#After that uhh - about half of Ch. 8 is done and the rest is white word document :T Haha

[sysig]

Your (truncated) Weekly TV Guide

On Monday you can expect:

2:30 PM: Minecraft - Damned

And Wednesday:

2:30 PM: Minecraft - Damned

Friday:

2:30 PM: Minecraft - Damned

Thanks for tuning in! (Patreon)

[damn-stark]

Crossed Stars Bonus Chapter

Takes place between Ch.7 & Ch.8

A/N- we’re moving onto endgame! You know what that means five year time jump! And for that I decided to make this cool bonus chapter! There is some writing that matters to the story coming forth so 😏 but beside that this will include just “posts” from the characters! Let me know what you thought!! Also I couldn’t post a lot of the posts because I can only post 10 pictures but if you all want more let me know! I have way more “posts”

Warning- fluff, ANGST

Pairing- Poe Dameron x reader, Steve Rogers x reader

(Let me know if you want to be tagged)

———

2020

2021

2022

2023

—

Its crazy to think that five years have passed, that you have been down in this strange planet for five years. What’s even crazier is that Steve and you have been together for four of those years (almost five). Well maybe dating him for that long wasn't that strange now that you thought it through, mainly because throughout those five years Poe has stuck around, even after the disaster confession that almost destroyed your friendship completely.

And saying that it wasn’t completely changed after that day was a lie, it was just you trying to be optimistic and trying to forget the fact that he hardly talked to you for a year, that he had confessed his love for you, a confession you neither returned or commented anything at all actually. Just left your own confession, the whole conversation locked in a box to never be opened (hopefully not anyway)

Why was the need to do so anyway? It’s been five years. Five years of the both of you just living life and acting as if nothing happened, him trying to date and you forgetting your feelings for your long time friend and being....happy...with Steve. It was all just going great. Really great!

To the point where both Steve and you chose to go on a double date with Poe and his date.

Great.

“It’s not to late to leave, you know?” You whisper to Steve as you get walked to your table, “we can still catch that Rom-com movie we wanted to see.”

Said man chuckles as he pulls your chair for you to sit, pushing it in a couple seconds after before commenting with the same humor, “and miss this great date? No.”

You groan dramatically and drop your head on his shoulder. Letting him wrap his arm around your shoulder and rest his own head on yours, “it won’t be that bad. Poe and you are good right?”

You shrug and lift your head off his shoulder, “yeah. He’s been distant lately but we’re good.”

As if you had been summoning him said man appears, following after the waiter with a small and pretty brunette at his side. They both sit across from Steve and you, the girls eyes landing on you before landing on Steve sitting next to you, a wide grin appearing on her soft features and her eyes almost seeming to give a glow as she keeps staring at Steve all star-struck—a look you now recognized only after seeing them another other people before.

“Hi, I’m so glad you guys could make it.” You greet with a forced smile, “almost thought you were going to bail.”

“You wish.” Poe jokes making your eyes roll. He then moves his hand and places it on the girls back, whispering something in her ear that made her look away from Steve to look at you with the same happy grin. An action that ticked you off for an unknown reason. “Kacy, this is y/n.” Said girl extends her hand out to you.

“Hi it’s so nice to finally meet you! Poe talks about you a lot, almost thought he was making you up.”

You shake her hand and keep your forced smile plastered on your lips, “it’s nice to meet you too.” You glance at Steve to try and introduce him, even you knew she him, “this is Steve.”

Kacy moves to shake his hand, her green eyes once again giving off that sparkle, “it’s such an honor meeting you.” Steve smiles and her eyes keep glued on him as she speaks to Poe, “you never told me we were coming to dinner with Captain America.”

Poe responded with a serious tone that didn’t match his smile at all, “It was a surprise.”

-

After ordering your food, after getting it brought to the table the girl never stopped talking. But unlike the other girls Poe’s dated, Kacy was...how do you say it in a way that didn’t sound rude, uhh..less of an airhead. She actually talked about dilemmas that went on around the world, and or talked about her job as a fashion designer. She was smart, but here’s the thing, every time she talked it was all just directed to Steve. And yes you couldn’t blame her, in her planet he was a famous hero, but she could be considerate to her actual date.

The only moment she even slightly included anybody else was to talk to you, to ask if Steve had proposed yet. It was question that you simply answered with pressed lips and a shake of your head. While Steve chose to stay silent, just making the whole conversation more awkward. Making Poe chug the remainder of his beer to ease the awkward situation on his part, his mood deflating and growing quieter than he already was. Something that let you speak to him to try and at least make him feel somewhat better.

“How you liking it so far?” You questioned Poe, who’s eyes were fixated on his plate, his hand just mindlessly twirling the pasta on his fork, not noticing you asked him something until you repeated your question.

“Oh, uh. It’s good.” He forced, a half smile tugging at his lips, “wouldn’t mind food from home though. I miss it.”

You nod in agreement, sharing a small laugh at a passing memory, “you know what I miss the most? Snaps food creations. His mixture of food from the rations we would get!”

“Yes exactly! Man even if the rations by themselves were tasteless he had a way to just make them taste gourmet.” Poe beamed, “he would always say he was going to retire and become a chef.” His smile faltered at the memory of his fallen friend, “I miss him.”

“Yeah me too.” Noticing Poe’s mood begin to drop back to what it was before, you decided to leave Kacy unbothered and let her talk Steve’s ear off. “I never told you but when we were starting out in the defense fleet, I uhh....” you pause and cringe at your next comment, “I had a crush on Captain Antilles.” You glance up at Poe who now had a wide grin, his white teeth showing perfectly.

“Oh sweetheart I noticed. I would hear you and the other girl pilots gush about him. I would also see the heart eyes you gave that man when he wasn’t looking. But I do think your eyes widened more when we saw Luke Skywalker.” Poe teased, dropping his fork on his plate and fully engaging with your conversation.

“I could’ve died happy that day we saw Luke Skywalker.” You laugh, “plus you can’t blame me, Antilles was a war veteran. He fought alongside Luke Skywalker and General Organa. He was a walking legend and one of my favorite pilots.”

“You said that about Han Solo, Luke Skywalker and Anakin Skywalker.” His grin turns smug, leaning himself closer to you to ask a ridiculous question. “If you had to choose between those three and Captain Antilles, who would you chose—”

“Don’t.” You interrupt, “I’m not choosing favorites, that’s impossible.”

“Fine,” Poe shrugged, his smug demeanor never fading, “then who would you choose to join your squadron?”

��Pfft,” You breath, rolling your eyes in a lighthearted way whilst leaning in as he did to respond with the obvious answer, “Easy, Han Solo. Only because he did the Kessel run in 15 parsecs.”

“Ah,” Poe shook his finger before you both corrected your answer in unison, “12 parsecs.” The both of you share a hearty laugh, the moment being like it would be before. Feeling like it was just you two and no one else in the room.

The feeling quickly vanishing as Kacy joined the conversation, “what’s so funny?”

“Oh, uhh.” You glance at Poe, both of your laughs dying off and only leaving faint smiles, “just stuff from back home.”

Kacy nods before turning to Poe, “I think it’s time to go. We’re all done with our food.”

“Sure thing.” Steve agrees, waving over the waiter for the tab.

“How about we all go back to the compound?” Poe oddly suggested, his eyes sliding over to you, “I learned a song on my guitar I would love to play.”

Without verbally asking for an answer, Steve and you shared an unspoken conversation as you both looked to each-other, minutes later sharing out loud your response, “sounds great.”

-

“How about you come over tonight?” Steve asks while tucking a loose strand of hair behind your ear, while you wait for Poe to come back down with his guitar. “We can watch a movie? And in the morning I can make you breakfast?”

You wrap your arms around his neck and smile, “watch a movie?”

“Or whatever you want to do.” He grins.

You bite your bottom lip and nod, “a movie is fine.” At the sound of approaching footsteps you pull away and sit on the couch beside Steve, with Kacy sitting at his other side, a huge smile on her red lips as she watched Poe.

“I just learned this, so don’t judge. I’m looking at you y/n.”

“I would never,” You snicker before propping your elbow on the couch’s arm and resting your head on your hand, “go. I won’t judge.”

Poe takes a deep breath before he begins to strum the strings, his eyes downcast and focused on what he was beginning to play, the silent strumming beginning to sound like the tune of a song. A quiet humming coming from the back of his throat before he drawled in another deep breath and slowly began to sing. His voice sounding soft and sweet like the melody of the music, the tune slowly picking up like the lyrics he sang.

His brown eyes coming up for a few seconds to meet your own, a soft smile appearing on his lips as he noticed the amazed expression you carried on your features. Tears slowly thereafter brimming your eyes, the soft smile on your own lips never leaving, the sound of your heart thumping in your chest picking up gradually at the brief glances Poe would share with you. Or at the little things you noticed, like the way his, his eyes briefly closed at certain moments, or the way his eyes crinkled when he sang certain lyrics.

Stars.

The tears that pooled your eyes, quickly ran down your cheeks as the sound of lyrics Poe sang hit your ears, words that touched your heart more than it should have ‘and its been a while but I still feel the same..Maybe I should let you go.’

More hot tears streamed down your cheeks as he continued singing, words that tore your heart in two and made you question everything all over again. Slowly coming to realization about something more, about feelings that never left. The feeling becoming overwhelming to the point that it made you rush out of the room and close yourself in the bathroom.

“Fuck me.” You cursed under your breath, running your hands through your hair before placing them on the counter-top. “What’s wrong with me?” Turning on the faucet you placed your hands under the running water, pulling them to splash your face only to drop the water as you remembered the makeup on your face—which was mostly ruined by the stains the tears left behind. “Stupid.”

The sound of the light tapping on the door made you pull away from the mirror to slowly open the door to see Steve with a worried expression painted on his face—“are you okay?”

You nodded and lied, “yeah, I just wasn’t feeling good.”

“You sure?” He pressed, his hand reaching to caress your cheek.

Responding with a silent hum you walked out back to the living area, meeting Poe gaze for a second before looking away and excusing yourself out to the group.

“It’s been a fun night, I really enjoyed it,” you feign a smile, “but uh I’m not feeling that well, you know I—”

“You’re pregnant?” Kacy interrupted abruptly and too enthusiastically, causing Poe to choke on the water he was drinking and for your eyes and Steve’s own to widen alike.

“What?!” You squeak, “no! Haha no. No. No.” Was that too many “No’s?” “It was the food, I just don’t think it sat well. I’m going to go to bed. It was nice meeting you Kacy.” Without waiting for an answer from anyone you walked away knowing Steve was following.

“Y/n, are you sure you’re okay?” He stressed again.

Turning around you stop before him and nod, “yeah. Is it fine if I go over another night? I’m not feeling okay.”

“Sure.” Steve agreed with hidden disappointment, his eyes catching Poe’s curious gaze on you before he turned away. “Goodnight. I love you.”

You smile sweetly and press a light kiss on his lips, “night.”

—

May 5 2023, couple days before the events of endgame. (Since I don’t know the actual month the events actually take place I just guessed)

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(A/N- this chapter just complicates my feelings for both men..UGHHHH!! The bonus scene literally made me cry, ughh So again I ask, Team Dameron? Or Team Rogers?!! Also these relationships, especially the one with Poe and reader has been one of my favorites to write and develop. I’m so proud of it and I hope you guys like it too.) Also Future chapters is finally Endgame!!!

Tagged- @itsbuckyb1tch​​​​​, @kaitlynw011​​​​​ , @blushingwueen​​​​​ , @80sthottie, @thescarletknight2014​​​​​ , @bbuckysbeardd​​​​​ , @ellvswriting​​​​​ , @sakurashortstack​​​​​ , @whatthefrickfrackwereyouthinking​ , @danicalifxrnia​​​​​ , @lanatheawesome​​​​​​ , @perryoncw​​​​​ , @panic-onthegroundsofbrooklyn​​​​​ , @abysshaven​​​​​ , @valeecruz16​​​​​ , @gummy-bears16 , @winchescumberholland​​​​​ , @a-somehow-functioning-dumbass​​​​​ , @randomhanabananas​​​​​ , @just-a-sad-chicken-nugget-xxx​​​​

Permanent taglist- @ms-dont-care​ , @commondazy​

[chyrstis]

I won’t ask for much (but just this once, I’d like you) 3/10

Slipped a little bit on getting this one out the other day, but better late than never! And poor Sharky’s in need of a break, big time, but things might just be starting to swing in his favor.

Pairing: Sharky Boshaw x John Seed Rating: E (but only for Ch. 10, the rest are a solid T) Word Count: 4.7K  

Link to AO3!

Ch. 1 / Ch. 2 / Ch. 3 / Ch. 4 / Ch. 5 / Ch. 6 / Ch. 7 / Ch. 8 / Ch. 9 / Ch. 10

—

Sharky steals a boat. It just happens to be John’s boat, and when it’s damaged along with his boathouse, John proceeds to lay out a means of having Sharky pay him back. [No Cult AU]

———–

It hadn’t been his best moment.

Drenched, nearly buck-ass naked behind the wheel, and feeling his underwear starting to chafe, Sharky knew he hadn’t made the best choice either. Maybe it’d been the fumes, maybe it’d been the embarrassment, but he’d had it, and needed to clear out fast.

Luckily he always had a spare set of underwear on hand– seriously, an extra pair was not a thing to overlook in an emergency– but that philosophy had never extended towards actual clothes, leaving him in a dicier spot than normal.

Because heading home, pissed off, and speeding didn’t do him any favors. Especially not when one of the Deputies pulled him over only to ask what the hell he was doing. Deputy Rook hadn’t really busted his chops too many times before, but he didn’t have high hopes heading into it.

Full-on expecting a public indecency charge, he’d launched right into the story only for her to catch some of the eau de skunk he was still wearing. Wrinkling her nose, she’d waved him off, told him to get right back to fixing that problem, and she’d see about forgetting this ever happened.

Not that he’d flashed her or anything, but she kept her eyes on his face the entire time and refused to lower them.

And when she let him drive off, he doubled down on that pledge to at least pack a spare pair of jeans.

When tomorrow hit, he reset everything. Decided to take on this new day and start from scratch all while scrubbing himself off furiously, because the previous one blew from hell and back, and he wasn’t going to finish any of this without a clear head.

And much as he didn’t like to admit it, John hadn’t gone out of his way to make things worse for him. Not directly, so he let part of the mental grudge he’d been nursing go.

With Hurk’s help he snagged a replacement phone, pulling strings Sharky didn’t need to know the finer details of, and when his next time out was due, he went back, ready to dive into the old routine again.

Not bullshit-free, but at the very least skunk-free.

And he was hit with the bullshit end of things almost immediately when John all but threw him into the waiting arms of Joseph’s people. John had volunteered to help too, but didn’t ask, simply relayed this to him all while being guided towards a set of trucks. Filled with ‘essentials’ they were to be taken to the compound, off-loaded, then brought back.

While any danger sense Sharky had would’ve gone off in any other situation than this, he hadn’t been too pissed about it. Joseph hadn’t hesitated to help him before, and he wasn’t about to forget what the woman from last time had done for him, and kicked himself repeatedly for not managing to get her name. Yeah, he’d been embarrassed as fuck, covered in skunk funk, and standing in his underwear, but he’d dropped the ball on that one, and hoped he’d have a chance to meet her again later on.

As morning turned into the afternoon, and more items were hefted onto the trucks to move, he lost track of time, focusing only on what he could grab, pass, and carry. He’d even lost track of John, seeing no sign of blue anywhere in the tide of white and beige, figuring he’d find him when he needed him, and was eventually proven right when he’d stepped out for a small smoke break.

Tapping him twice on the shoulder, John gestured back towards the cars out front, signaling he was free to go back to the boathouse. And when John mentioned he was staying behind to finish up and not to wait for him, Sharky blinked at him for a good minute before double-timing it out of there. Opportunities like this weren’t to be passed up, and he left before John decided to change his mind after all.

Winded, but not really feeling it yet, he figured he still had a good half a day to go before really needing to tap out, and could burn off the rest while getting more of the boathouse’s roof down.

But when he reached the spot down there, taking a decent drag of his cigarette as he relaxed, he took the moment for what it was. A break. A moment where he didn’t have a microscope on him for once, and the tension bled right out.

Suddenly beat, he sat himself down on the ground by the boathouse. Flopped down onto his back as soon as he’d finished off his cigarette, and looked up into the sky. Clear and blue, it was about as gorgeous of a day as it could get for early fall around there, and he tugged his cap down to cover his eyes.

Just for a sec. He’d earned it.

The water helped drag him along towards it. To that peaceful place where he didn’t have to worry about much for once.

Delightful, isn’t it?

He smiled as the breeze blew by, feeling it pull him that much closer to sleep.

Isn’t it just so? Too peaceful, almost. Calm. Quiet, the voice from the dream said, pleasant to listen to itself. A shame, really.

He frowned. Why?

Because wouldn’t it be better spent on the river? On the water? On a boat?

“Yeah. Hell yeah,” he murmured.

Speeding along. Leaning into the wind as it whips around you. Just…perfect.

Perfect.

I’m glad you agree. But it wouldn’t be on just any boat. No, but the rather expensive one that you so happened to smash directly into my boathouse.

Sharky tensed.

“Which you should be working on right this very instant, if memory serves me right.”

Slapping the brim of his hat in his panic, it flew up and off of his head. John was crouched down next to him, blue sunglasses down over his eyes, and wearing a smile that showed too many teeth to be friendly.

Frozen in place, both stared the other down as the seconds ticked by, and Sharky couldn’t kick his brain in the ass enough to get it to respond. No, it seemed set on adding its own running commentary to this, all of which he was worried would spill out the moment he opened his mouth.

“Uh, yo.”

“Yo,” John replied, dropping the smile altogether. “Enjoying the break?”

“Well, I was. Actually.” John’s eyes narrowed, and Sharky swallowed hard. Felt his head bob as he tried to get past the haze the nap had put him in. “Got a little tired, and figured I’d rest some of it off, but…”

“But what?”

Sharky watched John’s teeth come out again in that odd non-smile of his, and forced his attention back up to his eyes instead. “Uhh…”

Blue on blue, the lenses of his sunglasses covered his eyes but didn’t conceal them completely.

That left Sharky wondering how the hell he’d managed to get the shade that close to begin with. It wasn’t a perfect match, but no one was going to split hairs over a color pretty as that being a compromise. At least he wouldn’t, but he wasn’t John, or trying to color match like John, and different strokes for different folks, he guessed, but there was no need to be so damn-

John cleared his throat. “Well?”

Shit. Losing it twice in less than five minutes? Maybe he really did need the shut-eye after all.

“Ah, fuck. But I guess it’s over now,” Sharky said, shaking the last of the haze off, “and I don’t see any reason to keep on dragging this shit out any longer than I have to, so…”

He clambered up after recovering his hat, breathing in deep as he did, and swiped a hand at his forehead. It hadn’t been a quick hop and a skip up, but the weird floating feeling that came with it, didn’t help much.

Not bothering to look back at John as he shadowed him, he grabbed for one of the boards sitting on the grass, and dragged it up. Setting it on his shoulder, it bobbed like an off-balance seesaw until he was able to steady it enough to walk with.

After that, it was only a matter of taking it over to the ladder and carrying it up. Simple.

“Are you sure you have a handle on this?”

Tossing the board on the ground, Sharky reached for the ladder. “What? Johnny Law’s worried for once?”

He was on the second rung before he glanced back, and whistled at the strength of John’s glare.

“Damn. That bad, huh? Guess I’d better start praying then. Maybe ol’ Joe could give me a few pointers. Give me some of that higher learning you all love so- fuck!”

The next step should’ve connected. In some ways he was glad it didn’t, because any higher and he would’ve been nursing a broken neck and not what he was thinking was shaping up to be a broken ass.

Groaning into the grass, he heard rushed footsteps as John ran over to him.“Tell Joe I’m sorry,” he wheezed. “I take it all back. Just in case he’s got some way of putting the holy god-fearing evil eye on me, ‘cause I did not like that one bit.”

John was definitely worried now, looking a lot more concerned than he would’ve given him credit for as he crouched down next to him.

“I’ll let you do that yourself. Provided you can get back up from this.”

Placing a hand on his shoulder, John examined him closely. Narrowed his eyes as he checked for whatever the hell kind of injury he was expecting, and Sharky cleared his throat.

“What?” John snapped.

“Yo, uh. Don’t think you’re going to see much up topside. ‘Cause in case you were wondering, I’m clenching the thing that’s smarting the most.”

Following his thread, John checked. Actually looked over at where his hands had moved to, both resting right over his ass, and Sharky almost couldn’t believe it. So, he did what any other guy in his position would've done. Took the shot.

Curling his hand into okay sign, he moved it close enough to his balls to count, and struggled not to go into a coughing fit. “Made you look.”

It took a second to click, but the dawning realization of what John was looking at exactly was priceless. Spinning back on him, he didn’t waste time on being irritated. Just went straight to pissed and didn’t look back.

“What the hell were you thinking?” John asked through clenched teeth.

“That I had this? Put one foot up, then two.” Pushing himself up so he could sit, Sharky sucked in a breath. “Least I thought I did.”

“Oh, did you? Get up.” John reached for his arm, and pulled him bodily to his feet.

The pain faded to a dull throbbing, telling him he was okay enough to move around at least, but balance? He found his mostly shot as he rocked, leaning on John only long enough to take a tentative step towards the picnic table nearby.

Feeling John’s eyes burning a hole into his back, Sharky kept on going. Didn’t think John was going to let him get far without saying anything else, but as he hobbled over to the table he had to check over his shoulder. To see what exactly John’s deal was if he wasn’t going to keep on yelling at him, only to find him watching closely.

“Yo, don’t make it weird.”

John’s eyes flicked up to his. “You would be the one doing that.”

“…I mean, that shot to my moneymaker was pretty bad, but it ain’t broke, so I don’t think it’ll need any fixing.” Considering it briefly, Sharky shrugged. “Not that I guess I mind you looking much either, seeing as it’s-“

“I wasn’t,” John replied, unamused. Crossing his arms, he glanced skyward and sighed. “But maybe you had the right idea to begin with.”

“Right idea with what?”

“The resting part. Not…whatever this is supposed to be.” John eyed him skeptically as he walked up next to him, and held out his hand. “Let me see your keys.”

“Why?”

“You’re exhausted. More than you’re willing to admit to after helping Joseph. So, I propose a break. Not down here, but up at the ranch instead. There’s water, better seats available, and if you do end up needing some form of treatment, an actual first aid kit.”

“Like I said, it’s not exactly busted. And I really don’t think you wanna-”

“And alcohol.”

Sharky’s eyes lit up. “For real?” John nodded, and Sharky immediately started fishing for his keys.

“Ah, ah,” John said, wagging his finger at him. “Only if you hand them over first. I’d rather not add loss of life or limb to the things you would need to compensate me for if we end up crashing, so I don’t want you anywhere near the wheel.“

“Dude, if I’m dead I can’t pay you back for shit. Hell, if we’re both dead, that debt’s pretty much kaput.”

“Exactly,” John stated, “and precisely why I should be the one driving us there, not you, so if you could?”

Staring down at his open palm, Sharky frowned. Checked the keys clenched in his fist, and weighed his options.

Sighing again, John gave him a look. “Sometime today.”

The beer won out. “Eh, fuck it.”

He placed the keys in John’s hand, and in exchange earned something he didn’t expect. A smile.

---

It actually didn’t bother him all that much. Being chauffeured around by John was an idea he wouldn’t have come up with in a thousand years, but watching John struggle to get into his car and figure it out was funny enough on its own before he even got around to starting it.

The driver’s seat cover was a blanket, and there was a hole worn into the cushion just from age and use which John made a face at soon after sinking into it, but after cramming more of the blanket into the spot to get comfortable – a move Sharky often did himself – he started the car.

The motor let out a loud whine. Wrinkling his nose, John threw a critical look Sharky’s way as he shrugged a shoulder back at him. Turning the key again, this time the car kicked to life, and John managed not to stall it when he pulled out.

The rest of the ride up wasn’t eventful, even when John skidded over the dirt due to the worn tires. Just corrected for it, tensing behind the wheel as Sharky casually talked him through it, and spent the last stretch of the trip telling him how the last time he’d done that the tire had blown.

“Seriously! Popped. Got me spinning and I nearly threw up by the time I stopped. It was pretty fucking awesome.”

John, however, didn’t seem to agree. Not by the way he’d gripped the wheel, and not with the look he shot him shortly after saying that.

So, when they pulled up to the hangar, John all but jumped out of the car.

Stifling a laugh, Sharky followed him inside, and couldn’t help but rub his hands together at the kind of stash John had to have waiting out here. Probably high-proof, aged shit, the kind of stuff that was usually too rich for his blood and would’ve been charged for just by looking at it.

But first? Those chairs set off to the side were calling his name, and he headed straight for them.

Setting himself down gently, Sharky didn’t care if he was half hanging out of it as he oozed down and adjusted. There was nothing left to do but focus on chilling, and he let his eyes slip closed as he did just that.

He heard humming. It wasn’t anything he recognized, but John kept up with it as he rummaged around nearby. Light little notes that were strange coming from him, but not bad to listen to.

The sound drifted closer, becoming whistling, and Sharky glanced over at him from under the brim of his hat.

John pulled up the chair next to him and handed him a bottle. The rest of the six-pack he set down in the space between them.

“I was going to give it to you on the way out, but it seems a waste to keep on waiting when now’s the perfect time.”

“Oh, fuck yeah,” Sharky said, cracking the beer open.

It wasn’t anything that he was familiar with, however, and after taking a drink of it, eyed the label. Smooth and with a coffee-taste chasing it, it wasn’t his usual combo by any means.

He took another drink, rolling it around in his mouth, and noticed John was watching him. His eyebrows had drawn together as he studied him, and Sharky tried not to choke down the rest of the mouthful before clearing his throat.

“You, uh, wanna tell me what that means?”

“Hmm?” John tilted his head as the look intensified, but his eyes widened. “That wasn’t- it wasn’t supposed to mean anything. I was checking to see if you liked it, and clearly there’s something lacking.”

Fuck. Now he’d done it. “What? Nah, it’s all good, man. I’d never look a gift horse in the mouth, especially not with beer and shit, it’s just not what I’d buy. Not down at the Eagle when I’m three beers in and looking to get blasted fast, at least.”

John considered this for a few seconds and nodded. “I see.”

“And don’t go thinking I’m being ungrateful or nothing. ‘Cause after a day like this, you want something to take the edge off right. This works. Well, that and, er, just…”

He didn’t think blurting out, ‘Man, just really getting fucked,’ was something worth sharing. Not with John at least, no matter how true it would’ve been. So, he let the sentence stay unfinished for a few while he tried to come up with another way to end it.

It wasn’t easy, and as Sharky idly scratched his goatee, he mostly gave up the fight. “You know. Just burning that shit off. Constructively."

That got an eyebrow raise. “Constructively?”

“Yeah, constructively. Least that’s how I like my fucking to go.” John blinked at him, clearly waiting for him to explain further, and Sharky made his go-to gesture a little more suggestive just to mess around a bit. “Teamwork makes the dream work, am I right?”

That was a look he’d never think he’d get out of John. Ever. And ranking the others he’d been able to score so far that day, it shot straight to number one. “Ah.”

“But failing that, drinking works. And if you want one too, go right ahead. Sucks drinking alone anyway. Never been a fan of it before, and you won’t find me liking it now.”

He grabbed one of the bottles, holding it out to John directly.

Left blinking slowly at him, Sharky had to wiggle the bottle at him to break John out of the daze he’d settled into, but once he did, John held his hand up.

“No, that’s…I don’t drink. Not often at least. Not anymore.”

“No?” Sharky frowned, taking it back. “Not liking it? Needed a break from it? Like no judging or anything, you do you. Just curious is all.”

John thought it over, tapping his fingers against his thigh as he sat back in the chair. It almost seemed like he was going to drop it all together, but eventually broke the silence.

“Let’s say that drinking to excess was a habit that came easily to me when I was younger. It wasn’t easy to work my way back from it. Or even to cut it down to a level that was manageable, but I had help. And without that, there’s no telling what state I would be in right now.”

“But this…me drinking in front of you, that’s not bothering you any?”

He shook his head. “In limited numbers and in limited company I find no problem with it. Bars can make it complicated, but with the right people even that can be tuned out as well. I can focus on them and what they’re saying. Enjoying what they’re sharing with me instead of thinking about how fine the whiskey at the table nearby must be.”

John closed his eyes for a few seconds, and tapped a finger against his lips.

“A shame, really. But it’s for the best.”

“Huh.” Sharky gave the label another once-over, and held it up. “Who picked this out then?”

“Why, I did. It was a gift. Handing that off to someone else, especially to either of my brothers, though I love them dearly, would’ve been unacceptable. Joseph has zero interest in alcohol, and Jacob is…straightforward with what he likes. There’s little nuance to it, and I suspect anything would do given the opportunity. So, lucky for you,” he said, smirking, “though I haven’t tried it, I still have an eye for taste.”

Sharky scrunched up his face mid-drink, showing John exactly what he thought of that.

John took one look at him, his puffed-up cheeks rounding out a scowl, and laughed.

The sound made Sharky go into a coughing fit, pounding on his chest to clear it all out. All while John continued, holding a hand over his mouth as it tapered off into a soft chuckle.

“Not cool, man. Not fucking cool,” Sharky rasped, downing more liquid to help soothe his throat.

“Me? I’m not the one at fault here. In fact, I think you were about to disagree with me.”

“Whatever.” Sharky needed a topic change and fast. “So, how’d you get it?”

He raised the bottle in the direction of the plane. From what he could see of it under the edge of the tarp, it was pretty slick, like something out of an old World War II movie, and John’s eyes followed him to it.

“Affirmation?”

“Affirm-what?” Sharky gave him a look. “Seriously? You into the power of positive thinking, or something?”

“…The name does have importance to me, yes,” John said, quickly following up the statement with, “but the story’s a little long-winded. And I don’t think you want to hear me talk on and on, for the sake of talking, to begin with.”

He looked uncomfortable. More so than Sharky had seen him yet, and he got the impression it was a touchy subject.

“I don’t know. Could be some pretty neat shit. The plane, that is. Better if it’s an older one too, ‘cause it might’ve been in some real dogfights. …But that’s the kind of thing that gets you ghosts, and hauntings, and all sorts of weird events like the kind they document only to leave a bunch of VHS tapes behind. Which I’m down for any of that, but you need a camcorder and I roasted mine the last time Hurk and I tried-“

“It’s not haunted.”

Sharky gave him a skeptical look. “Like, you sure? ‘Cause sometimes this shit don’t start until years after you get it.”

“It’s not, and I’ve had no such ‘events’ since acquiring it. But it does have history.” John leaned forward, resting his elbows on his knees before aiming an amused look Sharky’s way. “And since you’ve twisted my arm into it, I suppose I’ll just have to tell it.”

Not that he twisted it too hard, or at all. Sharky almost told him so too, choosing to down the rest of his beer instead.

But over the next hour John told him everything he knew about it. Where the original planes were first built, when they were used, and how many were made at the time. How this model had seen light use decades back, was now in need of serious repairs to bring it back into working shape, and had been about to be junked. John had caught word of it due to hanging in those circles - plus making way too many model planes as a kid - and shoved a wad of cash in the collector’s face before any no’s could be thrown around.

Because John had fallen in love with the thing on sight. Known he’d wanted that plane to be his, but had to get behind the controls to be sure.

And when he was in the air?

“Perfection,” he said, his tone soft. “Nothing compared to it. To the rush that came from rising high above the world below. Losing yourself in it. Completely.”

A faraway look fell over him after that.

It hung around long enough for Sharky to realize he’d been holding his breath and waiting for him to continue. But John shrugged it off, going back to the animated way he’d been talking before. If he’d thought the humming was weird earlier, this was right in the same ballpark.

Because John was John. A grade-A asshole inside and out.

This? This wasn’t John.

This John kept on talking. Didn’t drop the conversation as they crossed from planes to history, but Sharky found he didn’t want to stop him either. Just let him go on, using his hands to show off various flying techniques, or to draw out in the air what was running through his head as he described it. Those same motions drew his attention to the tattoos lining the inside of his wrist.

The inked planes resting below John’s watch stood out, and it reminded Sharky of the flames running up his own forearm. How much of an impact that alone had on him as a whole, and he wondered how far that love of flying ran.

It was always cool to listen to someone that was really into what they were talking about. Like seriously digging it to the point that they’d perk up whenever asked, and you could read it clear as day.

John was no exception to this, content to keep on talking however long Sharky would allow him to. He just didn’t expect any of that to be shared with him. Ever.

When Sharky eventually stopped the conversation to mention heading back, John almost looked disappointed. Sighing dejectedly, John admitted that maybe he’d taken up more of his time than intended, but there was no need to worry about the boathouse after that.

Stunned, Sharky waited for the correction. Some sign that John was pulling his leg or fucking with him, but none came. And calling him on that hadn’t earned the reaction he’d expected either. Only a repeat of what John had told him before.

“You’re free to go. Today’s work is done, and after indulging me for as long as you have, I thought you’d be happy to leave.”

“Uh, yeah. Fuck yeah, but…this is kind of like one of those moments where you’re wondering if there’s like, some kinda hidden catch to it.”

“Catch? You’ve helped not only me, but Joseph as well, so I believe today’s portion of your debt has been paid in full. And don’t worry, there’s no fine print you’re missing here. Not this time,” he said, growing more amused by the second. “But if you’re so set on staying, I’m sure I can come up with plenty of other things for you to tend to.“

“Nah, I’m just-I’m going.”

“And as for the beer, you’re more than welcome to leave the rest-“

Sharky grabbed for it as well, and he could’ve sworn John looked pleased he did. “Gift beers, you don’t leave. You know, like horses. ‘Cause you know with gift horses, mouths, and shit like that, it’s just fucking rude not to appreciate it.”

“Horses and mouths notwithstanding, of course.”

Setting his chin on top of his hand, John watched him fumble for another minute through an attempt to peace out before finally shooing him away instead. The added push was all Sharky needed, and he left.

He walked all the way to his car, clutching a six-pack that he pledged to polish off before the day was out, and the minute the door was closed behind him, slapped his cheek. Did so at least two more times to make sure he was still sitting in that seat, beer in hand, and not sleeping it off somewhere.

Nope. He was there. The beer – also present – was cold by his side, and after popping the next bottle open, found it more refreshing on the second go.

Horses and mouths indeed.