Mourning Dove
The Lost Boys x Fem!Reader
chapter 2
summary: Santa Carla, the place of dreams and drunkards. It's been a home to you for the past fifteen years, ever since your parents decided to divorce and your mom wanted to move. It was a turbulent time in your life, something you have long since come to terms with. What you have yet to come to terms with, though, was your interesting friendship with a group of bikers that often ventured into the twenty-four-seven diner you worked at.
story tags: Canon divergence - Modern AU/The boys Live AU, Possibly OOC (my excuse is that I haven't written for the boys seriously since 2021), The reader is awkward, POV switching, Nicotine consumption, Mentions of past domestic abuse, Slight angst, Slow burn, Swearing wc: 4.4k a/n: Hopefully my attempt to make the dialogue feel more realistic doesn't make the characters seem too OOC lol. I want to bring them to life a little bit with my story, they deserve it. Anyway, I hope you guys enjoy this chapter! Updates might not be very frequent but it's my way to prevent any sort of burnout with this series.
not fully proof read
story playlist - story masterlist
The cave certainly wasn’t the strangest place you’ve found yourself, but it was creeping towards the top of the list.
You lingered on the collapsed stairs just at the entrance of the cave, taking in your surroundings curiously. It wasn’t hard to assume what this place was, with the rusted railing to your right, and the thick pillars that kept the room from collapsing, it used to be a building of sorts.
“Make yourself at home.” Star says kindly, walking past you.
Uneven walls were lined with streamers and graffiti. Old and forgotten memorabilia that was caked in dust and glossy with the sea salt that lingered in the air. Sheer curtains were hanging from the lower parts of the ceiling, as well as roots from trees that no longer stood on the surface.
The more you looked around, feet bumping into small piles of clothes and narrowly dodging knick-knacks, it became increasingly more obvious that this wasn’t just a hangout spot either; They lived here, hidden away from rent and responsibility.
Eavesdropping on their loud conversations in the diner gave you enough insight to know their stances on the government, prices getting higher while wages remain stagnant, making it nearly impossible for people to live comfortably. You felt like it wasn’t a stretch to assume they chose to live in a place like this, a place they could truly make theirs without landlords breathing down their necks, without the prying eyes of weary strangers.
This place was enchanting in its own unique way. It almost felt intimate being invited here.
You slowly walked past the worn furniture scattered about, torn velvet and cracked wooden pieces, intricate detailing that’s been tainted by age. There was a decent sized lounge area with multiple chairs pushed together, creating a homey little space for the group to sit together. The couch looked the most inviting to you, the rusty springs creaking as you decided to sit down on the old fabric.
Star was still walking around, a pink shawl decorated with soft flowers now wrapped securely around her shoulders. The woman seemed to glide along the floor as she spoke with Laddie, smiling sweetly down at him before ruffling his hair. Her hair bounces as she looks over her shoulder towards you, tilting her head slightly before finally making her way towards you.
“I never noticed you had a tattoo.” Star comments when she plopped down next to you, her eyes glued to your forearm, “It’s pretty.” She smiles softly, reaching out with the intention to trace the lines before retracting her finger quickly.
“Oh… Thank you.” The smile you return feels slightly awkward. Your hand rubs against the ink, bringing the sleeve of your jacket back down just a second later.
The tapping of a falling pebble caught your attention. Marko and Paul were the first to drop down from the steep rocks, the sound of their heavy boots echoing throughout the room, next was Michael and Dwayne, then David. The different pendants they all wore jingled a familiar tune as they walked towards the lounge area.
Michael was the first one to sit, fitting himself perfectly between Star and Laddie. Paul and Marko were pushing each other around, attempting to wrestle for an object you couldn’t see, cursing at each other in between spurts of laughter. Dwayne sat down on a small bench just beside the couch, and David went for a wheelchair that was cast in an impossible beam of moonlight.
“This place is pretty cool.” You told David, picking at the sleeve of your jacket.
He smiled, nodding in agreement, “It was an old hotel a long time ago,” He explained, affirming your previous assumptions, “A pretty bad earthquake hit this area in the early nineteen hundreds, swallowing everything up and leaving what you see now.” He stood from the wheelchair and walked towards the fountain, his arms extending slightly outward, “Well, with some renovations.”
“Now it’s all ours.” Paul butts in, now holding the object he was fighting Marko for, a small porcelain clown with soft painted features. “It’s pretty sick, right?”
There was a sudden sound that made you jump. Something flew past your head quickly, forcing you to duck before looking back up with widened eyes.
A grey pigeon sat upon Marko’s fingers, seeds sitting in his palm as an offering, which the bird gladly ate. You watched with amazement, listening to him coo sweetly to the creature.
“Do you smoke?” Paul asks, dropping down on the loveseat that was next to the couch, pulling a small baggy from the pocket of his tuxedo jacket.
You couldn’t help but chuckle at the question, feeling a touch of familiarity. Here you were hanging out with a group of delinquents, being offered weed in an unusual place that was covered in graffiti and antiques. It almost reminded you of high school, and the company you kept back then.
“It’s been a while.” You answer after a beat, Paul just nods to himself, easily catching the grinder Marko threw towards him. “But I’ll pass tonight, if that’s okay.”
David steps away from the fountain, turning to look at you, “That’s perfectly fine. We’re not those types of people.” He reassures, walking back towards the group and settling back into the wheelchair.
Something in the way he said it, and the quiet sound that came from Michael, made you doubt him a little. But, considering the fact that you were practically trapped here with the group, you decided it would be for the best if you ignore your doubts for the time being.
A minute dragged on slowly, the clock barely tugging itself forward as you tried to keep up with everything. Paul was sparking up the joint he rolled, passing it over to Dwayne. Marko was feeding another pigeon, and Michael was joking around with Laddie. Clustered conversations surrounded you, molding into each other, increasing in volume as you continued to shift at the end of the couch.
The topics cycled between movies, music, music in movies, whatever book Star got Marko to read. Then movies came up again, this time about the found footage genre, which made Paul let out a groan.
“Now you’re just trying to piss me off.” He ashes his joint while shaking his head, “Fuck found footage movies.”
“Well, fuck your zombie movies.” Michael retorts, making Paul bark a laugh.
“Okay then, Mike, tell me what’s so good about found footage.” The blonde leans forward, elbows braced against his knees as he brings the joint back to his lips, “They’re so fuckin’ boring, it’s always the same shit.” Paul sits up a little, pretending to hold a camera, putting on a mocking tone as he presents an example for his argument, “Turn a corner ‘oh nobody’s there, sick’ turn another corner, then ‘BOOM’ jumpscare! It follows the same formula almost every single fuckin’ time.”
“Some of them are really interesting, though!” Michael insists, “Like, Chronicle, you remember when I showed you that one? Or Cloverfield? It’s not all ghosts, man.” He slings an arm over Star’s shoulder as he settles back against the couch, “Gotta expand your horizons a little bit.”
“Expand my horizons, fuck you.” The blonde lets out an amused huff, bowing his head briefly before settling back in his own seat, “How about you expand your fuckin’ brain meathead.” He couldn’t wipe the smile from his face when Michael reached over to hit him.
It was hard to tell how much time has passed since they brought you here, maybe thirty minutes, maybe an hour. Every second of it you were silent, shy, not sure how you could smoothly insert yourself into the conversations.
At that moment you began to regret not socializing more outside of work like Marshal told you to, you felt more like a teenager rather than an adult. Your awkward fidgeting only served to make you feel a little embarrassed.
You glanced over towards David. He’s leaned against the armrest of the wheelchair, his chin settled calmly on the heel of his hand. His eyes were closed, lashes kissing his pale cheeks, he looked so peaceful.
Then he shifted, his eyes slowly opening and meeting yours. It was almost like he could read your thoughts as he nodded once and stood. He stops right behind you, leaning down so you can hear him instead of the overlapping conversations.
“Would you be alright if I drove you home?”
You don’t provide much of an answer, only a relieved sigh as you stood, patting down the back of your pants. You carefully step over some shirts and two forgotten DVD cases, making your way past David and offering a small wave to the group.
“Bye, drive safe.” Star says to the two of you, waving with her fingers as you walk past.
“Be back in a bit, boys.” David tells his group, offering a helping hand so you don’t slip on the steep rocks.
“Drive safe, sweetheart!” Marko called out in a teasing tone, “Ow! Paul, I swear to god I’m gonna kill you.”
David merely shook his head, a deep chuckle coming from him, “They’re like fuckin’ children sometimes.” He says after stepping out into the open air with you, a gloved hand pushing at the chainlink fence, allowing you to go first.
His looming presence made you shiver, making goosebumps rise on your arms.
“Sorry if we made you uncomfortable, or freaked you out.” The man said suddenly, “We don’t- it’s been a while since we brought someone here, so,” You turn to see him dig through the pocket of his coat, fishing out a cigarette, “Shit-” He searches both pockets for a few more seconds before giving up, “You got a light?”
“In my purse.” You reply, walking past him and onto the creaky wooden stairs, “It’s still on your bike.”
The cigarette dangled pathetically between his lips when you finally got to the top and walked over to the vehicle in question. His hands were still buried deep in his coat pockets as you sift through your belongings, the sound of rustling papers and zippers being opened almost made him smile a little.
“Jesus Christ, where is it?” You mutter to yourself, “Oh.” You blow out a small laugh, pulling out a bright green lighter, “It was buried at the very bottom.” You hold it out.
“Thanks.” David nods, flicking the spark wheel a few times.
You jab the ground with the toe of your shoe a few times before finally speaking, “Can I be honest with you?” David looked away from the moon and to you, offering you his cigarette.
“I wasn’t really freaked out, just more… nervous I guess. I mean, you guys are cool, and I really do appreciate the offer to drive me home. I just think it’s the fact that I don’t know you guys very well… I tend to get quiet in big groups.” You wring the sleeves of your jacket awkwardly, “Plus, ugh- I don’t know, I think I watch too much true crime shit, so when we drove out here I was like ‘oh shit what did I get myself into?’ And…” You turn to see an amused expression on David’s face, “And I should probably stop talking.”
“It’s alright,” His smile matches yours, laughing quietly as he takes the cigarette from your offering hand, “I get it, we have a reputation. That tends to sketch people out a little.” He looks back at the moon, blowing smoke from his nose, “You’re cool though. Nicer to us than most people are. Plus, you don’t charge us for the kid’s food.”
He turns his shoulders towards you, “So, I’d say you’re good in our books.”
You relaxed a little more as he spoke, a small smile forming at his light hearted tone. Silence wrapped around the two of you as you continued to share his cigarette, the smoke swept away by the wind. It felt much more comfortable out here with just the two of you, the overwhelming feeling that swamped you minutes ago slipped away.
“Ready to go?”
You nod, stomping out the cigarette before turning towards David’s bike, watching him lift the kickstand and throw his leg over the seat.
The leather is slightly wet against your pants as you sit behind him, your hands coming up to clutch the sides of David’s coat again. The vehicle roars to life beneath you, making your fingers tighten around the scratchy fabric.
Wind swept through your hair as David drove down the lamp lit streets. He was going much slower now, following the basic traffic laws that his group so easily broke earlier in the night.
‘Maybe he took your confession to heart and didn’t want to scare you more.’ You thought to yourself, watching familiar buildings pass by.
David took one last turn into the parking lot of your apartment complex, stopping just outside the front door. His headlights cut through the morning mist that surrounded you both, miniscule droplets settling on your jacket.
He turns his head slightly, watching as you slip off the seat and step up onto the curb.
“Thanks for the ride.” You smile softly, shifting on your feet awkwardly, fingers clutching onto the strap of your purse.
“It’s no problem.” The man says, a small smirk tugging at his lips.
A yawn crawls up your throat, making you take a step back towards the door, “See you around, David.” You wave, another yawn threatening to come.
“Oh, and by the way,” David pipes up, making you turn around when he says your name, “Don’t say ‘promise not to kill me’ to a stranger ever again.” He jokes, raising a brow, “I’m serious.”
A snort comes from you, “Yeah, that was really stupid.” You continue walking backwards as you speak, “But hey, you didn’t kill me. So that’s a win for me.”
David laughs quietly to himself, watching as you walk into the building and disappear down the hallway. He shakes his head and allows your words to replay in his head a few times, humored by your naivety.
A soft sigh falls from his lips as he reaches back into his pocket, pulling out his pack of cigarettes, then your bright green lighter. You didn’t even notice when he slipped it into his coat.
David listened out for you, narrowing down to your breathing as you climbed the stairs to your floor, hearing you curse to yourself about the broken elevator.
Then he catches onto something else, a shrill flapping sound, too high pitched for any human to hear.
Marko lowers to the ground quickly, taking the cigarette from David’s pursed lips, and glances around the parking lot to make sure nobody saw him.
“He’s sleeping on his brother’s couch.” Marko informs the blonde, handing the cigarette back a second later, “I could get Michael and Dwayne to keep an eye on things. Could do it tonight if you don’t wanna wait.”
“How many people will that make this month?” David asks, bracing his forearms on the handles of his bike, “Seven? Maybe eight if his brother wakes up?”
Marko’s shoulders deflate a little at David’s question, tilting his head back with a frustrated sigh, “Come on, this guy’s a nobody.” He watches David bow his head a little, “I’m not talking about massacring the whole town, man.”
“Don’t argue with me, Marko. If it was just him I’d be fine with that, but two people makes it suspicious.” David blew smoke just above Marko’s head, “Plus after what happened tonight, if the guy turns up dead tomorrow we’ll be suspects. It’s too risky.”
“Ugh- God, I miss the seventies.” Marko grumbled to himself, “Can’t get away with shit these days, it’s ridiculous.” He slid onto David’s bike, settling where you sat just moments prior, “This place has become a fuckin’ servalence state. Cameras around every goddamn corner in every goddamn pocket.”
“His brother works on Thursday nights, right?” David looks over his shoulder and sees Marko nod, “We’ll pay Bradley a visit in a few nights then, gives us some time to plan.”
“Good, cause I’m so sick of eating rabbits.”
The door to your apartment clicked quietly behind you, the sound making you let out a relieved sigh. Exhaustion weighed heavily on your shoulders as you kicked off your shoes.
Inside the quiet of your apartment, you could hear David’s motorcycle finally drive off, the sound growing more distant before disappearing entirely.
Everything felt so warped, out of place in your mind, like you were only now regaining control. You could barely wrap your head around your impulsivity, let alone the rest of the night. Although David had been kind to you, joked with you and made you feel more comfortable, there was still something deep down that you couldn’t shake. An uncertain feeling that puts you on edge.
Maybe it was your relationship with Bradley that made you feel so nervous. With him you were always waiting for the other shoe to drop, for his nice act to finally slip away, which it almost always did. He was the type of dangerous you had grown used to. So it was understandable to be wary around a group like this.
“Fuck.” You whisper to yourself, hands rubbing against your face harshly before grabbing your phone, calling the first person you could think of.
The line rings a few times as you walk towards your room, flicking on the lamp just beside your door.
“Y’ello?” Marshal answers cheerfully, “Feeling better?” You could hear the sound of the cash register opening in the background, “Here’s your change Marge. Hey, tell Tammy I hope she gets better, alright?”
“I’m fine. But, I think I need some advice.” You say before sitting on the edge of your bed.
“Alright, let it rip, what’s up?” You can hear plates clattering quietly in the background, “Shit, that’s hot.” He mutters quietly.
Your fingers play with the edge of your throw blanket, focusing on the strings that lined the edge of the violet fabric. You draw in a deep breath, exhaling through your nose slowly, deciding to not beat around the bush.
“What do you think about David’s group?” You ask, tightening a string around the tip of your finger, feeling your heartbeat pulse as you tug a little harder “Like, do you think they’re dangerous?”
The other line was silent for a few seconds, before you heard a huff from your coworker, “Well, uh, I’d say they’re a good group. A little rough around the edges, sure, intimidating if you don’t know them.” Marshal replies, you could practically see him shrug, “But they’ve always been super chill around me. I’ve gone drinking with them a few times, haven’t seen ‘em start any shit.”
“Alright so with that being said, if David asked if I wanted a ride home again, and I happened to say yes, would you think I was stupid?” You couldn’t help but cringe at yourself, biting at the dry skin on your bottom lip.
“I mean,” He starts, “With Bradley out and about, I’d much rather you be with a group like David’s.” A soft chuckle filters through the phone, “They like you, always ask about you when you’re not around.” He hums quietly before continuing, “Plus you need friends.”
“Okay, no need to be a dick.” You laugh, feeling a little more reassured. “So you don’t think I should be worried? Y’know, with the shit I’ve heard about them, it’s just…” You trail off.
Marshal scoffed, “You know how people like to talk on the boardwalk. Nobody has a positive bone in their body over there.” He sighs, “I’ve known these guys for years, I wouldn’t be hanging around them if any of that shit was true.”
“I’d hope so.” You say, shaking your head and finally standing, beginning to shed your work clothes, “I don’t know, maybe I’ll have to try and get to know them a little more.”
“Wouldn’t hurt. Stop being so scared of living your life.”
“I’ll try. Thanks Marshal.” You grabbed a sleep shirt off the floor and quickly pulled it over your head, “And I’m gonna take your advice, I’m calling out. Maybe it’ll throw Bradley off his routine.” You say bitterly, “I might go to the boardwalk or something, see if my mom’s working.”
“No prob’ Bob. Be safe, and hey, call me if you need anything.”
Your shoulders slump when he hangs up, lifting a hand to rub your eyes sleepily, a yawn crawling up your throat once again.
The smell of grease clings to your skin, but you’re too exhausted to even think about showering right now. Instead you crawl under your covers, curling into yourself a little more before letting out a deep sigh, eyelids drifting shut.
Dreams curl around your vision soon after, lulling you further and further into a deep sleep. Quickly shifting images, faceless beings talking a language you couldn’t quite grasp, blurry backgrounds. Then, everything sharpens.
The scene itself was muted, quiet like a movie, allowing you to bask in the moment with the vaguely familiar man.
A finger glides delicately across your cheek, chilled skin barely grazing yours. A soft smile curled at the edges of his lips, bringing himself closer to whisper something. Your hand lightly pushes at his chest, laughing. His hand pushes back, lighter, but still initiating something you wouldn’t easily give up.
You were laying on the beach, waves almost brushing against your feet, play-fighting on the colorful blanket you laid out. Your giggles were muffled, pathetically battling against his strength, his fingers dancing across your sides as he tickled you.
He brought himself closer, his body becoming a shield against the sun as he lightly pinned your wrists to the blanket. A teasing smile lit up his features, his head dipping to place a feather light kiss on your cheek.
“You lose.”
Your eyelids flutter, fingers grasping tighter around your blanket as you feel a breeze sweep through your room. The sudden sound of a horn catching your attention, you jolt upwards in bed, scrambling for your phone to turn on the flashlight.
The curtains by your window flutter against the wind, making your heart rate spike. You knew it was closed before you went to bed, in fact you hadn’t even left it open all week, scared that Bradley would sneak in.
Your throat tightened as fear coursed through you.
Slowly you stood, turning on the light beside your door with shaky hands. Your eyes flicked to each corner of your room once, twice, then you sighed and locked your door. You even crouched to check underneath your bed, thankfully not seeing anything. Then your closet, nothing.
You walk over to the window, staring for a second before finally sliding it down, clicking the lock back in place.
The vague memory of your dream drifts away the second you lay back down in bed, turning over a few times before settling, mind racing. You couldn’t shake the feeling that someone was in your apartment, waiting for you to come out of your room.
You unlocked your phone to check the camera in your living room. It was something you set up a few months ago when you noticed rat droppings on your coffee table. A precautionary measure to make sure there wasn’t a furry little family running around after catching the first one.
Luckily, when you opened the app there were no rats or people.
Your living room was quiet, still. You checked the kitchen cam next, it was the same, then the front door. You carefully scrolled through recordings of the last three hours, thankfully coming up with nothing.
You exhale slowly, sinking further into your bed as your muscles relax. There was nobody in your home, there was nothing to worry about, you probably just left the window open without realizing. Those words continued to echo in your head, attempting to hammer in something that felt true.
Not even fifteen minutes away from your apartment Paul was crash-landing inside the cave. A strangled groan coming from his lips when he landed on his front, his face scraping against the rough floor.
“Jeez Paul, remind me to put a mattress down next time.” Michael jokes, nudging the blonde vampire with his shoe, “Cutting it a little close this time, man.”
“I wanted to make sure she was doin’ okay.” Paul mutters, eyes squeezing shut as he peels himself off the floor, rolling his shoulders once he’s finally on his feet, “I mean, did you hear her thoughts earlier? I felt kinda bad.”
“You guys gotta stay out of her head.” Star crossed her arms, hugging her shawl tighter, “It’s not fair, what if she catches on?”
“Hard to ignore when her thoughts are so loud. Plus she won’t catch on, are you kidding?” Paul defended with a scoff, “Have a little faith in me, guys, it’s not like we’re making her do anything against her will.”
“Yeah, wouldn’t wanna break David’s new moral code.” Michael jokes, “He’s such a good guy for not turning her against her will, right babe?” His elbow gently nudges the woman next to him. Star merely hums in response, trying to push down a smile.
“Oh fuck off, man. That was different and you know it.” Paul pushes against Michael’s shoulder, making the younger vampire laugh, “You gonna hold that over our heads forever?”
“I think I have every right to.” Michael argues, crossing his arms before smirking, “It’s entertaining.” He shrugs.
“You guys tryin’ to cook yourselves?” Dwayne called down to the three vampires, “Come on.”
Michael grabbed Paul by the neck, securing him in a headlock before flying towards their sleeping den. The blonde struggled against him in a mid-air battle, laughter echoing against the walls.
The two vampires slammed into the damp wall, just a foot away from the rest of their companions. The blonde finally had the upper hand, grabbing Michael by the ear and pulling until the brunette groans and surrenders.
“Okay, okay!” He whisper yells, hissing at his elder, “Let go of my fuckin’ ear, asshole.”
“Hah!” Paul pushes off Michael, kicking off his shoes and settling beside Marko, “Suck on that, Emerson.”
“Shut the fuck up, Paul.” David grumbles from where he was hanging, making the blonde giggle quietly.
Soon enough they were all in their designated spots. Slipping into a blissful death-like slumber, peacefully awaiting the moon to rise again.
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