#she'd rather insist on having the most convenient thing here which is

[alongtidesoflight]

no one suffers as much as a non-american whose parent REALLY got into some obscure usamerican documentary series that has 538537 seasons that only got a half-assed translation and never had a complete run on tv

because at one point that parent is gonna stand in front of you asking you to torrent the show BUT PLEASE only the full AND translated show (turns out your country was only broadcasting the first three seasons, and didn't bother dubbing OR subbing the other seasons) (there's 5 more seasons that she's now burning to watch but also refuses to because it's in english and i NEED to find her a translated one asap pls (it doesn't EXIST))

so you figure out that maybe it's just time to look for the first three seasons on official streaming platforms to keep her happy and of course they're not on them either so now she's pissed and i'm the unfortunate bystander lmfao

edit:// i just double checked and it has 15 SEASONS

[melanie-ohara]

WIP Weekend - Wolfwren. Wolfwrenkend. Is that anything?

I'm having a very tough week, so the writing is not going great. When I'm stressed I have a tendency to start things instead of keep working, so alongside the Wolfwren fic I'm already publishing (part 3 soon!), I started another. Here's all of it so far I guess

They were five cycles behind Baylan Skoll and the gap was getting was wider. Traveling with the Noti made them slow, even if Baylan was still on foot, but with Shin Hati and her bandits still out there Ahsoka and Sabine couldn't leave them undefended. At first, Sabine was impatient, and frustrated at Ahsoka for not explaining where they were going - but the closer they got to the mountain the more on edge Ahsoka became.

Sabine's connection to the Force was still tenuous most of the time, but she felt more and more like Ahsoka was cutting herself off from her and she had no idea why. They hadn't argued - yet - but things on the ship were tense and rather than stay aboard as it hovered along on a quarter power, Sabine opted to move into Ezra's pod. It was built for a Noti, so it was far too small, but it was good to have her own space separate from Huyang and Ahsoka. One of the Noti - who didn't seem to have individual names, as far as she could decipher their language - had adopted the Howler she called Mirshko, which meant she just had space to stretch her legs from the bed to the kitchen counter while she looked through the stuff Ezra had left behind.

Most of it was junk - scraps of wood he used to carve the Alliance symbols for the Noti and the hand tools he used to do it, a few drained power cells, and empty ration crates he must have stolen from Thrawn's star destroyer - but there was a neat little wooden box that caught her attention. It reminded her of her own memory box, now billions of light years away on Lothal, only Ezra had clearly made his by hand. Inside she found fragments of Ezra's two broken holocrons - Jedi and Sith artifacts she still didn't understand - and the smashed remains of his first lightsaber. She smiled at the memory of him sprinting into battle with a burst of blaster fire from the ridiculous hilt before it sparked to life and split a stormtrooper helmet down the middle. The crystal from it now sat in the hilt of his new lightsaber, but Sabine still wondered why he'd turned down the one he had given her all those years ago. She'd never got the chance to ask.

Sabine sighed and closed the box. It was getting late. If she went up to the ship now, Huyang would prepare her a warm drink before she went to bed. Ahsoka hadn't returned yet from scouting their route ahead, which used to worry Sabine. Now Ahsoka spent more time on the path following that strange white Convor than she did with the Noti convoy, barely sleeping or eating. Sabine had never seen the bird before, but Ezra had told her how it always seemed to show up just before Ahsoka did, and when they had all thought Ahsoka was dead she had painted it on her pauldron in remembrance. That all seemed such a long time ago now, especially given it had all happened in a distant galaxy. Ahsoka seemed at peace with the idea of never returning home, but Sabine hoped every day for a pod of Purrgils to appear overhead to carry her away. But Ahsoka had made it very clear that if Baylan Skoll reached the mountain unchallenged, something terrible would be unleashed. He had to be stopped, and it was all Ahsoka seemed to think about.

Sabine had given up worrying about her Master and for now she'd rather not subject herself to Huyang's company, pleasant though it was. She had to crouch to use anything in the kitchen, and she'd found it was much more convenient to sit cross-legged on the floor while she made her evening meal and before-bed drink. That was a tradition that dated back to the Ghost - Hera used to make warm milk for everyone before they shut down for the night. Zeb insisted on it long after Ezra and Sabine had grown out of it, and it continued until their victory on Lothal. Until they went their separate ways. She missed the good old days, when they were all together still. Being a squad commander during the official Galactic Civil War had been trying, and then Ahsoka's return and attempts to train her before the Empire obliterated Mandalore, and her family along with it…

There was a clatter as Sabine put the delicate Noti tea set down too hard.

"Karabast," she cursed under her breath. Nothing was broken though, and she picked up the small cup and blew steam from the pale pink liquid inside. It wasn't as sweet as the blue milk she was used to, and she wished she had a few meiloorun flowers to drop in, but it was warm and comforting, and it would soothe her enough to sleep. Sabine took a long sip and then started on her armour. Beskar was comfortable enough that she could sleep in it, but it weighed heavy on her of late and she'd felt the need to take it off more and more since the war ended. She changed out of her underarmour into the tank top and loose trousers she wore for training and clambered awkwardly into the small bed to finish her drink and go to sleep.

-

Shin Hati watched from the crest of the hill overlooking the Noti camp, waiting for the ship to take the bait and move off. The Noti were immaterial, and she knew she wouldn't stand a chance against the Togruta Jedi even with her bandits, but the Mandalorian… she could take her. Shin had watched quietly for days now, and she knew Wren's routine probably better than she did herself. The bandits she had sent after Tano would prompt her to call her ship to return her to the convoy, which would give her a narrow window to get in, kill the Mandalorian, and get out. The idea that Wren's Master would be signing her death warrant with her arrogance brought a grim smile to her face.

Finally, she saw the engines flare and the ship gradually accelerated away from the Noti camp - clearly, the droid didn't want to wake anyone. Shin silently thanked him for his courtesy as she hurried down the hill and into the camp. Nobody on guard. No sensors or traps. Occasionally Wren planted proximity explosives around the approach to the camp, but she was sloppy and only seemed to bother when she'd seen wild Howlers. Tonight, the path to her pod was clear. As she advanced, she unclipped her lightsaber from her hilt.

[treatian]

The Chronicles of the Dark One: Domestic Battles

Chapter 1: A new Beginning

He'd done it. The promise he'd made to himself in the early light of day more than a year ago was finally fulfilled.

It was real.

She was his wife.

And he wasn't just a husband again, but for the first time, he was her husband. It was by choice! It wasn't a matter of convenience or just because he was the safest bet or the first person she saw. She'd chosen him just as he'd chosen her. They'd had ample opportunities to reconsider, and yet, at the end of the day, they were still here, still together, still smiling through their kisses.

He was her husband.

And this time around…this time, he was going to get it right.

It was joy, and overwhelming hope and reassurance that made him hold her closer. It was love that blinded him to all others around him and made Archie's snide comment of "You are supposed to wait to do that until I say so" fall on deaf ears. He could have stood there kissing her in that moment of proclamation for the rest of his life and died happy, the beast tethered, the blackness in his heart kept at bay…

But Belle's ears weren't nearly as deaf as his own were. At the reminder that they were not alone, she wrenched herself away from him, a task considering that he was doing everything in his power to stop it. But at least she didn't leave. At least she continued to stand there, her lips perfectly pink, her beautifully blue eyes still trained on him.

"We've waited long enough," he muttered, looking her over and refusing to feel guilty for such a thing. It was a crime; after the year, they had not to take full advantage of every second they had, not to devour each other. Which he fully intended to do before the night was over. He most certainly could not legally do it in public or in front of people, even if they were now married in the eyes of this world's law. Perhaps it was good that she'd pulled away. Though, he had to admit, he'd probably serve the time for any indecency charge with pride.

As if reading his mind, she reached back up and pulled him down to her for something slow and tantalizing, something that made him remember that while he would, in fact, go to jail for indecency if she demanded it, he'd so much rather have time. And privacy. And a bed.

"Well…I think we'll leave you two alone, then," Archie muttered, making him want to groan as Belle predictably tore her mouth from his own again to thank him politely. Them…

"Take care of her," her father ordered tearfully…as if he cared. "She's all I have left."

"He already does," Belle insisted before he could get the words out of his mouth that she didn't need to be taken care of, and even if she did, he'd sure as fuck do a better job of it than he had because if he wanted to know why she was the only one that he had in the world, then he should look in the fucking mirror and-

She turned back to kiss him as the pair disappeared from the night and left them alone. Her lips on his had the power to shift his hateful thoughts back to ones of utter love and devotion.

More…he wanted more. Not just more touch but more of her in every last way he could have her: on his arm, in the shop, on the title to his house, in the basement, and yes…in his bed, too. Which, of course, required more than just a bed of leaves on a cold, soggy ground.

When her kisses ended, she laid her head over his chest, content to let him hold her as he had so long ago in this very spot when she'd first come back to him. It was time to start thinking forward and plan beyond just the proclamation and into the living. And yes, there was so much he wanted to include her in when it came to everyday life, but suddenly, he didn't quite want to return to that life so quickly. Most newlyweds didn't, after all.

"You know I would take you to Paris if I could," he whispered in her ear. "Around the world or anywhere you wished to go."

A honeymoon of some kind was in order, but nothing beyond the town line, not yet. First, he'd need to investigate and figure out if it was safe to take her…

"Someday you will," she whispered with utter confidence. "If we can cross worlds, then someday, we'll cross the town line together. But for now, I'll settle for home."

Home? Oh, he had no intention of that. Just because he couldn't take her outside of Storybrooke didn't mean they were returning to life as they knew it so quickly to celebrate this momentous occasion. It wasn't every day Rumpelstiltskin took a wife.

"Oh, now, don't sell yourself that short, Sweetheart," he urged. He smiled when she picked her head up and looked at him with questioning eyes, wondering what he had planned. "Come with me…"

With a wave of his hand, he extinguished the candles and sent them to their next location. With his assistance in her less-than-helpful shoes, they made their way back to the car. He tucked her into the passenger seat then joined her and started to drive. Of course, he kept one eye on the road, but the other watched her as she looked out the window, wondering more and more at his plan, but…that was the brilliance of it. There was no plan. All he had was an idea, a thought for a cozy retreat that his magic could help him turn into a plan.

"The cabin!" she exclaimed with understanding as they pulled to a stop in front of it. It wasn't much. They hadn't been up here together in over a year, but it was the simplest and easiest thing he could think of to give them some privacy and make their first night together special.

"Is it all right?" he questioned, ensuring her smile wasn't just for show. "Of course, we could go home if you prefer."

They hadn't packed anything, not that he intended for them to be dressed all that often, but if she-

With a shake of her head, she moved out of the car, an eager spring to her step as she urged him to join her. The second he unlocked the door, and she entered to find a magical fire already in the hearth, her smile grew.

Oh, yes…she was more than fine with this turn of events. Instantly, she removed her hat and coat and headed for the kitchen. In a blink, he used his magic to stock the shelves and the refrigerator, realizing that they hadn't had much to eat today, but instead of food, she went right for a bottle of wine…and was overjoyed to see the food that he'd only just barely stashed there. She was already keeping him on his toes.

"The kitchen is full," she commented as she retrieved two long-stemmed glasses and poured the wine. "How long do you intend for us to stay?" she questioned, handing him his own glass.

An excellent question.

"More than a day," he answered honestly, though he hoped she'd take it as a joke. When he'd returned from Neverland, they both lamented that they never seemed to get a day to themselves before the next emergency happened, and they were running off to deal with its consequences. Saying he wanted them to stay more than a day…he hoped she'd find joy and assurance in that promise.

He'd hoped, but the look on her face suggested the opposite.

Her smile vanished as her face fell. And the hard swallow she took as she stared into her wine glass suggested that perhaps she might have even been trying to hold back tears.

"Can you guarantee that?" she questioned. "Can you promise that the world won't turn on its head in the next few hours, and we won't be separated again?"

No. No, he couldn't. And he wished, truly, with his whole heart, that he could.

"I don't make deals I can't keep," he muttered in the absence of her promise. And she knew that.

But…while he wasn't prepared to make a deal with her or even promise that nothing would happen while they were here, he was prepared to play the odds. So before they could even take a sip of their wine, he took the glasses from them and set them aside. He reached into his pocket, pulled out his cell phone, and made a show of turning it off before he turned to her and extended a hand in silent command. With a curious look on her face, she obeyed, reaching into her bag and handing over her own. A smile reappeared on her face as he also turned it off and set it beside his own.

"We are the only two people in the world that know we're up here," he informed her as he began moving around the cabin to the windows and slowly lowering the shades, one by one, to each and every one. "I can't guarantee that we won't be found," he explained, closing the curtains over the door and locked it. "But I can guarantee that we've taken every possible precaution to be alone and undisturbed. And you…"

Standing before him now with a smile fresh on her face, his vision in white finally come to pass…she threatened to take his breath away all over again.

"You are the most beautiful sight I've ever seen in my very long life," he admitted as he just barely made out the tinge of red that appeared on her cheeks and chest. It probably went on. And suddenly, he wanted to know every last bit of skin that blush touched. Unable to stay away, he moved closer to her, using his hands to feel the heat on the skin of her neck. She reached up and tugged on the scarf he'd forgotten he had placed around his neck.

"I don't think you realize how truly handsome you are," she whispered before closing the distance between them and kissing him deeply again. It felt like it had been ages since their first kiss, since Zelena died, but she still kissed him like that every time. Like it was their first and their last time, like the next one was seconds away and the last they'd have for years all at once.

He moved his hands over her freely and felt the smile that pulled at her mouth even as it moved against him, felt the way her fingers tangled into his hair…

Fuck, why were they still here instead of in their bedroom?

"Beautiful Belle," he whispered as he broke away from her. "I have something to show you."

That was true, though admittedly, what he wanted to show her hadn't been there a second ago because, a second ago, he hadn't needed the excuse like he did now.

"What more could you give me?" she questioned happily, urging him closer again. It took every fiber of courage he had in his body to deny her, to kiss her forehead instead of her mouth, and not make love to her on that couch. It took courage and the knowledge that they deserved more than an old couch.

"The night you deserve," he answered, taking her hand. She stepped out of her shoes as he pulled her along and led her to the back bedroom. He positioned her in front of him, then reached around and turned the knob to let the door swing open. His very being relished in the gasp that came out of her mouth when she saw…

The candles from their ceremony, he'd moved them and more into their bedroom to decorate. The dresser, the window ledge, the nightstands…now they lit the room with a soft romantic glow that allowed her to so easily see the bundles of blooming roses that his magic had stolen from her father's shop and the bed that he'd fashioned with new sheets just for this occasion, and already had turned down…also just for this occasion.

It might not have been the honeymoon suite at Granny's, but it was paradise as far as he was concerned. And it was better than Granny's ever would have been simply because it wasn't Granny's. It was-

Before he could breathe, Belle turned in his arms and threw herself around him. "It's perfect!" she muttered in a tone that made him think she was close to tears.

"I love you, Belle," he whispered happily, holding her there.

"And I love you, too," she answered in that same predictable language ever since they'd first declared it. Oh, he hoped he'd hear it one hundred more times tonight. He hoped he'd hear it one hundred times every day for the rest of his life.

The grip she had around his neck loosened and before he could say another word, she pulled his mouth down onto hers. This time he didn't seek to stop her. He couldn't think of anything else that needed to be done or said. Hell, the wine they'd left in the other room didn't even need to be sipped. When she kissed him, nothing outside of that moment mattered.

He was ready for haste. He always was where she was concerned. But she was always the one with the cooler head, the one with forethought and careful, meticulous planning. It had taken every ounce of his patience just to make it into the bedroom with her in the first place. Once he arrived, it took all the patience that she possessed to slow him down. She was the one who cared for his clothes, making sure his jacket and scarf were set neatly aside so they wouldn't wrinkle. She was the one who guided him to go slower, to take his time, to enjoy what they had. And when he damn near couldn't hold it in anymore, when he craved quick swift resolution, she was the one that demanded more. She drew out every minute they had into its smallest second. She ensured every advantage was taken in every touch between them. She silently promised their wedding night was more than just an ordinary night with a few candles and roses. Rather that it was a night he would remember, one he would savor for his entire long life long.

Their entire life.

Extraordinary.

He'd always guessed that sex within marriage, a real marriage and not the sham he'd had with Milah, was different. Now he knew…

"You are my world now," he vowed when she finally began to relax and curl into him. "Sun, moon, and stars, all pale in comparison to you, and I will love you until the day that I die. That is my promise to you."

A proclamation like that would have ordinarily seen her snuggling even closer to him, doing her best to fit inside his skin. But instead, she stilled. And tensed. And he knew there was a problem even before she said the words.

"You already did…"

Die.

He'd promised to love her until the day he died, which, according to her, he already had. He was less certain that was what had happened to him, but since Zelena, they hadn't had any time to talk about the Underworld and what he encountered there or how he thought he might have-

"And if you ever do something like that again," she snapped suddenly, raising up on her elbow and looking down at him, "if you ever leave me here alone like that again, I'll bring you back and kill you myself! And don't think that I won't…I know how to do that now."

Not exactly. What she thought she knew how to do wasn't exactly what she thought it was, and given how things had turned out with Bae, he didn't want her even to consider using that method for a second. Which meant that he'd have to never put her in that position in the first place.

There was a lot about his "death" and his time in the Underworld that he would need to tell her and correct her understanding on, someday. But tonight, the look on her face told him that wasn't the point of her outburst. Now wasn't the time. She wasn't looking for correction; she was looking for assurance.

"You have my word," he promised with a nod.

She looked him over for a moment as if checking to make sure he was being honest and taking her words seriously. When she determined he was, she sighed and lay back down over his chest.

"You're not alone now," she insisted. "We're together now and for always. Because you are my world as well."

"I won't forget it, Sweetheart,"

And he wouldn't. Not because it was impossible to forget but because it was hard not to. Now that Bae was gone, and Henry was well taken care of by Emma and Regina, there was really only one person that would ever and had ever occupied as much space in his head as his son had, and it was Belle. He'd still do his part with Henry, he felt obligated to now that Bae was gone and in addition to that obligation, he wanted to see that he was taken care of, he was his grandson, after all. But when it came to day-to-day life-

"Thank you for marrying me," Belle muttered wistfully as he finished tucking the blankets around them.

He smiled. Oh yes, when it came to day-to-day life…she'd be his number one. "Thank you for giving me a happy ending, my Darling Belle…my wife."

"A happy ending is only the opportunity to begin a new story that can be better than the last."

He smiled. They were in agreement on that. And fortunately for them, the last story had been so awful it was impossible for the new one to be any worse.

[maysbanks]

hold out. (jj maybank)

here it is, the second part to hypersonic missiles ! the response to the first part was absolutely amazing, the support & love in this fandom is incredible & i just wanna say a huge thank you to all of you that take the time to like, reblog & comment, every single one means so much !! gotta admit im not loving this as in it's not my best work and kinda all over the place & half way through writing this i almost scrapped the whole thing to rewrite the full series with an oc bc writing as the reader was starting to get to me lol. but alas here it is & as always i hope u enjoy x

warning: swearing, drug use, underage drinking, violence etc 

summary: after accidentally inserting herself into a treasure hunt with four teenagers, one of which could be considered her 'friend with benefits', y/n grubbs is left to deal with the complications and misfortunes that come along with it - including her ever-growing feelings for said 'friend with benefits'. 

( gif isn't mine! please let me know if it's yours so i can credit you. )

If someone had told you a week before that you would lose your father, get your house raided by two men you had never seen before in your life, make friends with a group of teenagers, embark on a two hundred year old treasure hunt with said teenagers, and be hanging out with JJ Maybank every day and willingly, all in the space of one week; you'd have laughed in their face, asked them what drugs they were on and could you have some, and then laugh in their face again.

But alas, there you were. You still couldn't quite believe it, especially the JJ part. You'd had worries at first, like would the gang really want you involved, did they secretly hate having you around, were they just being nice and letting you in on this because your dad had died? All the doubts swirled in your mind, running around like clock-work, just ticking away constantly in the back of your head. Surprisingly, JJ had been the one you'd gone to about them.

"I just feel guilty," you'd said. It was after a day of riding around in John B's boat and using fancy hotels' WiFi, and 'borrowing' a drone from JJ's dads old workplace. His eyebrows furrowed when he looked at you, confused. "I mean, you guys have been friends for like, forever. And then I just show up and you conveniently find out about John B's dad and the treasure hunt on the same day when I'm there, and it's just like - I don't belong with you guys, it's your thing and I'm just kinda, here." 

"You're part of this just as much as we all are," he'd told you, matter of fact. His body was angled to face you as you sat outside John B's self-proclaimed Chateau, a freshly rolled blunt being passed back and forth between the pair of you. "You need to stop doubting yourself, man. You're apart of us now." 

The words had warmed your heart, an instant smile being spread on your lips as you looked at him through red-rimmed eyes. Underneath the setting sun, he looked almost angelic; his golden hair blowing in the slight breeze, tanned skin exposed due to the heat. You had pretended not to notice the tense of the muscles in his arms whenever your fingers brushed when you passed the juul between yourselves. 

"You're too kind to me, Maybank," you'd grinned, boot-clad foot nudging his knee gently. "If I didn't know you so well I'd have thought you'd have ulterior motives."

"Who says I haven't?" He'd smirked back. You'd just smiled, teeth biting down on the plump skin of your bottom lip before you'd looked away from his burning gaze and focused your attention on anything, anywhere but JJ fucking Maybank.

You got along with the gang amazingly, you couldn't doubt that. Pope was the smartest guy you'd met, sweet and funny and passionate and so certain of what he wanted to do in life. Kiara, or Kie, as you'd come to call her, was very environmentally involved, almost too cool for the guys, you thought. She cared so much about so many things, and she had a great taste in music too. John B was a bit like you, you supposed. Fatherless, on the hunt for answers, things like that - but other than that he was a great guy, the makeshift leader of the little group, a little lost in life, but that was to be understood.

And then there was JJ. You felt most comfortable around the blonde, but that was kinda a given too, due to the fact you'd seen each other in your most vulnerable states that came with having sex rather regularly, something the other members of the gang didn't share. He was a spit-fire, always ready to throw a punch and fire threats at those who deserved it, head-strong and stubborn. But he was more so caring, God he cared so much for his friends, you'd discovered. He would do just about anything for them, whatever position that put him in. JJ put the gang before himself, always. You'd noticed all different types of things about JJ especially, little things you had never taken the time to notice before.

These little discoveries probably came from watching him too much, you'd thought one night. It was a bit of a problem, though you never mentioned it. The unspoken rule amongst the group was No Pogue on Pogue Macking, which basically meant everyone was off limits to each other. You understood the rule, Kie having been the only girl before you'd arrived on the scene amongst three guys, and after becoming apart of the gang you had no choice but to respect it - which also meant that JJ was off limits. But was he technically off limits when you'd already been there, so far past the line on macking with each other?

There was some sort of agreement between the two of you, that in order to make this work; your friendship with the Pogues, the hunt for the Merchant's treasure, that nothing could happen. You'd spoken briefly about it that first day, outside the lighthouse beside the Twinkie (John B's van, you'd learned had a nickname), we're cool, right? Pretend we haven't seen each other naked, conversation. It had been cut short, but it still happened. And the pair of you never mentioned it after that, a few off-handed comments here and there from JJ, but nothing specific. So you assumed yours and JJ's hook ups were off the table, and you had no idea why that had come to bother you so damn much.

On the day following your talk with JJ on John B's porch, he'd invited you to come along with him and Pope as they delivered groceries for Pope's dad, Heyward. You had almost said no, because really, you could probably do with a break from the Maybank boy, all the time spent with him was doing no favours for your little situation of Fighting Attraction While Hunting For Gold. That's what you were putting it down to in your mind anyway, too much time spent with the person you're sleeping with can begin to mess with anyone's head, and hey, maybe it was the fact that you were grieving and JJ was familiar - but you couldn't be doing with all these thoughts anymore.

Despite the angel on your shoulder urging you to turn his offer down, you'd said yes. But that was little to do with JJ and more to do with your mom and your current home situation, which was unbearable, to say the least. Your mother was barely speaking to you, as if she was scared of letting something slip if she did. In return, you shut her out, too. Told her lame excuses and empty lies when you were heading out with the gang, lying through your teeth when she'd asked where you were or where you were going.

Lana Grubbs wasn't a stupid woman, though, and you knew she knew you were up to something. But she hadn't mentioned anything outright yet, and so you hadn't said anything either. The hole your father had left was huge and gaping, evident in both your lives. You hadn't spoken about it yet, and you weren't intending to until she could be completely honest with you. You didn't want to hear anymore lies, and you were already on the path to discovering the full truth. On your own.

Her words echoed in your mind every time you left the house, voice small and gentle as she never failed to say the same thing. "Just be careful." You'd always look over your shoulder, and she'd never look back at you. She hadn't looked at you much at all since your dad had died.

It was after a certain drop-off of groceries, you'd joined JJ in his delivery whilst Pope had docked the boat and gone off to deliver his own, yours and JJ's strides matching as you walked the seemingly never-ending drive of the abnormally large house that loomed over you. The Kook part of the island never ceased to intimidate you, no matter how much you didn't want it to. There was something about it, the people that lived amongst it, that unsettled you whenever you entered it. Figure Eight wasn't somewhere you usually visited other than an odd job you'd picked up, and you were reminded why of that fact as you walked alongside JJ.

"Just think," he breathed, all starry eyed and parted lips as he gazed around the pair of you. "This could all be ours soon."

You snorted, bumping his side with your own. "Don't be melodramatic, JJ,"

"I'm serious!" JJ protested. His sea blue eyes caught yours when he turned his head to look at you head-on. The intensity of his stare almost made you stop in your spot, but you managed to carry on, gulping when his eyes continued to hold yours. "I'm sticking to my earlier statement, right, we're going to move here, and out-rich all these fuckin' Kooks."

"Out-rich?" You raised an eyebrow, lips quirking. "Your grammar is so adequate, Maybank."

"It's a word," JJ insisted, nudging your side with the point of his elbow. "Who the fuck uses words like adequate these days, anyway? I don't even think Mrs. Humphrey knows what that word means."

You laughed at the mention of your shared English teacher, the grey-haired, short, spectacle wearing woman immediately entering your mind. JJ grinned when he heard your laugh, dimples winking in his cheeks.

"Mrs. Humphrey can't even spell Wednesday," you giggled, JJ chuckling along with you as he nodded. "It's a wonder how that woman has been working there for like, eighteen years or something."

Your steps faltered as you neared the door to the house, pace slowing as you both basked in the time spent with each other, though neither of you would admit it. "She was probably a good teacher at first," JJ said thoughtfully, shuffling the groceries in his hands. (You tried not to notice the way his arms looked when he did that, muscles clenching and on full show with his cut-off tank.) "I bet each year another brain cell of hers just like, dies."

"Wouldn't surprise me," you nodded. "Mine would attempting to teach classes full of teenagers," rather dramatically, you shuddered. "Especially if one of those teenagers was JJ Maybank."

"Hey!" JJ shouted, though his grin proved that he found your jab amusing. You laughed along with him, bumping his side once more as you finally landed at the door, watching as he turned to you, expression trying to be serious and failing, rather horribly. "You better watch yourself, Grubbs. I'm serious here, I can be a pretty scary guy if need be, y'know."

You didn't doubt that, of course. You'd seen JJ in action with your own two eyes, you knew what he was capable of. But somehow, stood with you there, on the doorstep of some filthy rich Kook's mansion, groceries in hand, blonde hair shining golden in the sun, sun-kissed skin exposed to your wandering eyes, grin on pink lips; you couldn't imagine JJ Maybank hurting a fly.

"Trust me, I know." You'd said just as he knocked on the door, shooting you one last toothy grin before the door was opened and he was pulled into a conversation with the woman who'd answered it, talking about all things from the weather to the next semester at school. You watched him all the while, smile growing on your lips without your knowledge as you took him in, seemingly in his element as he sweet-talked the middle-aged woman inside the house. When he turned to you suddenly, you startled, broken from your thoughts and caught red-handed staring at him like some freak. He grinned, tongue wetting his pink lips at the same time you internally groaned.

"I was just saying, the groceries," he trailed off as he pointed to the bags in your hands in which you'd forgotten were even there. You let out an 'oh' as you quickly passed the groceries over to the waiting woman, shooting her an apologetic smile as she looked at you knowingly. JJ nodded his head in your direction, speaking once more to the woman, "New guys, huh?"

You glared at him as the woman laughed, perfectly manicured hand reaching beside her and grabbing hold of her purse, pulling a note out with her slender fingers. She held the note out to JJ, who immediately tried to turn it down, insisting there was no need, but the woman was unrelenting - sending a pointed look your way as she told him, "For your troubles, sweetie."

JJ picked the note from her hands, a gracious smile being sent to her as he nodded. "It's been a long day," he sighed heavily and your jaw almost dropped as you resisted the urge to reach out and slap his arm. What a fucker. "Thank you very much, Mrs. Ramirez. I really appreciate it."

The woman, Mrs. Ramirez, as you learned, nodded and waved a hand. "No bother, sweetie," she told him before turning her eyes back to you. You forced a smile as she simply eyed you up and down, before sending an obviously forced one of her own. "And thank you." She said curtly, and you were ready to give her a piece of your mind before JJ was grabbing your arm and dragging you in the direction of where you'd come from, shouting one last thank you over his shoulder as he walked you back towards the boat.

It was when you were a safe distance away that you shook your arm from his hold only to slap him gently on his own as you glowered, glare smouldering as he laughed, throwing his head back as he stumbled beside you.

"You're such an ass," you huffed as you tried to ignore his chuckling, speeding your steps. "I mean, she literally just tipped you a hundred dollars for showing up and smiling, I'm sure if I had a third leg down there I would have got the same treatment too."

"Are you jealous?" JJ asked, having to jog slightly to keep up your hurried pace. His smile was huge and infectious, and you made a point not to meet his stare when he landed next to you in fear of breaking your fake annoyed stance. "Maybe if you weren't too busy checking me out then you could have talked to her, and y'know, make a small fortune yourself."

You scoffed, whirling around and halting him in place. He almost stumbled into you, and you stepped back when his hands landed on your arms to steady himself, shaking his grip off almost immediately. "I wasn't checking you out," you told him, matter of fact.

JJ grinned and ran a hand through his hair as he replied, "Sure you were," he shrugged. You crossed your arms over your chest and glared, biting down on your tongue as you resisted your own smile as he motioned to his body from head to toe. "Not that I can blame you, I mean look at me."

"I've looked, JJ," your voice was low when you said it, a knowing tone to your words. "I've looked, and I've seen it all, in case you forgot."

A low chuckle slipped past his lips. "How could I ever forget?" He asked rhetorically, tongue darting out to wet his chapped lips as you tried not to follow the action with your eyes, and failed, miserably. "Trust me, that image is forever dented in my brain. I think of it, sometimes. Just randomly."

You rolled your eyes. And he's back, _you thought. _He never left, a voice at the back of your head piped up. You ignored them both. "C'mon," you said, already turning on your heel and starting off in the direction of where Pope had docked the boat. "Let's go get these deliveries finished."

The pair of you said nothing more for the rest of the duration of the short walk back, and when the boat was in your sights JJ was off running, more than likely eager to show off his one hundred dollar tip to Pope, as you idled, watching his back as he ran. When you finally landed in the boat, it was silent. You immediately picked up on the tension, heavy in the small space, and shot JJ a confused glance when he looked back at you.

Slowly, you made your way towards where the two boys were up at the front of the boat, Pope situated at the wheel. The dark skinned boy was staring straight ahead, refusing to meet either yours or JJ's eyes. When you looked to the latter, he subtly shrugged a shoulder, letting you know that he had no clue himself what was going on with his best friend.

"Pope?" You questioned softly. "What's wrong?" When there was no answer, you shared another glance with JJ, his concern shining in his blue eyes. You tilted your head as you went to ask him again, but when you did, your eyes caught on to the colour crimson that was slowly streaming down the side of his face. You gasped and JJ startled, chest bumping your shoulder as he tugged the cap from Pope's head, revealing the injury near the top of his head.

"Jesus!" JJ exclaimed when he caught sight of the wound, Pope swatting at his hands that held his hat, pulling it back down once JJ had let go. "What happened?"

"Rafe and Topper jumped me," Pope's voice was slightly wobbly as he informed you both, a tear sliding down his cheek as he recounted, "They said no Pogues on their side of the island."

Your blood began to boil just as JJ demanded, "What are you gonna do?" His own jaw clenched in anger as he looked at his best friend, beaten and bruised in front of him from the hands of some entitled selfish pricks that thought they were better than everyone because they had more money in their pockets. Rafe Cameron was a name that never failed to make you queasy at just the mention of it, and his little gang of followers including Topper Thorton were just as unbearable.

"I have something in mind." Pope spoke, voice and stance determined. And something he did, as he drove to Topper's new boat - and promptly swam over and removed the plug from it, causing the new model to sink into the water as you and JJ watched from Heyward's boat, keeping an eye out for anyone that may have spotted your trio.

And though it was bad, and you knew you probably shouldn't have taken part in such an activity, nor prompted Pope to either; you couldn't deny the rush it gave you as you watched Topper Thorton's boat begin to sink, and maybe it was the fact that you knew that Topper was a Grade A Asshole and deserved it, or maybe it was Pope's own unsure but excitable adrenaline that mixed with your own, or maybe it was just the fact that JJ wrapped his arm around your shoulder without a care in the world as he shouted his support to his friend, squeezing you to his side almost unknowingly, like it was some kind of instinct.

You thought, yeah, it probably was, as you immediately felt the loss of it when he moved to grab Pope in a hug. And then you thought, well shit.

There was a mutual share of disappointment when the gang had found just about absolutely nothing when you'd taken Pope's fathers boat out the next morning, drone ready and in hand to go hunt for the gold, where John B Routledge had marked down on the map it having been.

Granted, the Royal Merchant was there. It was just missing the one thing they were after - the gold was nowhere in sight, and the journey had been a complete waste of time. You thought it to be too good to be true, of course it had to be. Four hundred million in gold and you were expected to find it? There was no way, you thought bitterly as JJ steered the gang back to land, not one of you daring to speak as the disappointment crashed over you all in huge waves.

You'd departed with the guys not long after that, after promising Kie that you would accompany her to the annual summer movie night, making your way towards home. The bitter frustration ate away at your insides, you were mad, angry - fucking infuriated, each step the gang got closer to finding the gold, it was as if someone was stood in your path and shoving you all back another ten.

Had your dad really died for this? This seemingly never-ending hunt for promised gold that, for all you knew, could be complete and utter bullshit. You didn't understand it at first, when the pieces began to slot together, but it was like every time the chase got harder it made you want it even more; and then you understood your fathers fascination and Big John Routledge's obsession. This gold meant everything to you and the gang, and you knew, John B especially, would never give up on this chase.

"Hey, sweetheart," your mother called when you entered the house. The front door was still broken, only the screen in place, and was leaning against the wall as you maneuvered past it. Lana was sat at the couch, and when you walked in she'd shoved a box away from her, the lid laying haphazardly over the top. "I wasn't expecting you home so early."

You shot her a small and forced smile, shuffling your bag from your shoulder and onto the floor, landing with a soft thud. "Hey mom," you greeted back, noting her teary eyes and flushed cheeks. "What're you doing?"

When you arrived at the back of the couch, looking over her shoulder, you immediately recognised the box - Family Photos! _written atop _the cardboard.

"I was just looking through some old pictures," she told you, sniffling as she attempted to smile at you. "Just wanted to see his face again."

You nodded, your throat tightening at the mention of your dad. Reaching a hand up and wiping away her tears, she looked at you questioning, "Where have you been?"

"Just out," you said, bluntly and unconvincing. "Doing a few jobs here and there, y'know. Nothing exciting."

Lana hummed, quirking an eyebrow at you. "Mr. Phelps told me that he seen you with that Maybank kid the other day," she informed, your face falling for a millisecond as her words sunk in. She looked at you, tear-stained face and serious gaze, lips pulled to a thin line. "I told you to stay from those guys, Y/N."

"I was helping him deliver groceries, mom," you deadpanned - which wasn't exactly a lie, if that's when Mr. Phelps had spotted you. Most of your time spent with the gang was mainly off the land and away from prying eyes, whether that be on a boat or the Chateau, so you knew that was the safest bet of when you'd been spotted. "For Heyward's. It's not like I'm hanging out with him on purpose."

Lie, lie, lie. It was becoming alarmingly easy to lie straight through your teeth, and to your mother nonetheless, but you couldn't dare tell her anything, and why should you, when she hadn't told you anything? It took two to Tango, you thought.

"I just don't want you getting hurt," your mother reminded, and you let out a sigh as you nodded, faked closed-mouth smile on your lips. "I'm serious, Y/N, please just be careful out there."

"Always am," you promised (bull-fucking-shit). You turned on your heel, heading towards your room as you called over your shoulder, "I got invited out tonight, by the way. To the movie thing on the North Side. Is it alright if I go, please?"

You waited at your door, hearing your mother sigh from the couch. "Yes, you can go." You smiled, this one more real than all the rest, and thanked her gently. She didn't look back at you though, and the familiar unspoken tension was back with vengeance. You couldn't wait to get out of it.

The movie night was a welcome distraction from your frustrations with the treasure hunt, the haunting memories of your dad, and the tension with your mom. It was only you, Kie, Pope and JJ that attended - John B having seemingly disappeared for the day, none of the gang having heard from him. You'd managed to leave the house with relatively no questioning from your mom, and met JJ a little way down the block.

("Woah, keep two feet away from me please," you'd joked, halting in your tracks as you spotted him standing there. He'd furrowed his brows at you, frown etched on his face. "My cover's been blown, everyone knows about us!

He just looked even more confused, eyes squinting down at you as you raised a hand and layed it across your forehead dramatically. "What'd you mean?" He questioned, eyes darting around, seemingly searching for answers in the air around you both. "What, do people know we sleep together or something?"

You'd rolled your eyes, shoving him gently when you were close enough, beginning to walk away. "No, you doof," you chuckled. "Mr. Phelps ratted me out to my mom, told her that he saw us together the other day. I had to tell her that we were just delivering groceries for Pope's dad."

"Ah," JJ nodded, shooting you a mischievous grin. "We better go into hiding then, I'm thinking... log cabin in the mountains, all fur sheets and deer heads on the walls, ooh a hot tub too."

You laughed, "Trying to whisk me away there, Maybank?"

You were joking, but his eyes were surprisingly serious as he looked at you. "Always, Grubbs.")

The field was already packed full of people by the time the four of you arrived, groups of people scattered around, idle chatter filling the air. It was being held on the Kook side of the island, and your eyes swooped over the people, most of them being Kook's themselves, expensive clothing and an aura that just screamed, I'm better than you. It made you feel uneasy, but you tried not to think about it as Kiara led you through the crowds.

"I'm so glad they're still doing this," she tells you all, sighing happily. The faces of the guys revealed they were not nearly as happy to be there as she was, while you were simply just glad to be out of your house once again. "Keep calm, carry on. Back to normal, OBX life, y'know?" She stopped once she found a decent spot, turning to the three of you. "Aren't you guys glad I made you come?"

"Ecstatic." Pope deadpanned, sarcastic lull to his tone.

"My couch was pretty comfy." JJ piped up.

"I'm just happy to be out the house, I guess." You said.

You were aware why the guys were so uncertain about being there; it wasn't so long ago that Pope was sinking Topper Thorton's boat, you and JJ accompanying, and now you were all on his side of the island. Not only that, but you knew that if Topper was to discover that it was Pope who'd done his boat in, it wouldn't just be Topper that confronted him - it would be the full Happy Days Gang. Nothing was ever a fair game when it came to Kooks.

Kiara excused herself to go buy soda's from the conession stand, and you shifted as you seated yourself on the blanket you'd bought, having opted out of bringing a chair. You sat in front of JJ, his legs touching your back.

"What's wrong with you guys?" You turned your head when Pope and JJ began to whisper, the former's panicked eyes landing on you as you frowned at the pair.

"Topper and Rafe are on my ass," Pope revealed. "They know I sunk Topper's boat."

You sighed heavily, muttering a shit as JJ grabbed his friend by the arm, focusing his attention towards him. "They can't prove it, okay. Just deny, deny, deny."

Pope nodded along, muttering along with him as you watched the pair, before your eyes moved to Kie that arrived back, her eyes narrowing as she seated herself beside Pope. "Just saw Rafe," she informed, your blood running cold. You could practically feel JJ tense from behind you. "He said, and I quote, 'Tell your boy we know what he did'. What is that?"

"Um, where is he?" JJ questioned, his tone of voice revealing his hidden anxiety.

"Right there." Kiara nodded her head, right in the direction of where Rafe Cameron and his goons sat, as you, Pope and JJ whipped around, Pope practically turning his full body in their direction. You groaned as JJ desperately urged him to turn back round, and away from their taunting eyes.

"The whole death squad!" Pope exclaimed, anxiety riding off of him in waves.

"Don't stare, bro," JJ urged, hand wrapping around Pope's shoulders. You tuned out the rest of the blonde's words as he informed you all that he'd be coming out swinging if they were to corner him, and you felt dread build as you heard his last words. "If that doesn't work, I got this right here." He patted his bag.

"JJ, please tell me you did not bring a gun here," Kie practically begged. "JJ, there are kids!"

You focused your attention straight ahead of you as the guys continued to argue; Pope simply telling Kie that it might go down to her line of questioning, her brown eyes darting back and forth between you all. You refused to meet her eyes, however, and were glad when the large screen ahead of you suddenly lit up. "Oh, look," you exclaimed, laughing nervously. "The movie's starting."

And it was left at that - JJ whispering deny, deny, deny to Pope once more before you all turned your attention to the screen, trying to block out the intruding thoughts of having the knowledge that the gang of Kooks were staring you down, awaiting your next move like a predator would its pray.

All was going fine - the movie was good, everyone's attention on the black and white screen. You tried not to think about Rafe and Topper, or the gold or your dad, and definitely not the feel of JJ's legs either side of you, trapping you into his hold. You let yourself believe that everything would be okay, and then Pope had revealed he needed a piss, and everything had gone to shit.

JJ had accompanied him, and the two had set off behind the screen, hidden away from Rafe's watchful eyes. They hadn't done a good enough job to be discreet though, and you immediately took notice of Rafe, Topper and Kelce making their way towards the opposite side of the screen. You swore, catching Kie's attention as she questioned, "What's wrong? Are you okay?"

"Looks like that piss break just got a lot more complicated," you said, and realisation dawned on her face. It didn't take the pair of you long to locate the guys, all in various forms of fighting, as you and Kie screamed at them to stop. You grabbed Rafe's arm mid-swing, his fist raised and ready to send a hit to JJ's face from where Kelce had hold of him. "Stop it, you dick!"

You let out a scream as you were sent flying back from his shove, Rafe's blue eyes wild and crazed as he glared down at you. "Stay out of this, Grubbs!" He barked, and without a moments hesitation sent a fist hurling towards JJ's cheek.

Kiara had jumped on Topper's back from the small distance away from you, and you took a moment to ready yourself before hurtling towards Rafe from your crouched position, tackling him to the ground from his knees, effectively stopping his blows. He seemed stunned for a second, staring dazed up at you before he promptly threw you off of him, shoving you to the ground without a care. "Don't fucking touch me," he growled down at you, and you groaned slightly as the wind was knocked from you.

You heard JJ from somewhere above you, shouting insults at Rafe and repeating your name over and over. You lifted yourself from the ground just as Topper puts Pope in a headlock, his tight grip causing the dark skinned boys breath to leave him in choked gasps. You shoved at Rafe's back once more, sending him stumbling forward before he whipped around, hand reaching out and grabbing you by the face, tugging you so you stood nose-to-nose with him.

"I said," he ground out darkly, eyes boring into yours. "Don't fucking touch me."

You were beginning to fear what would come next before a sudden glow caught your eye from the side, the movie screen lighting up in harsh flames. Rafe dropped you, your hands moving to rub over the imprint he'd left, as you looked towards where Kie stood, JJ lighter in hand. Screams of terror echoed from the other side, as people began to flee, and it didn't take long for the three Kooks on your side to follow, sprinting quickly from the scene. Fucking cowards, you thought.

JJ's hands were on you before you could even blink, eyes earnest and worried as they looked over you, your cheeks red from the earlier grip Rafe had on you. "You good?" He asked you, slightly out of breath. You nodded, repeating the question to him. He smiled lightly. "Yeah, yeah. I'm good."

The night had ended promptly there, Kie dropping you off at your respected houses. You'd bid them all a good night, and as quietly as possible made your way into your home, not wanting your mother to see the marks imprinted on your face from Rafe's fingers. Luckily, she'd already been in bed, and it didn't take long for you to crawl into yours, thoughts of the day and a certain blonde running through your mind.

The next morning you'd met the gang (save for John B, who was still seemingly missing) at the Heyward's store; your morning had been spent desperately trying to hide the red marks that Rafe's fingers had left from your mom before she could notice and ground you in your room for the rest of your life. It had a been a success for the most part, and she asked no questions as you left the house, though you took note of her uncertain expression as you bid your goodbyes.

"Have you heard from John B?" You asked Kiara who was working closest to you. You had realised the brunette boy was missing from the group upon your arrival, and you couldn't help the worries in your mind at where he could be or what could have happened to him.

"No, nothing. Have you?" She returned the question, brown eyes meeting yours as you shook your head no, a short sigh falling from her lips. "Neither have the guys. What're you thinking?" Kiara eyed you, gaze suddenly sullen. "Do you think something's happened?"

"I don't know, Kie," you told her because honestly, you didn't. John B had a target on his back, that much was for sure. Son of Big John, once owner of the proclaimed death compass. Your mind thought back to the two men that had raised your home, and chased the guys on more than one occasion, and you couldn't help but think the worst. "I'm sure he's fine, though."

Kiara nodded, though she looked anything but sure. "Yeah, you're probably right." The pair of you continued on with your respected work, JJ's and Pope's voice trailing from somewhere in the store as they talked. "You're working Midsummers, right?"

You groaned, nodding. Kiara laughed at your sour expression. "Oh yeah, second year running. To be honest, I'm surprised they let me work it after last year, my customer service must be better than my right hand hook," you joked, chuckle escaping your lips as you thought back to the Midsummer's party the year before. Your dad had gotten you the gig, because he was a weasel like that - always talking people into getting what he wanted, and what he wanted was the gas bill to be paid, and his face just didn't fit the portfolio to be serving Kook's their drinks at their fancy party, and so it had left left to you to do just that.

The night had ended with Dean Kipp on his ass after his hand had fallen on your ass, and you'd been let off with a warning as the guy clutched his bloody nose and called you everything ranging from psycho bitch to slutty pogue. Your surprise was immense when you were offered a job again this year, and a large amount of the reason you'd said yes was just so you could see the look on his face when he saw you.

"He totally deserved that," Kiara remarked, grinning. You smiled back, the pair of you sharing a laugh as you returned to your work.

For a second, you let your worries wash away as you were pulled into a conversation with the gang, your spirts high for the first time in a while. You were happy, you realised. What had started off as being the worst period of your life was slowly turning into the best, the gang and treasure hunt a blessing in disguise. The four of you shared laughs and joked back and forth as you worked, and you found yourself to be perfectly content.

All that came crashing down when Pope's father entered the shop, police officer trailing behind him. "Hey, Pope! There's someone here to see you."

You stopped dead-on, the rest of the gang halting in their movements as you all stared towards the officer you recognised as Shoupe. "Evening, officer." Pope greeted, gulping.

"I have an arrear warrant for felony destruction of property," Deputy Shoupe approached your group, handing the said warrant to Pope's dad. From beside you, JJ tensed, and when you turned to look at him, his blue eyes glanced down at you, freshly beaten face pulled into an anxious grimace as his jaw clenched. Shoupe had gotten remarkably closer, hands reaching for the handcuffs placed on his belt. "Hands where I can see 'em."

Pope glanced desperately towards JJ, who shook his head quickly, his words, though unspoken, clear as day. Deny, deny, deny. But denying wasn't going to get Pope out of handcuffs, you decided as you stepped forward, tone pleading as you demanded, "Stop, you can't just do this!"

"Out of my way please, Miss Grubbs," Shoupe dismissed you, sounding almost bored as he shoved past you, beginning to handcuff Pope who can do nothing but allow it to happen, his anxious eyes focusing on one spot as reality began to sink in.

"What did he do, Shoupe?" Mr. Heyward questioned in disbelief, watching as his son was getting arrested in front of his very eyes.

"Take a look at the warrant," the cop said simply as he begun to tug Pope out of the store.

It was chaos. Everyone was shouting, demanding answers and hurling insults. JJ is screaming something about somebody paying him, Kiara is in your ear asking what the hell was going on, Mr. Heyward is hurtling questions towards both his son and Shoupe. Passbyers stared at the scene, whispering to each other as they walked by or stopped to watch. Everything blurred together, and you could do nothing but watch the scene unfold in front of you.

Those fucking assholes, you thought. Topper Thorton came to mind, tan skin and bleached ends, million dollar smile and designer clothes. You remembered his wild gaze as he held Pope in a headlock the night before, close to almost killing him. And yet he was off somewhere doing god knows what, probably shopping for a new boat to replace the one he'd lost, not that he probably cared all that much about it in the first place. Rafe Cameron's eyes entered your mind next, and you felt a shudder run through you as you remembered them boring into yours as he held your face frighteningly tight and close to his own.

JJ's voice was suddenly breaking through your stream of thoughts - "It wasn't him!" He was calling out, eyes directed on Shoupe who paused and turned toward him, Pope's face disbelieving from behind him. "It was me."

It sunk in then what JJ was trying to do, and you whirled around from his left, quickly shaking your head as you muttered, "JJ." He ignored you however, and stepped forward towards where the officer was standing, Pope still in his arms.

"He tried to talk me out of it," JJ continued. "But I was mad because he had just been beaten up, I was sick of those assholes from Figure Eight that I lost my shit." He was stood directly in front of Shoupe, almost boot-to-boot. You couldn't see his face from where you were, and you were almost thankful for the fact as you heard him direct his words to Pope, "I can't let you take the fall for what I did. You've got too much to lose."

"JJ, what are you doing?" Pope demanded. His face was confused, just as much in shock as the rest of you. For a second, his eyes leave JJ's and land on yours, a shaky breath leaving your lips as his eyes were practically pleading.

"I'm telling the truth, for once in my goddamn life, I'm gonna tell the truth," JJ announced loudly. "I took his old man's boat, too."

"What the hell?" Mr. Heyward questioned, though nobody paid him any mind. Your gaze was too focused on the unfolding scene of JJ Maybank taking the fall for something he most definitely do, and you could do nothing but watch it happen.

Your heart finally shattered when JJ's last words entered your ears, "He's a good kid. You know where I'm from."

He only looked back once as he was put into the handcuffs that previously held Pope, and that wasn't until he was shoved in the back of the police car and the door was slammed behind him. You walked closer towards it, hand on Pope's back as he watched his best friend get arrested for something he'd done, and you both knew it. When JJ glanced up and out of the window, bruised face clear behind the glass, his sea blue eyes caught yours and then he smiled.

The fucker.

You could only watch helplessly as the police car was driven away and out of sight, Pope throwing his cap down in a fit of anger as he stormed off, his dad calling after him, Kie landing to your right. The dark haired girl wrapped an arm around your shoulders, tugging you to her side gently.

"JJ'll be alright," she told you, voice confident though her face read anything but as she glanced in the direction the car had been driven off. "He always is."

But what, a voice in the back in your head nagged at you, if this time he wasn't?

And then it dawned on you: you actually really, generally, sincerely and whole-heartedly cared about JJ Maybank.

(And the thought scared you more than you would ever like to admit.)

& to the lovely people that asked to be tagged in this, love you all x @ponyboys-sunsets @mysticsthinking @danicarosaline