𝖘𝖍𝖆𝖉𝖔𝖜𝖘 //

RABIA SOYTÜRK via instagram

"i'd like to believe that," a soft smile curls onto sutton's lips as he imagines wes as a child : wide-eyed and with that infectious laugh that still spills from his lips when he's happy. sutton doesn't know much about wes' upbringing, but he can tell it was scarring and his heart aches for him, wishing he could rewrite history for the man he loves. maybe sutton’s naive, maybe he’s willing something into existence that isn’t there - - but he thinks there are soft spots to wes. spots that wes, himself, hides from. and maybe ( just maybe ) sutton is lucky enough to get glimpses. he hopes those moments aren’t just for show, aren’t just for wes to get what he wants from sutton. this sudden anger, this violence, makes sutton feel like a monster. like his father. and, fuck, he’s spiraling - - after all of his hard work, is he going to end up like him? cruel, miserable, and awful? guilt makes an unwelcome home beneath his ribs as he has wes shoved against the wall. blue eyes meet their twin flames as his chest heaves, anger and hurt tangling together. the jab lands exactly where wes meant it to.“fuck you, wes. you worse than those rich kids,” voice is raised ( and sutton doesn’t even recognize it ), forearm is raised to wes’ collarbone to keep him in place as his knee lifts higher ( rougher ) between wes’ thighs. “don’t you fucking dare bring my father up,” sutton’s lower lip trembles. wes knows it’s a sore spot, knows what sutton’s father is like. he pulls himself together - - that is, until wes is whispering against his ear and shivers are sent down his spine. hand finds wes’ jaw and sutton holds it as he pulls back. “you think i like never knowing what version of you is going to show up? you think i like getting my heart broken whenever my friends send pictures of you on a fucking dating show? you think i like when you treat me like i don’t deserve a damn thing?” what’s twisted is that there is part of him that does. thumb gently brushes over wes’ lower lip as sutton speaks, and the words come out slowly, “what would happen if i left? if you didn’t have the only stable thing in your life to fall back on when you fuck up…or when you get lonely?”

he hears sutton tell him he's worse than 'those rich kids', distancing himself from his own identifier as a rich kid, but wes doesn't believe sutton believes it anyway. in fact, his dumb ass actually smiles. wes likes this, sutton pissed off and pinning him with his whole body. feels more stable than sweet conversation, more familiar than the other's affectionate touches after they've fucked. he's not lost here. "you're the one who brought up your father. said i'd fit in with him and his shit friends, so that's on you. but it's nice to know what you really think of me." there's a sort of relief in that, in knowing deep down sutton hates him. everything's easier that way. no responsibility. no expectations for wes or by wes. sutton might be the one person who sticks around, but he's the same as everyone else in the end. wes doesn't flinch as his thumb touches his lip but he doesn't lean into it either. "i'm not your boyfriend, sutton. you shouldn't care who i fuck on tv." heartbroken feels like a stretch to feel over someone like wes when he doesn't even have a heart of his own. makes no sense to him, so he can't tell how sincere sutton is or isn't being. but it doesn't matter, because the blonde's next line of questioning gets under wes' skin like nothing else. this is precisely what he avoids. everybody's always loved dangling their attention ( or lack thereof ) in front of wes' face and ripping it away the second he gives it space. he doesn't need anyone. not when he was an abandoned child, and sure as fuck not now. wes shakes his head out of sutton's hand and pushes out from under his grip. steps away, and makes it obvious he was only held down by sutton because he allowed it. "my life would stay exactly the same. i don't care about anybody." bites at his own lip as every last defense throws itself right up. "don't disillusion yourself."

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nico : unless you want it to be a date ??? taking care of your sunburn can come after ... idk ... lunch ?? dinner ??? nico : then why do people ... nico : hmmmmmmmm nico : THE CHEEKS ON MY FACE ?!?!?!?? nico : WHERE ELSE ?????????? nico : i meant on your face, silly. is this you telling me you want me to pay attention to the rest of your body too ???? 👀

renny : is a dinner date too formal for us? you think we could pull it off? renny : i don't know why people get that idea. you'd have to ask them ... renny : I'M JUST CHECKING ..... renny : cause you know, there's ways to make the other ones red too ;) renny : i meeeeean, i think the rest of my body could benefit from some attention renny : specifically yours renny : ... am i freaking you out?

he doesn't waste anymore time in standing to his feet, one hand locked securely in emel's still, that same arm then pulling him up, toward him, and letting go of his hand only to wrap around his arm around emel's shoulders instead. he leads them out into the cool night air, the breeze near-immediately blowing his hair in every which direction — not that it phases him, he likes the feeling. he pulls his phone out, slides to car guy in his contacts, and dials; on speaker, the phone is picked up on the first ring. they're met with a deep sigh. "you where i left you this time?" comes the voice from the phone, and link's head lulls, eyes on emel, lids fluttering, grin cheeky. "yup." the call ends, just like that, and he pockets it again. "...same driver from high school. you 'member him? — georgie. anyway, i'm gonna introduce you to all my fish. i have four tanks right now. they're gonna love you." a beat of pause. "as much as a fish can love. which, mostly, will come with you feeding them. their love chemicals work different, i'm sure you remember."

as soon as they're outside, emel leans into link's hold on his shoulder. slides an arm around link's waist and holds on to him like he's drifted into sea all this time and finally found a buoy to keep him afloat. and honestly, with that last shot of liquor catching up to him, it's literally starting to feel that way too. it takes all remaining bits of willpower not to trap him in a kiss when link presents that golden grin his way. "yeah, course i do. still think it's crazy you have a driver, but ..." he teases, more curious if georgie will recognize him. and then suddenly, he's jealous of all the faces georgie's probably seen in his backseat with link since he last saw him. does his best to push the thought away. thankfully, the prospect of a bunch of adorable fish taken care of by his ex-boyfriend helps. "i'm guessing they've already had dinner, so must mean i'm staying for breakfast." it's a joke, but a prodding one, smile and gaze resting warmly on link. sure, fish love chemicals might be a mystery, but emel's aren't — if how he feels right now is any indication, they work exactly the same way as ever.

nico : oh !!!!!! 😳😳😳😳😳😳 nico : ummmmmmmm ... nico : we caaaaaan ... we don’t have tooo... unlesssss 👀👀 nico : they’re just equally charmed by our chemistry maybe ?? idk are you giving off menacing “ don’t look at her ” energy ??? nico : oh lol what are YOU thinking about ??? my cheeks obviously ??? nico : pencil me in tomorrow then ?? can’t let your very minor sunburn get worse, right ?? 🤭

renny : unless what ?? hmmmmmmmm ??? renny : i'm gonna be honest. i know my strengths. i don't think i ever give off menacing vibes lol renny : so it's gotta be something else renny : NICO renny : WHICH CHEEKS ?????? renny : it's not minor but i'll suffer through for you ...... 📝

“yeah…yeah, it does,” brown eyes are twinkling, oliver is smiling ear to ear. he dares to reach out, slipping his fingers between brooks’ and lacing their hands together. “you’re incredible…and so sweet and…handsome, of course…” he trails off before pressing his lips together in thought - - or rather - - in flashbacks : being shoved into lockers. eating lunch alone. passing secret love notes to someone who turned out to be his bully pulling a grand joke. getting set up with a prom date only to discover it was all a prank. oliver had always been the punchline, the joke. so, who would want his affections? and yet, oliver has held onto the hope of it all. that maybe one day he’ll be good enough, that love will find him. gaze shyly breaks from brooks’, “yeah, no one…i don’t blame you if that makes you think less of me.” brooks’ next words shock oliver in the most beautiful way. “you like me?” words are repeated in a whisper and oliver can’t hold back - - leans forward and gives brooks a soft, lingering kiss on the cheek. forehead rests on brooks’ temple and voice is still soft, “i hope that was alright. i hope…i hope i didn’t cross a boundary.”

as he listens to oliver rattle off compliments towards him, brooks feels the skin on his arms warm and burn with embarrassment. suddenly having someone perceive you so deeply after a lifetime of being completely overlooked is foreign and brooks doesn't know how to process all of it just yet. and that in itself is embarrassing, too. he has no way to explain this to oliver. growing up in a place where mirrors were banned, he only saw vague, dusty reflections of himself in glass, and it never looked remarkable. handsome feels like a stretch. "i think, um, all those things about you too." the admission squeezes his throat, but he manages to get it out. not eloquently, but he hopes the honesty translates well enough. "oh — not at all. i've never, uh ...." brooks trails off, his eyes flickering away nervously. "y'know, either." he gives oliver's hand a reassuring squeeze, the physical always easier for brooks than words. prays his inability to communicate doesn't scare oliver off, because nothing has ever felt so alright in his whole life, actually. and though he can't vocalize that, he instead nods gently against oli's forehead and tilts his head up to catch his lips in a soft kiss.

nico : i just like keeping you on your toes 🫶 like am i not cheering you up with the thought of a potential date ??? nico : a cute ghost haunting me ??? you going to spook any suitors that come my way ?? nico : nooooo ... though the thought does warm something in me nico : for you ? i’m free whenever 😋 when do you come back ?

renny : oh we're going on a date ??? 👀 👀 👀 renny : of course i will. i already do that while im living. have to keep up the tradition renny : i don't even mean to. not my fault they always think something's going on between us 🫠 renny : which part of you does it warm lol renny : we'll dock again tomorrow ... js !

nico : should walk around in a shirt that says “ don’t be like me folks ” nico : keyword is should ... what if you don’t </3 how am i supposed to move on ? nico : certainly feels like you’re **my** number one fan rn nico : ngl though, i think you’d still be cute with a little dry patch across your nose ... Thinking ... nico : ohhhhh ??? and when should we make this happen ??

renny : you're supposed to be cheering me up and you're making me feel WORSE renny : move on ??? if i die from sunburn you better not ever move on renny : i'll haunt you renny : did you give me faulty sunscreen on purpose so i would get the rudolph look? be honest renny : depends when you're free :)

nico : consulted the paramedic i work with and she says maybe it wasn’t a strong enough spf especially if the uv is high nico : your shopping list now consists of higher spf sunscreen and a vat of aloe vera nico : um, excuse you??????? nico : you find this menace to be extremely endearing nico : ... right ? nico : oh thank god. i mean i’d still admire your handsome face even if it was peeling a little nico : but then it’d give me an excuse to be really attentive to you too ... hmmmmmmm

renny : great now i'm like one of the tourists i'm always warning renny : good news is we have aloe on the ship so i should survive ... renny : yes !!! the most endearing actually renny : STOP I DONT WANT TO THINK ABOUT MY FACE PEELING renny : you still can be 👀