mimihasmotionsickness - Tumblr blog

mimihasmotionsickness · 3 months ago

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«Lucky charm» Ⅱ

″she's got the oceans tucked away in her hair, poems swim under her skin.‶

synopsis: jj finds a strange girl in a cave while on the lookout for any shipwreck remnants and takes her to his friends in hopes of rubbing it in their faces that he was in fact saved by someone yesterday in the hurricane. even if the girl didn't specifically tell him so..

pairing: jj x sea nymph! reader

first part↢

Everyone was exchanging confused and surprised looks. Nobody was really sure what to say or do. JJ was the first to break the silence, his grip on your hand still strong. He cleared his throat before speaking.

"Uh hey guys..." he began.

John B, as always, was the first to speak. "JJ what the hell is going on?"

He took a deep breath, trying to find the right words to explain the bizarre situation. His eyes darted to you for a second, his gaze lingering for a moment before he looked back at his friends.

"I...I found her in the cave" JJ stated, his tone firm but slightly uncertain.

Kiara's eyebrows furrowed in disbelief. "Found her in the cave?" she repeated in shock.

JJ nodded. "Yeah, she was laying unconscious on the cave ground, all covered in seaweed and kelp." he said, his voice filled with a strange mix of awe and confusion.

Pope seemed to be the most baffled by the situation, his eyes wide as saucers. "But...how did she get there? Who is she?" he asked, his gaze shifting from JJ to you and back to JJ again.

Now that was a good question. Who were you? Where did you come from? How did you get into the cave? Those were all questions JJ had in mind, but he didn't have any answers, especially with the things you showed him so casually back in the cave. He shook his head, running his free hand through his messy hair.

Sarah stepped closer, her eyes fixed on you. She seemed to be the least fazed by your appearance. "Is she okay? Is she hurt?"

JJ shrugged, still unsure how to respond to all of this. He felt the need to get you to safety and sort things out somewhere comfortable. "I think so. She doesn't seem injured. Just...confused I guess. And naked. Which is probably not ideal right now."

John B raised an eyebrow at JJ's last remark, a sly smirk forming on his lips. "She's naked, huh?" he teased, earning a nudge from Sarah.

JJ shot him a glare, his expression hardening. "Not the time, John B." he grumbled, shifting uncomfortably. He didn't like the way John B was ogling at you, even if he wasn't saying it out loud. In fact, JJ was beginning to feel unusually protective of you, which didn't make sense considering the circumstances.

"You think she's from the mainland? possibly a missing person?" asked Pope, voicing out his curiosity and trying to find a good explanation as to why this strange girl was unconscious in a beach cave, the day after a hurricane.

Kiara nodded in agreement, a frown still on her face. "That could be possible. But how did she even get here? Did someone bring her here? Or did she come here by herself?"

JJ ran a hand through his shaggy hair, his brow furrowing as he took in the situation once more. "I don't know. She didn't really say anything when she woke up. She just started showing me... strange things."

John B chimed in at that, his curiosity piqued. "Strange things? Like what?" he asked, his eyes narrowing slightly.

JJ felt uneasy sharing the strange things he had witnessed you do, especially with John B's lingering gaze on you. He let out a sigh, knowing he had to tell them something. "She...has weird stuff growing on her."

Kiara raised an eyebrow in confusion. "Weird stuff growing on her? Like what?"

Pope furrowed his brow. "Like, on her skin?"

JJ nodded, trying to find the right words to describe what he saw. "Yeah, like starfish, corals, and seashells. It's like they're just... growing from her skin."

A hush fell over the group as the Pogues exchanged bewildered glances, their eyes wide with disbelief at JJ’s words. The sound of the nearby surf seemed to echo the lingering silence, until Sarah shattered it with a disbelieving laugh that carried both humor and incredulity.

"Are you sure you didn't hit your head too hard, JJ? That sounds pretty far-fetched, even for you."

Meanwhile, you remained rooted in your own quiet world, completely oblivious to the conversation unfolding about you. Still holding onto JJ’s hand, you clutched the mysterious rock that had captivated you back at the cave—a stone that shimmered duly. Your attention drifted downward to the sand beneath your feet, where you absentmindedly wiggled your toes. The grains of sand, cool and delicate against your skin, grounded you in the present even as a ghost of a smile played upon your lips.

JJ frowned, irritated at Sarah's response to his strange observations. "I know it sounds crazy, but I'm not making this up," he insisted, his gaze flickering to you.

John B seemed to consider the possibility, his eyes locked on you. "Maybe you're just seeing things, JJ. You did almost drown yesterday..."

Kiara interjected, her curiosity getting the better of her. "Did you get a good look at her? Maybe we should take a closer look."

Pope nodded in agreement, the skepticism slowly giving way to intrigue. "Yeah, it's worth checking out."

John B glanced at you, his gaze a mix of concern and curiosity, as if he was beginning to believe in JJ's wild tale. "But how do we even approach her without freaking her out?"

Sarah chimed in, a touch of sarcasm in her voice. "Maybe we should just ask her directly. Hey, um, random girl, can we inspect your weird sea creatures growing from your skin?"

Kiara shot Sarah a warning look, her expression stern. "That's not helping."

JJ rolled his eyes at Sarah’s comment, his irritation evident. "Yeah, I don’t think she’s just gonna let us look at her like some kind of attraction."

Pope interjected with a thoughtful expression. "Maybe we should try talking to her first, see if she can communicate. Find out why she’s here and...” His voice trailed off as he observed you closely.

"She talked to me... very briefly, but.." hummed JJ thoughtfully, casting you a side glance.

You looked up from the sand, locking eyes with JJ in a neutral expression, as if waiting for him to say something more.

His heartbeat fastened for a brief moment at the unexpected eye-contact he made with you.

John B raised an eyebrow in surprise. "She spoke to you?"

Kiara looked equally puzzled by this revelation. "What did she say?"

JJ rubbed the back of his neck, trying to recall the moment. "It was just a few words, really. But she seemed oddly calm, considering the circumstances."

Pope, always the curious one, couldn’t help but ask, "What words exactly?"

"Favorite, pretty... Mostly just repeating my sentences or words back to me." he shrugged.

Pope's eyebrows furrowed in thought. "Favorite and pretty. That's... interesting."

Sarah's expression was still skeptical but she couldn't deny her curiosity. "It's like she's mirroring your words. Like she's trying to communicate but doesn't know how."

John B nodded, a look of concentration on his features. "Maybe she's trying to learn our language. That's why she's repeating words back to you."

Kiara considered this, a hint of fascination appearing in her eyes. "It's like she's absorbing words like a sponge. Perhaps if we keep talking to her, she'll pick up more."

Pope’s analytical mind began to work at full steam. "It might be difficult though. She likely doesn't have the same understanding of language as we do."

JJ looked at you, taking in your calm demeanor and the way you seemed to intently listen without understanding anything they said. Somehow the idea of being the person to teach you excited him.

"Yeah, we'll have to be patient and take it slow."

Sarah rolled her eyes but couldn’t hide her intrigue. "This is crazy. We're actually discussing teaching a strange girl with sea creatures on her body our language."

John B shrugged, a small smirk playing at the corners of his mouth. "When have we ever been normal?"

The group of teens watched you intently as you sat on the rickety couch of the Chateau's back porch. Your hair, now relatively dry, cascaded in navy strands down your back as you hunched over the coffee table, your eyes fixed on the small rock in your hand. You turned it over slowly, inspecting it with a quiet, almost reverent intensity. They had been wary at first—afraid that you might be dangerous—but now their surprise was tempered by relief. As long as no one made any sudden movements to startle you, you remained calm, almost meditative. Even Sarah’s gentle insistence had coaxed you into accepting a change of clothes and a pair of sneakers, a small concession that spoke volumes of her care and understanding.

"So, she actually does have sea creatures on her body..." Pope mumbled, his voice thick with intrigue. JJ shot him a sidelong glance, carefully averting his eyes from your serene form. "Did you guys really think I was lying?" he added in a hushed voice, a quiet pride underlying his words. "She treats them the way we treat rings or bracelets." His tone was a blend of admiration and protectiveness—as if he'd known you his whole life.

You lifted your gaze for a moment, studying the Pogues with a simmering, curious intensity. Unbeknownst to them, you understood nearly every word they said—your grasp of English pieced together from whispers on passing boats and snippets of conversation when you drifted among the tides unnoticed. Their fascination with what to you was an intrinsic, everyday part of your being felt strangely alien, yet it stirred something warm inside you.

Your eyes drifted back to the rock, and you ran your finger lightly over the small rune etched into its surface. The delicate lines of the engraving seemed to pulse with memories of the deep, a silent echo of the ocean’s timeless call under your finger. In that quiet, fragile moment, the soft murmur of the pogues' conversation, the distant marsh sounds that you found yourself liking, and the warmth of the porch lights all made you feel incredibly intrigued. Just like the group of teenagers standing a little bit further away from you. Their conversation was hushed and they tried to conceal the fact that they were inevitably talking about you. Which they failed at, obviously.

JJ kept his eyes on you, unable to look away. Pope's words echoed in his head. It was a sight to see. You treated the sea creatures growing on your body like jewelry. It was captivating. But then you lifted your head, your gaze fixed on the Pogues and JJ's eyes immediately left your features. He wondered for a moment if you saw him staring... and what you thought about it. He tried to act nonchalant, to mimic what he thought someone who was not fascinated would behave like.

John B sat down at the far end of the porch, his gaze flickering towards you for a brief moment. "This is so surreal. And she looks so... normal."

Sarah joined him, her voice soft. "Maybe she's just like us, except for the sea creatures."

Pope scoffed, his gaze fixed on your focused figure. "Just the sea creatures? That's a pretty big exception."

"What if she actually is responsible for JJ's survival yesterday?" the question just slipped out of Kiara's mouth, her eyes fixed on you again.

Everyone went silent. And once again JJ caught himself staring at you. You had your back to him but he could see your focused gaze, which was currently directed at the rock in your hand. A slight frown appeared on JJ's face. He wasn't sure what to think about it but the thought of you possibly being responsible for his survival made him feel something... different, maybe even good. He shifted from one leg to the other.

"I mean... It does seem a little too convenient, doesn't it? JJ survived that storm miraculously and then she just appears on the beach, like out of thin air." Sarah commented, her gaze still fixed on you.

John B nodded slightly, his eyes on the ground. "Yeah, it's strange. I mean, she looks so ordinary aside from the sea life growing on her. What if she's got some supernatural powers or something?"

"Supernatural? That's a bit of a reach, don't you think?" Pope intervened, a small smirk on his face.

Sarah shook her head. "It's not outside the realm of possibility. After all, we're talking about someone with corals and sea creatures growing out of their body. In a very calm manner as well, I should add."

"She's definitely different," Kiara noted, her eyes fixed on your figure once again. The way she stood so calmly, examining the rock in your hand like it was the most interesting thing in the world, it was almost eerie, the way you seemed completely unfazed by the situation. "Reminds me of something i read a long time ago... For all we know, we might be looking at a sea nymph.."

JJ narrowed his eyes, tilting his head in curiosity of the brunette's words "What did you say?"

Kiara's eyes flickered over to JJ, surprised at his sudden interest in her words. John B and Pope exchanged glances, curious to see where this was going. "I said she might be a sea nymph. You know, like the ones in mythology that are associated with the sea, like the Nereids or the Oceanids. They have powers over the sea and the weather, and they're also said to have healing abilities."

John B's eyebrows furrowed. "Healing abilities? Seriously?"

"Don't they have fish tails though, like mermaids?" asked Pope, his eyes fixed on your feet.

Sarah frowned, considering his words. "Well, yeah, most depictions of sea nymphs show them with fish tails. But it's mythology, so there's always some leeway for interpretation."

John B chuckled, shaking his head. "Are we really sitting here discussing sea nymphs and mermaids? This is some next level conspiracy theory."

Kiara shot him a look. "It's not a conspiracy theory. Sea nymphs are a part of Greek mythology. And hey, we've seen some pretty crazy things on the Outer Banks." She gestured towards JJ with a smirk. "Like this guy surviving a hurricane, for example."

John B chuckled, raising his hands in mock surrender. "Okay, okay, I stand corrected. But if she's a sea nymph, where are her fish tail? Or her magic powers? Or whatever else they're supposed to have."

Pope shrugged, still peering at your feet. "Maybe she can change forms. Isn't that something they supposedly do? Transform into humans?"

Kiara nodded, a gleam in her eye. "Yeah, that's right. Sea nymphs are known for their shape-shifting abilities. They can transform into humans or other creatures to walk on land. It's one of the ways they interact with mortals."

By the look on your face you were seemingly listening to the conversation intently. Your only problem? you had trouble participating. It was kind of frustrating for you, wanting to engage with these people and not being able to. Your eyes flitted between the pogues before you let them rest on the tall blond, straightening in your seat as you watched him intently.

JJ felt your eyes on him, the intensity of your gaze making him shift uncomfortably in his seat. Normally, the attention of girls would boost his ego, but there was something about the way you were looking at him that felt different. It was like you were sizing him up, trying to figure him out. He found it unnerving, uncomfortable even, but he didn't look away. He held your gaze, trying to keep his expression neutral.

The others continued their discussion, oblivious to the silent exchange between you and JJ.

That's when JJ noticed it. Or rather felt it. There was a strange energy, like another voice nestling its way into his consciousness. Not directly, of course. It wasn't like he heard you speak in his mind, like a sci-fi movie portraying telepathy. JJ was surprised to already have the thoughts in his mind, like they were there but he knew they were yours.

You seemed to notice the way his expression shifted subtly, and you were glad your attempt at joining the conversation was working. Even if it through JJ's mind. You continued to stare intently at JJ, your purple eyes trained into his blue ones, a small smile pulling at your lips..

There it was again. The same feeling again. It was faint but JJ could feel it, like a voice whispering in his head but yet, it was not a voice. He glanced at you and for the first time it felt like your gaze was burning into him, as if you were expecting something. But that wasn't the only thing. It felt like a connection.

JJ shook his head, trying to focus on the conversation with the others but the feeling and the connection were becoming stronger. It was making him anxious, like he was being pulled towards you.

He turned back to you, meeting your gaze again and he felt that same pull. It was like he was being drawn in, the connection between you was not only there but it was also growing stronger by the minute. His thoughts and yours blended together, it was like he could feel your presence in his head. It was both weird and mesmerizing.

JJ tried to focus on his friends again but it was getting harder. Your gaze held him captive, making it difficult for him to look away. It was like he was caught in a trance, unable to break free. He had never felt anything like this before, the connection was strong and he couldn't shake it off. He could feel your presence in his mind, your thoughts blending with his own.

Sensing JJ's uneasiness and possible fear you looked away, letting your head hang low as you continued to study the rock in your hand, putting an abrupt stop to the attempt at communicating in his mind. Studying the rock was probably not a good description, it seemed like you were almost fidgeting nervously with it. You didn't wanna scare JJ, but you had to find a way to communicate. Confirm that some of their theories were in fact, true.

You didn't mean to come off as invasive, you wanted to contribute to the conversation and it was your only way. Seeing that JJ was somehow connected to you. But you sensed his slight fear, no doubt weirded out by what you did. You flipped the rock from side to side, shifting in your seat on the rickety couch.

As you stopped the communication in his mind, JJ felt a little dizzy, like he was suddenly cut off from something that he didn't know he needed. He shook his head, trying to clear his thoughts, but the feeling lingered. He couldn't help but glance over at you, watching as you fidgeted with the rock in your hands. It was like he could sense your nervousness, like he could feel your emotions, even without the connection.

The Pogues were still talking among themselves, Kiara and Pope trying to put the pieces together while John B was mostly just staring at you with a furrowed brow.

Meanwhile JJ couldn't take his eyes off you. The connection that he had felt with you was still there, but it was different now. It was like a faint tugging at the edge of his consciousness. He tried to focus on his friends' conversation but he couldn't stop himself from stealing glances at you.

He felt a strange mix of curiosity and caution. He wanted to understand what was happening, to make sense of the connection he had felt with you. But at the same time, he was wary of what it could mean, of what it could lead to.

The more he thought about it, the more questions he had. How did this happen? Was it some kind of supernatural phenomena? Was it because of the hurricane? Or was it because of you? And if it was because of you..

His mind was swimming with questions and possibilities. He had never experienced anything like this before. It was like you had reached into his mind and touched his thoughts, his emotions, his very being.

Maybe it was just a one-off thing, an accidental slip or a trick of the mind. But something told him it wasn't that simple. He couldn't shake the feeling that this connection he had with you went deeper than that.

You could faintly still hear JJ's thoughts, but he didn't know that. Or at least he was too dizzy to be aware of it. Your features pulled into a frown as you fidgeted with the rock, worried that you might've scared JJ off. You took the time to study the big tree in the backyard over the railing of the porch, your eyes trained at the darkening sky. At the soft clouds and the branches of the big oak tree, in hopes of trying to distract your self.

JJ felt your attention slowly leaving his mind, as if he was losing a connection. As much as it confused it him, his mind felt a little lonely now as you drifted off.

He was snapped out of his deep trance by Kiara's hand waving in front of his face. "Earth to JJ, you okay there?"

"Huh?" He snapped out of his daze, his thoughts shaken as he realized the others were watching him, waiting for him to respond. "Yeah, yeah I'm fine," he muttered, trying to sound as normal as possible.

Pope's eyes fixed on him, studying him with a mix of concern and skepticism. "You sure, brah? You look a little dazed there."

JJ shrugged, running a hand through his messy hair. "Yeah, I just zoned out for a bit. No biggie," he said, trying to sound casual.

John B raised an eyebrow, not quite convinced. "Zoned out for a bit? You were off in JJ land, man. We were almost ready to start calling you Captain Clueless."

He let out a dry chuckle. "Oh, har har. You're so funny JB, really." he replied with his usual sarcastic tone.

Pope smirked, finding the situation a bit amusing. "Maybe he was having some kind of sea nymph fantasy in his head."

At the mention of sea nymphs, JJ's head snapped to the side where you were sitting. You seemed completely lost in your own thoughts, still wrapped up in his hoodie, even with the clothes Sarah had borrowed you.

Kiara chuckled and rolled her eyes. "Oh yeah, that must be it. JJ's mind is a sea nymph theme park."

John B couldn't help but let out a laugh. "Great, so not only is JJ spacing out, but he's also got a sea nymph kink now? This day just keeps getting more entertaining."

JJ groaned, already beginning to regret the direction the conversation was taking. "Guys, come on. It's not like that. Just drop it."

Pope snickered, unable to hold back his amusement. "Oh, we'll drop it... just as soon as we get to hear all the juicy details about your sea nymph fantasies."

Sarah, sitting quietly until now, couldn't help but join in on the banter. "Well, let's be honest, you could do worse than a sea nymph..."

JJ shot Sarah a glare. "Wow, thanks for the vote of confidence, Sarah."

Pope chuckled, his amusement growing with each moment. "Hey, at least they're supposed to be beautiful, right? Could be a worse choice. Our sea nymph is definitely not ugly," he pointed to you, still sat on the couch, "How old do you think she is?"

Kiara's gaze followed your form, a hint of curiosity in her eyes. "Yeah, that's a good question. Her appearance is a bit ambiguous. I would put her at around our age, late teens, early twenties perhaps?"

Pope chimed in, his eyebrows furrowed slightly in contemplation. "She does seem young. But the way she moves, it's almost like she doesn't quite understand how legs work."

John B nodded in agreement. "True. And let's not forget the sea creatures growing from various parts of her body. Doesn't exactly scream 'typical human teenager' to me."

Sarah chuckled softly. "Or the fact that she was stark naked when we found her, wrapped in nothing but your hoodie, JJ."

John B shot JJ a sly grin. "And speaking of which... You have a thing for rescuing naked girls, don't you, JJ?"

JJ rolled his eyes but couldn't suppress a smirk. "Oh, shut up. I was just being a good samaritan, John B. Didn't realize the ocean was in the habit of chucking naked girls onto our doorstep."

Pope shook his head, looking both amused and confused. "Only you, JJ. Only you could find a naked girl in a cave after a hurricane and bring her back to the Chateau like a lost puppy."

Kíara snorted with laughter, chiming in. "Yeah, because that's what every guy does on a weekend night, rescuing damsels in distress."

John B chuckled, still teasing. "Yep, I bet she'll reward you with a lifetime supply of seashells."

Your eyes were now fixed intently on the group once again, the mention of the hurricane catching your attention. And the fact that they were making jokes about you. Which if course, you didn't really understand but they all seemed to be happy, and you could feel it. Another smile pulled at your lips, biting the inside of your cheek as you listened to their banter.

You stood up from your spot on the couch, taking a moment to find your footing before walking slowly towards the group, stopping beside JJ almost meekly.

JJ couldn't help but watch you as you made your way closer to them and him, a mixture of curiosity and intrigue in his gaze. He noted how you seemed to almost hesitate, as if uncertain. When you reached his side, he raised an eyebrow, his eyes flitting over your small form.

"You... you alright?" he asked, his voice a little quieter now that you were right next to him.

JJ watched you slip the small rock in the pocket of his hoodie you insisted on wearing, even with Sarah's borrowed clothes on you. You cupped your hand together, looking down at them before baring your palms and extending them towards JJ. Just like John B had joked about, there was a small iridescent seashell sitting in your palm, looking up at JJ expectantly.

JJ eyes widened a little, a mixture of surprise and awe on his face as you extended your hand towards him, revealing the small sea shell. He leaned in slightly to examine it closer, his thoughts swirling in his head.

"Is this for me?" He questioned, a hint of disbelief in his voice. He'd been joking about seashells, never actually expecting you to take it, quite literally, seriously.

You nodded, watching his every move as he took the seashell from your upturned palms.

He took the seashell carefully from you, running his fingers over the smooth surface. It was a pretty seashell, iridescent as you had said, its color shifting depending on how he moved it under the light.

He raised his gaze to meet yours, feeling your watchful gaze on him, his own curiosity piqued. "And what am I supposed to do with it?"

He looked at you expectantly, waiting for your response. But you were quiet, just patiently waiting, studying the way he held the seashell in his hand. It almost felt like you were silently communicating with him.

You looked between his best friends, who looked a little bewildered that you made the shell appear from thin air, and then back at JJ "It's a gift." you spoke for the first time since JJ brought you to his friends, shocking the group of teenagers except for JJ, that you could indeed speak.

Everyone fell into a stunned silence as you spoke for the first time, all eyes on you. John B, Pope, and Kiara exchanged looks of surprise, trying to process that you had actually spoken, and in perfect English no less. They glanced at JJ, who didn't seem as shocked as the rest of them.

JJ was watching you closely, a hint of a smirk tugging at the corner of his mouth. "A gift, huh?" He raised an eyebrow, still holding the seashell in his hand.

Pope and Kiara were still reeling from shock, unable to believe that the strange girl was actually talking. John B, on the other hand, smirked, clearly amused by the situation. "Well, this just got interesting... She can actually supply you with a lifetime of seashells.."

JJ rolled his eyes at John B's comment, but he couldn't hide the fact that he was impressed. He took a step closer to you, holding up the seashell in his hand. "But how exactly did you do that? Make the seashell just appear out of nowhere?"

You seemed to take a pause, looking up in contemplation as you tried to find your words, "I made it." you stated softly, looking into JJ's eyes, your words still a bit chopped and foreign sounding.

Kiara's mouth dropped open in surprise at your admission. Pope raised his eyebrows in disbelief and even John B looked impressed.

JJ, however, merely chuckled. "You made it, huh? Just like that? You don't happen to make pearls too do you?"

'Pearl..' you muttered under your breath, a thoughtful expression spreading over your face. You nodded at his question, cupping your hands again, closing your eyes in concentration before exposing your palm again. There it was, a small pearl sitting in your palm, extending it to JJ once again with a small smile.

Everyone's expression went to astonishment. The fact you could produce such precious things out of nothing was fascinating. John B let out a low huff of impressed laughter.

JJ looked at the pearl in your hand, taking it from you. It looked real, completely smooth and polished. He closed his fingers around it, his thumb brushing over it as it sat in his palm.

"Huh, well I be damned." mumbled JJ.

John B let out a light laugh. "I think we just found ourselves a lucky charm, guys. The girl has powers!"

Kiara rolled her eyes but a small smirk was on her face. Pope's face was still a mix of fascination and disbelief.

JJ's attention was on you. He still held the pearl in his hand, studying your face with observant eyes. You weren't just a pretty face, were you?..

He was trying to wrap his head around what he was witnessing. You could do what? The fact you could produce pearls alone was impressive, but what else could you do? The sea creatures were there and alive on your skin, which was enough of a shock. But you could also somehow reach him, like a weird mental connection, something so far from his reality.

The thought of this being only a coincidence, that saving him yesterday was actually a coincidence, was starting to become less likely. But what could it be then instead? He didn't know..

As your eyes locked onto his, your smile widening slightly, JJ felt a chill run down his spine. Maybe it was the breeze hitting his skin, or something else altogether. Your purple eyes held his gaze, like a mesmerizing stare, and JJ couldn't look away.

The only reason the spell broke was Kiara's curious voice. "Where did you even come from? How did you end up in the cave?"

The question was actually good, because you didn't really know how you ended up in the cave. The ocean has a funny way of randomizing where on the island you would end up. At least that's what your mother said. You locked eyes with Kiara, shrugging and mirroring her clueless expression, fidgeting with your fingers.

Kiara sighed, shaking her head as she watched you. Her skepticism was clear on her face. "Of course, can't give us a straight answer on that one, huh?"

John B shrugged, his eyes wandering over you again, as if he was trying to figure out your strange mystery.

Pope was the one to speak up next. "You don't even remember how you got there? Were you in the water?"

Of course you could always tell the group of human teenagers that you came from the ocean. But even with you showing them that you can conjure seashells and pearls out of thin air and having sea creatures grow on your skin, they still tried to find a good explanation that made sense to their human brains.

You looked down thoughtfully again, trying to find the correct english words for what you wanted to explain, but failing of course. "I came from the ocean.." you settled on revealing, cringing internally at the way you sounded speaking their language and how limited in vocabulary you were.

There was a shocked silence for a few moments, as the Pogues exchanged looks.

John B was the first to find his tongue again, his eyes wide. "Come from the ocean? Like, you were in the water?"

Kiara shook her head, her brow furrowed. "No, she literally said she came from the ocean. Like, she was born there." She shot a look at JJ, as if asking for his opinion on this.

JJ didn't say anything, his eyes still trained on you, his gaze intense. He was trying to make sense of the situation, his thoughts racing. Was there actually something to the old Kook's tale about mermaids after all and they weren't just stories?

"Come from the ocean..." he repeated, his voice low and contemplative.

Pope was the voice of reason at that moment, his brows drawn together.

"Wait, hold on, come on, guys. Think about it. Mermaids? Really? That's like...that's like straight out of a fairytale" he pointed out even if the evidence was sitting right in front of them..

You eyed Pope, your brows draw together as well, "Not mermaids, just me." you deflected, which in retrospect sounded dumb after hearing yourself speak. You weren't what humans liked to call mermaids. You weren't sure what they perceived as mermaids given their stories were about these sea creatures who traded their voices for feet in order to chase a human prince.

What you were doing was kind of similar but not at the same time. Still, that didn't mean you were some kind of little mermaid. You didn't even have the red hair like in the book you found.

Sarah, who was mostly quiet during this conversation, couldn't help but snort a little at your denial.

"No mermaids, just you, eh? Hate to break it to you, but you don't exactly look normal. With all the creatures growing out of your skin and the fact that you walked out of the ocean... It's not really normal, girl."

"I am not a mermaid." you frowned slightly, "i don't have red hair." you pointed out, holding up a long, wavy strand of navy blue hair.

Kiara couldn't help but roll her eyes, crossing her arms. "You do realize that's not the only thing that makes someone a mermaid, right? Maybe it works different for you."

Pope couldn't help his small laugh but quickly covered it up, his amusement at this whole situation getting the best of him.

You sighed, shaking your head, "i can speak." You pointed to your lips vaguely, "i did not trade legs for voice."

Sarah tried not to chuckle. "Well, yeah, you did speak. But that doesn't really prove anything."

Kiara nodded in agreement, tilting her head. The skepticism was still present on her face. JJ, on the other hand, remained silent. His blue eyes were fixed on your face, studying your features and trying to make sense of it all. "Are you quoting 'The little mermaid'?" he asked, a small smile playing at his lips when he realized what you meant by not having red hair and, not trading legs for your voice.

Pope raised an eyebrow, exchanging a look with Kiara and Sarah. "She knows about 'The little mermaid'?"

"Maybe mermaids in their world are more into Disney movies than in ours," Kiara suggested, a hint of amusement in her voice.

But JJ's gaze remained fixed on you, his mind racing. There had to be a reasonable explanation for all this. He pushed away from the railing, taking a step closer to you. "How do you know Disney movies?"

"It is a book." you spoke as if it was the most obvious thing in the world. You remember when you found the book, and had to learn the hard way that paper dissolves when getting wet. It was sad losing the book even though you didn't really find the story to be accurate.

Everyone stared at you, blinking silently. The words that just came out of your mouth made no sense to them.

John B broke the silence, a look of slight amusement on his face. "Wait, a book? You know what a book is, but you don't know what a boat is?"

"I know what boat is.." you grimaced in confusion at the fact that they assumed you didn't know what a boat was. You did, in fact boats were your main point of interest and you loved spending time watching them float on the water surface. It was always a mystery to you how they did so.

John B smirked, his curiosity piqued. "Okay, so you know what a book is, you know what a boat is, and apparently you've read a book called 'The Little Mermaid'..."

Pope interjected, his tone skeptical. "And let me guess, you read it in English?"

You nodded, pleased that they were finally starting to be on the same page as you. "Yes."

Pope rolled his eyes. "But you don't speak like you do. I mean, your grammar is off, and your vocabulary is... let's just say it needs work."

John B let out a small chuckle at Pope's comment.

For some reason you took that a bit personally, a small frown tugging at your lips as you looked between the five teenagers. Here you were trying to communicate with them and they were pointing out the obvious. Of course you didn't speak english well or correctly. Your knowledge was based on what you heard being said on boats and from a stupid book meant for human kids. You didn't grow up like them learning the language like they did. You weren't even allowed to be in touch with the human culture until a few months ago.

"I know that." you mumbled, wincing internally yet again at the fact that your words were choppy and weirdly sounding compared to the way they spoke.

John B winced slightly. He hadn't intended to make you feel bad, it was just an observation. "Hey, it's not your fault. You're doing really well for someone who, you know, doesn't even speak English that well."

Kiara shot John B a warning look, but she couldn't help the small feeling of awe at the fact that you were even able to communicate with them despite your limited knowledge of the language.

Pope, despite his usual sarcasm, was also surprised by your abilities. He had to admit that it was kind of impressive. "Yeah, I mean, for someone who doesn't even have a basic understanding of grammar, you're doing pretty good."

Kiara, who had been observing you quietly, finally spoke up. "Actually, it's really amazing that you're able to communicate with us at all. Where did you learn to speak English?"

Your mind drifted back to your mother and her teaching you english before her parents decided that introducing you to human culture wasn't exactly the best way to go about things. "My mom.." you mumbled, shifting in your spot next to JJ, gaze fixed down on the wood under your sneakers.

JJ, who had been listening keenly, noticed the shift in your tone and expression at the mention of your mother. "Your mom?" he repeated, curiosity piqued. "Is she from the sea too?"

Your eyes snapped up looking up at JJ, "Yes, but she learned english because my dad... he's like you." you grimaced as you fidgeted with your fingers.

JJ's eyebrows furrowed in confusion. "What do you mean 'like me'?"

The pogues shared a look, not sure what to make of your statement. Pope spoke up, his interest now piqued. "Hold on, do you mean your dad is human?"

You nodded, "He is from the island. That's what my mom said.." you mumbled, sighing softly, "but i don't know his name or what he looks like.."

John B and Kiara exchanged looks, their eyes wide with surprise. Pope was the first to speak up again. "So your mom met your dad and had you, but she never told you his name or what he looked like?"

You shook your head, your mind drifting back to how hesitant your mom was on revealing your father's identity to you in fear you'd go on a quest to look for him. Which you were doing right now. Without her permission too. Still you felt like you had the right to meet the person who played a big part on getting you here on earth. Besides humans weren't as scary as your mom made the out to be. These ones weren't at least. You figured that looking for your father would give you some sense of purpose, and the chance of interacting with humans.

"She didn't really like talking about him." you sighed again, this time more deeper and more disappointed.

Kiara and Pope shared a look, their intrigue and confusion only growing. JJ was still fixated on your words, trying to process the situation as he listened intently.

Pope was the first to speak up, curiosity seeping into his voice. "Do you know anything at all about your dad? Like any details at all?"

You shook your head once again, not really having an answer to the question all the pogues were probably asking in their minds. You felt a bit reckless going on such quest without absolutely any details about the said man. For all you could know he could be anyone. Maybe your mom was right. You didn't even know what was hiding on this island. And you couldn't fully trust this group of human teenagers.

It was so eye opening. Thinking about the small details and realizing you had nothing to base your search on. You barely knew anything about your father, maybe he didn't even wanna see you. Given he never actually tried looking for you.

There was an air of concern present as the pogues tried to wrap their heads around your lack of information. JJ's eyes briefly connected with yours in a moment of empathy, understanding how nerve-wracking this whole thing must be for you.

It was John B who finally spoke up, his voice cautious and curious. "So you're going on this search with nothing to go on? Just a hunch? Aren't you scared?"

Yes! you were terrified. Your mom was probably angry, already looking for you, already putting together a very thorough punishment, you had absolutely no guarantee that you'll even find the said man, and no help. You frowned, looking down in something akin to shame and anxiety, not quite answering John B's question verbally. The reality of what you got yourself into settling over you and looming over your head like a storm cloud.

Kiara's expression was full of empathy. She was a lot more intuitive than the other pogues, always capable of reading the room well.

She noticed the shame and anxiety written all over your face, and she knew the fear that had to be coursing through you. Kiara offered a sympathetic smile, knowing how vulnerable you had to be in this moment.

Pope, however, being the smartest of the pogues, could figure out what was the most likely scenario. "I bet your father doesn't even know you exist." He said bluntly.

JJ's eyes darkened slightly at Pope's words, a frown taking over his expression. He knew it was the truth as soon as the words left Pope's mouth but he couldn't help but feel bad for you, knowing how hard it probably was to hear it out loud.

You could feel the mess of emotions swirling in your chest, your gaze staying glued on the wood of the porch beneath your sneakers. JJ could see it. Despite looking old enough to be their age, you looked just like a little girl who just wanted to find her dad. It was obvious it meant a lot to you if you went through loops to get on the island with no absolute plan. He could relate to entertaining the idea of a good father existing out there even though he didn't have to luck to have one. Maybe yours wasn't a good person, but just like anyone you probably wanted to see it for yourself and he didn't wanna be blunt.

JJ could see the sadness in your eyes, the pain that only comes from feeling lost and abandoned. He felt a sudden urge to reach out and comfort you, to assure you everything was going to be okay. But he refrained himself, not wanting to overstep any boundaries. He knew he'd want someone to tell him the harsh truth, instead of sugarcoating it.

Instead, he cleared his throat, breaking the tension in the air. "So, let's say we do help you find your dad. Have you thought about what you'll say to him? What if he's not who you think he is?"

You raised your eyes from the ground, still frowning. You thought about what you'll say to your dad more than you could count. Thought about it while eating, while swimming, during talks with your mom about him. It would've been helpful if she gave you at least a name or some pointers. It wasn't like you were gonna live in a fog of confusion your whole life. "I know what i want to say to him." you spoke firmly, your words still wobbly but sure and determined, completely ignoring JJ's last question.

A small smirk pulled at the corner of JJ's lips as he nodded, leaning onto the railing of the porch. Your determination was admirable despite the uncertainty in the air. "Sounds like you've thought about this a lot. But have you considered that maybe your dad doesn't want to be found? Maybe he's been avoiding you and your mom for a reason?"

"Can't avoid truth forever.." you trailed off, looking out in the backyard, your words more heavier than you intended them.

JJ raised an eyebrow at your response, and he couldn't disagree with you. Even he wasn't that pessimistic. "I guess you got a point there. But what if the truth is ugly?"

Then you'll have to return back to the ocean, tail between your legs and accept your defeat. Not until trying first. You weren't the kind to just give up based on fear. Besides wasn't all truth a bit ugly? "Doesn't matter." you spoke again, still as determined.

JJ couldn't help but feel a mix of respect and fascination towards your determination. You didn't back down easily and JJ found himself liking that about you more than he wanted to admit. He nodded, a small smirk playing on his lips. "Damn, you're stubborn as hell.."

There was a brief moment of silence, it almost felt like a standoff of sorts. But instead of guns and violence, it was just two completely different people staring at each other, both refusing to look away or back down.

A/N: i'm sorry for taking this long to post this too, i hope you guys don't hate me and want me to die :( this chapter hits different at the moment since i'm actually going through a rough patch with my family, dads can be such assholes. Asks, reblogs and comments would be appreciated, and don't forget to like and join the taglist for any of my upcoming stories.

Tag-list*:･ﾟ✧ @cali-888, @bee-43, @jjscoquette, @melsbels-zip,@stanseventeen, @wh0reforbucknasty,@wtfisastiles,@annaconscience,@pqndxra,@carrerascameron@nini2mem,@iynsane,@gublerstylesobrien1238,@wrldfilms,@shayofandom, @wren5650 @alimarie1105

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mimihasmotionsickness · 3 months ago

Text

BIRDS OF A FEATHER

pairing: childhood bsf!reader x jj maybank

summary: you and jj against the world, thats how its always been but now, it seems as if the world was fighting against the two of you and only jj had a chance to stop it. but he couldn't. not when this was happening.

quote: 'nothing left to lose, without my baby'

warnings: a lot of angst, swearing, reader death/killing, alcohol addiction, flashbacks, main part set in season 3, some use of y/n, mentions of blood, foreshadowing, stabbing etc, mild description of murder.

a/n: may cause heartache or crying, im sorry :(( make sure you remember the first part, put it in your brain. ALSO BETTER TO READ IN LIGHT MODE.

7 YEARS OLD. 5,259,600 minutes.

"y'know your holding it completely wrong, jj."

there you were, sat on a wooden chair outside the backyard of john b's house, the chateau. it's what his dad called it, its what big john called it. Big john had always been a second father to you and jj. Your father had never been in the picture, and your mother had always been a workaholic. And, we all know jj's story with luke. "oh, come on!" jj whined, spongebob shirt covered in dirt from the recent activities down by the water. John b laughed mockingly, pointing a finger at jj with a ukulele tucked under the opposite arm.

yes, you were teaching them your most loved hobby.

"dude, your holding it upside down!" john b's high pitched words made jj pout and flip the ukulele around. You stood up, shorter than both of the boys but did they care? nope. "okay, look, you wrap your fingers round the top part and then the other one flicks the strings, got it?" you grabbed his wrist gently and placed it in the correct area.

jj nodded, eyes on his fingers while the blonde locks of hair fell in front of his face. "ugh, y/n my hair! i can't!" he whined once again, his head propping back up. you sighed and grabbed your hair tie, chunking his hair up and tying it onto the top of his head, making john b laugh harder.

you clapped your hands together enthusiastically, smiling with your rows of small teeth, some growing in and some still waiting to be pulled out. "okay, better?" you asked jj, putting a hand on your little hip. he nodded and went back to trying to put his fingers in the right place, unphased by the makeshift ponytail on the top of his head.

"Kids?"

Big john shouted, trudging his feet across the uncut lawn with a smile on his face, a very ancient looking piece of paper in his hand. "whats that, dad?" john b questioned, placing the ukulele on the outdoor table and swiping a curl out of his face, walking toward his father with curious eyes.

"jj, y/n c'mere i got a story" big john waved the two of you over, getting down on one knee to be level with all of you. When you and jj walked over there, you gasped and looked at big john. "Is it about unicorns?"

JJ chuckled and shook his head. "no! unicorns aren't real, dude"

you furrowed your small brows at him, lips forming into a pout. "yes they are!"

john b huffed. "stop arguing, dudes" he spoke sassily, crossing his arms and shifting his attention back to big john. Big john chuckled at the three of you and then nodded his head, adjusting his glasses. "this," he pointed to the map. "this is a treasure map, but it's not just any treasure map."

"what is it then?" jj asked, tilting his head, voice laced with interest.

"the golden merchant.."

little did you all know, this paper, this map, this plan? could change everything.

16 YEARS OLD. 525,600 minutes.

"and then- then he was like, bam!, then he did like, a flip! boom, the guy is knocked out blue. " jj rambled from the messy kitchen to pope and john b who probably weren't even listening. you and kie in the living room, creating friendship bracelets. "its 'knocked out cold', jj" you corrected, not looking up from the bracelet.

"ah, knocked out cold- then he was.." jj continued and continued, making you sigh and turn to kiara. "so, we're still doing a barbeque tonight, right?" With a questioning look on her face, kie looked up. "this place has a grill? and food?" she asked sarcastically, smiling cheekily.

"uh huh, crazy right?" you chuckled, tying off the last part of the bracelet. kie nodded, continuing her own. "JJ, c'mere dude" you half-shouted toward him, making his head snap toward you. "hmm?" he slid off the counter he was sitting on, beer bottle loosely hung in his hand as he made his way over.

you shifted on the couch, leaning on the backrest as you held out a bracelet, specifically reggae colors for him. "here ya go." you grabbed his wrist gently and tied the bracelet onto his wrist (which was already occupied with multiple others)

"oh, why thank you." he tipped his beer toward you, smiling- actually smiling. He loved when you made those for him and only him. Not kie, Not john b, Not pope. Him. "mmhm" you hummed, lips in a small smile as he observed the different colored bracelet.

"i got a whole wrist of em" he wiggled his fingers in front of his wrist, at least 3-6 different colors and different shaped bracelets covering some of his skin. some matching with you, some with john b, or some he stole from crappy stores.

"mmhm, and you ain't ever taking them off, right?" you teased, tilting your head with a little smile.

"you bet." he twirled around on his heels and moved his way back to the kitchen. you smiled, watching him before moving to face kie again. "m'kay, so, we still gotta go to the store to buy burger patties because my mama gave me some money, also we gotta bring jj, we need em for the stealing beer part"

…

"when were burgers invented?" jj asked out of nowhere, biting a whole chunk out of a hamburger. “uh, no idea.” John b spoke, laying a bun on the burger Pattie. Pope, ever so smart, answered easily.

“people are still debating but close to the 1900’s, near there.”

JJ nodded, making a ‘mm’ sound when he swallowed the food. “y/n, you got some sort of magic? Cause this shit is to die for.” you swallowed your burger and looked at him, crossing your ankles on the table. “you’d die for a burger?” You chuckled, making him smile. “Duh, y’know what else I’d die for?”

“hm?”

“you.”

His words made your heart skip a beat. Is he for real? You didn’t know. But, you’d do the exact same. “well I’d die for you too, maybank” you placed the burger on the paper plate, wiping small crumbs off your shirt. “And we’ll always be together, like- no fuckin falling apart, no cliche shit” he added.

“promise?”

“I promise.”

It sounded playful- to the pogues. But the look on your face, no, the look on JJ’s face? said the truth. You both promised.

but do promises always get kept?

17 YEARS OLD. 2,880 minutes

yes, it'd been a long year.

a year filled with mysteries, near death experiences and most importantly, gold. To be specific, the golden merchant. the one thing john b had been keeping most of his focus on. To either find his dad- which he did, and the gold- what his father wanted to find. And of course, he isn't doing it alone.

"Dude, where are they?" jj rasped, stood on the concrete of the runway beside you. John b sarah and kie in front of you two. "i dont know." john b sighed, running his fingers through his dirty curls. "We should get em, we should get in the twinkie and go get em," jj almost shouted, pointing a finger at the van.

"hey, there's pope and cleo." sarah turned toward the sound of a motorcycle engine. there they were, pope and cleo. "god." jj muttered, slinging his hand down to pick up his travel bag. "you guys waiting for us?" cleo shouted over the engine, arms wrapped around popes waist.

"yes we were, you're late." you said, throwing your hair up in a real messy bun, hair tie between your teeth as you got your hair bunched up. jj turns to pope and cleo, exhaling. "now did you actually convince your pops this time or.."

pope got off the bike, chucking a thumb toward cleo. "cleo convinced em"

jj hummed, clasping hands with cleo. "mmhm, that's it, that's what i'm talkin bout"

"okay, let's get on this..plane."

"its a jet, jj" you corrected.

The jet passes over wild tree covered mountains, the area specifically named, 'Orinoco basin'. It'd been a whole 12 hours, you'd all slept and now all of you are on the way to find john b's dad, and to find the golden merchant. "So tres rocas, that's where Neville said he would find the guy." john b said, sat on the leather seat of the jet, map in hand.

"Solona. that's the archaeological site."

you sat on the seat beside sarah, jj on your side- dead asleep. his head on your shoulder as he snored under his breath. He’d fallen asleep about 1 hour into the flight and you couldn’t do a thing to get him up.

while john b continued his rambling & his plan, you just focused on the clouds outside the window- what if something happened? What if someone got hurt? What if there is no gold? What is big john is already dead? What if-

“your doing that thing again.” sarah’s voice ran through your ears, making the repeated thoughts come to a end, your head moving over to the blonde. “what thing?” you spoke quietly, afraid you’d wake up JJ.

“the thing where you doze off and overthink.” Sarah answered, her tone suggestive- as if she could see right through you.

which she could. Because you were doing the thing.

“yeah it’s just, I hope big John’s okay. I hope you guys will be okay.” there it was, the thing you always did. The thing JJ noticed years ago. You never cared about yourself or what would or could happen to you.

“what about yourself?” sarah crossed one leg across the other, leaning forward absentmindedly.

“oh, me? I’m fine, I got this one.” you tried shrugging her concern off with a joke and a thumb chucked toward jj- still sleeping- beside you.

Sarah hummed, nodding and shifting her focus back to her boyfriend.

finally, an hour later, the plane came to a stop and you woke up JJ with a slap to the bicep and a little pinch on his cheek. all of you exited the plan one by one, JJ still walking with a lazy sway.

“ugh, y/n, my hair.” he pouted. god, and the not so subtle whine- it reminded you of years ago. Ukulele lessons and all that..

you snorted looking at him with a hand on your forehead, blocking the brightness of the sun with the back of your hand. “what? ya want a little ponytail?”

he nodded eagerly with exaggerated excitement, already bunching up a little bit of his hair. “mmhm.”

“alright, alright” you smiled, grabbing a black hair tie from your wrist and getting on your tippy toes to tie a fast pointy tail onto the top of his head, making him chuckle.

“he looks like a kid again,” John b chimed in, walking beside JJ with a backpack slung around his one shoulder.

“oh shut up i need somebody to be my hairdresser, duh” he made a dramatic sway with his hip, tilting his head up and making a loud sigh. …

“we gotta split up and I know it sounds stupid but we have to.” John b spoke, leaned against a tree with his hand clasped around his backpack strap.

“what?”

“No, hell no.”

John b sighed, obviously expecting that answer. “no, no- I’m saying we go in groups of two. Pope and Cleo. Y/n and JJ. me and Sarah. You all make sure nobody’s following- me and Sarah will do the big deal, please- I know it’ll work.”

15 minutes.

jj held up his machete like it was a shotgun, aimed toward ward. Sarah and the others all surrounded near the edge of a cliff, trees filled with outgrown vines, and the chime of crickets.

“Sarah, just- just give me the gold, and it will all be over.” ward pleaded, feigning innocence. no, he wasn’t innocent. Not at all.

“No. We found it. We keep it.” John b chimed in, stepping up next to Sarah. “god.” ward whispered to himself it seemed, pulling the trigger of his pistol and raising it to John bs chest with shaky hands.

Your eyes widened, about to step in when JJ grabbed your wrist and pulled you back with a firm grip. “stop.” He whispered through gritted teeth, eyes on you with an intensity that made you go silent immediately.

“dad, stop.” Sarah spoke while stepping infront of John b, lifting her hand to grab the skin of her father’s wrist. ward froze, eyes widening as he opened and closed his mouth.

Sarah grabbed the barrel of the gun and placed the tip of it on her chest, looking at her father. “If you’re going to shoot anyone, let it be me.”

but then, another voice joined in. raspy, cold and low. “wait a minute, ward.”

All of it. All the voices. All the people. All the tension. It all elevated into something you’d never expect. First, It was Sarah holding a loaded gun to her chest, then it was a new man coming into the already crazy area, then it was ward running toward one of Singh’s men, a gun getting shot into the air and into his chest while the other men ran him down toward the edge of the cliff.

but something did happen. Something nobody noticed until ward had been knocked dead onto the jungle floor. When that man had been running and shooting a gun, a bullet did not just only enter wards body.

It also entered yours.

it all hit you when you felt as if you needed water. Like you needed it in one instant or you’d collapse. But, it wasn’t water you needed. You brought your dirty, shaky hands down to your abdomen where there was some sort of clenched feeling, holding your breath while stood beside JJ- who was staring down at the two dead men at the bottom of the cliff.

Did he know yet? No.

Did any of them know? No.

when your skin touches the fabric of your shorts, you felt it. The blood. And you could smell it. The metallic scent. your eyes widened when you looked down- the hole in your jean shorts, the blood slowly seeping out of the fabric and skin. The pain shooting through every section of your already aching body. your eyesight blurred around the edges, making your brain feel fuzzy inside.

that’s when JJ noticed.

and then John b.

And then everyone else.

JJ froze. Like literally. His hands went still, his body wasn’t moving- not one bit. The only thing that was moving was his face. His mouth. His eyes. His eyebrows- but you couldn’t see it. It was like the only thing you could see was the blurry, blonde color of his hair.

then, your knees buckled, JJ caught you before you could collapse to the floor and rushed to sit you down against one of the tall trees, making you groan when the pain increased and increased in your abdomen.

“hey, breathe, it’s fine- just a scratch, yeah, right? Right pope?!” He shouted toward pope, his fingers trembling as he ripped a piece of fabric from his greasy shirt.

Pope didn’t answer. He just kept pacing and pacing while talking to himself- ‘we don’t have any service here, there’s no hospital near here, we’re done. We’re done. We’re done.”

JJ sniffed and looked back at you with wide, panicked eyes. He looked at your already weak face and you could just barely see the little beads of tears on the rims of his eyes.

7 minutes.

It felt like time had all paused in that agonizing moment. For him, the world seemed to have just narrowed down to you and him. It’d been only one minute since he saw the blood but it feels as if it’s been a whole life time. His breathing is labored, his chin won’t stop wobbling And tears have already stumbled there way out of his eyes. his lungs won’t seem to work.

You blink up at him, eyes blurring with now darkness. He looks at you- you’re too fucking pale, you’re dying but he won’t admit it. He can’t. His hair falls infront of his face, the hair tie had already fallen out from all the running and you’d picked it up and snapped it back onto your wrist.

a small, weak smile came to your lips and a shuddering breath left your throat. “y/n, my hair..” you mocked with amusement- half sadness though it just made jjs tears fall harder. Faster.

“shut up..” He whispered and continued applying pressure to the wound. He hated how you sounded as if you were giving up. Breaking the promise.

But the blood would not stop.

5 minutes.

JJ whipped his head back, jaw clenched and teeth gritted so hard John b swore he could hear the sound of teeth against teeth. “Somebody do something! Now! Don’t just stand there!” he tried being loud. He really did. But every word just had a small crack.

“we’re trying, okay?” John b shouted, crouched beside JJ while searching through his backpack with trembling hands. He didn’t want to lose you- nobody did. You didn’t deserve it. Not at all.

you could feel the panic coming from them. The desperation. But you couldn’t hear it. You could only hear the ringing in your ears and just muffled voices. And the pain? The pain was too much. It felt as if the bullet was hitting you again and again each time the pain shot through your body.

“you just gotta- you gotta breath..please, I’ll help- I’ll help you yeah?” JJ rambled, desperately trying to stop the bleeding. But it wouldn’t stop. and you couldn’t hear him- you could only feel his shaky hands. That’s all.

“I ca-“ you tried, the attempt making your throat squeeze. Blood clotted up to your mouth in which you couldn’t swallow down. You coughed, blood dribbling down the corner of your lip. jjs eyes widened, his breathing fastening. He wiped the blood from your lip with his thumb, a choked sound- like a groan and a sob- left his throat as he realized.

There’s no hospital near here. No doctors. Not fucking anybody.

“please don’t- don’t leave.” he started. “you promised. We both did.” he sniffed, wiping his blood- your blood- covered hand against his cheek to wipe a few tears.

1 minute.

pope watched frozen. Silent. His hands barely shaking as tears silently left his eyes. He watched JJ- back to him, his shoulders shaking almost at the same pace as his heart with sobs. He looked worse than the time in the hot tub, bruises scattered across his skin. And who was there? You. Who made him feel better? You. And now? JJ couldn't do anything. Nothing to make you feel better, to make the wound go away.

50 seconds.

“you promised. you did!-“ he stopped. Dry sobs leaving his throat. He looked directly at your face. Your eyes closed but your chest still slightly rising and falling- but barely. Not enough. “you promised..” he whispered. Quieter. Hushed.

45 seconds.

JJ reached toward your wrist, grabbing all 4 of your bracelets with trembling hands, his shoulders still shaking. “your going to be okay.” He whispered. Either to himself or to you, he didn’t know. He slid your bracelets onto his wrist and watched your limp body- slumped against the tree.

You looked like you were sleeping. God, he wished you were. But you weren’t-

JJ’s dreams and wishes never came true. He’d always wanted a normal life- he never said that. He’d always wanted a mother. He’d never admit it. He’d always wanted a surf trip with you. He never got that. He never will. And most importantly? He will never have you. He’ll never get to say that he loves you.

Or will he?

“I love you.” He said. It sounded Iike a question. Not to himself. Not to you. It sounded desperate- like his words would make you come back and tie up his hair, like usual.

And somehow, it did. Not the way he wished it would be- you coming back- but, you answered. “I love..you too.” you whispered. Weakly- it sounded so weak. But he knew you meant it. He always trusted you.

5 seconds.

“I’m sorry.” He whispered, breath shuddering as he watched your chest stop. It stopped moving. JJ held his breath and lifted his hand just as your head lolled to the side. He rushed to check your pulse, holding it there for 3 seconds. Your gone. Your gone.

“No. No- John b..she’s not. She’s not dead. She was just..just” He trailed off, hands falling to his side, head dropping down to the floor as he squeezed his eyes shut- pinching his leg to see if this was actually real. He wishes it was.

But his dreams and wishes never come true.

and now that you're gone? he doesn't have any more dreams.

he only has nightmares.

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