does sound very classy,  he has to admit that.    “one puts your life in jeopardy,  the other not so much so that’s alright,”   he playfully explains,  thinking she’ll be fine unless girls like her can die from hurt pride.   “cinnamon rolls are my favorite.”   when he was little,  his mom would take him to this one bakery downtown every saturday to get one.   it was their thing.   which is probably why he loves the smell of cinnamon now,  and feels nostalgic when he takes a bite out of the sweet bun.   “and banana bread.”   that’s everyone’s comfort food,  he assumes.   “what do you like best?”   he wonders,  laughing at her explanation as they walk down the long pier.   he’s in no rush and it seems that neither is she.   “no,  not terrible.   unique and kind of impressive.   you know,  some people dance,  others sing and you run from parties.   sounds fun.   what kind of party was it,  anyway?   please,  don’t tell me you ran from your own wedding?”   he’s always been too curious,  a little too straight-froward but hopefully she doesn’t mind him peering into it.

strawberry brows gently scrunch, slowly realizing what he's implying. "i beg your pardon?" voice laced incredulously, a laugh of disbelief sounding from her. "is that what you do? insult people's middle names after saving them?" that's an odd way to be. he just saves her from killing herself, but nonchalantly calls her middle name ugly? it's her middle name to call ugly, not his, rose thinks with a scowl. "well let's see your middle name, mr cool guy." rose scoffs, gently crossing her arms with the heavy sleeves of his jacket. "against me freezing, but not against insulting me." she points out, how annoying and somehow amusing in a peculiar way at the same time.

"a cinnamon roll... that sounds good." actually, it does. her mother has kept treats like that from her most of her life. her mother's always been controlling and neurotic about her figure and rose's, dragging her body complexion issues with her and projecting them onto her to never indulge in things like sweets because they'll turn you thick and ugly and no man will ever want you. well to her, she doesn't care if a man ever wants her. but admittedly, sometimes she has let her mother get away with making insecure if she enjoys a dessert once in awhile. in that instance though, rose wants to do nothing more than rebel and have five cinnamon rolls with jack. "well, i suppose it is. is that so terrible?" she jokes, voice taking on a more playful tone than offense this time, taking his arm and trailing back down the pier. she never thought running up this pier she'd be walking back down it, let alone with such a person like mr. dawson. "my adrenaline search is becoming an addiction at this point, i confess."

[seahymns]

jack smiles,  the kind of smile that reaches his bright blue eyes and makes them sparkle,  the kind of smile that rarely resides upon his lips these days.   “not many people get my humor,  good to know you do,”   he admits,  basking in the sound of her laugh,  so sweet and genuine,  unlike anything he’s ever heard before.   “well,  i wasn’t gonna say dewitt’s awful,  but if you’re gonna go and say it for me…”   he trails off,  stifling a grin and shrugging.   if he’s being entirely honest,  he’s heard worse names than dewitt but it’s not the prettiest either.   “nah,”   he sighs,  nodding to the jacket,   “that’s not to make up for anything.   i wouldn’t let you freeze even if i hadn’t been poking fun at your name.”   he shakes her hand and grins at the firmness of her grip,  like she’s still trying to prove she’s not shaken by the unfortunate event of near drowning.   she’s got the kind of confidence to her that you don’t see every day,  the kind of confidence that’s very intriguing.   “almost fallin’ into a lake in a dress and heels?”   almost committing suicide?   “that’s not somethin’ most people come back from smilin’ so i get it,”   he says,  a little softer now,  less teasingly.   when she says she’d love to go for hot chocolate,  something flutters inside his chest.   he rummages in the pocket of his jeans,  squinting as he searches for what is surely hiding deep in the denim crevasses.   charcoal-stained fingertips close around a bunch of coins,  and he brings them out with an almost triumphant grin.   “see?   we can even grab a cinnamon roll!”   he collects his pencils and tucks his sketchbook under his arm,  offering the other to the redhead to hold onto in case her legs are still a bit rubbery after that near death experience.   “mind if i walk with you?”   ran from the party?   now that captures his attention and with almost childlike innocence he inquires,   “is that another hobby of yours?   runnin’ from parties?   and jumpin’ from piers,  hm?   one hell of an adrenaline junkie you are.”   

"well, i don't blame you. at least you're trying to memorize it." an amused laugh sounds from her after all the fear rushing through her being. "something like what?" is he making fun of her name? "well, go on. don't act so tough and back out now. be a tough man and admit it." that dewitt is an awful middle name. "oh – so you're saying my first name's brilliant, not the second?" rose presses, a little offended but she agrees doesn't she? and he also saved her life so she can't exactly give him a fight. "thank you..." voice comes out as a surprise at the jacket weighing over her shoulders, "is this to make up for making fun of my name?" she wonders while also questioning why he's looking at her hand like that. once he takes it, she gives his hand a firm shake. "i am." a little embarrassed, but okay now. "i mean, i'll possibly have nightmares and never go swimming again... but i'm okay." a sheepish laugh laces her words, gently nodding as hand slowly returns to her side. "i would love to." go with him for hot chocolate, that sounds so endearing. no one's ever invited her to something so normal like that. "but i–– should probably allow my mother to know first. i already ran off from the party." arm lifting, gesturing to the venue across the pier. the party that was suffocating her. the entire reasoning why she was going to jump into the lake in the first place.

[seahymns]

❛  i'm weird, just deal with it.  ❜

sitting on the fire escape of his new york city apartment,  jack peers down at the busy streets below and lights up his third cigarette in a row.   he wonders how many it takes to escape this infuriating state of creative block.   he hasn’t picked up his sketchbook in weeks,  and it seems that the harder he tries to find inspiration,  the deeper he sinks into this…   slump.   the only reason why he hasn’t yet gone crazy is @cynd1 and their conversations.   “the way i see it,  it’s better to be weird than boring,”   he muses,  smoke billowing in a defeated exhale before he offers his cigarette to the other.   “besides,  as long as you’re not the burning ants with magnifying glass every monday kinda weird.   we should be good.” 

[seahymns]

[seahymns]

jack smiles softly and nods his head in subtle encouragement.   his jacket,  too big and still carrying the heat of day mixed with faint undertones of cigarette smoke on it,  slipping over rapunzel’s shoulders with ease.   “no,  you keep it.   please,”   the artist insists, stuffing his balled up hands into the pockets of his jeans.   it’s a chilly night,  but he’s seen worse.   besides,  he’s got a fairly thick shirt on.   he’ll be just fine.   “so,  this is where i grew up.   my dad and i,  we used to fish and swim in this very lake every summer.   isn’t it breathtaking?”   he inquires,  his eyes reflecting the tranquil beauty of the lake in front of them,  moonlight dancing upon its surface like a thousand twinkling stars.

 *  ―  𝑪𝑨𝑹𝑰𝑵𝑮 𝑷𝑹𝑶𝑴𝑷𝑻𝑺. (  add " + " to reverse the action.  ) | accepting

@seahymns asked: ❛  here, you look like you're freezing.  ❜

Rapunzel   hadn't   even   noticed   the   way   she   was   trembling   until   it   was   brought   to   her   attention.   She   was   just   so   mesmerized   by   the   picturesque   scenery   "Oh!   Are...   you   sure?"   emerald   gaze   lingered   on   the   offered   coat   before   sheepishly   accepting   it.

"Thank   you   ...   but   ......   um,   you're   sure   you   won't   be   cold   yourself?   I   can   give   it   back!"

[seahymns]

I want - no, I need more long term, in depth ships. The kind of ships that I can’t stop thinking about. That have a real chokehold on you as an rper. Really thought out, headcanoned and plotted ships. Where we obsess over them endlessly. Go back and forth and stay up late just to read one or two more replies. Where you can get so attached to the characters involved that you can feel what they’re feeling, the good, the bad, the ugly. The kind of ships that really make the RP experience. The ones we can really develop, see grow over the months, have long angsty threads of, but also short fluffy or smutty ones as well. Or where we can post a random one liner just to mix things up here and there! Yeah, I need more ships like that. So please, like… message… send a carrier pigeon... doesn’t matter! Because as the great t.swif.t once said… it’s a need.

[seahymns]

╰       📷      .    .    .       tomorrow   we   will   love   each   other   a   little   more,   and   the   next   day,   and   the   next   day.   and   even   on   those   days   when   one   or   both   of   us   is   having   a   hard   time,   we’ll   be   here,   where   we   are   completely   known,   completely   accepted,   by   the   person   whose   every   side   we   love   wholeheartedly.   

#           𝟒𝒍𝒆𝒙𝒏𝒊𝒍𝒔𝒆𝒏         ;           an   independent,   private  &   selective   writing   blog   for   𝐀𝐋𝐄𝐗 𝐍𝐈𝐋𝐒𝐄𝐍   of   emily henry’s  novel   —   𝐩𝐞𝐨𝐩𝐥𝐞 𝐰𝐞 𝐦𝐞𝐞𝐭 𝐨𝐧 𝐯𝐚𝐜𝐚𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧.   book and headcanon based. written   by   olivia.   est. august 2024.

[seahymns]

MÄDCHEN AMICK as Laurie Harris in Baywatch 1.01 (1989)

[seahymns]

on the fifth day of blue lake arts camp, jack organizes a pottery workshop for the youngest of campers — second and third graders who never stop chatting and giggling and running around, high on sugar and adrenaline. still, it’s his favorite age group. the ones with unbridled amounts of creativity and wild imagination. his once spotless classroom has quickly turned into a sticky, colorful, splattered mess of paints and clay, but he’s one of those people who thrive amidst chaos. walking between the small stations, he makes sure to stop by each child and offer guidance and a kind word, something along the lines of what an amazing concept, stevie. a spaceship! headed for mars, is it? here, if you loosen your grip a little, it will stop bending to the side, alright? some people would call his summer job exhausting or boring, but he loves helping these little campers unleash their creativity and imagination through various arts projects. “just a reminder, at the end of the summer, you’ll get to share your works in an exhibition. let’s make michelangelo green with jealousy,” he encourages, his eyes sparkling even if the creations that will eventually leave this cabin would only give michelangelo a headache.

it’s only when he hears a loud thud coming from outside the cabin that his ocean hues flicker away from the strange sculptures, glancing briefly toward the window. brows furrowing, he initially decides it’s nothing, but on a second thought… isn’t it his job to investigate? a few years back, when he was still one of the campers and not a part-time member of the staff, someone had apparently seen a bear near the campgrounds. “stevie,” he points to one of the more responsible kids, “you’re in charge. i’ll be right back, okay? let’s try not to set anything on fire while i’m gone.” and with that, he’s out the door, looking out into the woods, convinced the noise was some animal rummaging through trash cans or something. clearly, nothing serious. no bear, no wolf, no rabid raccoon in sight. but then, just as he’s about to return to his class, he spots a blonde mane near the rocks and bushes, below the big window and gasps. “oh. wow. hi? hello? you okay down there? takin’ a nap or..? what’s happened?” words spilling out of his mouth all at once despite his attempts to remain calm, he races down the wooden steps to aid the mess of tangled limbs. despite the playful facade, he’s concerned about this stranger’s wellbeing. “if you were aiming for the door, you only missed it by a yard or two,” he jokes, trying to lighten the mood as pale blue eyes assess the damage. he extends a hand, “come on, let’s get you out of these gorgeous rose bushes before you trample ‘em all.” 

﹨ @seahymns sixteen pageants. four conferences. twelve crowns. two storage units for all of her gowns, and this was her second year attending little miss future beauty queens of america sleep away camp. nestled miles outside of hawkins, chrissy considered it enough of a break from her mother's routine even though she couldn't fully escape her agenda for chrissy's future. most mornings, she could wake up in her bunk and convince herself the friends she made at the beauty camp was a good reason to make it through the rest of the summer with a perfect smile in place. other mornings were more difficult. if she hadn't gotten lost one day on their daily jogging course, chrissy would never have found the neighboring camp. at first, she was too afraid to leave the tree line and explore the as-advertised adventure that appeared to be the average summer experience. chrissy watched kids of all ages wearing blue and red and green summer shorts and matching camp tshirts running around the property, doing ordinary activities that didn't involve an inch of poise or elegance. it took chrissy a few more times sneaking back to work up the nerve to peak into the cabin windows. there were shop classes, theatre classes, and art classes. it was in the latter that chrissy felt most drawn. watching the kids and teens inside create wonderful images with rainbow colors was hypnotizing. not for the first time, the small blonde wished she was a small creature that could fit through the crack of the window and get a closer look. the box she balanced her slight weight gave beneath her feet suddenly. chrissy gripped at the windowsill but faltered anyway. gravity did most of the work, and chrissy came crashing back down to the grass, her knee scrapping a concealed rock beneath.

[seahymns]

loosely  balled  up  fists  slip  into  the  pockets  of  his  worn  pants  out  of  habit,  fingertips  grazing  a  lighter,  some  loose  change  and  pieces  of  charcoal  that  he  used  a  few  hours  ago  to  finish  his  latest  sketch.  a  sheepish  smile  tugs  at  the  corners  of  his  lips,  chest  expending.  call  him  naive,  but  he  believes  in  the  power  of  kind  words  and  compliments,  of  telling  and  showing  the  people  in  his  life  that  they  matter.   ❝   that’s  a  rare  thing. from  what  i’ve  glimpsed,  most  people  would  like  to  be  anyone  but  themselves.   ❞   he  steps  a  little  closer  to  the  railing,  curious  what  the  water  below  looks  like  at  this  time of  day.  last  night  it  was  so  dark  that  he  couldn’t  see  his  hand  in  front  of  his  face,  he  could  only  hear  the  waves  crashing  against  the  steel  body  of  the  ship.   ❝   seen  any  fish  down  there  today?   ❞   he  inquires,  pointing  his  chin  towards  the  ocean.

@seahymns asked ❝ you don't need to fake anything. you're better than that. ❞

it was so nice, hearing encouragement to just be herself rather than admonishments (no matter how well couched and well intended) to not be so different. smiling, she leaned her weight against the railing, the ocean spray a welcome reprieve from the heat even if she didn't dare risk a book this close to the boat's edge. "i'm glad to hear that, i've never been very good at being anything but myself."

[seahymns]

“i’m always here for you, elain.” seeing his best friend in state of sheer despair, the life that she’s always known crumbling to dust around her, it stirs something deep inside of him. strong arms coiling a little tighter around her, hoping to shield her from the world, from her parents’ disappointment, from all the negative feelings. he wants to silently let her know that right here and now, in this old jeep of his, she’s safe. if he could take away all her pain, he would. no questions asked. parting with reluctance, his fingertips lingering on her cheek as they carefully wipe away her tears, jack gives her some room to breathe even though his heart is telling him to pull her back into his chest. to hold and kiss her until they’re both breathless and there’s not a single worry on her mind. but her frail smile and sweet voice pull him back to reality — she’s his best friend, his only best friend, and he can’t risk losing her because of a whim.

“move in with me then,” he offers softly, not a second of hesitation, no second-guessing. he lives in a tiny shoebox with one bedroom that can barely be called a bedroom, but what’s his is hers, too. he won’t let her sleep in a car or a motel, or end up on the streets. “yeah, well… i don’t blame them, elain,” he shrugs, seemingly unaffected by what he’s already been suspecting, but deep down it does sting. even if only just a little. “no one in their right mind wants to see a girl like you with a guy like myself. they’d like to see you hangin’ out with a lawyer or a doctor, not a poor artist. but i don’t care what anyone else says ‘bout us. it’s you and me until the end.” the best of friends. “hey? are you tryin’ to make me blush?” he laughs softly, unsure how to accept such a meaningful compliment. his face flushing, eyes growing softer. “i say the same thing about you, all the time. to hell with what your parents want you to be, the elain that i’ve met is the most wonderful person in the universe. you don’t need a degree to mean something and make a change in the world. you’re like the sun… you make people around you feel so alive.”

when jack asks about whether or he should talk with her parents, elain almost wants to pull away from him. not because he had overstepped but because she'd never repeated what they said about her best friend the few times he'd been brought up in conversation. he sounds like a vagabond. why isn't he in school? it's not an impressive thing to be wandering around like that, aimless. her guilt is what threatens to make the night even worse.

but when elain does calm down, wishing she could stay in his arms forever, she has to fight every impulse she has. the ones that tell her to kiss him. to tell him how he's the only person in her life that not only knows her, but understands her too. it would be so easy to ruin the one thing she holds the most dear, so she doesn't. the restrictions she places on herself are the only things she feels like have kept she and jack from making a mistake.

she offers him a weak smile, "there's no use in arguing with them. nothing is going to change their minds. plus," elain admits, swallowing the thick lump that had been forming in her throat the entire time jack was trying to make things better. "they don't think you're a good influence on me." doe-like hues look to him then, preparing to see the hurt. he had every right to be. "not that i agree. i feel like the day we met was the first time i saw someone i wanted to be like. you're excited to be alive and it's infectious. i've never known anyone like that."

[seahymns]

❝   so  happy  to  hear  that,  mrs.  dawson,   ❞   jack  coos  sweetly,  unable  to  resist  his  lips  pressing  methodically  to  rose’s  forehead,  temple  and  cheek,  fingertips  brushing  her  flaming  locks  behind  her  ear.  he  doesn’t  know  what  kind  of  sorcery  it  is,  but  she  has  this  hidden  talent  —  her  smile  never  fails  to  make  his  heart  skip  a  beat.   ❝   lily  and  i  woke  up  at  six,  didn’t  we?  ‘cause  we  couldn’t  wait.  after  all,  it’s  our  favorite  holiday.  is  it  not?   ❞   his  hand  reaching  out,  tickling  the  spot  right  under  their  daughter’s  chin  to  coax  a  giggle  out  of  her.  and  to  think  he  used  to  dread  mother’s  day,  pretend  it’s  just  an  ordinary  sunday  in  may.   ❝   oh,  let  me  think  about  it.   ❞   at  her  question,  jack  pretends  to  mull  it  over,  a  line  forming  between  his  brows.  

❝   hmm,  maybe  it’s  because  i  love  you  so  much  that  i  want  to  remember  every  detail  about  you?  but  might  also  be  pure  coincidence,  of  course.  one  or  the  other,   ❞   he  playfully  teases,  watching  with  amusement  as  their  toddler  completely  forgets  the  food  on  the  wooden  tray  is  supposed  to  be  her  mother’s.  tiny  hand  snatching  a  piece  of  strawberry  and  munching  on  it  for  a  moment  before  grabbing  one  more.  the  girl’s  ocean  eyes  light  up  and  she  puffs  her  chest  out  with  pride  at  being  called  the  best  chef.   ❝   lily  and  i  have  already  talked  about  what  animals  we’re  most  excited  to  see.  miss  lilybug  here  can’t  wait  to  meet  the  elephants,  maybe  we’ll  even  hear  them  trumpet  if  we  get  lucky.  i  want  to  see  the  siberian  tiger.  apparently,  this  zoo  has  a  real  big  one.  what  about  you,  mommy?   ❞   jack  inquires  with  a  loving  smile,  still  finding  it  hard  to  believe  that  they’re  parents  now.  watching  rose  be  the  sweetest,  most  gentle  mom  is  surely  his  favorite  thing  in  the  universe.  it  makes  him  love  her  more,  when  he  thought  no  such  thing  was  possible. 

"i did, thank you." the strawberry haired girl continues to eagerly listen what in all jack has thoughtfully planned for her with lily. it makes her giggle in pure bliss– she knew how special jack is, this morning could've looked so differently, if she had been forced to stay with cal. if it wasn't for the night jack saving her. she would never take having such a special one of kind of soul ever for granted. her cheeks began to hurt listening to their little one try to explain their day, especially the comment about her hair. it made rose love her hair more than she ever had.

"build sandcastles! how do you two know me so well?" rose shakes the tiny hand of the tiny girl she's holding while grinning so brightly at jack. "that sounds so wonderful," she excitedly cooed, excited to see animals at the zoo and the lake. "i'll start eating this delicious breakfast prepared by the two best chefs, so we can get the day started. i can't wait to see all the animals and then the beautiful lake." she took her fork and started digging in while her left arm stayed wrapped around lily's back who was in between them. and how beautiful lake michigan truly is... she couldn't thank her mother more for moving them here from pennsylvania all those years ago. wisconsin felt far more like her home than there ever did. it brought her to jack and she got to live near the most beautiful lake to exist. people here are kinder, it's cozy and she's apart of such a fun church group with a few girls who also have little girls. sometimes they meet for brunch which is always fun. and then in the winter, it's mesmerizing getting to ice skate on the ponds so close by.

[seahymns]

jack has never seen this side of elain before, a certain kind of vulnerability and almost childlike innocence combined, pulling at his heart in a way that makes it difficult to breathe. he may not know about every single thing that’s happened to her in this very house, most likely couldn’t pinpoint each emotional wound that her body harbors, but he knows enough. the look on her face speaks louder than any words. ocean hues studying her delicate visage with growing concern, he can see her own eyes glistening in the dim light and cups her cheek in his palm. calloused fingertips feather-light, ready to catch each and every tear as he listens to her intently, his own chest constricting with feelings that he can’t quite understand — sadness, sympathy, worry… anger directed solely at her parents.

“move out? what?” he echoes in disbelief, swallowing the other question that’s sitting at the tip of his tongue, and go where? “would you like me to talk to them? explain why you don’t want to go back to school? try to change their minds?” ever the optimist, he hates how he always expects the best from even the worst people, jack hopes all her parents need is some time to think this through. however, the more he hears, the more pessimistic (or should he say realistic?) he becomes. he doesn’t want her to go back there if all that awaits her is a mix of guilt tripping and emotional abuse. “it’s not fine, elain. even if you hate it here, it’s still unbelievably shitty of them. hey, come on, come here.” at the mere sight of her tears, his own eyes begin to sting — it’s the one thing his heart cannot handle. arms opening invitingly, pulling her into a hug.

“it’s gonna be alright. we’ll figure something out, i promise.” thoughts swirling in his head as he rubs soothing circles into her back, hoping to make her feel less alone. “i’m sure they do want you to be happy. in their own messed up way. they just don’t understand that your idea of happiness is different from theirs, and if they’re genuinely willing to lose you because of this… they didn’t deserve you in the first place.” jack doesn’t know how to answer her question, swallowing harshly as he rests his chin atop her head and squeezes her a little tighter. “it’s your life, elain. you have every right to choose which path you want to follow.” and he’ll always support her, no matter what.

how had it all gotten so confusing? every area of her life felt like some kind of test, and elain was failing it. she looks to jack as he turns the engine off, fighting back tears with each word he says. their friendship was a shining light above the dark trench she'd recently fallen into. as it had been since the first day he appeared in the coffee shop she worked in. "it's not that simple," she replies, fingers wiping away the dampness that had fallen on her cheeks. elain looks up at the grand home before them. the one she'd been raised in and loved despite what she's recently realized about her parents. about their abuse and neglect, and how it's begun to suffocate her to the point of no return. "i told them, the other night. about not going back to school. they said that if i don't then i have to move out." no inheritance, no holidays together. she would be on her own. "which is fine, you know? because i hate it here." elain allows herself to cry, doesn't care what jack might have thought about it. one way or the other. he wanted what was best for her. even if her parents didn't. "and i'm okay to just work as a florist, to sell books and make people coffee. i don't need more than that. but the fact that they're willing to never speak to me again over this? what's the point of having kids if you don't want them to be happy?"

[seahymns]

#           𝑠𝑒𝑒𝑟𝑓𝑎𝑤𝑛         said;           ❛ 𝑖 𝑑𝑜𝑛’𝑡 𝑒𝑣𝑒𝑛 𝑘𝑛𝑜𝑤 𝑤ℎ𝑜 𝑖 𝑎𝑚 𝑎𝑛𝑦𝑚𝑜𝑟𝑒. 𝑖’𝑣𝑒 𝑙𝑜𝑠𝑡 𝑚𝑦𝑠𝑒𝑙𝑓 𝑖𝑛 𝑡𝑟𝑦𝑖𝑛𝑔 𝑡𝑜 𝑝𝑙𝑒𝑎𝑠𝑒 𝑒𝑣𝑒𝑟𝑦𝑜𝑛𝑒 𝑒𝑙𝑠𝑒. ❜           ― &. 𝐫𝐢𝐯𝐚𝐥𝐬 (𝐭𝐨 𝐥𝐨𝐯𝐞𝐫𝐬?) 𝐬𝐞𝐧𝐭𝐞𝐧𝐜𝐞 𝐬𝐭𝐚𝐫𝐭𝐞𝐫𝐬 .

❝   elain,   ❞   jack’s  voice  comes  out  in  a  low  murmur,  tenderness  seeping  into  the  air  between  them  as  he  pulls  into  her  driveway.  rain  pelting  the  roof  of  his  truck,  filling  the  brief  silence  between  the  two  of  them  with  a  steady  drumming  beat.  the  artist  swiftly  unbuckles  his  seatbelt  and  shifts  in  the  driver’s  seat  so  that  he  can  face  the  other,  nothing  but  heartache  blossoming  inside  of  him.  the  lump  in  his  throat  expanding.   ❝   hey,  look  at  me,  @seerfawn,   ❞   he  breathes,  one  hand  moving  up  to  tuck  a  strand  of  hair  behind  her  ear  in  a  subtle  attempt  to  comfort  her.  he  knows  exactly  how  easy  it  is  to  forget  one’s  true  identity  while  trying  to  prioritize  other  people’s  needs,  doing  everything  to  meet  their  expectations.   ❝   there’s  still  time  to  figure  it  all  out.  who  you  are,  who  you  want  to  be.  when  you’re  supposed  to  fit  in  somewhere,  it doesn’t  take  much  effort.  it  comes  naturally.   ❞   the  pad  of  his  thumb  touching  elain’s  cheek  just  shy  of  her  plush  lips,  memorizing  the  softness  of  her  skin  against  his  sheepish  touch.   his  brows  inch  closer  together,  a  thunder  raging  deep  in  the  cage  of  his  ribs  as  he  confesses,   ❝   want  to  know  who  you  are  to  me?  you’re  the  most  talented  person  in  the  universe,  my  best  friend,  my  whole  world  and  you’re  perfect  just  the  way  you  are.  i’m  here  for  you,  okay?  to  hell  with  everyone  else.  do  whatever  it  is  that  makes  you  happy.   ❞   

[seahymns]

ocean hues trailing over riley’s features with a tenderness reserved only for moments like this one, jack lets out a sigh of sympathy but still finds himself appreciating the hopefully not-so-brief calm after the storm. “how's she doin'? seems like she’s feeling a bit better?” he inquires in a hushed voice, pointing his chin towards the sleeping toddler, a hint of concern seeping into his voice. the world around them nothing but a white noise, completely ignored by the artist. “and how are you? rough day?” his tone apologetic, guilt-ridden because he should have come home sooner today, should have helped her more, been by her side at the doctor’s. “well, seems like we have two options,” he murmurs, carefully shifting his weight as he coils an arm around riley’s shoulders to try and comfort her. “we can either be brave and scoop her up, risk waking her up, or we can be cowards and stay right where we are until she wakes up in the morning.”

open to : m / nb only please !

plot : basically if shauna and jeff from yellowjackets were together before the crash and actually liked each other ! riley is one of a handful of survivors from a horrific plane crash her freshman year of college and turns out she was pregnant when the plane crash and has to take care of a baby in the wild . baby daddy can either have been there or not but this would be years later ! could be either family angst or fluff !

the toddler fast asleep on the couch had been riley's main source of stress for the last few days . cameron had caught something from daycare , sticky sneezing into their hands toddlers were known for spreading illness like the plague but it was starting to feel like they couldn't catch a break --- having spent an early portion of the day crying with their unhappy three year old as she wailed in the doctor's office , facing the consequences of a nasty ear infection . the drops had done wonders but now , riley was worried if either of them made so much as a sudden movement the three and a half year old would wake and they'd be back at step one . " how are we going to get her to bed ? " the red head asks quietly , in a hushed whisper not taking her eyes off the little girl .

[seahymns]

&. 𝐫𝐢𝐯𝐚𝐥𝐬 (𝐭𝐨 𝐥𝐨𝐯𝐞𝐫𝐬?) 𝐬𝐞𝐧𝐭𝐞𝐧𝐜𝐞 𝐬𝐭𝐚𝐫𝐭𝐞𝐫𝐬.

(  various  dialogue  prompts  to  send  to  your  worst  enemy  (affectionate).  feel  free  to  change  how  you  seem  fit.  )

❛ oh great, it's you again. ❜

❛ you? kill me? that's funny. ❜

❛ for being someone you hate, i'm sure on your mind a lot. ❜

❛ you're the last person i wanted to see, actually. ❜

❛ do us both a favor. stay away from me. ❜

❛ you really are an asshole, you know that? ❜

❛ i'm the asshole? what does that make you then? ❜

❛ sometimes i think you must hate me. ❜

❛ i thought you said you never wanted to see me again. ❜

❛ if you want me to go, then you have to tell me to leave. ❜

❛ well, someone's cranky today. ❜

❛ well, someone needs to shut the fuck up. ❜

❛ just stay out of my way. ❜

❛ of all the idiots in the world, i'm stuck with you. ❜

❛ what is it you want this time? ❜

❛ sometimes i wonder if you're in love with me. ❜

❛ do you honestly think this is easy for me? ❜

❛ why would i ever want to be friends with you? ❜

❛ can we please just talk? ❜

❛ there is nothing for us to talk about. ❜

❛ you can yell at me later. just let me help you. ❜

❛ touch me, and you're dead. ❜

❛ oh, so now you care? ❜

❛ there is something deeply wrong with you. ❜

❛ i know i'm the last person you probably want to see, but... ❜

❛ you don't think we could be friends, do you? ❜

❛ i'm tired of fighting against you. ❜

❛ don't pretend you give a shit about me. ❜

❛ you're an idiot, but... i trust you. ❜

❛ oh, don't be cute. ❜

❛ wait, did you just say that i'm cute? ❜

❛ we're not good for each other. ❜

❛ if i say yes, will you shut up? ❜

❛ don't you have to be stupid somewhere else? ❜

❛ maybe we should kiss just to break the tension. ❜

❛ i'm sorry i can't turn off my feelings as easily as you. ❜

❛ maybe there's a universe out there where we're friends. ❜

❛ how can you be so smart yet so dumb at the same time? ❜

❛ don't think this changes anything between us. ❜

❛ you look ridiculous in that outfit, by the way. ❜

❛ if you die, i'll kill you. ❜

❛ is that a challenge? ❜

❛ ah, so you're not heartless after all. ❜

❛ i don't think i've ever seen you smile. ❜

❛ you never cared about me, so why now? ❜

❛ why didn't you kill me when you had the chance? ❜

❛ i don't even remember why we started fighting. ❜

❛ i don't have time for distractions right now. ❜

❛ you're not as bad as everyone says you are. ❜

❛ enemies make the best lovers, you know. ❜

[seahymns]

anastasia’s  words  coax  a  snort  of  ridicule  from  between  jack’s  lips,  brows  inching  closer  together,  deep,  parallel  lines  appearing  on  his  forehead.  part  of  him  wants  to  laugh  this  strange  conversation  off,  hopes  this  newly-acquainted  friend  of  his  will  deliver  the  long-overdue  punchline  soon,  but  the  longer  his  pale  blue  eyes  linger  on  her  features,  the  more  terrified  he  becomes.  how  can  she  be  so  calm  and  serious  while  feeding  him  what  seems  to  be  a  pile  of  bullshit?   ❝   i  don’t  mean  to  sound  rude,   ❞   he  truthfully  admits,  even  though  there’s  annoyance  rising  in  his  chest,  threatening  to  boil  over  —  he  simply  can’t  help  but  feel  like  he’s  being  played,  like  it’s  all  just  a  grand  joke  to  the  smiling  brunette.  it  takes  him  back  to  his  childhood,  to  his  mother  who  in  the  end  lost  her  battle  with  mental  health  and  people  who’d  ridiculed  her.  he  folds  his  arms  over  his  chest  in  a  defensive  manner  and  cocks  his  head  to  the  side,  feigning  composure.   ❝   but  if  you’re  trying  to  make  fun  of  mental  illness…  it’s  not  funny,  alright?   ❞   he  can’t  help  the  irritation  that  continues  to  build  up  within  him.  a  person  cannot  be  a  ship.  end  of  story. 

what  happens  next  has  jack  taking  a  cautious  step  back,  his  eyes  widening  and  lips  parting  in  confusion.  the  feeling  of  turmoil  still  heavy  in  his  chest,  but  now  it’s  laced  with  a  combination  of  curiosity  and  wonderment  as  well.  a  magic  trick.  the  first  rational  explanation  that  comes  to  his  mind.  he’s  seen  it  before,  in  paris  and  rome  and  even  back  in  his  small  town  in  wisconsin  when  he  was  just  a  boy,  people  pulling  rabbits  out  of  their  top  hats,  floating  in  the  air…  it’s  a  magic  trick,  he  tells  himself  but  without  much  conviction.  still,  a  corner  of  his  mouth  twitches.  a  spark  of  amusement  gleaming  in  his  eyes.   ❝   how’d  you  do  that?   ❞   he  asks,  his  features  softening  when  the  soft  petals  brush  against  the  palm  of  his  hand.  he  examines  the  flower,  even  buries  his  nose  in  it  and  inhales  the  sweet  smell  of  summer.  but  the  thorns?  where  are  the  thorns?  all  roses  have  them…   ❝   are  you  a  magician?   ❞   he  wonders  aloud,  deciding  this  one  trick  proves  nothing.  his  mind  at  war  with  his  heart.

the aforementioned ship of dreams cannot suppress the giggle that her companion’s response elicits, her eyes a-gleam with childlike mischief. ❝ pardon me, my good sir, ❞ she responds, an impish grin appearing upon her porcelain visage. ❝ i seem to have forgotten, once again, the tendency of you mortal folk to prioritize logic above all else. how utterly erroneous of me.❞ great amusement is woven into the tapestry of her thick irish accent; evidently, this young man’s skepticism does not faze her.

      ❝ rest assured, mr. dawson, i do not consider you to be stupid at all. in reality, your skepticism is immensely refreshing. ❞ piercing hazel eyes — identical, amongst all other aspects of her physical appearance, to those of mr. ismay’s — regard jack as though he were a fascinating specimen observed beneath a scientific microscope. after a brief pause, she speaks once more. ❝ however, i would be most remiss if i were to allow you to visit miss dewitt bukater without a gift for such a lovely soul. ❞

never once removing her gaze from jack’s own, anastasia curls her fingers over her palm, and takes a deep breath. calling forth the sacred divine force that binds her to mother nature, she conjures a thornless red rose for her mortal companion out of thin air. ❝ here, ❞ anastasia murmurs quietly whilst she places the rose carefully into jack’s hand. ❝ it’ll bring her good luck. ❞

╰──➢       @seahymns