#//ANYWAY just happy to have another chapter out!!!!!

[vampiriito]

Summer was a piece of heaven (JJ Maybank x shy! kook! reader) Part 3

A/N: Hi loves! I'm so happy to be posting the third chapter for this story. I think I'll make a master list after just so i can update it. Anyway, have fun reading this chapter I'll see you at the end! (also the reader 100% listens to men i trust and the marias.)

Summary: In the midst of a '7 minutes in heaven' game you and JJ end up together for one round, and to get away from the girls desperately trying to make a move on him, JJ doesn't hesitate to jump on the chance to interact with you more.

To you, the idea of a perfect summer meant lounging indoors, the air thick with smoke and laughter as you and Maisy drifted through hazy afternoons. Or perhaps it was skating aimlessly around the island, the wheels of your board humming beneath you as you chased elusive moments of photographic inspiration. The world blurred into a series of snapshots—soft lights, sharp angles, candid smiles. Maisy, however, was the embodiment of your opposite.

With her strawberry-blonde hair catching the sunlight like threads of spun gold, she was a living glitter bomb—vibrant, explosive, impossible to ignore. She seemed to survive on a diet of Gatorade and the occasional cup of instant noodles, yet her energy was boundless. Somehow, she managed to act like a carefree kook and, paradoxically, not at the same time. She straddled the line between the laid-back island life and something altogether different.

Maisy reminded you of those affluent girls who were only in it for the endless parties and not the veneer of elegance that wealth was supposed to bring (not that you were the embodiment of classy and preppy). A super-rich kid with nothing but loose ends, perpetually floating in a state of being just a little tipsy. She navigated the world with a reckless abandon, her days a whirlwind of glittering nights and half-remembered escapades. So, her approach on helping you overcome shyness and social anxiety was exposing you to endless house parties and keggers alongside her.

Still, you loved Maisy, as messy and carefree as she was. She was truly a force to be reckoned with and you liked that about her. And if you didn't, at least you could say you got used to her habit of partying and dragging you along with her. Because truth was, you both enabled each other. She's been here since you moved to the Outer Banks and she never once judged you for being in love with the same guy for almost 9 years, despite the fact that she believed fiercely in hook-up culture and "dating as many so you wouldn't have to settle for just any" as she liked to put it. And you helped ground her, you helped her out with her hangovers and taught her that staying in was necessary and fun at times.

"I don't know, Maisy... you remember last time-.. I ended up getting pushed into a closet," you groaned, dragging your feet as you approached the vibrant glow of the crowded house. Another house party. Yet another one of Maisy's brilliant ideas.

The bass from the music thumped loudly, reverberating through the soles of your shoes as you walked. Strings of fairy lights draped over the porch flickered like distant stars, casting a warm hue over the swarm of partygoers spilling onto the lawn. Laughter and fragmented conversations floated through the night air, mingling with the faint scent of ocean breeze and the sharp tang of spilt drinks.

You could already predict Maisy's response—how she'd gush about how lucky you were to get stuck in a closet with your all-time crush. But that wasn't the point. The memory still made your cheeks flush, not from fondness but from sheer embarrassment. The cramped space, the awkward silence (at least on your part) punctuated only by the sound of your own racing heartbeat. The way his shoulder had brushed against yours or the way he got close when teasing you, sending your thoughts into a chaotic spiral. It was a level of social torture you'd rather not relive.

Mimsy rolled her eyes at your complaint, clearly amused by your reluctance to attend the party and get stuck in another closet with JJ.

"Oh come on, Y/n.. You're overreacting. Sure, that was a one-time thing, but chances of that happening again are small. And besides-"

She grabbed your arm and started pulling you towards the house.

"-you know you secretly loved getting locked in that closet with him."

"Yeah... and now every time he sees me he refers to me as 'mouse', because i was too quiet." you kicked a stray can to the side as you walked on the front lawn, slowing down. "Please Mimsy.. let me go home.." you pleaded, pouting dramatically.

Mimsy rolled her eyes again, clearly immune to your pouting and pleading.

"No, absolutely not. You've been cooped up in your house all week. You need to go out and socialize. And this party is the perfect opportunity."

She gripped your arm more forcefully, pulling you towards the entrance of the crowded house.

As you and Maisy stepped into the house much to your dismay, a wave of sound and energy crashed over you, nearly overwhelming your senses. The air was thick with the mingled scents of perfumes, colognes, and the unmistakable aroma of excitement. Music blared from towering speakers, the bass thumping so powerfully it resonated in your chest. The place was alive—people dancing with wild abandon, conversations and laughter blending into a buzzing symphony of life.

Maisy led the way through the throng, her grip firm around your wrist as she expertly navigated the labyrinth of partygoers. Her strawberry-blonde hair shimmered under the strobe lights, and her sequined dress caught every fragment of light, making her sparkle like a human disco ball. She moved with purpose, her eyes scanning the room intently. The kaleidoscope of faces and flashing lights made it difficult to focus, but Maisy seemed unfazed.

Suddenly, a wide smile spread across her face, her eyes lighting up with unmistakable excitement. She had spotted who she was searching for. She leaned in close to you, her voice barely audible over the noise.

"There he is."

She tilted her head toward a tall figure standing on the other side of the room, leaning against the wall and nursing a drink in his hand. JJ.. who seemed to be surveying/ half-heartedly participating in what looked like a 'spin the bottle' party game.

"So what? There he is.." 'in all his glory, looking like a demi god and almost glowing under the dim lights of this house,' you thought to yourself. You were utterly smitten with this boy and it was pathetic at this point, even after all these years.

You frowned at Mimsy, adjusting your glasses as you looked at her, silently questioning her for her actions.

Maisy smirked at your reaction, clearly enjoying the conflict of emotions on your face. She knew how much you had been pining over JJ for years, and she was probably relishing in the fact that the object of your affection was right there in the same room as you.

She gave you a gentle push toward JJ's direction. "Go talk to him."

"No!... Stop. I can't just-.. go up to him," you whisper-shouted, your voice laced with urgency and a hint of panic. You glared at her, eyes reflecting the swirling chaos of emotions inside you. Your heart pounded fiercely in your chest, each beat echoing in your ears like a relentless drum. As you spun around to face her fully, your feet tangled beneath you, causing you to stumble slightly. The sudden movement sent a rush of heat to your cheeks, a flush of embarrassment mingling with your anxiety. The air was thick with the scents of cheap perfume, beer and liquor, and a hazy hint of weed, adding to your disorientation.

You clenched your fists at your sides, nails digging into your palms in an effort to steady yourself. A knot tightened in your stomach, twisting uncomfortably as a wave of dread washed over you. The mere thought of approaching him made your breath catch—a mix of fear and something else, something that both thrilled and terrified you. The crowd around you moved in a blur, their laughter and movements amplifying your sense of vulnerability. It felt as if the spotlight was suddenly on you, exposing every insecurity.

Maisy rolled her eyes in frustration, clearly not surprised by your reluctance.

"Yes you can! You've been crushing on him for years. This is the perfect opportunity to strike up a conversation with him."

She grabbed your shoulders, turning you back around to face JJ's direction. "Without any weird coincidences causing you to.." she added with a wide smile.

"Look, they're playing some sort of party game..." you rambled, your voice edged with a mix of frustration and anxiety. "There is no way in hell I'm going up to him while he's surrounded by girls who are practically lining up for him to spin that bottle and have it land on them so they can make out or whatever it is that they do."

You pointed emphatically toward the table where he sat, the center of attention amid a sea of eager faces. The crowd around him was animated, laughter and playful shouts filling the air as the bottle spun on the worn wooden surface.

He leaned back against the wall with effortless charm, a casual smile playing on his lips as he engaged with those around him. The sight sent a twist of something complicated through your chest—part longing, part envy, part resignation. Your heart hammered in a confused rhythm, torn between the desire to be near him and the overwhelming urge to flee from the very idea.

Maisy followed your gaze, her eyes widening as she saw the game that was being played. With the snippets of conversations she could make out over the music and the empty bottle of beer spinning on the table, she could only guess they were playing '7 minutes in heaven.' She was aware of the game's rules and how popular it was at parties, especially for people who were keen on making out with others. Classic.

She let out a low whistle as she scanned the girls surrounding JJ and his friends. They were all dressed to impress, no doubt hoping to get lucky and have the bottle land on them.

She turned back to you, a sly smile on her face, a wicked glint in her piercing green eyes. "Interesting..."

She watched as the game continued, the girls getting more and more excited with each turn. Meanwhile, her mind was already brainstorming how she could get you and JJ in the same room for 7 minutes.

JJ watched as the bottle spun around, landing on one of the girls standing around the table. She squealed in delight as she grabbed the hand of the guy who had spun the bottle and pulled him off towards one of the many empty rooms in the house.

He chuckled as he watched them disappear, and he couldn't help but feel a pang of sympathy for the guy. He knew all too well what it was like to get locked in a room with a girl who was trying desperately to make a move on him.

As the game continued, Maisy continued to watch the scene unfold with a mischievous gleam in her eyes. She knew that this was the perfect opportunity to get JJ and you alone together-.. again. She just had to find a way to make it happen.

And then, an idea struck her. Which you could see written all over her freckled face, the notion scaring you even more.

Maisy leaned in close to you, her voice low and filled with a hint of excitement.

"I have an idea. Follow my lead."

Before you could protest or ask her what she was up to, she grabbed your arm and pulled you towards the table.

"No- Maisy listen we-..." you whispered in a panic, feeling yourself getting dragged towards the table and cutting you off mid sentence.

As you reached the table, Maisy stepped forward swiftly, cutting off any protest you were about to make.

"Hey guys, mind if we join?" she chimed, her voice effortlessly cheerful.

A ripple of attention passed through the group of boys and girls alike as they glanced up, their eyes scanning over you and Maisy. Under the soft glow of the overhead lights, their gazes took in Maisy's radiant confidence and your more reserved demeanor. JJ's gaze lingered on you, his eyes—a striking shade somewhere between blue and green—holding an unreadable expression. Time seemed to slow as his attention rested on you, the surrounding chatter and music fading into a distant hum. The subtle arch of his brow and the way the light played across his features left you momentarily breathless. Your heart fluttered, a mix of nerves and anticipation surging through you.

Pope was the first to chime in, a friendly smile on his face. "Sure thing, ladies. Make yourselves comfortable."

The girls surrounding the table grumbled in protest, clearly unhappy with the addition of two new players. But the boys paid them no mind, their attention focused on you and Maisy.

Maisy dragged you over to an empty spot beside JJ, plopping down on the ground next to him without hesitation once he did the same, seemingly more interested in the game now. You were forced to follow suit, sitting down next to her, feeling extremely nervous and out of place. You could feel JJ's eyes on you, but you avoided looking at him, your heart pounding loudly in your chest, leaving you to glance around the table nervously, inspecting each player and how attractive they were. You felt out of place. These people knew how to make-out and such, and here you were... like a complete loser.

As JJ watched you closely, taking in your fidgety movements and nervous glances around the table, he couldn't help but feel a pang of sympathy for you. You looked like a deer in headlights, completely out of your element. And yet there was something about your nervousness that he found both endearing and amusing.

His eyes drifted to the girls sitting around the table, taking in their confident smiles and flirty glances in his direction. He knew exactly what they were after, and it only made him roll his eyes for some reason.

He shifted his gaze back to you, his eyes narrowing slightly as he watched you fidget with your fingers. You were clearly uncomfortable, and he could see the nervousness etched on your face. He felt a strange urge to reassure you, to tell you that you had nothing to worry about. But he quickly pushed that thought away, reminding himself that he shouldn't care about someone who he barely knew.

The game continued, the bottle spinning round and round, making girls squeal in delight every time it landed on a guy they wanted. With each spin of the bottle, the excitement in the air grew. Girls were practically drooling over the idea of getting to makeout with the guy of their choice. But JJ was growing increasingly disinterested in the game, finding it mundane and tedious. Sitting in the twinkie and getting high suddenly sounded delightful to him.

He glanced over at you, noticing the way you were alternating between fidgeting with your necklace or countless rings adorning your fingers. You looked completely uncomfortable being surrounded by all these couples. The pang of sympathy was growing the more he watched you avoid eye contact with people, and he couldn't help but wonder if you'd ever even kissed anyone before.

He was interrupted from his thoughts as the bottle suddenly landed on him. A collective gasp went around the table, followed by a few excited whispers and giggles. The girl who had spun the bottle was looking at him with a hopeful expression, clearly eager for the chance to kiss him in private.

But JJ just rolled his eyes, feeling bored and uninterested in the prospect. He was about to decline the girl when suddenly Maisy chimed in, her voice filled with mischief.

"Oh, I don't think so. The bottle is telling us he needs to spin."

The group was taken aback by Mimsy's audacity, but JJ was secretly grateful for her intervention. He didn't want to get stuck in a room alone with some random girl who was probably just using this game as an excuse to make a move on him.

He gave Maisy a small nod in thanks, grabbing the bottle and spinning it again, hoping it would land on someone more... JJ didn't even know himself who he wanted it to land on. He wasn't in the mood for a mindless one-night-stand that night.

The bottle spun around and around, the tension growing with each rotation. But to everyone's surprise, including JJ's, the bottle landed on you.

You were busy giving Maisy a silent look for interjecting and making people glance in your general direction before realizing that the table went quiet and now everyone was looking at you in particular instead of shooting dirty looks at Maisy.

Shitshitshitshit... what were you gonna do? tell him to spin again? get up and leave the room? no, that would just be rude.

Maisy was grinning widely, clearly enjoying the turn of events. She nudged you discreetly, silently urging you to go along with this.

But you were frozen in place, your heart pounding in your chest as JJ's gaze lingered on you. He hadn't said anything yet, his expression unreadable, and the silence around the table was deafening. No squeals or giggles, just the thumping music and buzz of conversations.

'He's gonna grimace and spin again, you'll see Maisy,' you groaned internally as you waited for JJ to say anything, or do something. Anxiety was churning in your stomach, afraid you'll get rejected in front of all these people.

The silence was stretching as everyone waited for JJ's reaction. Meanwhile, JJ tilted his head to the side to look at you better, his eyes studying you closely, silently taking in your nervous demeanor.

He knew you were uncomfortable and anxious. And for some strange reason, he hated that. He didn't want you to feel uncomfortable in front of all these people. It made him want to do something, anything, to make you feel better.

He leaned back, folding his arms across his chest, a smirk tugging at the corner of his lips. "Looks like we're going into the room together, mouse."

What were seven minutes? Seriously, it would be like the blink of an eye. A brief escape from the stares and whispers that seemed to press in from all sides. But you couldn't shake the guilt, knowing you wouldn't be able to muster a single word, let alone make out with him in that cramped, dark room.

You parted your lips, ready to say something, anything—but the words stuck in your throat. Swallowing hard, you pressed your lips together and stood up shakily. Your legs felt like jelly as you glared at Maisy, who was all smiles and mischief. The protests from the other girls at the table barely registered in your mind; they were a distant murmur compared to the roaring thunder of your anxiety.

JJ's gaze remained fixed on you, his unreadable expression adding to the maelstrom of emotions swirling within you. The warm, ambient light of the room seemed to dim slightly, heightening the sense of isolation. You took a deep breath, trying to steady yourself, but the air felt thick and heavy. With a final, pleading look at Maisy, you braced yourself for whatever embarrassing situation came next.

JJ followed your lead, getting up from the ground and stretching his arms. He looked relaxed and nonchalant, the complete opposite of you, who looked like you were about to pass out from anxiety.

Maisy was still grinning from ear to ear, clearly enjoying the show she had helped create. She was already mentally high-fiving herself, convinced that this was the beginning of something between you and JJ.

The atmosphere around the table was palpable as you and JJ walked away from it, heading towards an empty room on the other side of the house.

You could feel the eyes of the other players on your back, and you could practically feel their envy and disappointment. But JJ didn't seem to care, he just continued walking beside you, his hands casually shoved into the pockets of his cargo shorts.

As you and JJ reached the chosen room, JJ gestured for you to go inside, a smirk still on his face. You stepped into the dimly lit room, taking in the surroundings. It was a small space, with not much more than a bed, a desk, and an office chair. Guest room most likely.

JJ followed you in, shutting the door behind him with a soft click.

You looked around the room, taking in the colors and the way everything was placed. The color of the comforter or the curtains framing the tall windows. Queen-sized bed, a desk with common office supplies. Bed-side tables with lamps perched above them. 'How is this room so clean?' you wondered.

Anything to distract you from the fact that you were alone with JJ again. Your heart beat a little faster at the thought. The soft hum of distant conversations and muted laughter seeped through the closed door, a reminder of the party continuing without you. Yet here you were, ensconced in this intimate space that felt worlds away from the crowded rooms beyond. You couldn't decide if it was luck or misfortune that kept orchestrating these moments—the universe weaving threads that repeatedly pulled you into his orbit. With the recent events, you learned you'd prefer to stay out of it. It was more nicer watching him from afar when he wasn't aware of your existence.

You absently traced your fingers along the edge of the mahogany side table, feeling the smooth grain beneath your fingertips. A porcelain vase perched atop it held a bouquet of lilies, their fragrant petals unfurling gracefully. The delicate beauty of the flowers mirrored the fragile tension hanging in the air. You stole a glance at JJ, catching the soft profile of his face as he looked thoughtfully at a painting. The warm glow from the nearby lamp cast gentle shadows, highlighting the contours of his jaw and the tousled strands of hair that fell just above his eyes.

He leaned back against the door, his eyes studying you carefully now instead of the painting. He could tell you were nervous, the way you were fidgeting and avoiding his gaze. He still couldn't understand the notion. You claimed to not be scared of him, you didn't seem particularly inclined on jumping his bones, so what was your deal?

"Relax, mouse. I ain't gonna bite."

At the sound of his voice you whipped your head around almost painfully, shooting him a nervous and uncomfortable expression.

You were frowning gently as you turned to face him completely, fidgeting with your fingers as you looked down. You went over all your interactions in the past and the last one wasn't so bad. Especially when he looked so pretty on the beach, asking you about your photography, engaging in small-talk like you were acquittances. Were you? Does getting locked in a closet for roughly 20 minutes count as acquainted?

JJ pushed himself off the door, slowly sauntering towards you with his hands in his pockets. He observed the way you fidgeted with your fingers, a small frown on your face.

He stopped just a few feet away from you, tilting his head to the side as he looked down at you. "You look like a scared little mouse. Relax, seriously."

He reached out, gently tapping your chin with his index finger, lifting your head up so you were looking at him.

"Most girls would be ecstatic at the thought of being alone with a cute guy," he said, his voice softer than usual, a small chuckle following. His eyes held a gentle sparkle, the faint amusement dancing just beneath the surface. The soft southern drawl of his voice wrapped around you like a warm blanket, momentarily easing the tension that knotted your stomach.

He was trying to ease your nerves, sensing the subtle tremor in your hands and the way your gaze flickered uncertainly. There was something adorable about your timid, almost mouse-like nature—the way you seemed so small and delicate amidst the chaos of the party he saw out there. It amused him slightly, but as he watched you, a pang of guilt tugged at his conscience. It was kind of mean, now that he thought about it, to find entertainment in your discomfort.

You narrowed your eyes, swallowing the hard lump in your dry throat. 'Trust me, I'm more than ecstatic, i just have trouble finding the courage to even speak a word to you' you thought, stepping away to walk through the room slowly, almost like you were sizing it up with your legs.

JJ watched you closely as you walked around the room, his gaze never leaving you. It was almost predatory the way he watched you, like a cat eyeing its prey. His eyes roamed your body, taking in every curve and dip, and you could practically feel the heat of his gaze on you.

He stayed where he was, leaning against the door once again, his arms crossed over his chest. "Y'know.. the whole point of the game is to make out."

You shot him a dirty look, still pacing around nervously. You didn't even wanna play in the first place, let alone make out. You were afraid to even speak, what making out is he talking about?

JJ chuckled at your defiant look, figuring you probably weren't down to kiss him any soon. He could see right through your facade, he knew that you were nervous and uncomfortable.

He pushed himself off the door, walking towards you. He could tell you weren't exactly experienced in the making out department.

"Relax, mouse. I'm not gonna bite, remember? You can talk to me, y'know."

"Can i leave please?" you spoke softly and hesitantly. If you were out there, where the music was louder he probably wouldn't have heard you from how quiet you spoke. You weren't repulsed by him, that would be ridiculous. You were way too nervous and this game was stupid. You knew you weren't gonna speak to him let alone make out anyway. It was probably better for both parties involved if you just left.

JJ halted in his steps, taking in your words. He was surprised by your request, he didn't expect you to ask to leave so quickly. He had assumed that you were secretly enjoying this game of 7 minutes. Which, again.. was a dumb assumption to make.

He paused for a moment, studying you closely, trying to figure out if you were serious. And then, he spoke, his voice quiet and gentle."You really wanna leave, mouse?"

You frowned in nervousness, the expression nearly forming a soft pout. You didn't, but the terror gnawing at you made it impossible to hide your unease. 'What were you so afraid of?' The question looped endlessly in your mind, each iteration intensifying your anxiety. You were already quiet by nature, but now words seemed utterly out of reach. Clamming up was inevitable. The last thing you wanted was to make the situation more awkward than it already was. If only he would return to the party, back to his element, then you could slip away unnoticed. You longed to scurry off and hide in a bathroom until Maisy called you, and he'd get paired with a person who was actually gonna play the game the way it was intended.

JJ observed your frown, your lips turning into a soft pout. He could see the anxiety written all over you, the way your jaw was tensing, the way your eyes kept darting around the room, avoiding his gaze. He felt the urge to want to keep you safe and make you feel less agitated.

He didn't want you to be uncomfortable, he didn't want you to feel anxious. And he most certainly didn't want you leaving the room out of fear or worry. He let out a deep sigh, running a hand through his hair. "We don't have to make out.."

JJ's sudden statement took you by surprise, you hadn't expected him to say that. You paused for a moment, looking at him with a mixture of confusion and relief.

He continued, his voice quiet and low. He took a step closer, his eyes fixed on you.

"We have 7 minutes, so we could talk instead. If you want."

You didn't expect him to pressure you into making out, obviously. But the wat he said it, it was so considerate, like he didn't want you to be uncomfortable. Or maybe he was a normal person pitying you for being so timid. Probably the latter.

You exhaled softly in relief, adjusting your glasses. You knew you weren't gonna do much talking either, but it was nice that he wanted to.

JJ observed you closely, taking in your soft exhale of relief. He was starting to realize that you were different from the other girls he'd met, the ones who would gladly throw themselves at him given the chance. You were almost like a shy little mouse, trying to hide and not get caught. Hence the nickname.

He took a few more steps forward, closing the distance between you. He now stood only a few feet away from you, his eyes fixed on your face."So, what do you wanna talk about, mouse?"

As he stepped forward-- you stepped back a bit too clumsily for your liking. You didn't like people stepping close so abruptly, even if it was JJ. That was worse. You parted your lips as if you wanted to say something, but pursed them back, shrugging instead. You had a bit of courage to say a few words, but it melted away as he fixed you with his gaze.

JJ chuckled at your retreating steps. It was painfully obvious that you were uncomfortable with people getting close to you, especially him. But he found himself wanting to break through your comfort zone, to see what was hiding behind that shy and nervous demeanor.

He stayed where he was, giving you some space, but still maintaining eye contact. He waited for you to find your voice, his patient gaze on you.

A few moments of awkward silence passed, the only sound in the room was the faint noise of music and chatter from the party outside. JJ continued to watch you, waiting for you to say something, anything.

But you seemed frozen, unable to find your voice amidst your own thoughts and anxiety. JJ took a deep breath, and decided to take the initiative. "C'mon, mouse. There must be something you wanna talk about."

Since you were a little girl you didn't think of yourself as interesting. Not when you grew up and realized, people thought quietness and timidness meant you were shallow and boring, lacking in any substance. Besides what could you possibly talk about? he didn't seem to know anything about drawing, photography or skating whatsoever. You could talk about surfing, but who wanted to nerd out over surfing with the love of their life? No one. It was worse given he was trying so hard, and you were just frozen.

Your frown returned, feeling dread fill you once again as you seemed to not find your words in the chaos of being on edge and nervous, and you wanted to leave again suddenly.

JJ watched as your frown deepened, your eyes darting around the room as if trying to find an escape route. He could practically hear the wheels turning in your head as you tried to think of something, anything to talk about.

He took a step closer, noticing the change in your expression. He knew you were on the verge of bolting, just like you did earlier.

"Mouse, relax. You're gonna give yourself a panic attack if you keep tensing like that."

You were damn near one. It was hard when you spent more than half of your life pining and wishing you could have a conversation with him and now when you got your chances, you were just... clamming up. Mute. You wanted to cry but that would be pathetic. Who cries in front of their crush? No one (again). You were acting too weird and strange and you imagined what he was thinking, 'i got paired with this weirdo, and now i need to make her feel comfortable because she acts like a mouse who can't speak to humans to save her life.' This is so embarrassing, ugh. Can God give you a break?

JJ's eyes stayed fixed on you as your thoughts continued to swirl inside your head, practically visible on your face.

He could sense your inner turmoil, the way your thoughts were racing, the way your body was tense. He had never seen someone so nervous before, and it strangely intrigued him. Who in their right mind would be a complete mess around JJ Maybank?

He took another step closer, his expression gentler than his usual animated ones. "Mouse, you're over thinking everything. Just relax and calm down. Talk to me, anything, please."

"I'm so sorry.." you finally found the words, apologizing for acting so damn quiet and reserved and making the situation strange. But it wasn't better because your words were shaky and soft. Great. At least you managed to make eye contact with him for 5 seconds!

JJ raised an eyebrow at your apology, he was almost surprised to hear your voice for the first time since this whole event began. It was soft and shaky, but it still made his heart flutter a bit. He could see the effort you were putting in, even if it was miniscule.

"You don't have to apologize, you're not doing anything wrong. I asked you to talk to me, mouse."

JJ's voice was softer now, his normal teasing tone replaced by a more tender one. He was really trying to make you feel more comfortable, to ease your anxiety.

He closed the distance between you, stopping just a few inches away from you. He looked down at you, his gaze gentle and not at all intense like it was all the other times.

"Just be yourself, okay? Who cares if you stumble over your words or stutter. I just wanna know more about you."

"I don't know what to say.." you choked out. It was true, all your hobbies or interests or even jokes disappeared from your mind leaving you empty brained. Mostly. Cause it was now full of anxious thoughts and sarcastic monologue. You took a small step back, shifting your weight from one foot to the other, your eyes darting away as soon as they met his.

JJ noticed the subtle shift in your stance, the way you fidgeted and avoided his gaze. He knew you were struggling, trying to find something to say but coming up blank. And every time you managed to look at him, your eyes immediately darted away.

He took a deep breath, racking his brain for something, anything to keep the conversation going. And then, an idea popped into his head.

"Alright mouse, let's try something different. I'll ask you questions, and you answer, yeah?"

That could work... somehow. You nodded slowly, forcing your self to lock eyes with him although you desperately wanted to move them away.

JJ's eyes fixed on yours as you tried to maintain eye contact. He could see the effort you were putting in, the way you were forcing yourself not to look away. It was cute, in a strange way.

He took a deep breath before asking the first question, keeping his voice gentle and conversational. "Okay, first question. What's your favorite color?"

"Purple." you mumbled softly, shifting on your feet. "...or blue." the same shade of your eyes, you thought. You squeezed the thought out of your brain before you could get flustered though.

JJ nodded thoughtfully, his gaze fixed on you as he took in your response. There was something oddly endearing about the way you struggled to choose between purple and blue as your favorite color. He tilted his head slightly, a small, playful smirk tugging at the corner of his lips.

"Purple and blue, huh?" he mused, his voice gentle yet teasing. "You must like the ocean, then?"

The words hung in the air between you, a light-hearted attempt to ease the tension. His smirk widened just a fraction, the corners of his eyes crinkling with amusement. The soft lighting of the room seemed to highlight the sparkle in his eyes, making the moment feel intimate and unexpectedly tender. It was as if he was trying to bridge the gap between your nervousness and his curiosity, finding common ground in the simplest of things.

You felt a flutter of warmth in your chest, a smile threatening to break through your anxious facade. Maybe, just maybe, this wasn't as terrifying as you had imagined. You glanced down briefly, your cheeks flushing slightly, before meeting his gaze again. It was half true, you did love the ocean, loved to swim and read on your dad's boat when you could. The smell of the ocean was calming. And so was JJ, at least when you watched him from afar. He smelled like actual ocean water. That wasn't creepy at all.

JJ's smirk grew as he took notice of the small smile on your lips. It was a little odd how something as simple as your favorite color could get you to relax, even if only for a moment.

He took a small step closer, his eyes fixed on you. "I should've figured you were a fan of the ocean, you give off the same vibe as it, all calm and peaceful."

That was oddly romantic. In a weird way of course. The words caused your brows to furrow gently, your face warming up just a tad bit. You were too busy studying his face to dart your eyes away nervously anymore.

"You like to surf right?" you asked without realizing, silently congratulating yourself for actually making conversation.

JJ was a bit surprised that you actually initiated conversation, asking him a question. It wasn't the most complex question, but it was something. He liked it. More than he cared to admit.

He nodded, a smile tugging at his lips again. The question was a pretty obvious one, everyone knew he lived and breathed for surfing.

"Yeah, love it. Nothing beats the feeling of riding those waves. You surf?"

Your expression teetered between 'yes' and 'no', a gentle shrug accompanying your ambiguous smile. "I like to do it on the pavement," you mumbled, the words slipping out clumsily. What you meant to say was that you loved skating—gliding over concrete as surfers ride the waves. But the explanation tumbled awkwardly from your lips, causing a flush of embarrassment to warm the tips of your ears as you realized how silly you might have sounded.

JJ raised an eyebrow, a look of curious confusion on his face. He tried to make sense of the answer you gave, trying to figure out what the hell you meant.

He scratched his head, looking at you like you grew a second head. But then, the pieces clicked into place. "Pavement... You mean skateboarding, mouse??"

You nodded in embarrassment, adjusting your glasses. You loved to surf but preferred skating. It helped you get to places given you were scared of driving. Another normal teenage personality trait.

JJ tried to hide his smirk at your admission of liking to skateboard. It was pretty cute to imagine you all decked out in pads and a helmet, rolling around on a board. He could only imagine how much you probably sucked at tricks, given how anxious you were all the time.

He chuckled, a playful tone in his voice.

"You must be quite a sight, mouse. On wheels."

"I've been skating since i was 8." you stated, more to add to the conversation than to counter his teasing comment.

JJ's eyebrows shot up in surprise. He didn't expect you to have been skating for so long. He almost let out a scoff at the fact that you could be good at something and yet so bad at talking to people.

"Damn, that's a long time. You must be a pro by now, huh?"

You nodded silently, a bit smug at the compliment about being a pro. You were awfully proud of your skating skills. And your painting and photography ones. It seemed the only skill you didn't have was talking to people.

JJ watched your nod, noticing the hint of smugness on your face. For some reason, seeing you acting like that amused him, and he smiled at how proud you seemed to be about your skills.

He had a feeling that you were really skilled at your hobbies, after all, they were probably the only way you actually interacted with the world, given how shy and quiet you were around people. He crossed his arms over his chest, looking down at you. "I bet you're like a pro skater girl, huh mouse?"

You smiled shyly, pursing your lips together. You shifted on your feet once again. You kinda liked how he went with the fact that you struggled to speak and just understood what you were trying to say without having to say a word. It was oddly intimate.

JJ's gaze softened as he saw your shy smile. He could tell that you were slightly more comfortable now, your body language was less tense and your eyes didn't dart away as much as they did before.

He leaned against the edge of the desk, his arms still crossed over his chest, watching you intently. He didn't speak for a moment, just taking in your features, the way your hair framed your face, how your glasses sat on your nose, the way your lips pursed when you were nervous. He couldn't believe that he didn't notice how pretty you were before. Sure, you were the shy, quiet, nerdy girl, but you were actually beautiful, your eyes sparkling behind your glasses the eyeshadow you were wearing and the mascara accentuating them. He shook his head slightly, trying to get rid of the thought.

After a few seconds, he spoke up again, his voice softer than it usually was.

"You know, mouse, I can tell you're better at your hobbies than you are at talking to me."

You looked down for a second, furrowing your brows thoughtfully before raising your eyes again. It was true, you were, funnily better at skating or painting or photography than talking to people. It had always been a problem for you no matter how talented you were. Your expression was back to embarrassed, but your smile still tugged at your lips.

JJ took note of your furrowed brows, sensing the internal struggle you were having. He couldn't help but wonder what was going on in your head, why you were so damn quiet all the time.

He pushed himself off of the desk, taking another step closer to you. The urge to try and get you to open up was growing stronger, even if he knew that wouldn't happen easily. "You're really bad at communication, you know that?"

JJ's statement wasn't meant to be mean or rude, he was merely stating a fact. He didn't understand how someone could be so bad at something as simple as talking, yet be so good at other things. He took another step closer, now only a few inches away from you. He looked down at you, his eyes studying your face intently.

"You act like you'll pass out if you speak more than ten words per minute, mouse." he murmured tenderly.

You scoffed, shrugging as you adjusted your glasses. You just couldn't allow yourself to speak sometime. It was like, you would rather come off as quiet and mute than awkward and an stuttery mess.

JJ chuckled at your reaction, finding it somewhat endearing that you would scoff instead of denying his observation about your lack of communication skills. It was strange, he never thought someone could look so cute trying to argue or look offended.

He reached out, gently pushing your glasses back into place when you adjusted them. The gesture was a bit more intimate than he had intended, but he didn't pull away, letting his fingers linger near your face for a moment longer. "You really are a shy mouse, aren't you?"

You froze up a little as he adjusted your glasses for you. Your brows raised and your expression probably resembled one of a scared bunny in front of a truck. You felt like it. It was embarrassing how shy you could be and how much JJ affected and brought it out of you.

JJ noticed the way you froze up when he touched your glasses, and he couldn't help but find it adorable how much you reacted to such a small gesture. It was as if his presence alone was enough to fluster you.

He leaned in a bit closer, his voice low and a hint of a smirk on his lips. "Whoa there, mouse, don't go passing out on me now..." he teased lowly, the tip of his nose grazing yours.

The closeness of your faces caused your breathing to stutter in your chest. Your brain was malfunctioning, your eyes drifting to his lips. For a second there you thought he was gonna kiss you. Now, you were desperately racking your mind for something smooth to say, but coming up blank.

The more you blushed and fidgeted, the more amused JJ was. He couldn't hold back his smirk, seeing how flustered you were just from his touch and his words. It was like poking a shy puppy.

He let his hand fall gently from your ear, his fingers briefly brushing against the flushed skin of your cheek before dropping back down to his side.

"What's the matter, mouse? Cat got your tongue?"

'Wow. We were now venturing into making puns about my quietness, even including my nickname I'd earned for that very reason'. It felt oddly intimate--but then again, everything seemed intimate to you given the overwhelming love you were carrying for JJ.

You let out a small, amused laugh at his joke. It was a soft sound, almost inaudible. A genuine reaction that warmed you from the inside out. The corners of your lips curved upward ever so slightly, betraying the swell of emotion you felt but rarely expressed. JJ's eyes flickered with a hint of satisfaction at your response, a subtle spark that made your heart skip.

JJ's smile widened a bit as he heard your laugh, if it could even be called that. It was more of a quick exhalation through your nose, but it was still a laugh, and that caught him off guard just like the other times he heard it. You found him funny.

But it was a pleasant surprise, it made him want to hear more, and soon enough he was trying to think of something else to say to get a reaction out of you.

He leaned down, his voice dropping to a low, almost whisper. "Is that why you don't talk much? You think you're gonna stutter or make yourself look like an idiot?"

You nodded in affirmation of his assumption, "It's hard for me to speak sometimes.."

JJ studied your face again, his brows furrowing slightly.

He could see the discomfort in your expression, the way your lips pouted and your cheeks flushed was almost involuntary. If you really struggled to talk as much as you did, no wonder you were so shy and quiet all the time, being forced into situations where you were expected to speak must be hell.

He shook his head, a look of slight irritation on his face.

"That's bullcrap, mouse."

He reached out without warning, resting one hand on your shoulder, his fingers gently squeezing the fabric of your shirt.

"You're smart, I know you are. I've seen it. You're just too damn afraid of saying the wrong thing, that's all."

He leaned in even closer, his voice dropping even lower, almost to a murmur now.

"But you gotta just tell your damn brain to shut up and your mouth to talk. You're overthinking it, mouse."

The small gestures of squeezing your shoulder was so sweet it made you almost sick with butterflies. The way he squeezed your shoulder, so hesitant, it made you feel like he was genuinely trying to comfort you, instead of just a mindless physical touch like he usually did to get into girls' pants.

You didn't know what he meant by smart, and the fact that he'd seen it. But your brain was too focused on the warmth of his big hand and his soft and reassuring compliment that you didn't think twice about it. "Okay." you murmured back nodding gently

JJ felt something tighten in his chest as he took in your response, nodding like it was as easy as flipping a switch. It wasn't, he knew that from his experiences with you, but he didn't want to discourage you.

He knew he should pull his hand away, but for some reason he couldn't bring himself to move it just yet. He was too focused on the way your shirt felt, the warmth of your skin where his fingers made contact. "Promise me you'll try, mouse."

"I'll try it. Promise." you found yourself promising. Even though it wasn't that easy. You both seemed to know it. And you were suddenly curious why did he care? I mean you weren’t exactly friends. You were the girl that had been following him around secretly and pining after him and he was just the oblivious love interest. It didn't make sense.

JJ took in your promise, his heart feeling tighter at the way you said it, as though his opinion meant something, as though he mattered to you. He knew he shouldn't care either about someone like you, yet his hand lingered on your shoulder, and he had no plans of moving it.

He couldn't deny that there was something different about this moment, something almost tender and intimate, and he didn't want it to end just yet.

"Good, mouse. That's all I ask." His fingers continued to grip your shoulder, his thumb gently tracing a small line back and forth through the fabric of your shirt.

"And if you start to panic or overthink just.. Say the first thing that comes to mind, no thinking about how stupid it sounds."

He realized that he probably didn't need to give you actual advice, but it came out anyway, he wasn't quite sure why.

"When i panic i go silent." you realized, that even though your sentence was to counter his advice in a way, you had actually done what he said. That was the first thing that came to mind and for some reason you just said it. Very easily.

JJ raised his eyebrows slightly at your response, realizing how easily the words came out.

He chuckled softly, a mix of surprise and amusement in his voice.

"And there you go, mouse. That wasn't so bad now, was it?"

He gently squeezed your shoulder again, feeling a strange sense of satisfaction, as though he had just solved some kind of complicated puzzle.

"I guess not." you chuckled weakly, adjusting your glasses as a way to distract yourself from the feeling his small and gentle shoulder squeeze gave you.

JJ's eyes followed your hand as you adjusted your glasses again, noticing how your action seemed to be more of a nervous tick than a necessary adjustment.

He smirked, leaning closer as he spoke in a low voice.

"You know, mouse, you've adjusted your glasses like ten times already. You're gonna break them if you keep touching them like that."

"I don't see any glasses on your face, for you to know." you narrowed your eyes, the smile still tugging at your lips. A casual teasing comment? wow we are making so much progress here.

JJ raised an eyebrow at your suddenly snarky comment. He was taken aback by the change in your demeanor, but he couldn't deny that he liked it. He didn't expect you to be the type to dish back at him, but you proved him you were full of surprises.

He kept his hand on your shoulder, not budging an inch, letting your words sink in. Then he chuckled. "Wow, mouse. Someone's feeling feisty today, huh?"

You found your self grinning almost like an idiot at his teasing, knowing he meant no harm with it. Your grin was followed by a soft chuckle, your eyes shifting their focus between his own.

JJ found himself unable to look away from your eyes as you chuckled and grinned. He was used to girls blushing and squeaking at his words, but you had completely caught him off guard.

He squeezed your shoulder again, his fingers gently pressing into the fabric of your shirt. He felt a strange sensation in his chest that he couldn't quite explain.

Your expression was almost one of awe as you stared up at him, still grinning slightly, but it was a bit softer now. You shifted on your feet once again, for the first time in your life not stepping away when someone was that close. You knew he wouldn't try to kiss or do anything although a part of you still wanted it. It felt nice to just be.. close.

The way your expression softened as you looked up at him caught JJ off guard even more. He could see the hint of awe in your eyes, the way your grin became softer, less cheeky.

He was used to girls either blushing or pushing him away when he got close, but you didn't do either. You just stayed still, letting him keep his hand on your shoulder, even though he should've pulled away long ago. He felt a strange warmth in his chest as he looked down at you, his fingers still gripping your shirt's fabric.

JJ swallowed, his throat suddenly feeling dry for some reason. Normally he would've pulled away by now given that the seven minutes were probably over, gone to get a beer and look for someone to distract him from whatever the hell was going on in his head. But something kept him rooted to the spot, his hand not moving from your shoulder, his eyes refusing to pull away from your face. This felt so much better than making out with a stranger and he was surprised at the thought.

He opened his mouth to make a joke, some smartass comments to break the tension, but no words came out. He just stared down at you, speechless for the first time in his life.

Although your phone's ring tone seemed to match your personality in a strange way, the sound of the song 'show me how' by men i trust playing so suddenly caught you and JJ both off guard despite the soft sounding song.

You fumbled to pluck your phone from your back pocket, almost dropping it from how startled you were, glancing at the screen to see Maisy's name on your screen. 'Of course she'd interrupt right now' you groaned internally as you picked up the call hesitantly.

JJ felt like he had been snapped out of a trance after your phone rang, the sudden sound making him jump slightly as he watched you fumble to pull it out of your pocket.

He took a small step back, taking his hand off your shoulder as you answered the call, a small frown on his face. He knew it was probably Maisy, but he couldn't help feeling a twinge of irritation.

He leaned against the wall, folding his arms across his chest as he waited for you to finish your call. He couldn't make out what Maisy was saying on the other end, but he could tell by the sound of her voice that she was probably asking why you weren't around.

He rolled his eyes at the thought of her constantly checking up on you, like some overprotective mother. He knew she meant well, but it was still irritating.

"No... what? I'm not making out with him Maisy... don't be stupid... I'll be out in a bit." you mumbled as Maisy overwhelmed you with a barrage of questions, which you didn't answer. You only answered the last one, which was more excited and bubbly than the others and you were still a bit bitter she put you in the awkward situation of having to play the stupid game in the first place.

JJ couldn't help but overhear some of the conversation, although it was difficult to make out most of what was being said on the call. He heard you quickly deny making out with him, which made him smirk to himself.

He leaned his head back against the wall, his gaze drifting down to you as you hurriedly answered Mimsy's questions. He couldn't help but feel a hint of annoyance at the way Mimsy was clearly looking out for you, too much if you asked him.

You hung up after a few more minutes of Mimsy speaking and you just humming in response, stuffing your phone back in the back pocket of your shorts. You raised your gaze up to his, the awestruck expression coming back slowly as you expected him to say something regarding your interruption or anything.

JJ held your gaze for a long moment, his eyes studying your expression. He could see the awestruck look slowly returning as you met his gaze, and it only lasted for a brief moment before he finally spoke up.

"Let me guess, Maisy was wanting to check up on you and make sure I wasn't mauling you alive or something." which was funny because Maisy was asking you the complete opposite.

"Well our 7 minutes were up 23 minutes ago... apparently." you grimaced at the last part of the statement, surprised it had been 30 minutes since you stepped in the room. Time passed so quickly

JJ let out an exasperated sigh as you mentioned the 7 minutes being up so long ago. He pushed off the wall, shaking his head.

"Of course she was timing it. Why am I not surprised."

He stepped closer to you again, a slight irritation in his expression.

"She probably thinks I'm taking advantage of you or something."

"No... she thought we were... uh, making out." you stuttered, smiling awkwardly.

JJ froze in his steps as you revealed what Mimsy had actually said. A mix of shock and disbelief washed over his face, and he couldn't help but let out a disbelieving chuckle. "Making out? Seriously?" He shook his head, running a hand through his hair. That was an obvious assumption, given that was the whole point of '7 minutes in heaven'. Still, he was annoyed at the fact that she had interrupted.

"Well.. we've been here for 30 minutes and.. that's the whole point of you know.. 7 minutes in heaven?" you adjusted your glasses, letting out a small awkward laugh. Maisy was convinced the two of you got up to more than kissing since you were gone for so long.

JJ rolled his eyes at your response, unable to refute your reasoning. You were right, after all. It was a game about making out, and here he was just holding your shoulder like an idiot.

He stepped closer again, his gaze meeting yours. "Yeah, yeah, I guess you're right. But Maisy has a one track mind, she always does make assumptions about things."

You shook your head in agreement, looking down thoughtfully. JJ watched you as you looked down, the silence between you growing longer. He felt a strange tension in the air, and he found himself unsure of what to say or do next. He shifted on his feet, his fingers itching to reach out and touch you, but he held himself back.

He cleared his throat, trying to break the tension. "So... what now, mouse?"

"I guess we go back to the party... your friends are probably looking for you." you hummed, looking up and shifting your weight from one foot to the other.

JJ nodded in agreement, knowing that his friends were probably wondering where he had disappeared to.

"Yeah, they're probably wondering what's taking me so long." He paused for a moment, his gaze falling on you again, a hint of disappointment in his eyes.

"Guess the game's over, huh?"

"Yeah... sorry if it wasn't what you expected." you apologized softly, fidgeting with the frame of your glasses.

JJ's chest tightened a bit at your apology. He couldn't believe you had actually said sorry for not making out with him.

He shook his head, a small smile tugging at his lips.

"Don't apologize, mouse. This was...unexpected, but not in a bad way. I didn't mind that we didn't make out."

'Yeah but you're supposed to.' You didn't understand why he didn't just come here with a girl who would've actually made out with him instead of staring at him and stuttering over her words like an idiot.

You hummed, a small smile tugging at your lips as you looked up at him, nodding in a way that said thanks. You were glad he accepted to just talk, despite him doing most of the talking.

JJ could see the hint of confusion in your eyes, and he knew you were wondering why he hadn't just come in here with someone else, someone who would have actually played the game the way it was intended.

He found himself not really understanding why he had agreed to the game in the first place, and why he stayed in here for nearly an hour just talking to you.

He chuckled softly, shoving his hands into his pockets. "So, you gonna tell Mimsy we didn't make out?"

"She knows... it's not my thing to just... makeout with people." you mumbled, looking down in embarrassment.

JJ saw the way your face flushed red as you admitted that you weren't into making out with random people, and he couldn't help but find it endearing. It was a stark contrast to the usual types of girls who threw themselves at him.

He raised an eyebrow, a smirk playing on his lips.

"Not your thing, huh? So what is your thing then, mouse?"

You shrugged, forcing yourself to look up at him. You couldn't see yourself just making out with random people and then just moving on. Besides you've been in love with the same guy for almost half of your life. You were destined to be a loser who was attached emotionally to someone who had no idea she existed like a week ago.

JJ watched you shrug, sensing a hint of hesitation in your expression. It was clear you weren't the type to just go making out with anyone, and he found it...refreshing. Most girls he had been with were usually quick to jump into his arms, no questions asked.

He took a step closer to you already missing being close to you, a smirk on his lips. "You don't do casual making out?"

You shifted in a way that basically said 'kind of', a small tight smile tugging at your lips. Of course you needed an emotional connection to have your first kiss. It was ridiculous to think about something else for yourself. And you were attached emotionally to someone who probably never needed one in the first place to make out or hook up with a girl. How ironic.

He chuckled softly at the way your body language confirmed his suspicions. He knew you were the type who needed an emotional connection to be physically intimate with someone.

He paused for a moment, his mind flickering back to the countless girls he had made out with at parties or hook-ups, girls he couldn't care less about in the morning. He couldn't help but feel a small pang of regret, realizing how different his own approach to intimacy was.

He looked down at you, his gaze softening as he saw the hint of vulnerability in your expression. He suddenly felt a pang of guilt at the thought of his past behavior, especially after seeing how different you were. He took another small step closer, his voice softer this time.

"You know, it's not a bad thing to want that emotional connection before being physically intimate with someone."

'Yeah but it's hard when the person you're in love with doesn't reciprocate your feelings. Unrequited love is a bitch,' you thought.

You hummed, looking up and sighing, nodding towards the door of the room you were both still in, away from the loud party. You weren't exactly thrilled to go out there but the thought of just staying here... it was way too vulnerable and he probably wanted to go back to the party anyway.

He followed your gaze to the door, knowing that the party was still going on outside. He could hear the sound of music and shouting, but he found himself not wanting to leave just yet.

'Just a few more minutes...' he thought to himself, his gaze returning to you. "Yeah, we should probably head back out there." He knew he should be eager to go back to the party, to find another girl and have a good time. But for some reason, he was reluctant to leave your side.

He hesitantly took a few steps towards the door, stealing one last glance back at you.

"You ready to go back out there, mouse?" He waited for you to respond, part of him hoping you would say no.

You found yourself shaking your head no despite following behind him awkwardly, a small frown on your face as you stayed silent. Of course not. But you weren't gonna tell him you were planning on just hiding away in the bathroom like a loser.

JJ's eyebrows raised slightly as he saw you shake your head no. For a moment, he hesitated, his hand on the door handle.

"No? You're not coming back out with me?"

He turned to face you fully, a mixture of surprise and curiosity on his face. He had expected you to say yes, to agree that you should both return to the party.

You nodded, signaling that even though you weren't thrilled about it, you were in fact going back to the party. You were gonna try and find Maisy and maybe just maybe have a drink. That could help probably. What could go wrong?

JJ studied your face for a moment, his gaze lingering on your expression. He could tell there was more to it than you were letting on, but he didn't press the issue.

"Alright, if you say so."

He reluctantly led the way out of the room and back into the loud and rowdy party. The sound of music and laughter filled the air, and JJ scanned the room and the crowd for Maisy since he didn't just wanna leave you all alone. He found her standing by the drinks table, sipping on a red solo cup.

Your brain was instantly assaulted by the myriad of sounds and different conversations happening all at once. Once you stepped out, your eyes scanned the room too, noticing Maisy by the drinks table. You turned to JJ, pointing to your best friend, silently telling him that you would be going back to her in a few.

JJ nodded in understanding as you pointed towards Mimsy, signaling that you would be heading back to your friend. He knew that you preferred to be around someone you were comfortable with, especially in a crowded and noisy environment like this.

His gaze followed you as you began to make your way over to Maisy, his hands still shoved in his pockets. He hesitated for a moment, wondering if he should leave you alone or stick nearby.

You glanced back at him, giving him a small wave and a small smile as you made your way back to Mimsy. That was the least you can do, given you just acted like a weirdo in the room for 30 minutes.

JJ watched you walk away, a faint smile on his face as you gave him a wave and a sweet smile. He couldn't help but chuckle to himself, realizing that despite your shy demeanor, you were actually quite friendly.

He turned away, heading over to where his friends were gathered in a circle near the stairs. But his mind was still preoccupied with thoughts of you, and he found himself stealing occasional glances in your direction from across the room.

As soon as you reached Maisy she squealed in excitement, wrapping her arm around your shoulder in a side hug earning a small grin from you. Maisy's sudden excitement was infectious as she wrapped her arm around your shoulder, pulling you into a side hug. You couldn't help but grin at her eagerness, feeling a sense of comfort in her presence.

She looked at you with a wide grin on her face, pulling away slightly to speak. "So? How was it? Did you two kiss?"

"I told you... we didn't kiss." you sighed, frowning to yourself.

Maisy groaned in disappointment, crossing her arms across her chest.

"Why not? You were in there for like an HOUR."

She looked at you with a mix of curiosity and annoyance, clearly expecting something more exciting to have happened.

"It was 30 minutes!" you protested, shrugging, "i got scared.. and he said we don't have to makeout... "

Maisy raised an eyebrow, a small smirk on her face. "You got scared? And he said you didn't have to makeout? That's not very JJ-like."

She leaned in a bit closer, her voice lowering to a whisper.

"Did you two at least talk or anything? Or was it just... awkward silence?"

"Yes we talked... well in my own way of talking to someone when I'm nervous beyond belief." you confirmed, smiling to yourself softly.

Maisy studied your expression as you confirmed that you had talked with JJ. Your small smile and the soft look in your eyes caught her attention.

She couldn't help but grin, a spark of curiosity in her gaze.

"What do you mean by 'in your own way of talking to someone'? Did you stutter? Or say something embarrassing or weird?"

"No...! it was just... well he was doing most of the talking." you grimaced awkwardly, leaning against the drink table.

"He wasn't cocky... he seemed like he was actually thinking before speaking to me. Like I'd get scared and bolt out of the room.." you chuckled gently, "which i asked to do..."

Maisy snickered, a knowing look on her face. "Ah, so JJ did most of the talking, huh? Typical."

She took a sip from her red solo cup, eyeing you carefully. "And let me guess, he probably just made jokes the whole time and was being his usual cocky self?"

"He wasn't cocky... he seemed like he was actually thinking before speaking to me. Like I'd get scared and bolt out of the room.." you chuckled gently, "which i asked to do..."

Maisy's eyebrows rose slightly in surprise at your words. JJ, not being cocky? That didn't sound like the JJ she knew. And him actually filtering himself to not scare you? That was even more surprising.

She took another sip from her cup, mulling over your statement.

"He wasn't cocky? And he actually was being careful with his words around you? That's... unexpected. And kind of sweet, actually"

"He gave me advice about talking to people and kept his distance not to like startle me with physical contact.. i don't know, he seemed like he was careful around me." you looked down thoughtfully your mind drifting to when you were both just staring at each other while he held onto your shoulder, "he placed a hand on my shoulder and squeezed it comfortingly..." you quipped up as if it was some sort of big deal.

Maisy's eyes widened slightly as you recounted the moment when JJ had placed a hand on your shoulder, her lips curling into a small smile. "Wait, he squeezed your shoulder? Like, to comfort you?"

She couldn't help but tease, her words dripping with playful sarcasm. "Oh, wow, how romantic. How'd you manage not to swoon at his gesture?"

"Don't remind me... i probably looked like a lovesick idiot staring up at him." you groaned squeezing your eyes shut.

Maisy snickered, thoroughly enjoying your embarrassment. "Oh, you definitely looked like a lovesick idiot. I can just picture it. Big, moony eyes staring up at him, practically swooning at his every move." She continued to tease, taking another sip from her cup.

You groaned once again at her teasing, growing more embarrassed by her description. "He probably thinks I'm a weirdo who can't speak to humans to save her life... "

Maisy chuckled, shaking her head. "Nah, I doubt he thinks you're a weirdo. If anything, he probably thinks you're cute and a bit awkward. Most guys find that endearing."

She gave you a reassuring smile, sensing your embarrassment.

"He does not think I'm cute. If anything he probably thinks I'm strange!" you whisper shouted at her, leaning in so she could hear you over the party music "remember i told you we talked on the beach the other day... he found me taking a picture of a seagull eating a french fry. So embarrassing."

Maisy's eyes widened in surprise at your revelation, a smirk appearing on her face. "He found you taking a picture of a seagull eating a french fry? That's hilarious, but also kind of adorable in a weird way." She leaned in closer to you, her voice tinged with mischief.

"Did he make fun of you for it? Or did he just stand there silently, probably thinking you were the biggest dork he's ever met?"

"No... he was interested in my photography, actually... i ended up showing him my pictures of the starfish too.." You nodded almost smugly, recalling how good those pictures were, "although i was careful not to accidentally show him the pictures i took of him secretly. " you added, the feeling of being creepy stirring in your stomach again "i feel like a stalker Maisy.."

Maisy tilted her head, intrigued by your revelation.

"He was interested in your photography? That's unexpected. I figured he'd just make fun of you for taking pictures of a seagull eating a french fry."

She raised an eyebrow, a hint of curiosity in her voice. "You didn't accidentally show him any of the secret pictures of him, right?"

"Which brings me to my point..! If he ever... in like a parallel universe decided he liked me.. how would i explain that I've been taking pictures of him secretly for 8 years? That just wouldn't work. I think i should just kill myself.." you rambled, gesturing wildly, your expression growing more agitated as you completely disregarded her question and statement.

"Oh, for pete's sake, stop being so dramatic."

Maisy chuckled, rolling her eyes at your exaggeration. "Okay, you've been taking secret pictures of him. So what? It's not like you're some creepy stalker. You're just a girl with a crush who doesn't know how to express her feelings without a camera."

"Yeah but... i dunno how I'd feel if someone was taking pictures of me without me knowing!" you raised your brows at her, "Maisy seriously... i need to disappear." you deadpanned, fingers reaching up to adjust your glasses which were askew from gesturing wildly.

Maisy shook her head, a stern look on her face.

"No, you do not need to disappear. And stop being so hard on yourself. It's not like you're some freak or something. You just have a secret crush on JJ, and taking pictures of him is your way of expressing that."

She paused for a moment, a sly smile forming on her lips. "And let's be honest, he's not a bad subject to photograph. He's handsome, after all."

You groaned more dramatically, throwing your head back in mock despair. Maisy was always the kind of friend who just kinda... enabled you. In everything really, not just your weird crush for JJ Maybank. "He is handsome... like sometimes it makes me wanna cry and scream. It's so unfair how perfect someone can be." you grumbled, "and i have no chance whatsoever. No chance."

Maisy couldn't help but smirk at your dramatic reaction, enjoying how easily you could be riled up when it came to JJ.

"You're being way too hard on yourself, you know. And you don't know for sure that you don't have a chance. Maybe JJ isn't as unattainable as you think."

She took a sip from her cup, a mischievous twinkle in her eyes.

"Maybe he actually likes you back, but just hides it really well because... well, he's JJ."

"Look at him," you murmured, your gaze lingering on JJ. "He's the very definition of an American heartthrob. Why would a guy like that ever be interested in someone like me? It's ridiculous."

You nodded subtly towards JJ, who sat across the bustling room, the warm glow of ambient lights casting a golden sheen on his features, his hair falling over his eyes in a messy yet perfect way. He was surrounded by his Pogue friends, their laughter melding with the hum of the party. His carefree smile and easy laughter only accentuated the effortless charm he exuded. The way he leaned back, casually engaging with those around him, made him seem almost untouchable—a living embodiment of every teenage dream.

"Besides, he doesn't even know I exist," you sighed, a mix of longing and resignation threading through your voice. "He barely knew I existed until about a week ago when I got locked in a closet with him accidentally for twenty minutes."

The memory sent a flush to your cheeks—a confusing blend of embarrassment and a flutter of excitement. Those twenty minutes had been a whirlwind of awkward glances and stilted conversation, the close quarters amplifying every fleeting touch and shared breath. Yet, despite the nervous tension, there had been moments when his eyes met yours, a flicker of genuine curiosity breaking through the awkwardness. But as soon as the door had swung open, reality crashed back, and he slipped effortlessly back into his world—a world that felt miles away from your own.

Maisy followed your gaze towards JJ and his friends, taking in the sight of him. He was indeed a sight to behold, with his easy confidence and charm. She chuckled at your statement.

"Yeah, he's a heartthrob, no doubt about that. But don't underestimate yourself, either. Just because you're shy and prefer to keep to yourself doesn't mean you're not worthy of his attention."

She paused, nudging you lightly. "And hey, getting locked in a closet with him for 20 minutes doesn't sound like a bad start."

"I think we've got a 'the blind leading the blind' situation here. You're being delusional. He doesn't even go for girls like me." you gestured to yourself in a self deprecating way.

Maisy rolled her eyes at your self-deprecating gesture.

"First of all, don't talk about yourself like that. You're not some sort of undesirable troll. You're cute and sweet and talented, and any guy would be lucky to have you."

She raised an eyebrow at your comment about JJ not going for girls like you. "And who says he doesn't go for girls like you? You don't know that for sure."

"I've liked him for 8 years. I seen the girls he goes for. And none of them look or act like me." you groaned, rolling your eyes.

Maisy snickered, amused by your melodramatic attitude. "So just because he's gone for a specific type of girl in the past doesn't mean he's limited to that. You never know, maybe he's got a secret thing for shy, awkward girls who take pictures of him secretly." She wiggled her eyebrows suggestively, enjoying the chance to tease you.

"Great. Stab me while you're at it too would you?" you deadpanned sardonically, your expression melting into one of mock irritation. "Maybe twist the knife so you would be sure?"

Maisy cackled, thoroughly enjoying your sarcastic response. She loved how easily she could rile you up when you were in a mood like this.

"Aw, don't be like that," she chimed, smirking playfully. "I'm just teasing you. And hey, who knows, maybe JJ will surprise you and turn out to be the kind of guy who falls for the shy, camera-wielding girl next door."

"Nope. Not in a million years. It's not gonna happen. I'm gonna have to get a 100 cats and die alone." you pursed your lips, shaking your head dismissively. The thought of that actually happening seemed so out of touch that it made you almost amused if not sad.

Maisy snorted at your exaggerated statement, rolling her eyes at your melodramatic tendencies.

"Oh, please. You're not going to die alone. And you wouldn't be able to handle a hundred cats anyway. They'd end up taking over your house and probably start a cat army or something."

She smiled, gently patting your shoulder in an attempt to reassure you. "You'll find someone who appreciates you, Y/n. And who knows, it might just be JJ Maybank."

"Being in love with JJ Maybank feels like what it would be like to deal with a hundred cats or even more.." you sighed, frowning to your self as you stared at JJ across the room. Your sentence was supposed to be light-hearted but it came out as love sick and yearning.

Maisy smirked at your love-sick tone, fully aware of how deep your feelings for JJ ran.

"Oh, my sweet, lovesick friend," she teased, poking you in the arm. "You've got it bad. You're practically drowning in JJ Maybank-induced cat lady delirium."

You groaned in despair, throwing your head back once more. You had it bad and it was comical. You were gonna end up carrying these feelings to your grave and have to watch him get married to someone else. What a fun way to spend your life.

Maisy chuckled at your melodramatic display, shaking her head fondly. She couldn't help but find your love-struck state simultaneously endearing and amusing. It was like watching a rom-com unfold right in front of her.

She leaned in closer to you, her voice dropping to a conspiratorial whisper. "You know, if you keep pining after JJ like this, he's bound to notice eventually."

You gave her a withering look, your expression a mixture of despair and disbelief.

"Notice? He'll probably just laugh in my face. Or worse, he'll think I'm a creep who's been stalking him for years and collecting his chewed gum or some bullshit.." You let out a defeated sigh, imagining the worst possible scenarios in your head.

Maisy couldn't help but snicker at your self-deprecation. She shook her head gently, rolling her eyes affectionately. "Oh, please. You're not a creep. And he won't laugh in your face. He's not a complete jerk, you know."

She paused, her tone becoming more reassuring.

"And as for stalking him, well... maybe stop taking secret pictures of him whenever the opportunity arises, and he won't think you're creepo camera girl."

"But he's just so pretty... it's like he was made to exist through camera lenses." you mumbled and sighing dreamily. You studied the way he looked under the lights of the house, the way he smiled and laughed, having to lean down to talk to his friends. His hair looked so pretty, it looked like it was glowing and his eyes were twinkling when he laughed and let the small dimple in his right cheek show.

Maisy grinned at your dreamy description of JJ. Your infatuation with him was so obvious, it was practically radiating off of you. She playfully nudged you.

"Oh, my god, you are so hopeless. You're gonna end up melting into a puddle of hormones right here, right now if you keep drooling over him like that."

"I'm not drooling. I'm just.. observing. He looks absolutely beautiful, i can't believe this guy actually spent 30 minutes alone with me just to get me to talk to him and snap from my shy daze." you sighed, pouting dramatically.

Maisy rolled her eyes yet again, shaking her head at your melodramatic tendencies. "Oh, you're not drooling, you're just admiring the beauty and perfection of JJ Maybank to the extreme. Totally normal behavior."

She chuckled and patted your shoulder, her tone filled with exaggerated disbelief. "Yeah, imagine that. A guy actually spending time to talk to you and make you feel comfortable. How shocking."

"I'm going for a smoke.." you shrugged her hand off your shoulder, waving a hand dismissively in her face.

Maisy let out a dramatic gasp, feigning offense at your dismissal. She placed a hand on her heart, faking heartbreak.

"You're going for a smoke? Just like that? No dramatic declaration of your unrequited love for JJ first? No fainting spell? No tears?"

She smirked, winking at you. "Just a casual, 'I need nicotine, and I need it now'?"

"I hate you Maisy." you shot her a faux glare, weaving through the crowds of people to reach the back door of the house, passing by JJ and his friends while you did so, suppressing the urge to glance at him.

Maisy let out a playful laugh, her eyes glimmering with mischief. Watching you make your way through the throng of party-goers, she couldn't help but smirk. As you passed by JJ and his friends, Mimsy noticed JJ's eyes linger on your form for a moment, before snapping back to whatever conversation he was engaged in with his friends.

She chuckled to herself, shaking her head. "Denial, denial, denial..."

Meanwhile, JJ's conversation with his friends had been interrupted by your passing. He found himself involuntarily stealing a glance in your direction, his eyes narrowing slightly. As you continued towards the door without acknowledging him, a hint of disappointment flickered across his face, quickly masked by a casual smirk as he turned his attention back to his friends.

Reaching the back door you let yourself take a deep breath in, the slightly cold and crisp air of the summer night soothing your overstimulated lungs. You stepped out in the small backyard, sitting down on the stone steps, bringing your cigarette pack out and fishing one to light it. You glanced up at the starry night sky, adjusting your glasses as you took a long drag of the cigarette, letting yourself relish in the feeling of the nicotine seeping into your brain slowly.

As you settled down and lit your cigarette, taking a deep calming drag, JJ, who had been in the midst of a conversation with his friends, excused himself with a casual wave of his hand. He'd been unable to keep his gaze from drifting towards you and the pull he felt to be near you was stronger than he'd expect. With an air of nonchalance, he slipped away from the group and made his way outside to where you were sitting.

He approached you silently, his hands casually shoved into the pockets of his jeans as he leaned against the wall next to the stone steps. He watched you absently staring up at the night sky as you exhaled a plume of smoke, before he finally spoke up.

"You know, those things'll kill ya."

You jumped slightly at the sound of someone speaking, side-glancing to find JJ, standing by your side. You didn't even hear him approach or see him whatsoever, your heart leaping in your throat as you stared at him silently.

JJ found a small smirk tugging at the corners of his lips as he observed your slight jump. He hadn't meant to startle you, but watching your slightly wide-eyed, deer-in-the-headlights expression made him amused. He leaned back against the wall, his arms crossed over his chest, as he casually looked down at you.

"Didn't mean to scare ya," he drawled softly, raising an eyebrow at your silent staring.

Your eyes studied his face in the dim lighting of the backyard, nodding hesitantly before ashing your cigarette and turning to take another drag. You suddenly felt like you were being the subject of god's past times, seeing you had no way of trying to compose yourself without JJ's presence suffocating you and causing you to clam up.

JJ, his charismatic smile and easy confidence. The way he effortlessly charmed everyone around him, how he seemed to command attention. Then there was you, the quiet, anxious wallflower, with an intense crush on a boy who would likely never notice your existence beyond the random awkward instances you've had.

The contrast between you and JJ was stark, and while the thought made your heart ache, it also added to the intense love that welled inside you.

As you continued to analyze JJ, your gaze tracing his features, he observed you with quiet contemplation. He was used to having girls' eyes on him and often didn't think much of it. But there was something different about the way you were looking at him. There was a mixture of fascination, shyness, and maybe even a hint of pain in your expression. It puzzled him, causing a slight flicker of curiosity to dance in his eyes.

He leaned his head back against the wall, his gaze still locked on you. "You're staring, mouse."

Your eyes darted down as soon as he said that, adjusting your glasses shyly, your sneaker digging into the grass underneath it nervously.

A small huff of laughter escaped JJ's lips as he watched you fidget under his gaze, your eyes darting back down to the ground, your shoe digging into the grass. He pushed off the wall, stepping closer to where you were sitting, closing the space between you. He sat down beside you on the stone steps, his shoulder brushing against yours, making your heart race.

He was close now, closer than before.

He could smell the faint scent of your shampoo, a combination of something sweet and floral. The way the light from inside the house illuminated your face, casting soft shadows across your features and making your eyes glitter like dewdrops.

He watched you as you fidgeted nervously, unable to keep his eyes from tracing the lines of your profile, the curve of your lips, the slope of your nose. Then he spoke, his voice quiet, yet filling the space between you.

"You still haven't answered my question, mouse."

"What was the question?" you inquired meekly a stark contrast from how you talked to Maisy just a few minutes ago, feeling a bit insecure under his intense gaze, the way those beautiful blue eyes of his roamed over your face.

JJ's smirk widened slightly as you responded, your voice soft and demure. He liked that you were quiet, shy. It was a stark contrast to the confident, outgoing girls he usually went for. And there was something about the way your voice sounded, the way your words came out almost hesitantly, that made him want to hear you speak more.

He leaned in a bit closer, his shoulder still pressed against yours, and his voice lowered to an almost whisper.

"I asked you...why were you staring at me?"

You wanted to stand up, your body tensing from him sitting down so close and leaning in to whisper, the smell of his cologne and the faint smell of weed invading your nose. Your brain felt overwhelmed, like it did when you saw JJ, but it was a hint worse, given he was now standing so close.

"I wasn't.. i was just-... i didn't mean to stare." you stuttered softly, shifting awkwardly on the step you were sitting, turning your head away to take another drag of the cigarette, hoping it will calm you down.

JJ couldn't help but chuckle at your fumbled response, your tension palpable. He found the way you reacted to his proximity both endearing and frustrating. Part of him wanted to push further, to see how flustered he could make you, but another part, a part he hadn't realized was there, wanted to reassure you, to make you feel comfortable around him.

He watched you as you tried to recompose yourself, averting your gaze and taking a drag of your cigarette. His eyes traced the movement of your hand bringing the cigarette to your lips, the way your fingers trembled ever so slightly. He shook his head slightly, a small smirk still playing on his lips.

"You're not a very good liar, mouse."

He adjusted his position, shifting himself a bit closer, his knee now touching yours. He could practically feel the tension rolling off of you. Your nervousness, your vulnerability, it was attractive in a way he hadn't experienced before.

"I think you were staring... and I think I know why."

"I don't mean to be creepy." you mumbled, not being able to stop the almost scared frown on your face. Of course he'd be weirded out. You were growing more embarrassed as he continued to stare at you and study you, his knee brushing against yours.

Your words were quiet, almost apologetic, and they tugged at something in JJ's chest. He hadn't expected you to think you were being creepy by staring at him. He was used to girls staring at him all the time, hell, he liked the attention usually. But hearing you say it, seeing the mix of embarrassment and fear on your face...it was a new feeling for him.

He chuckled softly, shaking his head.

"You're not being creepy, mouse. I've had people stare at me for a lot worse reasons than staring cause you think I'm pretty."

His tone was light, a hint of humor in his voice, but there was a subtle hint of truth to his words. He had a reputation for being a troublemaker, for getting into fights and skipping school. He was used to people staring, whispering, making judgements based on gossip and rumors.

But when you said it, it felt different. Maybe because he found himself oddly enjoying your attention, even if it made you anxious and flustered. He looked at you, studying your expression closely.

"Besides... I like it when you stare at me."

Your frown deepened as you became more flustered, avoiding gazing into his eyes. What did that mean? 'i like it when you stare at me'. You knew JJ liked the attention, it made his ego soar, and you wanted that. You wanted to command the attention and get long stares for being smoking hot and beautiful.

JJ could practically see the gears turning in your head. He could almost hear the anxious thoughts racing through your mind. He observed as your frown deepened and you avoided his gaze, his smirk growing the more flustered you got. He was enjoying watching you squirm, but there was something else there as well, something he wasn't quite used to feeling when he got attention from a girl.

He chuckled again, shifting his body a bit so that he was facing you more directly, his knee still touching yours. "Why do you look so worried, mouse?"

You shrugged mutely, raising your eyes to look into his before darting them away to put out your cigarette. You looked back at him, your frown melting away into a neutral expression, almost in awe as you pursed your lips together awkwardly.

JJ watched you as you put out your cigarette, his eyes lingering on your lips for a moment before darting back up to your eyes.

He was struck by your neutral expression, the way your frown softened into something more neutral, almost in a sort of quiet contemplation. He found himself wanting to know what you were thinking, what was going on in your head as you sat so silently next to him.

He leaned in closer, his closeness and the smell of his cologne still making you tense up. "Cat got your tongue, mouse?"

You smiled shyly at his pun. You had heard him make it before, and it amused you every time. It was endearing in a way. The way the small nickname and the phrase were supposed to be teasing and most people would take it as him making fun of you, but you found it dorky. And it gave you butterflies. Maybe he wasn't funny and you were just biased.

JJ noticed your small smile, and it tugged at something in his chest. The way your lips curled up, the way your eyes seemed to light up, it was almost intoxicating. He found himself wanting to see it again, to see you smile like that more often, to be the cause of that smile.

It was an unfamiliar feeling, this desire to make someone happy, to be the source of their joy. He'd always been more consumed with his own enjoyment and pursuits, not really caring about others too deeply. But now, with you...

He felt the need to make you smile more. He wanted to see that shy, gentle expression on your face more often. He shifted his body again, closing the space between you even more, his shoulder now pressed against yours, his knee still touching yours.

His voice was quieter now, laced with a hint of gentleness that he usually didn't use when speaking to others.

"You have a nice smile. You should do it more often."

Your smile turned more genuine without realizing. The way he said it, like he wasn't trying to charm you into a hook up or something, like he actually meant it, still holding his gaze. Your eyes narrowed slightly as if you were inspecting him closely, "thanks.. you too" you managed to speak the words at the forefront of your mind for the first time.

Your smile growing more genuine, it was like a small victory for JJ, knowing that he was the one who caused it. He continued to hold your gaze, feeling a flutter in his chest when you said that he had a nice smile too.

He was used to compliments, sure, but there was something different about the way you said it. The small, simple compliment held a weight different than the usual comments he received.

He chuckled softly, a slight pink tinged in his cheeks. "You think I have a nice smile, mouse?"

You wanted to find a way to say that, nice was understatement. That his smile was usually the subject of your pictures and that the sight of it beat every piece of scenery or painting by a long shot. But you didn't know how.. He made a casual compliment, of course you weren't supposed to respond with a lovesick rant about his smile and the way it made your knees buckle.

You looked down thoughtfully, furrowing your brows as you tried to figure out how to voice your thoughts.

JJ noticed the thoughtful expression on your face, the little furrow in your brows indicating that you were contemplating something. It amused him to see you so deep in thought over something so simple. He waited quietly, giving you time to gather your thoughts.

He found himself studying your profile, taking in your features as you gazed down at your feet, a small smirk on his lips. "What're you thinking about over there, mouse? You look like you're solving world hunger."

"Yeah... i mean, your smile is nice. Coming from a photographer." you spoke up, settling on that statement even though you wanted to say so much more, talk about his dimple and the way his eyes looked more blue when he smiled or how pretty you found him generally.

JJ's smile widened as you spoke up, your compliment making him feel a bit flattered.

Nice. Coming from a photographer. He could tell there was more you wanted to say. He could see it in your eyes that you had more to say, more thoughts swirling around in your head. He couldn't help but find that your obvious hesitancy made him feel giddy.

He looked at you, his gaze fixated on you, his smirk softening into a small, teasing grin.

"Just nice?"

"Picture worthy." you mumbled simply. 'That sounds so vague and creepy, you dumbass... you act like you can't physically say more than 3 words.' you scolded yourself internally at how dumb you sounded, wanting to facepalm but choosing not to.

JJ's smirk grew wider as you added 'picture worthy,' his ego swelling slightly. He loved the attention, and he always relished being called attractive. But there was something different about the way you said it. It wasn't a flirty compliment from some girl he had no interest in. It was quiet, sincere, like you truly believed what you were saying. He noticed your mumbled self-correction and chuckled under his breath.

He reached over, playfully ruffling your hair. He didn't know why he did it, he just wanted to feel more contact with you, to push your buttons a little bit.

"Well, I'm flattered, mouse. I'll have to remember that next time I'm having my picture taken." He smirked, his eyes holding a playful glimmer as he pulled his hand back, resting it back on his knee.

Your brows raised a little, another smile playing at your lips as he ruffled your hair. Usually you'd get uncomfortable and start stuttering about how much you hated having your unruly hair being touched, but with JJ it was like you didn't mind as long as he was making contact with you in some way.

You reached up to gently soothe your hand over the hair, to tame it, adjusting your glasses after as you raised your brows and smiled at him silently.

JJ chuckled as he watches you react to him ruffling your hair. He had expected you to get flustered or swat his hand away, but instead, you just smiled and gently fixed your hair. He found it endearing, the way you didn't get mad or annoyed. It was almost like you enjoyed having his hands on you, even in a small, subtle way.

He couldn't help but grin a bit wider as you fixed your glasses and smiled back at him. You were so quiet, yet somehow, you made his heart race. He found himself becoming acutely aware of the small space between you. The way your knee was brushing against his, the way you sat silently next to him, your soft smiles and quiet mannerisms. He felt a strange urge to say something, to break the silence, to keep the conversation going so he could continue to be close to you.

However, for the first time in his life, JJ found himself at a loss for words. He cleared his throat, trying to find something to say, anything to not let the quiet moment end.

JJ suddenly realized that the silence between you was starting to stretch on. He wasn't used to that. He was used to girls talking his ear off, trying to impress him or hoping for his attention. But you weren't like that. You were quiet, reserved, thoughtful. It was different, but he didn't mind it. In fact, he grew to enjoy it for reasons he couldn't quite explain.

He shifted his body slightly, leaning a bit closer to you, the movement making his knee press more against yours.

You bumped your knee against his gently, shifting on your spot. Your smile fell naturally as the silence stretched on, your expression turning into the same one of awe that JJ had seen a couple of times in the few instances he interacted with you. Just watching him silently

JJ watched you just as intently, noticing the way your expression changed, the way your features softened into one of quiet fascination. He couldn't help but feel a flicker of warmth in his chest as you gazed at him in silence.

He was used to being looked at by girls, to being the subject of their admiration and desire. But with you, it was different. There was something about the way you looked at him that was different from any other girl he had ever met. He felt like you were seeing him, truly seeing him

He let the silence linger for a moment longer, enjoying the feeling of having your knee pressed against his, the way you looked at him with that quiet, dreamy expression.

Eventually, he spoke up, his voice a bit shaky from the unfamiliar feeling of butterflies in his stomach.

"What are you thinking about, mouse? You're staring at me like I'm an exhibit at a museum or something.

"I'm just thinking.." you responded, surprising your self that you answered so casually, still quietly but casually.

He chuckled at your response, a hint of surprise in his expression. He was used to you being shy and awkward, but the casual way you replied to his question was a pleasant surprise, making him think you were actually taking his earlier advice. He smiled, his eyes studying your face closely. "Just thinking, huh? That's it? No specific thoughts or weird things floating around in that pretty head of yours?"

He shifted again, his knee staying pressed against yours. The small point of contact was surprisingly pleasing to him, like he couldn't get enough of it. His smile stayed in place, his eyes lingering on your face, waiting for your next response.

You shook your head in response, your smile still in place as you gazed at him, adjusting your glasses once again.

JJ noticed the small gesture of you pushing your glasses back up your nose. It was such a simple action, but somehow, it was so captivating to him. He found himself wanting to reach out and touch your face, to adjust your glasses himself just like he did back in the house, just so he could feel your skin against his fingers.

He held himself back, resisting the urge to act on the impulse, instead continuing to study your face, his smile growing a bit more.

He leaned in a bit closer, still holding your gaze, his voice a little lower, almost a whisper.

"You know, mouse, I don't think I've ever met someone who stares as much as you do. Most people get bashful or embarrassed when they stare at me for too long."

"That's my version of speaking." you stated, humming to yourself.

JJ raised an eyebrow at your response, a hint of surprise in his expression. He chuckled again, amused by your straightforward answer.

"Your version of speaking, huh? Just staring at me without saying a word, that's how you choose to communicate?"

You nodded mutely, your smile growing a little more bashful as you stared at him.

JJ found himself smiling at your shyness. He could tell that you weren't used to talking to people, definitely not to boys, especially not boys like him.

"Well, mouse, as much as I appreciate being your personal exhibit to stare at, I could use some actual conversation every once in a while, you know."

"Sorry.. i just get a lil' intimidated." you mumbled, looking down shyly.

JJ felt a pang of surprise at your unexpected admission. He hadn't expected you to say that you were intimidated by him. He was so used to girls falling all over him, trying to win his attention and approval. But this... this was new.

He softened his expression, realizing that he needed to be a bit gentler with you. Your shyness was an important part of your dynamic, but he didn't want to make you uncomfortable by over-stepping with part. "Intimidated, huh? What's there to be intimidated by, mouse?"

"Just.. speaking to people is really hard for me, sometimes." you found yourself admitting softly, looking up to meet his eyes.

JJ felt a flicker of something odd in his chest as you admitted that speaking to people was hard for you. He was used to girls confessing a different kind of difficulty with him, not an anxiety about social interaction. He desperately wanted to reassure you now, to make you feel comfortable around him. He held your gaze, his expression a little gentler. "Speaking is hard for you, huh? But you're talking to me right now."

"Why do you wanna talk to me?" you asked gently, narrowing your eyes in genuine curiosity.

JJ was caught off guard by your question. He had never been asked why he chose to talk to someone before. It was always just a given that girls wanted to talk to him, he never had to justify it.

He paused for a moment, trying to figure out how to respond. Why did he want to talk to you? He wasn't quite sure himself. Maybe it was the fact that you were shy and awkward, a stark contrast to the usual girls who chased after him. "Why do I want to talk to you? Why not?"

"People usually give up when they see i just clam up and well... stare at them quietly." you shrugged, pursing your lips together, "They think I'm rude." you mumbled, almost disappointed at the notion.

JJ was surprised by your admission. He found it hard to believe that others found you rude just because you were quiet and shy. But then again, he knew how harsh teenagers could be when they didn't understand someone.

He hummed softly, his expression becoming a bit more thoughtful. "So you just clam up and stare, huh? And people think you're rude? Just because you don't talk much?"

You nodded humming gently.

JJ shook his head incredulously. It seemed almost absurd to him that people would judge you for being a quieter person. In his experience, people usually judged him for being too loud and rowdy, not the other way around.

He tilted his head, his eyes studying your face. "That's bullshit. Just because you're quiet doesn't mean you're rude. People are just dumbasses for jumping to conclusions like that."

He paused for a moment, his eyes still locked on yours. He could sense that you were self-conscious about your introverted nature. He wanted to make you feel comfortable, to assure you that you didn't have to change who you were just to please others.

He shifted a bit closer to you, his knee still touching yours. "You know, mouse, if people can't handle a little quiet, that's their problem. I think you're fine just the way you are."

"It's a bit surprising... given you're always so... loud." you chuckled, adjusting your glasses. Suddenly, the whole thing about you and him being 2 complete opposites didn't seem so bad when he told you you were just fine the way you were.

JJ couldn't help but let out a bark of laughter at your comment. It was true, he was usually the loud and rowdy one who drew attention. In contrast, here you were, the quiet and shy one.

He smiled at you, a hint of warmth in his eyes. "Yeah, I guess we're pretty much opposite, huh? The loud and obnoxious guy and the quiet and shy girl."

He shook his head, a flicker of thoughtfulness in his expression. The realization that you two had so little in common suddenly made him appreciate your differences even more. The contrast was intriguing, it made him wonder about all the things he didn't know about you yet.

His smile broadened as he spoke again, his voice softer this time. "But hey, opposites attract, right?"

Your heart fluttered a little at his words, another shy smile creeping up on your lips. It sounded like he didn't mind at all that you were quiet, quite opposite.. he seemed to like the contrast. You nodded, shifting on the stone step a little, pressing your lips together nervously.

JJ didn't miss the way your smile turned more tender. It was a subtle change, but one he couldn't help but notice. He found it strangely endearing, the way you fidgeted nervously and shifted on your spot.

He inched a bit closer to you, his knee now firmly pressed against yours. His eyes stayed locked on your face, noticing the way you bit your lip nervously.

"You know, mouse, there's nothing wrong with being quiet. I like your silences. They're different."

He found himself becoming increasingly drawn to your quiet demeanor. In a world where he was used to girls constantly talking and seeking his attention, it was refreshing to bask in the silence with you. There was no pressure, no expectation for you to fill the air with conversation just for the sake of it.

He chuckled, a hint of playfulness in his eyes. "Besides, I can be loud enough for the both of us. You can just sit there and silently judge me until I shut my mouth, right?"

"I like how loud you are." you answered gently, your smile still tugging at your lips as you studied his face in the dim light from the moon and the light coming from inside the house.

JJ was surprised by your honest response. He was used to people telling him he was too loud, too rowdy, too obnoxious. But here you were, seemingly appreciating the very trait that most people found annoying about him.

He chuckled softly, a hint of vulnerability in his eyes. "Really? You like that I'm loud? That's a first. Most girls usually tell me to shut up."

"I wish i could talk that much.." you admitted, chuckling softly.

JJ was fascinated by your desire to be more talkative. It was such a stark contrast to your usual quiet demeanor. He found himself wondering if you had things you wanted to say but were just too shy to express them out-loud.

He leaned in a bit closer, his knee still pressing against yours, his eyes studying your face closely. "You wish you could talk more, huh? What would you say if you had the confidence to?"

"I dunno... just normal stuff that i can't seem to be able to say. Talk to the cashier or be able to present something in front of the class without feeling like i wanna cry." you admitted, looking down in something that almost looked like shame.

JJ was surprised by your disclosure. He didn't expect you to admit that you struggled with such simple things as talking to a cashier or presenting in class. The vulnerability in your voice tugged at his heartstrings.

He reached out, gently tilting your chin up, making you look at him. "Hey, listen to me. It's alright to feel anxious about those things. It doesn't make you any less than anyone else."

He paused for a moment, his gaze holding yours. He wanted to make sure you understood the sincerity in his words.

"You don't have to try and talk more if it's not in your nature. But if you want to, I could help you practice. We can start small, maybe some small talk with people. You can even try talking to me, I'm a big boy, I can handle it."

Your heart was torn between feeling fluttery and warm that he wanted to help you although he had no good outcome from it. Just from the kindness of his heart.

The other part felt anxious and jittery at actually asking him for help with such a basic task. it seemed too comical to you to have people help you with speaking publicly. Especially being at the age where you were supposed to be fearless and do teenage things without a care.

You smiled at him raising your brows, "Why would you do that?"

JJ found himself chuckling at your question. It amused him that you were bewildered by the idea of him wanting to help you.

He lifted a hand, running it through his messy hair. "Why? I don't know, maybe I like the idea of having a shy and quiet little mouse following me around, making me feel like a big shot by comparison."

He shrugged, a smirk on his face. "Nah, seriously though, I guess I just like the thought of you feeling less anxious about talking in public. And hey, who better to practice with than me?"

"I mean... i dunno.. we barely know each other... you know? Why would wanna help a stranger like me?" you asked chuckling nervously. You didn't want to annoy him with your questioning, but you were genuinely curious, especially the part that was hopelessly in love with him.

JJ considered your question. He hadn't really thought too deeply about his reasons for offering to help you. But now that you were asking, he found himself pausing to think about it more intently.

He ran his hand through his hair again, his smirk faltering a bit as he met your gaze. He wasn't used to having deep philosophical discussions. He usually just did things on a whim without overthinking it.

He hummed softly before answering. "I dunno, honestly. I just... want to help you, I guess. You just... you seem..."

He paused, searching for the right words to describe you. He could say that you intrigued him, that you were shy and quiet and that fascinated him, but that wasn't the whole picture. There was something more...

He took a deep breath, holding your gaze. "You just... you're different, mouse. I don't know why, but I want to get to know you better. Not just to help you speak more, but to know you more. Another friend won't hurt you, right?"

As much as you loved Mimsy, her approach with your quietness was a bit aggressive. Pushy even, at times. You were used to it, having her help you by exposing you to these things.

But JJ seemed to have another approach, and as much as it hurt to hear the word 'friend' you still felt happy that he wanted to befriend and help you. That was enough for you at the moment.

You nodded smiling at him, "okay. That sounds nice." you mumbled, shyly.

JJ's heart suddenly felt a strange flutter at your soft, shy reply. The way you smiled at him and agreed to his offer made him feel a surge of something that he couldn't quite identify. But he pushed it aside, attributing it to the novelty of having someone new to talk to.

He smiled back at you, trying to appear nonchalant. "Great. So it's settled, then. We'll work on your public speaking skills together. You and me."

It's almost funny how the term "we" can make your heart flutter, especially when followed by "you and me." Those simple words stirred something profound within you. It was a pleasant feeling, though you suspected he was helping you out of the kindness of his own heart. Your awkwardness seemed to spread to others like a silent contagion whenever you interacted with someone. As reckless as JJ was, you knew he was secretly a sweet guy, even if he didn't always show it.

Since the conversation at the party, it felt as though you'd fallen even more hopelessly in love with JJ—if that was even possible. Approaching him around town was still beyond you, but you found yourself waving or offering a shy smile from across the street whenever you "accidentally" crossed paths while seeking photography inspiration. It was a subtle shift—small and awkward—but a shift nonetheless. These fleeting interactions were like delicate brushstrokes adding color to the canvas of your boring and mundane life.

For JJ, he found the small changes in your behavior around him strange, in an alluring way of course.

The way you always made eye contact, smiled, or even waved at him when you saw him around town was a nice change of pace, and although he would never admit it, it made him feel a bit excited. It was almost like a secret game, a silent connection between you two even if you never spoke directly to each other.

The glances, the smiles, the waving... it all felt like a hidden language, an untold story that only the two of you shared. And it was addictive, in a way. JJ found himself looking forward to these little interactions, like they were precious treasures that he didn't want anyone else to discover.

He tried his best to appear nonchalant, hiding the fact that your small gestures had an effect on him. But deep down, he couldn't deny the strange flutter that they instilled in his chest.

As days turned into weeks, the small interactions between JJ and you became more frequent. He found himself looking for opportunities to bump into you, pretending to be shopping or just hanging out in places he knew you were likely to be. The excuse of helping you with your public speaking was slowly becoming less and less necessary. Even he couldn't deny it anymore.

He still tried to keep up the appearance of nonchalance whenever the two of you encountered each other, but there was a subtle change in his demeanor. A softness in his eyes.

During the rare times you actually spoke, he found himself listening intently to your soft and shy words, hanging on to them as if they were precious gems. He'd nod, smile, and even tease you occasionally, but somewhere in the back of his mind his thoughts were racing. He'd wonder to himself if you felt the same strange connection he felt.

But being the reckless person he was, he pushed these thoughts aside, telling himself it was all in his mind. After all, why would a girl like you like someone like him?

—♡‧

A/N: Jeez, this one felt so long while editing, I've caught a cold and my period is close :( This song is so cute y'all, so you can listen to it while reading the story! I feel like it matches the vibe of it and if you're reading this far, don't hesitate to leave a comment with what you want to see me post after this story! love you ♡

Tag-list*:･ﾟ✧ @cali-888, @bee-43, @jjscoquette, @melsbels-zip, @stanseventeen @bailsmbnk

Divider credits: @cafekitsune

[11queensupreme11]

Hello, how do the Yanderes react when they find out that Percy became a child of about 5 or 6 years old? I ask this because according to them, Percy was born as a teenager.

this is a lil complicated to explain, but percy was not born as a "teenager" to them, but with the appearance of a fully grown goddess. they just treated her like a baby, because she technically was despite her appearance. plus, she definitely didn't have the perfect mannerisms of a fully grown goddess, so there was that too. she was a "baby".

the concept of "teenage-hood" didn't exist in ancient times. back then, you go from child to adult. there's no in-between like we do now. when ppl reached puberty (for girls this would be when they have their first period), you were automatically deemed an adult!

(also, if you go back to chapter 7 to the apollo scene, i even wrote a short discussion about this where the nymphs of apollo's harem had no idea what a "teenager" was and they laugh about it since it's another "silly concept" humans made lol)

BUT ANYWAY

poseidon would absolutely horde his daughter in his palace. no one is allowed to ever speak of what happened because he knows the other yans would try to snatch her, or worse, his annoying mother would take her cuz she's obsessed with babies 💀💀 he'd spend every second with his daughter lmao, he'd carry her around, pinch and squish her cheeks, watch her sleep, etc. but he'd be so paranoid. it was already hard enough trying to be gentle in handling his daughter in her og form, but now that she was even smaller and weaker and frailer???? he's working EXTRA hard to be as careful as possible

hades would do the same! he'd put the entire palace on lockdown, all phones would be confiscated, and any other methods of communication (whether it be telepathy, letters, etc) would strictly be forbidden within his palace walls. he does NOT want to risk the news of percy's transformation spreading around. he'd have so much fun doting on her; conjuring up dolls and tea party sets, letting her play with cerberus (tho he has to shrink him tho). he'd abandon all his kingly duties just to play silly games with her 😭

you know how little kids are always asking the most annoying and random questions ever because their curiosity is just never-ending??? well, beelzebub actually wouldn't mind it! he's a genius so he has proper answers to pretty much anything percy can ask! would her tiny child brain understand a single thing? nope! but that's fine cuz he can answer her questions within a question too! the only issue he has is bedtimes when she requests a bedtime story and he has.... none. nor is he creative enough to think of story to give to a child 💀💀💀

SHE WOULD HAVE A BLAST WITH ANUBIS LMAO. he's basically a mix between a babysitter and a playmate all rolled into one 😂😂😂 the best part is that while the other yans wouldn't bother letting her do mortal stuff like watching human tv shows and movies or buying mortal-made dolls, anubis would happily do those with her! he already lets kebi have whatever she wants after all, spoiling another little girl is easy peasy! she wants to listen to watch "the little mermaid"? he has no clue wtf that is, but he'll get the theater room ready! she wants a mermaid barbie? voila, he's already got it summoned in his hand!

apollo's another excellent babysitter! sure he'll keep her locked up within the confines of delos island, but that's fine cuz he always keeps her happy and entertained with all kinds of things to do!!!! he'll show off his cool skills on the lyre and teach her how to play. oh, she likes drawings??? he has an art room!!!! he'll probably get really really concerned when she starts drawing big and scary monsters and gets even MORE worried when he asks about it and she says "oh, this one was following me once when i was waiting for mommy to pick me up from school. and this one kept trying to lure me away with candy" 💀💀💀💀💀💀💀💀💀

loki's probably the one who makes her cry first 💀 not on purpose, he's just excited okay???? knowing him, he'd probably take her out to explore some cool spot he used to let his kids play at, but instead of teleporting there, he'd pick her up and fly there which makes her panic and cry because of how high up they were. might even drop her on accident because of how much she's moving around. he catches her ofc, but now she's traumatized. oops 💀

cú chulainn would be another one who would make her cry 😭😭😭 he is absolutely clueless on how to deal with children, little girls especially. so he just tries to keep her locked up inside the palace for her own safety, but even THAT was a safety hazard cuz she keeps getting into danger 😭😭 he once saw her climb up the kitchen counter with a wobbly chair and nearly fell over until he caught her. then he saw her trip over an upturned part of the rug and now she's got a bruise on her head. saw her try to reach into the fireplace out of curiosity. etc etc. she just can't keep fucking STILL for once. why can't she just stay inside a room and play dolls or whatever?! he probably loses his shit after saving her for the 1364176th time and snaps at her to just keep still only to panic when she starts BAWLING 💀💀💀💀

[cocogum]

The Great Wave - Chapter 14 Review

‼️SPOILERS FOR THE CHAPTER‼️

This chapter felt shorter than the other ones in this second volume so far.

But that doesn't matter.

CUZ GUYS WE FINALLY SEE DATHURA AGAIN ‼️❤️‼️❤️‼️❤️‼️❤️‼️❤️‼️‼️❤️

When the chapter covers were only available, I originally thought that she ended up being the guardian of the Tree of Life but it looks like she just settled somewhere vacant in the Sadida Kingdom.

I don't mind cuz as long as she's there, I'm happy hehe 💗💗 She's such a beauty omg

Dathura saying that she's been called once again by Amalia makes me assume that Dathura asked for her help once before but we know it couldn't have been in Season 4 because she was only seen protecting the Tree of Life as it's last defense.

So the first time Amalia has asked for help must've been in Season 5 when Harebourg will be seen as the antagonist. I'm only making assumptions here but it could be true. In a way, it makes sense because Dathura technically does have a connection to Harebourg since she used to be a past member of the Brotherhood of the Frogotten just like him. So maybe she could have helped Amalia by trying to talk to Harebourg or maybe explain to Amalia what may be going when he'll become a problem for her kingdom. Because let's not forget the fact that he wanted Amalia's kingdom to have endless wood to warm up Frigost.

But anyways, Amalia asks Dathura to help her find a remedy for Yugo.

Cuz apparently the belladonna only slowed the process. It didn't actually fade away on its own because it thought it did its job.

Dathura disconnects herself from her meditation spot and guides Amalia to some hidden territory in the Sadida Kingdom.

I found it a bit odd when Amalia asked her where they were here, since she was supposed to have lived in the kingdom her entire life AND WAS ABSOLUTELY THE TYPE OF KID TO HAVE ROAMED AROUND THE PLACE AND MEMORIZE ALL OF IT BY HEART.

But then again, this entire area is ALIVE so it can do whatever the fuck it wants lol

Dathura just flies away as if she didn't say the most hippie spiritual shit ever.

BUT LOOK AT AMALIA'S ADORABLE FACE WHEN SHE ADMIRES THE PLACE 💗💕💗💗💗💗💗

my little queen is such a softie for nature 💖💖💖

Also let me just say how much I love the fact that Dathura is referring to Yugo as "our" king. She was so chill with Yugo in season 3 and we can tell that she's still cool with him because she accepts him as the king of the Sadida Kingdom.

And that speaks A LOT on so many levels when you know that some sadida citizens do not accept Yugo's people but then you got a part of the Sadida God literally being cool with the king they hate. Like come on now, if you're a sadida AND an eliatrope hater, what are you doing??? You keep blabbing about how the eliatropes are being a menace and "staining" your sadida culture when one of your demigoddesses (who LITERALLY keeps a portion of your god's power, mind you) is straight up just vibing with the man you hate.

Like seriously Amalia you gotta shut them up someday or another.

Another thing that I enjoyed was that I now know, thanks to Dathura, that there is a shortened way to say Grougalorasalar's name. It's Asalar and I don't know why but I find it so cute to say 💕💕 Like it's cool and yet adorable at the same time I don't know how else to explain it.

Amalia then explains what Grougalorasalar wanted and that he'll start attacking again if Yugo doesn't accept giving away the artifacts.

But I am SO GLAD that out of all the things Yugo refuses to give, it's the eliatrope dofus for very obvious reasons.

Like I explained back in the last chapter, Grougalorasalar wanted the Eliasphere since it doesn't belong to them and because Yugo's people have a habit of naming things after their people if they find any powerful artifacts that can support them. But in no way, shape or form does Yugo ever need to give his eliatrope dofus to him. These eliatrope dofus literally belong to the eliatropes because, again, those are the primordial eliatropes' recall points. Not to mention that they've been created by THE ELIATROPE GODDESS.

Like come on what is bro doing asking for something that belongs to them!? I agreed with him about how Yugo and his people were actual troublemakers without even trying, but taking away the dofus that respawns them?? Hell nah man, I stay away from that shit.

So Dathura picks out a plant and properly reduces it to the actual remedy before she tells Amalia to discuss this whole Grougalorasalar situation with Joris.

After everything he's done for the world, it looks like bro still can't get away from the short height allegations from mortals and immortals alike 😭😭

Talking to Joris makes the most sense since he used to be Asalar's vessel but yay, we get to see Joris back! I can just tell that all the joris fans were happy to see him in that 15th chapter cover and now get to see him being mentioned in this chapter lol

DATHURA CALLED AMALIA A FRIEND DISLDKDLWPWPROFODOEEO 💖💗💖💗💗💖💗💖💗💖💗💖💗💖💖💗💗💖💖💗💗💖

Anyways, after suggesting Amalia to speak with Joris about all this, she warns her not to upset Grougalorasalar no matter what hers and Yugo's decision will be.

Don't worry shawty, these two morons got this in the bag 🧢🧢🧢🧢🧢🧢🧢🧢🧢🧢🧢🧢🧢🧢🧢🧢🧢🧢🧢🧢🧢🧢🧢

[truly-quirkless]

WARNING.

Yagi and Fin are now locked into an event. Any asks answered will be presumed to be mid-event if they're from an anon.

If you would like a starter that takes place during the event 'Brotherly Hatred', please send me '❕❕❕' via the inbox, or via a DM. All starters/interactions/etc. for the Mainverse (for this blog since I know a few of you are doin' things in the soulmate AU on your own blogs)- unless requested by other muns- will now be presumed to take place after the event is meant to be over. Details for the event itself are under the cut.

Evan Well has escaped prison- and as such, Finley Well (his youngest sibling who ratted him out to the cops in the U. S.), has been put on 'Hero Watch'. This means a Hero (can be shifts or otherwise, default is that Yagi takes up being by their side 24/7 as 'All Might', though he only shifts forms as need be) has to keep an eye on them at all times. This is due to Evan Well being known for being insanely mentally unstable- and since he kind of broadcasted his intent to kill Fin on live television when they were 23 (so three years ago), and was last seen making his way to Japan...

Fin is now under 24/7 surveillance until their brother is captured, for their own protection.

Yagi and Fin will be impossible to separate during the event, and Fin will be mentally unstable/insanely stressed. Yagi will be very stressed and far more protective than usual.

Please note that this event takes place during the students' internships in S2.

[deus-ex-mona]

goodxnight guys~~~

[technicalthinker]

Mr. Perfectly Fine | Connor & Hank

"Hello Mr. Perfectly fine, how's your heart after breaking mine?"

[mirrortouchedsea]

HiMERU was fuming when he walked into the church. His brother was just sitting here this whole time, not even bothering to look for him or do anything useful? HiMERU needed to stay calm. His fists were clenched at his side. He walked up to Tatsumi Kazehaya and asked him if he had been keeping Kaname against his will, which was met with a negative response. Kaname had stayed of his own free will. I would never force someone to stay, Tatsumi said.

HiMERU stormed over to his brother seated in one of the pews next to Amagi’s younger brother and the other child he couldn’t be bothered to learn the name of and grabbed him by the wrist. Let’s go, there’s no reason for you to stay here. Kaname resisted, though HiMERU was stronger and continued walking out to where Rinne, Niki and Kohaku were sitting outside. 

Onii-chan I can’t leave. That priest said he wasn’t forcing you to stay so we’re going. He isn’t but--onii-chan please just listen-- 

HiMERU took one step outside the chapel, Kaname’s hand breaching the doorway, still in his grasp. It suddenly felt… 

He looked down and saw it begin to rot away. 

I can’t leave, Onii-chan. 

[theflyingfeeling]

fanfic rambling in the tags, nothing interesting really, just me talking to myself lol, okay to ignore or read as you please ✨

[seventh-district]

several days and 15 thousand words later, i am relieved to report that the suffocating urge to Write Something has been sated and no longer has me in a chokehold

[volivolition]

what's the theme you're fucking going for here voliiii!!! what are you fucking getting at!!! what are you trying to say, what's the point??

[hes-a-tough-kid]

If you see the final word count for my completed fic gently increasing over months and months no you dont

[butchlifeguard]

primrose's ch3 is GOOD btw

[jasontoddiefor]

Yeah sure we’ve all binged a long fic, but have you ever read a WIP and followed someone’s life?

Tidbits of information - (“I graduated today!”) - and small joys (“It’s my birthday!”) and you get to be there to say “This chapter made me cry, happy birthday, thank you for gifting us this”.

I remember reading this fic of someone at the end of high school, older than me then. They seemed infinitely wise, spoke of their future career and getting into the college they wanted. I remember them posting on days they felt like nothing could bring them down - and on days the whole world did and it’s the aftermath of a hospital visit. Cancer, I think it was, their father. I got to the end of the story, I know their father was fine, but also they got to finish their WIP. I graduated three years later than them, still dutifully wrote thank you notes in every comment. I wonder if they remember me, or just the collective of people reading the story as it updates.

Four years ago I was into my first year of university, my first year of figuring out being out in public spaces. I made excuses as to why my name didn’t match my paperwork and read a fic on the train, the same five chapters over and over again for the next years as I thought the story abandoned. It updated this week after such a long hiatus, I left another thank you comment.

There’s an author I love, they update their stories like a clockwork. When they don’t, I check their blog, just to see if their doing alright, not because I feel like they owe me, just to ensure whether I better get out my laptop to write that really detailed university level essay chapter analysis to get them smiling when their day sucked.

And then, once, when I was 17, I read a fic that hadn’t updated in over a decade. I wasn’t even in primary school when it started posting. On the last chapter, I left a comment that, in retrospect, was horribly rambly and most likely full of grammar mistakes. The author replied and though I couldn’t see their face, I thought of them crying. They were married now, had children, and hadn’t thought about this fic in years. They went through their files again, found another half written chapter and an outline. I got two new chapters to read that year.

And then, recently, someone told me they got back into writing original fiction because of my comments. I get to read nearly weekly chapters.

I love binge reading a finished fic, but nothing is ever going to top the feeling of anticipation of waiting for a chapter, the pure joy when someone tells you I was done with this, but you made me think of it again, so this is for you.

Anyway, I think we should romanticize reading WIPs more, growing up alongside the authors writing the stories we love.

[fushitoru]

thinking about writing a reincarnated/isekai!gojo and reader series...

you and gojo were married in canon/jjk verse.

you’ve seen his mental health deteriorate because of the higher ups and how he’s perceived as a weapon and is a weapon. satoru’s mental health has been descending for a very long time, and by the end, when you’re soullessly watching his dead body projected by mei mei’s crows, you blankly volunteer to be next (ignoring all of kashmo's protests).

can anyone blame you? your life has no purpose anymore. you and satoru were never able to get the life you deserve. late nights spent waiting in bed for your lover, seeing the love of your life get burdened more and more from the weight of his responsibilities, and, in the end, even witnessing him volunteer his own body as if he were a doll, a weapon. you know damn well you're not going to spend the rest of your life replacing the flowers on his grave and try to reform the society that never even cared about satoru anyways.

you don’t last very long fighting sukuna, and you die, praying to whatever merciless god out there that, in another life, you and satoru get the happy ending you both deserved, that he wouldn't be the one that got away—

you wake up from your dream, gasping. you don’t know why it was so vivid; all you remember is that you were some kind of magician? like winx club? harry potter? hunter x hunter? and you had a husband and he WAS SMOKING HOT. also both of you died and you were kind of sad, because he was hot :(

so—as a college student—you head to your first lecture of the year. you’ve decided to switch majors and have to take this dumb math class that’s a gen ed and is filled with people. so you take one of two empty spots remaining.

the lecture goes on, until professor yaga rolls his eyes and suddenly everyone’s heads is turned towards the door, so you just follow the crowd.

and there he is.

a boy with the most stunning white hair and sheepish blue eyes upholding a charming grin, yelling out something undoubtedly snarky while taking his seat, some people dapping him up as he makes his way to the only seat—-the one next to you.

as he’s setting his stuff down, and he turns to look at you. blinks.

A breathless, “Hi.”

And then, your story begins again.

AHH COMMENT IF you want to be on the taglist <3

this is basically me giving you and gojo the rom com you deserve. does he remember you? did he get the same dream as you? and will he call the police if you chase after him, insisting he's your husband and the love of your life? stay tuned! prepare for angst (hurt/comfort), pining, and ridiculously horny reunion sex (at the end after i make you suffer and yearn, of course)

and to my bridgerton!gojo readers, i promise i will publish the first chapter only after chapter ten/eleven of bridgerton!gojo is out <3

[shortnspidey]

SILENT RIFT

jj maybank x fem!cameron!reader || WC: 4.5K

SUMMARY: The Pogues finally find the gold they've been searching for after countless obstacles. However, when it comes to actually succeeding, the universe has other plans. Held at gunpoint in the middle of nowhere, a spontaneous decision changes everything. In the heat of the moment, words are said that reveal hidden feelings. Emotions run high, leading them to confront not only their enemies, but also their own emotions.

WARNINGS: established relationship, cursing, mild angst, talks of drugs, typical OBX level violence, suggestive towards the end but no smut!

A/N: Happy OBX 4 release day! This one shot is one of my old Wattpad drafts from when I was writing a JJ story. Enjoy this drabble as I try to publish another chapter of broken record or collateral hearts soon! This ended up being a long one, enjoy! Divider by @marvelstoriesepic

➩ main masterlist

➩ obx masterlist

"Hell of a job melting it down, Dr. Frankenstein," JJ scoffed, narrowing his eyes at Kiara as he stepped out of the Twinkie. He clutched the melted piece of gold tightly in his hand, its weight a tangible reminder of what everyone was expecting him to do. As the group arrived outside a shabby pawn shop on the outskirts of the Outer Banks, the rundown aspect and the graffiti on the walls made your skin crawl. The shops window's were smeared with grime, making it impossible to see inside, and the peeling paint revealed patches of weathered wood.

Kiara shot JJ a glare, her frustration evident in the tight set of her jaw and the clenching of her fists. "Like you could have done any better." She retorted, her voice dripping with sarcasm. JJ stepped closer, standing toe to toe with her, not backing down from her challenging gaze. "I could have done much better. I took a welding class," He sassed, a smirk playing on his lips. "Woah, woah, hey!" John B chastised, stepping in between his two friends.

His presence seemed to diffuse some of the tension, his calm demeanor acting as a buffer between the two. You followed his lead, grabbing JJ by his arm and rubbing comforting circles with your thumb on his forearm knowing that he was anxious. You could feel the taut muscles in JJ's arm slowly beginning to relax under your touch, the rhythmic motion of your thumb providing a small measure of comfort.

"Chill out, okay?" John B coaxed, his voice gentle but firm. You watched as Kiara's eyes softened slightly, her earlier anger giving way to a mix of concern and frustration. She took a step back, her shoulders sagging as she exhaled deeply. "It's easy for you to say that," JJ scoffed, his voice tinged with bitterness. "You're not the one that has to pawn off this piece of shit." He emphasized his point by holding up the gold bars that were now melted in a unrecognizable shape, the once gleaming metal was now a twisted, misshapen lump.

"How did I get this job anyway?" JJ muttered, more to himself than anyone else. "Cause you're the best liar." Pope replied nonchalantly, his tone matter-of-fact. Letting out a sigh JJ turned to you, his cerulean blue eyes locking with yours. His eyes were a stormy sea, filled with a mix of frustration and determination. He turned his head, tapping his cheek. "Kiss, for you know, good luck." He grinned, his usual mischievous spark returning momentarily. You rolled your eyes at your boyfriends antics yet leaned in to kiss him nonetheless.

Just as your lips were about to collide with his cheek, he turned his head at the last second, smashing his lips with your in a kiss that was way too passionate for it to be in front of your friends. The warmth of his lips, the sudden intensity, made your heart race. You could have sworn you heard your sister mutter an "aww" while everyone else fake gagged, their exaggerated sounds filling the air. Pulling yourself away from the kiss, much to JJ's dismay, you smiled, leaning up and pressing one more chaste kiss to his pouting lips.

The brief contact left a lingering warmth, a promise of more to come. "You got this," You reassured him, squeezing his bicep in emphasis, feeling the tension in his muscles. "Showtime," He mumbled to himself, mentally preparing. Straightening his shoulders, he took a deep breath, and gave you one last look before stepping forward. Behind you, Sarah reached out and squeezed your hand, her grip offering a silent message of solidarity and support. The warmth of her touch was comforting, grounding you in the moment.

Everyone followed JJ into the empty shop, the jingle of the bell on the door announcing your arrival. The sound seemed to echo in the quiet space, a stark contrast to the tension that hung in the air. "Afternoon, ma'am." JJ greeted, his voice steady but carrying an undercurrent of anxiety. The shop was dimly lit, with dust particles dancing in the beams of barely there sunlight that filtered through the windows. Shelves lined the walls, filled with various trinkets and curiosities, each one telling its own story. “Afternoon.” The pawnbroker, an elderly woman with a stern face and piercing eyes, looked up from behind the counter.

Her gaze swept over your group as you spaced yourselves around the room, lingering on JJ for a moment longer. JJ stepped forward, trying to maintain his composure under her scrutinizing gaze. "I see you buy gold," He emphasized, his voice steady but with a hint of nervousness. "That's what the sign says, don't it?" She retorted, her lips curling into a sneer. She glanced at the sign hanging in the window, its letters faded and worn. "Well, I sure hope you buy a lot of it, because I am about to blow your mind." JJ carefully opened his bag, revealing the items inside. The pawnbroker's eyes never left his hands, watching his every move with a hawk-like intensity.

"I ain't got much mind left to blow, so have at it," She challenged, her voice dripping with sarcasm. Her eyes gleamed with a mix of defiance and curiosity. "How about them gold apples," JJ replied, his voice steady as he placed the melted gold onto the counter with a thump that echoed throughout the shop. The sound seemed to reverberate off the walls, adding a weighty finality to his action. The pawnbroker chuckled cynically, shaking her head. "That ain't real," She declared, her voice filled with disbelief and a hint of mockery. Her eyes flicked to the gold, then back to JJ, as if daring him to prove her wrong.

"That ain't real?" JJ scoffed, his eyebrows shooting up in disbelief. He leaned in closer, his voice lowering to a near whisper. "It can't be," The pawnbroker pressed, her voice faltering slightly as doubt began to creep in. She reached out a tentative hand, her fingers hovering just above the gold, as if afraid to touch it. "Feel how heavy it is," He countered, his voice firm and confident. He nudged the gold closer to her, the metal glinting under the dim light. The pawnbroker hesitated for a moment, her eyes locked on JJ's, searching for any sign of deceit. Finally, she picked up the gold, her fingers curling around it.

Her expression shifted from skepticism to surprise as she felt the weight of the metal in her hand. The shop fell silent, the only sound being the faint creak of the floorboards as she adjusted her stance, the gold weighing heavily in her grasp. "Mhm, here let's get some light on that." The group watched intently as she narrowed her eyes, but nevertheless picked up a nearby magnifying glass with a light, inspecting the chunk of gold closely. "Spray-painted tungsten." She concluded, her voice laced with doubt but still firm.

"Really, okay?" JJ rolled his eyes. "Why don't you see how soft it is." He suggested. "You mind?" The pawnbroker asked, holding up a small mallet, her eyes seeking permission. "No, go for it." JJ urged, his gaze unwavering as he watched her. She brought the mallet down gently, making a small dent in the gold, then pushed down on it for further inspection. "Wow. Would you look at that." JJ remarked sarcastically, a smirk playing on his lips. "Hold your horses, we ain't got the acid test yet." She shot back, her confidence wavering slightly. "Ooh, the acid test," He turned, his eyes locking onto yours, a mischievous glint in them.

"My favorite, baby." He added with a wink, grinning as he noticed how the simple action made you flush. You pretended to be distracted by a limited edition book on the shelf, your heart racing as you tried to avoid his piercing gaze. This was certainly not the place or time. Everyone held their breath as the woman dribbled a few drops of acid on top of the gold. The liquid sizzled slightly, emitting a faint, acrid smell that filled the small shop. "Well, it ain't plated, and it ain't painted," she assessed, her tone now more serious. "Ma'am, I'm telling ya, this is as real as the day is long," He insisted, growing tired of the back and forth, his patience wearing thin.

"It looks like someone tried to melt it down," she raised a brow, her eyes meeting JJ's in a challenging gaze. The air seemed to crackle with unspoken accusations. "My mom," You stepped in, linking your arm through JJ's as the pawnbroker eyed you both suspiciously. "She had all this jewelry laying around the house, and she thought it was best to melt it down to "consolidate" it." You tried to sound as convincing as possible, your voice steady despite the nervous flutter in your stomach. The lie felt heavy on your tongue, but you pushed through, hoping it would be enough to satisfy her.

Out of the corner of your eye, you saw Sarah bite her lip to stop the laugh that she almost let out at your evident lie. The pawnbrokers gaze flickered between you and JJ, her skepticism evident. The silence stretched, each second feeling like an eternity. Turning around with a sigh, she placed the gold into a small scale behind the counter, the scale creaked under the weight. "Seven pounds," Her eyes widened. "That's a lot of earrings." Her voice had a hint of disbelief, and you could almost see the wheels turning in her head as she tried to piece together your story.

"Okay, to be honest, ma'am," JJ spoke, clearing his throat and adopting a more somber tone. "It's really hard to see my fiancé's mom fall apart with Alzheimer's. Breaks my heart, truly." His voice wavered slightly, adding an authentic touch to the fabricated story. "Give me a minute." She tsked, walking towards a secluded office. JJ nodded solemnly, playing into the act of the heartbroken fiancé. "Take your time, ma'am." As soon as she was out of earshot, you turned to give JJ a look of disbelief. "Alzheimer's really?" You whispered, trying to keep your voice low. The absurdity of the situation was almost too much to handle, and you could feel a nervous giggle bubbling up inside you.

"So I talked to my boss, and this is what I can do." The pawnbroker returned, holding a piece of paper with a price written on it. Inspecting it, JJ raised his brows. "Fifty thousand?" He repeated, his voice tinged with incredulity. The offer was far lower than what you had hoped for, and you could see the frustration building in JJ's eyes. "You think I walked in here not knowin' the spot price?" JJ retorted, his voice firm. "I know for a fact this is worth 140 at least." His confidence was unwavering, and you could see the pawnbroker's resolve starting to crack. "Well sweetie, you in a pawn shop. This ain't Zurich." Her voice was firm, but there was a hint of concession in her tone.

"Ninety, or I walk," He bargained, his voice steady. "Seventy, half price, and I don't ask questions about where you got this.” JJ clenched his jaw, looking over at John B, who nodded his head, giving him the green light. "I'm gonna need that in large denominations, please," JJ agreed, his voice calm but resolute. "Well, here's the snag, I don't have that much denominated. Not here anyway, but I can write you a cashier's check." JJ immediately shook his head. “No ma’am, I want the cold hard, that’s what that sign says. Cash for gold, and that’s what I expect.” He pointed to the sign on the wall as emphasis.

“Well, I have to send you to the warehouse. I have the money there. Is that alright?” Everyone in the room held their breath, watching as JJ mentally weighed his options over in his head. “Where’s this warehouse?” He finally asked, his voice steady but with a hint of skepticism. That is how the group found themselves further into the middle of nowhere following the pawnbroker's instructions to the supposed "warehouse". The road was rough and winding, lined with tall, ominous trees that seemed to close in on them as they drove deeper into the unknown.

To say you were on edge would have been a complete understatement. Every creak of the van and small jolt from where you were seated on JJ's lap made your heart race faster. "So, they keep money out here?" Pope voiced aloud the question everyone was probably thinking. His voice broke the silence, but instead of easing the tension, it only seemed to heighten it. The unease in his tone mirrored the anxiety that had settled in your chest. JJ shrugged, attempting to lighten the mood. "That's what she said," He chuckled at his own joke. "That's what she said." His snicker was met with silence, the gravity of their situation overshadowing any chance of humor.

"Stop," Pope warned, his expression hardening. The seriousness in his eyes was a stark contrast to JJ's attempt at levity. "That was cute, but definitely not the time, J," You exasperated, your voice barely above a whisper. The fear and uncertainty in your tone were unmistakable. The blonde boy nodded, his playful demeanor fading. He held onto the melted gold in one hand, the other resting reassuringly on your thigh. The warmth of his touch was a small comfort in the midst of the overwhelming tension. "I've never even heard of Resurrection Drive." Sarah inquired. "That's cause your rich." JJ mumbled under his breath.

"You've never heard of it either." Both you and Kiara retorted in unison. "Thank you." Sarah replied, her tone dripping with sarcasm. "There's nothing but weeds back here." Kiara informed the group, looking out the van's window and seeing nothing but shrubbery. JJ was about to retort with another sarcastic comment, yet he was interrupted by the sudden, piercing sound of a siren. The noise sliced through the tense silence like a knife. Sure enough, John B looked in the rearview mirror, his eyes widening as he saw the flashing lights of a car behind them, signaling for them to pull over.

"Cops? Out here?" Kiara questioned, her voice tinged with disbelief. "Are you kidding me!" JJ fumed, his grip tightening on the gold and your thigh, the panic in his eyes was evident. "What did we do?" Sarah questioned, her voice small and wavering, the fear clear in her tone. "Stash that," John B whispered urgently to JJ, who was still holding onto the gold in his hand. You quickly got off his lap and sat next to Kiara, your heart pounding in your chest. The van's interior felt even more confined as Pope and John B coaxed JJ to hurry up. The oppressive weight of the situation pressed down on you, making every second feel like an eternity as you waited for what would happen next.

Your heart sank in your chest upon hearing the cock of a gun and seeing a rifle a few inches away from John B's face. The metallic click echoed ominously in the confined space of the van. "Why don't I go ahead and see them hands in the air?" A gruff voice declared, belonging to a mystery assailant who wore a bandana on the lower half of his face. The fear that gripped your heart quickly morphed into a seething anger. You knew that voice. "All of y'alls hands up in the air right now." Oh hell no, you thought to yourself. This was going to end here and now. "No," You seethed, making direct eye contact with your assailant. You could tell by the look in his eyes that he knew you recognized him, and his cover slipped slightly.

The tension in the van was palpable, like a coiled spring ready to snap. Every muscle in your body was tense, ready to spring into action. The familiarity of the voice only fueled your anger, making it harder to think clearly. You could feel the eyes of your friends on you, their fear and confusion mirroring your own. "Just do as he says, Y/N," John B urged, his voice steady but his eyes betraying his fear. He slowly raised his hands, setting an example for the rest of you. "No," You shook your head, challenging him. The defiance in your voice was clear. The assailant's eyes narrowed behind the bandana.

"Alright, tough girl, come on out here then," He taunted, his voice dripping with mockery. "Y/N, what are you doing?" Sarah whimpered, her voice trembling as she watched you step out of the van, the barrel of the gun trained on you. "It's gonna be okay, Sarah," You reassured her, trying to keep your voice calm despite the fear gnawing at your insides. "Y/N!" This time it was JJ. His voice cracked with desperation. As your eyes met his, you could see he was barely holding it together, his usual bravado nowhere to be found. "JJ, trust me, stay here," You coaxed, trying to project as much confidence as you could muster. The last thing you needed was for him to do something reckless.

"I'd listen to the lady, unless you want your brain scattered here on the side of the road," The assailant threatened, his voice cold and unyielding. The weight of his words hung in the air, adding to the already suffocating tension. "I'll be okay, I'll be right back," You promised, hoping your words would be enough to keep your friends from doing anything rash. You took a deep breath, steeling yourself for whatever was to come, and stepped further away from the van, feeling the eyes of your friends burning into your back. Once you were a safe distance away from the van, Barry lowered his rifle, letting out a surprised chuckle. "Mighty brave of you, Cameron, especially 'cause I'm the one holdin' the gun." He mocked.

"Oh please," You rolled your eyes, your voice laced with disdain. "Drop the act, Barry," Addressing him by his name with a tone of authority, you crossed your arms over your chest, standing your ground. "We both know Rafe will kill you if you so much as lay a finger on me." You smirked confidently. "Now, why don't we cut to the chase, shall we?" You proposed, your eyes never leaving his as you reached for the shiny gold diamond ring that adorned your knuckle. Barry watched in disbelief as you slipped it off and held it out to him. "Here," You coaxed, handing him the ring. "This will get you a couple thousand dollars if you pawn it off right." Barry took the ring, studying it in the sunlight. "This covers what you and your friends got, but not what country club owes me, you feel me.”

You huffed, crossing your arms over your chest once more, the frustration evident in your posture. "How much does he owe you?" You asked, your voice tinged with exasperation. "At least two hundred," Barry replied, a smirk playing on his lips. Sighing, you reached into your back pocket for your wallet, picking out two hundred dollar bills. "Are we free to go?" You huffed, knowing that if this deal took any longer, your boyfriend would most likely come and take matters into his own hands, whether Barry had a gun or not. "Tell your boy toy that his attitude's gonna get him in trouble," Barry sneered. "Don't," You spat, your eyes narrowing. "If you even think of touching him, we're going to have a problem. You feel me?" You threw back his previous words with a defiant glare.

Raising his hands in mock surrender "Damn, looks like I hit a nerve." Barry chuckled. "I mean it, Barry," You insisted, your voice steady and unwavering. With one final smirk in your direction, Barry pockets the cash and the ring and climbs into his car without a single look back in your direction. You let out a breath you didn't realize you'd been holding and turn back towards the van. As you approached, the tension was palpable, hanging thick in the air. "What the hell was that?" Sarah was the first to question you, her eyes wide with concern as you climbed into the backseat as if nothing had happened.

"I handled it, it's over." You shrugged nonchalantly, but the tightness in your chest betrayed your calm facade. Sarah scoffed, clearly unconvinced by your bravado. "That was pretty stupid, Y/N," Kiara scolded, her voice filled with frustration. Everyone nodded in agreement, their faces a mix of worry and disapproval. You shrugged them off, trying to meet JJ's eyes, who had yet to say anything. You could see the worry and anger battling for dominance in his eyes, the tension in his jaw making it clear just how much he was holding back. "Let's get out of here," John B broke the silence, his voice a calm command that cut through the tension. Everyone was unharmed, yet you somehow knew this was far from over.

Arriving back at the Château, you watched JJ throw open the door before John B even parked his van. The sound of the door slamming against the wall echoed through the air. You watched as JJ stormed inside, his movements quick and agitated. One hand was gripping his chest, his knuckles white from the pressure, while the other was balled into a tight fist, veins visible under his skin. He didn't look back, his anger propelling him forward. John B, Kiara, Sarah, and Pope turned to you, their faces a mix of concern and curiosity. It was as if they were silently asking if they should get involved, their eyes darting between you and the direction JJ had gone.

"I'll handle it," You sighed, feeling the weight of the situation settle on your shoulders. You stepped down from the van, the gravel crunching under your feet. "Good luck," John B sing-songed, a teasing lilt in his voice. You flipped him off with a smirk, hearing Sarah and Kiara scold him in unison. Their voices faded as you walked through the door, the familiar scent of the Château enveloping you. You found JJ in the spare bedroom, pacing back and forth like a caged animal. His footsteps were heavy, each step reverberating through the wooden floor. His eyes flicked up to meet yours, filled with a storm of emotions - anger, frustration, and a hint of vulnerability.

"JJ, talk to me," You urged softly, stepping closer. Your voice was calm, trying to soothe the tempest within him. He stopped pacing and turned to face you fully. His expression was a mix of anger and hurt, his jaw clenched tightly. "What the hell were you thinking, Y/N? You could've gotten yourself killed!" His voice cracked slightly, betraying the fear behind his anger. You could feel the heat rising in your cheeks, but you took a deep breath to steady yourself. "He's the scumbag who sells coke to my brother. I know him and what he's capable of. As much of a psychotic asshole as he is, he wouldn't hurt me. Not without facing Rafe's wrath." That only made JJ angrier. "How are you so sure?"

He shook his head, his eyes narrowing as he stepped closer, the space between you shrinking. "Maybe next time you won't be so lucky, or I won't be there to protect you." His voice was low, almost a growl, and you could see the worry etched into his features, mingling with the anger. His fists were clenched at his sides, and his breathing was ragged. "I'm fine," you replied, trying to sound reassuring. "It's over now." "Over?!" JJ's voice rose, and he ran a hand through his hair in exasperation. "Dammit Y/N, you don't get it!" He screamed, pulling his hair in frustration. "I was fucking terrified. Did you know how scared I felt, watching the woman I love being held at gunpoint?" His voice broke, and you could see the tears welling up in his eyes, though he tried to blink them away.

You opened your mouth, but nothing seemed to come out. The weight of his words hung in the air, heavy and significant. "What did you just say?" You finally managed to whisper, your heart pounding in your chest. JJ stayed quiet, almost as if processing the words himself. His breathing slowed, and he looked away, his shoulders slumping. The vulnerability in his stance was palpable, and it hit you just how deeply he cared. This was more than just anger; it was fear of losing someone he couldn't bear to lose. "JJ," You coaxed to stop him from overthinking, knowing that his flight or fight mode was kicking in.

JJ's confession hung in the air, the raw emotion in his voice making your heart ache. You could see the fear and love in his eyes, and it made everything else fade away. The room seemed to shrink, and all that mattered was the two of you, standing there, vulnerable and exposed. "I love you, Y/N," He repeated, his voice softer this time, filled with a desperate need for you to understand. He took a hesitant step closer, his eyes searching yours for any sign of rejection. Your breath hitched, the intensity of the moment overwhelming. Without thinking, you closed the distance between you, your hands reaching up to cup his face. "I'm so sorry, JJ," You whispered, your voice trembling.

"I didn't mean to scare you, but I couldn't just stand there and do nothing either." His eyes softened, the anger melting away as he leaned into your touch. "Just promise me you'll be more careful," He murmured, his forehead resting against yours. "I can't lose you, Y/N." He whimpered leaning his forehead against yours. "You won’t lose me, ever, I promise," You replied, your voice barely above a whisper. Without another word, you both closed the distance between one another, your lips meeting in a kiss that was both tender and fervent. It was a kiss that spoke of all the fear, the love, and the relief you both felt. Bodies pressed together, seeking comfort and connection, hearts beating as one.

“And I love you too,” You grinned the second he pulled away giving you both a moment to catch your breaths. “In case that kiss didn’t make it clear enough.” JJ shook his head, only pulling you closer. "What do you say we seal the deal?" JJ grinned suggestively, wiggling his eyebrows. "You're lucky I love you." He didn't even give you a chance to finish his sentence before he kissed you again, wanting to show you just how much he meant it. His hands slid down your back, pulling you even closer, the heat between you growing more intense. The world around you faded away, leaving just the two of you in a moment that promised so much more to come.

[saetoru]

✩ ‧₊˚ ✩。YEARS LATER — GOJO SATORU. (rich boy au!)

contents. you and your rich husband, sitting and eating sushi years later on your wedding day. the end of one chapter, but the start of a new one. enjoy your happy rich boy gojo ending. with love, tee bee <3

satoru’s eyes are pretty when the sun sets, almost green instead of that usual icy blue—you can’t help but stare. it’s shamelessly, even. you watch as he brings the sushi to his lips, pausing just before he can take the bite as he notices your eyes on him.

“if you’re so busy staring at me, you might not notice it when your food is gone,” he hums, grinning cheekily at you.

you snort, rolling your eyes as you shake your head. “oh yeah? then i’ll just make you buy me more.”

“first day and you’re already admitting to marrying me for my wallet?”

you laugh—it’s a free, bright sound that he has memorized from plenty of experience. and it’s his turn to stare as the sun settles in the crinkles by your eyes, years and years of laughter and smiles evident in the lines of your skin. beautiful, he think, you’ve always been so, so painfully beautiful.

your wedding dress is expensive. a pretty, flattering little thing. you buy it yourself, despite his protests. some years ago, you’d have stared wistfully at the price tag and considered the purchase in another life. you’ve come a long way since then—satoru is proud. so proud, he feels an ache building in his chest from the way things have changed as time crept past the two of you.

not a bad ache, perhaps. a dull throb of nostalgia that settles under his heart, in that spot he has saved just for you.

“i don’t need your wallet, you idiot,” you grin, reaching over with your chopsticks to steal from his roll. he lets you, just like he always used to when you were younger.

satoru thinks now, if he could, he’d love to pat his younger self on the back. the version of himself that used to watch you walk out of class without sparing him a glance, the version of himself that ached so badly for a chance with you, he’d collect stars from the sky to trade for an ounce of your love. he’d tell his younger self that he made it—that he’s sitting here, years later with his grandmother’s ring on your hand, eating sushi go after your wedding.

for old times sake, you’d told him when you asked to stop by, we always celebrated with sushi go when we were younger, remember?

as if he’d forget, he wanted to laugh. but he drives over anyway, parking the car in the same old spot as he used to. this time, there’s newly wed! written on the back of the window—and the words miraculously enough crossed out underneath. (he thinks that’s courtesy of shoko, but she doesn’t fess up, and suguru insists it doesn’t matter. soon enough, he’ll get to the bottom of it.)

“are you sure?” he hums, “you’ll have a lot of fun with it, i promise.”

“i think i’d rather have fun with you,” you hum, giving him a small wink as you take a sip from your soda, making his lips curl into a wide grin.

“oh, isn’t that sweet,” he drawls, “i’m a lucky guy.”

“maybe if you’re on your best behavior, you’ll get extra lucky later tonight.”

“yeah?” he chuckles, folding his hands as he sits up straighter and nods seriously, “i’m a good boy.”

“you’re anything but that, toru,” you snort. and then you soften, staring at him as you reach over and grab his hand. he lets you, lacing his fingers with yours as your thumb brushes over his knuckles.

years and years worth of love resides in between your skin. the first time your hands touched him, you didn’t want him the way he needed you to. then one day, they touched him hesitantly, carefully, slowly exploring him with cautious gentleness. eventually they touched him like he was the world pressed in your palms, heavy with the weight of being your everything.

he likes being yours. more than he likes you being his—he’s always had more than enough. but there’s something about giving himself that feels better than taking, better than wanting, better than having.

satoru has always loved you. he thinks the first day you glared at him, he was doomed from the start. he thinks right now, as you stare at him with fondness, he’s even more doomed now.

he doesn’t mind it, not even a little.

“hey,” he murmurs, making you raise a brow for him to continue, “i’m your husband now.”

“i know,” you nod in amusement, “we just got married…like two hours ago. i didn’t forget that quickly.”

“good,” he wipes his forehead in faux relief, “i was getting worried for a second.”

“you’re too much,” you roll your eyes, squeezing his hand delicately.

“now that we’re officially married,” he starts, grinning cheekily as he bats his lashes, “we should list all the things we love about each other. in alphabetic order. you go first, of course.”

“i don’t have to alphabetize it.”

“why? you numbered it or something? is it organized by importance? i’ll accept that too, i suppose.”

“well, there’s only one thing,” you tease.

he huffs, grumbling a petulant, “so mean. all these years and you can only think of one thing? can’t you be a little nice to me in our wedding day?”

“i’ve worked smarter, not harder,” you shrug, “i’ve condensed all my reasons down to one thing.”

“and what would that be?” he pouts.

“everything.”

“that’s cheesy,” he snorts, but there’s a flush on his cheeks that makes you grin, snickering as you lean over and poke at his cheek.

“you’ll just have to deal with it. you’re my husband, after all.”

“did you ever think about it? when we were kids?” he asks softly, staring off at a young couple in the distance with a tiny grin. the boy pulls out the chair for the girl, pushing her in and tripping slightly on his way to his own seat. satoru chuckles softly at the sight.

“think about what?”

“us,” he mumbles, “getting married some day. before we got serious, at least.”

“i don’t know,” you admit, “i didn’t even think i’d date you, to be fair.”

“you hated me,” he pretends to sniffle, “you wanted me dead. you wanted me to blow up into smithereens and leave my poor mother a grieving mess, didn’t you?”

“maybe not then, but i might now,” you sigh tiredly.

“well, i knew i was going to marry you since the first time you insulted me,” he nods proudly, earning a loud chuckle from you.

“you were a little freak back in the day,” you laugh, “i believe it. only you’d be romanced by degradation.”

“baby,” he huffs, glaring at you (his eyes are soft, playful, even. so sweetly affectionate, your teeth could rot), “you should appreciate a man seeing the best at you. even when you put him through the ringer.”

he almost regrets saying it when your hand pulls away from his, but then one by one, your palms reach over to cradle his cheeks, brushing a thumb along his soft, familiar skin as you stare at him like he’s the only thing that matters.

he is, you make him believe. he’s the only thing that matters. the center of your universe. he fought tooth and nail to get there, of course, but he has no intentions of leaving.

ever.

“i will always appreciate you,” you say softly, eyes watering as you swallow thickly, chuckling when a small tear slips from your eyes. “thank you for loving me, satoru. even when it was hard. even when you had to fight to do it. no one has loved me like that.”

“aw don’t start with the waterworks now,” he mutters, looking away and blinking suspiciously enough that you suspect his own eyes are just as teary, “we can’t have you crying for me already—that’s for later.”

“never any decorum with you,” you huff out a breathless laugh.

his thumb reaches over to swipe at your tear, pinching your cheek affectionately as he grins. it’s toothy, boyish, hopelessly and completely in love. even back then, and even right now. he’s always so in love. it’s you—always, from the day you first rejected him to the day you said yes when he got in one knee, it’s been you.

“thanks for loving me too, sweetheart,” he whispers, his own voice choking a bit as he swallows, “it can’t be easy. i’m a handful.”

“at least you’re self aware,” you snicker.

satoru beams—and he’s yours. your rich, spoiled, beautiful boy. all yours to love for the rest of your rich, spoiled, beautiful days.

i cried writing this. what a man he is truly