yall i wrote this all in one sitting like i literally sat down and got this thing out and edited it and everything in one take i think i should probably get up now my foot is asleep--
hmm the time skips are a bit strange in this i hope you can figure it out
once again i wrote this all in one take so there's a good chance this is actually terrible but im not clear-headed enough to see that--
word count: 2.9k
warnings: sneaking around and lying (esp to parents/family), brief underage drinking, some kissing if that makes you uncomfortable or anything, ~heartbreak~
(i always feel like the warnings tell you everything there is to know abt the story--)
"Where are you going?"
Fitz spins around, blood turning to ice within his veins. Della stands halfway down the grand stairs behind him, one eyebrow arched up as she scans Fitz's outfit. "Wait—did you change your clothes? Why?"
A slight shrug, a disarming smile while Fitz internally scolds himself. He should've snuck out the back door, or through the window, but he'd been impatient. His heart pounds in his chest but he's learned to hide it well. "Yeah, I'm just going out to... take a few photos of the beach at night."
The lie is another slash to Fitz's conscience, another step closer to bringing him to pieces. He stares straight ahead.
Della frowns and says, slowly, "Oh, okay honey. Be safe and all, and come home in half an hour." She gives him a tired smile and turns back up the staircase.
Fitz watches her go, knowing he won't be coming home until far past midnight. But Della won't notice, as she hasn't noticed all these other days he'd sneaked back into his room in the dead of night. His mother trusts him enough to not doubt his word. And he's breaking her trust every day, bit by bit.
It's all for a reason, but it all comes with a price. How expensive will this summer be, when fall rolls around and payment must come?
Della's pale blue nightgown swishes out of view, and the house is quiet. Biana's up in her room and Alden's out doing business, and Fitz doesn't wait a second before stealing out the door. Maybe he should've hesitated. Maybe not. He doesn't know anymore.
▪▪▪
"There you are!" A wide smirk forms, ice-blue eyes lighting up. The person steps out from the shadows and continues, "I was waiting."
Fitz feels an uncontrollable smile form on his own face. "Keefe."
He's jittery and nervous, but that smirk always has a way of calming Fitz. It's like having a few drinks on a stressful day—it dulls the edges and makes the background fade away and makes everything feel okay even if maybe it isn't. The fear of getting caught, the regret from lying, it's all swept away by that familiar voice.
Fitz feels guilty about all he's done but he thinks for that voice, he'd do it all over again.
▪▪▪
They'd met on the second day of Fitz's summer break. His parents owned a beach house in this small town and the Vackers were supposed to spend their summer here. Biana had convinced Fitz to come out to the beach and then, when getting something to eat from the food stand, had gotten distracted by the worker's dimples and bad jokes.
Essentially abandoned by his sister, Fitz had simply stood there in the sand, unsure what to do. That was when a lifeguard walked up and with a dazzling smile, asked, "So, what's a cute guy like you doing alone?"
