Michael Moment

It was a warm summer evening in Santa Carla, a slight breeze flowing through the air as many of the shops along the boardwalk began to pack up for the night. Many, except for one- the records store, ‘Santa Carla Records’, still has its lights on with a lone employee rooming the quaint shop, seemingly taking stock of inventory.

His gaze flickered between a clipboard and the shelves, checking off and noting down what they did and didn’t have, picking up a vinyl every now and then to check its condition before moving onto the next.

He was so engrossed in the task, muttering to himself under his breath as he realized some teenager stole another walkman cassette when he wasn’t looking, that he didn’t hear the bell above the front door ring, jumping nearly a foot in the air when he turned to a costumer that had suddenly appeared behind him.

Michael enters the Record Store and freezes for a moment when the cashier startles. "Shit, sorry," he says, shutting the door behind him. "Didn't mean to scare you. You alright?"

It strikes Michael that Sammy had been asking about stuff for him. With everything that had been going on with them recently, Michael didn’t think Sammy would be keeping him in mind like that. He wasn’t sure how to feel about it, so he didn’t comment on it.

Michael looks back up at James. “Right, the Frog brothers. They have been hanging around my brother a bunch. Glad that he’s made friends, even if they do seem… kinda weird,” he says.

“I take it you’ve become acquainted with how much of a comic nerd my brother is then. If I had known he’d become such a fanatic, maybe I would have refrained for putting him on comics when I did,” he says with a small laugh. “Then again, it may have been an inevitability.”

“Those kids are definitely a little strange, but… yeah. It’s good they’re friends,” he says. “Sammy didn’t have… the best time with making friends back in Phoenix. School especially was rough for him. Even if they’re kinda weird… it’s nice to know he’s been able to make friends so quickly.”

Michael laughs a little at the ‘for style’ comment. “It’s certainly an interesting fashion choice,” he says. “Then again, my brother’s taste in fashion is even weirder at times, so they’ll go well together in that regard.”

“Dwayne’s the blonde one, right? I mean— the one besides the lead singer,” he checks. “The lead singer is… David, correct?”

Michael smiles. “We’ve only been here for a couple days and I think Sam might already be getting stir crazy, so it would be good for him to have something to do. Appreciate it, man.”

“Great, yeah, I’ll get one of those too, if you’ve got ‘em,” he says. “Good to know people around here have good taste,” he says at the ‘popular’ comment.

“Yeah, that sounds good. If I bring Sammy with me we won’t run the risk of pestering you with the same questions again. Plus, I’m sure he’d enjoy seeing his friends,” Michael says brightly.

also hi im back

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curch one time

The cave was loud with the radio playing on full volume. The rock box played the late night station playing songs new and old. Victoria rocked around the fountain with laddie standing on her feet and holding her hands. “Come on little man let’s dance!” She laughed her movements slowing as the station changed songs. 🎶”if ya liked those sock hops doozies heres something to really twist and shout ya into a new era!”🎶 The radio boomed switching its 50s into 60s.

Paul huffed and went to change the station just as Victoria scrambled over to him slapping his hand away. “HEY! This is from my era! Leave it it’s good i swear!” She smiled turning the music back up and letting laddie back onto her boots. She was sporadic twisting and hollering with the music.

He allows himself to be dragged along. Victoria’s energy is infectious, and his smile grows.

With everything that had been happening in both their lives, it had been easy for Michael to forget there could be pure, beautiful moments like this. That they could just be young and in love, dancing with reckless abandon, not caring about anything else but this moment with one another. But Michael feels that here and now.

When he smiles at Victoria again, it is a smile full of love.

I’ve gotten a few other sets of earrings by now, but I think this one is still my favorite

𝕬w, and to think you tried to tell me you didn’t need it that night…Oh, didn’t want the fresh piercing to close up on you. Suits you, doesn’t it, Michael? Wearing one of mine…Much appreciated it matters to you as much as it does me-Our connected marked by your earring of choice around your ear…

𝕺h, I know I do, Michael…Not only do I know what looks best on me, but I know what looks best on you. You’ll be able to pick well one day too, I can help you.

And if I did…What would you do? Still wear it often, though now it’s half of a whole I think it still looks nice-wear it more often than not.

𝕬ll you have to do is say the word. Bet the boys and I have things you can borrow if you don’t want to go out and buy things. We all have our diverse tastes in fashion, something must appeal to you among it, boy.

I think of you all the time regardless of my jewelry choices of the night, Michael. Rather hard not to…But, especially when it’s on my ear my mind can’t help but wander to where the other half lies…Gave you a part of myself, didn’t I? All I can hope is it’s as special to you as it is to me, right?

Okay. Good. Not just me, then. It’s… incredibly special to me.

𝕿he oldest Emerson boy finally looking cool? Wouldn’t that be the day…Eh, screw your mom. Parents hold us down from our true natures…Our potentials-You’re not a boy anymore, you’re a man…told me so yourself. Tell me then instead: what really can she do to stop you?

More than an earring that’s special to me, Michael-

Always glad to know you’re not the only one…Better to be reciprocated than dreaming of something in your mind that never was real at all.

And yeah, I’m glad to know it’s the same both ways. I’d feel a bit like an idiot if it wasn’t honestly.

𝕿he definition of freedom is to not be controlled, Michael and you’re so close to it, but not quite there…All the way there, so to speak.

Either way if I did or didn’t I wouldn’t have judged you for it. I’m an accepting type. Feel…however you want to about me and I’ll go along with it to see where it takes us…

All the best things worth having go both ways. Takes two to tango…Strength in numbers, not in being alone-We’re of more value as a pair or as one than on our own…Ah, look at that-just like the earrings attached to our ears!…Come in pairs but stay together even when separated.

You know what’s kind of funny about all this? I kinda thought I would hate you when we were first getting to know each other. But mostly you just confused the hell out of me. Funny where that landed us, huh?

Tw: body horror

——————

There was something wrong with Mallory. The usually lively siren looked tired and pale. Her body shook violently, sending ripples through the water. She was leaning against a rock for support, gripping it for dear life.

In that quiet lonely night by the docks, Mallory silently prayed for someone to help her. They probably couldn’t. Sirens were in tuned with the world around them. What Mallory had wasn’t a normal sickness.

He notices the rippling of the water before he notices her. It strikes him as odd; it doesn’t seem like ripples caused by the normal wave patterns. It looked like something was struggling. Michael’s eyes trace the ripples back to their source, his face contorting from confusion to thinly-veiled panic when he sees Mallory, and when he sees how badly she is shaking.

Heart pounding, Michael jumps into the water and swims over to Mallory as quickly as he can. His muscles sting from the effort, but he doesn’t care. The only thing he cares about right now is making sure Mallory is safe.

Those words of sheer panic gave way to silence. The siren passed out, head lulling back but body staying upright in Michael’s grip. The siren felt lighter than before.

Michael feels like he can’t breathe. He only relaxes slightly when he sees she’s still breathing.

Then he sees her gills and fins disappear. His eyes go wide.

Was she…?

Michael powers through his own pain and focuses his attention back to Mallory. Unsure what else to do, he grabs his jacket and wraps it around her for warmth.

“You’ll get through this, Mal,” he says, trying to sound confident. “You can do this. You’re gonna be okay.”

Mallory woke with a start, rolling over and immediately hacking and coughing. It was mostly water that came out. She let out a ragged breath, staying down for a moment before noticing the jacket draped over her.

He flinches back when she moves, wincing at the sound of her coughs. When she turns back to him, Michael struggles to get his brain to work properly and find his words.

“You’re okay,” he says. “Thank— thank god. Thank god you’re okay.” His eyes dart down to her legs. “So— uh. The magic did… a lot.”

Great work, Michael. 10/10 explanation.

She threw the jacket aside, immediately feeling the cold wind. She didn’t have a tail. Oh fuck, she didn’t have a tail.

Oh god oh god oh moon.

“I- ok. Ok.” Her eyes drifted back to her new legs, sending a jolt of terror. She managed to keep herself from spiraling again.

Michael stands and grabs his jacket, returning a few seconds later, crouching down and holding it out to her. “You can put this on for more warmth or wrap it around your legs so that you’ve at least got more weight there.”

He rubs the back of his neck. “Magic did this, right? So in theory, we can use magic to undo it. Or maybe it’s some sort of temporary magical effect. Either way, if we can figure out more about what did this, then we can figure out what to do next.”

Standing. Right. That was a different beast. Mallory took the boys hand and hoisted herself up. Luckily, she managed to get her footing immediately, still having to rely on the brunette for support. Her legs shook under her. She attempted to move forward, trying to mimic what she had seen humans do. She took one step, then another. She wanted to gag at how wrong it all felt. She wanted to cry.

𝖂ho would’ve ever thought those of us who were turned on their own terms and volitions may not have the best interests of the few in mind, Michael? Some of our kind are just the same as they were as humans, cold and rotten to the bone, right?

𝕾etting your expectations too high for people often leads to disappointment…and betrayal…I promise you, it’s better to be self-made by you and those you can trust than controlled by someone you can’t.

Oh, you wound me, Michael-is there something you intend to imply about my nature? If so, c’mon…Be a big boy and share it with the class-Implication is its own kind of leech just sucking all of us dry.

𝕴ronic? Is that what you think it is, Michael? ‘Cause if you haven’t forgotten, I seem to remember telling you I was giving you a way out of your troubles, all that you’d have to sacrifice-that if you drank this you’d be “one of us, forever” and you took it. Said you would “like that” too-Don’t say I didn’t tell you what you needed to know ‘cause you didn’t like the hand you dealt yourself there, boy.

Maybe there was something good about it he was missing. That’s what Michael thought when he decided to try and find some positives about his half-vampiric nature. The other boys seemed happy, even with what they had to do to survive. David said he and Star would be happy with it too, eventually. But in this moment, Michael’s fear of what he was becoming was all he could feel.

Before he realized what he was, though, Michael remembers being happy. That night at the bridge— he remembers feeling an overwhelming sense of connection, and security, and love.

But he barely remembers anything outside of those ending feelings. So much of that night, that night of genuine bliss, is lost to him now.

That’s what brings Michael back to the bridge tonight: a plan to jog his memory. To try and remember what led to those feelings. To try and remind himself that this didn’t have to all be bad.

Michael stands at the bottom of the bridge, just as he had with the boys when they first arrived. Even now, though he knows it will be safe— it was safe before— the bridge looms over him, the height suddenly daunting. He hesitates to begin his climb up.

Suddenly he really wishes he did not come out here alone.

There was a large structure between the gap the river cut through. Mallory knew it was used for carrying large cargo, but that was about it. There didn’t appear to be a steam car up there, but there was a person.

The scent of smoke and sweat mixed with something inhuman wafted down to Mallory. It was a very familiar smell.

Man, it felt silly to explain all this out loud.

“I don’t really… remember that night,” he says, eyes drifting down. The bridge’s height made his head spin, just as it did the first night. One of the parts he does recall. “I wanted to retrace my steps. Jog my memory. If I did it from somewhere else… it may not have the same effect, you know?”

He looks down to Mallory. “I didn’t hit the water last time,” he tries to say reassuringly. “And I’ve flown more since then. So it should be fine,” he says.

He looks towards Mallory and smiles a little. That was something he didn’t have last time: someone who reassured him, someone who told him they would catch him if he fell. It makes Michael breathe a little easier. “Thanks,” he says. “Hopefully it won’t come to that, but— appreciate it.”

Maybe there was something good about it he was missing. That’s what Michael thought when he decided to try and find some positives about his half-vampiric nature. The other boys seemed happy, even with what they had to do to survive. David said he and Star would be happy with it too, eventually. But in this moment, Michael’s fear of what he was becoming was all he could feel.

Before he realized what he was, though, Michael remembers being happy. That night at the bridge— he remembers feeling an overwhelming sense of connection, and security, and love.

But he barely remembers anything outside of those ending feelings. So much of that night, that night of genuine bliss, is lost to him now.

That’s what brings Michael back to the bridge tonight: a plan to jog his memory. To try and remember what led to those feelings. To try and remind himself that this didn’t have to all be bad.

Michael stands at the bottom of the bridge, just as he had with the boys when they first arrived. Even now, though he knows it will be safe— it was safe before— the bridge looms over him, the height suddenly daunting. He hesitates to begin his climb up.

Suddenly he really wishes he did not come out here alone.

Michael pauses his climb and looks behind him, taking in the view. “It is nice out,” he says. “Good night for… what I’m about to do, I guess.”

Michael nervously jumps and grabs the bars below the bridge following Victoria’s moves. Just like he’d watched David do it the first night before doing it himself.

A piece of his memory of the night comes back to him as he moves into position. Maybe this would work out how he was hoping after all.

also hi im back

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curch one time

i'm unraveled

i'm unraveled

why can't you come stitch me up...

"Let go, Michael!"

Versions without halftones under the cut!

request from anon: "Congrats on 100 followers! Could I possibly request something silly with Star and Michael?"

The cave was loud with the radio playing on full volume. The rock box played the late night station playing songs new and old. Victoria rocked around the fountain with laddie standing on her feet and holding her hands. “Come on little man let’s dance!” She laughed her movements slowing as the station changed songs. 🎶”if ya liked those sock hops doozies heres something to really twist and shout ya into a new era!”🎶 The radio boomed switching its 50s into 60s.

Paul huffed and went to change the station just as Victoria scrambled over to him slapping his hand away. “HEY! This is from my era! Leave it it’s good i swear!” She smiled turning the music back up and letting laddie back onto her boots. She was sporadic twisting and hollering with the music.

He allows himself to be dragged along. Victoria’s energy is infectious, and his smile grows.

With everything that had been happening in both their lives, it had been easy for Michael to forget there could be pure, beautiful moments like this. That they could just be young and in love, dancing with reckless abandon, not caring about anything else but this moment with one another. But Michael feels that here and now.

When he smiles at Victoria again, it is a smile full of love.