stick season.

kiara's not sure if jj's distinction really makes her feel any better or not. what's it matter how far they had gone? the fact that he had been with someone else at all cuts her all the same. and besides, for all she knows they had been on their way to his bedroom or the backseat of the twinkie to carry on so she doesn't say anything, instead just shaking her head and clenching her jaw. despite herself, she can't help the mental image of jj and someone else wrapped up together, a sick, sinking feeling accompanies the stinging behind her eyes.

he was fighting a losing battle within himself. the part of him that wanted this to happen — for kiara to be angry at him for fucking around, was losing against the part of him that could never handle seeing her upset. this is your fault though, the taunting voice behind his eyes was incessant, getting louder and louder. so loud that jj physically flinched, half expecting a punch from a man that wasn’t even there, but was still terrorizing him in his head. it didn’t matter that this is what he wanted. because he wanted her to be angry, not sad. he wanted her to hate him, not get emotional watching him stumble out of the bathroom with a girl he didn’t even know the name of.  so he didn’t know what he wanted her to think, so he ignored that question. focusing instead on the end.  “friends and — this is different.” he argued. “friends can take breaks from each other! pope takes breaks from me all the time…john b tells me to fuck off. but like when it’s the two of us the way we have been…” jesus christ, a new voice — god when did his mind stop being his own — this one sounded more like john b than his father at least, demanded just call her your girlfriend. that’s what she was. was. well he didn’t like the sound of that word when he was looking at kiara. damn, he really did fuck this all up. “you’d get tired of me,” he said, all fight leaving his voice as he looked anywhere but the big brown eyes he usually sought out in a room. “you’d get tired of me, and leave like everyone else that i love and i can’t…i can bounce back from luke. hell if ricky told me that i was a piece of shit and he never wanted to see me again, that would be fine. but you? you deciding that i’m not worth the effort would literally break me. so i guess i just tried to beat you to the punch because it’s easier than being worried about when you’d finally realize.”

PROMPTS FROM GHOSTBUSTERS (1984) *  assorted dialogue, adjust as necessary. who ya gonna call?

Summer smiled warmly as he texted the group. The blonde knew it was probably too soon for him to do anything. But, well, it's her birthday and she truly would want him there. Also, she figured he probably was bored out of his mind being as restless as he was recuperating. If only knowing him a little while, she could tell that about him at least. Plus just sitting around at the beach. He didn't have to drink, though she wouldn't stop him if he wanted to. "Excellent. Thank you. I hope they agree," she chortled softly. She nodded her head, her eyes and mouth a hint of amusement at his words. "Well, I did figure as much," she commented with a teasing lilt. A breath she didn't know she had been holding was expelled from her lips. Her eyes blinked rapidly at his agreement, mouth agape, "Oh...of course," as she took two steps forwards and embraced her arms around his good side. Careful not to squeeze too hard, on her tip-toes as he was a good couple of inches taller than her. Resting her chin on his shoulders. "Thank you, JJ," she murmured, as she broke the hug. "I'll..uh...I'll see you at my party, and not before. Wouldn't want you to get sick of seeing me or something," she added lamely, shaking her head. "You take it easy, alright? Remember what I said. I'm here if you need to get away from anything and everything," she said earnestly with a soft smile gracing her lips.

jj didn’t really shy away from physical affection with his friends, but the current state of one side of his body made it difficult. still, he wrapped an arm around summer’s shoulders and gave her a gentle squeeze. leaning back, jj nods softly. “yeah i’ll remember,” he assured, stifling a yawn as he leaned back against the counter again. “i appreciate it, y’know, you coming to visit. wouldn’t get sick of seeing you i just, am still a little messed up with the meds and stuff, y’know?” he clarified, not wanting her to think he was pushing her out the door. “but i’ll definitely see you at the party.”

A slight frown marred Summers' features before she quickly recovered, it was glaringly obvious just studying his features. Unable to stop the small smile from gracing her features as her eyebrows quirked in question. Doubting that to be true, but she didn’t want to overstep her boundaries. "If you say so," she answered knowingly with the shake of her head. She had probably overstayed her welcome already as it looked as if he wanted to be anywhere but with her. Although she could say he was probably tired and needed the rest, as her eyes caught him picking at his thumb. The blonde nodded eagerly with her smile widening. "Of course, I really would love it if you were there, and the others too," knowing he’s on a strict regime doesn’t mean he couldn’t have a little bit of fun, right? Even without alcohol. "Sure that’d be perfect thank you very much," she stated. Her hands reached to tuck a stray strand of hair behind her ears. "Great, well. I’ve probably took up enough of your time. So I’ll leave you to unpack the little that you have, and I’ll see you at my party?" she started to stand. "Can I give you a hug?" she asked out of the blue. Her eyes closed at how desperate she sounded, not to mention stupid as the awkwardness returned.

pulling out his phone, jj shot a text to kie and then the rest of the group chat about the party. the three dots on his chat with kiara popped up almost immediately. he knew what she was going to say. are you sure? because in reality he hasn’t done anything more strenuous than walking down the hall in a few days. but if he was going to get back to normal, he had to start doing normal things. which included ragers on the beach. “i let them know,” jj told summer — his sister, another thing he had to start getting used to in his new normal — as he pocketed his phone. “i’m sure they’re all down. hard to keep a pogue away from a party.” shifting his weight again an eyebrow arched up at summer’s question. “hm? oh. yeah of course,” he said, holding his right arm out to her. “just gotta stick to this side,” he admitted with a quiet laugh.  

Summer truly appreciated her adoptive parents she really did. Despite going through a manic and slightly destructive phase towards them, not fitting in and constant arguing over the past years. They had treated her kindly and never laid a hand upon her. Even though she probably deserved it for what she put them through. The blonde had come to an understanding with them after the truth despite being hurt for kept hidden when she could’ve spent years getting to know JJ if they were aware. She nodded and smiled shyly at his words. A low giggle escaped at his short while that may be the case. "Bless, it’s okay what would they do without you if you weren’t the way you are? They love you for it, I’m sure. Never dull or boring with you," she teased. "Are you sure you don’t want sit down?" she questioned as she noticed him shift to his good side. He had to have been in pain standing. "Yeah, it falls on the Friday so that’s good. I’m thinking perhaps my parents could do without the carnage as to what transpired last year," she chuckled at the memories. While the alcohol was flowing they certainly didn’t appreciate broken windows and ornaments. "Do you…. Would you like to come? I can also invite the others. Nothing too mental this time. It’ll just be on the beach to so you can relax all you want? A change of scenery from the hospital and this place," she offered.

luke told me plenty what he’d do without me… it was sitting there, on the tip of his tongue, but jj swallowed it back. there was enough melancholy in the air for right now, and he didn’t remind anyone about how his adopted — was he even officially adopted? knowing so little about his own life was starting to make his head spin -- father treated him. so instead he just shook away her concern. “nah, ‘s alright. i should probably keep standing y’know? get the strength back.” it was almost the exact opposite of what his doctor said but hey, the only one that was in that room with the doctor and this room right now, was jj. and he wasn’t about to snitch on himself. picking at a hangnail on his thumb, jj raised an eyebrow. “wait really? yeah that would be cool…” he wasn’t really sure he could drink, but a party was a party. “i can tell kie and everyone else if that works.”