Somebody To Love

BREAKING THE MOODBOARD DOWN:-

hey, soul sister was the first thing i had planned when making this moodboard (ask mum) it felt instantly fitting for reasons I don’t need to say im sure, love u tons <333

OKAY THE MIDDLE MAIN PIC IS A BIT MORE IN MY HEAD— so my brain sometimes feeds me random scenarios of meeting the fam, and with u we are always either in a college setting (iykyk hehe) OR STARGAZING— ive come to associate u with stars as a whole i think, but stargazing with u is a prominent thing on the bucket list now

the bathed in yellow sunlight pics, i will admit, are heavily influenced by the initial theme u had for ur blog. idk, i’d come to associate u with the color— which is quite the coincidence cuz all my happiest memories are always in yellow sososo

WHALE. SHARK. OUR LOVELY BB…still gotta name her :(

PINTEREST FAILED ME AND THERE WERE NO GOOD PICS OF TWO GALS LISTENING TO MUSIC FROM A STEREO TOGETHER?!?!?! so i had to settle for a simple tape bathed in sunlight but its pretty :3

Nash and Libby had escaped to the bedrooms to put the twins to bed— thought Jameson suspected something else was up because that was nearly an hour ago— and Xander was loudly performing Sexyback along side Max and Gigi.

Jameson didn't think he was imagining the way Savannah was leaning into Rohan as she watched the three perform. PDA of any sort was rare from her and Jameson knew for a fact Grayson would get stupidly emotional at the small show of comfort from his sister.

Realizing then that Grayson was missing from the picture, Jameson frowned and looked around for his brother, stretching his neck in an attempt to look around the room without jostling the body that rested against his chest.

When Avery made a noise of discomfort and snuggled closer, lightly slapping Jameson's chest, the boy gave up and instead decided to make his time worthwhile by staring at his heiress. Of course. That was the most productive use of his time and he wouldn't hear otherwise.

Avery hummed satisfiedly and made a smacking noise with her lips to signify her comfort.

Jameson must have been well on his way from drunk because he giggled at the act and leaned down to kiss her nose softly before continuing his staring act.

He was only pulled away from his trance when Grayson stepped back into the room, accompanied by one Lyra Kane. Jameson internally smacked himself on the forehead, of course they had been spending time together. It was a party! They were probably getting nice and—

Jameson grimaced. That was the alcohol talking.

Knowing his limits, Jameson slid the bottle away. He would not be breaking his streak just because he felt like it at the bi-monthly meet up party. Avery would not be happy and his therapist would most certainly be sighing up a storm (the poor woman had been through a lot).

When Jameson looked up again, his hands remaining in Avery's hair as he massaged her scalp slowly, he saw Lyra had joined Gigi, Max and Xander on the karaoke stage— the four of them giving a rather dramatic performance of Family Madrigal.

Damn, who the hell chose this setlisr They certainly knew how to keep things fresh, Jameson thought smugly knowing fully well it was his doing.

Xander had insisted that Disney karaoke needed to be done more and, well, the logic seemed pretty sound to Jameson.

The four of them danced and laughed and sung and Jameson found himself smiling and swaying along— though not enough to tussle Avery sleeping soundly against him.

Lyra let out a holler as Jalebi Baby came on and pointed a finger at Rohan, demanding he "get his desi ass over here."

Savannah, ever the enabler once under the influence apparently, pushed him into the karaoke circle. And, well, Lyra and Rohan certainly knew how to put on a show. Every one took the backseat to simply watch the two swing— Rohan sang his heart out, looking mildly amused by Lyra as she swung her bodies and rolled her hips.

She sent Grayson a wink whilst mouthing Jalebi Baby and Jameson decided that he would let that disgusting display of PDA slide simply because Grayson lit the fuck up.

Laughing and poking Grayson teasingly, Jameson sung, "Can't get enough of your girlfriend, huh?"

Grayson rolled his eyes, "You're one to talk." He said, pointedly looking down at Avery and then back to him.

Jameson stuck his tongue out and Grayson simply turned his head back to the stage, though his amusement was given away by the slight upturn of his lips.

Grayson could be such a softie sometimes, Jameson rolled his eyes. The man was a golden retriever through and through.

"There's something wrong with Lyra."

Grayson had whispered it, but Jameson heard him anyway. Of course he did, "She's always been a bit mental, yeah." Jameson teased but there was fondness there.

Lyra and Jameson had had their ups and downs, but now she felt more like a sister that was always meant to be here. With his family. With their family.

Sometimes Jameson thought back to the times the Grandest Game was still going on and had to bite back full body cringes because, honestly, what the fuck had he been thinking. He would never admit it, of course, for the sake of his cocky bastard act, but he had apologised to both Grayson and Lyra.

They had come a long way since.

Grayson shoved him lightly again, "She won't tell me what's bothering her but sometimes— I don't know," He looked back up at the dancing girl, who now pulled Savannah up with her to perform Take A Hint.

"She gets all in her head and seems frustrated, but when I ask she says it's just a thing and it'll pass."

Grayson ran a frustrated hand through his hair and Jameson felt sympathetic watching, "I should just give her some space."

Jameson snorted lightly, "Libby tell you that?"

Grayson smiled a small thing, "Maybe."

They watched on in silence for a moment longer. Now that Grayson had pointed it out, Jameson could see it too. Lyra, while still being playful, seemed to be avoiding looking at Grayson as much as she usually would. It was something Jameson and Lyra had in common, they would tease Grayson endlessly whenever given the chance.

"It'll be okay." Jameson found himself saying. Because it would be. Jameson had spent much of his life throwing relationships and people around as if they were some game. Something temporary. But if there was something he was sure of now, it was that whatever this group of broken people had— this stupid found family that happened by some divine intervention— it was here to stay.

Jameson looked at his brother, "It'll be okay, Gray."

He didn't reply for a long moment before simply knocking his wrist against Jameson's. A clinking sound. Glass to glass. Their Rolexes. Jameson smiled goofily and Grayson, somehow, returned it— full dimple on display.

Jameson hoped dearly he didn't forget that smile by tomorrow. It would be great leverage to tease Grayson with.

Eventually, they were both sound asleep— Jameson holding Avery close and Grayson easily welcoming Lyra in when she drifted to the couch and fell into him.

It felt like home.

----

Jameson woke up and found that, though his head was positively aching, he didn't feel like he needed to vomit or murder somebody— which meant he had controlled himself.

Small victories.

For a moment Jameson simply layed there, glancing down at Avery and smiling when she huffed and rolled away from him— the girl couldn't handle the heat that came with cuddling all night.

Grunting, Jameson stood slowly and stretched, noting that Grayson and Lyra were both missing from the couch. The thought brought make the memory of last night and first Jameson smiled— the Rolexes, Grayson's smile— and then his grin fell.

There's something wrong with Lyra.

Jameson frowned. Yesterday had been perfect in his eyes and he despised that Grayson couldn't feel the same. Jameson thought for a moment, what could be bugging Lyra?

He walked to the kitchen as he thought, picking out the singular clean mug he found and filling it with water before moving towards the balcony absent-mindedly.

When Jameson realised that he was blanking on reasons as he slid the balcony door open, he full on jolted as he found a figure standing there already.

Lyra.

Jameson thanked his lucky stars that she hadn't seen him jump like a fucking alley cat. He would never hear the end of it otherwise.

Regaining his wits and clearing his throat, Jameson stepped towards her, leaving the balcony door open behind him in case she was in one of her moods.

"I thought staring out into the unknown dramatically whilst rethinking your whole life was Gray's thing?" He commented lightly, opening the conversation as he rested against the railing.

Lyra rolled her eyes, "I'm not being dramatic, Hawthorne. Literally what about my body posture screams dramatic to you?"

She made a valid point. If anything, the poor girl just looked hungover. Jameson wasn't about to admit that, "I don't know, maybe the entire brooding thing you've got going for yourself."

Lyra pinched his side swiftly making him jump and screech. She laughed, "The brooding thing, is called being hungover, dipshit."

Jameson scoffed, "Okay smart stuff, thank you for the absolutely enlightening information. As a previous drunkard, I had no idea at all such a state existed."

Lyra gave him an unimpressed glance before it softened, "I am proud of you. We all are."

Jameson blinked at the sudden mood swing. He cleared his throat awkwardly and rubbed at the base of his neck, "Er— yeah. Me too."

Lyra turned back to look outside while Jameson thought what that was all about. They didn't really do sappy unless they were drunk or attempting to make Grayson uncomfortable.

There's something wrong with Lyra.

Glancing to the side, Jameson noticed the way her eyes held a tiredness that seemed to be beyond just a hangover. Jameson thought back to Grayson's defeated expression. He took a breath.

"You alright?"

Lyra stiffened, "I'm hungover."

Jameson nudged her softly, the same way he had seen Nash do to Xander whenever he needed cheering up, "But are you okay?"

She turned to him then, eyes running over his features, "Gray talked to you."

Jameson shrugged. He didn't see a point in hiding it, "Gray talked to me."

Lyra huffed and turned back towards the view. She seemed more tired than she did pissed but she was too stubborn to admit that, "The worrying asshole. I'm perfectly fine."

Jameson raised a brow, "You're hungover."

That startled a laugh out of her as she shook her head, "It's not... he didn't do anything. Just..." she took an audible breath, "It's just me."

Jameson snorted, "I'm suddenly very relieved you didn't talk to him about whatever this is, because if you opened with that Gray would spiral, one hundred percent."

Lyra scoffed, "Shut up."

Jameson raised his hands in surrender, "Yes ma'am."

They stood in silence for a moment. Jameson quite hated these sorts of silences. His therapist had pointed out it was because it gave his brain time to process feelings he did not like to acknowledge and, honestly, fuck her (lovingly) for wording it like that. Always had to be right that bloody woman.

It's my job Mr. Hawthorne. She would say in the same, unimpressed tone. Like, okay mom?

Suddenly Lyra moved to put her hand into her pocket, whipping out her phone and scrolling. Jameson blinked, were they taking a scroll break?

"Here." She handed Jameson her phone, which was open to... Pinterest? Okay, interesting.

Jameson shot her a confused look but took the phone nonetheless and, really, he should have known to prepare himself. The Pinterest fandom was not exactly gracious to Lyra— this was a well known fact and something that Grayson had ranted about angrily on multiple occassions.

Each time though, Lyra had simply rolled her eyes and kissed her boy friend calm, seemingly above the whole situation.

Jameson saw now that they had believed wrong. Lyra, in all her stubborn glory, could only take so much.

The pin she had pulled up was hardly fifteen seconds long. There were some photos of her as some faceless narrator (coward) talked about how Lyra was a "lying slut" and "didn't love Grayson" and "only wanted the money."

The usual shit you would see on Pinterest, and yet Jameson felt his own anger spike impossibly more when the last comment was spoken. "Grayson obviously deserved better!"

Jameson looked up at Lyra and surely enough, she wasn't looking at him anymore. She seemed somehow small and insecure in a way Jameson had never seen her, even when he had been cussing up a storm during The Games.

Something protective unfurled in his chest. Lyra was Grayson's person. His family. She was part of this family now and meant to be protected.

"You know all of that was absolute bullshit, right?" Jameson said when Lyra still refused to look at him.

"Oi. Kane, listen to me."

Lyra did look over then, her eyes firm and steady, yet she couldn't quite keep the hurt from them. Jameson softened.

"Lyra, they don't know you. We've all already established the Pinterest fandom is just in over their heads. They aren't worth your time and worry." Jameson said, trying to understand just what had gotten to the strong girl this bad.

What got under her skin?

"Yeah but I know myself." Lyra whispered. Jameson's brows furrowed. He sure hoped she knew herself.

"Er— hooray?"

Lyra scoffed, shoving him lightly, "Just. They have a point don't they?"

Jameson's brows furrowed that much more, but this time due to both confusion and frustration, "The point where they claimed to know you well enough to call you names or the point where they are just straight up jobless and need to get a life?"

Lyra rolled her eyes but her lips twitched upwards. Jameson would take it for now.

"Really think about it, though. Gray has done... fuck, he's done so much for me," Lyra began, her eyes glazing over a little as she seemed to relive the moments as she recollected them, "Helped me during the Grandest Game when I was all I was doing was giving him the cold shoulder, sided with me when I really needed it, even when it was us against you— his own brother, he let me move in with him and assured me he held no expectations for me to meet— just. He loves me for me and has done so much for me and... I haven't done half those things for him in return."

She shut her eyes as if steeling herself, "What did I do to deserve him?"

Jameson stared at her for a moment and found himself empathizing with her. Because oh, this thought process he knew. He understood it. He remembered thinking about what he had done to earn Avery's unconditional love, what he had done to earn Grayson's forgiveness again, what he had done to deserve such supporting brothers even with their flaws and a found family so brimming with love he felt like he could explode from it.

Jameson had worried about it all the time. About how he had everything, and how he deserved none of it.

Then therapy happened. He talked about it to a professional, and her reply had been so mind bogglingly simple.

“You don't get to decide for him whether you deserve him or not, Lyra.” Jameson remembered how he had been taken aback when his therapist told him the same thing he was telling Lyra now. Funnily, he saw the same expression mirrored on Lyra— as if she were intrigued.

"You think you aren't worthy of him. And by all means, if you must, keep thinking that. We can't force you to change your views on yourself," Jameson sent her a pointed look then, "No matter how much we might disagree with them. But, well," he turned his head just a little, just enough to be able to glance back at the balcony door, still cracked open.

Jameson smiled softly to himself, thinking about the beautiful beautiful girl that was resting inside, "Don't hurt your partner by completely disregarding what they think."

He turned soft eyes on the girl that stood beside him now. Family, "Don't pull away from him just because you think he deserves better. Don't do your love injustice, Lyra."

Lyra's eyes were wide as she seemed to process. She blinked rapidly and averted her eyes.

Jameson thought back to his brother, "You know, Grayson told me this one time about a girl who loved fairytales. Literally anything and everything fairytale and Disney related, this girl knew."

The girl in question was, of course, one Lyra Kane. It had been no secret how much she loved and valued the old-as-time kid stories. Lyra managed a scoff through her emotional trance, though even that lacked it's usual flair by the way it came out sounding choked and wet.

Jameson continued, "Grayson was his usual self-deprecating self and wondered what he had done to meet this Disney-obsessed woman."

Lyra straightened at this, "What— he never told me that—"

Jameson waved her off, signaling for her to listen, "And one day, during a random retelling of one of her favorite stories, she let slip a simple 'attempting to measure love and defining it by someone's worth is doing the sentiment injustice.'"

Jameson met her gaze then and saw as the memory clicked in her head, "Because love was never meant to be measured."

She sounded slightly breathless and Jameson knew that she had understood. She had had the same epiphany Jameson did during his therapy session. How far he had come, really.

"There you are, Kane." He said simply, smiling as he raised a brow, "Done listening to jobless teenagers on the internet?"

Lyra laughed, "That depends. Are you done being a self-absorbed twat?"

Jameson grinned, "No, I'm afraid not." To which Lyra simply rolled her eyes amusedly. They stood in a comfortable silence for a moment, each thinking about their partner and everything that had led to this moment.

"You were quoting your therapist, weren't you." It was hardly phrased as a question. More a statement.

"She's one wise woman."

Lyra hummed, "She's a miracle worker, apparently. I never thought I'd hear you sound so... so..."

Jameson puffed his chest, "Smart? Wise? Whimsical?"

Lyra sent him a flat look, "Emotionally stable."

Jameson blinked before letting out an indignant oi!, which sent them both off, "Fuck— you used to have the emotional stability of a fucking toothpick!!"

Jameson couldn't even find it in him to deny that, "Harsh."

Lyra rolled her eyes, "Truthful. It's a wonder how Avery puts up with you."

Jameson huffed, nudging her with his shoulder in a comforting gestures, "Yeah yeah, now go make up with my brother already."

Lyra sent him a beaming smile and turned on her heel.

Therapy really did work.

---

when i say this fic was impulsive, i mean IMPULSIVE. i read an HC and thought fuck it i want my boy jameson to be loveable again. sosososo here we are acting like TGB never happened :)))

probably my final fic for this fandom idek what's going on anymore but uhhh i hope this made some of us feel better T-T