𝖦𝖮𝖮𝖣𝖭𝖨𝖦𝖧𝖳 𝖭 𝖦𝖮 ❕RUDY PANKOW

𝐅𝐈𝐅𝐓𝐘

august 20th
maison's pov

ᴛɪᴍᴇ ғʟᴇᴡ ʙʏ the next week. i hadn't even noticed i was having so much fun. that was the bittersweet part. i leave for england next tuesday in order to join the last few scheduled weeks of filming for black widow. as excited as i was to see scarlett, my uncle, and tom, i didn't want to leave south carolina.

i'd created such significant bonds here it would be hard to leave them. and it seems i wasn't the only one thinking so.

rudy and austin had refused to leave my side all day. mads and drew as well. they were making it harder to leave.

"mads." i sighed in frustration. the dirty blonde kept scooping out folded clothes from my suitcases from where she sat on the floor beside them. rudy was laying on my bed above her, watching me, clutching onto my pillow as if it'd keep me from leaving.

austin knew how to really keep me here though. he was practically keeping anakin hostage. he knew i wouldn't leave without him.

"you're not leaving." mads replied simply.

as much as i love them, they're really starting to stress me out. i hadn't packed half of what i needed to and if they kept this up, i'd never make it to england and i'd probably lose my job.

"i have to." i emphasize. i return the stack of clothes to the suitcase but this time drew pulls them out. i was ready to give up.

i was exhausted from pulling an all nighter, alternating calls between my brothers and my parents, as well as working on a personal project of mine and putting some finishing touches to a score for outer banks. i also hadn't eaten anything and i'd been so busy packing that i haven't had the chance to stop for water either. at some point i felt my body overheating but i was desperate to finish what i needed to. i was stressing trying to get things done and my friends, as adorable as they were, were only making things worse.

speaking of overheating, i felt sweat gathering on my neck again. it was really hot in here.

"you don't." drew disagreed.

"yeah you could just stay here with us." austin adds from where he's buried in a blanket next to rudy. how on earth is he under that? it's so bloody hot!

"i can't." i whisper, unable to fathom a louder tone. my vision was sporting random black dots now. i tried to step forward but stumbled.

"mac?" austin voices wearily.

my body crumples and madelyn's surprised yelp is all i hear before i lose consciousness.

↯

when i woke up i was laying in my bed. maddie was hovering over me with worry swimming in her eyes.

"what the hell is wrong with you?!" she shouted, sounding genuinely upset. i winced at her volume, sitting up. i was wearing shorts instead of sweatpants yet i still felt sweaty and warm.

six different sets of footsteps came parading towards my room. austin squeezed through the doorway first. he stalked over to my bed and shoved a water bottle into my hands.

"drink this and do not argue with me." he ordered. i took it gratefully, surprising him. usually i'd be a bit more stubborn but i felt so drained i couldn't be bothered.

"what the hell happened?" mads questions. she sits beside maddie on my bed. she extends her hands towards my bare legs and i melt into her touch. she was so cold yet i could barely feel it.

"overexerted myself i guess." i responded. i shakily rose the plastic bottle to my lips and easily chugged half of it. my throat felt less scratchy now.

"you need to go back to sleep." jonathan butts in, sounding serious. i wonder when he got here. and chase and maddie?

i went to protest but all the boys immediately started talking over me, promising that if i slept they'd actually pack my stuff up instead of strewing it everywhere or hiding it like they have been for the past week.

i couldn't argue when i met austin's pleading eyes. i could see how bad i scared him and i felt awful.

"okay." i said softly. everyone let out a breath of relief.

"i'll stay with her." mads volunteers. i can't be bothered to argue as she slides up beside me and lays down, patting her chest. i'm almost certain she's wearing chase's shirt now that i look at it but i say nothing as i curl up beside her. i rest my head on her shoulder, curling my right arm to my chest and letting my left rest over her stomach.

chase ducks out of the room to grab some ice packs from the freezer while everyone else dispersed around my room. my eyelids felt heavy and my head was swimming with exhaustion. mads places her hands underneath my tee, scrunching her nose at something. i imagine my body was as hot as i felt it was.

chase returns with two ziplock baggies full of ice and waits until i get comfortable against mads before laying one on my neck and another underneath my shirt. they were bloody freezing but actually felt really nice.

austin takes a seat beside mads at the edge of the bed, getting to work on carefully filing music sheets away into a rather large binder. rudy however had opted for sitting criss-cross behind my legs, one hand extended and resting on my thigh. it was almost as if he was reassuring himself i was still here. he one-handedly started folding the shorts that maddie dropped in his lap.

they worked quietly and fluidly, glancing over at me ever so often before returning to their discussions. i was going to miss this relaxed environment so incredibly much.

i eventually fell asleep to my friends soft voices and rudy stroking my skin with his thumb.

. . .
gettin in these last few cute irl moments before they all separate 🥺