stcrrynightwrites

[stcrrynightwrites]

@stardvstwrites

“’Notha one, ‘notha one, ‘notha one bitesa dust - hey! gonna getchutoo ‘notha one bitesa dust!” Ruby sang as Zane pushed her in the shopping cart, in a dire search of the marshmallows he had promised. “Ladies and gentleman, Ruby Mercury!” Zane announced in a deep, theatrical voice, sneaking over to snatch her right out of the cart and throw her up onto his shoulder so she could grab the bag of marshmallows off the shelf, coaxing the three-year-old to fall into a fit of giggles. “I’munna eat so many mushmellows, I unna turn into a mushmellow, daddy.” A snorted laugh left Zane as he set her down on her feet. “Really? Well, we better be careful that you don’t melt then, huh?” he asked with wide eyes, trying to snatch the bag to chuck it into the cart before she could take off down the aisle with it gripped in her little hands. “Ayy, pump the brakes, Turbo!” But before he could catch the tiny blonde, she was smashing into the leg of another tiny blonde. Jude. The fatherly instinct forced him to run up and crouch near Ruby - check for tears first, a scuffed knee, but only finding a pouty lip and extended arms - before he looked up at Jude with an apologetic smile. “Sorry, she’s like a ninja,” he laughed, pulling Ruby and the marshmallows into his arms as she tucked her embarrassed face into the crook of his neck. “It’s okay, baby... Hey, you okay? Tough girl here is known to leave bruises.”

#( - zane // threads ) #( - zane x jude )

[stcrrynightwrites]

JUDE:

“Hey good looking!” Jude beamed as she lifted her sunglasses over her forehead to lean over and wrapped her arms tightly around her bestie. “Stop! You look good! I mean look at your hair, it’s getting longer and longer every second.” Jude pouted with joy pulling ever so lightly on a soft silky strand to envy over. “Meanwhile I look like Carrie Bradshaw over here.” She joked and then dropped her hands to her lap. “Babe we can do all of the things, but I actually just ate? Smoothies, milkshakes, mimosas though?” She suggested. “Dancing is a must. I got my platform wedges ready to go to stomp up the dance floor are you kidding?”

“It’s getting so long - and I’m already ready to just chop it right off again. Long hair is so much work. And what the hell is wrong with looking like Carrie Bradshaw, hello? I’d kill for natural mermaid curls” Hands smoothed back her hair out of her face, her bottom lip poking out as she rested her chin on her fist. “Mimosas, please god. Then a Bloody Mary for me - spicy, with all the fixins. It’s a meal in a damn glass. Ugh, you’re really just my missing puzzle piece, babe.” Tori slapped her hands on her knees a few times, excited to have a night off from the bar and some quality time with her bestie. However, Tori knew all about the very tall, very handsome elephant in the room, and the information was just bubbling under the surface. If there was one thing that she felt so guilty for, it was withholding information from Jude. “Have you… run into… anyone? That we know? By any chance?”

[stcrrynightwrites]

MANO:

“Ah, can’t say I had the same childhood. Well except for sisters who liked to pull hair, they’d get in there with a fist full of hair and you’d be sure they’d just about yank it out of yer head. Had it buzzed most of my youth, until you know I didn’t.” He referred to the long strands of mangy hair hanging from his head. Her next question caught him off guard but he was hard pressed not to beam down at her with a overgrown smile, ecstatic that she knew where he came from. “No shit?” He asked with a booming hearty laughter drawn from so deep in his stomach it might rattle her from proximity. “See, I knew. I just knew there was something about you I liked right away, wasn’t just your good lucks and ability to kick ass and take names.” He replied pointedly with his finger wagging in her direction. “I don’t know so much about that, Zee. I’m mostly harmless. But back home, they called me the king of the sea. I dominated the ocean. Pro surfer.” 

“If they did that now, it’d probably break right off your head. Ever heard of a deep conditioning mask, Mano?” She was kidding of course, about the breakage - the most he probably needed was a dose of coconut oil and a good brushing. His excitement and deep belly laugh coaxed a sincere laugh to leave Zee - it was a first, in a very long time. “No shit,” she grinned casually. “Lived all around the North Shore for about 5 years. It’s um... it’s been a while though. I miss it. Seems I’m always being drawn to that big blue monster out there though; I think I’m probably just doomed to be swallowed whole.” The way it came out was of course in jest; however, she couldn’t help but find some truth in it. "King of the sea?” Zee asked with narrowed eyes, a hint of familiarity lingering in her mind until it finally just clicked. She smiled, remembering hearing all about someone who seemed awfully similar to the man beside her, the injury that fell in line with his busted knee. Stories such as his ran through the surfing world like wildfire - nobody wanted to end up in a career-ending scenario, whether that be a busted body part or just plain ol’ drowning. “Tell me your last name is not Hau’oli.” 

#( - zee // threads ) #( - zee x mano )

[stcrrynightwrites]

LILA:

Lila laughed lightly, his sense of humour was sarcastic but lighthearted. “Oh, I don’t know about that.” It was hard not to let the wave of goosebumps build up her arm like they were doing now. It was a feeling she hadn’t felt in a long while… being on edge like this. The last time she’d been even slightly captivated was when she met the father of her daughter, a man unlike her in every way and nonetheless intriguing which were the words Dex used to describe her. Lila shifted around in her seat before really thinking over her answer to his question before shaking her head no. “I don’t know if I have ever felt that free. Unless.” She hesitated deciding to wait before she got into whatever made her feel free and instead talking about what made her feel trapped. “All my life I have lived a life carefully manufactured by my parents, my instructors, my home country. Yes, I have been on camera before, you know modelling shoots for dance classes. But nothing like this… it is like… imperfect you know what I am saying?” She gestured to the pictures he had on his camera. “I feel free dancing, I get to choose the next steps to the song. But… maybe that has to do more with me being controlling than freeing. I have never really given it much thought though.. I tend to just let go and have fun.”

There was a tide of sympathy that washed over Dex at Lila’s words - perhaps it was more so empathy. He knew all about controlling parents, having standards set so high from a young age, feeling the shackles gripped firmly around your wrists. It was, after all, Dex’s giant, neon WHY - his reason for up and leaving everything he knew and loved for the road less traveled, a life full of excitement and freedom. “I know what you’re saying,” he assured her, thoroughly enjoying the way she seemed to analyze and compare and it showed on his face. It was more than good or bad - she cared about the details, the grit. He had a feeling she was always a details person, probably so much so that it controlled her rather than the other way around. It seemed like now was the perfect time to show her what she was missing - after all, he’d be in town for a few weeks, not that he ever needed an excuse to pivot in the direction of something different. “Let’s get out of here; whatdya say?” Dex asked, pulling out his wallet to cast down more than enough to cover their small tab before extending his hand out as he stood to his feet. “There’s a full moon tonight - let’s not waste it inside a stuffy bar.”

#( - dex // threads ) #( - dex x lila )

[stcrrynightwrites]

BEE:

After a rather hard workout at the gym due to a phone call with her step mother the day before, she went in hard at the punching bag, determined to beat it until she ripped it from the ceiling. She failed, but she worked up a good sweat and took a well deserved shower before strolling into work with her gym bag in hand. It was still a huge disappointment to her mother that Bianca chose to work in some small auto body shop in what she called the middle of nowhere rather than prosper back home in the family estate like her father wanted. She washed the resting bitch face off when she smirked over at her coworker in passing. “Hey, Foster. How’d last night go?” Referring to the shit show run in with the ex.

                                                                  ( — @stcrrynightwrites )

The start of Zane’s shift at the shop went by in a blur, his brain was too busy fussing with the night prior that he all but blacked out while completing oil change after oil change. Bianca’s arrival was a welcome one - he needed the distraction badly. And if he couldn’t get the distraction, then he at least knew she had a similar way of thinking through things. “’Sup, Bee,” he greeted, unable to muster his usual goofy smile as he wiped beads of sweat off his face with the back of his arm. “Oh it was, ya know. Fine.” Turning to rest against the car hood, he chucked the wrench a little too hard at the pile of tools for what could be considered casual. He was frustrated. “Until my dumb ass thought it was a good idea to drop the Ruby bomb on her. She couldn’t bail out of there fast enough, dude. It was just... fuckin’ great. Why would you ever let me do that to myself?” 

#( - zane // threads ) #( - zane x bianca )

[stcrrynightwrites]

JUDE:

“How?” It was beyond belief one of the dumbest questions she had lined up for him and the second she realized, she put a hand up and corrected herself without missing a beat. “I mean I know… how… I just mean.” She used to hands to literally grasp for words but why seemed like it was to mean to ask as no doubt he was proud to be a dad. If she asked him when doing the math in her head it wasn’t too long after the break up. “I don’t know I’m just — ugh — brrrgh-pow!” She made a sound like a gunshot going off, it seemed like a good enough sound to make at the time but failed to defuse her awkwardness in the situation. “Wow you’re a dad.” She announced in echo before sliding the phone back over to Zane. Jude was never the best at taking hard to swallow pills. It made her feel like a dumb teenager again. 

Even now as she stuck both hands in between her thighs in an effort to not talk so excitedly with them she nodded with Zane as he went through the mom situation, it sound like her own mother so of course her heart poured out sympathetically but his words just sounded like he was talking to her under water. “Zane I… I’m super happy for you, like so stoked my babe, you know except for the… deadbeat mom shebang, that totally sucks, but I’m not sure how to like…” She leaped for her phone pretending she heard it buzz. “Oh my god, it’s my dad. What are the odds.” She was now using her poor dad as a means to get out of a shitty situation. You suck, Judith Ettie Polinsky. She started scrambling for her purse and a few dollar bills to cover her charges. “He needs me. Look… I’ll text you later tonight, how bout that?” 

Regret was instantly starting to flood Zane as he just sat and witnessed Jude’s utter shock from the information. He knew it was surprising - especially for someone like Zane, but in the same breath, he was one to find himself in idiotic, sticky situations due to lack of forethought. What he wasn’t sure of was why Jude was so astonished by the information - either way, it didn’t make him feel great. And so when her phone buzzed and she had to go, there was relief for him as well, even if he had doubts that whatever her dad said was so pressing that she’d actually have to leave. “Sure. I understand, go - I’ll take care of this, keep your money,” he offered, slapping on one of his most polite smiles as he gave her a slow nod in reassurance, hand flying up to quell any push back. “Tell him I said hi.” 

#( - zane // threads ) #( - zane x jude )

[stcrrynightwrites]

@stardvstwrites

“Baby!” Tori squealed the second her big blue eyes landed on Jude - she couldn’t get to her quick enough as she ran over and slid in beside Jude, throwing her arms around one of her favorite people on planet Earth. It wasn’t as if it had been that long since Tori had seen Jude, always one to make spur-of-the-moment trips up to Nashville whenever the mood struck. “Oh my god, you look so good. Have you eaten? Can we go dancing?” Planting a quick smooch on Jude’s cheek, Tori beamed over at the other before scooting back into her seat. “Oh my god, I missed you so much!”

#( - tori // threads ) #( - tori x jude )

[stcrrynightwrites]

LILA:

Perhaps she was not giving her stranger the benefit of the doubt and she realized this. Lila was feeling maybe even passive aggressive because her date was a dud, but that wasn’t an excuse to be unfair to him and accuse him of sleeping around as a bad thing. “I’m sorry. I didn’t mean to offend you.” Lila added optimistically. “Or start pointing fingers. You do seem like a pretty good guy, and I am sure you are lots of fun.” Lila blinked.” Not that I meant anything by that either. I’ll just.” The dark beauty reached for her tall pint in an attempt to shut up and bypass the awkwardness she may have added to the conversation before Dex pulled out his camera to show her.

“These are tremendous, Dex.” She flickered large brown eyes to him and shrugged. “You dance?” She asked before shifting in her seat, every so often looking down at the camera to look at the next photo. “You know, I used to be a cruise line dancer before I… before I became pregnant. Some of those were my best routines so you might be missing out.” She joked before she really was enamoured by one of his pictures. “How do you get someone to look like this?” Lila asked as she turned the camera around. “It just looks so intimate.” There was nothing explicit about it or anything but she was impressed by the captured moment. “I cannot pinpoint her emotion.“

“No worries. Takes a lot more than that to offend me - and if I’m honest, I’m used to it,” Dex assured her behind a grin that was smug in appearance, even though he was anything but. Somewhere along the way, people got very sensitive about exclusivity, which Dex found to be just another brainwashing tactic by society. The idea of staying with one person forever just never quite clicked for him. “Besides, I think to fall into the fuckboy category you have to be an indecisive idiot who doesn’t make your intentions clear from the start. If I’m not interested, I’ll say it. So we can say that right now… I’m intrigued by you, Lila. That okay with you?”

“Thank you… and I’m Venezuelan, of course I can dance. How else do you think I wiggle my way into panties?” His tone was serious for a moment before he could no longer hold back his laughter. “No shit? A cruise line dancer, okay, so you’re well-traveled then. You’re checking all my boxes, Lila. Better be careful or I may just fall in love.” It was a joke of course - the most love a man like Dex knew was that of fleeting lust, almosts, temporary affairs. Chestnut hues flickered to the viewfinder before him, his expression falling and reading thoughtfulness. He’d never been asked something like that before - usually people just wanted to know what tones he used, what time of day he shoots, if he had any Lightroom presets for sale. “I go into most portraits wanting the final product to tell its own story, so I can’t really tell you how it’s supposed to make you feel. Her emotion is whatever it is to you. But to answer your question, intimacy like this can’t happen if the subject isn’t comfortable with me. That’s really the trick... not fancy lighting, or a skilled model - comfort. Total vulnerability is fucking beautiful on camera.”

“Do you miss it?” he asked, transitioning into Lila’s very own vulnerability. “Being free like that?”

#( - dex // threads ) #( - dex x lila )

[stcrrynightwrites]

MANNY:

“If you think you’re getting off the hook easily this time then you got another thing comin’, brother.” Manny replied with a warm smile, slapping him heartily on the back. “For starters, your treat.” The man pointed towards his truck, twirling his keys around his thick fingers walking down from the station. “I keep tellin’ ya man, it’s a small town and you keep acting like this all the goddamn time you’re gonna garner a reputation with the cops.”  However that was up for debate Manny thought but he figured as long as he had Jav in the passenger seat next to him during times like these, they were mere opportunities to knock some sense into the man even if his attempts ended null and pointless. If Manny had to pay bail then Jav had to shut up and listen to him and that was just the give and take out of their situation. “You’re not exactly discreet, trust me I realize.” He pointed out slamming the truck door shut. “So, where to?” 

“Since when have I ever gotten off the hook easily with you, Pops? Next thing I know you’re gonna be on the ‘I’m not mad, I’m just disappointed’ spiel.” Popping his elbow out to nudge the other in the chest, he smeared a toothy smile on. “I’d assume nothin’ less. And you know I got you - I’ll hit you back with some cash as soon as I get back to my place. Can’t really - ya, know go to a fuckin’ ATM.” Javi bobbed his head slowly as Manny droned on, stepping on the truck step and hanging back off the door frame for a moment before sliding into the seat. “Well, these small town boys need to learn who they can and cannot shark in a game of pool. Think they’re big shots - they’re gonna get taken down a peg or two.” He pointed towards the windshield before drumming his hands on the dash. “Wind Rose up the street - I have dreams about those biscuits and gravy. Anyways, what the hell you been up to? How’s lil man?”

#( - javi // threads ) #( - javi x manny )

[stcrrynightwrites]

MANO:

Her hand was soft and so small wrapped around in his, but as he shook her hand he was gentle. Manny blinked as he shared a long pause between them, before following her on foot. “Oh, yeah, of course. Of course.” Another softened smile appeared underneath his beard, something about being called by his full name was something he liked, especially coming from her. Sure nicknames were a term of endearment and there was nothing wrong with being called Manny but he quite liked how it sounded coming from Zee. “You live far from here?” The massive man asked casually, shuffling a pebble out his way as they strolled down the street but then his ranting took over part of him wanting to charm the girl. He was still in a state of awe at her performance back there. “Hey look, I meant that by the way. What you did back there was fucking awesome. And so cool. You’re so tiny — where’d you learn to fight like that?”

“Mmm, no. Few blocks or so,” she answered, falling in step next to Mano and surprisingly finding herself thankful for the small bit of companionship. Regardless of her lack of people skills or general lack of interest in socializing, even Zee could admit it got pretty lonely after a while. A short laugh left her throat as she threw her arms up to untie and retie her hair into a messy bun. “Mostly my brothers, I guess. Grew up dirt poor around assholes who loved to fight; gotta learn how to take care of yourself when you’re tiny,” she snickered. It was half-true anyways; what she didn’t mention was that her training was formal thanks to her eldest brother Omer, a senior Krav Maga blackbelt. “So... Mano,” she began, already more than ready to drop herself as a topic of conversation. “Do you live up to your name?” she asked with a smirk, cocking her head slightly as she tucked her hands in her back pockets. “Last time I heard someone say manō, it was more of a scream and it wasn’t a good thing.”

#( - zee // threads ) #( - zee x mano )

[stcrrynightwrites]

JUDE:

“It’s…” She was about to tell him it was all okay, all’s well that ends well, because she was accustomed to a broken heart and knew how to carry that with her wherever she went. But she was cut off when he slid his phone across the bar for her to see. Her brown eyes flickered to the wallpaper, not sure what the giddy toddler on his screen had to do with anything. Hell, even as he specifically illustrated the reason he never got out of the car was because of the little girl on the phone screen, she sat there confused. “I don’t… understand?” She croaked innocently enough but in the end was smart enough to put two and two together and yet stubborn enough to accept the truth. 

Jude took a sharp breath, swallowing the facts. “She’s yours?” She finally asked as she passed the phone back to him and then whipped her head back to the counter. “Pauline, yeah another shot, maybe. Actually make that two, thank you, babe.” Jude asked flustered before she turned to face Zane. Apart from getting married and settling down this is one of the last things she’d ever expect from him. “I… so… you’re a dad?” Jude asked struggling to imagine Zane as a father. “Oh my god, you’re a dad. You’re a dad.” She was hooked on repeating the same phrase hoping it’d sound coherent, but failing. She tossed her shot back, grimacing. “So.. you’re.. what about the mom?”

His voice was caught somewhere in his throat when Jude tried to coax more information out of him - his mouth opening to speak and ending with a sighed breath. He was thankful as he saw the gears start to turn for her, the way that the shock washed over her expression not unlike the way it did for Zane when he was shown the two pink lines. Nodding was all he could muster as he laughed nervously, quickly downing another shot as she processed and echoed as she did so. “I’m a dad, J,” he answered as a matter of fact. “I know - Zane Foster, a dad. You should have seen my face when I found out - kinda like your face right now. I don’t think I spoke a single word for three whole days.” 

The mom was a bit of a touchy subject to say the least - and just as much showed on Zane’s expression when she was mentioned. “She bailed when Ruby was - fuck - 5 months old, around there?” Zane’s gaze danced along the shot glass sitting before him - if he took another, he’d surely be drunk in no time. Tempting at this point; his fingers tapped along the edge of the glass as he dug into the story. “She resented being a mom, man. Star-fucker type - cool chick, but had no motherly instinct whatsoever. We weren’t together or anything, but I let her live at my place for a while until she brought some scum of the earth, tweaker-type back and I knocked his lights out. Cops were called; it was a mess. She wanted to be able to flash her shit all around without me having any sort of say so in who was around my kid, and eventually she just took off. Haven’t heard a peep from her in a couple years now.” 

#( - zane // threads ) #( - zane x jude )

[stcrrynightwrites]

JUDE:

“I know.” She sputtered back after she had slammed back the last of her vodka down her throat, and she nodded half heartedly. “I mean, don’t get me wrong, I know you are. I just know that I might take some time getting used to being around again.” She mentioned gently. “It’ll be a little strange that’s for sure.” Jude admitted and hailed the bartender over for another, and a shot of tequila. A lime for Jude and a lemon for Zane, she didn’t care if she was doing it wrong as he tutted her in the past. It was another fond memory and it suited the moment. “We stopped talking altogether, I just thought… maybe…” There wasn’t an end to the sentence she struggled to form so she threw back her shot. 

Another one slid across the counter the second she turned hers over empty on the bar, and she snatched the next to bury down the hatch. She smacked her lips together and stuck out her tongue at the sour taste of the lime she sucked dry and tuned in to Zane, wincing at the taste that lingered on the front of her tongue, before pouting sympathetically, caressing his forearm in the process. “Maybe.. that was for the best. If things are meant to be they’re meant to be. Maybe you weren’t supposed to get out of your car.” She replied gently, bringing her fingers together to fidget. “You know, while we’re being honest that doesn’t mean I didn’t sing about you. I sang Landslide.” She recalled. “It made me cry.”

“We stopped talking because... Maybe... we both knew it would be hard to revert back to just friends?” he offered, an earnest smile tugging at his lips before downing one more shot and sinking his teeth deep into the lemon wedge, a grimace appearing more from its sourness than the bite of the tequila. He’d give it only a few more minutes before the effects would start to take hold - he was, after all, an incredibly cheap drunk these days. Nodding a few times, he couldn’t help but agree with her statement, even as it was so far from what he normally found belief in. At the time, it didn’t feel meant to be - like it was harder than it should be, could be if given more time. Sometimes he had pondered whether Jude leaving was only to make space for Ruby, to make him a better man - to force Zane to grow up when he could have quite literally stayed in that same mindset forever. Ruby - here was his opportunity to tell Jude all about what’s kept him occupied for the last three years - or rather who. 

“Yeah, maybe you’re right,” he answered, plucking the phone from his pocket and glancing at the lit up lock screen under the table. Blonde-haired, blue-eyed lock screen, with a smile so bright he was sure it’d light up the world if ever the sun started to burn out. “I’m sorry,” he breathed - as a response to her having to use him as sad inspiration for her music, but also preemptively for him sliding his phone across the table for her to see. He couldn’t even look Jude in the eyes, instead keeping his focus on the phone as he sucked back the moisture in his nose. “She is the reason why I wasn’t supposed to get out of that car that day.”

#( - zane // threads ) #( - zane x jude )

[stcrrynightwrites]

JUDE:

Somehow she sensed doubt as he convinced her that she had great news. It wasn’t so hard to see why. They were exes. They were exes who no longer talked even though there wasn’t exactly an impeding negative reason as to why other than they both accepted the fact that distance and difference didn’t work out in their favour. Now here she was all of sudden, infringing on his territory and maybe he didn’t like the fact he’d have to adjust to her being here, and running into her frequently. That and the fact that she failed to mentioned her partner back home in Nashville. “Yeah, it is great. It’s really great.” She repeated as a tense smile creeped painfully on her face. The type of smile you force yourself to muster after you’ve just had a good cry and you pretend you’re well on your way to feeling better. It was hard when he cupped her hand and she had to pretend there weren’t feelings there anymore. “I really don’t, we’re so out of touch now.” She winced pulling her hand away, using the other to trace her thumb over her skin and smiled. “I hope we can still be friends though, you know once we finally loosen up a little and get back into the swing of things.” Jude mimed the tension between them with her hand. “Shots might be a good start.”

“I mean, don’t… don’t think I’m not happy you’re back,” he interjected, hand held up as she pulled hers away. As unsettling as her newfound presence back in his life was, Jude was always the missing piece to home for Zane. They didn’t break up because they didn’t loveeach other; that much was very clear. It was bad timing, too little too late. And while he forced himself not to think about it, he wasn’t sure if he’d ever really be over Jude Polinsky. No one could really ever compare. “I never stopped thinking of you as a friend, J.” He couldn’t help the sadness that crept through his tone and features - it had never even been a thought in his brain that they weren’t friends. The idea of that not being true for her too hurt more than anything else. “But… we do have a lot to talk about, and honestly, I don’t even know where to start. So… shots.” He’d put in an order, tequila shots and keep ‘em coming - anything to help lubricate how draining this conversation was about to get. He downed one, then another, and finally he felt like talking. A snorted laugh escaped him as the memories filtered in. For so long, he tried his best to leave them in the past. “You know, I drove to Nashville… about a month after you ended things. To win you back, or.. I dunno… talk,” Zane informed her, the idea sounding even more ridiculous now that he’d said it aloud. “I remember - I just sat there. I couldn’t even bring myself to get out of the car.”

#( - zane // threads ) #( - zane x jude )

[stcrrynightwrites]

JUDE:

“Well then, I guess you really do have to bring me up to speed on things. I haven’t really been tuning in except for that Netflix documentary about flat earth.” She shrugged because of course that was a theory like many others she didn’t agree with but could laugh about. “You know, the one where like the leader of flat earth or whatever really wants to portray himself as like some Ghostbusters Bill Murray type of smart douchebag and fails horribly. Anyway, other than that I’m so out of the loop.” As much as they were carrying on a decent conversation there was still this inner conflict hitting her on the back on the first, at first softly but gradually getting harder and harder with every passing moment. As though, sure this was once something lighthearted they could talk about in the past but it all seemed maybe they needed to talk things through like adults, get into the dirt and thick of it. But Jude knew better that talking about things wasn’t exactly an easy process when it came to Zane, until he asked about her living situation. She nodded. “Yeah, I… actually you know sent for my things. My dad needs me, you know, now more than ever. I don’t think I’ll be leaving any time soon at least.” Jude answered honestly and let her honesty continue to slip through the cracks. “I’ve missed you.” 

“I know it, I know it. I fell deep down the flat earth rabbit hole while blazed out of my mind one night. Having your brain wide open for that shit is dangerous territory, dude, especially when they sound so damn convincing. I can’t go there again,” Zane returned before taking a sip of his beer and sucking the foam off his top lip. He was thankful for the pleasant conversation, but he could gather from Jude’s shift in demeanor and tone that there was a good chance it wouldn’t last for long. “Really?” he asked, his tone unreadable. She’d be around for a while; indefinitely it sounded. A strange feeling washed over him, his stomach gripping from happiness, nostalgia,... fear. “Of course yeah, that uh, makes sense. That’s - that’s great,” he stuttered with a grin and a couple nods, mindlessly bringing his beer up again for a longer gulp. If there was one thing Zane was admittedly very, very bad at, it was formulating sentences when he was unsettled - he required time to process, but time with Jude sitting right in front of him was extremely hard to come by. Stuffing down his feelings as much as he could, he just smiled and covered her hand with his. “Missed you too, babe. You have no idea.”

#( - zane // threads ) #( - zane x jude )

[stcrrynightwrites]

LILA:

“What — why are you looking at me that way?” Were her cheeks hot or was she imagining things. All of a sudden, she felt her mouth go dry and so she reached her hand for her beer. “Oh, I do not think so, Dex.” She persisted once she swallowed. “I ‘ave seen many you poet types before, except, I do not have your… motive figured out.” She admitted once she finally found the word she was looking for. She wasn’t accusing him of anything bad, she just wanted to figure out his intentions on the spot. “But I do know how you wiggle your way into panties, okay.” 

She bit her lip. “You want me to dance for you?” She asked, flattered and confident all at once. “I… have a routine I can show you sometimes. In fact I could use an unbiased opinion, unless you mean you’d like to go dancing with me?” Her heart skipped a beat when she asked. She smiled as he corrected himself. “Sure thing, Dex. If you think I am so photograph worthy, I’d be more than delighted.” 

“I honestly have no idea what you’re talking about. Motive?” Dex asked, arms crossing over his chest as he sat in amusement. It was in his nature to flirt; fluster people and bring heat to their cheeks. Most of the time, he had no motive beyond just having a little bit of fun. “I’m honest, I’m a good time, and I have curls for days,” he pointed to his tied-back hair, full-on cheesin’ a smile for her before shaking his head. She didn’t even know him, but already it seemed he was given the fuckboy badge. “I’m not trying to wiggle my way into your panties, so you can relax.”

“Mhhm,” he nodded, reaching over and unbuckling his camera bag beside him. His beloved Canon Mark II was like a limb at this point; there weren’t many situations where he left the house without it. It contained portraits, street photos, lifestyle shots of friends and various adventures on the road. “If you’re offering both, I’ll take both,” he answered, pressing buttons to pull open image playback and handing the camera over to her so she could feel comfortable with his skill level. “Just press the left button to filter through... and you’re gorgeous. That’s objectively speaking. There’s about a 1/1000 shot I couldn’t amplify that on camera.” 

#( - dex // threads ) #( - dex x lila )

[stcrrynightwrites]

JUDE:

“Oh god, don’t even get started on that!” Jude pretended to moan but truthfully she was feeling slightly more at ease as they joked and talked about the past. “I don’t need you filling my head with your nonsense and ruses this time around. I smoked before I got here so the last thing I need is you taking advantage of my…” She stopped, exasperated as she took a long deep breath. “Gullibility.” Jude admitted as one corner of her mouth betrayed her while she resisted any urge to smile. “And I don’t think Tybee’s creepy enough to earn a House of Wax reputation just yet. It needs at least another twenty years. Or an urban legend and I don’t really think we have one of those yet.” She added, her toothy grin in full effect at this point. “Well… except for the ghost in my house, duh. The lady in white.” Jude replied ghastly, creeping herself out. “Ugh, I hope she doesn’t make a comeback anytime soon.” 

She paused, grinning and smiling when her vodka tonic arrived, sipping through the straw as she listened to Zane. “Stop. You were never an asshole.” She pouted, leaning in to lightly smack him in the forearm for insulting himself like that. Even though a part of her was so sure in the past that they were soul mates, meant to be together, had this other worldly connection even — they didn’t have the patience to make the distance work. It didn’t make him an asshole, in fact he saved her life in every way a guy like Zane could. “Don’t short change yourself like that, Zane, come on.” It was at an instant she regretted mentioning dating to begin with, there was that punch to the gut again all over, that feeling of guilt building up within the brunette. It was deliberate when she ignored him. “You’re still surfing?” She asked letting herself get excited at the mention. “Better call me next time you go.” Jude quipped.

“I couldn’t tell by the bloodshot eyes,” Zane snorted facetiously, leaning his elbows on the table top. Many nights were spent doing just what she had mentioned - smoking a bowl together, Zane passionate in his ramblings about any new conspiracy or scientific oddity that crossed his path, hearing all about Jude’s ghost stories and getting incredibly wigged out to the point of paranoia. Back when it was so easy between them; it was all just so damn easy and he made everything so much harder for himself. He shook his head in hopes to stop the thoughts from continuing to spider from there. “Well, hey, the night is young and we have a lot of ground to cover here, I can’t promise anything once you get me liquored up. Years of theories and stories and space facts just bubbling beneath the surface.” In fact, he had too much to tell her, so much that it was daunting to even think about broaching any of it. He knew their time was limited - the last thing he wanted to do was ruin it - arguing over whether or not he was an asshole included. She always saw the best in him, saw through all his bullshit - he was pretty sure she always would. “Alright, you got it... so uh, does that mean you’re gonna be sticking around for a while?” 

#( - zane // threads ) #( - zane x jude )

[stcrrynightwrites]

@stardvstwrites

If there was one thing that Javi could tell you about his most recent brush with the law, it was this: if you’re going to threaten someone with a knife, you had better plan on actually using it… and also, don’t be piss drunk while doing it in the first place... in a small town where no one knows you from a hole in the wall. 30 days in county for simple assault, cut short a couple weeks early thanks to Javi’s brother from another mother Manny, who posted his bail yet again. After changing out of his orange get-up and stuffing his wallet and phone in his jean pockets, he couldn’t get out of the building fast enough. “Brothaaa; thanks, man,” he greeted, pulling his hand out to dap Manny up and slap his back, a grand smile sprawled across his face. “Let’s go get some breakfast before I start chewing off my own arm.”

#( - javi // threads ) #( - javi x manny )