#jacksonjonesthread

he doesn't like being someone that breaks a promise, but there hasn't seemed the right time to approach the sore subject of jack cross. he can see it behind sophia's eyes, the diminishing respect whenever they pass one another and it's clear that jj hasn't found the right moment to stay true to his word. he can see the complexities of it all, what the cross pack are going through and also what their nature is like. jj can practically predict that this will be a path that heads nowhere. but, when he leaves his bedroom to see his father sitting alone, there isn't much to tell him that this is a bad time. the opportunity presents itself too clearly and jj frowns to himself as he takes a seat at the table. "there's been something i've been meaning to talk to you about. since adam's lake." which now feels like a lifetime ago, despite everybody noticing how it's stayed with tammie and nora every day. "it's about sophia. well, it's about jack. and i just..." needs his father's advise over anybody else's. "to be honest, i know how this is gonna go but i said i'd talk to you so i'm...finally doing what i said i'd do." @manybcdthings

"i don't know what to say, eli. they didn't invite you." jj repeats about the get together at the cross cabins. he isn't sure how he's managed to trail his brother along this joke for so long, considering he's far more disinterested in the cross pack than elijah is. "guess they just didn't have enough space or something. or maybe you've done something." he raises his brow then, because if elijah has already fallen hook line and sinker than he may as well make the most of it. "have you!?" jj squints accusingly to eli, leaning forward in his seat as if attempting to read his brother's every reaction. "you can tell me, i won't tell dad. unless it's serious, then i have to. what you do? have too much of a long look at one of their women? considering they're cross possessions or whatever the fuck goes through their heads." @waterfallswords

"jesus christ." jj sighs, long and agitated once ryan and tammie are a decent distance from him and nora. he finishes up packing supplies into his pack, squinting to the escaping ryan. in silence, he swipes the rifle from his shoulder and aims down it's sights, right at the back of the cross' head. "clear shot, nor. just say the words." he chuckles but ultimately the gun is lowered and slung back over his shoulder before he throws down the boot of the car. only then does jj take the moment to look through the town. his eyes land on a rather obvious first stop, a happier chuckle escaping as he points to the worn sign. BAR. "gotta restock since those assholes fucked that up too." he elbows his sister as he walks with a steady stride. "do me a favor, nora." he then says, looking at her and waiting for her to join his side. "be the sister that isn't an idiot." @ofwrxth

"come on, we gotta get you good." jj taps nora on her shoulder, a little harder than he should've before he gestures towards the pool table. "can't have two sisters who suck at this, it's embarrassing." he adds with a smile, grabbing her a stick and passing it over. "please for the love of god tell me you know how to set up." he points to the scattered balls and then the rack and while nora gets to work a few men who have tried lingering near the table begin to get closer. jj smiles at them at first, keeping himself with a tall and unmovable posture. "yeah, easy huh?" he teases nora when she's finished, eyes remaining on the men before he looks to her. "go on then, you get a free two moves 'cause i'm feeling nice." @ofwrxth

"i told you, it was electrical." jj gloats to his sister's face, voice straining as he fixes back a few seats in the car. "maybe one day you'll stop running your mouth and listen a little." he rubs a little salt in the wound by turning the key to reveal the engine lights no longer flickering. "usually damn electrics are the problem. barely get to jack up a car anymore and get our hands dirty. surprised nasa don't hire us the amount of wires we play around with. or the bomb squad." he rambles, walking away from the garage to have a nice cigarette after five minutes of work. @blackheartatl

"you know, this place has decent priced drinks right?" jj flicked his finger over the collection of empty glasses on the table and he smiles mischieviously to the occupant of the chair. "nobody comes to the phoenix because they're sober." he adds and then thinks a little, drooping over the back of the opposite seat. "well, if they do they're a fuckin' idiot." he laughs. "what can i get you? and don't say no thanks, because this is for everyone else as much as it is you. we're all sick of lookin' at a miserable asshole."

"urgh, jesus." jj groans as he rolls out of the truck and slams the door behind him, heaving tired bones to the back. he can hear elijah not far behind him, but he nods to their father instead. "new rule, eli can't have spicy meat feast pizza from roma's before i have to sit in the fucking truck with him for longer than five minutes. write it down." he laughs to ethan, giving a side glance to his younger brother afterwards. "you probably farted about fifty times man, i lost count after twenty. even i stink right now." he complains, already unfastening the ties so they can start hauling the parts out. "when's tammie coming back? it's that bad that i'd rather be sat with her talking non stop." @manybcdthings @waterfallswords

"should've kept your mouth shut." is typically great advice. just a shame it never actually works with any of the joneses. jj included, obviously. he's not exactly built for shutting up, so what starts as some idiot in a truck cutting him off turns into him leaning out the window, running his mouth like that's ever made anything better. shouting, swearing, the whole thing. and then, because he didn't bother looking properly, there's more than one of those assholes in the truck. it goes to shit pretty quick after that. not even in a dramatic way. just messy, stupid. center hill written all over it, like none of them even know what a proper fight is. fits getting caught wrong, stumbling and shoving and jj realizing halfway through that he's outnumbered and still not backing off, which is…a choice. a bad one, turns out.

by the end of it he's got cuts, bruises, a couple gashes across his face that are already starting to sting now the adrenaline's wearing off. it looks worse than it felt at the time, which is saying something. but he doesn't mention any of it when he walks into the autobody shop. not even a hint. jackson jones just acts like this is how his face normally looks. like he didn't just get his shit rocked ten minutes ago. maybe his sister won't notice. (yeah, that makes sense. tammie is suddenly blind and also not-nosey)