#protective!jj

"Hey JJ!" Act normal, act normal, act normal.

"Hey Princess!" JJ's voice was upbeat; moreso than she anticipated it being at least, and she relaxed back into her desk chair.

She breathed a sign of relief, and glanced upwards. "Hey! What's up?"

"Oh, not much, not much. Just the usual, ya know. Workin'. Surfin'. Fishin'. The fun stuff."

Sarah smiled at how little it took for JJ to be content. As long as the day included one of the last two options, he'd be happy.

"Good! What're you doing right now?"

"Uhh, fishin' currently."

"That sounds like fun."

"Well-" there was a pause. "I was fishin' down here at the dock, but I'm not having any luck so I think I'm gonna be done for the day."

"Well that's alright. There's always tomorrow, right?"

"Yeah." JJ sounded detatched.

She gave it a couple seconds in case he was distracted by packing his tackle box up, but after he sighed, Sarah guessed he was building up to the reason he had actually called.

"What's up JJ." It was a question, but she phrased it as a statement.

One of the things JJ had always liked about Sarah Cameron was that usually she didn't beat around the bush too much. She could tell he wanted to talk about something, and she didn't want to waste time waiting on small talk.

JJ chuckled to himself. "It's like you know me or somethin'."

It was her turn to laugh. "I'd say I know you more than most people, JJ. Seriously, though, you sound like you've got something on your mind."

"When are you comin' home again?"

She wasn't sure if this was his attempt at a diversion, or if there was a reason he was asking.

"Umm," she hesitated in any case, flipping through her planner that was sitting open next to her laptop, and tried to find a weekend when she could drive in. "I might be able to come in two weeks? Maybe next week but it's going to depend on when my study group meets."

JJ made a sound that came across as a mix of pained and disappointed.

"Why? What's going on, JJ?" The line was silent for a couple seconds. "Do you need me to come home?"

She heard him sigh in defeat before he finally admitted: "I think so."

"Okay." It was a Thursday currently, and since she only had one class on Friday, it wouldn't be the end of the world if she skipped to go home. Especially if one of her best friends (who normally never admitted when they needed anything) was saying they needed her. "What happened, JJ? Are you okay?"

"Me? Yeah. Yeah, no, I'm good. I just--" Sarah could imagine how his hand would be rubbing the back of his head as he struggled to come up with words. "I'm worried about John B."

And there it was.

Sarah's body jolted as she thought of all the potential things that would cause JJ to be worried about his best friend enough to ask her to come home. "What happened, JJ."

"Look, it's nothing serious I guess." As he explained, she already was grabbing a bag from under her bed and packing to leave. "You know how he gets mopey whenever you're not around, right?"

She did know, because the rest of the pogues loved to tease him relentlessly about it. "Yeah?"

"Yeah well this isn't exactly like that."

"Explain."

"Okay, well usually he just gets quiet for the first few days after you leave, and then all it takes is a good surf day to get him back to normal, ya know. And now he just--doesn't really have any interest in doing anything. And I don't know if it's because he misses you, or maybe he's just really upset about something, or something happened, I don't know. He won't talk to me. But if he won't talk to me, my only other hope is that he'll talk to you."

Her mind was running a mile a minute. "Okay. Where is he now?" She moved her bags beside the door, and quickly cleared off her desk.

"When I came down to the dock about half an hour ago, he was still in bed," he continued, "I tried to get him to come down and fish with me, or at least sit out here so I could get him outside, but he just isn't interested. And I don't know what to do, Sarah."

She nodded, though she knew he couldn't see her. "I know, J. I'm leaving right now, and I'll be home in a couple hours."

"Really?!" The relief that flooded JJ's voice sent Sarah's heart into overdrive again. Knowing that he was that concerned didn't comfort her rising anxiety any, but either way, she knew she would feel better once she could see her boyfriend.

  “But I don’t want to get in an overcrowded pool with a bunch of Kooks.” JJ grunted, trying to type a text to John B to see if the group was almost to Y/n’s house to pick them up. Though JJ was the designated driver for the party (he drew the short straw), he still needed the van in order to cart all The Pogues home at the end of the night. Y/n groaned, plunking herself down on the bed beside him, her hands still gripping his arm. 

  “You don’t have to get in the pool! I don’t want to get in the pool either, but I am still wearing a bathing suit!” JJ looked up from his phone and gave his pouting girlfriend a look. That was the thing about their relationship, it even surprised JJ. It downright scared him when he started to have feelings for Y/n. At first, he didn’t know what had happen to make him want a relationship, but then he realized that there was just something about her. Something that made him want to spend every waking second with her, want to protect her. 

  “Why does it matter if I wear the swim trunks you bought me or not?” He asked, locking his phone and setting it on the bed beside him. She shrugged, one hand sliding down to pick play with his fingers, her eyes locked on them. They had been friends for a good year before they started dating, their feelings having come to light when the great treasure hunt ensued. That meant they could read each other decently well. Having gone through that together while their relationship was blooming into a romantic one made them more perceptive to each other. As he sat there, watching her play with his fingers, he could tell that she was bashful about the reason. 

  “Because I think you’d look really hot in them.” She mumbled, her cheeks heating up. She tucked her chin closer to her chest, wanting to make sure JJ didn’t see her red cheeks, but even without seeing her face, he knew she had the adorable redness flooding her cheeks and nose. He didn’t even try to fight the smile as he watched her try to avoid his gaze while playing it cool. 

  “Alright, if that’s what you really want, I’ll wear the trunks.” He agreed. He knew that he would have ended up putting them on before they left, not matter how much he ‘fought’ against it. She snapped her head up to look at him, her eyes wide and happy. 

  “Yay,” She celebrated with a little bounce. “Now, can I bother you for one teeny tiny favour?” She asked sweetly, taking her hand from his to pinch her pointer finger and thumb together so that they were just barely touching. JJ hummed, reaching his hand up to grab her hand back, entangling their fingers together. 

  “Any thing for you, Pretty Girl.” He nodded, rubbing his thumb across her soft skin gently. The action felt nice on her hand but also sent tingles shooting up her arm, giving her a fuzzy feeling. 

  “I need advice on my bathing suit, I put it on earlier, but now I don’t know about it,” She paused, standing up, trying to free her hand reluctantly. JJ’s hand held firm, not wanting to let her hand go until it was completely necessary. Giving up, she settled with standing between his legs as he stayed sitting. “Is it too much?” She asked nervously, popping the buttons on her high-waisted jean shorts before letting them slide down her legs. Next came the shirt, leaving her in her rather racy bathing suit. 

  “Too much of what?” JJ asked, confused since there wasn’t too much of anything. It was a bathing suit. A normal bathing suit like all of her others. 

  “Too skimpy,” She clarified, turning her head to glance at the full body mirror by the foot of her bed. “This is by far the most scandalous bathing suit I own, but Kie and Sarah convinced me to buy it last week and I don’t want to not wear it, ya know?” She rambled, inspecting it. The stringy bikini was gorgeous and totally for relaxing poolside, not for swimming. The colour of it complemented her skin, but she couldn’t shake the feeling that she was showing too much. 

  “Why would you even think that? You look gorgeous in it,” JJ’s eyebrows knitted together. “I don’t get where you think it’s too ‘skimpy’? I mean, it covers everything,” He questioned, his eyes scanning over his girlfriend. She looked absolutely stunning. He grabbed her other hand as it picked at the strings tying her top up. She looked down at him, her eyes meeting his captivating blue eyes. “You look amazing in it. Does it make you uncomfortable?”

  “No, I actually really like it. I feel amazing in it,” She answered quickly. “But I don’t want guys staring at me and coming up to me all night. I just want to go and have fun with you and the others, not fend guys off with a stick.” She grunted, bending her knees to sit on one of JJ’s legs, her knees poking into the other one. He let go of her hands, wrapping his arms around her waist to make sure she didn’t fall off. 

  “I get that, but you don’t have anything to worry about. I’ll be right by your side the entire night,” He reassured. “And if I’m not right by you, I won’t be anymore than ten feet away. If some asshole comes up to you, I’ll take care of him. Anything as long as you get to wear what you want to the party, deal?” His eyebrows bounced as he calmed her down. 

  “Deal, but I get to wear your shirt.” She bargained, her hands gripping his open button up. It was a nice black one, though it was ratty, it was still her favourite button up of his. He glanced down at it. She was always taking it, leaving him to snatch it back by stuffing it in his overnight bag when he left. He had just gotten it back two weeks ago when he had to wash it. He knew that her attempts of stealing it were coming, but he would have thought she’d be a little bit more subtle about it. 

  “Whatever you want, Princess.” He pressed a kiss to her lips before sliding her off his lap to stand up, grabbing the swim trunks from the bed. 

 _____________________________________________________________________

  The party certainly was in full swing. Coke was on the tables, people handing off wads of cash towards the smug guy who brought it. John B and Sarah were already sloshed and they had only been there for an hour and a half. Kie had only one beer, but was currently sharing a blunt with John B and Sarah while Pope nursed his second beer. Y/n and JJ were standing off to the side, Y/n’s back pressed against the living room wall, JJ’s hand pressed into the wall by her head. He sipped at his water bottle while she finally had her first beer of the night. She didn’t like getting intoxicated, especially not when JJ was sober. She wanted to talk to her boyfriend, not make a complete fool out of herself. 

  “Can you believe that Pope is actually drinking more than one beer tonight? I think I even saw him try a hit of the blunt.” Y/n asked JJ, proud of her uptight friend for finally letting loose. Dating Kie has been such a good thing for him, he’s gotten so much more relaxed. JJ glanced over his shoulder, still hovering over his girlfriend. 

  “’Atta boy, Pope,” He hollered over the thumping music, tossing his empty water bottle to the floor and rising his now free fist in the air to fist pump. Pope sending him a ‘Whoop’ and a fist pump back from where he sat on the fancy leather couch. “Princess, I need to go get another water bottle. You want to come with me or sit with the others?” He asked, holding her hand gently while his other one slid off the wall. 

  “You go, I’ll sit with the inebriated and keep them company.” She smiled up at him, pressing a kiss to his cheek. The two of them glanced over at their friend group as they laughed loudly about something. Their intoxicated minds finding the smallest things funny. 

  “If you’re sure,” JJ looked back at Y/n wanting to make sure she was completely okay with him grabbing another drink. She nodded, a wide smile on her face at his protectiveness. “Okay, I’ll be there in like five seconds, ten tops. Love you.” He rushed, bouncing out of her sight in an effort to rush back to her. She laughed, shaking her head before taking a sip of her beer. Making her way towards the group falling all over each other with laughter, she suddenly felt the weight of eyes burning into her back. 

  Glancing behind her, she didn’t see anyone staring at her. Shrugging it off, she continued her short walk, sitting down next to John B who didn’t even notice her presence yet. “Hey, Y/n, where’s JJ?” Pope asked, noticing only one half of the duo joining them. John B looked beside him, his eyes lighting up at the sight of his best friend’s girlfriend. 

  “Getting another water bottle, he’ll be here in a sec.” She told him, downing the rest of her beer, not wanting to set it down anywhere. John B slung his arm around Y/n’s shoulders, using the hand holding his own solo cup to point at her. 

  “She sleeps with my best friend, but not only does she do that, but she also makes him happy,” John B slurred, nearly poking Y/n in the face by accident. “Like, really happy - happier than I’ve ever seen him,” John B took his arm off Y/n creating big gestures with his hands as he talked. Dodging his flailing arms, Y/n smiled at his drunken sweetness. “I think that JJ might marry her someday, then everyone will know that they have sex!” John B carried on, making Y/n’s cheeks flare up. 

  “Hey, John B, Imma go get you a water, actually-” Pope paused, glancing at the group. Through he was slightly tipsy, he still knew that he needed to be more responsible for the ones who were way passed tipsy. “I’m gonna get you all a water, want one, Y/n?” He asked, knowing that she was probably in much better shape than him, but he also knew that she shouldn’t be venturing off into the crowd alone, let alone her being comfortable to do so. 

  “Sure! Thanks Pope!” She smiled, Pope returning the gesture before heading off the same direction JJ went off in. John B started to talk loudly to Sarah, the two in their conversation while Kie rattled off about Microplastics in the ocean, nobody really listening to her. A hand landing on her shoulder was odd, since JJ never walked up behind her at a party and touched her from behind, always wanting her to know that it was him and not some creep. That’s why her blood seemed to still in her body at the hand. 

  “Looks like you could use some better company.” Someone spoke, sliding into the spot next to her, his arm resting around her shoulders much like John B’s had seconds before. She glanced at him, everything about him screaming Touron, especially since he thought hitting on her would get him anywhere. Thought their relationship surprised every local, that still meant that they all knew about it. 

  “No, I’m really okay. These are my friends, also, by boyfriend and my other friend will be back in a couple of seconds, but if you’re looking for someone to talk to, there is a lot of Lacrosse players over there playing Beer Pong.” She pointed towards the herd of boys playing Beer Pong on the grand mahogany dinning table. The Touron glanced over there, his slicked back hair catching the light with the amount of gel he had in it. He pulled a face, shrugging and tightening his arm around her shoulders. 

  “I don’t know, I think you’d be better company,” He denied, obviously not taking the hint. Instead, he just stomped on the hint and punted it into the world’s farthest dumpster. “Besides, I don’t really think you have a boyfriend, you’re probably just telling me that so I leave you alone.” 

  “I can assure you, I am telling the whole truth when I tell you my boyfriend is going to be right back. And I do want you to leave me alone, that’s why I said ‘no’ earlier.” She remarked, her voice biting. He scoffed, rolling his eyes as he dramatically looked around. 

  “I certainly don’t see anyone coming ‘right back’,” He mocked, air-quoting her words. She huffed, rolling her eyes. “So I really don’t think you were telling me the truth about you boyfriend, Sweetheart-” 

  “Well, prepare to be proven wrong,” A new voice joined the conversation, the two of them looking to the side where there was a space at the corner of the two couches. There stood JJ, he dumped the two water bottles he held into Pope’s hands. Pope stood slightly behind JJ, looking rather nervous about what was going to happen as he dropped the bottles to the couch kie was laid out on. “Meet the boyfriend who’s now back and wanting you to leave before you leave with a limp.” He threatened the posh boy. 

  “So what? She wasn’t lying about the boyfriend, but can she really except not to be hit on when wearing that kind of a bikini,” He asked, speaking as if he was the victim being harassed. JJ’s knuckles cracked as he clenched them into a fist, his nostrils flaring, his eyes lighting up with anger. Even in their drunken and high daze, John B, Kie, and Sarah looked up with nervous eyes, watching the events unfolding. “And how can you be mad when you’re the one who left her alone after you let her leave the house wearing it?” He asked, Pope cringed, know what that comment ignited in JJ. Y/n watched, her mouth hanging open when he implied that she was JJ’s property. 

  “I see you’ve made your choice,” JJ spoke with a voice so calm that it scared the group. They had never heard his voice so calm in a situation like this. It was normally aggressive and raspy, strained from him trying to suppress his anger. It was as if he didn’t have anger issues and he was going to deal with this rationally. Just as the group was questioned what the blonde’s next moves were going to be, he lunged forward, gripping the collar of the guys polo, his fist connecting to his nose with a loud crack. “Did you really expect me not to break your nose being that much of a dick? You can’t be mad that your buddies aren’t here to protect you if they left you alone!” JJ’s normal aggressive voice returned, his fist painted with the guy’s blood as he sent blow after blow to the guy’s face. 

  “JJ! JJ! He’s had enough! This isn’t worth getting arrested again! JJ,” Y/n pleaded with her angry boyfriend, seeing him slamming the preppy boy against the wall, scarlet blood dropping to the dark hardwood floors of the house. “JJ,” She tried again, her voice scratchy from yelling so loud. “Pope! Help me grab his arm!” She called, a crowd forming to watch the fight. She knew John B was still too drunk to be able to help. Pope rushed towards JJ, the pair grabbing his arm when he went to power up another punch. 

  “Come on, man! We gotta go!” Pope called, but JJ stomped his foot into the Prep’s foot, a strangled scream leaving the Prep’s mouth as the tiny bones in his foot cracked. 

  “JJ! Stop!” Y/n yelled, tugging on the arm she clutched to her. JJ, having just sent a harsh kick to the shin of the opposite leg that he had just stepped on, glanced at her. Her eyes pleaded with him to stop as she tugged on his arm once again. He couldn’t help but compare her to earlier that night. Her arms were wrapped around his like they were right them, she shook it, just like she was doing right then, but her eyes were different. Earlier, they were light and big, resembling a puppy dog. Now, her eyes were wide and nervous, scared that he’d get in trouble over her - knowing that the Prep was no match for him. 

  “Let’s get out of here,” JJ nodded. his heart was still thumping with pure fury, but he knew he needed to walk away for her. She nodded, letting go of his arm, thinking he was completely done. “You get the others, I’ll be right there-” He didn’t even wait a second before he sent his knee into the Prep’s groin, hitting him square on. A loud ‘humph’ left the guy as he tried to double over, but JJ held him up by his polo collar. “You touch my girl, I break you. You try to press charges, I finish the job without her here to stop me, deal?” He hissed in a low voice. 

  “JJ! Stop and come,” Y/n ordered, realizing what her boyfriend was still fighting. JJ’s eyes hardened at the lack of response from the scared Prep, making him nod frantically. Once JJ’s hands left his collar, the boy crumpled to the ground, groaning in pain. “Let’s go, someone probably called the cops - the drug dealers took off.” She alerted JJ, Pope already trying to get the other three to follow him towards the van. Y/n grabbed JJ’s hand, pulling him through the watchful crowd. 

  The run to the van was all Pope, Y/n, and JJ trying to get the other three to run, basically pulling them along behind them. Once they were in the van though, that was another story. Tires squealing as JJ pulled off, speeding down the road, Y/n sitting in the passenger seat as she gripped on for dear life, and the other four being tossed around. “I’m sorry for leaving you for so long, someone decided to take an ice bath in the cooler, it took three of us to pull him out because his ass got stuck.” JJ spoke up, his voice soft. The van was quiet as eyelids became heavy in the back. Y/n looked over at him, his speed slowing once they got into Pogue territory. 

  “It’s okay, JJ. You protected me, though you went a little over and beyond, but none-the-less, you still protected me. Just like you promised,” Her voice was just as soft, the couple sharing a sweet moment. Cruising down the street, JJ couldn’t help but look over at her. “But, next time, please take yourself into account, Jay. It’s really not worth getting arrested again.” She pleaded. 

  “What are you talking about? Your safety is totally worth getting arrested for. I’d rather get arrested protecting you than you getting hurt. I would lose my mind if you got hurt.” He argued. She perked an eyebrow at him, but he didn’t see it since he turned his head to glance in front of them before looking back at her. 

  “And what happened back there wasn’t you losing your mind,” She asked. He shook his head, a light smile on his face as the air became lighter. “No matter that, how about we make a deal? You learn when to walk away and, to help you learn, every time you walk away from a fight - you get a little treat. How does that sound? We got a deal?” She proposed with a suggestive eyebrow wiggle. JJ chuckled, taking one hand off the wheel to attach to her thigh, squeezing it affectionately. 

  “We got a deal.” He agreed, his blue eyes pouring all his love and affection into hers. It was like they were the only ones in the van. JJ’s heart swelled with love so much that it throbbed painfully, feeling like it was ready to burst with all the love being confined within it. Their moment was quickly interrupted by Pope sticking his head between the seats, breaking their eye contact. 

  “Yeah, as cute and sickening this moment between you two is, I would still like to get to John B’s in one piece. So, eyes on the road, Maybank!” He exclaimed, pointing to the empty road. JJ huffed, setting his eyes on the dark road ahead, leaving his hand on Y/n’s thigh. 

  “Fine, but Y/n and I call the spare room!” JJ announced to Pope who settled in the back once again. Pope groaned, kicking himself that he hadn’t called dibs on it sooner. 

  “You two always get the spare! Kie and I get it next time.” Pope bargained, his tone low. 

  “Deal.” JJ smirked, shooting Y/n a wink, flashing his crossed fingers while still keeping them from Pope’s sight. 

JJ held the door open for her to enter first, calling out a quick "Hey JB!" as they both entered the hallway.

As they moved toward the living room, Sarah realized she didn't know what to expect. She'd be lying if she said her heart rate didn't jump in nervous anticipation to see her boyfriend. She'd missed him of course, but her trip home was unexpected, and she wasn't sure what to expect as she rounded the corner.

To her relief, there sat her boyfriend. In all his curly-haired, freckle-faced glory. She was surprised how... normal... he looked. The mental picture she'd painted for herself after hearing JJ's concerns of a sickly frail person quickly evaporated as she realized: he was still John B.

The boy in question looked up from the television as he heard the footsteps stop, his face instantly breaking into a smile as he laid eyes onto the girl that was his whole world.

"Sarah!" He jumped off the couch and closed the distance between them, crushing her in a hug that she hadn't realized she needed. "What're you doing here?!"

Her breath was taken away so she could only laugh.

"I didn't know you were coming!" He pulled back, running his hand along the side of her head, his smile still radiating from his face as he looked between his girlfriend and best friend who stood behind her.

JJ raised a finger. "Well, I did."

"You did? You guys surprised me?"

JJ made a face. "Weeeeeeeell..."

"Not exactly." Sarah admitted.

John B's eyebrows furrowed together in confusion. "What do you mean?"

JJ made a beeline for the back door and called, "I'll be out back if you need me!" as he shut it behind him.

Sarah rolled her eyes. "He's being a bit dramatic."

"Yeah, what else is new?" He took her hand in his and led her to sit with him on the couch. He pulled her legs over his lap, and turned the TV off before giving his girlfriend his full attention. "So, you didn't surprise me?"

"Well, technically I did, because you didn't know I was coming. But..." she became focused on playing with a loose string on her shorts, "JJ actually asked me to come back."

"He did? Why?" He could tell she was nervous, so he ran a hand up and down one of her legs.

"He was worried about you." She chanced a look at him, and saw he looked confused. He said as much.

"I'm confused."

"Don't get upset, okay?" She rubbed his arm, as if it could will him not to.

"I'm not upset. You're here, how could I possibly be upset with that?" He leaned in to kiss her forehead.

"JJ called me earlier today and asked if I would come home. He said you haven't been yourself lately." John B looked even more confused, so she continued. "He said you've barely left your bed, you won't go fishing or surfing anymore, and you won't talk to him." He didn't respond, but he still ran his fingers up and down her calf, so she continued. "He just wanted to make sure you were okay. So I came home because I needed to make sure you were okay."

"Sarah, I'm fine."

She gave him a look that said she didn't believe him.

"I'm more than fine. Especially now that you're here."

She still wasn't convinced. "I need you to be honest with me, John B."

"I am!"

"So you haven't been laying in your bed all day, and haven't barely left the house?"

"I mean..." When he sat back and really thought about it, he guessed he had been in bed more recently, but it was only because he had felt more tired. And sure he hadn't gone fishing and surfing very much in the past week. Or had it been two weeks?

"I guess," he tried again thinking of how the time had slipped away from him. "I guess I didn't realize. The weeks just kind of have blurred together. I didn't realize I hadn't been out in awhile."

Sarah remained quiet as he worked through his thoughts.

"But it's never been a conscious thing. I've just been working, and then when I'm off work I come home and relax. On my days off I'm just content to stay in bed and chill."

"But you're withdrawing, and not doing the things that used to bring you enjoyment."

"I mean, I guess so, yeah, but--" he paused, to think through his next words, but they didn't come.

"You know those are the first signs of depression?" Of course he did. She knew it, and so did he. After the shit show that their lives had been from the ages of 16-18, and the trauma that they had to work through (both them and their friends), of course they knew the beginning signs of depression.

"I'm not depressed, Sarah."

"It's okay if you are." She offered sincerely.

"No, I know it is. I meant--I don't feel depressed. I've just been feeling..." again, he searched for a word applicable enough, "underwhelmed, I guess."

It was Sarah's turn to look confused. "Underwhelmed?"

"Yeah. It's like, I'm just kind of--here. Ya know? I've just been caught up in this cycle of working and coming home. It's kind of drained me. And with you and everyone else being gone, besides JJ of course, I've just been... underwhelmed and going through the motions lately"

"Hmm." Sarah took a couple moments to sit with that thought.

"But I'm definitely overwhelmed with happiness now that you're here!" He moved his body so he faced her more, causing them both to smile. "I think I just needed something to shake things up a bit."

"And I'm the proverbial mixer in this scenario?" She joked with him.

"You are." He leaned in to kiss her tenderly, so legitimately happy that he couldn't help but smile. "You've been mixing my life up ever since I met you, Sarah Cameron."

"What a boring life it'd have been if I hadn't intervened."

"I know! Think of the horror that it would've been!"

"I think JJ would've taken over that role pretty readily I didn't."

"He definitely would have." They laughed thinking of their sometimes chaotic best friend.

Sarah segued as she stood up from the couch. "Speaking of JJ." She offered a hand out to help him up. "I think we should go inform him that yours truly has fixed the issue, and there's no need to be concerned."

He stood up and hugged her to his chest again. "We should."

"You know he only cares about you." She offered sincerely, wrapping her arms around his back.

"I do." He leaned back enough to kiss her forehead. "And he got you here, so I have to thank him for that, too."

"John B." Sarah rolled her eyes at him.

"I'm serious! I think all I needed was a pick me up."

"So now I'm a mixer, and a cup of coffee?!"

"Listen. You make the best cup of coffee."

She rolled her eyes again. "Let's go see if JJ wants to go for a boat ride."

"Yeah! We can go get dinner somewhere!" His excitement was clearly genuine.

"Maybe I did just need to come home for you to get out of this funk."

"I think you might need to come home more often."

Cheeky bastard.

It all started a few days ago at the Boneyard; another wild party, another night of teenage debauchery. On that particular night JJ had road in on his bike to show off to the pretty Touron girls and offer rides to those who were interested. By that point Kiara was already well past her limit in alcohol consumption, and it was only in her inebriated state that she could admit to herself that JJ looked pretty fantastic up on that dirt bike; brazenly confident in his abilities and skill while putting on a show for a captivated audience.

Kiara started to think that she wouldn’t mind emulating some of that bravado for herself, so when she asked JJ a few days later in the hammock with a shared joint between her lips if he’d be willing to teach her how to drive it, it was an impulsive request fuelled by that thrilling thought that had stuck with her since that night at the party.

JJ had emphatically agreed, of course, and his wild enthusiasm only bolstered Kiara’s expectations. So when the two of them headed out the next morning on the property behind the Chateau, Kiara had high hopes for learning a new skill of her own.

JJ turned out to be a pretty good teacher. He made his instructions clear and easy to follow, was patient with her questions, and offered heaps of praise for the smallest of accomplishments while somehow managing not to come off as patronizing. He even jogged along beside her just in case when Kiara started giving it a little more gas and was able to steer herself forward in a semi-straight line.

Once she got the basics of it down Kiara started having fun, and if the grin and excited hooping and hollering from JJ when she took off (albeit slowly) on her own for the first time was any indication, he was having just as good a time as she was, which only made her stupid injury all the more disheartening.

The whole incident happened so quickly that Kiara only had time to call out what was happening before it was already too late for her to correct it. One second she was climbing off the bike with the proudest smile on her face—feeling like a total badass—and the next the bike was tipping towards her, forcing her to the ground, and landing directly on her left leg. 

Kiara cried out as the weight of the bike pinned her down and pain immediately shot through her foot. JJ, who had been standing a ways back to observe her progress, rushed over in concern and quickly lifted the bike off her, but the damage had already been done.

Now they were here, with Kiara’s arm wrapped around JJ’s shoulder and his around her waist; the two of them sniping at and blaming each other as they tried (and failed) to sync up their steps so they could walk together, while the now offending dirt bike was left abandoned somewhere behind them. Even with JJ supporting most of her weight Kiara could feel the painful ache in her left ankle grow in intensity with every uncoordinated step they took together towards their destination.

So much for having fun.

“This is just great, JJ. You know I have a shift at The Wreck tomorrow. What am I going to do now that you've crippled me?”

“Being a little dramatic aren’t we?” JJ spoke in a dry tone.

“No,” she snapped at him.

Yes.

It wasn’t like the pain was unbearable, but Kiara didn’t mind exaggerating a bit in order to inflict a sense of guilt—no matter how ineffective her methods appeared to be.

“You’re the worst,” Kiara groused, the scowl on her face having replaced any traces of joy this little endeavour had previously brought her.

“You were like 20ft away from me!” JJ cried out in his defence. “Sorry I left my teleportation device at home!”

“Ow! Not so fast!” Kiara complained as an unfortunate rock placement bumped her foot and set her ankle throbbing beneath her sock.

JJ made a disgruntled noise in the back of his throat but dutifully slowed down his pace to avoid further injury. Cranky and in pain, Kiara knew she was just looking for someone else to blame for her thoughtless mistake. Yeah, JJ probably shouldn’t have left her side at all, but Kiara had also gotten cocky with it, and if JJ’s only crime was having too much faith in her, well… then blaming him for the accident really wasn’t fair. She was just embarrassed, and it was easier for her to get angry about it than admit she had failed in such an epically humiliating way.

Kiara continued frowning hard at the ground, feeling disappointed in herself and utterly defeated. “You’re the worst…” she grumbled petulantly once again, and something about her delivery must have been humorous because she ends up surprising a soft burst of laughter out of JJ. Feeling an incessant tug at the corner of her mouth, Kiara turned her head away from the now smirking blond and bit down on her bottom lip in defiance.

It wasn’t funny.

When the two of them finally managed to stagger their way over to the front porch of the Chateau they both seemed to realize their next obstacle at the same exact moment. JJ readjusted his hand on her side as they swayed to an uneasy stop; his long fingers pressing against the bare skin where her crop top failed to cover, just below her ribcage, became more of a distraction now that they weren’t moving than Kiara cared to admit.

“Can you make it up the stairs?” he asked her, and the brunette found the doubt laced within his question more insulting than anything. 

That was all it took to awaken Kiara’s competitive side, and as she turned her head to stare at his profile she only briefly considered how close their faces were before provoking him with his own words. “Can you make it up the stairs?” she shot back with a single brow raised on her forehead, challenging him to call her will into question again.

JJ closed his eyes and breathed heavily out through his nose in that long-suffering kind of way as he—in an incredible act of restraint—refused to take the bait. It was almost disappointing.

Kiara was getting ready to mentally prepare herself to hop up each step on one foot when suddenly without a word of warning, JJ bent down and scooped her up into his arms. Kiara managed to stifle her yip of surprise as she instinctually wrapped her arms around his neck and held on as JJ supported her under the knees and around her back, like she was a goddamn princess being carried off to the royal ball—and JJ of all people was her “Prince Charming”.

Kiara might have laughed at the ridiculous thought if she wasn’t suddenly feeling so small and shy between his arms. Piggybacks were one thing. Getting playfully tossed over a shoulder was another. But this was an entirely different experience. Intimate, Kiara’s brain provided unhelpfully.

JJ climbed each step with ease as if she weighed nothing at all, and a heat flushed out over Kiara's cheeks as her eyes wandered until they found a point of interest to stare at where the worn out elastic of JJ’s shirt dipped down his neck just low enough to catch a glimpse of his collar bone. When they reached the screen door it was Kiara who had to snap herself out of it as she quickly reached out to open the door for him out of fear of potentially being dropped. JJ used his booted foot to kick it open the rest of the way and walked them through the threshold sideways.

“I swear to god if you make one new bride joke…” Kiara warned him darkly as JJ carried her across the porch over to their designated hangout area.

JJ’s lips twitched into a poorly concealed smirk as he gently lowered her down onto the couch, careful not to disturb her injured foot. “That doesn’t sound like me,” he responded cheekily, absorbing Kiara’s playful swat to his arm with a familiar ease.

When Kiara leaned down to inspect the damage by rolling her sock down she wasn’t all that surprised to see her bronzed skin starting to purple and swell. She’d be lucky if she got away with just a nasty bruise in the coming days. “Hang on.” She heard JJ say, and when Kiara looked up again to find him he was already heading inside the Chateau without her, effectively abandoning her in her time of need.

Not very "princely" of him if you asked Kiara.

 “Not like I can go anywhere,” the girl mumbled to herself before begrudgingly reaching down to untie her shoe and gingerly slip it off her foot along with her sock, wincing at every bump against her tender skin.

Well, at least her deep blue painted toenails would eventually match her developing bruise, Kiara thought with a morbid sense of humour. She could hear words being exchanged inside between JJ and John B who had passed out on the pull-out last night and had been dead asleep ever since, but she didn’t care enough to make out exactly what they were saying. She jumped, however, when what must have been John B banged on the wall behind her with the palm of his hand.

“You good, Kie?” She heard a disembodied voice call out hoarsely, still sounding half-unconscious.

“No!” Kiara shouted back at him through the screen window, and John B’s hand lazily popping into view in a thumbs up greeted her on the other side.

“Thas's nice,” John B’s words slurred before his hand dropped back down heavily onto the mattress, and Kiara was left to assume he went back to sleep.

My heroes, she thought sarcastically.

Just then JJ came back outside holding what looked like some kind of food packaging in his hands. “This is all I could find,” he told her as he bent down on one knee in front of her and held the package up between them so she could get a better look. Kiara saw that it was an old bag of frozen tater tots that had somehow managed to escape the insatiable appetite of three hungry teenage boys.

“It’ll do,” Kiara acknowledged, and when JJ looked down pointedly then looked back to her with an eyebrow raised in a silent question, Kiara gave her permission in the form of a nod.

With a seriousness that Kiara rarely saw on display in all their years of friendship, JJ delicately lifted her bare foot off the ground and leaned in to inspect the damage. Despite the rough callouses on his hands and the over all boorish approach JJ typically chose to bulldoze his way through life, he was pleasantly gentle while caring for her, almost tender in a way Kiara hadn’t been expecting. When the rough pad of JJ’s thumb lightly brushed over her ankle bone Kiara felt a shiver tingle up her leg that had nothing to do with her current discomfort.

Why she maybe sorta liked the feeling of his big, warm hands deliberately tracing across her skin was something Kiara preferred not to think too critically about. It was probably just the lingering adrenaline that was making her extra sensitive to his touch right now, and absolutely nothing else.

“Probably just a sprain,” JJ thought aloud, his voice soft and optimistic. “You’ll be back on your feet in no time.”

JJ lifted the freezer burned bag, and when he felt the muscles in Kiara’s leg tense in the anticipation of more pain, he took extra care when placing it down over her foot. Once he had it settled in a comfortable position and he heard no complaints from Kiara, the blond appeared fully dedicated to remaining in that same half-crouched position holding the bag in place for her.

Kiara doesn’t really know how to react to this, and as the silence drags on things start to feel a bit awkward between them. Neither one of them seem to know where to look. 

Kiara can’t decide if having JJ kneeling at her feet makes her feel powerful or nervous. When a flash of sky blue discreetly peaked up at her, accidentally catching her eye-line then darting away just as fast, Kiara knows it’s definitely the latter.

Just when she had worked up the nerve to tell him that he didn’t have to baby her like this (even if she didn’t exactly hate the attention) JJ interrupted the weirdly charged moment by quickly clearing his throat. There was an uncomfortable look on his face as his body shifted and his shoulders rolled to relieve the tension before he began to speak.

“For the record I do feel like shit ‘bout you getting hurt,” JJ admitted, and based on his actions following her injury Kiara was inclined to believe him. Then, of course, because he couldn’t help himself, he just had to open his big mouth again. “Even though there was absolutely nothing I could’a done to prevent it and it was 100% entirely your own fault—" Kiara actually smirked that time; she couldn’t help it. He was a menace, but he was her menace.

“I’m still sorry it happened on my watch,” JJ finished regretfully, and for a moment a very dark look clouded his features as his grip ever so slightly tightened around the packaging. Kiara might not have even noticed if it wasn’t for the crinkling sound of the bag.

Instead of hiding from her like before, this time JJ made sure to look Kiara straight in the eye and hold her gaze without flinching as he vowed to her, “I won’t let it happen again.”

JJ’s promise felt much heavier and broader in scope than just regarding any future dirt bike related injuries. There was something so poignant and fiercely protective behind those words that it made Kiara’s heart stutter helplessly in her chest. The moment couldn’t have lasted for more than a few seconds—long enough for Kiara to utter a carefully reserved “You’re forgiven” in response—but it felt like an eternity that she was locked in that devastatingly earnest stare of his.

“And I’ll help cover your shift tomorrow if you want,” JJ added, almost laughably casual in contrast.

Kiara blinked her surprise. "Seriously?"

It wouldn’t be the first time one of the boys helped her buss tables or run out orders when the restaurant was swamped, particularly in those first few early weeks of summer, but it would be the first time that JJ willingly offered his services without Kiara having to “volunteer” him herself. He was being notably sweet to her, and even if it was just a sucking up tactic so she didn’t hold any ill feelings towards him later, Kiara was happy to accept the bribe and the company.

There was never a dull moment when JJ was around.

She nodded agreeably. "Deal."

It was only then that Kiara noticed JJ’s other hand—the one that was previously supporting her heel—had somehow made its way up the back of her shin while they were talking. JJ didn't make any crude jokes about copping a feel so Kiara knew the move was entirely subconscious on his part and held no hidden agenda besides a person innocently supporting a friend while tending to their wound.

Obviously there was nothing inherently erotic about the act, but it was the context of their conversation leading up to it that made his touch feel more sensuous. The tips of JJ's fingers were ticklish on the back of her knee, and it felt new and exciting, like at any moment JJ’s hand could start trailing up the back of her thigh and Kiara would let it happen.

This time she couldn’t blame her body’s reactions to him on the adrenaline. This was something else. Something zinging with a bittersweet familiarity. The very something that pushed Kiara to create the 'No Pogue on Pogue making rule' in the first place.

Something dangerous.

And for a split second Kiara catches JJ’s eyes flicking down to her lips and she thinks that maybe JJ feels it too—this electric current pulling them in, beckoning them, then popping and sparking in warning when the temptation started to outweigh all rationality. All at once JJ was far too close to her and yet somehow still not close enough.

Uh oh.

Kiara really wanted to kiss him.

Even with one of their best friends sleeping within ear shot and a busted up ankle as bruised as her ego, all Kiara wanted to do was kiss this fool stupid. Well, stupider.

Something would eventually have to give way and break the tension, but it wasn’t the give Kiara was expecting. Anticipating? Hoping for?

JJ’s lips suddenly curve into a strangely bitter smile, and he ducks his head as he exhales a short, critical sounding laugh, while his blond hair falls over his forehead and covers his face from her view. And just like that it was over.

Moment gone.

Spell broken.

Saved by the dimples, Kiara thinks a little deliriously. Was JJ mocking her for maybe being not-so-subtle with her pining expressions? Or was it something else entirely? It didn’t feel like his reaction was aimed at her.

Whether he was ignoring the little moment the two of them just shared, or was genuinely just oblivious to it all together, without notice JJ moved Kiara’s leg so he could rest her foot carefully down on the nearby coffee table instead of holding it. "I should probably go check on my bike," he muttered while running a hand through his hair in that purposeful way he would sometimes do to release pent up energy after not moving for awhile.

JJ jumped back onto his feet and purposefully left a significant amount of space between them that thankfully allowed Kiara to breathe normally again. Still, the prickly sensation of loss on her skin after JJ let her go was hard to ignore.

As JJ stood there slapping his hands against his thighs and shifting from foot to foot, looking as if he was fighting with the parts of himself that wanted to say something more but also wanted to escape, Kiara couldn't tell if that "something" between them really meant anything at all. But things were good just the way they were, and she didn't want to screw that up.

They were best friends. That was enough for Kiara.

A sly grin began to split across the girl's face as an idea popped into her head. Kiara pointed down at the frozen food bag still on her foot. "You know, I think some ankle tots might help to jump-start the healing process,” she mused aloud while impishly looking up at him through her lashes.

It only took a few seconds for JJ to figure out what game she was trying to play, and when he realized where she was going with it her obvious delight became infectious. The blond found himself beaming back at her, any weirdness from before evaporating in an instant as they fell back into their easy back and forth.

“Ankle tots huh?” Kiara nods, unable to contain her satisfaction as JJ readily plays along with her. “Let me guess. My treat?” he asks, sounding not at all bummed to be stuck with such a task.

“Punishment fits the crime,” Kiara says.

She knew for a fact that half of them would end up burnt beyond consumption, and she also knew this probably wouldn't be the last time that JJ tried to get her back on his death trap of a bike. But as the blond bent down at the waist and flailed his arms out in a dramatic, over-the-top bow, Kiara knew she really wouldn't mind either of those things all that much.