#kiara's reposts

[kiarathace]

Woahhh ✨✨

Bakugou in progress

[kiarathace]

My tags ⛄

[hydravns]

The Lion King 2: Simba's Pride (1998) Dir Darrell Rooney

[soranatus]

Jaime Reyes by Kiara | flxshdoodles!

[kiarathace]

YESSS LMAO

Now that we know that Rafayel says "What's up, buttercup?" we can confidently agree on the fact that he would also say "What's cooking, good looking?"

[joyfulcoffeewizard]

For all Outer Banks fans that don't have insta:

Season 5 is confirmed!!!

[maybankiara]

WHERE WE'D END UP AT THE END

pairing: JJ Maybank x Kiara Carrera summary: Kiara unexpectedly returns from her trip around the world with a confession for JJ. w/c: 7k a/n: au in which everything happened apart from the jiara kiss, and before the time jump, all the pogues went their separate ways. everything else is canon. pining, fluff, angst, confessions, this has got it all. masterlist | tag list read on archive of our own

He doesn’t know she’s back until he hears her voice coming from behind him. Even then, as he turns around, it’s hard to wrap his head around the fact that the person in front of him is more than a mere memory brought up by the June heat.

  Her name falls from his lips and, just like that, the Earth starts spinning again.

  For three years, JJ was the only Pogue on the island. Pope left for university and found himself a job there, staying over summer and only returning for a few days in winter to celebrate Christmas with his family. John B and Sarah decided to move to the Bahamas, permanently, away from the mess that the Outer Banks offered. Kiara decided that she wanted to see the world and then she decided to stay in it.

  Kildare wasn’t for any of them, but JJ was the only one without the option of leaving it. He settled down, instead, found work at a mechanic’s workshop and a part-time job as a bartender down at Figure Eight. Friends were scarce and fun was scarcer, yet JJ thought it to be the best turn of events – if he focused on getting money, someday he’d be able to escape, too.

  That was the plan, anyway. And now he’s at the Kook bar, reorganising the shelves because the shift is at its slowest point, and he hears the trembling voice he truthfully gave up on thinking he’d hear again.

  For all his charming mannerisms, they all seem to fall flat now. He’s just staring but his brain is unable to take in the image; a malfunction. A proper system shutdown.

  ‘I, uh… I’ll have a bit of that.’ She points at the bottle in JJ’s hands. He moves his finger a little, revealing the letters spelling out Jack Daniels: Fire. ‘Make it double.’

  All JJ manages is a meek nod and a: ‘Coming right up.’

  He turns his back to her and takes out a whiskey glass. His fingers are slippery enough it almost falls from his grip, but he holds onto it. He glances back and she’s got her eyes on him, her lips parted in a heavy sigh.

  ‘One for you, too,’ she says. There’s a ring on her finger she keeps fiddling with; it’s a new one. JJ tries not to stare at it. ‘If you’re allowed.’

  Without a word, JJ fetches another glass from the cupboard. He takes a small shot glass and lets the golden liquid trickle into it. It would be easier to have just taken the double-sized shot glass, but… he didn’t do it. He’s not stalling, it’s just more precise this way.

  JJ glances at her. ‘On the rocks or straight?’

  ‘On the rocks. It’s a hot day.’

  He turns around and opens the cupboard behind the bar, scooping up two ice cubes. Both of them go into a single glass that he hands over to her. The whiskey has a bitter smell and it just about burns his throat when he takes a sip of it.

  ‘So,’ he says, ‘you’re back.’

  Kiara Carrera’s lips relax into a smile that makes her eyes wrinkle a little. She lets out a chuckle, too, and JJ lets notes that her eyes look a little brighter now. Their colour is the same as it was when they first met as kids, but their owner is livelier. She looks a little taller, her face a little more defined, and it’s hard to believe it’s been merely three years since he’s last seen her.

  There’s still a band sitting on top of her hair, the tank top she’s wearing is in the same earthly tones he’s always known her in, and at the same time it feels as if no time has passed.

  She takes a big sip, shuts her eyes and shudders before letting out a big sigh, and chuckles.

  JJ feels the grin forming on his face. ‘You still can’t take whiskey?’

  ‘Nope. The true bane of my existence.’

  ‘Why order it, then?’

  ‘You know me,’ she says, offering a shrug. ‘I needed something strong. For the jitters.’

  ‘The jitters.’

  ‘Oh c’mon, JJ.’ Kie leans over the bar a little, just enough to give him a playful shove, smiling bright and wide. ‘I haven’t seen you in three years. It’s scary.’

  JJ quirks an eyebrow at her. The whiskey tastes a little more like cinnamon this time around and he rests his elbows on the bartop. ‘Do you find me scary, Ms Carrera?’

  She leans closer. ‘In your dreams.’

  They’re close enough that he can see her eyes aren’t fully a dark brown, but have lighter specks around the iris, looking almost like scattered golden dots. He’s seen this a million times before, but not in the last three years. It’s enough to draw a shaky chuckle out of him as he retreats, leaning his back against the wall underneath the shelves.

  ‘I’m glad to see you again, Kie,’ he admits. He can’t think of a world in which he isn’t, but he wants her to hear it, still. ‘The world looks good on you.’

  She flashes a smile, downing the last of her glass with a reaction equal to the first one. ‘You look good, too, JJ. I never would’ve thought that I’d find you here, of all places.’

  ‘In a Kook bar?’ His voice is quieter, as there’s people chatting away in some parts of the bar. If it were any quieter, he wouldn’t have risked saying it. ‘I have to assimilate so I can steal the money from the rich.’

  ‘I see you haven’t changed.’ It’s a light taunt, one that comes with a dose of admiration, and JJ happily takes it as a compliment.

  ‘They’ve got more than enough money. Put on a smile,’—he stretches his face into the kindest fake smile he can muster—‘listen to some of their troubles, and they’re at your feet.’

  ‘I’m glad that you’ve still got your charm.’

  ‘I’ve mastered it.’

  Kie rewards him with a genuine laugh, one that he hasn’t heard in too long, and he feels excitement bubbling in his chest. She hasn’t laughed quite so freely in… ever, probably. He doesn’t think the last time he’s seen her with her shoulders fully relaxed, a constant genuine smile on her face, and the ease with which she carries herself now.

  He meant it when he said that travelling the world suits her.

  ‘Anyway,’ she says. ‘I assume your customers are going to require your attention soon, and mine is required by my parents, who must be eager to see me back home.’

  ‘You haven’t been home yet?’

  ‘No.’ Her voice goes low again and her tongue runs over her bottom lip, her eyes wandering before settling back on JJ. ‘I needed a… whiskey.’

  For a moment, he thought she must’ve been as surprised as he was to find him here. If all she wanted was a whiskey and got a friend she hadn’t seen in years… But then he saw the nervousness in the gentle twitch of her lips, and the expectance of someone being in on an inside joke, and he clocked it.

  His chest heaves with a sigh, and he lets out the tension that managed to build up in the half a second his brain went into overdrive. ‘Just a whiskey.’

  ‘Just a whiskey.’

  We don’t talk about how we feel, he remembers one of Pogues saying once, when they were younger. We do things for each other and we say things that mean other things, but we’re never direct.

  It must’ve been Pope, because JJ remembers himself saying, It’s tough love, bub.

  What feels like a century later, they’re still behaving the very same way. It’s the Pogue thing. Except they’re adults now, all of them barely in contact with each other anymore, and maybe that behaviour is better left in the past.

  JJ reaches forward and covers Kie’s hand with his own, squeezing it lightly. ‘You’ve got this. If it doesn’t go well, give me a call.’

  ‘Thanks.’ Her thumb brushes the inside of his and she gives him a smile that makes him think that maybe nothing has changed, after all. ‘I’m definitely going to need a couple of drinks after that.’

  ‘My place is still back on the Cut, but I’ve got plenty of drinks for a night of catching up.’

  ‘Like the good old days,’ she says, and he echoes the words with a knowing smile on his face.

  He doesn’t care about the customers when Kie leaves. He doesn’t care about the old guy who always comes in and gives him shit for not giving him enough to drink, and always tries to get some for free – he doesn’t care about any of it. His phone is in his pocket and he only cares about when it’s going to buzz, when the second-hand watch on his wrist will show it’s 8 pm, when he’ll be able to get home and make it a little neater before she comes back.

  It’s one of his best and worst shifts. His mind keeps taking him back to her hand being in his, to their eyes locking, and he feels like he’s still sixteen, still hiding his feelings, still wishing the best for her and knowing he’s not it.

  Maybe things will be simpler now. They’re not kids anymore, and maybe that’s the one thing that will make it all more bearable.

  ★

She appears out of nowhere, unannounced, knocking on his door like she’s trying to break it down. JJ guesses it’s just her thing now.

  He opens the door and she scoots past him with a muttered thanks before her mouth starts working a mile a minute and her voice fills out the entirety of JJ’s modest apartment, and he’s a little overwhelmed.

  ‘Kie.’

  She turns on her feet, chest heaving as she catches her breath. ‘Yeah?’

  ‘Calm down for a second.’ He closes the door and locks it, walks over to the living room (that is also the kitchen and the dining room and the guest bedroom) and plops down on the couch, waiting until she does the same. ‘What happened? And slow down this time so I can actually pay attention.’

  Kie nods, opens her mouth, then closes it. She throws a glance in the direction of the kitchen. ‘You want a beer?’

  ‘You’re asking me if I want a beer in my own house?’

  ‘Mhm.’ The next moment, she’s on her feet, and her head is in the fridge. She comes back to the couch with two beers, throwing one in his direction. ‘Needed one, figured you’d need one, too.’

  A sigh falls from JJ’s lips before he gets to stop it. ‘That bad?’

  ‘That bad.’

  He leans into the couch as the two open their beers and he doesn’t take his eyes off of his friend; she hasn’t started talking yet, which probably means she’s trying to think of what to say, and he likes to have a moment to prepare himself.

  When she came over for the first time, about three days ago, the two managed to mend most of what was broken by time and distance. It was a long night of catching up and he got to learn quite a bit about her adventures in Thailand and Bali, primarily, and she got to learn about what it feels like to work two jobs, one on the Cut and one in Figure Eight. Their experiences were vastly different, but they boiled to the same outcome – growing up. Understanding the world a little better.

  They’ve seen each other at least once every day since, and soon enough, it was like she never left. They went to the beach yesterday, did some surfing, then crashed a party at the Boneyard for a little bit before they ended up back at his place, both falling asleep on the stretched-out couch.

  It was like it had been before she left, but JJ knew it wouldn’t last. They aren’t teenagers anymore.

  This is why he waits for her to figure her things out, and then she spills the beans: her parents want her to stay on the island. With them.

  ‘It’s not like they don’t care about what I want,’ she says, not quite looking at JJ, but rather past him. He wonders if she’s looking at the derelict building right across the street, because that’s the only thing visible from the window. ‘They just don’t get it.’

  ‘Do you want to keep travelling?’

  Outside, a hawk chittered not far from the apartment.

  When Kie brings her eyes up to meet JJ’s, he sees the discomfort in them; the insecurity. ‘No,’ she says, quietly, ‘but I don’t know what I want. Just…’

  ‘Just not the island.’

  There’s a moment of silence. ‘Yeah.’

  JJ shuffles across the couch until his arm is over Kie’s shoulder and he pulls her into a half-hug. Her hair still smells like coconut, but also like something else, now. The same and different. ‘I get it, Kie. I really do. I would do the same if I could.’

  ‘You’re not mad?’ she asks, nestling her head in the crook of his neck; JJ tries not to shiver at the contact. ‘You will be alone again.’

  ‘I didn’t expect you to stay, Kie,’ he admits. ‘I thought you’d be around for a few days and then leave, because I know how much you hate this place. I’d never let you stay. I just— I couldn’t. It’s not right.’

  ‘I just hate it, you know. The idea of you here, all alone.’

  ‘I’m not all alone, though. I’ve got a life here. I belong here more than any of you do.’

  His hand gives her shoulder a gentle rub, and then he’s got the tips of her hair wrapped around his fingers, twirling them around. He’s not alone, he tells himself – there have been plenty of girls sharing the bed with him for the night. He talks to people at work, some people greet him on the street and he’s known them for the entirety of his life.

  He doesn’t like it here, but it’s where he’s meant to be.

  There always has to be a Maybank on the Cut.

  ‘I’m sorry,’ Kie says.

  JJ doesn’t look at her, because he hears the way her voice got caught up in her throat, and he doesn’t want to risk seeing her crying. It’ll break him. ‘You don’t have anything to be sorry for,’ he tells her instead, because he has an inkling of what this could be about.

  ‘I do. We all— we all left and didn’t look back.’

  ‘Pope comes home,’ argues JJ. ‘I see him sometimes.’

  ‘Three times in three years.’

  He doesn’t say anything to that, because he doesn’t have anything to say that would make her feel better, and the last thing he wants is to make the situation worse.

  ‘It’s fine, Kie,’ he tells her. A group of people walks underneath the window and JJ feels the need to slam it shut, but then the heat would burn them alive. Even sitting so close to her is a sacrifice he’s making, because his body heat keeps going up, and he feels his fingers becoming sticky.

  It shouldn’t matter. They’ve always been gross around one another. It’s the Pogue way.

  ‘Look, I’m my own person, okay? I love the Pogues, I love our little group, but we don’t live for each other. You’ve got your life, I’ve got mine. That’s what happens when you grow up.’

  ‘You grow apart,’ she says, and the words send a lump into his throat.

  In that moment, JJ finds himself wishing he had more than Kie to hold on to. His head drops backwards, first, and he takes a deep breath as his eyes blink away the tears. He can be level-headed in tough situations. He had to learn that in the past couple of years.

  He feels Kie stiffen on his chest, her fingers tugging at one another in his lap. Usually, he’s the fidgety one. Usually, he’s the one fumbling with words. Usually, he’s the having to pull himself together.

  When he lets his eyes close and rests his chin atop of Kie’s head, it’s an instinct rather than a decision. His hand drops from her hair until he’s pulling her into himself, feeling her body wrapped up within him.

  If he could shield her from the world, he could. He can only shield her from himself.

  He damns the heat welling up in his throat and holds her close, still.

  ‘You’re always going to have a home with me,’ he tells her. His thumbs rub her skin and he feels her press into him, her body quivering ever so slightly. ‘No matter how long we don’t see each other for, or if we don’t talk in years. If we have a falling out or some other shit happens. None of that matters. If you need me, I’ll come. I’m not going anywhere. I’ll always be right where you can find me.’

  Kie doesn’t sob, but her body shakes and he bites his own lip. The lump in his throat let him say those words, but it’s choking him now.

  He meant every word he said, though. That’s the only thing that matters.

  (JJ isn’t quite the one for finding the words for how he feels. John B is the only Pogue who could manage that with ease, with his grandiose acts of love for Sarah and whatnot. But this is Kie – she’s been one of his best friends for years and she knows his way with words and avoiding the truth. There’s no hiding from that.

  Not like he meant to hide, anyway. He doesn’t need to tell her his heart has belonged to her for a long time now, but he can tell her she’s got a home in it.)

  Kie stirs against his chest; he sees the green shirt has turned several shades darker in tiny circles, where her head had been.

  ‘I don’t know what to say.’

  She pulls away from him, staring ahead, where the TV is propped up on a stool made from pieces of an old wooden chair that had broke when JJ first moved in. She seems transfixed on it – is this how she sees JJ, maybe? Something that was meant for a purpose it was no longer fit for, then repurposed to keep living, to keep surviving in a world that’s against him?

  Maybe that’s how she saw herself, too. JJ certainly does. She’s sturdier than most people he’s met and it’s one of the things he admires about her the most.

  JJ runs a hand along her back, rubbing gentle circles. He doesn’t think about anything other than she deserves someone to care for her. When she looks at him, there’s a smile in the corners of her lips, but it doesn’t quite reach her eyes.

  ‘JJ?’

  ‘Yeah?’

  Kie gives him a long gaze, shaking her head to herself before she parts her lips again. ‘You know how when we were younger, I said that I’d always live every day like it was last?’

  He nods. It was shortly after the fiasco with the El Dorado – he couldn’t just forget that. ‘You said no regrets.’

  ‘And when I left, I thought I had none.’ She leans forward, resting her elbows on her knees. Her fingers are still pulling at the ring – she’d got it at a monastery in Nepal, allegedly a family heirloom from one of the monks she met there. She doesn’t look at him when she speaks. ‘It was great, at first. The freedom was like fresh air. It was all I ever wanted.’

  I know, he wants to say, you’ve told me this already. But he keeps quiet, still, because her tone wasn’t light.

  ‘I got bad, though. Sometimes I would just stay up, realising how far from home I was. I just felt like if something happened to me, it would take ages to get back to my family, to you. It wasn’t homesickness, it was kind of… I was aware of my mortality in a really weird way. I thought I was okay with that before I left, I thought I’d made peace with everything.’

  He catches her glance at him out of the corner of her eye and he tries offering her a smile, but it doesn’t really work.

  She tells him, then – she tells him all of it. The loneliness, the feeling of being completely lost and misguided, to the feeling of being fooled into believing that travelling the world could let her make sense of things that confused her at home. Some of it got cleared, but most of it got more clouded, instead. There were good days, but the bad days nearly outshined the good when she’d start thinking about things.

  Kie tells the story in a hushed voice, almost as if she’s scared that the passersby could hear her words through the window, when JJ could barely hear them himself. His hand never lets go of her back, but he stops moving it and just holds it there. More than anything, he wants to wrap his arms around her, but he can tell she needs the space.

  He knows this is headed somewhere, yet the more she talks about it, the less he understands.

  Until, that is, she finally looks at him and says, ‘When things were the hardest, you were the one who got me out of it.’

 How? he means to ask, but it isn’t his turn. Kie’s eyes are pointed and she’s not finished yet. ‘Before I left, you told me you believed in me, and the whole world’s waiting for me to explore it, and it was the only thing that I could think of and fall asleep after it. I kept wishing you’d come with me, instead, and I couldn’t stop wondering why I hadn’t asked you to come.’

  ‘Even if you had, it wouldn’t have been an option,’ he reminds her. ‘I was broke, had to stay here. I’m not the guy who goes backpacking around the world.’

  ‘What if you are?’ she asks and for the first time, JJ thinks he can really hear the lump in her throat, the stiffness of her voice. ‘What if we could’ve… I was an idiot when I left, JJ.’

  JJ aches to lean over and reach her, yet he keeps himself glued to the couch. What do you say to this? How do you act? His heart keeps beating in expectation and not even the chatter outside the window can do anything to help.

  ‘I was confused,’ she says. ‘I was a kid. I was dumb. I was running away from everything this place had to offer, and I didn’t realise that included you.’

  ‘You didn’t run away from me, Kie.’

  ‘What if I did?’ She looks at him and he sees determination in her eyes, in the tightness of her lips, in the way her neck tenses. ‘I kept feeling and thinking things I couldn’t explain and definitely shouldn’t have been feeling. Travelling the world sounded better than trying to confront all of it. Except that backfired, because I had to stop travelling because I couldn’t keep ignoring it.’

  Here’s the thing with the Pogues – they don’t say what they mean.

  JJ feels the weight of her words, but can’t quite piece them together to solve the puzzle. He stares at her in expectation, instead, waiting for something that doesn’t come. Her eyes are trained to his and her lips slightly parted, as if she’s waiting on him, too.

  JJ gets up and grabs himself a beer from the fridge, throwing her one, too. He walks a few steps to the left until he’s in the kitchen area of the room, and grabs a bag of heavy salted crisps from the cupboard. He hands it to her and she takes it without a word, no longer looking at him, but still expecting. Waiting.

  They’re waiting on each other. Oddly, JJ feels like they’ve been doing the dance far longer than he thinks.

  ‘I don’t know what you want me to say, Kie.’

  She pulls her lips into her mouth, before saying: ‘Anything.’

  And JJ feels a new weight on his shoulders.

  Kiara Carrera has always fit in his life. She has never been the central point herself, but the Pogues were his life for the majority of it, and she was one of them. A life without them, and without her, wasn’t much of an exciting life.

  He remembers when she first came and he kept calling her the Kook princess, until Sarah Cameron turned out to be everything they joked Kie was. He always thought it was odd how easily she fit with the three boys, with the Cut – if someone looked at her, with her little headband, cropped tops and tie-dyed everything, they’d never guess she grew up on Figure Eight.

  She fit in his apartment, too. Somehow. Another crop top, another pair of jean shorts, another headband keeping her hair out of her face. She’s changed but she hasn’t. And this is a place that is falling apart, costing just enough so he can call it a decent apartment and still get to save for something better, eventually.

  Not that there is anything remotely better on the Cut. JJ likes to dream, too.

  And she’s in a lot of those dreams.

  ‘Kie, I just— I don’t know what you want me to say. Or do,’ he says. ‘I’m sorry.’

  ‘What do you want to do?’

  So much, is the answer, but so is nothing.

  He’s seen the look on her face before, more than once, in memories that kept him up at night. The replay of the curve of her Cupid’s Bow, of the way her lips are slightly pursed, in the tremor he can see from her baby hairs shaking.

  Kiara, looking at him like there’s nothing else worthy of looking at.

  JJ puts his beer on the counter and walks up to her, cups her face, and kisses her.

  ★

As a man stumbles his way out of the bar with one of JJ’s coworkers holding a firm hand on his back, JJ finds himself wondering why in the hell he’s decided to work in the one place that alcoholics frequent, and isn’t a casino. He’s thought about this before and the conclusion is always the same – it’s about seeing that people can get drunk, abuse alcohol, and still be semi-decent people.

  Even from his grave, Luke Maybank’s hold on his son never wavers.

  It’s what he thinks about when things are shit. When he’s shit. And without hearing from Kiara for nearly two whole days now, JJ’s legs shake with every step he takes.

  He thinks that seeing her would fix everything, but when she finally walks into the bar, his knees threaten to give in.

  She calls his name and he glances around, but his boss is elsewhere, so he tells her to sit down.

  ‘Whiskey again?’

  Kiara shakes her head.

  ‘A beer, then? I’ve got your favourite.’

  ‘I’m here for you, JJ.’

  He pours her some of her favourite beer, anyway. On the house. ‘My shift finishes in an hour. You can wait, or I can pick you up—’

  ‘I’ll wait.’ She takes the beer and puts a few bills on the counter. ‘I’ll be in the back.’

  Her steps are steady and precise, and she sits down in the far back booth as if that was her intention all along. JJ knows her well enough to know she’s terrified, because Kiara is never this precise unless she fears that one wrong movement will crumble her.

  He makes a note of not holding anything against her, whatever it is she’s here to talk about. He takes the bills she left, too, and slips them in his pocket, to return them to her later.

  ‘On the rocks,’ says a man to his right—a regular—and JJ’s back to being the bartender.

  Every so often, he feels Kiara’s eyes on his back. Even as he speaks to the customers, he thinks of last night, of the way her limbs felt tangled with his. He looks a man in the eye as he charges him and all sees is her eyes rolling in pleasure, her mouth full of little sighs, little gasps.

  His hands drop to the wooden bartop and he feels his palm flat against his wall, stabilising him as he thrusts. Kiara’s moans and wandering hands. Kiara’s mouth where he needed her most, his own making her feel good in return.

  ‘You’re two dollars short,’ says the customer.

  ‘Sorry.’ JJ reaches into the till and takes out two dollars. ‘It’s been a long day.’

  ‘Sure seems like it. Look after yourself, kid.’

  ‘Yes, sir.’

  Yet all he can think about is how it’s the best night he’s had in years, if not ever.

  Kiara still sits in the back booth, killing time with her phone and occasional glances at JJ. There’s nothing on her face to show she’s going through the same, but JJ bets she is – he knows her well enough.

  Even though she rushed out in the morning with her hair still a mess from his hands running through it, he knows it was just as earth-shattering for her as it was for him.

  JJ bids his farewell to his coworkers. They’re good kids – even though JJ’s only a year or two older, he feels like there’s a decade between them. They’re Kook kids, somehow unaware of his past, and JJ envies their innocence.

  Kiara’s still on her phone when he approaches her. ‘Fancy getting out of here?’

  She slips her phone into her pocket and is leading him out of the joint before he wraps his head around it. ‘I want to go somewhere.’

  ‘Somewhere as in a specific place?’

  ‘Yeah. You got your bike?’

  JJ taps her shoulder, pointing at the employee car park. In the middle of it is his trusted dirt bike, one that’s gotten him out of shit more times than he’d like to admit.

  She lets out a breathy laugh. ‘I missed that thing.’

  ‘It missed you, too.’

  They hop on like they’ve done a million times before. Kiara wraps her arms around his waist with no hesitation and he feels her cheek pressed against his shoulderblade – if he wore a tank top, they’d be skin against skin.

  Again.

  JJ revs the engine. ‘Where to, Ma’am?’

  ‘The Chateau.’

  All JJ tries to focus on is her arms around him, but he shudders anyway.

  Nobody’s been to the Chateau since the fire all those years ago. JJ’s hardly even thought about it. With no one to look after the place, the wooden boards would’ve turned to ruin by now. All the Pogue memories they made would be turned to dust – does he even remember them, anymore?

  Kiara squeezes him a little harder – just enough to hold him together to the Chateau.

  As he thought, the place is a ruin.

  ‘It’s kind of beautiful,’ Kiara says.

  He looks at her as if she’s crazy—she must be—but then he sees the admiration, the longing, the nostalgia in her eyes, and tries to see it the way she does. Vines climb what’s left of the house and there’s moss where windows would’ve been. The ash has been washed away by rain and he can see traces of the original colour on the surviving base.

  Kiara takes a few steps forward until she’s standing on the ruin, balancing herself with a smile. ‘This is where the front porch was.’

  JJ just stares. She doesn’t stop, though – she walks to the left and says that’s where the swing used to be, and that was where the couch was, and suddenly JJ starts seeing all those things, as if someone were building the house from the ashes.

  He joins in on the game. ‘That’s where I used to sleep. That’s where Pope got hit in the head by a can that one time.’

  The Chateau came to life and the memories rushed back as if they were never gone. Within minutes, the two were laughing as if no time had passed. As if things hadn’t turned to ruin and as if they hadn’t grown older. Grown apart.

  It comes to an end, though. JJ offers her a hand to come down but she does it herself.

  ‘Oh,’ she says.

  ‘What?’

  ‘I forgot about this.’

  He walks up next to her and sees it: the tree with John B’s name carved into it. A memory from a bad time – when they thought they’d lost him. When it was just JJ, Kiara and Pope. Left to fend for themselves, not knowing whether their friend was alive or dead.

  JJ swallows the lump in his throat. His arm finds Kiara’s shoulder and he pulls her closer, and she wraps both arms around his waist.

  ‘I’m glad that wasn’t the end,’ he says. ‘But it was hell. Thinking he was lost.’

  ‘We nearly lost him,’ Kiara says in the softest voice.

  ‘But we didn’t. That’s all that matters.’

  He doesn’t want to say that in a way, they still lost him – to Sarah and the Bahamas, like they lost Pope to college.

  JJ laughs a dry laugh. ‘Never thought we’d be the last two Pogues.’

  ‘With a burnt-down Chateau behind our backs.’

  ‘Exactly. Funny how life turns out.’

  Her hands drop back to her pockets; the absence of her body against his feels like an unwanted breeze.

  She looks at him like she’s about to say something. JJ decides against interrupting, and instead looks towards the pier – there’s no light on it and it’s already getting dark, but he wants to go there. Get away from the Chateau and its scorched past.

  So his clammy hand takes hold of Kiara’s and they walk down the pier, listening as the wooden boards creak. Some things remain the same. Kiara squeezes his hand.

  She doesn’t let go of it when they reach the end, with nothing but marsh in front of them. Sun sets on the other side of the property and they’re watching the sky bask in shades of deep blue, and JJ sits down with Kiara following suit.

  Her fingers tap the wood. ‘I don’t want to live with regrets.’

  ‘Okay?’

  ‘Is it? What we did last night?’ she asks, facing him straight-on. ‘A regret?’

  ‘No.’ JJ doesn’t even hesitate. ‘It was the one thing that could never regret.’

  She smiles, ever so slightly, and he feels the tension in his shoulders ease. Carefully, he covers her hand with his own, and she lets him take it into his lap.

  ‘Kie.’

  ‘Yeah?’

  JJ takes a deep breath.

  He’s thought about this moment for a long time – over a decade, really. Almost two. He’s thought about what he’d say, given the chance, and there was a grandiose speech somewhere in the back of his mind… but this is different.

  He never accounted for sleeping with Kie before confessing his feelings.

  ‘You know when I said I’d be there when you came back? When you were leaving?’

  ‘Yeah.’

  ‘I meant every word,’ he says. He gives her hand a squeeze and musters up a tiny smile, but he still can’t look her in the eye. ‘I made the promise to wait for you. Hell, I would’ve waited for you till the world ended if I had to. And I still will. I always will.’

  His eyes finally meet hers and – she’s crying. Moonlight reflects off the tears and he’d call her beautiful if he wasn’t in the middle of this.

  Of them.

  ‘My home is with you, Kie. I can stay on the island for as long as I want, but if you’re not here, it’s not…’ He brings his hand to her cheek, wiping her tears with his thumb. ‘No matter how many times you leave, I’ll be there. Ready to take you back.

  He watches the shine in her eyes drop to his lips and then he’s got her own pressed against them, her hands holding his face. It’s gentle, unlike the passionate kiss they had the other night, and he feels her breath on his lips. She moves back, but her hands cradle his face, still.

  ‘How did it take us this long to get here?’

  JJ laughs. ‘I was just another guy, Kie. You had half the island trying to get with you.’

  ‘That’s not true!’

  ‘It is,’ JJ says. ‘I just didn’t want you to know because I didn’t want you to have the burden of rejecting me, because our friendship would’ve… I don’t think it would’ve lasted. And I’d rather have you as a friend than tell you have I feel you and lose you.’

  ‘You wouldn’t have lost me,’ she whispers. Her thumb glides across his cheek and he leans into her palm.

  ‘I didn’t know.’

  ‘You never tried.’

  JJ sighs, then kisses the inside of her palm. ‘Even if I did, Kie, I was the guy from the wrong side of the island. A Maybank, at that. I wouldn’t have been good enough. You deserved better than whatever I could’ve been.’

  She shakes her head to the point he feels her whole body trembling with the movement. ‘I never thought that way, JJ.’

  ‘But I did,’ he says. ‘And even if you liked me back, I wouldn’t have been able to get over that. I wouldn’t have thought that something that good could happen to someone like me.’

  Her hands are gentle and he tries to relax, even though his own are gripping the back of her shirt.

  Somewhere in the distance, an owl hoots. The water is still, but he can hear movement – despite the death of the Chateau, life around it went on. JJ finds some comfort in that – their lives, too, went on.

  One of Kiara’s hands is dropped to his thigh, caressing it. ‘I wouldn’t have rejected you, you know.’

  JJ lets out a shaky breath. ‘Really?’

  ‘Yeah.’

  ‘Oh.’

  ‘Yeah.’

  He laughs, dropping his head. ‘Well, I feel like a fool now.’

  Kiara laughs, too, and he wishes he could bottle the sound. Her hand reaches under his chin and pulls it up. ‘We got there in the end.’

  And then she’s kissing him again, with her arms wrapped around his neck.

  JJ’s finally getting to kiss Kiara with no fear, no holding back, no worries that they’d come to regret it, and the world doesn’t stop. The world keeps spinning, and somehow that’s even better.

  If you told JJ from a decade ago that he’d be making out with Kiara at the Chateau pier, he would’ve called you crazy. But she’s in his hands, her skin is on his fingertips as he slips his hand underneath the back of her top, and she tastes like her favourite beer. She’s warm and smells lovely and her teeth are grazing his lip and god, JJ feels like he’s won the lottery.

  He wants this. All of it. Everything.

  He doesn’t want to let go. He doesn’t want to stop kissing her and have to go back to his house, to his two jobs, to living the measly life he’s had for the past few years – how could he do that, after getting a taste of what he could’ve had? Of what could’ve been?

  So kisses her fervently, ferociously, like a starved man.

  He’s not letting her go this time. Not without knowing she’s coming back.

  His hands are firm as he pulls her even closer, his kisses shifting to her neck, her hands reaching under her shirt. His skin is on fire with her touch and he craves it, and he nearly pushes them over the pier as he tries to get her to lie down.

  ‘Kie,’ he breathes between the kisses to her stomach, making his way up her chest.

  ‘Yeah?’

  ‘I fucking love you.’

  JJ kisses her before she gets a chance to respond, and he knows this is a drug he’s already addicted to.

The sun is long gone and JJ holds Kiara’s hand as they sit on the pier. They’ve both come back to their senses and the world is quiet now, patient. Falling asleep. Kiara’s head is leaned on JJ’s shoulder and his arm is wrapped around her waist, his thumb caressing the skin just underneath her waistband.

  For the past half-hour or so, they’ve been talking about all the times they missed the signs. Both of them did, even though JJ thought he’d made it obvious – from little comments to grand gestures that were misread, and it’s hilarious, now. It wouldn’t have been if things turned out differently, but neither of them goes there.

  They talk about their lives, too. JJ tells her more about her coworkers and his appreciation for them and she listens, not interrupting him once.

  JJ kisses the top of her head, still in disbelief that he can.  ‘What’s on your mind?’

  She doesn’t respond right away. She nuzzles into him, instead, and he spreads his palm to cover as much of her as he can.

  ‘I’m staying on the island,’ she says.

  ‘What?’

  ‘I’m staying here. On Kildare.’

  ‘Why? Kie—’

  ‘Listen.’ She moves away to look him in the eye – even in the darkness, JJ can see the determination. ‘I want to be with you. That’s all. But I’m not— I know how much the island means to you. I can’t take that away from you. I won’t. If that means staying here—’

  ‘No.’

  ‘JJ—’

  ‘I said no.’ He runs his hands through his hair, tugging it slightly at the ends. ‘Kie, this is not happening. You’re being ridiculous. I stayed behind because I never had a reason to leave. Because everyone else left, and someone had to stay behind, for when you’d come home. I promised to be here.’

  He cups her face and looks her straight-on, not caring about the wetness underneath his fingertips. ‘The island isn’t a home, Kie, not if you’re not here. You are.’

  All she manages is a whisper of his name. He kisses her forehead, her nose, her cheeks, her lips. She says his name again but he shakes his head, kissing her once more.

  ‘Wherever you go, I’ll follow.’ He kisses her again. ‘If you’ll let me. If you don’t go where I can’t follow.’

  ‘I would never,’ Kiara says, and he’s kissing the salt on her lips. ‘But your life—’

  ‘I’m tired of the island, anyway. I never had to reason to leave but now I do, and I’ve got money saved up, and I’m ready, Kie. I’m ready to do this.’

  She looks at him and she’s smiling again, even though her cheeks are glistening; he resists the urge to kiss them dry. ‘You’re ready?’

  ‘You took a leap of faith all those years ago and it led you here,’ he says, smiling right back. ‘This is my leap of faith.’

  Kiara wraps her arms around him and curls into him; JJ knows she can hear his heart trying to beat its way out of his chest and doesn’t care.

  This was his biggest leap of faith. He’d never in a million years he’d be here, so who’s to say anything else he’s believed in is certain, either? He’s got friends and a life on the island but he’d never be anything but a Maybank here, with scolding looks waiting for him at every corner. If he left—with Kiara—he’d get to be more. He’d get to choose.

  Kissing Kiara was the hardest thing he’d ever done. Anything else… It only seems natural to go where she goes. To never have to wait for her again but if he has to, he will. Forever, if that’s what it takes. He’s already done the scariest thing, so why not do this, too?

  ‘I love you, too, JayJ.’

  And just like that, JJ’s future rewrites itself.

[leslieseveride]

OUTER BANKS AESTHETICS - NEW PARENTS: JIARA

“ got room for one more? ”

part 1

[lifeluvrr]

OUTER BANKS SEASON THREE SPOILERS!!!!!!

You Have Been Warned.

also pls leave your opinions cus im curious.

i am quite literally just not a fan of this season 😭😭 it felt almost completely different from the first two seasons. i didn’t like how the group didn’t seem to get many scenes together, it was always like jj and kiara scene, cleo and pope scene, and then john b and sarah scene. the groups were so separated to me and i despised it!!! the group dynamic?? just felt all weird idk maybe that’s just me! it just felt like strangers things s4 and the way they had the california group, hawkins group, and russia group.

i am Happy I Guess for jiara shippers but i couldn’t stand whatever angst thing they had going on throughout the season. Again, that could just be me cus i ain’t a jiara stan to begin with.

i didn’t quite care for the carlos singh. for lack of a better word, i thought he was unnecessary. he was kinda just there for me idk

I think rafe’s “love interest” was out of nowhere. i didn’t really care for her and i guess she was there specifically to knock some sense into rafe for that One Thing but other than that, she seemed random.

i hated sarah cheating on john b. it wasn’t out of character i guess?? no offense sarah i love u with my whole body. i just didn’t like it.

jj way just not jayjaying this season for me. Still love him to death. OH AND IDK WHY THEY WROTE EVERYONE RANDOMLY STARTING TO CALL HIM JAYJ?? Like im sure they didn’t it a couple of times it the other seasons but man this season like everytime they were speaking to him, they were saying jayj

topper burning down the chateau. Boooooooo thumbs down.

I genuinely feel like they didn’t know what else to do with limbrey cus her ending was like a bit eh yk

i think the last few episodes did feel like the other seasons, like when john b and jj were together. i wish there was more jj and pope cus there was like absolutely none this season. i wish there was more kie and john b. i wish there was more kie and pope. BASICALLY like what i said in the first paragraph.

ANYWAY THINGS I DID LIKE!!!

I LOVE CLEO AND POPE they mean the world to me. I love how heyward and mama heyward are with cleo and how they were willing to give her a place to stay. i love cleo talking pope out of shooting rafe. i love their no love club. AND THEIR KISS!!! UGH!!! i would dee eye ee for them.

john b and sarah felt the same Minus the cheating. i know they r soooo cheesy but i am a sucker for it idc!

i loovvveeeddd kie this season like she wasn’t that different but something Was different i can’t put my finger on it.

SARAH GETTING HER OWN EPISODES <33333 they were a bit cheesy with the “my heart chooses which side im on” “idk who i am, pogue or kook” but to be fair, she has been through a lot so i can understand the identify crisis or whatever!

ward and his flashbacks of sarah got me. i Know he cares for sarah like a lot. OH AND THEN THE LIKE PARALLEL!! ward being like “you won’t shoot me” (i can’t remember exactly what he said obviously) and rafe hesitating but with sarah she didn’t even hesitate. i was like jaw dropped cus i already knew sarah ain’t like her father too much anymore after s2 but idk that really solidified it with me. And how much rafe genuinely cares for his father.

[letsgofullpogue]

via ig - madisonbaileybabe

[kiarathace]

OMLL THAT IS SO BEAUTIFUL WAHT.

Just look at the details on the clothessss

y’all it’s real bad quality i’m sorry😭😭

but it’s fantasy au so it’s cool

[thevoyageurmoteplass-writing]

“I don’t want you to leave my side.” For whoever you want!! ☺️

‘I don’t want you to leave my side,’ Kiara growled, scowling at Zarek. She hated babysitting him, hated that training him up had been an order, rather than a suggestion. A suggestion she could have ignored, could have simply palmed him off to somebody else. But an order was something even she didn’t go against. Not least when given in the tone it had been.

Everything was falling apart, and for some reason the trainee was part of fixing that. A little more information wouldn’t have been such a bad thing, but information was a commodity, and right now she wasn’t privy to it. That she couldn’t stand.

‘Oh really?’

‘Don’t,’ she snarled savagely. ‘It’s the only way I can make sure you don’t screw this up for all of us, understand?’

‘I wouldn’t,’ he grumbled petulantly.

Kiara scoffed. ‘Course you wouldn’t. You wouldn’t go do something stupid like barrelling in without thinking. Wouldn’t open your mouth when nobody asked you to. Wouldn’t go do any one of a hundred things that could turn this whole thing sour.’ She shook her head, saw the mutiny behind his eyes and continued before he could get a word in. ‘New Bloods always do something stupid. Usually it’s accidental, but it happens way more than we need right now. So –’ she prodded him in the chest ‘– you’re going to stay by my side so I can mitigate any of those accidents, or you go back to camp and I explain that you almost ruined this.’

‘But I didn’t.’

A raised eyebrow, the condescending look on her face, was enough to make him wilt ever so slightly. Kiara just hoped she could drop him back at camp as soon as this was done. A shadow wasn’t something she’d ever wanted, least of all one like Zarek with everything else she had to deal with.

[seelestia]

✦ how can you tell? (of how easily i fall at your feet.)

⎯ oh, how love bleeds from just one gesture. ( some telltale signs that they might've fallen for you. )

#STARRING. neuvillette, wriothesley & lyney ft. gn!reader. { 2.4k words }

#TAGS. sfw, fluff & crack, major pining (!!!). more: neuvi has 1 extra part bcs i realized too late, wrio is a rascal /aff, lynette is a professional wingwoman here (everyone, applaud!!), mentions of various fontaine npc's.

#P/S. pardon my rusty writing and ideas but alas, may i entice you with some fontaine gentlemen on this fine day?? (˶ᵔ ᵕ ᵔ˶ ) ੭

★ 〜 masterlist.

© seelestia on tumblr, apr 2024. please do not repost to another platform, plagiarize, translate, use for AI-related purposes or claim as your own.

⎯ neuvillette's love is subtle, hidden behind a veil of formal courtesy. the iudex is the nation's symbol of impartiality; personal relationships, a common factor of inciting bias in one's judgement, are to be sifted through wisely. he can choose which he ends up keeping, yet he cannot choose which he ends up wanting. what of a relationship he desires but cannot keep? a conundrum but still, his affections for you seep through the crevices.

it's in the way. . . your name becomes a beloved among the melusines, you wonder why?

it goes without saying that every citizen of fontaine acknowledges melusines to be friendly creatures. all of them are sweethearts! ...but is it you or is there some form of hidden favoritism here?

for some reason, they always seem to go out of their ways to greet you on the streets. a “hello, mx. [name]!” from the right then a “good day, mx. [name]!” from the left. maybe a “stay safe, mx. [name]!” on days when it's crowded too... you're starting to think the quota of greetings you receive is much bigger than everyone else.

before long, even your arms are getting piled up with favors. one ticket for a seat in the opera epiclese from aeife, a slice of cake from sedene, some high-quality butter from muirne, a free beverage from menthe — you lost count of the freebies you've received already.

what's going on? it is as if there's a badge of approval from someone just hanging over your head. visible to a melusine's eyes, but not to yours. (you've heard that melusines perceive things differently than humans, though.)

but who are you to complain? you're not immune to their contagious smiles each time you pass by. on some days, you even entertain the thought that they are more familiar with you than you are with them. all in a humorous sense, of course.

ironically enough, this theory wouldn't take long to ring true: having received a bouquet of your favorite dessert from café lutece on your birthday from kiara, this coincidence only feeds into your suspicion even more.

a considerate gesture but surely, they don't do this for everyone? you don't recall ever telling your usual order and birthdate to a melusine before. your mind scrambles around for a memory you might've missed. who could've—

“oh, yes... i almost forgot,” kiara holds her chin in thought. “monsieur neuvillette says to send you his regards,” she nods, relieved that the message did not make its narrow escape from her mind. but blissfully unaware of the impact her words have left on you.

“goodbye, mx. [name]!” the melusine bids you farewell with a cheery wave. you murmur back a response but it comes out incoherent at best — you are simply too dumbfounded by the realization.

...so, that's who.

(wait a second, is arouet in on this too?!)

it's in the way. . . he begins to take longer breaks, hoping to run into you in front of the palais.

taking quiet strolls just outside the palais is, more often than not, neuvillette's idea of rest from work. although some might expect the iudex to have chosen a more 'creative' or luxurious location, but he digresses.

this place is near his office so less time is wasted on the journey back, liath also patrols here so he has the opportunity to inquire about her well-being — and occasionally, he stumbles upon you as well.

'occasionally' is the keyword: neuvillette has always preferred order and routine above chances and coincidences. but something about this idiosyncrasy — the tendency to linger beyond his usual duration, the act of stalling to hold onto hope that you might pass by today — is a indication of hypocrisy he wishes not to comment on.

sometimes, he closes his eyes so that his ears may be more attuned to the sound of your voice. sometimes, he opens his eyes so that they may look around for a glimpse of your face. who's to say if he'll ever be graced by your presence? it is all in fate's hands.

call it an odd method of manifestation, a childish one that even neuvillette scoffs at himself for. sometimes, it doesn't work, of course. not that he ever expects it to — but oh, when it does.

“...monsieur?” your voice cuts through the silence in his mind. he takes the sight of you in; a polite greeting on your tongue, several grocery bags in your arms and that beam on your face as you say, “what a coincidence to see you here.”

the iudex finds that he doesn't mind having his privacy briefly interrupted. not at all. not when it's like this, not when it's by you. alas, it seems that fate has smiled down on him today.

“yes, hello. what a serendipitous coincidence indeed.”

neuvillette smiles, he can't help it. perhaps, he might grow a soft spot for coincidences, after all.

(you sneak a brief glance at the sky with a squint. ...is it just you or are the clouds clearing up a little?)

⎯ wriothesley's love is beguiling, the kind of adventure that keeps you on your toes. a forthright gentleman; he is the type to know what he wants and he wants you. with him, you'll taste whiplash like never before. butterflies in your stomach, the urge to throw a shoe at him, you'll get it all. but an adventure isn't an adventure without breaks in between and it's at that very moment where you'll find you adore him the most... when he rests his head on your lap, momentarily free from worldly titles, breathing like the man who longs for warmth that he has always been.

it's in the way. . . he always offers you tea when really, he just wants you to stay.

everyone knows that wriothesley enjoys his tea — but that's only because he sees no need to hide his preferences; not his craving for a cup of tea when afternoon arrives nor his fondness for you either.

he doesn't conceal it, but doesn't bring attention to it either. wriothesley likes to think that only those with discerning eyes can pick up on the miniscule (???) hints he drops. that is, if saying “why not stay for some tea?” is even considered a subtle clue at all... maybe, he's mixing up polite courtesy with flirting a bit too much.

but who cares? in the grand scheme of things, the fun is seeing whether you'll figure it out or not. and let's be frank here; wriothesley is a patient man in all aspects, able to play the long game like no other.

don't worry, you may take as long as you want to — ironic since you're technically the only player in this 'game' — but hey, he has faith in your abilities! besides, you get to enjoy a cup of free tea (and with his company, preferably). surely, you can't complain about that? ...hah, he's just teasing you.

tick-tock! tick-tock!

the clock strikes twelve in the afternoon.

“ah, finally a well-deserved break.” the tone in which wriothesley pairs with that grin on his face is nothing less than devious. the glance he throws your way as he set aside the documents on his desk is something. or rather, it's suggesting something.

and frankly, you've experienced this many times enough to know what the underlying meaning is. “let me guess...” you let out a sigh, “you're asking me to have tea with you again?”

the emphasis on the last word is definitely, wholly intentional. you're sure wriothesley knows that too — “bingo,” he hums at you, sounds almost like a whistle. “you're getting more and more clever. must be all the tea i made you.”

“don't flatter yourself,” you roll your eyes at his attempted jest but you take a seat on his office couch, anyway. your own unique and adorable way of saying yes, he learned. still, wriothesley thinks that exasperated look on your face is an absolute marvel... and maybe, that little smile tugging on your lips you're trying to fight, too.

“same as usual?” he asks, pushing back his chair with a proud grin still plastered on his face that you wish you can wipe off.

but instead, you shake your head fondly at his antics. “mhm,” and rest a cheek on your fist. watching him tiredly, you realize you could get used to this. maybe.

wriothesley smiles to himself. looks like you figured out the tea has always been an excuse, after all.

(you've won the game, congrats! a subsidiary reward is a comment from sigewinne about how this tea routine between the two of you bears a resemblance to an elderly human couple's. she means it, innocently sincere.)

⎯ lyney's love can be faceted at first, one with such a smooth surface that you never imagined there would be so many layers underneath. joy and bliss, sorrow and burdens; all cramped and stuffed together behind his mask of perfection on the stage, a mask akin to a child's treasure chest almost bursting at the seams. you can unravel him if you tried, you can take off that mask if you reached out. and when you do, you'll find beautiful violet eyes staring right back at you, thankful, imploring you to go further.

it's in the way. . . his bravado dissipates around you, nerves scattering like confetti that bursts from his hat on stage.

they say that the first impression is the best impression — or at least, lyney hopes that's the case with all of the interesting impressions he has left on you so far. his instinct by nature is to impress, to bedazzle and that hasn't stopped since meeting you for the first time.

trying doesn't always lead to success, however. you stuttered in front of them twice, lynette pointed out after the first time he spoke to you. that fact spooked the poor magician so much he stayed up rethinking the conversation under the cover of his blanket. lynette isn't wrong per se, but lyney firmly believes that he will leave a better impression... one day, somehow, no matter how many times it takes!

he is a magician; charisma and charms should have or rather, already have come easily to him. his persona on the stage is no lie — just a tiny concerted exaggeration, maybe — but you've been among his audience before. you've seen what he is capable of. so surely, you'd know that lyney isn't really as demure and easily flustered as you might think he is... because no punches held back, he acts like that every time you talk to him.

he can't help it and that, exactly, is what makes it worse.

how many times have he cupped his face and mumbled nonsense into his hands for failing to impress you yet again? you're so wonderful and he's just so... miserable. this is unlike him. he has to wonder why you still look for him after each performance when you know you'll be greeted by his being a wreck.

maybe they like you that way, freminet tried to help. or maybe they like you no matter what, lynette chipped in. that had lyney pondering for a long, long, long time which translates into weeks.

will the day come where he presents you with a rainbow rose and professes his feelings for you without losing his nerves? he can only hope (and try, one day).

it never gets old.

when his feet step off the stage and the curtains have fallen, the satisfaction that spreads all the way to his fingertips never fails to disappoint. but with that, also comes the imminent feeling of anticipation.

for each performance he delivers, a visitor is bound to linger. when all members in the audience would head to the entrance of the opera epiclese to leave, one of them would stay. waiting patiently to be beckoned to the backstage. it's been a routine for so long, after all.

“lyney?”

right on cue.

your voice greets his ears, a sound that he can admit he misses only to himself. he exhales, a placating act to shush his beating heart from growing any louder.

“ah, [name]!” the magician enunciates your name with a certain type of fanfare. “here to lend a hand again, i assume?” he tries to shoot you a confident grin, but you aren't gullible enough to not see the tint of red blooming on his cheeks.

you stifle a chuckle at his (attempt at a) bold opening. “of course,“ said with a nod and a silly thought along the lines of: he's cute.

your honest and calm response takes him by surprise. he blinks a tad. oh, it seems the thrill from the show a few minutes prior still hasn't worn off. perhaps, he's still all too used to the crowd's shouts and cheers... not that he expects you to start yelling, of course!

“i see,” lyney feigns a cough to recollect his composure. now that he is cognizant of the fact it's just the two of you, he shrinks down into a more casual version of himself with a nervous chuckle.

“will you... be staying for long?” he asks, bashful. the question sounds more genuine than just a mere pleasantry. his eyes look hopeful, twinkling at the thought of having your presence around. his fingers have even come up to scratch at the side of his neck, you don't think lyney even realizes he is doing that.

who are you to say no? you smile. “well, my schedule's pretty empty today.”

his lips instantly break into a grin, brighter than one he usually has onstage. “that's actually marv—” he starts.

“that's great,” a familiar monotonous voice cuts in. lynette peers from behind you with a hum, “we could use more hands to pack up the new props.” oh, and that brief glint of mischief in her feline eyes as she watches how lyney gapes at her sudden intrusion.

“sure!” you glance back at her, oblivious to it all. “thanks for letting me in, lynette. i'll try my best to help.” even if you admit that one of the reasons you're here is for lyney, but you can't discredit his twin sister for allowing you to enter here in the first place. a free backstage pass in exchange for free labor, quite a fair deal.

with your back turned to him, lyney takes the chance to mouth his own words of disbelief to lynette. incomprehensible except for that one i can't believe you're doing this! that she manages to catch.

“no problem,” she observes her brother over your shoulder with keen interest, “everyone knows how fond lyney is of you.”

there is a series of spluttering noises behind you. a certain magician finds himself at the verge of choking on mere oxygen.

“lynette!”

but really, she has no doubt that lyney has fallen head over heels for you. hook, line and sinker.

— thank you for reading! reblogs and comments are most appreciated. ♡

[coco-cinnamon]

JEALOUSY

୨୧ Warnings: cursing, smut, oral sex, fingering.

୨୧ Pairings: JJ Maybank x Female Reader

୨୧ Summary: In which, JJ gets jealous of Y/N's friendship with John B after Y/N comes back from a 2 month long trip.

୨୧ Author's Note: This was the first fic that I had ever written. Like all of my old fics, I have tweaked it a bit so it can be better written since I wasn't the best at writing when I first started out. <3

coco-cinnamon. please do not steal, copy, modify, repost, or translate my work.

Sitting by the crackling fire, you breathe in the refreshing autumn air, overjoyed to reunite with your friends and boyfriend after two months away with your parents for your father's work. JJ approaches, handing you one of the two beers he's carrying.

He smiled as he sat down beside you, then leaned in to place a gentle kiss on your forehead. "I'm so glad I get to see you again, babe." He said. You rested your head on his shoulder, smiling contentedly. "I'm glad too. I really missed this."

Suddenly, Kiara plopped down next to you and pulled you into a tight hug. "Hey, don't hog Y/N! We missed her too!" She said with a chuckle. You laughed and hugged her back, then glanced over at JJ. He looked slightly annoyed at the interruption.

He sighed, "I know you've missed her, Kie, but I'd like some alone time with my girlfriend. It's been two months since I've seen her." John B joined them, saying, "Oh come on, JJ. She's our best friend too - we've all missed her just as much as you have." You giggled softly and blew JJ a kiss. "Sorry, babe, looks like you'll have to share me for a bit."

JJ chuckled softly, pretending to catch the kiss in his hand and placing it over his heart. "Okay, I get that you two lovebirds missed each other, but save the PDA for later." Pope said, sipping his beer. You jokingly flipped him off - that was just how your relationship with him worked. You two constantly teased and poked fun at each other, but that was how you bonded.

Pope playfully rolled his eyes and took another sip of beer. "Kie, you're hogging her - let JB and me see her too." He chuckled. "Fiiine.." She relented, releasing you. You then sat between John B and Pope. John B gently hugged you, and you giggled as you hugged him back. John B was your best friend, someone you had known even before he met JJ.

After a few drinks, you playfully teased John B. "Is this how it's going to be? Fine!" He laughed, then started tickling you, making you squeal. "Okay, okay... I'm sorry, just stop!" You giggled.

JJ watched you and John B laugh and mess around. Jealousy flickered in his eyes - he didn't enjoy sharing you, even with your friends, and seeing how you were with John B right now only made it worse. He looked away from you both, then got up to get another beer.

After Pope, Kiara, and John B had departed, only you and JJ remained. Though slightly tipsy, you remained cognizant of your surroundings. Meanwhile, JJ - visibly intoxicated - sat slouched on the couch, his expression conveying annoyance. "Baby, are you okay?" You asked, settling in beside him and gently taking hold of one of his hands.

Sounding irritated, he asked, "Do you love me? Or are you just with me to get close to John B?"

You cupped his face, worry filling your eyes, and questioned, "JJ, where is this coming from?"

"I saw the way you acted with John B tonight. You barely even acknowledged me," He said as he frowned, his words still making sense despite his drunken state.

"I know you missed me baby, and I really missed you too but, you were with me all day. Not that I'm complaining, I loved every second of it." You said as you frowned slightly. "But I also wanted to spend time with John B, Kiara, and Pope. I missed them too."

JJ sighed. "I know, I know. I just missed you so much. I didn't want to share you - I wanted you all to myself."

You giggled softly. "Well, that's nothing new."

JJ leaned in close, his hot breath tickling your ear. "Plus, you wore my favorite bikini tonight. You looked so fucking hot, I couldn't keep my eyes off you. I wanted nothing more than to just fuck you right then and there."

You stifled a whimper as wetness pooled between your thighs. Instinctively, you clamped your legs shut, but his smug gaze pinned you in place. "Uh-uh, don't close up just yet, baby." He purred, spreading your legs apart once more. With a few deft tugs, he untied the strings of your bikini bottoms, exposing your glistening cunt. He repeated the motion with your top, leaving you completely bare before him.

He studied your body for a moment, biting his lip. He then tugged off his swimming trunks and stood up beside the couch. You giggled knowingly and got onto your knees. Your mouth latched onto his hardening length, and you began to suck. JJ let out a low groan as you kept bobbing your head, taking him in fully. His moans grew louder before he pulled you up into a passionate kiss. Your tongues intertwined as he grabbed your waist, pulling you closer against him.

JJ pulled you close, then lifted you up, wrapping your legs around his waist as he carried you to his room. Entering, he shut the door and tossed you playfully onto the bed. You giggled as he climbed on top, kissing you hungrily. Trailing kisses along your jawline and down your neck, he made his way to your breasts. His mouth latched onto your left nipple as his hand massaged your right. You let out a moan, gently biting your lip. He then switched, sucking on your right nipple while caressing the left. "Mm, JJ, just fuck me already.." You whimpered, tugging at his hair.

"Patience, princess." He murmured, planting a trail of kisses down your abdomen. His hand drifted lower, eliciting a soft gasp as he caressed your clit. You shivered with anticipation, tangling your fingers in his hair as he lavished attention on the most intimate parts of you. Planting a gentle kiss on your sensitive nub, he elicited a soft giggle as you playfully ran your fingers through his hair. Licking up your slick folds, he slid a finger inside you, his tongue circling your clit. Your moans grew louder as the sensations built. "JJ, I'm so close." You panted.

He smirked as he added a second finger, continuing to lick your sensitive clit. The sensations built, causing you to moan and feel a tightening in your core. Determined to make you climax, he quickened the pace of his ministrations with his fingers. Unable to hold back any longer, you let out a final, trembling moan as your release washed over you. He licked his fingers clean, then positioned himself between your legs, the tip of his shaft teasing your folds. "Jayj, please fuck me already." You whimpered impatiently.

JJ suddenly thrust into you, aided by how soaked you were. You let out a loud moan and grabbed the sheets as he began pounding you. You continued moaning and squeezed your breasts. He grabbed your wrists, pinning them above your head as his eyes focused on your breasts. Each stroke now hit your g-spot, eliciting screams from you.

He let out a moan. "Mm.. I know baby, I know." He cooed as more moans, squeals and screams fell from your parted lips. At this point, you could barely form words, reduced to a moaning mess - which only turned him on more. He released your wrists, pulled out, and then flipped you onto your stomach. JJ slapped your ass hard before thrusting into you again.

He moaned in ecstasy, "Oh, Y/N! You feel so good!" He picked up the pace. Breathless, you cried out, "JJ, I- fuck!" You gasped, "I'm close..." Grasping the sheets, you moaned louder as JJ slapped your ass once more, leaving a red handprint in its wake. Finally, you reached your climax, your cries of pleasure filling the air. He thrust into you a few more times before pulling out and releasing his seed onto your back.

You giggled, catching your breath, and laid down. JJ laid beside you, holding you close as you rested your head on his chest. "Damn... that was so hot." He said, also catching his breath. You giggled and bit your lip. "Yeah, I missed our sex." You replied.

"I'm sorry for getting so jealous. It was dumb and childish - he's your best friend." He kissed your head reassuringly. "It's okay, baby," you replied, smiling as you lifted your head to kiss his cheek. "I love you, Y/N." JJ murmured, kissing your head again. "I love you too, JJ." You said, holding him tightly. Your eyes slowly fluttered shut as you drifted off to sleep in JJ's arms.

୨୧ Author's Note: thank you so much for reading, angels!

[kiarathace]

The manliest man ✨

I couldn't sleep last night, so I figured I would draw something while I waited for my sleep meds to kick in

[strangelysamantha]

wet dreams ✧

jj maybank x plus!reader.

warnings: smut, 18+. MDNI. wet dreams, swearing, alcohol consumption, very light somnophilia, jj calls reader baby, slightly insecure reader.

words: 1,973.

summary: jj and you cuddle after a fun day of swimming with your friends. once sleep takes over, jjs dream runs wild, and with you in his bed, how could he keep the naughty thoughts at bay?

request? yes!! it was requested through pm!

a/n: i have so many stories in the making, i can’t wait to produce more works for everyone! like and repost if you enjoy! maybe follow if you want to see my new works. i’d really appreciate it <3

my masterlist

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due to the outer banks heat, you were obligated to wear shorts more often. it didn’t bother you too bad, you had grown used to it. what you weren’t used to however, was jjs reaction to your said shorts. regardless of the material, or the design, he would stare. and he made it known that he liked what he was seeing. you and the pouges were going to go swimming, you all agreed to meet at john bs to take his boat out.

you arrive at john bs, cooler in hand. you brought snacks for your friends, and even snagged a few beers. you approach the boat, seeing pope and john b had already made it. “pope! john b! hey! i brought snacks.” you lift the cooler slightly, jogging up to reach them. you give the cooler to john b and he places it in his boat. he grabs a beer for you and him, knowing pope was trying to keep his mind clear. he tosses you the beer and you crack it open. behind you approaches jj, “hey you better share.” you smile at him, “of course,” you hand him your half drank beer, and he happily chugs it. you place your hand on your hips, “thank you jj.” “anytime sweetheart.” you notice his eyes rake up and down your body. your nerves approach from his gaze, worried to be in the center of attention. john b and pope were caught up in conversation so that eased you slightly.

“you look mighty fine today.” he bites his lip softly, “love those shorts.” you smile, “thank you.” you couldn’t tell if jj actually liked you. or if flirty banter was just your dynamic. kiara approached the boat, gleaming. “it’s so nice out!” you pull her into a hug. “right!” you agree. john b exclaims, “alright everyone’s all here! let’s get out on the water!” you follow kiara, jj following closely behind you. the five of you crawl onto the boat, before setting sail. john b is steering. you’re sitting on the seat; soaking up the sun. kiara takes her shirt and shorts off, revealing a light green bikini. pope slides his shirt off as well. you take your sunglasses off setting it aside. you take your shirt off, throwing it in your pile. you slide your shorts off, as well as your shoes. you stretch slightly, making eye contact with jj. he’s smirking as he takes in your bikini. “you’re staring maybank,” he looks away slightly embarrassed, “you just look so hot.” his words filled your stomach with butterflies. “let’s swim.” you jump into the water, kiara, pope, and jj jumping after you. you guys continued to swim, splashing each other and enjoying the sun.

it became cooler as the sun went down, kiara was the first to bounce. she had homework that she needed to finish up. you said your goodbyes to her. you were able to get a towel from john b. you wanted to rinse the salt water off. you slid your bathing suit off, starting the shower.

you accidentally had too much to drink, you hadn’t planned on staying the night. john b assured you that it wouldn’t be a huge deal, and that you were always welcomed. this however, unfortunate poor planning left you without a change of clothes. jj was aware of this. he put one of his shirts, and a pair of your shorts you had left last time you were at john bs into the bathroom for you. he left to grab himself a pair of pajamas, before sitting in the living room.

you finish up your shower, drying off and getting dressed in the clothes that were left out for you. you felt a lot better now that you were clean. jj showered next, just a quick one to clean off. while he was in the shower you concluded that the couch was way too uncomfortable, and you figured jj wouldn’t mind having you in his bed. you settled yourself onto jjs bed, it felt very relaxing. jj hurriedly finished his shower. he changed, heading to the living room. he was under the impression that you would take the couch. his heart stung at the possibility of you sharing a bed with john b. his breath uneven as his imagination was fueling his anger. he shook it off, walking towards his room. his breathing slows once he realizes you had snuck into his bed.

you see jj in the doorframe. “hey j,” he hesitates, unsure of what to do. “hey.” he stares at you waiting for you to say something. “well, i won’t be able to fall asleep on the couch. it was too uncomfortable.” he smiles softly, “it’s okay you can take my bed, i can sleep on the couch.” you frown at his idea, “i’m not going to kick you out of your own room, just join me.” you pat the side of his bed, he walks towards the bed, awkwardly sitting on the edge. “come on jj, i don’t bite.” he chuckles at himself, knowing damn well he would bite and lick your thighs if given the chance. “alright.” he leaned back into his bed, “can you cuddle me?” you ask. his heart is racing, terrified to overstep. “of course.” he positioned himself on his side, your back into him, spooning.

silence falls between you two, as jjs hands snake around your waist, he pulls you close. the dark sky led to his room being chilly. you wiggle yourself as close as you can to him, trying to get warmth. jj easily slid to sleep, his light snores filling the room. you blush at his innocence, heart warmed by his presence. you try so hard to fall asleep but being so close to jj made you so nervous. you had a giant crush on him, and while you usually could hide your demeanor, being in his sheets, skin to skin, your mind couldn’t concentrate on a certain thought.

you laid there, when suddenly you felt jj through his pants. he sheepishly grinded into your ass, his grip on your waist tightening. your mouth opens in shock. you glance back to him, realizing he is still completely asleep. he continues to rut against you, his cock strained in his shorts. you didn’t know whether to wake him up, his actions starting to work you up. he shamelessly grinds himself against your ass, small moans falling from his lips. his breath is heavy, your core drips in arousal at his neediness.

you can't bare not pulling his cock out. you hesitate but decide to give him a hand. you pull down his shorts, his cock is dripped with precum, its veins prominent as he pulsated. you spit on his cock, taking your hand and rubbing him. you tug on his cock, the sight of him was driving you wild, your cunt aching for his attention. you moan a little too loud, while jerking his cock firmly, and jj stirs awake. he opens his eyes to the sight of you eyeing his cock, the pleasure takes over and he groans. "baby what are you doin?" you bite your lip, "well you were grinding against me, i'm sorry. i should have woken you up." you let go of him, backing away slightly. he's quick to correct himself, "i didn't say stop, i just wasn't expecting to wake up to my sex dream coming to life." you bite your lip, "you were dreaming about me?" he looks at you, grabbing your hands. "yes, i've had a crush on you for months. you're all i ever dream about. i guess it was worse than usual since you were actually in my bed. my body just knows what i want." he reaches for your hand returning it to his cock.

"i really wanna fuck you, j." he smirks, "i wanna fuck you so bad." he reaches for your chin, pushing his lips onto yours quickly, fueled by hunger and a craving. you slide off your pants, leaving you without underwear. "get on top." he demands. you sit back, frowning. "no." he halts. "no?" you shake your head. "ill crush you." his mouth turns into a straight line. "you won't crush me, i promise. i love your thighs," he squeezes them. "your hips and ass are so sexy too. you're perfect." his cock is throbbing, longing for you. you reach forward to jerk him. he moans at your touch, “do you see what you do to me? do you see how you affect me?” his words hit your stomach with butterflies, and you have to squeeze your thighs together to relieve some form of relief. he notices this movement and smiles. “you really want this don’t you?” he questions. “yes jj. i need to feel you.” your hand was still holding him, and you felt his cock twitch at your words. you inhaled sharply, entranced with this entire moment. "baby i need you to ride my cock, ill support you. please. i need you." you lift up, settling yourself on his lap. he grabs your hips.

he guided your movements, his lip captured between his teeth. he stuffs himself inside your pussy, stretching you out due to his length. “feels so good.” he groaned beneath you. you nodded quickly. “jj…” you open your eyes to see him looking up at you already. “please…” jj whimpered beneath you. you picked up the pace, starting to take him faster. you lifted up, slamming down on his length repetitively. your hands reach for his shoulders to support yourself.

“that’s right baby.” he filled your pussy to the brim. "you're so fucking big," you were a mess from his cock. he slides himself out of you, "bend over." you arch your back laying on your knees. he slaps your ass, squeezing it. he aligns himself with you, rubbing himself against your hole before slamming inside of you, he goes at a fast pace. "fuck you're so sexy, i love your pussy," he pulled your hair, lifting you up so he could plant a kiss on your lips. "such a pretty girl, taking my cock so well." you melt at his praise, you reach down to rub your clit. "jj don't stop, i'm close. so fucking close." he groans, "cum on my cock baby." you tighten against him as you catch your release. moans spill from your mouth as your sensations explode. he slaps your ass again, "fuck im getting close baby."

"cum in my mouth." he pulls out, and you twist over. you stick your tongue out; you look up at him as he jerks himself to your face. "ready for my cum?" he questions. you nod, he moans loudly as five streaks of cum cover your taste buds, it got on your cheeks, and chin. you swallow his load, sticking your tongue out to prove it, he smirks. "so sexy. let's get you cleaned up." he helps you to the bathroom, you use the toilet. he gets a rag and wets it with warm water. he bends down, wiping his cum off your face. "you did really well. you made me feel so good." you smile, "i've been waiting for this for a while," you confess. you get up, brushing your teeth and washing your face. you join him back into his room, he had set out a clean pair of shorts, and his t shirt you were wearing earlier. he had cleaned himself as well, changing into clean underwear and shorts.

"i'm sleepy now, j." he rubs your back, "me too." he settles into bed, and you join him, "do you think we could go on a date?" you sheepishly look up at him. "of course." he's satisfied, happy to have you in his sheets. you two cuddle and fall asleep.