i was training a young person at work, and she referred to sexual assault as "SA" out loud, and i immediately was like, "no, it's sexual assault, call it what it is," bc idgaf if the algorithm overlords have taught y'all that you should fear direct language, how tf do any of you expect to ever address real issues with any amount of seriousness if you can't even say the words? imagine an advocate looking a sexual assault survivor in the eyes and asking "did he grape you?" it's absolutely fucking absurd, but these young interns and new hires are coming into an environment where we deal with survivors of all different kinds of abuse, and they're coming with the mindset that the words are as bad as the actions, and that makes them shitty at the job and look juvenile af
i HATE self-censorship for a lot of reasons, but being in crisis work makes it even more frustrating. who are you censoring for? like i am being so fr, WHO are you censoring for? have you even thought it through? people who have been raped know that they have been raped. if someone attempts suicide or is grieving someone who did, saying "sewer slide" isn't going to protect them from any of the feelings. a murder victim's family isn't going to feel better bc you said "unalived" instead of murdered. if anything, it's just extremely invalidating and othering. it's saying "what happened to you is so bad that i won't even say the word," which is NOT trauma-informed care. you are not protecting survivors/victims when you self-censor. the ONLY things you protect when you self-censor are the puritanical ideologies that are being encouraged by rich fascists who want your money and obedience
say the fucking words, guys. just say the goddamn words before i go insane!!!
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Your partner came back from the dead after being missing for decades. Every one of their friends who they went with ended up dying a horrible death.
Now, somehow, their entire mental health is based on the continued life and happiness of this fairground goldfish that they picked up.
Neither of you know the first thing about how to care for even a healthy fish. This fish has been poorly cared for, has multiple diseases and the person who handed it over explicitly didn't expect it to live nearly as long as it already has.
You're frantically googling how to set up a fish tank, where to buy fish food, can you even take a fish to the vet? Your partner wants you to know that they're happy they made it home and survived their horrific ordeal, but also that if anything happens to the fish then they're going to kill everyone on this planet and then themself.
You're honestly wondering if you're even helping the fish, or just prolonging its suffering, but your partner will only accept medical help for their many injuries or engage in basic self-care once they're confident that the fish is being looked after.
So you get a tank. You set up a filter and all that stuff. You learn way more than you ever wanted to know about water temperature and ph and nitrate levels. The fish is safe. You start to develop some affection for the little guy. Your partner begins to recover. The fish begins to recover.
Which is when you learn that in its 'healthy' state, the fish regularly refuses to sleep when tired, keeps begging for food that is obviously unhealthy for it (and struggling to eat the food that you do provide because “it tastes gross”), and continually tries to persuade your partner to take it out of its nice safe tank so it can go explore the wonderful world of Outside, where the slightest mishap will kill it instantly.
Your name is Adrian, and you kind of wants to strangle this fucking fish, statement.
fun fact uncontacted peoples are not ignorant they are fully aware of the "outside world" and are CHOOSING not to have contact because they (rightly) feel it would add no value to their lives and place them in an exploited position. it's voluntary. they are isolated on purpose.
sentinelese people aren't like some ignorant noble savages, or actual savages who are all about warfare and killing (wildly racist take i see very often), they are literally regular ass fucking people who have seen the exploitation of their neighbors (other andamanese people) AND the massive disease outbreaks caused by contact, and decided they want no part in that. they are literally regular people choosing to survive. that's it.
well i asked the woodsman over at the KPJK station in new mexico and he said "this is the water, and this is the well. drink deep, and descend. the horse is the white of the eyes and dark within." so i'm pretty sure i win this one
grace, who has been alone for five minutes: oh my god. an alien! im not alone anymore! i hope he wants to be friends :)
rocky, coming up on 50 years of solitude, imprinting on grace in ways baby ducklings can only dream of: if you leave me to sleep where i can't watch your heart beat i am blowing up this tunnel with us both in it
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Summary: Your best friend, Bob Floyd, had insisted you join him for the summer at his family's home along the Carolina coasts. You had been hesitant at first, but ultimately agreed to his request. Now, here you were in a new town with strange locals who spoke in hushed whispers and cryptic retellings about glistening scales, glowing eyes, and haunting songs that echoed from the sea. You didn't believe them at first, but when you wake up on the beach one morning after having fallen overboard the night before, you can't help but think that maybe you hadn't imagine the strong arms and deep, green eyes of the man that had saved you.
Trigger warnings: Mentions of death, Language, Talk of mating rituals, Talk of potentially life threatening situations, Smut (oral, f receiving), Dirty talk, Confrontations. I think that's it, but please let me know if I've missed anything!
Word Count: 4k
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The rain was more of a mist in the following days, setting the mood that had fallen over the rest of the town. Seagulls cried off in the distance and the waves crashed almost dully against the drab beaches of North Island. It was like the life had been sucked out of the little town in a matter of seconds.
Had anyone liked Mandy? Not particularly, but the idea of someone you’ve known your entire life meeting such a violent and unexpected end was sure to make people feel some type of way. Maybe not overwhelming sadness, but perhaps a mixture of shock and fear. That could have been anyone after all.
You watched waves crash into the shore from your perch on some of the rocks outside the Floyd home. They had departed earlier that morning, dressed in all black and looking worn.
“Are you sure you don’t want to come?” Susan asked you, her eyes rimmed red from the tears she had been shedding nonstop over the past couple of days. You had given her a tight-lipped smile.
“I’m sure, Susan,” you murmured, nodding slightly. “It wouldn’t make sense for me to go, anyway.”
There was no love lost between you and Mandy. In truth, she despised you, and you couldn’t say that you didn’t feel something similar towards her.
Still, the thought of her lifeless body laying there on the beach had tears springing to your eyes.
You had sobbed into Bob’s chest, shoulders shaking and fingers becoming stiff from clutching him so hard. It wasn’t until a pair of gentle hands rested on your arms that you opened your eyes, revealing concerned, familiar green staring back at you. You flung yourself into Jake’s arms, your tears and sobs starting anew as he held you tightly, stroking a hand over your hair as he murmured assurances into your ear.
You felt ridiculous for it, really. You hadn’t even known Mandy all that well, and there you had been, in hysterics as if you had while everyone else stayed strong for you. So, no. It didn’t feel right to attend her funeral, so you stayed behind, allowing those who knew her the chance to mourn her properly.
The mist clung to you, seeping down into your bones until a chill settled over you and you could no longer keep the shaking at bay. You trudged up the wooden stairs to the back of the house, the grey light casting a gloomy glow throughout the different rooms as you made your way up the stairs to change.
You had promised Nat that you would swing by Mrs. Cambroni’s shop to pick up the masks for the Moonlight Masquerade that weekend.
“I would go,” she had murmured, her face drawn and a distant look in her eyes as she spoke, “but I have to be there.”
“I understand, Nat,” you had assured her. “Don’t worry about it. I’m happy to help in any way that I can.”
So now you found yourself walking down the nearly empty streets toward the boardwalk. Most people were tucked away in their houses or in the various businesses that didn’t require one to be outside in the rain, and in some ways, you envied them.
You had expected this summer to be uneventful at best, spending time with Bob and his childhood friends while swimming and winning prizes on the boardwalk. It was supposed to be a fun, but overall underwhelming time spent with new and old friends before you went on to continue your studies with Bob.
Instead, you found yourself in the middle of a nightmarish fairytale filled with mermaids and murder. It chilled you to think of how many times you had been dragged beneath the waves and the one time you had. But, you wondered if all would be well now, as horrible as it seemed. After all, it was Mandy that had tried to kill you that morning by luring you into the water. Would it really be that big of a stretch to assume that she was behind the other murders as well? You supposed not, considering that seemed to be the line of thinking everyone had adopted. They tried to steer clear of that conversation for the most part, but you had overheard Nat and Bradley talking in hushed tones the day before about delayed claiming. They had stopped when you walked into the room, and before you could question them further, they had directed you out the door with the promise of ice cream.
They should have known by now that you wouldn’t drop it.
The bell above the door chimed to signal your entrance, and you shuddered as a wave of air-conditioned air washed over your still damp form. Why you thought changing would help, you weren’t sure, but it never failed to hope. The static laced pop song from the radio that sat on the counter filtered throughout the shop, feeling almost suffocatingly normal to you now.
You immediately headed for the display table near the front. An array of masks sparkled in the fluorescent lighting of the shop, and one in particular stood out to you. It was an off-white fabric that was embroidered with baby blue and pink flowers, different colored pearls embellishing the fabric. It amazed you how perfectly it matched the dress Nat had picked out for you, as if someone had known you’d need it.
“I was wondering when you’d stop by.”
You whirled around to meet the green eyes of Cole. He smiled as you placed a hand over your heart, willing the muscle to calm down.
“You startled me,” you groused half-heartedly, offering him a smile. He peered around, frowning when he saw you were all alone.
“You by yourself today?” He asked, brows pinching in concern. You shrugged, turning back to the mask and picking it up from the table.
“Everyone else is at the funeral.”
“Right,” he murmured, walking over to stand by you. “My aunt went to pay her respects.”
“You didn’t want to?” You questioned, earning a sigh from the older man.
“It’s not that I didn’t want to,” he hesitated, “but it wasn’t like Mandy was well liked, was she? I certainly wasn’t her biggest fan.”
“You shouldn’t speak ill of the dead,” you replied, voice almost a whisper as the gruesome scene that plagued your thoughts once again flashed in your mind’s eye.
“The dead aren’t here to listen,” he snorted, shoving his hands in his pocket. Your eyes flickered over to him before turning your attention back to the mask in your hand. The two of you stood in silence for a brief moment as you ran your fingers over the mask.
“Has anyone told you yet why we throw on the Moonlight Masquerade every year?” He asked, turning to face you.
“Isn’t it just another excuse for everyone to get dressed up and wasted?” You countered with a snort. Cole grinned, plucking the mask from your hands.
“We celebrate it,” he began, hovering the mask over his face, “to remind us that the sea people walk amongst us undetected. That they could be anyone, and we would never know unless they revealed themselves to us.”
“I suppose it’s great for the local businesses to make some money too,” you chuckled. Cole smirked, handing the mask back to you before turning and heading towards an accessory display a few shelves over.
“You know,” he drawled, casually running his fingers over the different necklaces before grabbing one off the line, “it would be a shame if your look was marred by that mark on your neck. Why don’t you wear this too?”
“The mark?” You balked, your hand flying up to reflexively touch the mark in question. It tingled underneath your fingers, and you couldn’t suppress the shudder that ran up your spine.
“Yeah,” he smirked, walking back towards you. “It actually reminds me of the claiming marks in the legends.”
“Does it?” You hummed. “You know, I’ve been hearing a lot about it, but no one has told me anything about it.”
The two of you stood in silence once again as Cole studied you, his face neutral and not giving anything away.
“What is it you want to know?”
“How does it work?” You asked, feeling excitement coil in your belly at the prospect of finally having your questions answered.
“Well,” Cole drawled, “let me see. You’ve heard the stories about the intention bites?”
You nodded.
“Good,” he continued with a nod, “well, the claiming bite is the next stage, the permanent stage. The sea people don’t give it without being completely sure about who they’re giving it to. People don’t accept it without being completely sure it’s what they want.”
“And why is that?” You breathed, leaning in closer, practically vibrating with anticipation. Cole smirked at you.
“Because it could kill you.”
You jerked back, eyes wide. “What?”
“The process can kill you,” Cole said as if he were talking about the weather.
“How?” You frowned, clutching the mask in your hand a little tighter.
“Well, it’s the whole process of it all, really,” he sighed, letting his eyes drift closed for a moment. “In order for a sea person to claim their chosen mate, they have to drag their partner down, down, down beneath the waves, cutting them off from air until they’re to the point of death. Then, they breathe life back into them, bringing their partner to the surface where the bond is sealed with a physical act followed by the claiming bite.”
You stood in shocked silence, processing what he was telling you. How had the others not told you any of this? Were they just going to let you walk into this blind?
“Are you okay, Skipper?” Cole asked, concern laced in his features as he watched you. You took a shaky breath before offering him a small smile.
“Yes,” you nodded. “Yes, Cole. Thank you. I should get going though. I promised Nat that I’d meet her later.”
“Don’t forget your masks,” he smiled, gesturing towards the table. You let out a laugh that was much too high pitched, wincing internally at how freaked out you sounded.
“Right,” you sighed, picking out a mask that you thought would match Nat’s dress, quickly scurrying after Cole towards the counter.
“I’ll see you around then, Skipper,” he smirked, handing you the paper bag once you had finished paying. You gave him a small wave before turning and all but fleeing the store, the bell chiming ominously after you.
Cole’s words lingered in your mind as you walked along the boardwalk with Jake a few days later, his arm wrapped securely around your waist as you tucked yourself into his side. The sun hovered below the horizon, casting the last little bit of light onto the beach before the darkness of night took hold.
“Are you cold?” Jake asked, leaning down so that his breath brushed against the shell of your ear. A small shiver ran up your spine at the sensation, and you pressed yourself a little closer to him with a shake of your head.
“No,” you hummed, a content smile on your face as the two of you continued to walk. “‘m perfect, actually.”
“Yeah,” he smirked, green eyes sparkling as the two of you neared his home. “You are.”
You let out a rather unladylike snort as you trotted up the stairs and onto his porch. Jake grinned at you, trapping you between himself and the porch railing as he leaned in, arching an eyebrow at you.
“What’s so funny?”
“Nothing,” you giggled. “You’re just really fucking corny, sometimes.”
Jake’s mouth dropped open in fake outrage, sending you into a round of giggles as he pressed into you further, his knee slotting in between your thighs as he did so. Your giggles cut off into a small gasp, eyes growing wide as he leaned in close enough that his nose brushed yours.
“You think I’m corny?” He challenged, a devilish smirk finding its way onto his lips. You let out a shaky breath, unable to tear your eyes away from his as you nodded slightly.
“Yeah,” you replied, cursing yourself for losing composure so quickly. You shifted, unwittingly brushing your clothed core against his thigh and letting out a moan at the pressure against your clit.
The change in Jake was instantaneous. His green eyes began to glow as he let out a low growl, hands gripping your hips slightly harder as he deliberately rolled them back down onto him. You cried out, hands flying to find purchase in his shirt.
“That feel good, sweetheart?” He asked, the smirk once again finding a home on his face. “You like when I rub you right there?”
“Jake,” you whispered, eyes hooded with lust as you attempted to move against him. He tsked at you, holding you firmly in place as he gave you an admonishing look.
“Ah, ah, ah,” he tutted, leaning in to hover his lips above yours, his breath washing over you in hot waves as you let out a needy whine. “Good girls don’t take without asking.”
His lips pressed against yours then, slightly chapped but firm against your own. His tongue slid along your bottom lip, and you immediately granted him entrance, groaning as his tongue licked into you, stroking against your own. After a moment, Jake pulled back, nipping at your bottom lip before looking at you expectantly. It took you a moment before you realized what it was that he wanted.
You leaned up, capturing his lips with yours for a moment before leaving a trail of hot, open-mouthed kisses from his lips, down to his jaw, and down the length of his neck.
“Please, Jake,” you whimpered. “Please make me feel good.”
“I don’t know,” he hummed, teasingly. “It doesn’t sound like you really want it.”
You let out a frustrated grunt as you once again attempted to roll your hips down against him, only to have him stop you. You nipped at the base of his neck, soothing over the bite with your tongue. Jake stiffened against you, and before you could ask what was wrong, his hands slid to grasp the underside of your thighs, hauling you up and through the screen door, lips moving eagerly against yours as he did so.
Your arms wrapped around his neck, and you let out a gasp as you felt his length press against your thigh. Jake made a beeline for the stairs, and looking back later, you were impressed with how easily he managed to get the two of you up the stairs without incident. Jake maneuvered the two of you into the room you had slept in just two weeks before, and you realized in that moment that it was his room.
Jake sat you on the bed, pulling away with short pants of breath as he looked at you with hooded eyes.
“I promised I’d take it slow,” he murmured, gaze searching yours, letting you make the next move. You reached for him, pulling him towards you by his shirt.
“I don’t care,” you said firmly, shaking your head as you pulled back to look at him once more. “I don’t care. Need you.”
Jake’s lips connected with yours once more as he laid you down on the sheets, running a hand up your side and underneath your shirt to lay just below your breast. His lips left yours, mimicking your actions from earlier and trailing his lips down from your jaw to your neck where his mark lay. He ran his tongue gently over the mark, earning a keening cry from you as you arched into him.
Jake quickly pulled your shirt up above your head and making quick work of your braw before latching on to your right nipple. His other hand came up to tweak the other, sending rivers of pleasure straight to your core as you writhed and moaned beneath him.
“Jake!” You cried out as he scraped his teeth over the pebbled nub before switching his attention to the other. Your hands flew to his hair, fingers curling in the soft, blond strands as his hand moved down to unbutton your shorts, helping you slide them down your legs and onto the floor.
He peeled himself away from your breasts, trailing his tongue down the expanse of your stomach as he settled in between your thighs, eyes trained on your clothed core where you could feel the wet spot on your panties. Feeling heat pool in your cheeks at his hungry gaze, you attempted to close your legs, but Jake caught each knee in one hand, prying them back apart and leveling you with a glare.
“Don’t hide from me,” he growled, leaning forward to run his nose along your covered slit, inhaling deeply. He let out a strangled groan as you let out another gasp at the action, chest heaving with anticipation. His nose pressed into you, nudging your clit and sending you arching into his touch. You were sure it hurt with how tightly your fingers held onto his hair, but Jake was too lost in the bliss of you, mouthing at your center and reaching a hand down to push your panties to the side.
“This all for me?” He asked huskily, glancing up at you with hooded eyes. You swallowed thickly, only able to manage a nod. You let out a yelp as Jake frowned, turning towards your right thigh and biting down just hard enough to leave an imprint.
“I asked you a question, sweet girl,” he warned, soothing over the bite with his tongue as he gave you another glare from the corner of his eye.
“Yes!” you cried out. “Yes, it’s all for you.”
“I made you this wet, huh? Did I make my pretty girl feel good?” He prompted, peeling your panties down your legs.”
“Yes,” you sobbed, arching into him, desperate for some type of relief, but Jake was firm, holding you down as he toyed with you.
He hummed, darting his tongue out to give an experimental lick at your dripping slit. You let out a strangled cry, pressing your face into the sheets as he repeated the action.
Jake let out a low growl as he dove in, tongue fucking you as his nose repeatedly bumped against your clit, his strong hands keeping you open and on display for him. Your breaths came out in pinched cries as he drove you closer to your high, the coil inside your belly pulling tight. You nearly sobbed as he added a finger, plunging it into your depths, seeking out that spot inside of you.
“So tight,” he whispered, almost reverently as he focused his attention on your clit, adding a second finger and hooking them until you let out a wail. You felt him smirk against you, and if he wasn’t making you see stars, you’d have smacked.
“Did I find that sweet spot, pretty girl?” He chuckled, honing in on that spongy spot deep inside of you. Your release was quickly approaching, and your hips rocked up to meet his thrusts your hands moving to find purchase on his shoulders, nails digging into the skin.
Jake let out a low groan as your walls fluttered around his fingers, the sting of your fingernails driving him mad as he chased your release almost more eagerly than you did.
“Need you to come for me, angel,” he murmured, sucking your clit back between his lips and adding a third finger. The stretch of his fingers had you keening, and he sped his thrusts up. “Look so pretty like this, all strung out for me. Can’t wait to have you wrapped around my cock, this pretty little pussy milking me dry. I’m never going to get enough of you, I swear it. I’m gonna keep you nice and full, and you’ll feel me for days. Now come for me, sweetheart. Come all over my fingers.”
And with a brush of his teeth against your clit, you were sent careening over the edge with a high-pitched cry, your eyes scrunching closed as the coil in your belly finally snapped. Jake lapped up your release eagerly, tongue licking up everything you had to offer. You trembled in his grip, thighs shaking from excursion and aftershocks as the blond licked you clean. You let out a shaking breath as he pulled his fingers from you, licking your juices off with a hum.
“So sweet,” he murmured, eyeing you up and down with a small smirk. You fought to catch your breath, reaching out clumsily for him. He leaned into your touch, allowing you to pull him into a lazy, lust-filled kiss. You could taste yourself on his tongue, moaning at the flavor and reaching a hand down in between the two of you to grip his length. Jake let out a moan before pulling back abruptly, pupils blown as he looked at you.
“No,” he said, shaking his head, and you frowned up at him.
“What?”
“No, I-” he paused. “I don’t want our first time to be like this. I want to do it right.”
You watched him for a moment, your mind still reeling from the orgasm he had just pulled from you. Slowly, you nodded, pulling him down into another kiss, your fingers lacing through his hair to massage his scalp.
“Okay,” you nodded against his lips.
Jake smiled down at you, repositioning the two of you so that your heads were up by the headboard, facing each other as he traced his fingers absentmindedly over your skin. The two of you stayed like that for a while, just basking in each other's presence. You allowed your mind to wander, and it inevitably drifted to what Cole had told you the other day.
“It could kill you.”
“Jake?” You whispered, peering up at him from where you were nuzzled into his neck. He hummed, one eye slinking open to look at you.
“Is it true that the mating bite could kill me?” You asked, and Jake’s eyes shot open. He sat straight up, leaving you scrambling to follow.
“Where did you hear that?” He demanded, brow furrowed as he watched you wearily. You frowned up at him, your own brow pinching together as you regarded him.
“So, it’s true,” you muttered. Jake shook his head, running a hand through his hair as he let out a heavy sigh.
“It’s true that the mating bite comes with its risks,” he conceded, chewing on his bottom lip. You waited patiently for him to continue, curling your knees up to your chest as you watched him. “It’s rare for it to kill someone though.”
“But it does happen?” You prodded, lips pursed. Jake glanced at you before looking down at his lap.
“Very, very rarely,” he admitted. “The process becomes more dangerous the longer someone goes without taking a mate.”
“Like you?”
Jake looked at you fully, a look of hurt mixed with desperation painted on his pretty features. He reached for you, and you allowed him to cup your face in his hands, his thumb running gently over the apple of your cheek.
“I would never do anything to hurt you,” he murmured, eyes pleading as they darted over your face. “Don’t for a second believe that I wouldn’t kill for you, Skipper. You are everything to me.”
You studied him silently, eyes tracing over the hard lines of him. Jake had never given you a reason to not trust him. Quite the opposite, in fact. The desperation in his voice had a part of you regretting even bringing up the topic in the first place. You smiled up at him softly, running your fingers over his jawline, his day old stubble rubbing against the pads. You leaned up to place a gentle kiss to the corner of his mouth, laughing lightly as he tried to chase your lips with his.
“I trust you,” you whispered.
A/N: Friendly reminder that I am in the process of redoing my tag lists. If you have not signed up for the new one, please do so by clicking the link at the top of the post! Please be sure to have your age/age range and blog filled out or I will not tag you and more than likely block you. As always, please comment and reblog to show your support! Updates are also posted on my AO3 account under arcane_vagabond. If you enjoy my work, consider leaving me a tip!
Summary: Your best friend, Bob Floyd, had insisted you join him for the summer at his family's home along the Carolina coasts. You had been hesitant at first, but ultimately agreed to his request. Now, here you were in a new town with strange locals who spoke in hushed whispers and cryptic retellings about glistening scales, glowing eyes, and haunting songs that echoed from the sea. You didn't believe them at first, but when you wake up on the beach one morning after having fallen overboard the night before, you can't help but think that maybe you hadn't imagine the strong arms and deep, green eyes of the man that had saved you.
Trigger warnings: Language, Angst, Talk of death, Talk of losing a loved one, Mentions of drinking, Talk of Magic, Character Deaths, Graphic description of a dead body. I think that's it, but let me know if I missed anything.
Word Count: 3.5k
A/N: This...was a doozy lol Also, if you DO NOT fill out the form below (Tag List) then you will not be tagged! As always, reblogs, comments and likes are greatly appreciated! Asks/requests are always open! 18+ ONLY!! You can find me on AO3 under arcane_vagabond where I also post my updates!
Series Masterlist || Moodboards || Playlist
The restaurant wasn’t as crowded as the other night, and you supposed that was due to the fact that it was the middle of the week. Penny was stationed behind the bar, cleaning out the glasses in between drink orders. You were cushioned between Jake and Natasha at the round table, picking at the fries left on Jake’s plate as he looked at you fondly. His arm rested on the back of the booth behind you, his fingers playing with the ends of your hair as you joked with the group.
“And then Bob over here decided that it would be a good idea to climb on top of this guy’s roof!” You grinned, earning a groan from the man in question.
“I hate this damn story,” he pouted, leaning back and running a hand over his face as the others peered over at him.
“Sweet, innocent Bobby climbed on top of some guy’s roof?” Bradley asked, leaning forward to look down the table at the blushing man.
“It wasn’t that big a deal,” Bob grumbled.
“That was the drunkest I’ve ever seen him,” you told the group. “He kept saying something about being able to fly and something else about the cannonball to end all cannonballs, but I was just so focused on getting him down that I wasn’t really paying attention.”
“Oh yeah?” Bob smirked, giving you a devious look that made the smile drop from your face. “And what about the time I had to haul your ass back to your apartment because you almost went skinny dipping with the sharks?”
“I don’t know what you’re talking about.”
“Bullshit,” he grinned, leaning towards you. “You were crying your eyes out for twenty minutes because you thought we were hurting their feelings by going home.”
You felt your cheeks heat up as the group broke out into fits of giggles, scowling at your best friend and his smug expression. You felt Jake shift next to you, placing a soft kiss to your temple before leaning back.
“Don’t worry, Angelfish,” he winked as you looked at him. “I’m sure you didn’t hurt their feelings.”
“I’m sure they were more upset they didn’t get an easy meal,” Bradley joked. “Although, they say that humans taste like plastic.”
“They?” You questioned. “You mean the sharks?”
Bradley nodded. “Yeah, I asked them once. Said that humans taste icky.”
“I’m sorry,” you blinked, “are you trying to tell me that you can talk to sharks?”
“I wouldn’t really call it talking,” Javy amended, casting a pointed look at Bradley who shrugged. “It’s more like, we can sense the intentions.”
“Like telepathy?” You asked.
“Sort of,” Reuben nodded. “It’s kind of hard to explain. It has a lot to do with the magic.”
“Huh,” you murmured thoughtfully, glancing at Bradley. “And they told you that people taste…icky?”
“That was the general vibe, yeah,” he shrugged. “I asked them one day after I ran into a group of them and they kept avoiding me.”
“Are you sure it wasn’t just because it was you?” Nat asked with a raise of her eyebrow. “Maybe it’s just you who tastes icky.”
The rest of you burst into a fit of laughter as Bradley scowled, the noise dying down as a figure approached your table.
“Hey guys,” Cole grinned as he stopped in front of the table.
“Hey, Cole!” Mickey greeted, “what brings you by?”
“Did you wanna join us?” Reuben offered, Mickey and Javy already scootching in to make room on either side of the booth. Cole shook his head, raising his hand to stop them.
“Nah, don’t worry about it,” he smiled, eyes darting to you. “I was just coming by to pick up some lunch for me and my aunt when I saw you guys, and I figured I’d say hi.”
“Saw you chatting up some of the girls at the dance the other night,” Bradley said with a wolfish grin. “See anybody that caught your eye?”
“Maybe,” Cole smirked, looking at him. “Did you guys have a good time?”
“I thought all the costumes were really amazing,” you hummed, “but I didn’t get to see much of it, unfortunately.”
“That’s a shame,” Cole murmured with a frown. “Well, hopefully you’ll get to see more of the next one here in a couple of weeks.”
“What’s that?” You asked.
“The Moonlight Masquerade,” Bob supplied with a roll of his eyes. “It’s another costume party. Everybody gathers downtown to check out the local vendors, but the actual dancing is at city hall.”
“A perfect excuse to take you dress shopping again,” Natasha grinned as you wrinkled your nose.
“Are you going to let me pay for my own dress this time?” You asked, earning a short laugh from the brunette.
“Nope!” She grinned, popping the “P.” You rolled your eyes but smiled fondly at her, turning your attention back to Cole.
“I don’t suppose your aunt will have more jewelry for me to wear?” You questioned, fingers curled around the pendant holding the black pearl that hung around your neck. You felt Jake press closer into your side, his arm moving down to encase you as Cole gave you a smirk.
“I’m sure she will.” he hummed, eyes shifting to look behind you at Jake with a knowing twinkle in his eyes. “She just got a new shipment of masks in that we’re working on putting out today. Stop by soon before they’re all gone. I’ll even give you the friends and family discount.”
“That sounds great!” You chirped, turning to give Nat an excited look. She flashed you a quick smile in return, eyes quickly looking back up at Cole in curiosity.
“I didn’t know you had that discount,” she murmured, arching a brow. Cole shrugged good-naturedly.
“We don’t, but what my aunt doesn’t know won’t hurt her.”
“We’ll be sure to stop by soon,” you assured him.
“It was good to see you all,” he smiled, giving a small wave before turning to collect his food from Penny. You all waved at him as he exited, turning back to your conversation.
“He’s always so nice,” you commented, earning a disgruntled hum from beside you.
“Maybe a little too nice,” Jake muttered with a frown. You raised an eyebrow at him in amusement.
“Are you jealous, crooner?” You teased, fighting the smile that threatened to overtake you. Jake scoffed, pressing his lips into a thin line as he looked at you.
“You gonna go and run off with him?”
You pretended to think about it, earning a less than amused look from the blond man sitting next to you. Finally, you shook your head, shooting him a wink. “Nah, I’ve already got great company right here.”
Jake let out a please hum this time, leaning in to place a gentle kiss to your temple, earning a gag from across the table.
“You two are gross,” Bradley frowned, wrinkling his nose at the two of you. “Let’s go before I lose my lunch.”
You sat on the blanket that did little to shield you from the sand underneath, the sun casting a golden glow over the beach as it crept towards the horizon. It was just you on the blanket, the others running around with a football in some game they had made up years ago. You grinned as you watched them, laughing when Jake’s team scored and he yelled out in victory, the whoops and hollers from his teammates joining him. You reached for a bottle of water when you noticed Bradley trotting towards you, his skin slick with sweat as he collapsed beside you. Wordlessly, you handed him the water, turning your attention back towards the game as he took a long sip, catching his breath as he did so.
“Having fun?” He grinned up at you, his sunglasses obscuring his eyes.
“Oh, most definitely,” you grinned down at him, wiggling your eyebrows. He barked out a laugh as he laid down, resting his hands on his stomach. You turned your attention back to the game as the two of you sat in silence for a few moments.
“How are you feeling about everything?” He asked, turning his head to look at you.
“About what?” You countered, arching a brow.
“You know,” he prodded, propping himself up on an elbow to get a better look at you. “The true mate stuff.”
“Oh,” you breathed, glancing back at where the others were still heavily engrossed in their game. “I’m okay with it.”
“Oh yeah?” Bradley challenged, sitting up fully now. “Somehow I don’t think you’ve really thought about it like you should.”
“And you’re suddenly an expert?” You huffed, earning a half-hearted shrug.
“It’s serious shit, Skipper. None of us want to see either of you get hurt. True mates is nothing to shrug off.”
“Look,” you sighed, “I get that it’s a big deal, okay? But why do you care so much? How could we possibly get hurt?”
Bradley was quiet for a moment, a frown tugging on his lips as he stared off into the ocean. You were about to say something when he broke the silence.
“Did you know that the house Jake and I live in used to belong to my mom and dad?”
That grabbed your attention. You had met everyone else’s parents over the course of the past few weeks, but you had yet to meet Bradley’s. The more you thought about it, the more you realized that you couldn’t recall a time when he had talked about them either.
“I didn’t know that,” you said carefully, eyeing him wearily. He gave you a tight-lipped smile before continuing.
“Yeah, it’s the house I grew up in. My dad was a sea person, you know? He, Mav, and Ice used to be best friends growing up, and he actually grew up in the house himself. He and my mom knew each other since they were babies.”
“Were they true mates?” You asked him, bringing your knees up to your chin as you listened to him.
“They were,” he nodded, and there was a profound sense of sadness rolling off of him as he spoke. “My dad used to say that he knew she was his even before he knew he was a sea person. Said everyone around them knew they were in love before they knew what that meant.”
“That sounds like a fairytale,” you murmured, and Bradley let out a humorless chuckle.
“It was, I guess. My mom was the happiest person you’d ever meet, actually,” he rasped, a sad smile tugging at the edge of his lips at whatever memories played through his head. “She always had a smile and joke for someone, and my dad always called her ‘sunshine.’ He was a great guy too, you know. He’d always help out when he could, and I remember that he was really funny.”
“Oh, Bradley,” you whispered, tears kissing at your lashes. “Can I ask what happened?”
He was quiet for another moment.
“It was a hurricane,” he breathed, emotion thick in his voice. “I was fifteen at the time, and I remember Mav and Ice coming by the house to ask for his help down at the marina. My mom told him not to go, that she had a bad feeling, but my dad could never say no when someone needed his help.”
He took a shuddering breath, a hand coming up to wipe at his eyes, pushing his sunglasses up against his forehead before taking them off and letting them drop down onto the sand.
“I stayed up with my mom that night, sitting with her as she sat on the couch, just waiting for him to come home. But then, she got up and just started pacing, clawing at her throat like she couldn’t breathe, and I tried to get her to calm down, I really did,” he sniffed, and for a moment, he was transformed back into the fifteen year old boy he was when this happened. You reached out a hand, placing it gently on one of his as he continued on. “And then she just stopped, and it was like a light went out in her eyes. Then she let out this scream. I’ll never forget the sound of it, Skipper. Not for as long as I live. It was like someone reached inside her chest and ripped her heart out. It wasn’t until Ice and Mav showed up on our doorstep that I found out what happened.”
He looked at you then, a haunted look in his honey-colored eyes.
“Turns out,” he muttered, “that my dad had been trying to help some fishermen make it to shore, but the current got away from all of them. The boat smashed up against the rocks, pinning my dad and crushing him, and because of their bond, my mom felt every second of it. She felt it when he-”
He cut himself off, pressing his lips firmly together as if afraid to speak the word aloud. You squeezed his hand gently.
“When did your mom pass?” You asked quietly. Bradley stared at you for a second before letting out a bitter sounding laugh.
“She’s not dead, Skipper,” he murmured, causing you to blink in shock.
“What?”
“No, she’s very much alive,” he sighed, drawing patterns in the sand by his feet. “But she’s never been the same, and she might as well have died for how little she’s been present since it happened.”
You balked at the bitterness in his voice.
“What do you mean?”
“I mean,” he spat, “that when my dad died, the part of her that made her her did too. She hasn’t been able to utter a single word since it happened, and from that day, I was on my own. I took care of her for years because she was just this empty shell. She didn’t laugh, or smile, or love anymore. Then my grandparents, her parents, made plans to move to Florida, and they made the arrangements to take her with them. I got to keep the house and everything and invited Jake to move in with me because I couldn’t stand the thought of being there by myself. I wouldn’t.”
You didn’t even notice that you had started crying until Bradley looked up at you, grimacing as he reached up to wipe your tears away.
“Shit, I’m sorry, Skipper,” he murmured. “I didn’t mean to make you cry, honest. I just wanted you to know what you were getting yourself into. I want you to think about what you’re risking if you agree to all of this.”
“I know,” you sniffled, “and I appreciate you telling me all that, Bradley, I do.”
Bradley nodded silently, and you reached over to wrap him up in a hug, squeezing him tightly.
“I’m sorry you had to go through that,” you told him. “It sounds like they really loved each other.”
He gave you a short squeeze back. “They did.”
The sound of your friends growing closer had you shifting your focus forward just as Jake dropped down at your other side, pulling you close to place a smacking kiss to your forehead.
“Gross!” You giggled, pushing him away. “You’re all sweaty, get away from me!”
He feigned hurt as his green eyes twinkled with mischief. He reached out for you, pulling you closer and rubbing his forehead against your shoulder.
“Ah, but Angelfish,” he smirked, “I thought you’d miss me!”
“Not when you’re gross!” You shrieked, trying in vain to pull away from him. He let out a laugh as you made a disgusted face at him, the two of you dissolving into a mess of giggles.
“Is he fucking giggling?” Mickey asked Nat, giving Jake an incredulous look. “Since when does golden boy giggle?”
“Since he fell in love!” Nat sing-songed in a teasing voice, laughing as Jake flipped both of them off. You chanced a glance at Bradley only to find that he was back to his usual happy self, not a trace of the sadness that had just surrounded him. You shifted your focus back to Jake who was looking at you quizzically.
“Everything alright, Angel?”
“Just peachy, Crooner,” you smiled, pecking his cheek. He chased after you as you pulled away, placing a firm, sweet kiss to your lips. You hummed happily against him, hearing a gagging sound from off to the side.
“You two are disgusting,” Javy remarked, rolling his eyes. You pulled away from Jake to give him a knowing look.
“You’re one to talk,” you told him, smirking. The others looked back and forth between the two of you as Nat shifted nervously.
“What are you talking about?” Reuben asked, earning a half hearted shrug from you.
“Oh, nothing,” you giggled, a saccharine smile on your face as you batted your eyes innocently. “So, what’s the plan for tonight?”
You walked alongside Bob down the cool sands of the beach towards his home, the last remnants of the sun fading below the horizon.
“What did you and Bradley talk about?” He asked you, glancing at you curiously. “Seemed pretty serious.”
You didn’t answer right away, unsure as to how much Bradley had actually told the others.
“He was telling me about his parents,” you decided on. You heard Bob suck in a breath as the two of you continued walking.
“He’s never told us the whole story, you know,” Bob murmured. “All we know is that his dad died one night and his mom was never the same after that. He missed some school because of it, too. We tried to get him to talk about it once, but he just brushed us off and acted like he was okay. Eventually, we stopped pushing him to.”
“I think it still really affects him,” you said quietly. “He told me the whole story. I guess he thought I needed to hear it in order to make an informed decision about what to do.”
“And what is it you want to do, Skip?” He asked, looking over at you now. You considered his words.
“I suppose,” you hummed, “that I’m not exactly sure yet. I have a lot to think about now.”
“Yeah,” he nodded, grimacing slightly. “That’s fair.”
“How are you feeling about all of this?” You asked him, raising an eyebrow in curiosity. He rolled his eyes at you.
“You two are disgusting,” he scoffed. “Why don’t you two get a room?”
“We agreed to take it slow,” you shrugged, causing Bob to belt out a laugh as he almost tripped into the sand.
“You could have fooled all of us!” He snickered, earning a scowl from you. You punched his arm lightly, trying in vain to hold back your smile.
“You’re such a jerk sometimes,” you giggled. He swung an arm over your shoulder, pulling you close by your neck as you squawked in protest.
“Just gotta tell my best friend how it is,” he beamed. You went to respond, but let out a grunt as Bob stopped short, nearly making you trip over your own feet. The smile was gone from his face as he narrowed his eyes in confusion at something ahead of the two of you. You turned to try and see what he was looking at. Up ahead, a large lump lay amidst the sand, and the two of you pulled apart to make your way slowly up to the mysterious object.
The clouds rolled out from in front of the moon, illuminating the beach with the pale rays. Your heart stopped as the object became clear. It was a girl, that much was plain. She wore no clothing, and her skin was pale. Her torso was practically hallowed out, deep, angry claw marks etched into her bloated skin, her familiar blue eyes widened in a mixture of shock and fear. Her lips were still parted as if she had been killed mid-scream, a gaping hole in her neck that made the contents of your stomach churn.
Mandy.
Her brown hair still clung to her face from the water, and you heard Bob let out a curse beside you. That was when you heard the screaming, a panicked, high-pitched wailing echoing along the beach. Your eyes were still trained on the body in front of you, her limbs twisted in an unnatural fashion. Your hands gripped at Bob’s arm, and you felt him run a hand over your hair as the screaming continued. Shouts could be heard coming from the street, and you felt the fresh, hot tears cascading down your face as the voices grew closer. It wasn’t until Bob pulled you into his arms, cradling your head close to his chest that you realized that it was you who was screaming. Your screams died down, turning into violent sobs as you clung to Bob, unable to block out the image of Mandy lying there, even after you closed your eyes.
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Summary: Your best friend, Bob Floyd, had insisted you join him for the summer at his family's home along the Carolina coasts. You had been hesitant at first, but ultimately agreed to his request. Now, here you were in a new town with strange locals who spoke in hushed whispers and cryptic retellings about glistening scales, glowing eyes, and haunting songs that echoed from the sea. You didn't believe them at first, but when you wake up on the beach one morning after having fallen overboard the night before, you can't help but think that maybe you hadn't imagine the strong arms and deep, green eyes of the man that had saved you.
Trigger warnings: Language, Fluff, A smidgen of angst, Attempted murder, Attempted drowning, Skipper losing her shit on the gang, magic, Supernatural elements.
Word Count: 3.9k
A/N: If you're feeling kind/generous, please consider buying me a ko-fi! As always, reblogs, comments and likes are greatly appreciated! Asks/requests are always open! 18+ ONLY!! You can find me on AO3 under arcane_vagabond where I also post my updates!
Series Masterlist
“No, I’ll take her home,” Bob insisted, reaching for you again, and Jake leveled him with a look that dared him to try.
“Yeah,” Mickey drawled, eyeing his two friends. “I don’t think that’s happening, my guy.”
Your cheek rested on Jake’s shoulder as you continued to cling tightly to him. Jake was on his knees with you in his arms, and you vaguely wondered when the two of you had shifted to the ground. You breathed in the smell of him, clean linen and sandalwood, a scent that served to calm you down out of your hysterial state. Closing your eyes and focusing on his heartbeat, you nuzzled into him further, humming when his lips ghosted over your temple.
“I’ve got you,” he cooed, his a hand running up and down your side. “You’re okay.”
“Jake,” you whimpered, pressing further into him.
“She needs to be somewhere she’s safe,” Bob argued, and Jake let out a growl.
“Are you saying she isn’t safe with me?”
Bob sighed, eyeing him wearily. “You know that’s not what I’m saying. She’s vulnerable right now, Jake. Look at her!”
You felt the blond tense against you, his hand pausing on your hip. You whined at the loss. Deep down, you knew you were being ridiculous, clinging to this man like he was the only thing you needed to stay alive. You couldn’t bring yourself to care though.
“I thought you said you took care of Mandy,” Bob growled, and that seemed to grab your attention. Your best friend wasn’t someone who got angry. Irritated maybe, but the tone of his voice started to pull you out of your head, coaxing you back to reality. Bob was pissed.
“I did,” Jake snapped, hand moving to rub your back as you shifted.
“Clearly not,” the bespectacled man spat back, and Jake tensed like he was ready for a fight.
“Can you two just stop?” Nat sighed, running a hand through her hair. “Now is not the time or the place. We need to get out of here before shit kicks up again.”
You felt Jake nod his head before turning to you.
“Hey, sweet girl,” he whispered to you, brushing your hair out of your face. You squeezed your eyes shut even tighter, afraid to leave the comfort that he brought you. “Come on, Skipper. Need you to look at me, baby.”
You cracked your eyes open a fraction, earning a small smile. God, he was beautiful, and you thought about how much of a mess you must have looked, how wild and crazed you must appear to him.
“There’s my good girl,” he murmured. “You think you can stand for me?”
You nodded slowly, allowing him to gently lift you to your feet. You still clung to him, not quite ready to let go, but he didn’t seem to mind. In fact, with the way he held on to you, it seemed he was eager to keep you as close as possible. He made sure you were steady on your feet before turning his attention back to the rest of the squad.
“Let’s go.”
It didn’t take long to get to Bradley and Jake’s house, and a sense of relief washed over you once you stepped foot through the door.
“She should probably rest,” Javy commented as he sat next to Nat on the couch. Jake nodded, already moving you across the room and up the stairs.
“That’s the plan,” he muttered. His arm dropped down to your waist as the two of you reached the landing. He opened the the third door down, revealing a sparsely decorated room. A dressed stood by the door, a simple four poster bed pressed against the left wall, and moonlight filtered in from the far side of the room.
Jake sat you gently on the edge of the bed, taking your hands in his as he knelt in front of you.
“I’ll be right back, okay?”
You nodded numbly, watching after him as he stood and walked out of the room. You felt hot tears begin to slide down your cheeks, unable to stop them as you bit your bottom lip to keep from sobbing. What was wrong with you?
He appeared moments later with a pair of blue boxer shorts and a white t-shirt that was entirely too large for you. He sat them next to you gently, turning to give you a smile before seeing the state you were in.
“Oh, sweet girl,” he cooed, wrapping his arms around you, practically cradling you in his arms. A sob tore its way out of your throat at how gentle he was being with you, and you felt your breaths wrack your body with every inhale.
“I’m sorry,” you gasped between sobs. “I don’t know what’s wrong with me. I feel like I’m causing problems for everyone at every turn. You all must be absolutely sick of me.”
“Hey,” he said firmly, pulling back to look at you, hand grasping your chin so you couldn’t look away. You were positive that if you hadn’t looked like a train wreck before, you did now. Jake’s lips pressed into a firm line as he studied you, eyes filled with guilt and another emotion you couldn’t place.
“None of this is your fault, okay?” He rasped, his other hand rubbing soothing circles on your hips. “No one here blames you for anything.”
“I feel like I’m going crazy,” you whispered, eyes searching his for answers. You hiccupped another sob as you continued. “I feel like I’m losing my mind.”
Jake’s expression was pained as he watched you. He knelt down at your feet, pulling your shoes off before standing and gesturing to the clothes he brought you.
“I’ll look away,” he started, eyes raking over you, “but you should change out of that dress.”
And with that, he stepped towards the door, crossing his arms over his chest as he turned around to offer you some privacy.
You weren’t sure why you were suddenly so shy around the man who had had you spread out and open for him not half an hour prior, but you surmised it was probably due to the emotionally vulnerable state you found yourself in.
You stood slowly, fiddling with the zipper of your dress before letting it slide off of you and down to the floor. Your eyes were trained on Jake’s back, and you watched as he stiffened slightly at the sound. You slid the boxers on before throwing the t-shirt on over your head.
“I’m decent,” you whispered, and Jake turned around slowly, his eyes alighting as he took you in. His nostrils flared as his gaze raked down the length of you, a hunger on his face as he swallowed. He reached a hand out to you.
“Come on.”
You took his hand, and he guided you across the hall and into the bathroom. Wordlessly, he gripped your waist, lifting you onto the sink as he began rummaging around in the cupboards. He produced a wash cloth, setting it down beside you before turning his attention to your hair. He began to slowly and methodically pull the hair ornaments out of your hair that Natasha had spent so long making sure were sat just right. Jake began humming, a low tune falling from his lips as he worked, and you felt yourself begin to relax in his touch. He made quick work of your hair, sliding his fingers gently through it once he was finished, taking care to make sure he didn’t miss any.
Once he was sure he had gotten all of them, he turned his attention to the washcloth, wetting it with warm water before plucking the few decorative pearls off of your face. He began wiping your makeup off with gentle strokes, taking care to not be too rough as his song rang throughout the bathroom. You melted into his touch, a contented sigh leaving you as he worked.
“There. All finished,” he murmured, throwing the washcloth in the sink as he leaned in to press a gentle kiss to your temple. “Think you can keep being my good girl and get some rest?”
You nodded silently, allowing him to lead you back into the room. He pulled the sheets back, gesturing for you to get in. As you moved to obey, Jake moved to collect your dress and shoes off the floor, gathering them in his arms as he made to leave.
“Jake?” You called out, sitting up to get a better look at him. He turned to you, eyebrows raised as he regarded you, and you glanced down at where your fingers rested against the duvet. “Thank you.”
“No need to thank me, sweet girl,” he smiled. “I’m happy to do it.”
You tried to get some rest, you really did, but your mind was racing. What were those songs? Why did they sound so human? And more importantly, why were your friends so unphased by them?
You thought back on them, how they had captivated your mind and left you enthralled, ready to walk into an unforgiving ocean without a second thought. That fact scared you more than anything, and in that moment you wondered if the songs were all in your head and you were beginning to suffer some sort of psychotic break. But then, why had they seemed so concerned about your safety? If it was all in your head, why were your friends treating you like there was some sort of outside threat against you?
You tossed and turned as these thoughts plagued you, and you could hear the muffled chatter from the living room as your friends talked amongst themselves. Sighing, you crawled out from under the sheets, padding silently out the door and towards the stairs.
“I thought you said you talked to Mandy?”
Bradley sounded tense, his voice strained and you could picture his face drawn tight as he fixed whoever it was with a glare.
“I did,” Jake told him, sounding tired.
“Then what was she doing out there tonight? What was she trying to do?” Bob snapped, and you pictured him pacing about the room with a glare of his own.
“I don’t know,” Jake sighed.
“This is serious, Jake,” Nat said. “She was calling to Skipper tonight, Jake. She used the frenzy magic to her advantage. What if she actually hurts her next time?”
“That’s not going to happen,” Jake insisted, his tone like ice.
“Hold up,” Mickey said. “I mean, I know Mandy can get kind of crazy, but you don’t think she’d actually try to hurt Skip, do you?”
“You know how crazy the frenzy can get,” countered Reuben. “You don’t think clearly when you’re in it. You’re so consumed by the magic and the feelings, it’s hard to think rationally about much of anything.”
“And Mandy’s frenzies have always been violent,” added Javy. “Remember when she clawed Lisa Thornton in high school when she thought she was trying to get with Jake?”
“Mandy won’t do anything,” Jake stated firmly. “I won’t let her. Skipper won’t leave my sight.”
“And how do you plan on telling Skipper about all of this?” Bob asked him. “How are you going to explain why you suddenly can’t leave her side at all, huh? She doesn’t know about any of this, Jake. How do you plan on explaining any of this to her?”
The room was silent. You shifted on your feet, a floorboard creaking underneath you and you cursed silently as you hastily retreated back to your room. You crawled back into bed just as you heard someone reach the top of the landing. You closed your eyes, willing your breathing to even out as the steps came up to your door. The person paused, and you felt their eyes rest on you before they moved into the room. You stayed as still as possible, heart jumping in your chest as the smell of clean linen and sandalwood filled your senses. Jake ran his fingertips over the apple of your cheek before sliding down to rest them over the mark on your neck. You couldn’t suppress the shudder that ran up your spine, and Jake let out a pleased sound, his fingertips freezing as they ghosted over the golden chain still around your neck.
You felt him left the chain, sucking in a breath as the pendant around your neck was revealed to him. He held it for a moment, and you used all of your willpower to keep from opening your eyes to catch a glimpse of him.
He let the pendant drop, and you felt him lean over you, lips ghosting over the shell of your ear as low song reverberated in his chest.
“Mine,” he sang, pressing light kisses over the curve of your jaw, and this time you couldn’t stop the whine that left you at his touch. “Sleep.”
You immediately felt groggy as he said the word, your mind wandering back to that dream you had when you washed up on shore after the storm. The way the man in your dreams had carressed you, had marked you. The way he sang the same word in the exact same way.
You fought against the urge to fall asleep as Jake pulled back, adjusting the duvet so that it rested just under your chin. You heard him retreat back down the stairs, fighting desperately to hold off unconsciousness.
“She’s still asleep,” you heard him tell the others.
“It’s getting late,” Nat said. “We should get going. We can regroup in the morning and decide what we’re going to do.”
“We should tell her,” Jake sighed.
“He’s right,” Bradley chimed in. “It’s too dangerous for her to not know anymore.”
No one said anything for a second, and you almost missed the next exchange as you fell deeper into your slumber.
“Jake, are you going to be okay, if she doesn’t want this, man?” Mickey asked quietly. “I mean, what are you going to do if she decides that this isn’t what she wants?”
“Than I’ll do everything in my power to make sure she’s happy.”
You awoke slowly, head fuzzy as you took in the light, blue light of the early morning as it filtered through the window. You struggled to pinpoint what it was that aroused you from your slumber so early, but you felt the pit in your stomach give way as a cry pierced the still morning air.
Similar to the one from the night before, it called to you like the pied piper. A sweet, saccharine song that coaxed you gently out of bed, feet pressing to the cold hardwood that sent a shiver up your spine, and still you obeyed.
Come find me, the voice seemed to say, lilting and swaying. I’m waiting for you.
You made your way quickly and quietly down the stairs, a haze clouding your mind as you reached for the back door. The ocean waves crashed against the sand, adding to the chorus that flirted with you to give in, to follow. You didn’t bother to close the door, to wrapped up in finding the source of the voice, taking quick steps towards the pier. You stumbled slightly in the sand, feeling a chill run up your spine at the cold breeze that swept past you. Your steps became more assured and steady as they made contact with the wood that led out into the water. Another shiver ran up your spine as you made it to the edge, peering into the water. You caught a flash of silver amidst the waves, and the song pierced through the roar of the crashing waves.
You lifted your foot, ready to take a step that would have you crashing into the waves below. You heard shouting from off in the distance, but you were too wrapped up in the song that now crescendoed into a frenzy.
The water was as cold as ice when you dropped, the sensations stabbing at you like knives that knocked the air from your lungs. You scrambled towards the surface, your head breaking free for a moment to gasp in a lungful of air. You felt a hand wrap around your calf, pulling you violently back under the water, only able to let out a half scream before it was cut off. Your throat burned as you accidentally inhaled some of the ocean water. You thrashed about, and the hand let go of you. Your relief was short lived as nails raked across your stomach so sharply, you swore they were claws. Another hand reached out to tangle in your hair, grabbing it painfully before dragging you farther into the water, swinging you from side to side as you fought to break free. You managed to open your eyes long enough to see glowing blue ones staring back at you, teeth visciously bared in a terrifying snarl.
Mandy.
Your heart stopped as you realized you were staring at the familiar brunette, but your blood ran cold when you realized that in place of her legs, a tail thrashed. A piercing cry came from her lips, the song that had pulled you into the water in the first place now had an element of rage that had you fighting even harder to get away from her. You tried to claw at her, desperately trying to free yourself from her hold, but it was no use. Mandy’s snarl turned into a cold, calculating smirk as she watched you slowly lose what little air was still in your lungs.
You were just about to surrender, your eyelids drooping closed, when Mandy’s hand suddenly let go. You felt a the water rush around you, Mandy’s tail knocking into you with force, and you became disoriented. A vengeful cry rang out followed by a fearful one from Mandy. You opened your eyes just in time to see a flash of dark skin and two, silver tails disappear into the dark abyss of open ocean below.
You feebly attempted to swim back to the surface, but you knew deep down that you weren’t going to make it. You let your eyes drift closed once more as you allowed the current to carry you gently through the water, feet still kicking desperately to give yourself a chance at air.
A pair of strong arms wrapped around you, and your instincts kicked in one final time, your limbs thrashing to get out of their hold. Your lungs burned for the need for oxygen, and after a moment, your head broke the surface. You took in several, desperate lungfuls of air, still thrashing in the person’s arms.
“Skipper, it’s me!”
You opened your eyes, meeting worried green ones. Jake’s arms were strong around you, holding you up as the waves jostled the two of you.
“Jake?” You asked, beginning to feel the effects of the cold water. Your muscles ached, the shivering beginning in full force as your body fought to keep warm now that it wasn’t fighting for air.
“We need to get you out of the water,” he murmured, glancing over towards the shore. “Can you swim?”
You nodded, your teeth chattering as you judged the distance towards the shore. It wouldn’t be a long swim, but your body already screamed at the thought of having to make it. You could see three different figures standing along the shoreline, and you were coherent enough to know that it was Nat, Mickey, and Bob who waited for you there.
The swim back to shore was just as taxing as you knew it would be, and as soon as your feet hit the sand, you were enveloped into a tight hug from Nat.
“Skipper, you’re freezing,” she murmured, pulling back to look you over. She blanched as her eyes saw your stomach, eyes growing wide. “And bleeding!”
You glanced down to see rivulets of blood soaking into the t-shirt that still adorned your body. Jake was crowding you instantly, assessing how much damage was actually done.
“I-it w-was M-M-Mandy,” you shivered, leaning into his warmth. The others didn’t seem to hear you, too focused on the blood that ran down your cold skin and the violent way you were shaking. They led you back to the house, Mickey quickly running off down the hall to grab several blankets as Bob took two steps at a time to get you new clothing. Nat stepped typed frantically on her phone as Jake clung to you, pressing the entire length of your body against his in order to transfer some body heat to you.
He was so warm, and you practically purred as he slipped a hand up underneath your borrowed shirt to rub it up and down the length of your spine.
Mickey and Bob returned at the same time, and Nat had to pry you away from Jake to help you change in the bathroom. As soon as you stepped out, Jake wrapped a blanket around you, hauling you into his lap. You rested your head in the crook of his neck.
“Is she okay?” You heard Bradley ask as he, Reuben, and Javy stepped into the room. You peaked up at where they stood, and he let out a relieved sigh, running a hand through his wet hair. Your eyes narrowed as you realized that all three of them were dripping onto the floor.
“She’s fine,” Bob answered him, eyes still focused on you. “She’s just shaken up. It’s not every day you sleep walk into the ocean.”
You furrowed your brows.
“There was a song,” you muttered, sitting up a little straighter. Jake’s hands tensed where they smoothed up and down your thighs. You felt like shit, and you were in no mood for the little game they wanted to play. “It called to me, and then Mandy dragged me under.”
The room was silent for a beat, and it was Nat who broke the silence.
“You were dreaming, Skip-”
“No,” you hissed. You pushed away from Jake, slapping his hands away as he attempted to pull you back into his embrace. You scrambled to your feet, backing away from your friends who looked at you with worried frowns.
“No,” you repeated, fury filling you, fueling you. “Quit lying to me. I know what I saw, and what I saw was Mandy dragging me through the water, with a tail, and her eyes were glowing, and…and…”
You took a breath to steady yourself.
“She tried to kill me,” you stated, a sob stuck in your throat. “She tried to murder me, so don’t try to lie to me and make up some bullshit excuse. Because I know. I know what happened to me. So, please. Please tell me the truth. I’m tired of being kept in the dark.”
Nobody spoke and nobody moved, all of them just staring at you as if you were a corned animal, and you supposed you must have looked the part. They all eyed each other uneasily except one.
His green eyes watched you, face passive as he took you in. There wasn’t a hint of judgement in his eyes, only calm acceptance. He tilted his head at you, mouth parting to speak.
“Are you sure you’re ready to open that door, Skipper? Because once you open it, you can’t close it again.”
Your eyes met his, determination settling in your bones as you stared at him defiantly. A smirk twitched at the corner of his mouth as he watched you, pride shining in his eyes as you answered.
Summary: Your best friend, Bob Floyd, had insisted you join him for the summer at his family's home along the Carolina coasts. You had been hesitant at first, but ultimately agreed to his request. Now, here you were in a new town with strange locals who spoke in hushed whispers and cryptic retellings about glistening scales, glowing eyes, and haunting songs that echoed from the sea. You didn't believe them at first, but when you wake up on the beach one morning after having fallen overboard the night before, you can't help but think that maybe you hadn't imagine the strong arms and deep, green eyes of the man that had saved you.
Trigger warnings: Language, Murder, Flirty Bradley, Mean Girl Mandy, Dry humping, Kissing, Possessive Jake, Skipper having a mental breakdown of sorts.
Word Count: 5.1k
A/N: I'm on a roll, y'all, but just know that a lot of this chapter was just pure self indulgence. If you're feeling kind/generous, please consider buying me a ko-fi! As always, reblogs, comments and likes are greatly appreciated! Asks/requests are always open! 18+ ONLY!! You can find me on AO3 under arcane_vagabond where I also post my updates!
Series Masterlist
The rest of the night had been a blur, your head fuzzy from your encounter on the beach. Javy and Nat had kept a close eye on you after you almost walked into the water, making sure you stayed close. The rest of the gang had checked in on you, Bob wanting to take you back home, but you had insisted that you were staying, not wanting to ruin his night. You had caused enough trouble.
Your eyes had been unfocused as you stared down at the sand, vaguely aware of everyone laughing and having a good time. Your mind felt slow, your body sluggish as you sat by the fire. Your arms were wrapped firmly around your knees where they were pressed up against you.
You jumped when someone plopped down next to you, and your eyes widened as they took in Jake’s form. He sat cross legged, back straight as he gazed into the fire.
“You’re not nearly as good at pretending as you think you are,” he murmured, peeking at you from the corner of his eye. You felt your cheeks flush as you looked away from him.
“I don’t want them to worry.”
“It’s a little late for that, I think,” he murmured, a humorless chuckle escaping him. You squeezed your knees tighter, attempting to make yourself smaller as the guilt ate away at you.
“I don’t know what’s wrong with me,” you admitted quietly, feeling Jake’s stare on the side of your face. “I’m not usually like this, I swear.”
“I believe you,” he told you gently, earnestly. “No one here blames you for anything, Skipper.”
“They deserve to have fun,” you muttered miserably, feeling the tears prickle at your eyes. “They shouldn’t have to worry about me and whether or not I’m going to pass out or drown at every turn.”
“Trust me,” he said, turning to face you, “everyone here is having fun, and they like hanging out with you. If they didn’t, then they wouldn’t be worried in the first place.”
“Yeah?” You whispered, looking at him with uncertain eyes. He gave you a soft smile, nodding.
“Promise.”
Bob had come to collect you shortly after, the smell of beer on his breath as he dragged you to your feet, insisting that he was tired and that it was time to go home. You had given Jake a small smile before following him back home, Mickey making sure the two of you got there in one piece.
Now, you sat on the end of the couch in Bradley and Jake’s living room, the group somber as the news from earlier that morning hung in the air.
Another body had been found, a young woman who had been visiting her family on the island. She had been at the bonfire the night before, and you remembered seeing her briefly. Her body had been found in the early hours of the morning, and the police had told reporters that they were investigating all angles, meaning that despite the apparent murder spree, there had been alcohol in her system and they weren’t sure yet if she had been the victim of a freak accident or a murder.
“Mav won’t tell me much,” Bradley said, scratching his chin. “But he told me they think it’s connected to the others, even with all the beer she drank.”
“Should he really be telling you all of that?” Reuben asked, an incredulous look on his face. “I know he’s your godfather and all, but still.”
Bradley shrugged, seemingly nonplussed at the idea.
“We should go out and do something,” Nat suggested, looking around at everyone. “I don’t want to sit here and think about this all day. We need to go and get our minds off it.”
“And do what, exactly?” Mickey drawled, raising an eyebrow at her.
“We could go to the boardwalk?” Javy suggested, looking around at everyone as Mickey let out a groan.
“Again?” He asked. “There’s only so many times I can ride the coaster before it stops becoming fun.”
“Then ride something else,” Nat snarked, rolling her eyes.
“I think the boardwalk sounds like fun,” you smiled. “We could go swimming after? It would be a shame to waste the day inside.”
“I agree,” Jake nodded beside you, barely letting your mouth close before doing so. “Skipper makes a good point.”
“I’m sure she does,” Reuben snorted. You saw Jake frown at the other man as Mickey and Bob both tried to disguise their laughter with coughs.
“I’ll do whatever,” Bradley chimed in, looking more bored than anything. “Just so long as I don’t have to keep sitting here.”
“Wait,” Bob said, brow furrowing. “Isn’t the ocean dance festival tonight?”
Nat let out a groan as Mickey wrinkled his nose.
“They’re still doing that with everything going on?” He asked.
“Damn, I completely forgot about that,” Nat muttered, checking the time on her phone. She looked up at you, chewing on her bottom lip.
“Skipper, you didn’t happen to pack a fancy dress or anything, did you?”
“No?” You said slowly, regarding her carefully. She blew out a breath, nodding.
“Didn’t think so,” she muttered, moving to stand. “Well, you boys will have to have fun without us. Skipper and I have some shopping to do.”
“What?” You asked, eyes widening as Nat pulled you to your feet.
She chuckled. “We have to go get you a dress for tonight.”
“Why?”
“Because,” Reuben laughed, “the ocean dance festival is the one event all the girls in town look forward to. It’s an excuse for them to get all dressed up in pretty, fancy dresses and elaborate makeup while the rest of us try to decide which shirt is nice enough for us to pair with our jeans.”
“Ignore him,” she scowled, turning her attention back to you with an excited look. “It’s a lot of fun, Skipper. You gotta come!”
“I don’t know,” you trailed off, taking your bottom lip in between your teeth. “I don’t even think I have enough to buy a fancy dress…”
“I’ll get one for you,” she said, raising her hand as you moved to protest. “Please, call it a ‘welcome to the island’ gift.”
“Also known as ‘Nat hasn’t gotten to play dress up with anyone in God only knows how long,’” Bradley joked, earning a glare from the brunette. Nat turned her pleading gaze to you, and you felt your resolve crumple.
“Alright,” you sighed. “Fine.”
An hour later you had a dress in your hands, Natasha still gushing about it beside you.
“You look so pretty in it, Skipper!” She exclaimed, mouth curved into an infectious grin, excitement radiating off of her in waves. “You’re going to be the talk of the town!”
“I highly doubt that, Nat,” you giggled.
“Trust me,” she chuckled, wiggling her eyebrows at you, “no one will be able to keep their eyes off of you once I’m through.”
You shook your head, not able to keep the amused smile off your face as the two of you made your way down the boardwalk. Several people were decorating a roped off area. Balloons, streamers, and ocean themed decorations littered the area, a stage sitting off to the side where a group of musicians were setting up their equipment.
“They really go all out for this dance, huh?” You mused, and Nat nodded.
“It’s been a part of the summer festivals since the town was founded. The city council and founding daughter’s group goes all out, which is the biggest reason why it wasn’t cancelled this year,” she explained. You hummed, eyes drifting to the familiar shop sign, and your eyes lit up.
“Oh!” You exclaimed, grabbing her hand. “Can we go in here really quick? There was something I wanted to get.”
“Mrs. Cambroni’s shop?” Nat frowned. “What could you possibly need from in here?”
“You’ll see,” you smiled. “Come on!”
The bell chimed as the two of you stepped in, and you greeted the old woman behind the counter with a smile. A handsome man stood with her, his eyes trained on the two of you, and you couldn’t help but feel like you had seen him somewhere before. His mocha skin had an underlying gold tone to it, dark hair cropped short. His dark, green eyes sent a shiver up your spine as he watched you.
“Good morning, dear!” Mrs. Cambroni greeted. “Back so soon?”
“Yeah,” you smiled. “I’m actually looking for something, and I wondered if you might have it.”
“I’ll bet you anything she does,” the man chuckled. “My aunt has almost everything under the sun here in her little shop.”
“Oh, how rude of me,” Mrs. Cambroni muttered. “This is my nephew, Cole. He’s in from out of town. Natasha, dear, you remember Cole, don’t you?”
“Yeah,” she smiled, shooting him a small wave. “It’s good to see you again!”
“Likewise,” he hummed, eyes darting back to you. “And you are?”
“Oh, sorry,” you blushed. “I’m Skipper.”
He chuckled once more. “That’s an unusual name.”
“It’s a nickname,” you murmured, ducking your head out of embarrassment. “It’s just what everyone calls me.”
“What was it you were looking for, dear?” Mrs. Cambroni asked you. “Was it something for the festival tonight?”
“Sort of,” you started, moving forward and digging in your bag. You pulled out the large, black pearl, showing it to her. “I was hoping you’d have something for me to put this in so I could wear it.”
“I have just the thing,” she smiled, rounding the corner of the counter as she darted off to one of the far corners of the shop.
“Will we see you at the festival tonight, Cole?” Nat asked him, moving to stand next to you. Cole laughed lightly, ducking his head down before looking back up at her.
“I might make an appearance, yeah. It’ll be nice to see some familiar faces again.”
“You’re from here?” You asked him. He nodded.
“Grew up here before deciding to go to school down south. I live there full time now, but figured I’d come up and visit with my aunt for the summer.”
“Oh, that’s so sweet of you,” you grinned. Your grin faded as the nagging feeling in the back of your head grew louder. You knew him, you were sure of it. “I’m so sorry, but have we met?”
He grinned at you. “Not officially, but you did bump into me the other day over by the tilt-o-whirl.”
“Oh,” you balked. His words sank in, and you felt your skin flush as embarrassment washed over you. “Oh. Oh my god. I’m so sorry!”
“It’s all water under the bridge,” he said, waving you off. “I can’t tell you how many times I’ve fallen victim to that damn thing myself.”
You smiled at his words, feeling the tension lift from your shoulders.
At that moment, Mrs. Cambroni came walking back over, a golden chain dangling from her hand. It was beautiful, the chain holding a collection of smaller ones that held a cradle for a pearl to rest in, practically forming a raindrop. The old woman held her hand out, and you placed the black pearl gently in her outstretched palm. She fiddled with the necklace before showing it to you proudly.
“Turn around, dear, and I’ll put it on you.”
You did as instructed, moving your hair to give her easy access. Once she was done, she gestured towards the mirror that rested on top of the counter.
“Have a look!” She smiled. You did so, marveling at how the pendant rested perfectly just above the curves of your breasts.
“It’s perfect!” You gushed, looking over at her. She returned your smile warmly resting a hand against the counter.
“You know,” she began, a knowing glint in her eye. “The ocean dance festival has a longstanding tradition in this town as being a way for sea people to gain the attention of a potential mate.”
You could practically feel Natasha’s eye roll as you looked at the old woman, eager to hear more.
“It was a festival where potential mates dressed up in their best clothing to attract attention. Boys and girls alike dressed in elaborate costumes to showcase their assets,” she hummed as you paid for the necklace. “But, I suppose now it’s just an excuse for young ladies like yourself to get all dolled up for an evening of fun.”
“We have a friend who said something similar, actually,” you giggled. Mrs. Cambroni smiled, and Natasha grabbed your hand, pulling you towards the door.
“Well, it’s been fun, Mrs. Cambroni, but we only have so much time to get ready before the festival starts. It was good to see you, Cole!” she called over her shoulder as she walked through the door.
“Why do you keep doing that?” You scowled at her as she dragged you down the street and towards her house.
“Because Cambroni is a nut,” she retorted, sparing you a glance from over her shoulder. “And you should take everything she says with a grain of salt. Besides, I wasn’t kidding. We only have so long before the festival starts, and while I am skilled at what I do, I need all the time I can get to get us both ready.”
Five hours later, and you found yourself standing on the boardwalk once again, fingers fidgeting with the green tulle of your dress. Nat had done an amazing job, not that you were surprised. The dress she had picked out for you was a beautiful sage green, puffy sleeves hanging off the shoulder as they met at the sweetheart neckline. Your new necklace hung just above your cleavage, and your makeup was simple, more natural looking than her own. She had kept it light, forgoing much of the costume vibes that other girls had seemingly gone for. Your eyes were dusted in a gold powder along with the edges of your lips, tiny pearls scattering the edges of your eyes. She had smeared some of the gold dust along your neck as well as your shoulders and collarbone, nothing to ostentatious, but just enough to draw attention to the skin there.
Nat herself looked absolutely stunning. Her red dress was strapless, a bunch of fabric folded on her hip to give the appearance of a rose bloom. Red eyeshadow creeping up her temples, and she had chosen a dark red lipstick to complete the look. She was beautiful, and she carried herself with confidence.
“Where are those idiots,” Nat muttered to herself, typing away at her phone as she attempted to track down the rest of your friends. A low whistle had the two of you turning, seeing Bradley with a wide grin on his face as he looked at the two of you along with the rest of the boys.
“Well, don’t you two clean up nice,” he hummed, eyes taking you both in appreciatively, causing heat to rise to your cheeks. Nat frowned at him, giving him a once over, taking in his jean shorts and Hawaiian shirt.
“Did you even try?” She asked him.
“The ladies love me for what I offer, Natasha,” he retorted with a wistful sigh as he shoved his hands his pockets.
“And what is that? An eighties porno stache and a collection of bargain bin dad shirts?” She threw back, causing snickers to float around your little group. Bradley took it in stride, smiling lazily at her as he shot you a wink.
“She’s just mad because she doesn’t look as good as we do, Skipper,” he whispered to you conspiratorially, causing you to giggle.
“Keep dreaming, Bradshaw,” Nat laughed, eyes peeking over at Javy who looked at her fondly. You smiled at the sight, eyes drifting over the group before they landed on those oh so familiar green ones.
Jake’s eyes bore into you, drinking you in, and you suddenly felt self conscious under his gaze. You smiled at him shyly, and you saw his adam’s apple bob as he swallowed thickly.
“You look great, Skip!” Bob chirped as he popped up beside you. You broke eye contact with Jake to smile up at your best friend.
“Thanks!” You said, giving him a once over and cocking an eyebrow. “Did your mom make you wear that?”
“That obvious, huh?” He chuckled, shaking his head.
“Only a little,” you giggled.
“Man, I’m starving!” Mickey groaned. “Let’s go get some food!”
He moved towards the growing crowd as the rest of you followed suit. Jake fell in step next to you, eyes still watching you.
“You look nice, too,” you whispered, watching as a dusting of pink made its way onto his cheeks. He smiled warmly at you.
“Not as nice as you do,” he murmured. You felt yourself preen at his words, pushing your shoulders back slightly. Jakes eyes darted down, widening at the sight of your pendant. He looked like he was about to say something, but a voice cut him off.
“Jake!”
The two of you turned to see an older woman, maybe in her late forties, waving at him. Her blonde hair was piled intricately in an updo, her white dress glowing in the setting sun. Jake smiled at her before looking back at you, gesturing for you to follow him.
She was even more beautiful up close, smile lines evident on her face as her eyes darted between the two of you, a question in her green eyes.
“Hey, mom,” Jake greeted her, wrapping her in a hug. “Wasn’t expecting to see you so early in the night. Where’s Dad?”
“Oh, your father wanted to wrap some things up at the office,” she chuckled, eyes trained on you as she spoke, a kind smile on her red lips. “Who might this be?”
“Mom, this is Skipper,” he said, smiling down at you softly. “Skipper, this is my mom, Nicola.”
“Please, honey. Call me Nikki,” she hummed at you, eyeing your neck. “My, don’t you look a vision tonight?”
“Oh, thank you,” you blushed. “I love your dress.”
“This old thing?” She scoffed, smiling warmly. “I’ve worn this dress to this festival for the past five years. I’ve been meaning to go out and get a new one, but who has the time?”
“Mom is one of the main people who plans this festival,” Jake explained.
“It’s always been my favorite,” she sighed, eyes growing hazy as she lost herself in thought. “It’s where your father and I became exclusive, you know.”
“Oh, like those stories,” you said. Nikki’s eyes looked at you curiously, and you felt yourself blush once again. “Mrs. Cambroni was telling me about the origin of the festival this morning.”
“Goodness, that woman certainly loves to meddle, doesn’t she?” Nikki hummed. Her attention was drawn away from you as a figure joined you.
“Hi, Nikki,” Mandy drawled, a tight smile on her face.
Nikki smiled warmly at her, taking in her appearance. Mandy wore a dark blue dress that hung off her shoulders, the neckline dipping dangerously low as the rest of the material clung to her every curve. Her eyes were painted in dark blue powder with gold accents, her lips a ruby red. She looked perfect.
“Hi, honey!” Nikki chirped. “You look…nice this evening!”
“Thank you,” Mandy smirked, eyes darting over to look at Jake, a frown on his lips. “I had this dress custom ordered for the occassion.”
“Mandy, do you know Skipper?”
Mandy glanced at you, smirk turning cruel as she took you in.
“Well,” she chuckled. “Looks like you clean up well after all. What a lovely surprise.”
You felt a wave of embarrassment roll over you, eyes darting around to try and find an exit from the suddenly tense conversation. Nikki seemed to notice the shift as well, and she frowned, eyes peering at Mandy who seemed none the wiser. The brunette turned to Jake with a smile as the band began to play.
“Jake, you’ll dance with me, won’t you?” She asked him, batting her eyelashes. You weren’t a jealous person, and you especially weren’t when it came to someone you weren’t dating. That’s why it came as a surprise to you when anger rose up in your throat at the way she looked at him, the mark on your neck pulsing. Mine, it said.
You were briefly aware of the smirk that adorned Nikki’s lips before she turned to Mandy.
“Actually, honey,” she interjected, “I was hoping you could come help me with something.”
Mandy gritted her teeth but offered the older woman a tight smile. “Of course.”
Nikki gestured for the brunette to follow, casting one last look over her shoulder at you, eyes shining mischeivously before disappearing into the crows. Jake let out a sigh, running a hand through his hair nervously before looking over at you.
“Do you,” he started, shifting from one foot to the other. “Do you want to dance with me?”
Your eyes met his green ones, shining with anticipation.
“I would love to,” you said softly. Jake beamed, moving to rest a gentle hand on the small of your back as he guided you towards the dancefloor. Several other couples swayed with the music, and you grinned when you saw Javy and Nat across the way, Nat’s head resting against his chest as he held her gently.
Your attention was torn away as Jake’s hands moved to rest on your hips, and you placed your arms around his neck. The air around you seemed to buzz with a pleasant warmth, the warmth of his hands causing heat to spread through you.
“Your mom is nice,” you commented in an attempt to distract yourself from the all consuming feeling as the two of you began to move with the music.
“She is,” he agreed, smiling down at you fondly. “She likes you, too.”
“How do you know that?” You asked him with a chuckle.
“She wouldn’t have dragged Mandy away if she didn’t,” he surmised, thumb stroking along your hip, sending a shiver up your spine.
“I thought she liked Mandy?”
“She does,” Jake replied. “In her own way. She knows Mandy can be…difficult.”
You hummed. “Then why did she want you to be with her?”
Jake sucked in a breath, lips forming a grimace as he answered. “Her and Mandy’s mom have been friends since they were in diapers. Their dream was for their kids to one day end up together, getting married and growing old. We come from two very prominant families, and it was an added bonus that us being together would help present a picture perfect ideal to everyone else. It was perfect.”
You noted the sense of bitterness his tone took on as he spoke, and your thumb brushed softly against the nape of his neck, causing him to suck in a small breath and tighten his hold on your waist ever so slightly.
“But?” You asked him, and he sighed.
“But, I wasn’t happy,” he admitted, his gaze meeting yours. “I love my parents, but their dream wasn’t mine. I’ve only ever wanted to make them happy, and if it meant putting my own happiness on the backburner, then I was willing to do that.
“And now?” You whispered, the two of you slowing to a stop as the song ended. Jake’s hands still gripped you tightly, no sign of letting go as he stared at you.
“Now,” he said slowly, “I think I’ve changed my mind.”
The two of you stood in the middle of the dancefloor as the band moved into the next song, the couples around you beginning to move again. You suddenly felt too warm, and Jake must have noticed your change in demeanor because he pulled away from you, hand gripping your left one as he dragged you away from the crowd. You let him lead you through the throng of people, and you noticed Mickey, Reuben, and Bob chatting with Mrs. Cambroni and Cole, all of them laughing amongst each other. Mrs. Cambroni caught your eye and shot you a wink as she sipped from her glass. You saw Bradley, Javy, and Nat laughing not too far away, but it was the cold, calculating blue eyes that cut through the warmth that surrounded you.
Mandy watched as the two of you maneuvered through the crowd. She disappeared from sight as Jake rounded the stage, the wall blocking most of the sound as he led you further down the otherwise deserted boardwalk. The music faded as the two of you kept walking, and finally Jake came to a hault. He turned, hands grasping your waist as he lefted you onto the railing, making sure you were comfortable before stepping in to the space where your thighs were parted. His hands remained on your waist as he gazed up at you.
“Feel better?” He asked you.
“Much,” you answered, smiling softly at him. “Thank you.”
Jake hummed as his hands made small strokes up and down your waist. The two of you remained silent, just enjoying the moment.
“The others said you didn’t feel like you had options before,” you hummed quietly, eyes darting up to meet his. “I’ve been wondering what they meant by that.”
Jake didn’t say anything, eyes searching yours before slowly leaning in. You felt his warm breath fan over your face, and your heartbeat quickened in your chest. He paused, eyes hooded as he watched you, watched the way your chest heaved at his close proximity, watched as your eyes begged and pleaded with him to close the gap, but still he waited.
You let out a strangled cry as the feeling of having him so close became too much, and you surged forward, pressing your lips against his. You felt like you were melting from the inside out as your lips molded against his, and Jake let out a pleasured groan, hands pulling you closer to him as his body molded into yours. You gasped as your thighs parted even more, allowing him to press his knee into your core. Jake took advantage of this, licking into your mouth with languid thrusts that matched the slow rhythm of his thigh as it grinded against you. Your hands flew to his hair, tugging on the blond locks in a way that had him moaning into your mouth. You ground your hips down experimentally onto him, earning a groan as he pulled away from you, nipping on your bottom lip before placing a kiss to the corner of your mouth.
“Such a good girl,” he moaned, lips placing hot, open mouthed kisses along your jaw before moving down your neck. You tilted your head to the side, offering him more access to which he eagerly took advantage of. You let out a whimper as his lips brushed the nape of your neck, a smirk forming on his lips as he began to bite and suck on the skin there, leaving behind what was sure to be a sizeable hickey.
“Jake,” you whispered breathlessly, hips still grinding down on him. His hands glided up the expanse of your body, his right hand cupping your breast and squeezing. You threw your head back, crying out in ecstasy.
“So pretty like this, baby,” he rasped, thrusting his hips up into your clothed core. “Think you can come like this? Wish you could see yourself. See how hot you look as you’re about to come just from grinding down on me.”
Your eyes were hooded as you looked at him, silently begging him to make you come. His eyes glowed in the low light, the sun having already disappeared beneath the horizon. Jake pressed a tender kiss to your lips, and you brought a hand down to his jaw to keep him there. He pulled back slightly, one of his strong hands on your waist as he guided you over his thigh.
“So beautiful,” he murmured as he watched you, a hypnotic lilt to his tone as he drank in the sight of you, fucked out and at his mercy. “And all mine. Isn’t that right?”
You nodded vigorously, words escaping you, but Jake shook his head.
“Say it,” he groaned, “Say you’re mine.”
“I’m yours,” you sobbed, your high so close as you rubbed yourself furiously down onto him. Jake’s eyes danced in delight, a smirk on his lips as he watched you use him for your own pleasure. But then the smirk dropped and his eyes flashed dangerously as he pulled away. You mewled at the loss of contact, reaching out fo him. He took you in his arms, spinning you so that you were pressed behind him, and you were vaguely aware of the sound of a snarl as your head whirled around you. The intense warmth spreading through you was drenched with an ice cold feeling as a familiar cry rang out in the night.
The song was beautiful, higher pitched than the others you had heard previously, sending a mix of terror and a need to obey running through you. You made to move, but Jake’s arms held you firm. The song called to you again and you felt tears spring to your eyes at the conflicting feelings inside you. You’re breath came out shaky, and Jake turned to look at you. He grabbed your shoulders gently, green eyes boring into yours desperately.
“Skipper,” he crooned, a hand reaching up to cradle your cheek. “Listen to me.”
You wanted to, but the song still called to you, warring with the one coming from Jake as he continued.
“Come on, sweetheart,” he cooed, wiping a stray tear from your cheek. “Stay with me. Be my good girl. ”
Your eyes darted back and forth between him and the water where the song called for you to follow. A sob wracked your body as you through yourself into Jake, arms wrapping around him as you buried your face into his neck. He shushed you, rubbing at your back gently, and you were vaguely aware of the sound of your friends joining you. A warm hand rested on your upper arm like the person was going to pull you away, and you let out a desperate cry, clinging to Jake with all your strength as he let out a snarl. You paid no mind to the conversation around you as Jake held you to him, still cooing a song into your ears. You weren’t sure when exactly the other song ended, but you began to relax somewhat in Jake’s hold. You slowly came to, just as Bradley heaved out a sigh.
Summary: Your best friend, Bob Floyd, had insisted you join him for the summer at his family's home along the Carolina coasts. You had been hesitant at first, but ultimately agreed to his request. Now, here you were in a new town with strange locals who spoke in hushed whispers and cryptic retellings about glistening scales, glowing eyes, and haunting songs that echoed from the sea. You didn't believe them at first, but when you wake up on the beach one morning after having fallen overboard the night before, you can't help but think that maybe you hadn't imagine the strong arms and deep, green eyes of the man that had saved you.
Trigger warnings: Language, Mean girl Mandy, Flirting, Alcohol, Siren call, Supernatural elements, Kind of suggestive/smutty but not really? idk
Word Count: 4.2k
A/N: Alright, alright! The ball is starting to roll! We've got a lot going on now, I think. Can't wait to hear y'all's thoughts! Also, shoutout to @goldenseresinretriever for letting me bounce ideas off of her! You the real MVP!! If you're feeling kind/generous, please consider buying me a ko-fi! I will be referring to that Google form from now on! As always, reblogs, comments and likes are greatly appreciated! Asks/requests are always open! 18+ ONLY!! You can find me on AO3 under arcane_vagabond where I also post my updates!
Series Masterlist
“I thought the bonfires happened the other night?” You asked Bob as the two of you made your way down the practically deserted streets. It was late, and the only people out were the young adults still looking to have a good time. The family friendly activities had ended hours ago, and now it was time for the partying to start.
“They were supposed to,” he said, eyes scanning the dimly lit street, “but they got postponed because of all the rain the other week. This was the only night that worked for most everyone around town.”
“That works out for us, I guess,” you hummed, hearing the sound of crashing waves grow closer as you neared the beach.
“Hey, thing one and thing two!”
The two of you turned around to see a grinning Bradley jogging up behind you, and you turned with a smile to greet him.
“Hey, Bradley!” You chirped. “We thought you’d already be down at the beach with everyone else.”
“I was, but I forgot my phone at the house,” he said, waving his phone in his hand. “So I ran back to grab it. Everyone else should already be down there, though.”
“We better get a move on before all the drinks are gone,” Bob mused, already moving once again. Bradley fell into step alongside you, bumping your shoulder with his.
“Feel like I haven’t seen you in forever, Skipper,” he joked, casting a smirk down at you. “You been avoiding me?”
“I could ask you the same thing,” you giggled.
Bradley scoffed, giving you an offended look that was made less serious by the grin on his face. “Me? Avoid you? Don’t be ridiculous. Who in their right mind would avoid a sweet, little thing like you?”
“You must not really know her then,” Bob snorted. “She practically cut my hand off when I went for the last fry at lunch today.”
“That was entirely your fault,” you huffed, sticking your tongue out at him. “You know how much I love french fries.”
“Yeah, enough to cause grievous bodily injuries, apparently,” he smirked. You scowled at him before looking back at Bradley who was also smirking at you.
“He’s being dramatic,” you offered with a shrug.
“Barely.”
“Like you’re one to talk,” you griped as the three of you walked down the stairs and onto the beach. You could see the glow from the various fires flicker in the night, groups of different people huddled around each one. “I have to set an alarm every morning to wake up before he does if I want any bacon.”
“Oh, trust me,” Bradley laughed, steering you towards a fire on the edge of the grouping, Bob in tow. “I grew up with him. I know how much bacon he puts away.”
“I am not that bad,” Bob huffed, earning identical dubious looks from both you and Bradley. You giggled when Bradley quirked his eyebrow at you.
“Sure you aren’t, Bob,” you laughed, earning a scowl from your best friend.
“You made it!”
The three of you turned to see Nat waving at you, the rest of the squad already settled in on the towels surrounding the small fire. You felt a shiver run up your spine as you made eye contact with a pair of mossy green ones. You looked away as your cheeks warmed, letting Bradley guide you across the fire and down on a group of towels, Bob on your other side.
“So,” said the brunette sitting next to Jake, blue eyes calculating as she took you in. She was just as beautiful as the last time you saw her. Tan skin glowed in the light from the fire, body lithe and athletic. She looked like she walked off the cover of a fashion magazine, and her narrowed gaze was trained on you, lips curled into waht appeared to be a permanent sneer. “You must be the tagalong I’ve heard so much about. Skipper was it?”
You shifted uncomfortably, glancing over at Bradley as he stiffened next to you, a glare fixed on his face as he looked at her.
“Yeah,” you said, offering an anxious smile as you looked back at her. “That’s what they call me anyway.”
“It’s cute,” she said, tone indicating that she most certainly did not find it cute. “I’m Mandy. You’ve probably heard of me from the others.”
“Oh, yeah,” you smiled. “I’ve heard a lot about you.”
“I’m not surprised,” she continued with a smirk. “I’ve known everyone here since we were in diapers. We go way back, you know. Don’t feel bad if you end up feeling left out in our conversations, okay?”
You shifted again, this time knocking your knee into your bag. The shells you carried with you jostled, clinking together, and you blushed when everyone looked at you.
“What was that?” Mickey asked, peering over to get a better look. You lifted your bag as you began to pull each shell out and placing it carefully on the towel.
“Oh, these are the shells and things I’ve been finding everywhere!” You smiled, running your fingers over the conch. “Aren’t they amazing? I’ve never seen so many beautiful shells in my life! And they’re all perfectly in tact, can you believe it? It’s like someone just plucked them up off the ocean floor and set them out for me to find!”
“That’s quite a collection,” Nat chuckled, shooting a smirk off to the side. You followed her line of sight, and your eyes made direct contact with the mossy green ones from earlier. Jake looked at you with an expression that could only be described as awe as he took you in, eyes peering down to where you cradled the conch gently in your hands before looking back up at you. His eyes shone in the firelight, a hint of a smile on his lips as he looked at you. You felt another blush creep up your neck, and you leaned forward to place the conch closer to the fire for everyone to see. You heard a sharp intake of breath, and you looked up to see Mandy with a look of rage and shock on her face as she stared at you. You realized quickly she wasn’t staring at your face, but rather down at the base of your neck. Her eyes darted up to meet yours and her expression shifted quickly into one of cold contempt.
“You actually carry those around with you?” She sneered, scoffing out a laugh. “What are you? Five?”
You frowned up at her, suddenly feeling self conscious as you glanced around the group. Their smiles had shifted into looks of irritation as they glared at the brunette.
“Oh, I just-”
“I mean,” she sniffed, cutting you off, “I suppose it’s fitting for someone who looks like you though, right? You’re not exactly dressed to impress or anything.”
You looked down at your clothes, a frown on your face. You weren’t normally self conscious. Sure, you didn’t look like a model like Mandy, but you didn’t think you were hard on the eyes. You had dressed for comfort though, and it was plain to see in your jean shorts, tank top, and white button up. Mandy wore a pair of cutoffs and a tight fitting tank top that showed off her figure, and her makeup was immaculate. You hadn’t seen the point in putting any on. Should you have?
“Mandy,” Bob growled, glaring in a warning.
“Oh, I know she’s your friend and all, Bobby,” Mandy continued, a viscious smirk poised on her lips. “But let’s be honest. I mean, we’re among friends, right? And friends should be honest with each other. You’d be lucky if anyone gave you the time of day looking like that. Nevermind the silly, little shells you’re carrying around everywhere. You really should have left those back at the house, you know. And tell me you brought something nice to where for the ocean dance festival. Can you imagine if you wore some frumpy shorts to something like tha-”
“Shut up.”
All eyes turned to Jake who was glaring into the fire, eyes cold as the water that lapped the shore behind you. Mandy narrowed her eyes at him, rage clouding her features.
“Excuse me?” She spat, turning to face him. His gaze shifted to her, jaw clenching.
“Was I not clear enough?” He said evenly. “I said ‘shut up.’”
You hadn’t even realized that tears had gathered in your eyes until Bob laid a gentle hand on your shoudler causing you to jump. You looked over at him, sniffling as he gave you a concerned look. You wiped at the corner of your eyes, scrambling to your feet. You felt everyone’s eyes on you as you shifted from one foot to the other, avoiding their gazes.
“I’m, uh,” you gulped, trying to fight back the tears that were threatening to spill over. “I’m gonna go get something to drink.”
“I’ll come with you,” Bradley said, moving to his feet and giving you a gentle smile. “I’m parched.”
You turned to Bob with a watery smile. “You want anything?”
He studied you for a second, eyes uncertain. You gave him a look that you hoped communicated your need to pretend like you were okay, and he pressed his lips together.
“Just a beer.”
“You got it!” You smiled, trying and failing to add your usual cheeriness to the statement. You gave a half smile that you were sure came off as more of a grimace as you made your way towards the line of coolers on the other side of the fires. Bradley followed you silently, and you kept your head down, feeling the tears start to stream down your cheeks.
You knew you were being silly. They were just words after all, and you were a grown woman. You shouldn’t be letting silly words get to you like this. But why did they hurt so bad? You knelt by one of the coolers, fishing out two beers and a coke. You handed one of the beers to Bradley, refusing to make eye contact with him as you pushed the lid to the cooler closed.
“Hey,” he said, grabbing onto your arm gently, pulling you so that you faced him.
You kept your head down, and Bradley let out a sigh.
“Listen,” he started, hesitating as if he were choosing his next words carefully. “You shouldn’t listen to Mandy, okay? She’s a stone cold bitch on the best of days, and, well, she’s never been told ‘no’ a day in her life. She’s always gotten what she wanted, when she wanted it.”
“What’s your point?” You muttered, glancing off to the side as you wrapped your arms around yourself. Bradley let out another sigh, taking his hand from your arm to run it through his hair.
“My point is that she’s taking her new experience with the word out on you, and it’s not fair. I know it’s hard, but just ignore her, okay? She’s just jealous.”
“Of me?” You scoffed, finally meeting his gaze. Bradley smirked down at you, casting you a wink.
“You’re pretty great, Skipper,” he hummed. “Anyone with eyes can see it. Now, come on. Let’s head back to the others, yeah?”
You nodded, and the two of you made your way back to the fire. As you approached, you noted that Jake was the only one still there, eyes trained on the flames in front of him, seemingly deep in thought. He jumped when Bradley plopped down next to him, leaving just enough room for you to slide in between them.
“Where’d the others go?” Bradley asked, twisting the top off his beer and taking a swig from the bottle. Jake grimaced, gesturing around towards the other fires.
“Take your pick.”
Bradley hummed, leaning back on the towel with his legs outstretched towards the fire. The three of you were silent for a moment, and you felt a tingling sensation on your left side. You turned to find Jake already looking at you, eyes soft as they took you in. Your breath caught in your throat, cheeks flushing. You thought you should have been been creeped out with how intensely he was staring at you, but you felt oddly comfortable under his gaze. In fact, you found yourelf sitting up a little straighter, almost preening under his gaze, and a small smile tugged on Jake’s lips as he took you in, eyes blazing as they reached your neck.
You jumped as Bradley suddenly leaned over in front of you, breaking the spell you found yourself under. A shit eating grin was etched onto his face as he looked at Jake.
“Did you know Skipper here always wanted to be a mermaid?”
You felt yourself begin to splutter as your cheeks warmed for a different reason, eyes growing wide as you peered between the two men. Bradley waggled his eyebrows as Jake’s own shot up on his forehead. A smirk graced his lips, giving him a devilish look to his already handsome features. He looked at you, smirk intensifying as he saw your flustered state. He leaned forward, smirk growing into a grin as you glanced away.
“Is that so?” He hummed, warm breath ghosting over your face.
“I will remind you that I was, like, five at the time,” you snapped, glaring at Bradley. He only chuckled, resting his chin on his hand as he smirked lazily up at you.
“I think you’d make a cute mermaid, don’t you agree, Jake?”
Jake nodded with another hum, eyes taking on a look you couldn’t place, but it made you squirm nonetheless.
“Just imagine her swimming around with all her little fishy sidekicks,” Bradley teased, eyes alight with mischief. You scoffed, turning to face him.
“As if,” you snarked, “my sidekick wouldn’t be a fish, it would be a stingray.”
Jake quirked an eyebrow. “Why a stingray?”
“Oh,” you blushed, your nerves kicking up again. “Because they’re my favorite.”
Jake nodded slowly, like he was trying to commit that fact to memory. Bradley snorted beside you, and the two of you looked over at where he was smirking, eyes peeking at Jake before looking back at you.
“How could I forget?” He drawled, taking another sip of his beer. “I met Rusty when you and I were snuggled in bed the other morning.”
“That’s not-”
You were cut off by a growl to your left. You turned to see Jake’s entire expression had changed. His jaw was clenched, eyes trained on Bradley as if he wanted to take his head off. His fists were clenched so tight, you wouldn’t be surprised if he was drawing blood from where his fingernails dug into his palms. He was almost too still as he glared at Bradley, the other man looking smug as he took in his friend’s appearance.
“Are you okay?” You asked the blond, and his eyes glanced over at you, gaze seeming to soften as he took in your concern.
“Bradshaw!” Reuben called from across the way. “Get your ass over here!”
Bradley heaved a sigh, rolling his eyes as he got to his feet. “And that’s my cue,” he muttered.
You watched as he strutted over to where Reuben and Mickey were gathered with a group of people you didn’t know, leaving you alone with Jake.
“He’s such an ass sometimes,” he muttered, shaking his head.
“Isn’t he one of your best friends?” You asked him with a giggle. Jake’s demeanor seemed to relax at the sound.
“Unfortunately,” he grumbled, casting another glare over at where Bradley stood chatting and laughing.
“Are you sure you’re okay?” You frowned, noticing how tense he still seemed to be. He looked back at you, hesitating before letting out a sigh.
“Yeah, I guess I’m just feeling a little overheated or something,” he muttered, flexing his hands as he uncurled his fists. He moved to stand, and you followed suit.
“Think I’m going to go take a walk to cool off,” he mused, rolling his shoulders back. You frowned, rubbing a hand over your arm.
“Oh, okay,” you said, glancing at the ground, shifting your feet in the sand that covered the towel. Jake seemed to hesitate once more, chewing his bottom lip.
“Do you want to join me?” He asked you, his green eyes hopeful as you met his gaze. You felt a smile tug on your lips as you nodded.
“Yeah, I’d like that,” you murmured, moving to grab your bag. You stopped when you noticed it was placed neatly on top of the towel you had been sitting on previously, shells already back inside.
“I, uh,” Jake stuttered, rubbing the back of his neck bashfully. “I hope you don’t mind. I didn’t want anything to happen to them, so I put them back in your bag. I guess I should have asked first instead of just moving them. I’m sorry if I-”
“No,” you smiled, “it’s okay. Thank you.”
Jake gave you a nervous, tight lipped smile before nodding. “You can leave your bag here if you want. No one is going to take it.”
You returned his nod, gesturing for him to lead the way down the beach.
The two of you walked in silence for a few minutes, the ocean waves crashing off to your right, and the cool, night breeze ruffling your hair.
“Listen,” Jake started, stopping to turn to you, eyes earnest as they took you in. “I’m sorry about Mandy-”
“Oh, no, Jake,” you frowned, shaking your head. “You don’t have to apologize for her.”
“No, but I do,” he stated firmly, face serious as he looked at you. “It’s my fault she’s taking it out on you. She’s been so convinced that she and I are going to end up together, and now that she knows that’s not the case, she’s on the warpath.”
“Jake,” you sighed, “I understand feeling some kind of weird responsibility for her, but her actions are her own. You shouldn’t have to apologize on her behalf. She’s a big girl just like I am, right? We’re adults who are capable of making our own decisions and apologizing for the wrong we do. None of this is your fault.”
He didn’t look convinced, and you took his hand in yours to offer him some kind of reassurance. A bolt of electricity ran through you, causing you to let out a gasp, and a warmth rushed over you, causing you to squirm. You felt like a magnet, drawn to Jake in a way that you couldn’t even begin to understand. You wanted to feel more of him, to consume and be consumed by him. You had never felt anything like it in your life, and you looked up at him hazy eyes to find that he wasn’t any better off.
His own eyes had a haze to them, seeming to glow in the moonlight. His breathing came out labored, almost like he was fighting to maintain his composure. His eyes raked over you, a hand coming up to rest on your cheek, and you nuzzled into it without thinking.
“You’re so pretty,” he breathed, voice barely above a whisper as he inched closer to you.
“You’re just saying that,” you muttered, leaning into him.
“No,” he stated firmly, causing you to jump just a hair. His other hand came up to rest on your hip, pulling you closer so that you were practically molded against him.
“No,” he said again, gentler this time. “I mean it. You are the most beautiful thing I’ve ever laid my eyes on.”
If it were possible, you were sure your skin would have heated up even more than it already was. As it stood, a pleasant warmth spread through you at his proximity, and the hand that was cradling your cheek slowly drifted down until it brushed the mark on your neck. You let out a wanton cry at the shock of pleasure that jolted through you at the simple touch, and Jake smirked down at you, stroking softly over the mark again and again as he drew more pleasured cries from you.
“It’s okay,” he cooed, leaning his forehead against yours, nuzzling his nose against the tip of yours. “I’ve got you.”
You couldn’t find it in you to feel embarrassed at the intense amount of pleasure you felt at the simplest of touches, too focused on the way his hands felt on you. You raised your own, one hand cradling his cheek as the other ran through his golden hair. He let out a groan as you tugged gently on the soft strands, and you couldn’t help the small smirk that spread across your face. Jake’s eyes met yours, the green of them so intense that it took your breath away. He glanced down at your lips, slowly leaning in-
“Jacob Seresin!”
You gasped, grasping at your ears at the almost inhuman shriek that pierced the night air. Jake pulled back, placing you almost protectively behind him. You peered around him to see Mandy glaring at him, blue eyes practically glowing with rage. Her gaze turned to you, and you shrank back slightly, hiding behind Jake a little more. This only served to make Mandy even more irate, and she snarled as she stomped closer to the two of you.
Jake bristled, standing taller as he continued to block you from Mandy’s warpath.
“How dare you,” she spat at him, lips pulled back into a sneer. “You’re mine.”
“No,” Jake growled, “I’m not.”
You shifted behind him, moving out from behind him slowly, and the pair turned to look at you. You gave them a sheepish smile, as you inched around Mandy, hands up in a form of surrender.
“I’m just going to head back so you two can talk in private,” you murmured. Jake looked like he wanted to argue, but Mandy’s glare had you moving before he could say anything.
You wrapped your arms around yourself as you walked back towards the bonfires, already missing Jake’s touch. You had never felt anything so intense in your entire life, and you wondered what had come over you to make you act so brazenly. You weren’t one for hookups, but you weren’t even sure that’s what that was going to be. He had held you so gently, like you might break or run away at any moment. You had been so ready to give him every part of you in that moment. You knew you should have been worried at that thought, but a large part of you thought that it felt right, that you should give yourself to him. The more you thought about it, the more you found yourself wanting to turn around and go back to him.
You were about halfway back down the beach when it started. It was quiet at first, distant. But then it grew louder, and you found yourself slowing to a stop, turning towards the crashing waves to your left.
The song was beautiful, melancholic. It was unlike the one you had heard before, this one sounding more animal like than human, but you still found yourself drawn to it. It called to you, begging you to listen, and you did, feeling the sound drift through your mind and pulling you in. You weren’t sure when you started walking, but you felt the sand shift beneath your feet as you slowly made your way towards the water. The fires faded from your sight, the churning waves beckoning to you like gentle hands that promised refuge. The song grew louder, all consuming, blocking everything else out but the need to answer. You felt the wind whip your hair around you, the cold sting kissing your cheeks as the crashing waves grew louder, the song more desperate. The sand beneath your feet grew cold as you ventured into a spot where the water met the shoreline. You’re almost there, the song called to you. You felt a relieved smile tug on your lips at the thought of finally reaching your goal and answering the song. You felt the water come just up to your toes before retreating back. You closed your eyes in anticipation. Just one more step.
You let out a cry as you were yanked away from the water, a strong hand on your upper arm. Your arms reached for the water, your mind still foggy as a loud, keening cry sounded from the water before disappearing entirely. You whirled around to see Javy staring at you with an intense worry, Nat just behind him, worry clear on her face.
“Wha-” you mumbled, pressing a hand to the side of your head as it began to pound. “What happened? Javy?”
“Hey, Skipper,” he murmured gently, pulling you closer, away from the water. “We’ve been calling you for a while now. You okay?”
“I…” you trailed off, glancing between him and the water. “I’m not sure.”
“How about we get you some water, yeah?” Nat suggested, wrapping her arms around you as she led you back to the bonfires. You nodded slowly.
“Yeah,” you muttered, glancing back at the ocean. “Yeah, okay.”
Summary: Your best friend, Bob Floyd, had insisted you join him for the summer at his family's home along the Carolina coasts. You had been hesitant at first, but ultimately agreed to his request. Now, here you were in a new town with strange locals who spoke in hushed whispers and cryptic retellings about glistening scales, glowing eyes, and haunting songs that echoed from the sea. You didn't believe them at first, but when you wake up on the beach one morning after having fallen overboard the night before, you can't help but think that maybe you hadn't imagine the strong arms and deep, green eyes of the man that had saved you.
Trigger warnings: Language, talk of courting and mating, FBI, mentions of murder. Think that’s it.
Word Count: 3.87k
A/N: Here is Chapter Four! A whole lot of setting up what's to come, I think, but hopefully y'all still like it! If you're feeling kind/generous, please consider buying me a ko-fi! As always, reblogs, comments and likes are greatly appreciated! Asks/requests are always open! 18+ ONLY!! You can find me on AO3 under arcane_vagabond where I also post my updates!
Series Masterlist
“Are you still feeling alright, honey?” Susan asked you, checking you over. You gave her a small smile as she gave you a once over. Her green scrubs contrasted against her blonde hair, and the wrinkles around her eyes were more pronounced as she frowned at you worriedly. “You’re still taking it easy, right? Remember what Dr. Carson said when he checked you out the other day.”
“I’m fine, Susan. I promise,” you reassured the older nurse. She studied you for a second longer before turning to fix her coffee.
“You know, it’s a real shame about that Morris girl,” she continued. “She was always such a sweet girl. Wasn’t she in your class, Bobby?”
“No, she was a year ahead with Reuben, Nat, and Jake,” he muttered through a mouthful of Cheerios.
“That’s right,” she nodded.
Bob swallowed his mouthful and peered up at his mother. “Are you going to tell us what’s been going on?”
“You know,” she sighed exasperatedly, “I could have sworn I had told you. Or at least I would have if you bothered to answer your phone every once in a while.”
“You could tell me now?” Bob said sarcastically. Susan glared over at him.
“Tone, mister,” she warned before letting out another sigh and leaning against the kitchen counter. “I suppose it’s been a little over two months now since they found the first body. Everyone thought it was just an accident since it looked like a drowning. But then a couple of weeks later another body washed up, and then another one a couple weeks after that. They were all young women about the same age, and they all appeared to have drowned. Maverick was worried that there was a serial killer on the loose, so he called in a favor to Tom. You remember Tom, don’t you, sweetie?”
“Yeah, I remember Mr. Kazansky, Mom,” Bob nodded. “He was only the my baseball coach for most of middle school and high school.”
“Such a sweet man,” Susan nodded with a small smile towards you. “We were all sad to see him leave, but when the FBI offers you a job, what person in their right mind says no?”
“So he and that other guy are here because of this serial killer no one told me about?” Bob asked her, eyebrow raised.
Susan scowled at him, but let out a sigh. “Tom and his partner, Agent Simpson, got here about two weeks ago when the last body was found. I was talking to Tom the other day, actually, and he told me that there were signs of a struggle, which is why they got called in.”
“Should he be telling you that?” Bob frowned. She shrugged, sipping from her coffee mug.
“I think they’re holding a press conference today to discuss everything. He wouldn’t have told me if they weren’t already planning on telling everyone, I’m sure.”
“A serial killer,” you hummed, frowning. “That’s really scary, actually.”
“It is,” she agreed, eyeing you. “Which is why I want you to promise me that you won’t go off on your own at night, alright? You should be fine during the day time, especially with the summer crowds, but I want you to make sure you have somebody with you after the sun goes down.”
“I will, Susan,” you smiled.
Bob peered over at you from over his own coffee mug. “I promised Dad that I’d take the boat out with him today. I don’t suppose you wanted to tag along?”
“No,” you told him, shaking your head. “Nat actually texted me last night and asked me if I wanted to go and hang out at the boardwalk today, and I told her that I did. You’ll be okay without me, yeah?”
“‘Course,” he snorted, moving to take his dishes to the sink. “Wouldn’t be the first time you’ve ditched me for other friends.”
“If you’re talking about that time in sophomore year when I went with Abby and Rachel to the football game after you insisted that you would be a fourth wheel even though we all told you that you wouldn’t be, then this is not the same situation at all.”
“I beg to differ,” he laughed, heading for the back door.
“You can beg all you want, but it’s the truth,” you giggled. “Oh, wait!”
You got up from your own chair, moving to follow him.
“I think I left my bag on the boat last night,” you told him. “I’m going to grab it before I head out.”
The two of you walked down the stone path until you reached the small strip of sand that led out onto the dock.
“You know I’m not ditching you, right?” You asked him, suddenly worried that your best friend really did think you were trying to leave him behind. Bob snorted and looked over at you with a quirk of his brow.
“Of course I don’t,” he said, making a beeline for the boat that bobbed up and down with the waves. “I don’t expect you to tag along with me everywhere. I’m actually really happy that you and the gang are getting along so well.”
“Okay,” you trailed off. “Good. Because I really like hanging out with them.”
Bob chuckled as he stepped onto the boat, turning to face you. “I know. Stay right there and I’ll grab your bag, yeah?”
You nodded, turning to watch the waves as he disappeared towards the back of the boat. You glanced down when a shine of light danced in the corner of your eye. Sitting on the wood of the dock was a collection of more shells and pearls, and you immediately crouched down to take a better look at them. A couple of sand dollars were added into the mix this time and even more pearls of various shapes, sizes, and colors were mixed in with the lot. You picked each one up gently, inspecting them. Your favorite was the beautiful black pearl that rested in the center of the grouping. The oily colors on its surface danced as you inspected it, and you felt your skin prickle in delight.
Your gaze shifted to the breathtaking conch shell that rested near the edge, and you gingerly lifted it up to get a better look at it. It truly was a marvelous sight. One of the best specimens you had ever had the privilege of seeing.
“How much crap do you carry in this thing?”
You whirled around to see Bob grimacing as he made his way towards you with your simple hobo bag.
“I carry just what I need in it,” you replied to him, reaching an arm out to take the bag.
“What are you doing crouched over here?” Bob asked you, brow furrowing as he handed it off to you. He stopped short when he saw the collection of ocean treasures at your feet. He inspected them before moving his eyes up to meet yours.
“Look at these!” You grinned, gesturing down at them. “These are more spectacular than the last bunch! Have you ever seen such amazing specimens? And these pearls!”
“Yeah,” Bob said uneasily, eyes shifting to look out at the water. “They’re pretty great.”
You stood up suddenly, turning to fix him with a small glare.
“What is up with you?” You demanded, hands on your hips. “You love things like this! You’re the one person I know who gets more excited about this shit than I do, and you’re over here looking like someone just told you they were planning on kidnapping me. You did the same thing yesterday!”
Bob’s eyes widened at your outburst before melting into a sheepish expression as he looked away. He rubbed his hand on the back of his neck before letting out a sigh, looking back at you with an apologetic smile.
“I’m sorry, y/n,” he sighed. “The shells are great, really. I guess I just have a lot on my mind with the murders and all that.”
You felt a wave of guilt wash over you, replacing the annoyance. Your hands moved to pull him into a hug, one he returned.
“Nothing is going to happen to me, okay?” You told him, squeezing him tight. “I’ll be extra careful to not be by myself at night, so you don’t have to worry about me, yeah?”
Bob didn’t say anything for a moment. He pulled back to look at you, a fond smile on his face as he regarded you.
“I’m always going to worry about you, you know,” he smirked, something serious behind his eyes despite the teasing tone he used. “You’re like the little sister I never had.”
“Bob,” you scoffed, crossing your arms over your chest. “I’m literally three months older than you.”
He grinned at that.
“Semantics.”
The street was busy as people walked back and forth along the boardwalk, taking in the different rides and stalls as the excitement for summer festival began to grow. Several decorations littered the pathways, all of various sea creatures and more than a few mermaids. You watched the different families, friends, and couples run around to the different events, and you let out a sigh as you checked your phone once again.
Sorry, Skip! Mom needed help with some things at the shop so I’m running late. Give me half an hour!
That had been thirty-five minutes ago, and you hadn’t heard anything. Sighing, you wiped the sweat from your brow, deciding to take a break from the overwhelming heat. You spotted a familiar, little shop and began walking towards it.
The bell above the door rang out as you stepped inside, letting out a breath of relief as the cool air washed over you. The shop hadn’t changed much in the days since you had last been in. There were new novelty items scattered about, but for the most part, Mrs. Cambroni’s shop was still quaint and cheesy.
The old woman appeared from the backroom, giving you a warm smile as she gave you a once over. Her eyes landed on your neck, an eyebrow quirking as she took in the raised skin that still shone in the light.
“My, my, dear,” she hummed, leaning against the counter. “What happened there?”
“Oh this?” You asked, resting your hand over the mark. You suppressed a shiver as a oddly pleasant feeling washed over you. “I had a bit of an accident the other day. I fell of a boat and washed up on shore.”
“Oh, how terrible!”
“Yeah, but I’m okay!” You chirped. “The doctor checked me out and said I was fine, just a little bruised. Said I was really lucky that nothing worse happened.”
“I’m sure you were,” she murmured, eyes still locked on your neck.
“But I guess I must have hit my neck pretty good on some rocks because the bump hasn’t gone away and the algae practically looks like it’s a part of my skin now,” you joked. Mrs. Cambroni blinked at you.
“The…algae?” She asked. You nodded, and she threw her head back in a fit of laughter. You stared at her in confusion until she calmed down, wiping a tear from the corner of her eye.
“I’m sorry, dear. I don’t mean to laugh,” she said through bouts of giggles. “What brings you by my little shop?”
“Oh!” You cried, moving closer to the counter. “Nothing really, I was just waiting for a friend, but she’s running late. So, I thought I’d pop back in and say hi after I got dragged out of here the other day.”
Mrs. Cambroni gave another hum, a knowing look on her face. She took a sip from the cup of tea she held in her hands.
“Have you found any interesting seashells along the beach since I last saw you?”
“Actually, yes!” You smiled, digging through your bag to pull out the collection you were beginning to compile. “I found these over the last couple of days. It’s strange though, none of these were on the beach. I found a pile of them on our boat and then another pile on the dock this morning. My friend said it must have been the current-”
Mrs. Cambroni’s eyes widened as she coughed up her tea, nearly choking on it as she fought to regain control over her breathing. You reached out a hand to soothe her, and she gave you a grateful smile.
“The current, you say?” She said, barely hiding her amusement. You nodded self consciously, and the old woman shook her head with a chuckle.
“Seems to me like you’ve caught the eye of a sea person, my dear.”
Now it was your turn for your eyes to widen. “What?”
“I’m surprised no one’s told you yet,” she mused, setting her cup down and examining the shells and pearls. “It’s part of the courting rituals for their kind, after all. Just like that intention bite on your neck.”
Your blood ran cold, recalling how your first reaction to the raised skin was that it looked like a bite mark.
“But it’s not-”
“Oh, but it is, dear child,” she smiled, no hint of malice to it, just understanding. “I’m not sure why no one is telling you the truth. Perhaps it’s because you aren’t a local, and they don’t know if you can be fully trusted yet. Or perhaps it’s because you were chosen in a moment of frenzy. Choice is such an important piece of the courting ritual, after all.”
“Is that why you’re telling me all of this?” You asked her, brow quirked. “Because you think I should have a choice?”
“Precisely. How can you make an informed decision without all of the pieces?”
“Alright, then,” You started, deciding to amuse the woman before you, “what is it you can tell me?”
“What is it you want to know?”
“Tell me more about the courting rituals. What are they? What does it entail?”
“Well,” she smiled, “that certainly is an interesting first question. It’s simple really. It starts with the bite mark on your neck. What you have right now is called an intention bite. This bite is to let other sea people know that you have been marked as the intended mate for someone. As long as that bite remains on your neck, every sea person who lays eyes on it will know that you are spoken for. If that wasn’t enough of a hint, it changes your scent as well.”
“Are you saying that I smell different?”
“Oh, yes,” she nodded. “But not in an unpleasant way, dear. And as long as that’s the only bite mark that remains on your neck, it’ll fade after a few months along with it. The intention mark is only meant to be a placeholder for the permanent mark.”
“And what is that?” You asked her. Mrs. Cambroni turned her serious gaze to your face.
“That would be the mating mark.”
“And what does that one do?” You murmured, voice barely above a whisper. You weren’t sure why you were entertaining this conversation, to be honest. Maybe it was your longstanding fascination with mermaids that kept you rooted there, listening intently. Or maybe it was because a part of you, one that you were trying your best not to acknowledge in that moment, believed her.
Before Mrs. Cambroni could respond, the bell above the door chimed again, and you both turned to see Nat red faced and out of breath as she looked at you.
“There you are!” She smiled, relaxing as she let out a sigh of relief. “I’ve been looking everywhere for you!”
“Sorry!” You exclaimed, gathering your seashells and giving Mrs. Cambroni an apologetic smile. “I was getting really hot and I thought I’d stop in here for a few minutes.”
“No, I’m sorry,” Nat said, watching the older woman with a suspicious frown. “I lost track of the time after I texted you.”
You waved to the shop owner as you followed Nat out the door, the sun bathing you in its warm rays. You peered over at your friend, a mischievous smirk on your face as your eyes lowered to her neck.
“Wouldn’t happen to have anything to do with that huge hickey on your neck, right?”
Nat’s hand flew up to her neck, cheeks flushing as she tried to splutter out an excuse.
“So,” you chirped as your friend continued to recover her speech. “Which of the boys is it?”
“What makes you so sure it was one of them?” She muttered, the red on her cheeks growing more pronounced.
You ignored her. “My money is on Javy.”
“How did you know?” She shrieked, earning a couple of stares from passersby. You laughed at her expression.
“I didn’t until just now.”
Nat let out a long groan, hiding her face in her hands. You rested a hand on her shoulder to try and comfort her.
“Hey, it’s okay,” you said. “I think the two of you are really cute, and I don’t think the others have figured it out yet. I just see the way you two look at each other when you think no one else is. I wish someone would look at me like that.”
Natasha peeked out from behind her fingers, an oddly thoughtful look on her face as she studied you. Before you could ask, she was straightening up, a smile replacing her embarrassment.
“Do you think you could hold off on saying anything?” She asked you. You nodded, holding out your pinky to her. She wrapped her own around it, and the two of you shook on it.
“Scout’s honor, Nat!”
“Good!” She giggled, peering around the boardwalk. “What do you want to hit first?”
After Nat convinced you to take a ride on the tilt-o-whirl, you were sure you’d never walk straight again. You groaned as you fought to stay upright, nearly crashing into a man as you passed him. Your shoulder bumped his, and you turned around to look at him.
“I am so sorry!” You cried, hands reaching out to steady him, but stopping when you noticed that he was just fine. And staring at you. You gave him a sheepish smile, but the look on his face remained impassive. If the world wasn’t still spinning around you, you might have said that the green in his eyes glowed in the summer light. Natasha laughed beside you, throwing out another apology to the man as she dragged you off.
“Never again, Nat,” you said, suddenly feeling nauseous.
“I’m surprised you managed to make it without hurling!” She cackled, leaning you against the wood railing so you could catch your breath.
“I wouldn’t be too sure about that,” you muttered, leaning over the side.
“Natasha!”
The both of you turned to see the weathered face of the FBI agent and his partner strolling up to you.
“Oh! Hey, Mr. Kazansky!” She called out with a wave. You turned to face them just as they stopped in front of you.
“C’mon now, Nat. It’s Tom, you know that,” the older man chuckled, eyes moving to you. “And who is this?”
“Y/n,” you introduced yourself, reaching out a hand to shake his. “But everyone just calls me Skipper these days.”
“Ah! You must be the young lady Susan was telling me about the other day,” Tom smiled. “It’s good to finally put a face to a name. This is my partner, Agent Beau Simpson.”
“A pleasure,” the other man said as he shook both of your hands.
“So are you two enjoying the festival so far?” Tom asked, smile still on his face. “This small town isn’t too boring for you, is it, Skipper?”
“Not at all!” You assured him, shaking your head. “I think it’s quite a charming little place! And everyone has been so nice since I got here.”
“That’s good to hear,” he chuckled, eyes falling to your neck. “Where’s the lucky boy?”
You gave him a confused look, and Nat cleared her throat, stepping up.
“It’s so embarrassing,” she started, giving Tom a pointed look. “Javy and I have been seeing each other on the sly for a while now, and I didn’t even think he left a mark. I’ll have to tell him to be more careful next time.”
Tom glanced between the two of you, understanding dawning on his face. He gave another smile.
“Young love is such a wonderful thing, don’t you agree Beau?” He asked his partner, who just smiled in agreement. “Don’t keep it a secret for too long, Nat.”
“Of course,” she smiled.
“You two are being careful, aren’t you?” Asked Agent Simpson. Nat’s face could have been mistaken for a tomato from how hard she was blushing. Agent Simpson seemed to have realized what he said and a blush of his own crept onto his face.
“With the murders, I mean,” he explained quickly. Tom let out a chuckle as Nat cleared her throat. “We just got done giving a press conference. No curfew yet, but we’re advising young ladies to not be out at night on their own until we can find whoever is doing this.”
“Oh, of course!” You said, nodding your head in understanding. “We’re being careful! It’s such a shame what happened.”
“You two were there, weren’t you?” Tom asked.
“Yeah, we were,” you trailed off, feeling the nausea return at the memory of the girl’s body as it lay in the sand. You suppressed a shudder. “It was awful.”
“It was,” Beau agreed, giving you a sympathetic smile. “Which is why we don’t want to see anything happen to anyone else.”
“You don’t have to worry about us,” Nat said, a determined smile on her face as she looked at the two older men. Tom chuckled, eyes moving from her to you, still studying the mark on your neck.
“No,” he said finally. “I don’t suppose we will.”
You couldn’t help but think back to your conversation with Mrs. Cambroni.
As long as that bite remains on your neck, every sea person who lays eyes on it will know that you are spoken for.
“Well,” Tom started, eyes looking over your shoulder now, “you two ladies have fun! We won’t keep you any longer.”
He made to move, and Agent Simpson made to follow after him. The dark haired man stopped just after he passed you.
“Oh,” he said, “And don’t hesitate to let us know if you see anything suspicious, yeah?”
“We will!” Nat called after him as she started dragging you in the opposite direction. The whole exchange felt weird to you. Why had Tom asked Nat about who the lucky man was when he was looking at your neck? Why did he keep starting at it at all? What had he meant by not having to worry?
You took a deep breath, deciding that you were overthinking the matter and that Mrs. Cambroni’s stories had just gotten in your head. But even as you had made your mind up to ignore your questions, you couldn’t help but feel a pulse come from the base of your neck as if it were begging you to keep questioning.
Summary: Your best friend, Bob Floyd, had insisted you join him for the summer at his family's home along the Carolina coasts. You had been hesitant at first, but ultimately agreed to his request. Now, here you were in a new town with strange locals who spoke in hushed whispers and cryptic retellings about glistening scales, glowing eyes, and haunting songs that echoed from the sea. You didn't believe them at first, but when you wake up on the beach one morning after having fallen overboard the night before, you can't help but think that maybe you hadn't imagine the strong arms and deep, green eyes of the man that had saved you.
Trigger Warnings: Mermaids and fluff with a hint of angst.
Word Count: 1,509
A/N: I've decided to count this as it's own little mini-chapter because it's too long to be a blurb lol So we're going to call it Chapter Three and a Half! If you're feeling kind/generous, please consider buying me a ko-fi! Also, if you DO NOT fill out the form below (Tag List) then you will not be tagged! I will be referring to that Google form from now on! As always, reblogs and comments are greatly appreciated! Asks/requests are always open! 18+ ONLY!! You can find me on AO3 under arcane_vagabond where I also post my updates!
Series Masterlist
The water was cool against Jake’s skin, the pleasant stillness of the ocean wrapping around him as he scoured the floor for the perfect items. A woven bag hung off his shoulder, floating up and away from his body as he moved through the water. The smaller fish darted away from him as he passed, the bigger ones eyeing him suspiciously. Jake paid them no mind, too focused on the task at hand.
He had already pried open several oysters to dig out the pearls that currently sat in his satchel, and he had even found a perfect conch that he was saving for a later time. He didn’t want to start off too showy in case you would find that distasteful. Besides, the thought of actually being able to hand you the conch shell put a smile on his face. No, for now he would settle for the pearls combined with the calico and whelk shells. He just hoped that he wasn’t veering too far in the opposite direction that he came off as not caring. Because he did. He cared a lot about what you thought.
Impressing and talking to girls had always come easy to Jake, but that was probably because he knew that he would more than likely end up with Mandy. Mandy wasn’t a horrible choice, quite the opposite in fact, but Jake always felt like there was something out there waiting for him. Now he knew why. Now he had another option. Now…now he felt the pressure most everyone else felt when it came to a significant other. He wanted things to be perfect for you, and now that he thought back to the shells in his satchel, he frowned.
He had gotten Mandy some shells once, back when they had first presented. He had wanted to make an effort for her, so sixteen year old Jake Seresin had spend hours at the bottom of the ocean floor picking out what he thought were the perfect gifts for his supposed betrothed.
But when he had handed them to Mandy, a proud smile on his face, she had laughed at him.
“Jake, be serious,” she had giggled, eyeing the shells in her hands. Jake’s smile had dropped, staring at her. “I’m not interested in stupid, old customs like this. If you’re going to get me something, get me something that matters.”
Jake had laughed it off at the time, but the sting of those words still hung over his head, and he paused on top of some coral as he thought about what it was he was doing.
What if you also thought the shells and pearls were stupid? What if you didn’t like them? What if you just threw them back into the sea?
What if you laughed at them?
Jake wasn’t sure he could take that kind of rejection from you. He was sure it would destroy him, in fact.
But then he thought back to how shyly you had looked at him when he had introduced himself to you, and he knew that you would never do that. Not to his face, anyway.
So he made his way towards the surface, looking for the shadow of the Floyd’s boat. He knew that’s where you’d be after the little confrontation with his friends earlier, and his temper flared at the thought of Bradley’s words.
“Figure your shit out with Mandy. If you don’t, then Skipper is fair game.”
He wasn’t sure how much his friend had meant those words. True mates were sacred, after all, but Bradley was as stubborn as they came. So Jake wasn’t too keen on taking any chances.
He spotted the silhouette of the boat rocking with the waves, and he quickly made his way towards it. He popped his head above the water, making sure to stay out of sight from the three people on board. Peering over the ledge at the back of the boat, he saw Walter and Bob engrossed in their fishing, and his eyes drifted down to where you lay on the wood of the deck, arms crossed beneath your head and one leg bent while the other stretched out. Jake stared at you, like he was under some kind of trance. You were beautiful, he knew that of course, but every time he saw you, it hit him just as hard as it did the first time. He hoped that a day never came where the breath wasn’t knocked out of him at the sight of you.
He took in the mark on your neck - his mark. It glimmered in the fading sunlight, a notice to all those that looked upon it that you were spoken for and that anyone who tried otherwise would have to deal with him. He could smell how your scent had changed since he placed it there. It was still sweet, a pleasant mix of sunshine and something floral, but now there was a hint of him added to it that gave it a certain spiceness. Jake practically purred at the thought of that change being permanent.
Your chest rose and fell softly as you basked in the summer sun, the beams beginning to lessen as it sank towards the horizon. You let out a contented hum in your sleep, mouth twitching up into a short-lived smile before evening out again. God, he wanted to hold you.
Jake smiled softly as you stirred from your nap, curling your other leg up as you stretched your arms out. He smiled softly at the way your own lips curled into a lazy smile, arching your back as you sat up. Ducking when you moved to stand, he could hear the sound of your conversations with Bob and Walter.
He knew he should be getting back to shore. He had made plans to meet with Mandy, to tell her that the future she had envisioned for the two of them would now only include her. He dreaded her reaction.
Jake heard footsteps approach the ledge, and he quickly moved around to the side of the boat, peeking around the corner as he saw you come into view. He watched as you stopped, spotting the gifts he had left for you, crouching down to get a better look. A smile twitched on his lips as he saw a spark of excitement alight in your eyes.
“Bob, come look at this!” You hollered over your shoulder, never taking your eyes off the shells you held in your hands. Jake felt a tinge of annoyance when you called for another man to come see the gifts that he had brought for you, and it only deepened as he watched the other man crouch down beside you. You held the shells out to Bob, and Jake almost saw red, but stopped at your next words.
“Aren’t these amazing?”
Pride swelled within him as he took in your excitement. It had been him. Him and no one else that had made you so happy. His cheeks started to ache from how hard he was smiling.
“These are some of the best specimens I’ve ever seen! And look at all of these pearls!”
Jake had taken a gamble at starting off with the less impressive finds, and his fingers itched at the prospect of seeing your reaction to the grander gifts he had already collected.
You stretched your hand out to show Bob the pearls you held in your hand, and the bespectacled man peered down at them with a frown.
“These are beautiful, aren’t they?” You all but whispered, staring at the orbs with a twinkle in your eye, a smile dancing on your lips.
Jake ducked under the surface, knowing that if he didn’t leave then, that he would risk exposing himself. He would when the time was right, but Jake knew that he was in a precarious situation.
You weren’t from North Island, and you had no idea that creatures like him even existed. The shock would be too much right now. No, he and the others would have to ease you into the idea of it all first, or risk scaring you off. He couldn’t bank on the bond keeping you there with him if he revealed the truth to you now, and the thought of you rejecting him? Seeing him as a monster? No, he couldn’t afford to think about that.
Instead, he thought about how you smiled at his gifts, cradling them so gently in your small hands. Yeah, his cheeks were definitely aching with how hard he was smiling. A song burst from his lips, echoing far and wide, one he was sure would be heard by almost everyone. He didn’t care, though. He didn’t care that he was about to go and endure Mandy’s wrath. He didn’t care that you hadn’t fully accepted him yet. He didn’t care about any of it. For the first time in a long time, Jake felt true happiness.
He wanted to hold onto the feeling for the rest of his life.
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Summary: Your best friend, Bob Floyd, had insisted you join him for the summer at his family's home along the Carolina coasts. You had been hesitant at first, but ultimately agreed to his request. Now, here you were in a new town with strange locals who spoke in hushed whispers and cryptic retellings about glistening scales, glowing eyes, and haunting songs that echoed from the sea. You didn't believe them at first, but when you wake up on the beach one morning after having fallen overboard the night before, you can't help but think that maybe you hadn't imagine the strong arms and deep, green eyes of the man that had saved you.
Trigger warnings: Flirty Bradley, Talk of near death experience, Dagger Squad acting sketchy, talk of hookups, Bruises, Scratches, FBI, Police, Murder.
Word Count: 3.3k
A/N: I'm starting to wonder if y'all actually read these lol Anyway, here is Chapter Three! If you're feeling kind/generous, please consider buying me a ko-fi! Also, if you DO NOT fill out the form below (Tag List) then you will not be tagged! I will be referring to that Google form from now on! As always, reblogs, comments and likes are greatly appreciated! Asks/requests are always open! 18+ ONLY!! You can find me on AO3 under arcane_vagabond where I also post my updates!
Series Masterlist
Your head was pounding and the sheets stuck to your skin in a way that made you want to scream. You slowly cracked an eye open, wincing at the bright light that filtered in through the window. It was still overcast outside, and you could see the tiny droplets of water that ran down the window pane. You blinked as you took in the sight of your room, trying to remember how you ended up there.
You shuddered as you remembered the crashing of waves all around you, struggling to find the surface for a desperate breath of air. Sitting up with a groan, you rested your head in your hand, trying to remember anything after that. You remembered hearing the song again, a high-pitched frantic melody and arms that had grasped you. Scoffing, you shook your head to rid yourself of the ridiculous notion that that had been anything other than a dream. At that moment, the door to your room creaked open softly to reveal Bob poking his head around the side. He let out a heavy sigh, opening the door fully and stepping through at the sight of you sitting up.
“You’re awake,” he murmured, walking over quickly to sit beside you on the edge of the bed. You gave him a half-hearted smile, still trying to ignore the throbbing in your temples.
“I am,” you grimaced.
“How much do you remember?”
“There was a storm,” you started, running your hand through your hair. “It got bad, and the waves kept coming and coming, and then…”
You paused, looking up at your friend who smiled at you gently.
“And then I fell overboard. I thought-I thought I was drowning,” you choked, feeling the tears well up in your eyes at the memory of how scared you had been. Bob reached out to place a comforting hand on top of yours and you smiled gratefully at him. “But I had another dream.”
“What?” Bob’s brow furrows in confusion. You chuckled softly to yourself.
“It was so real,” you muttered, shaking your head. “I mean, I’m sure it was just a hallucination, but…”
“What happened?” Bob pressed, leaning forward with a clench of his jaw. The way his face hardened made you uneasy, wondering what happened to your usually easygoing best friend.
“Well,” you started, clasping your hand around Rusty. “I was sure I was dead, but then I heard that song again. And then I felt arms wrap around me. Then I was on the shore, and I-”
You stopped, your cheeks heating up as your brain caught up to what you were saying. Your remembered the soft lips that pressed hot and heavy against your skin. The way the arms caressed and held you. The way you had responded to his touch, his bite.
Your cheeks grew hotter, and you saw Bob cock his head to the side from your peripheral.
“You what?” He asked. You cleared your throat.
“I remember there was a man.”
“A man?” Bob furrowed his brows, frown growing deeper. “What do you mean?”
You bit your bottom lip. “I think he saved me.”
You laughed, shaking your head.
“Sorry,” you muttered, looking up to meet his blue eyes. “I know that sounds ridiculous. I’m sure it’s just my brain trying to comprehend how I got back to shore in that storm.”
Bob stared at you for a moment, seeming to choose his next words carefully.
“You probably just got a boost of adrenaline,” he said, smiling at you softly. “Probably swam yourself back to shore. We found you on the rocks there, you know. Bradley carried you back.”
“He did?” You asked, feeling the heat creep its way back onto your cheeks. Bob nodded.
“Yeah, everyone was so worried about you.”
“They were?” You frowned. The door swung open to reveal the group of friends standing in your doorway.
“Hell yeah, we were!” Bradley exclaimed, smiling at you widely, but there was a tinge of concern to his expression. “Thought you weren’t going to wake up there, Skipper.”
“I’m so sorry, you guys,” you murmured, turning to face them. They all glanced at each other and then back at you in confusion.
“What for?” Asked Javy. You felt tears well up in your eyes, and you let out a sniffle as you tried to wipe them away. The group quickly circled around you, doing their best to comfort you which only served to make you more upset.
“I just seem to keep causing all of this trouble,” you hiccuped. Nat pulled you in for a hug, stroking your hair as Bob squeezed your hand. “You guys must be sick of me by now.”
“Sick of you?” Bradley chuckled leaning against you on your left, causing Nat to grunt as your weight pressed into her more. “How could we be sick of our little Skipper, huh?”
“Besides,” Javy spoke up, smiling at you gently. “Accidents happen, right? It’s not like you went out looking for trouble.”
“I know,” you sniffled, “But-”
“No buts!” Natasha declared, pulling back to look at you. “You must be sick of our little town by now after all the excitement.”
You gave her a watery smile. “Never.”
“That’s our girl!” Bradley beamed, tweaking your cheek. He looked down at where you held the stuffed stingray and cocked a brow. “Who’s this little guy?”
You were sure your cheeks were going to be be permanently red by the end of the summer at the rate you were blushing. You clutched Rusty a little tighter, shyly peaking up at the mustached man through your lashes.
“This is Rusty.”
He hummed. “Well, Rusty better watch out because I don’t like having competition.”
You let out a giggle as the other boys rolled their eyes. Nat scoffed as she moved to stand.
“Alright boys,” she said, fixing them all with a look. “Let’s let Skipper get changed in peace, yeah?”
“I dunno,” Bradley smirked, leaning in closer to you. “She looks like she might need some help.”
“Out,” Natasha snapped with a roll of her eyes. Bradley shot you a wink before filing out after the boys, raising his hands in surrender as he walked by the brunette. Once they had all left, Nat looked at you with a soft expression.
“You don’t need help, right?” She asked, chewing on her bottom lip. You shook your head.
“I’ll be fine,” you smiled. “I promise I’ll holler if I need something.”
She seemed to accept this and walked out, closing the door behind her. You sighed, looking out the window. The throbbing in your head had had moved down to the base of your neck, and the uncomfortable pulse had you scratching at the skin. You furrowed your brows when you felt the way the skin was raised there when it wasn’t yesterday. You stood from the bed, swaying slightly. When you were sure that you weren’t going to collapse, you grabbed a change of clothes and made your way down the hall. You heard the others down in the living room chatting.
“What was he thinking?” You heard Nat say.
“He obviously wasn’t,” Bradley scoffed. “This will be his third go around and he still won’t give Mandy-”
The floorboard underneath you creaked, and you silently cursed when you heard the conversation die. You hurried into the bathroom, shutting the door quietly behind you. You let out a heavy sigh before turning to look in the mirror.
You looked an awful sight. Your hair was in disarray and there were bruises littered across your skin. You grimaced, grabbing a brush to try and tame your wild locks. When you had fixed the state of your hair enough, you pulled your hoodie off over your head, seeing the dozens of other bruises that scattered your arm. You let out a huff as you ran your fingers down your skin, but you stopped when you caught sight of your neck for the first time. Narrowing your eyes, you leaned into the mirror, carefully inspecting the skin that had been throbbing and raised. Your skin was almost iridescent as it reflected the lights of the bathroom. You moved, watching as the circular patch of raised skin shifted from a teal blue to a mossy green. If you didn’t know any better, you’d say that it almost looked like a bite mark. You quickly changed into the clothes you brought with you, depositing the old ones in your room before making your way downstairs.
“There you are!” Bob smiled from where he was perched on the arm of the couch next to Mickey. “Was wondering what was taking you so long.”
“Yeah,” you mumbled, brow still furrowed in confusion. Bob took in your expression, and his own changed to one of concern.
“Everything alright?” He asked you, causing everyone to focus on where you stood in the doorway. You nodded slowly, hand still covering the mark on your neck.
“Yeah, I think so?” You murmured, eyes shifting uncertainly to his. “Would you take a look at this?”
Bob nodded, already moving towards you as you dropped your hand. Bob stopped moving as everyone else in the room took in a breath at the same time.
“It’s weird, isn’t it?” You chuckled nervously, uneasy as everyone watched you intently. “I’ve never seen anything like it. What do you think it is?”
Your eyes roamed the room and you saw all eyes trained on your neck. Bradley had his jaw clenched and his nostrils were flaring with anger, Reuben and Javy had grim looks on their faces, Mickey and Bob looked concerned, and Nat looked like she was ready to strangle someone.
“Yeah,” Bob said finally, giving a poor attempt at a smile.
“It must just be some algae or something,” Reuben offered, glancing nervously at his friends.
“Probably nothing to worry about,” Javy nodded, giving you a smile that looked more like a grimace.
“You think so?” You asked them, shifting uneasily at the sudden tension in the room. Mickey nodded, standing up from where he sat.
“Of course!” He chirped, grabbing your arm and pulling you towards the front door. “Now come on! Let’s go get something to eat, yeah?”
Two days later you were perched on Richard’s boat as he and Bob finished packing up their fishing gear.
“I hope we didn’t bore you too much!” Richard called from where he was taking a part his fishing rod. You turned, raising a hand to shield your eyes from the glaring sun as it began to set.
“Not at all!” You laughed. “It was nice to just get out here and relax, even if I was the only one in the water.”
Bob had worried after you most of the day when you told him you would be joining him and his father for their weekly fishing excursion.
“Are you sure you’re ready to go back in?” He had asked, eyes studying you for any sign of hesitation. You gave him a reassuring smile.
“Yes, Bobby,” you teased, earning a less than amused look. “If I don’t go back as soon as possible, then I might never go back. I can’t let the fear win, right?”
And Bob had begrudgingly agreed, keeping a closer eye on you than his fishing pole much to his father’s chagrin. You had been fine, if not a little apprehensive at first. But the sea had welcomed you back, and you had embraced it happily. You swam until your fingers began to prune, and then you had settled on the deck of the boat, napping as you basked in the summer sun.
Now, the sun was sinking fast towards the horizon, and you stood up to stretch, feeling a pleasant buzz from the rays you had soaked up.
“Is there anything I can help with?” You offered, walking over to where Richard and Bob were still cleaning up from the day.
“Nah, we’ve got it,” Bob smiled up at you. “Just go have a seat and we’ll head back to shore here in a second, yeah?”
You hummed, slinking over to the cushions on the opposite end of the deck. You plopped down, resting your head back as you basked in the rocking of the waves. You could have used another nap.
“Do you kids have anything planned for tonight?” Richard asked, standing to head for the helm.
“I think we’re going to go have dinner with the gang,” Bob said, locking his tackle box and looking up at you. “Does that sound okay to you?”
“That sounds perfect,” you smiled, lolling your head to the side as as a warm breeze washed over you. Movement caught your eye, and you turned to where the door at the back of the boat was still opened, leading onto a ledge that you used to get in and out of the boat from the water. On the ledge sat several different shells. You stood, walking over to get a better look. You felt excitement swell as you took in the different whelk and calico shells. Scattered amongst the shells were different colored pearls, all shining in the dimming light.
“Bob, come look at this!” You called out excitedly. You heard his footsteps as he approached, crouching down next to you. You held one of the whelk shells out to him, practically vibrating in excitement. He took it from you, brow furrowing as he examined it.
“Aren’t these amazing?” You exclaimed, reaching down to grab some of the pearls. “These are some of the best specimens I’ve ever seen! And look at all of these pearls!”
Bob’s eyes shifted to your outstretched hand where you held five pearls of varying shapes, sizes, and colors sat.
“These are beautiful, aren’t they?” You continued, but then your excitement dimmed, turning into confusion as you looked back out at the water. “But, how did they get here?”
Bob stiffened next to you before standing, casting a look over his shoulder at his father. He turned back to you with a nervous smile.
“Must have been the current that brought them up,” he said. You frowned up at him.
“The current? But that doesn’t-”
“Hey, Dad!” Bob called, the older man popping up from where he was sitting at the steering wheel to the boat. “Are we ready to go yet? I’m starving!”
“Just waiting on you two!”
“Bob,” you started, but he gave you another smile.
“You’re hungry too, right? Why don’t you grab those and I’ll shoot a text to the groupchat and let them know we’re heading that way soon, yeah?”
Before you could respond, he turned around, walking off and leaving you still crouched by the ledge. You heaved a sigh, rolling your eyes as you began to collect the little treasures at your feet. Once you finished, you made sure the tiny door was latched closed before settling back into the cushions. You looked back out at the sea, swearing you heard the song from your dreams off in the distance.
“I’m telling you, they’re gonna hook up by the end of the summer,” Mickey laughed, popping another french fry into his mouth. Reuben scoffed, throwing his head back as the rest of the group smiled.
“I think my cousin has better taste than Garrett Fletch, Mickey,” the dark-skinned man fired back. Mickey raised his eyebrows with a smirk.
“I don’t know, didn’t she hook up with Bradley last summer?”
“Hey!” Bradley exclaimed, earning a round of laughter from everyone as Reuben turned to fix him with a narrowed stare.
“You and Christina hooked up last summer?” He huffed. The tips of Bradley’s ears turned bright red as he gave his friend a sheepish smile.
“It’s not like anything really happened,” Bradley defended himself. “She dumped me almost immediately after.”
Reuben seemed to mull over his words before nodding firmly. “At least she has some sense.”
Bradley’s jaw dropped at the dig, and you fought against the soda in your mouth to prevent it from shooting out your nose. Bradley turned to you with a smirk.
“Oh you think that’s funny?” He teased, grinning at you. You nodded.
“Extremely,” you giggled. Bradley bit his bottom lip as he watched you and Reuben shook his head.
“Skipper, please have more sense than my cousin,” he sighed, looking at you. “Do not mess around with this fool.”
“She could do worse!” Bradley interjected, casting his friend a sideways glance.
“Speaking of worse,” Bob said with a scowl. “Where’s Jake?”
Bradley’s nostrils flared at the name, and Nat rolled her eyes.
“Same as usual,” she grumbled.
“Mandy is really laying it on thick this year, huh?” Reuben chortled, sipping his milkshake. A warm breeze floated in from the beach, providing a pleasant reprieve from the jam packed diner.
Mickey grimaced. “I mean, this is his third-”
Javy cleared his throat, cutting the other man off. He glanced your way, and Mickey smiled sheepishly.
“His third what?” You asked, looking around the table. Everyone refused to meet your gaze.
“His third year of dancing around the subject,” Nat offered quickly. Your brows furrowed.
“What subject?”
“Mandy and Jake have been practically engaged since they were babies,” Bradley said with an eye roll. “Mandy is all for it, but everyone around here knows that Jake’s never been thrilled with the idea.”
“He made it pretty clear years ago that he wasn’t going go with the plan if he could avoid it,” Javy chimed in with a sigh.
“Is it really that big a deal?” You asked them. Javy grimaced.
“It’s a good match,” he said simply. “They’re both from founding families, and they make the picture perfect couple.”
“That doesn’t sound so bad,” you commented, earning a snort from Nat.
“Except Mandy is a nightmare human being,” she scoffed. “She’s rude, stuck up, selfish, and a textbook narcissist. Jake would be miserable.”
“So why doesn’t he just tell her no outright?”
“Because until recently,” Bradley huffed, eyes shifting to stare at the raised patch of skin on your neck with distaste, “he didn’t feel like he had any other options.”
Before you could ask any more questions, a terrified scream sounded from outside. All of you looked at each other before scrambling up out of your seats to head outside with the rest of the crowd. It was hard to see in the dark as you stumbled down the beach, but what you saw before you sent ice down your spine.
A woman was crying hysterically into her partner’s chest, the wind whipping her dress about her. Your eyes glanced down, seeing the twisted body of a young woman. Her skin was pale with a bluish tinge to it that made you nauseous. Her eyes were widened in terror, glazed over with a milky whiteness that made your food resurface. You barely had time to remove yourself from the crowd before you were on your knees, emptying the contents of your stomach into the sand.
“Hey, it’s okay,” you heard Nat shush you, stroking a hand up and down your back as you continued to vomit. She pulled your hair out of your face. “Let it out.”
“How are you so calm about this?” You asked her, watery gaze glancing up at her. Before she could answer, you saw several figures race down to where the crowd was gathered. A man with dark hair and a sheriff’s badge trotted down. He nodded at your group as he passed.
“Bradley.”
“Mav,” Bradley nodded back at him, lips pressed in a thin line. Behind “Mav,” two more figures came into view, flashlights scanning over the sand. One was older, about the same age as Mav, grey hair and weather-worn face. The other was tall, dark hair turning grey at the edges, and he had an air of seriousness about him. You saw Bob look around with wide, shock filled eyes at his friends.
