Listen to Better in the Dark on your streaming service
I'm such a sucker for music. Got this playing and picturing ViJinx modern AU Oregon/Washington west coast type vibes. Moody, colder ocean waters and rocky areas with beaches spread throughout vs California's sprawling sands with warmer water and fairer weather.
Got a little montage playing of them growing up in the area through different ages, a couple frames per age. It plays until they get to their canon ages 18-19 and 23-24 standing next to each other under the stars on a sidewalk next to the ocean. 101s traffic flies sparsely by and lazily in the distance while the ocean waves lap at the sands.
Shoulder to shoulder Jinx digs into Vi's jacket pockets until she finds the blunt Vi snagged off one of her friends earlier that day. Vi snags it back from her before she can do anything with it and lights it for both of them. She takes a long drag while Jinx gives her a look, annoyed and slightly turned on, until Vi brings it to her lips for her own little hit. They go back and forth like that until it's nothing but a roach, both of them more than happy to let Vi hold it the entire time.
It's the height of summer in their coastal town. They can spot the shapes of people walking the beach, flickers of campfires and passing headlights flashing by briefly from a distance. Nothing to settle down for with the way this coast has been shaped and how it shapes those that are strong enough to settle down. Nothing stands for long, including the people. They're not worried at all anyone they know will see them out tonight.
The last scene for the night is Vi stomping out the roach, making sure it's extinguished and flicking it into the nearby metal trash can. She returns to her spot next to Jinx like she always has. Like she always will if she's lucky enough she thinks to herself. Jinx bulldozes her way right into Vi's jacket with her as she gives a little shiver.
It's the height of summer sure but inverted ocean breezes always feel cooler when the moons out though. Vi doesn't complain, adjusts them both so they're front to front with Jinx's head tucked under her chin. Jinx gets wrapped up in Vi's everything, her jacket, her scent, her arms, her warmth. Vi brings her arms and the wings of her jacket around Jinx enclosing her in a little cocoon. They stay like that swaying ever so slightly like a little dance for what feels like an eternity. Vi has her eyes closed basking in the moment and Jinx is soaking it all up knowing she's got an endless appetite for anything Vi can give. It's not long enough at all when they decide to leave for home.
It cuts to the next day. Waking up from the same bed. Topless morning coffee. Boxer shorts and long yawns. Rushed to get dressed for work and quick kisses goodbye. Jinx in her cheap but isolated second floor ocean side art studio making art for her space in a tourist art shop. Vi fixing up all sorts of mechanical machines thrown her way from boat motors to dune buggies and broken down cars from vacationing tourists willing to pay extra for a speedy fix.
Jinx at her second job for the last part of the day, helping Vi fix the particularly hard or interesting requests that come through. Picking up cheap and delicious burgers on the way home together.
Moments of different days, different weeks and months across years gone by and years to come of both of them. Clouds passing by, wind blowing through the sea grass while seagulls fly lazily overhead. Late nights, disagreements and alcohol. Beach bonfires with marshmallows, home cooked meals and splashing each other in the oceans cold waters. Going to bed together just to kiss each other awake.
i wish wed seen more of luke/annabeth scenes because it felt like they hinted at how close they were but we never got to see that closeness in action. like we know annabeth and luke really care about each other but only through dialogue like 'me and luke and thalia ran away' or 'annabeths my little sister' but we only ever got like one scene between the two of them before the finale and that was barely enough to really establish the amount of care they have for each other which sucks because luke and annabeths relationship is so essential to the story and their arcs.
