#that’s the thing with kie from outer banks for me like. she just wants to be allowed to act like the guys and just like. fuck around i guess

[devilsskettle]

there’s also just Something About female characters who are jealous of the men around them for getting to behave in certain ways that they just can’t. like you can just act like that? you don’t have to maintain a carefully curated and constructed image of yourself to present to the world so people don’t treat you like shit? i’m not gonna universalize but i do believe most women feel this way at least at some point in their lives, i feel it all of the time and it drives me fucking insane

#that’s the thing with kie from outer banks for me like. she just wants to be allowed to act like the guys and just like. fuck around i guess #like just to hang out and to do whatever she wants and like to be herself and still be accepted #like she is tone deaf when it comes to like. complaining about her supportive family and better-than-stable financial situation lol #but she feels so trapped! and so alienated! and she can’t escape this role she keeps getting trapped in! #as a Daughter! or a Love Interest! #and like a big part of that is actually kind of just Bad Writing lol but i will take what i want from this story lol #i am going through the scraps i am scavenging it for working parts i am creating meaning where the writers forgot to etc #anyway aaaaaaaaa

[raribella]

Love is Embarrassing | JJ Maybank

summary: although JJ had promised your brother he wouldn’t ever hurt you, you saw him kissing Kie while you were on a break.

pairing: JJ Maybank x Routledge!reader

genre: emotionally heavy anst, fluff in the end

contains: reader being a real bitch, mentions of Luke and parental abuse, inspired by some songs in the album “GUTS” by Olivia Rodrigo, kinda shitty ending but let me know.

word count: 2,7k

author’s note: alright I know I’ve been MIA and a bitch and I haven’t posted anything in months (worse if you see how much stuff is on my “upcoming works” section), but I’ve just had a lot of ideas, little time and little confidence to write. one of my best friends just showed me obx and I’m in love with this blonde and I got (I think) a spoiler about him and Kie and I just had to do something with my feelings.

This is a work of fiction. I do not own the characters of Outer Banks nor any characteristic of the show. I am writing this story solely for my own entertainment and the marvel or comfort of any readers.

“If I fuck up with her that might as well be the last thing I do in my life, John B! I mean it!”

the words that JJ heatedly uttered to your twin brother the day he found out about the two of you were repeating over and over in your head right now. You remembered it all too well; John B was seething, absolutely pissed, seeing red. You and JJ Maybank knew each other for as long as he and your brother were best friends, when you turned 14, he declared to all the Pogues that you were off limits, and about two months ago, you and JJ started seeing each other. One month into it and JB discovered you, which was easy considering JJ already spent most of his time with both of you at the Chateau. JJ promised his best friend that he wouldn’t fuck up with you because two things mattered the most for him in this life; their friendship, and yourself.

But as of lately, he was having some problems with Luke and he asked for some time “out” so he could figure his shit out without involving or hurting you and you disagreed but you’d do pretty much anything in this world for this man so you decided to say yes.

To his bullshit.

Bullshit, you figured out about half an hour ago, when you heard a confusing conversation between him and Kiara – the perfect one – and when you went outside to track the noise, you saw them kissing.

You were fifteen minutes late to leave for the weekly kegger and you forced yourself to lock yourself in the bathroom and call in sick – because that you were, and you wouldn’t handle being out partying and pretending like seeing the kooks, and seeing them two wouldn’t make you feel the same type of nausea at this moment.

Sarah was the third person to try and make you get out of the bathroom. The first being your brother and the second, Pope. Although you were thankful neither JJ nor Kie had tried to talk to you, when you heard your best friend’s voice, you were actually starting to feel sick, you were having a migraine from holding tears up, and you were sweating.

“Y/n, come on! You were so excited to come not even an hour ago, we’re already late and I don’t see why wouldn’t you want to come”

Your vision was blurry as you palmed the door and laid your forehead on it. Sarah realized that you really weren’t coming when she heard your voice crack.

“Sarah please, just, go on out without me this one time, I need not to be there right now and I also need to be alone please don’t ask me questions I can’t handle to answer you this moment I promise-“

As you rambled, she frowned from the other side of the door. Making sure to get everyone to leave for the Kegger, to try and remember asking you about this later on, and to reassure John B that you were actually okay.

You’ve been successfully avoiding JJ for about two weeks now. It started with enough discretion, allegedly going to the bathroom every time he entered a room, or offering everyone any snacks you would spend too much time preparing in the kitchen. For him, it started getting obvious when you looked the other way when he looked at you at the beach, or when you refused to surf and, as of recently, started slamming the doors on him. JJ was getting pissed at this rate. He started by simply frowning and brushing it off, but you couldn’t just keep slamming doors and not even looking at him, and if everyone else noticed, they just wouldn’t budge! The worst part is that he didn’t know what had happened nor if he could fix it. You understood him when he told you he needed time to figure out some stuff with Luke, but the truth was he was still very much freaked out about that. He still loved you, and he couldn’t afford to see you like this anymore, especially when such behavior was being directed at him. JJ missed you. Even if he couldn’t really figure his shit out, he missed you screaming at the top of your lungs as you entered the sea, he missed your smile, your laidback grin that he was the only receiver of, he missed your colorful bikinis, and how they embraced your features as you would jump onto every wooden swing near the shore, your curly hair flying everywhere filled with salt spray. He just missed you, the real you. And he had to talk to you to see if there was even a chance that he could get you back.

You, on the other hand, kept avoiding the questioning looks the pogues would send you every time you were harsh or avoidant at JJ, your brother even attempted to talk to you, silently, just with glances, and figure out if his best friend had hurt you. But even if he did, it only hurt because you loved him too much, and you decided it was best to protect him from John B’s wrath. You felt embarrassed whenever Kiara questioned you with her eyes as well; you felt embarrassed to be near her. You kept crucifying yourself and both her and JJ because of everything, often zoning out of the conversation and just bitterly reminiscing about the times you consoled your boyfriend as he cried late at night in your room, being gentle with his bruises. – thinking how could you be so stupid? giving up everything, betting on him against your brother’s better judgment. You kept paying attention to Kie and how, since that day, she looked like the sweetest thing of the Cut, the fucking hell-side of the island. Her perfume lingered in the air even at the beach and made you feel sick; you saw her everywhere now, even when you looked at him. You saw the scene of them kissing. Feeling every word she would utter toward you in conversation like bullets on your skin. As it was torture how she was the greatest thing to ever exist – how everyone loved her, how she was so much better than you; poisoning everything that you do and still being the sweetest friend, making you despise how rotten your mind was; how jealous your eyes were.

You were bottled up to the brim.

It started out simple enough. JJ had noticed everyone was doing their own thing at the Chateau; John B was absent for the time being, and you were alone on the couch, fidgeting, focused on whatever. It seemed like the perfect window to try and have an actual conversation about what’s been happening. He just didn’t expect it all to escalate so quickly. He didn’t expect you to have seen a part of his conversation with Kiara about his dad – but not everything, not the ending. – He hadn’t expected a conversation with you of all people to become a bomb with a short fuse that would explode into feelings tainted crimson. watching you bleed, making him bleed all over for you.

"Pogues don't mack on pogues, y/n! this shit freaked me out, your brother finding out freaked me out, yeah, even if he’s my best friend and I was afraid that-”

“Oh, so you go ‘round and fucking get with Kiara?! this is fucking bullshit, JJ! bullshit-

“Y/n, listen to me!”

You both were screaming, Kie’s eyes went wide as she tried calling your name as well but you had already started crying and couldn’t pay attention to anyone but him. At this point, as John B arrived at the Chateau and followed the noise, the people around you calming you down couldn’t be sure if they were afraid of his arrival or actually relieved. You kept interrupting each other. JJ pulled his hair and you pointed at yourself and to your side – as if Kiara was still there – strength marking red fingertips above your chest.

“‘Cause she’s not even a real pogue, right?! that’s why you got so confident about it, huh?”

it was almost as if the room went silent. Kiara decided to step outside to give you space; to take a moment to breathe in and take notice that you didn’t mean that. She was sure you didn’t. The rest of the group started to move aside as well although they could obviously still hear the commotion. Only you, John B, and JJ were in the living room. Your brother grabbed your shoulders from behind trying to ground you in any way he could, JJ growing nervous at the rate of the conversation and his friend’s presence.

You looked into his eyes and it was as if the blue in them was slowly fading, his eyebrows shot up and his mouth twisted in a clearly upset frown. As tears stained your cheeks, pride still overpowering your shame and feelings pent up, you started with more meaningless empty jabs, which, said angrily enough, would only make JJ bleed more as he fell silent himself.

“I really loved you, you know? You gotta laugh at the stupidity.. right? Come on you were going around doing that shit and I swear JJ I used to think was really smart… I was just a mesmerizing, paralyzing, fucked-up little thrill for you, tho… best friend’s little twin… ridiculous.”

At that, John B diverted his attention toward his friend with stern questioning eyes. JJ gulped.

��Look, man I just really need to talk to her and explain myself, ‘aight? I didn’t do what- Things are really not what they seem right now and I need her to-“

“Fuck, JJ, that’s bullshit! How can you not even flinch when you fucking lie like that! Things are just like what they seem you never even fucking loved me! You can’t love anyone, ‘cause that would mean you had a heart, right? But you’re a fucking Maybank! And I really tried to help you out all this time but now I know that I can’t!”

You were calming down, but exploded again, as the words left your mouth though, you started regretting them, the most deeply someone could ever regret anything maybe, worsening by the second as you saw the man you still loved muttering a small “no”, cracking at your words and shedding a tear. As Kiara heard what you said from the outside, she didn’t even think before bursting into the house again, turning every head in her direction.

“Y/n you’re spiraling and you’re saying things you’ll fucking regret! I kissed him, alright?! This is my fault. He stopped me, he loves you and he wouldn’t do that, okay?”

Though the words she was muttering were calming you down, she was calling you out, she was absolutely mad at what you said about JJ’s father because she had context and it was really fucked up. You felt small.

“Kiss?!” John B asked, his eyebrows shooting up. It wasn’t his intention to aggravate the situation but it was his little sister involved. JJ tried to start talking and explain the situation – which Kiara had left him to, but he could really only think about one thing.

“I- uh… did you mean it? What you said.”

JJ rarely expressed any sign of vulnerability, so as his voice broke, you felt like your heart did too, rushing to explain yourself now, and trying to get closer to him.

“I didn’t mean it, J, I really didn’t! God, I don’t even know how you can still even look at me right now I’m so sorry I was just so fucking broken at the idea of you che- of losing you, and I- I thought you had found someone else and I damn near started world war III right now and it’s just because I love you so much and I know you don’t deserve another fucked up demonstration of love, you deserve to feel so good, Jay, and I’m really sorry, I love you so so much, and I will understand if you never-“

You were interrupted by the shock of his own body against yours. The both of you were panting, crying, completely tired sighs leaving each mouth as if this was all going on for days and you were so hurt, yet needing each other so much. John B and Kiara were ‘okay’ enough with the newfound situation to leave you both to your own devices again, and you just clung to one another, sitting on the floor for what felt like hours until he decided to speak again.

“Y/n… I asked for us to take some time because it was becoming too real, y’know? What we felt for each other.. it was, touchable- it is. And when everyone else found out, and then John B… You know I don’t talk about this usually, not with anyone but you, but I didn’t want my dad to find out about us, to find out about you. I don’t want him knowing what you are for me I don’t want him knowing that laying a single finger on you can be worse than any punch he could throw my way. And I wanted to figure this out without you knowing about it because you’d say it’s fine, and I-“

As your mind processes his words, you start to think how in the world you got a man whose the first concern about a monster of a father would be you. How could you deserve it, especially after what you had insinuated about him. “It is! It’s fine, honey, we can-“

“No, y/n it’s not fine because I don’t ever want you to even worry your pretty little head about a situation like that, y’know? And It’s not fine because the pogues are my family and the love I feel for you, if anything would happen to you because of him I’ll be damned, damned, and in jail for murder, you can trust me I will.”

He closed his eyes, taking a deep breath. All you could do was keep the hold you had on each other, slightly caressing his head.

“Since I didn’t want you to know about it, I went to Kie, that night of the Kegger, and she tried to help me and she said she loved me and I did too but then she kissed me and I assume it’s what you saw but I did step back, I promise! I told her off… Y/n I told your brother that if I intentionally hurt you, if I fucked up with you like this then that might as well be the last thing I did in my life and I mean it. I love you so much, little Routledge, and I’m all in now. We can figure shit out as we go but as long as we have each other, okay?”

As JJ spoke, he held your hands, reassuring you at the end. Hours had passed ever since you started talking, so when the pogues felt everything was calmer they decided to go back in the house slowly – figure out how you were, what were the plans for the night.

“Do you really forgive me for what I said? I will understand, J, I’m so, so sorry, I love you so much” You touched your forehead with his, and JJ sighed, shaking his head slightly. “I love you. I love you, y/n… can’t be without you.”

And as you both kissed each other as if you were making up for ages lost, Sarah smiled at the corner of the room, John B interrupting the show. “Come on with the PDA, love birds… What are we doing tonight, then?” He half-heartedly scolded as you got up, hand glued to the blonde's. You let out a big sigh again, before brushing them off with an honest, but half-assed excuse, already making the way to your room.

“I mean, you could go to Heyward’s… I think we’ll just lie down a bit.. ‘twas kinda draining…” you saw a bunch of side smiles as the group left through the door, Sarah grinned, letting out a puff of air through her nose, and when Pope went to close the door, he screamed back in the direction of your room, “Don’t do anything I wouldn’t do!” which earned a scream back from an already lying down JJ, “might as well not do anything!” and for the first time in a while, you laughed, making your way to lie on top of him, his embrace being all you needed.

“You know… we could go out to surf tomorrow,” he offered, still missing the sight of a happy you, your bikini, and the ocean.

“First thing in the morning.” You answered.

#jj maybank imagines #jj maybank x oc #jj maybank #jj maybank x kook!reader #jj maybank x you #jj maybank x pogue!reader #jj maybank x kiara carrera #jj maybank x reader #jj maybank x y/n #jj mayback imagine #jj maybank x routledge!reader #jj mayback x reader #jj maybank x sister reader #jj maybank one shot #jj maybank fluff #jj maybank angst #jj maybank smut #outer banks #rafe cameron imagines #kiara carrera #john b routledge #pope heyward #sarah cameron #obx3 #obx fanfiction #obx x reader

[lovelyjj]

maybe a mix of “i’m just afraid” and “tell me the truth”? 🫶

avoidance

jj maybank x reader

wc: 1.4k

a/n: I lowkey hate this.

You and JJ were the best of friends. You did everything together. He was your person you told everything to. He was your partner in crime. There were no secrets between the two of you.

You and JJ were on the couch that was on John B’s porch, enjoying the rain. The rain was blanketing the outer banks in water, soaking the grass and trees.

“I love the rain,” you stated.

“Really why?” JJ asked.

“I don’t know it makes me feel less alone, like the sky is crying with me.”

“That’s a really good reason,” JJ replied.

“Thanks,” you smiled.

“You want to dance?” JJ asked with a goofy grin on his face.

“In the rain?” You questioned surprised.

“In the rain,” JJ confirmed.

“Ok.”

JJ got up and reached his hand out for you to take, which you gladly accepted. The two of you went out on the grass and JJ held onto one hand. Then he put one hand on your waist and you put the hand not holding his, on his shoulder.

You guys danced and he spun you around and you got soaking wet. You were having a lot of fun though. You were having a blast and so was JJ.

When you were finished JJ ushered you inside as you giggled.

You both changed into dry clothes and afterwards JJ had an idea.

“Let’s make some hot chocolate,” JJ announced.

“Yes please,” you answered.

JJ whipped up two mugs of cocoa and you both sipped yours quietly.

“Tastes good,” you whispered.

“Wanna watch a movie?” you asked JJ.

“Sure,” JJ replied.

You both settled into John B’s living room and put on spider-man. You ended up falling asleep on the pullout couch.

——————

A couple days later you were all going out on the boat. The day was bright and sunny perfect for going out on the water.

JJ was looking at you in your bikini top. He knew he shouldn’t be looking at his best friend like that but he couldn’t help it. You looked hot and JJ could hardly look away from your chest.

You were oblivious to JJ’s ogling. You were happy to be on the boat with your friends.

“I can’t believe the weather is so nice,” you spoke.

“Yeah it’s perfect,” Pope responded.

“I thought it would be windy out here on the water,” JJ said removing his attention from your breasts.

“Hope we can catch some fish,” John B announced.

“Should be able to,” JJ commented.

While the boys were fishing, you Kiara and Sarah were on your phones. You were looking through your photos and you noticed how many you had of you and JJ.

There was one of you two at the beach with the waves in the background and a pretty sunset.

“Can I post this J?” you asked.

“Let me see it.”

You handed your phone to JJ and he took it. He scanned the image and smiled a genuine smile.

“Yeah that’s a good one. Go ahead fire away.”

You gave him a smile and decided to post the picture.

After a while you got a few comments. One was from Sarah that said, “Goals.”

You ignored it because you didn’t want to draw attention to it. The last thing you needed was people assuming your in a relationship with JJ cause your not. Your just friends and that’s all you ever will be.

—————

You were spending more and more time with JJ. Sometimes with the other pogues and sometimes just the two of you.

You were starting to catch feelings for him. You didn’t know how or why but being around him brought out the best in you. You started to fall in love with your best friend. You were scared you’ve never felt this way before. And what if he doesn’t love you back.

You decided to go to Kiara and ask for her help. She was working at the wreck, so you made your way over there.

“Hey Kie, I need your help,” you hesitated.

“Yeah sure y/n whatever you need,” Kiara replied.

“Here let’s sit down,” Kiara said as she directed you to a small table by the window.

You sat across from her and she gave you a kind smile with kind eyes.

“What’s up,” Kiara started.

“Well um I’ve sorta had these feelings for a certain someone and I’m not sure what to do about it. I just know I don’t want to tell them,” you began.

“Why don’t you want to tell them,” Kiara asked.

“I’m just afraid,” you bit your lip.

“What do you have to be afraid of?”

“Well first of all he could not feel the same way. He could reject me. He could laugh in my face. The list goes on,” you threw your hands up in the air.

“JJ wouldn’t do that,” Kiara raised a brow.

“How do you know it’s JJ?” You asked.

“Oh come on, who else would it be.”

“You’ve got a point.” you laughed.

“Speak of the devil,” Kiara whispered as you turned to the sound of the door opening.

JJ sauntered in to the wreck, Pope, John B and Sarah following suit.

“The gangs all here,” Kiara exclaimed.

“I need to go,” you whispered to Kiara.

“What why?”

“I just need to, ok!”

You slipped out the back door leaving the rest of the crew utterly confused.

—————

You have been avoiding JJ. It’s not that you wanted to, you hated the distance between you and not seeing him but you didn’t know how to act around him anymore.

You were getting worried because you thought JJ was on to you. Now JJ was getting worried because he hasn’t seen you in a while. He figured that you were mad at him. He hated it.

When the pogues would hang out all together you would not be there. You would miss the activities they had planned.

It was getting harder and harder hiding your feelings from JJ. You would always blush or your heart would beat really fast. So your only option you decided was to stop hanging out with him.

JJ was confused because of your absence. He was going to get to the bottom of this. He was determined.

He assumed you would be at your house. So that’s where he showed up. He knocked on your door a few times and after a few minutes you came to the door. You were shocked to see JJ standing there.

You wanted to run back to your room and hide. You were embarrassed by your actions. Just all of a sudden ghosting him. He didn’t deserve that.

“Hey um so I miss you. A lot. And I think we need to talk,” JJ scratched the back of his neck.

“Sure.”

You stepped outside and closed the door behind you.

“I need to know why your avoiding me,” JJ insisted.

“I’m not avoiding you.”

“y/n.”

“Ok ok I’ve been avoiding you because I didn’t want to see you.” You nervously crossed your arms and looked down.

JJ wasn’t buying it. “No. Tell me the truth.”

As you looked into JJ’s pleading blue eyes you felt your stomach flip. You couldn’t lie to him even if you tried.

“Fine. You want the truth? The truth is I’m in love with you. And I don’t know how to act around you anymore. I assumed you didn’t feel the same way so to save myself the rejection, I avoided you.”

“You thought I wouldn’t feel the same way?” JJ questioned.

“I’ve been in love with you for years,” JJ confessed.

“Really?”

JJ nodded his head.

“I can’t believe you did all that.” JJ said surprised.

You took a step closer to JJ and he took your face in his hands.

“Come here,” JJ whined.

You didn’t need to be asked twice. You leaned in and JJ placed lips on yours. Instantly you felt electrifying sparks shoot trough you. Your stomach erupted with butterflies. The kiss was gentle and delicate. JJ was excited and you were giddy.

Your lips were crushing together and moving against each other. JJ was feeling warm all over. Your hands were resting on JJ’s shoulders. One of JJ’s hand rested on your jaw and one hand snaked lower to your butt squeezing lightly. This caused you to gasp, allowing JJ’s tongue to slide into your mouth.

After making out you pulled away breathless. You wore a big smile and JJ laughed.

“You have no idea how much I’ve missed you.” JJ broke the silence.

“I’ve missed you too,” you responded.

“Will you be mine?” JJ asked.

“Yes, I’ll be yours,” you exclaimed.

JJ picked you up and spun you around, your laughter mixing together to create a sense of harmony and happiness. Since you and JJ were best of friends your romantic relationship will only flourish because you loved each other wholeheartedly.

#jj maybank #jj maybank x reader #outer banks #obx #jj maybank imagine #jj maybank fanfiction #jj maybank fluff #jj maybank x female!reader #jj maybank x fem!reader #jj maybank x you #jj maybank x y/n #jj outer banks #jj obx #jj maybank outer banks #jj maybank one shot #jj x y/n #jj x you #jj x reader #outer banks fanfiction #jj obx imagine #outer banks x reader #obx imagine #outer banks fluff #outer banks imagine #jj maybank blurb #obx fanfic #jj maybank fic #obx fic #jj maybank x pogue!reader #jj maybank x reader blurb

[loveharlow]

SEVEN - 002

PAIRING ‧₊˚ JJ Maybank x Fem!Reader

SYNOPSIS‧₊˚[6.5k] based on 1x02.

WARNING(S)‧₊˚ swearing, mentions of parental neglect, mild violence, mentions of death/grief, disturbance of a graveyard (?)

NOW PLAYING‧₊˚

A/N‧₊˚ I've been wanting to do an OBX rewrite for a very long time so here it is, the first chapter from yours truly.

˗ˏˋ series masterlist ˎˊ˗

“DO YOU REALLY THINK BIG JOHN COULD STILL BE ALIVE?” Kiara’s slightly digitally distorted voice came from the other end of the line. Your phone was pressed between your ear and shoulder as you searched the hangers in your closet, bath towel wrapped snug around your frame and your hair thrown up into a bun, which was presenting more like a mess of damp strands.

“It doesn’t matter what we think, Kie,” You made clear, eyeing a cute shirt you thought you’d lost. “We should just be there for him.”

“Yeah… but what if we’re just feeding into a fantasy? Wouldn’t that make us bad friends if we weren’t honest with him?” You could hear her shuffling around on the other end of the phone as well, dresser drawers slamming occasionally. 

“Maybe you’re right.” You sighed, throwing your outfit onto your bed and heading back into the closet to find a bikini to wear underneath. Living in the Outer Banks meant you had a plethora to choose from. “But the way I see it? If it were my dad that went missing, I’d be looking for him too. I’d give anything to even have that small hope that my dad was still alive back, but I know he isn’t… so, I understand.”

“I didn’t think about it like that…” It was sad to hear her so conflicted, as if she’d said the wrong thing.

“Well, I wouldn’t expect you to. And I would never want you to be able to understand that feeling. I wouldn’t wish that on anyone.” You reassured, putting the girl on speaker to toss the phone on your bed and slipping the bikini you picked out onto your frame and tying the respective knots. “That’s why if John B thinks his dad is alive and wants to look for him? That’s what we’re gonna do. Because alive or not, John B is like a brother to me and leaving him to do this alone is what would make us bad friends.”

“I guess you’re right…are you still meeting up with the guys today?”

“Just J and John B for right now. Pope said he’d be around later after helping his pops.” You told her, slipping an oversized shirt over top of the bikini, eyeing your closet shelves for a pair of shorts.

“Alright, I might swing by if my parents aren’t up my ass about work.” She complained. “Talk to you later.”

“Later.” Was all you said before the end-call sound rang out in the expanse of your bedroom.

A swift series of knocks met your closed door from the other side, you shouted for them to come in, assuming it was either your mother or your dog Marley’s tail hitting the wood. The 2-year-old golden retriever had a knack for sitting outside your bedroom door on the rare occasion that it was closed and she wasn’t inside.

The knob twisted and in walked your mother, adorned in her signature navy blue pencil skirt and blazer, still a half hour to spare before she had to head off to her office for work. Rebecca Reyes was the Outer Banks’ most notable and renowned lawyer. Even when you still lived on The Cut all those months ago, she was still the island's number one defender. Moving to Figure Eight and getting rich, almost overnight, just gave her the resources she needed. You still questioned where all the money spawned from, chopping it down to your father’s life insurance coming through.

But the bank said that could take a while and you never assumed it was enough to buy a house on Figure Eight. But that’s adult stuff, you thought to yourself.

“You got home late yesterday,” She began bluntly, adjusting the diamond bracelet on her wrist. The smell of her expensive perfume already wafting into your space. “Where were you?”

“Just out with John B and the others.” You said with a shrug, walking out the closet with a pair of sneakers in your hands as you undid the tied laces.

She hummed, eyeing the space around you as if she’d never seen it before. “Did you hear about the boat they’re searching for? Scooter Grubbs’ boat?”

You side eyed her quickly, not quick enough for her to catch however. “Yeah, the whole island is losing their minds over it.”

“You and your friends haven’t come across anything, have you?”

“...I doubt we’d have any luck coming across a Grady-White, mom. Especially after the hurricane. That boat could be oceans away for all we know.”

“Right.” She agreed, but she seemed far away. Off. Why’d she care about Scooter Grubbs’ boat? “And what’s this I hear about some kid with a gun at The Point?” Your heart dropped. 

“A gun?” You acted semi-shocked. “I don’t know, I wasn’t there.”

“Hm.” She droned. “Well, if you find anything don’t hesitate to tell me. Or Shoupe, for that matter. He said two out of towners showed up for the boat search yesterday, looked sketchy. So, be careful.”

You hummed in agreement, watching as the woman strutted out of the room without even a small ‘goodbye’. 

You and your mother were nowhere near as close as you used to be. Your father’s passing caused a rift between the two of you that seemed irreparable. You just felt like she had become so cold and closed off, nothing like the woman who used to bake every weekend or plan family nights in the backyard. She was more secretive, dismissive. You couldn’t even remember what her smile looked like. She’d changed so much. She used to hate Sheriff Shoupe, said he was a dirty cop who worked under the rich snobs of Figure Eight. Now, it’s like they’re business partners of some sort and she is a rich snob on Figure Eight. 

She even changed her last name back after your father died and wouldn’t tell you why. That was what made you feel the most alone. Rebecca Carter was now Rebecca Reyes but you were still Y/N Carter and your father would always be Owen Carter. 

It was like she was trying to erase him and everything they’d built together.

You hated to admit that sometimes you wondered what your father would think of the woman she’s become. If she would be as unrecognizable to him as she is to you.

YOU SAT IN THE BACK OF THE VAN, legs bent as your journal rested atop your thighs while you scribbled down your thoughts and recent events — namely the events of yesterday. You had one earbud in, your playlist on shuffle as you half-listened into JJ and John B’s conversation that was happening in the front seat, the bumpy ride making your handwriting a bit chicken scratch-ish.

“I don’t understand why you don’t at least try with Kiara,” JJ started, his heavy boots kicked up on the dashboard. “She clearly likes you. She’s like ‘Oh, John B!’. She’s sketchy about you diving and then she kissed you, bro.” The blonde continued. 

“She kissed me on the cheek. It’s not like we were makin’ out.” John B denied, brushing off the girl’s clear affections.

“Low-hanging fruit, bro.” JJ cut him off, the statement making you cringe in silence as you continued to scribble. “I see it in your eyes. You’re like ‘I kind of like that’.” JJ said in a mockingly low and seductive voice. 

“Okay, you want to talk about me?”

“Yeah, bro, I wanna talk about you and your lack of game.”

“My lack- my lack of game? Okay, what game do you have, JJ? ‘Cause I haven’t seen any improvement in your case.” JJ’s head whipped between you and the boy in the driver’s seat within milliseconds before he was swatting John B’s arm.

“C’mon, dude...” He warned in a hushed tone. John B just chuckled.

“That’s what I thought.”

Moments of silence passed before their voices were heard again. “I gotta admit, your dad’s compass in Scooter’s boat? Freaky, man…” JJ claimed, twirling the newfound object between his fingers.

“That’s why we’re going to talk to Ms. Lana and figure this whole thing out. She’s his wife, she has to know something.” John B told him. 

“And what makes you think she would want to talk to us?” You added, spooking the blonde boy in the passenger seat. 

“How long have you been listen-”

“I’m always listening.” You spoke bluntly, a blank expression on your face as you averted your attention from your journal to him. “Anyway,” you dismissed. “A group of teenagers showing up to ask her about her dead husband, the boat that the whole island is looking for, and the compass we found inside of said dead husband’s lost boat? She’ll either think we’re criminals, FBI, or crazy.”

“Well, this is our first resort.” John B replied, eyes looking at you through the rearview. “We gotta try.”

“KNOW WHAT THIS HOUSE LOOKS LIKE?” JJ said, leading the group of us to the front yard of Lana Grubbs’ residence. “Whoever lives here smokes too much weed.” He observed the small, shack-like house — the walls were overgrown with weeds, the yard looked like it’d never been cut, the place was a mess from the outside.

The three of you stopped, more like flinched, in your tracks when you heard glass-shattering from the inside of the house followed by crash after crash. It sounded like the outside of a rage-room or a gun range. 

“Maybe we should come back…” JJ advised, taking small steps back. But John B persisted, even as the two of you stood back in fear.

“No, no, shut up, JJ.” John B reprimanded absentmindedly. 

“Tell me where it is or I’ll fuck you up!” A deep, brassy voice boomed from the inside. The voice so authoritative it made you shudder, but it didn’t worry you as when a woman’s scream followed. You could only assume it was Ms. Lana. “I’ll sink you in the fucking-” A crash, louder than the rest, cut off the sentence, almost covering the sound of Ms. Lana’s blood-curling screech.

“You’re hurting me!”

John B beckoned JJ and you on with his hands, urging the both of you to move forward. Reluctantly, and after a weary glance at one another, you and JJ followed the brunette boy who was edging closer and closer to the side of the house. 

“Where the fuck is it?!”

“I don’t know!”

The three of you quickly dashed and ducked beneath the window seal on the only open window when you heard something hit the wall from the inside. You had just parted your lips to say that, just maybe, this was a bad idea. A terrible one, even, before a phrase yelled by the angry man inside had you shutting up.

“The compass wasn’t in the boat! Where is it, Lana?!”

“I don’t know!”

Your heart dropped as things continued to get thrown and slammed inside the house and you prayed those ‘things’ didn’t happen to be Lana. The paint and wood started to physically chip and fall off the walls outside, landing on top of the three of you crouched against the side of the house, wood particles falling into your eyes.

“Let’s get the hell out of here, man…” Another male voice commanded, followed by two pairs of heavy footsteps against the wooden floors inside. The three of you peeked around the corner to watch the two men disappear from the grounds through the front door, stomping angrily towards their boat. 

The same boat that had been shooting at you only 24 hours prior. 

“Those were the guys that shot at us.” JJ whisper-yelled. 

“Go back.” John B commanded, pushing you all back behind the safety of the wall so they wouldn’t see you all. Once the boat sped off, the three of you slowly tip-toed your way into the house. The sound of Lana’s cries getting louder and more heartbreaking the more you entered the house, shoes crunching on wood and glass. Photo frames and dishes all broken into smaller fractions and littered on the floor, holes in the walls, kitchen cabinets hanging on by a single hinge.

“Ms. Lana?” You called out, voice laced with concern, eyeing the broken windows before they found Ms. Lana’s curled up figure on the bathroom floor right below the sink that was hanging on by a singular pipe. “Oh my God.” You gasped, kneeling right next to the woman and laying a hand on her shoulder that caused her to flinch and shrink in on herself. 

She had tears running from her red, swollen eyes, curled up like someone’s child.

“She is tweakin’.”

“Shut up, JJ.” You hissed, shooting a mean glare at the insensitive blonde before turning your attention back to the feeble woman. “Do you need a doctor? We can call a doctor for you.” You assured, examining the multiple cuts adorning the woman’s face and arms.

“We can call the sheriff’s department-” John B was on the verge of suggesting before Lana cut him off frantically.

“No cops, please!”

“Mm, that’s not good. Let’s bounce.” JJ urged, weary of the woman’s persistence to avoid law enforcement. 

“You shouldn’t be here...” Lana cried, her eyes focused on John B, speaking as her lip quivered and her voice shook. 

The brunette’s face twisted, kneeling next to me to level his gaze with Ms. Lana’s. “Do you know those guys?”

“They were… looking for something.” Her voice wavered. 

“...Does it have anything to do with this?” John B asked her, pulling the compass from the back pocket of his board shorts. You and JJ shared a glance, both knowing John B probably shouldn’t have shown it to her. “This was my father’s and Scooter had it. Do you know why?”

Why did John B think showing a woman his father’s compass and saying he copped it from her dead husband was a good idea? You had no clue. Interrogation tactic? Impulsiveness? Stupidity? Lana’s eyes were wide and teary, she looked like she was seeing ghosts.

“Scooter didn’t have it, okay? Don’t tell anyone that you have that. They can’t know that you have that!”

Your lips pulled themselves into a thin line and you were starting to feel less bad for Lana and more suspicious of the distressed woman. Maybe she wasn’t as innocent as she appeared. She didn’t seem to be a threat but she clearly knew things that she shouldn’t. You nudged JB’s arm, whispering in his direction even though the woman could most likely still hear you. “We should go…”

“You’ve gotta get out of here!” Lana cried, fearful gaze eyeing the compass in John’s grasp.

“What do you know about the compass?” John B raised his voice over her frantic one, still questioning Lana as JJ pulled him back and the three of you stood to leave.

“Go! Get out!” Was the last thing you heard as the hysteric woman yelled at your retreating figures.

“SO, YOU SAW THE GUYS THAT SHOT AT US, RIGHT?” Pope asked with his head in his hands, stressed after listening to JJ’s dramatic rendition of events. The three of you had returned to The Chateau and summoned Kiara and Pope not too long after, the events of today on the tip of your tongue. “Did you get a good description of them? Anything we can bring to a police report?”

You shook your head along with JJ and John B as Kiara and Pope sighed at you all's lack of response. There was nothing special about these guys. Sure, they seemed out of place but that’s because nobody on the island knew them. That was one perk about living in Kildare, everyone knows everyone. But these weren’t leather jacket, ski-mask wearing criminals. They didn’t stick out like sore thumbs.

“That’s not very helpful…” Kiara huffed.

“But, but,” JJ started again. “They were burly. Like the men I’d see at my dad’s garage. You guys know he made cargo hides for drug smugglers...” He reminded you all carelessly. “I can tell you with full confidence that these guys? They’re square groupers.”

“Like Narcos square groupers?” Pope questioned with little amusement, his face dropping as he watched JJ smoke against the brick wall. 

“Like, Pablo Escobar square grouper?” You added on, just as skeptical from your seat on the patio floor, legs stretched in front of you and crossed over one another while you leaned on your elbows for support. JJ just nodded, blowing out smoke. 

“You guys, not everything is a kingpin movie.” Kie reprimanded from her place next to Pope on the patio furniture.

“Okay,” Pope started. “What does a square grouper look like? Hm? Because clearly, you don’t know what you’re talking about-”

“Okay, you weren’t there! I wasn’t taking little mental polaroids the entire time, dude! I was under duress!” JJ whined to which you and John B rolled your eyes.

“Why would they want the compass?” Kiara probed, leaning forward in her seated position, resting her forearms on her thighs.

“That thing’s a piece of shit, you could pawn it off for five bucks if you wanted to… No offense, John B.” Pope claimed honestly, watching as John B flicked the object open and stared at it longingly, paying no mind to the boy’s insult.

“Well, clearly it’s worth something.” You popped in. “Considering these guys are willing to kill for it.”

“...The office.” You all turned to the scruffy brunette. A silent question on everyone’s face. “My dad’s office.” John B continued, shooting up and walking inside The Chateau as you all scurried to follow, shooting one another confused glances. “He always kept the office locked ‘cause he was worried about his competitors stealing his Royal Merchant research. Remember?” He directed at you and JJ, looking back but still walking forward. “We used to laugh at him like he was actually going to find it. But now that he’s…gone, I just left it as he kept it.” He said despondently.

“Yeah. For when he gets back.” Kie backed him up with a light-tipped smile. Keys jangled as John B unlocked the room you hadn’t seen in years. Not since before Big John went missing. Before all of this.

“I’ve slept over here like six-hundred times and I’ve never seen this door opened.” Pope said aloud, eyeing the office like a museum. 

This was like being hit by a tidal-wave for you. And you’re sure it was the same for John B. You can remember the countless nights you’d slept over before and after Big John went missing. Before he went missing and you, JB, and JJ would peek inside just to watch him just write and type like his life depended on it. It even brought back memories of when your dad would stay a while after dropping you off to spend the night just to share beers in the backyard with Big John. 

The nights after his disappearance weren’t as sweet though. Sleeping in a group hug around John B after his dad went missing. Then your friends all slept in a group hug around you after your dad went missing. Then they slept in another group hug around you when your dad’s body was found, washed up on the shore for the entire island to see. With the plethora of events, The Chateau became a haunted house in your mind.

“Look,” John B said, pulling you out of your stupor. He’d taken a bulletin board down off of the walls that was decorated with paper scraps and old pictures. His index finger pointed to the photo at the very top, a sepia-like tint to it. “This was the original owner of the compass.”

The paper pinned against the photo read ‘Robert Q. Routledge. 1880 - 1920’. 

“There’s the lucky compass right there.” Kiara showed you all, pointing to the object clutched in the old man’s hand in the picture. You wouldn’t exactly call the compass lucky, though. And if it was before, it surely isn’t now.

“Actually, um. He was shot after he bought it…” John B informed. “Then the compass was shipped back to Henry.” He continued guiding you all through the timeline, pointing to the next picture. “Henry was killed in a crop-dusting accident when he had the compass.” You happened to look up at the exact same time as Pope, the two of you locking eyes with visible worry. “After he died, the compass was given to Stephen. Stephen had it when he died in Vietnam.” The boy ranted. “After that, Stephen passed the compass down to my dad.” 

“This is painting a very bad picture, JB…” You warned, hand on the back of your neck as your face twisted.

“Yeah, he has a death compass.” Pope deadpanned.

“I do not.” John B denied, rolling his eyes and sitting down in the nearest chair with the compass still in hand. “My dad used to talk about this compartment here.” He explained, fiddling with the article between his fingers. “Soldiers used to hide secret notes.” He twisted the back of it off, revealing a word scratched into the top. He sat up with surprise as he spoke. “...This is my dad’s handwriting.” 

Pope scoffed. “How can you know that?”

“He’s right.” You assured the doubtful male absentmindedly, squinting your eyes and craning your neck down to see the word written into the metal. “Big John had horrific handwriting and his R’s always had a point to them. I always used to think they looked like big-headed baby chicks, in a way. That’s definitely his handwriting.”

“Weird observation…but she’s right.” John B backed you up, his eyes going back to the compass. “Redfield…” He muttered. “What’s Redfield? Is it a clue?”

“A clue? C’mon that’s-” Pope began until you shot him a nasty glare, silently telling him to be helpful and supportive or shut up. His eyes widened as he gulped. “If it is a clue, m-maybe it’s an anagram?”

“Yes!” John B jumped up from his seat, beckoning you all to back up some. “Anagram. Perfect. You need paper.” He directed at Pope, eyeing scanning the cluttered space. Handing the boy an old, crinkled sheet of notebook paper, Pope got to work with the help of JJ and Kiara as John B and you scoured the desks for anything else of use.

Your ears were quick to pick up on the sound of an engine over the chatter of the brainiac bunch behind you. Eyes perking up to see a black truck pulling onto the yard.”...Guys?” You spoke, but not loud enough. “Guys!” You shushed them, all eyes turning to you. “Somebody’s here.”

The five of you crowded around the window, peeking through the blinds and peering through the dusted glass. Two males got out of the car and you recognized them immediately. “Those are the guys from The Marsh and Lana’s house.”

John B was quick to turn towards JJ. “Where’s the gun?”

“I don’t know-”

“Now you don’t have the gun? The one time we need the gun?” Kiara panicked.

“It was in my backpack and then I-...it’s on the porch.” JJ quickly realized, sighing before biting his lip out of frustration.

“Go. Go get it.” John B urged quietly but you were quick to step up, tugging the short sleeve of JJ’s shirt before he could open the door.

“No, no, we are not sending JJ out there to be pummeled by square troopers, square groupers, whatever they are-”

“We need the gun-” The bandana-wearing boy hissed.

“I don’t care. We stay put. We stay together.” You insisted. But JJ gently swiped your hand down and backed out of your reach, one hand up in surrender. “What’re you doing-”

“It’ll be quick, I swear. I’m like a ninja-”

“JJ.” You said simply, disappointed as you curled your fist in annoyance.

“I’ll be on my Batman shit.” He whispered before leaving the room quietly with the door cracked behind him, allowing you all to see him leave.

“John Routledge!” A country man’s voice boomed, causing JJ to turn around and slide his way back into the room quietly before he’d even made it two steps outside of the office. “C’mon out now!” JJ closed and locked the door as you all heard the pairs of footsteps enter The Chateau. The men began smashing and throwing things around just as they did Ms. Lana’s house. Was this their MO or something?

‘Window’ Kie mouthed, pointing to the window that led straight into the yard, towards the chicken coop and the surf shack. JJ and Pope rushed over to it as John B held down the door, which was just him standing against it with his hands above his head. JJ and Pope tried to lift the frame but it wouldn’t budge. Your face twisted in confusion, walking over to where the two boys were struggling and attempting to pull up the window seal yourself with no better luck.

“It’s painted shut.” You couldn’t help but smack your teeth, cursing under your breath as your eyes quickly scanned the room for something sharp as you patted the back of your shorts, feeling an object in your pocket. Digging your hand in to reveal a pen, the one you’d been using to journal that morning. You whispered for the guys to move before ejecting the pen and sliding it quickly along the seal to break it as quickly as possible. 

Suddenly, one of the square groupers began kicking the door down, John B running across the room.

“Hurry!” Kiara whispered.

“I’m going as fast as I can!” You hissed. When the seal was completely broken, you wasted no time in opening the window, being the first to jump down into the backyard and making a b-line for the coop. The five of you piled inside one by one, the space surprisingly big enough for five fully grown teenagers as you crouched in tense silence. Just then, you heard a shot ring out from the inside of the house, assuming the man shot the door down.

Everyone could hear everyone breathing, shaky breaths all throughout the small enclosure. And the roosters. One rooster would not stop crowing. You were hoping, praying the damn thing would stop making noise. It wasn’t long before the guys were seen leaving the house, carrying at least two crates of books and research each.

“Pope, shut him up.” JJ demanded, referring to the rooster next to Pope that was making the most noise.

“What am I supposed to do?”

“Pet it or something, I don’t know.” Kie cried. Suddenly , JJ got up and grabbed the rooster by its neck, pressing it into the ground until its neck audibly snapped and its clucking ceased. You couldn’t help but cringe and look away, the sight somehow prompting you to gag. JJ’s eyes met yours as if he was making sure you were okay, you giving him a sickly nod in return. One that wasn’t as reassuring as you hoped. Kie was crying silently and you didn’t miss the way John B grabbed her hand in comfort. 

“WHAT BETTER PLACE TO HIDE A MESSAGE THAN A FAMILY HEIRLOOM?” John B tried to muse from the driver’s seat of The Twinkie.

“Maybe somewhere more easily accessible.” You said bluntly, laying back on the floor of the van, your foot on Pope and head in JJ’s lap, Kiara in the passenger seat. “Like a hidden jewelry box compartment or a locked drawer. Not inside of a death compass on a dead man’s sunken boat.”

John B simply ignored you. “He had to know it was gonna get back to me, right?” He spoke hopefully, referring to his father. 

“It’s possible.” Kie agreed from the passenger seat next to him, not wholeheartedly however. 

“It could also be possible that you’re concocting wild theories to help deal with your sad feels- Ow!” Pope was interrupted when you kicked his knee, shooting him a glance that said ‘what the hell'. 

“You know how I process my sad feels,” JJ started, your eyes drifting to him as your head craned slightly back from its place atop his thighs. “Dank nugs and the stickiest of ickies.”

“Preach.” You agreed, dapping up the blonde boy.

“Look, I’m not concocting, okay?” John B nearly shouted in frustration. “My dad’s trying to give me a message.” 

“...If it helps you believe, John B.” Kiara tried softly. 

“I don’t need a therapy session. I’m not trippin’ out.” He dismissed the four of you. “My dad is missing, okay? Missing. You guys don’t know what it’s like to have the person closest to you vanish and have no idea what happened.”

Suddenly, the two pairs of eyes in the back of the van turned to you. You couldn’t help but curl in on yourself slightly. “Stop it.” You demanded, averting your eyes to the window, watching the palm trees pass by. You hated when they acted like you had to be shielded from things because of what happened to your dad. 

“It’s been almost a year.” Kiara nudged JB, letting it go. “But fine. What do you think the message is?”

“Redfield.” The brunette reiterated hopefully. “Redfield Lighthouse. My dad’s favorite place.”

THE LIGHTHOUSE LOOKED A BIT DIFFERENT THAN YOU REMEMBERED. It looked older, more rickety. You could swear it was leaning now. The five of you stood staring up at it before John B turned around to face JJ.

“You’re gonna post up out here and look for bogey’s. Alright?”

“Wait, why me?” JJ asked pitifully.

“...JJ, there are independent variables and dependent variables. You’re an independent variable-” Pope tried to reason.

“Shut up.” The blonde-haired boy dismissed with a snarl.

“We don’t know what you’re gonna do!” 

“Just shut up!”

“Listen to me,” John B broke the boys up, pointing an assertive finger. “Pope, you stand lookout with JJ. Y/N, you make sure they don’t rip each other’s heads off. If we get split up, we meet back at JJ’s house.” You watched as Kiara and John B hopped over the fence and onto the lighthouse property. You slid your back against a nearby tree, one earbud placed in your ear as you drummed your fingers against your thigh, playing with blades of grass between your fingers.

“I’m gonna work on my merit scholarship essay. I’m trying to keep felonies to a minimum.”

“All right, would you just shut up already?” JJ sassed, you rolling your eyes and scoffing at them both. A few beats passed before JJ spoke again. “They’re probably boning in there right now.”

“Jesus, JJ…” You breathed out.

“What? You don’t honestly believe they don’t have a thing for each other, do you?” He defended.

“Maybe you’re just jealous.” Pope offered from his place in the grass.

“Jealous? Of what?”

“Because John B’s trying to move in on Kie and you have a thing for her.” 

“Listen, dude,” JJ started with his hands out in front of him. “Kie’s hot and all but she’s a kook. I don’t see her like that.”

“That’s what they all say.” You sang playfully, causing JJ to whip around to face you. 

“Oh, really? And what about little miss pretty & popular?”

You visibly cringed. “Ew, don’t ever refer to me like that again.”

“You’re telling me you aren’t crushin’ on someone? No rich, polo-wearing kid swept you off your feet during you and Kie’s kook year?” He egged on.

“Knock it off, JJ.” Pope defended when he saw how your face fell at the mention of it. You hated when they brought it up. Technically Kie’s kook year was longer than yours, considering you’d joined her kook friend group when you moved to Figure Eight. That was an era of your life you’d love nothing more than to forget.

“Fine, fine,” He backed off, his hands thrown up in mock surrender as he backed some steps away. Just then, the three of your heads whipped to the dirt road behind you at the sound of police sirens. You snatched the earbud out of your ear and pocketed it, standing up from your place against the tree. They were clearly headed for the lighthouse.

“What do we do? Do we wait?” Pope asked frantically.

“We can’t, man, c’mon.” JJ urged, sprinting towards the van with you and Pope following close behind. He jumped into the driver’s seat, pulling off before you and Pope had even closed the side door completely. You could only have faith that your other two friends made it out okay.

  

 “NEXT TIME YOU END UP AT THE SHERIFF’S OFFICE, YOU CALL ME FIRST. DO YOU UNDERSTAND, JOHN BOOKER?” Your mother reprimanded the poor boy, her heels clacking against the pavement outside of the department. You didn’t expect a call from John B after you all had run from the lighthouse, coming from the Kildare County Sheriff’s Station from John B saying he and Kiara had been “arrested”. 

“Yes, ma’am.” He affirmed. By the time you’d arrived at the station, Kiara had apparently already left with her dad who’d refused to bail John B out as well, leaving the boy with only one other option. The three of you stopped in front of your mother’s car as she now turned to face the two of you.

“Shoupe already has enough to deal with. The sheriff’s office doesn’t need a couple of rowdy teenagers on their radar. I don’t know what you kids were doing up at the lighthouse that led to this, but drop it. Do you understand?”

“Yes.” You both blurted out simultaneously, your mother having a newfound knack for intimidating people. She didn’t hesitate to jump in her car and start the engine, giving one last look as a goodbye.

YOU WERE AT THE DOCKS WAITING ON JOHN B, SITTING ON THE WOOD AND SWINGING YOUR FEET. You’d gone with him when he realized it was time for him to work, an employee saying Ward was looking for him as soon as the pair of you had arrived. He was up on The Druther’s, Ward’s boat, talking to the man himself. You couldn’t tell what the conversation was from your seat on the docks, so you waited. It was only minutes before the boy himself came stomping down the marina, prompting you to get up and dust yourself off.

“Is everything okay-”

“I just got fired.” He blurted, not even making eye contact with you and he brushed past you. You stuttered at his passive nature, scurrying to follow behind him.

“What do you mean you just got fired?”

“Ward found out about the gear.” He scoffed, and even with his back to you as he breezed through the working people to leave the dock, you could almost feel his frustration. “I can’t believe her.” He muttered.

“Who? Who are you talking about, John B?” You soon got your answer as Sarah Cameron walked by, you and the girl making brief eye contact with a mutual snarl on both of your lips before her attention turned to John B, who she somehow saw after you. 

“Hey, John B.” She greeted, her hands full of paper bags that were filled to the brim with groceries, a large, brimmed hat on the top of her head. You weren’t surprised when he continued walking as you followed without a word to the girl, but she persisted. “That’s it?” Sarah scoffed. “Not a ‘hey, how you doin’’? Not a ‘kiss my ass’?”

You didn’t expect John B to turn around and swiftly walk over to the girl, getting all in her face. With the noise of the busy marina in the back, their close conversation became hushed but it was still audible enough.

“Your secret’s safe with me? Really?” Your friend pressed the girl. “I just got fired because of you. And I know you can’t imagine that but some people need jobs, so they can eat.” Nothing shocked you more than when he smacked the bag of goods from her arms, leaving Sarah stunned as fruits rolled in front of her sandals. Her jaw slack and eyes wide.

“What the fuck?” She hollered.

“You are exactly who I thought you were, Sarah Cameron.” He reprimanded, turning and leaving behind a stunned kook girl. Although, you would’ve paid money to see that again, it was such an odd interaction.

You knew he worked on Ward’s boat so he was bound to come across her but you weren’t aware they really talked. If you didn’t know either of them, you’d assume they were a high school couple arguing out in public.

The brunette brushed past you once again, taking his time and seemingly building up the courage to break into a run.

“Wh- John B!” You called from your place in the parking lot. “John B, where are you going?!” But it was no use as he simply left you behind and continued sprinting away. You figured you’d just give him some space to himself.

YOU’D RECONNECTED WITH POPE AND JJ SOON AFTER BEING LEFT IN THE DUST BY JOHN B, meeting them on the docks in The Cut. The three of you had been there for some hours, you helping Pope fix a generator while JJ smoked unhelpfully to the side when John B pulled up in The Twinkie.

He honked, beckoning the three of you into the van with a finger and none of you questioned what was happening or where you were going as you hopped into the rickety vehicle. You were mildly pissed about being left at The Marina but you got in nonetheless.

THE SUN HAD SET AND YOU ALL STILL HADN’T ARRIVED YET. John B briefly explained the destination and plan but you half-listened. You’d been driving for a long time, picking up Kiara along the way, with no clue as to where the five of you were going.

“Do you mind if I sit this one out?” JJ asked tiredly. “It’s been a long, weird day…”

“Look, I know I was wrong about the lighthouse.” John B acknowledged. “And wrong about everything else. But I was right about one thing — my dad is trying to tell me something.”

Just then you pulled up to a graveyard, the five of you piling out of the van with a flashlight each in your hand. “This place is scary.” Kie voiced. “John B, what are we doing?”

“You know how you’re trying to remember a song but you can’t remember who sings it?” He started. “Redfield. This whole time, I thought it was a place.” He explained as you all followed him further into the mess of graves and tombstones. “But it’s not.” He held the lantern in his hand up once you all stopped in front of a tomb, one of the tallest ones in the yard, revealing “REDFIELD” engraved in the stone. “It’s a person. My great-great-grandmother, Olivia Redfield. That was her maiden name.” He spoke longingly, looking up at the stone letters. “Help me with the door. C’mon.”

Pope stepped forward as the remaining three of you flashed your lights in the pair’s direction as they attempted and failed to push the tomb door open. 

“Are you pushing?” Pope said to the brunette.

“Yes, I’m pushing.” John B strained out. Then JJ was jumping into help but even with his addition, the boys had no luck opening the door. They all jumped back when a snake hissed, peeking its head out from a crack in the stone structure.

“Woah! That’s a moccasin, alright” JJ started, jumping back almost cartoonistically. “Ye-old cottonmouth. Death in tall grass. Roof! Roof!” JJ started barking at the snake. Sometimes, you questioned his sanity.

“JJ! Shut up!” You warned the erratic blonde. 

“You’re gonna wake the dead.” Pope slapped him on the shoulder, grimacing.

“Dude, they’re afraid of dogs. Everybody knows that.” He breathed out, straightening himself back out.

“Look, John,” Pope sighed, turning his attention back to John B. “We’re not gonna get in there, it’s not budging. We should probably just go.”

You were examining the tomb carefully, flashlight trailing the structure up and down before you noticed something. “I think I can get through.”

“...What?” John B spoke.

“You think you’re gonna fit through that hole?” Pope asked, worried. 

“I’ll do it.” You reassured them, ignoring their concerns. “Just help me up.” They all shuffled to help you up — Kiara and John B holding the vines away and to the sides while JJ and Pope intertwined their hands for you to use as a human step-stool. 

“What am I looking for?” You inquired, eyes fleeting to John B.

“You’ll know when you see it.” Your hands slapped your thighs. Helpful, you thought, but you didn’t ask anymore questions. You put your flashlight in between your teeth, like a dog carrying a bone before laying a hand on each of the boys shoulders, you put your foot over their connected hands and boosted yourself up. 

It was a tight squeeze but you made your way through, landing on your feet and removing the flashlight from your teeth. It took your eyes a minute to adjust, staring at the walls of the spooky space.

“You alive in there?” JJ called.

“Alive and kickin’.” You called back, aiming the flashlight everywhere, scanning over everything. But the space was much bigger than you thought and your one flashlight didn’t seem to be enough. “I need more light, please.”

“Gotcha’.” John B said, pushing his arm holding the lantern through the crack of the wall, illuminating the space by tenfold. And that light was just what you needed. 

“Oh my God…” You breathed out. John B may not have led you all on a goose-chase after all.

feedback is appreciated! thanks for reading.

SVN Taglist; (let me know if you'd like to be added!) @esquivelbianca @fallingwallsh @calmoistorm

©loveharlow.

#Spotify #jj maybank x reader #jj maybank #jj mayback imagine #jj mayback x reader #obx jj #SVN #obx fanfiction #jj maybank x you #jj maybank fluff #obx jj x reader #jj maybank smut #jj maybank imagine #obx jj maybank #obx netflix #obx x reader

[vivwritesfics]

This'll Be The Day That I Die

Chapter Two - Kegger

JJ doesn't want her, not until somebody else wants her. That somebody else just so happens to be Rafe Cameron

JJ Maybank X Reader, Rafe Cameron X Reader

1.3K

Warnings: Mention of drugs

Chapter One

When she was a girl, she remembered the older kids in the Outer Banks throwing a kegger. She and John B. would watch from the Château as the older Pogues, Kooks and Tourons drank themselves silly in the boneyard.

One day that would be them, they both thought as they watched the party commence. But then she left to live with her mother.

When the Pogues later threw keggers, with John B. instigating the fun, he didn't think of his cousin. He didn't thinking about how this was something they were meant to do together.

But now that she was here, John B. suddenly remembered the conversations they would watch when they were ten.

Things had been different back then. They were both Pogues through and through. But now things were different. John B. was the biggest Pogue of them all. Living rogue, not caring about anything and anyone but him and his friends.

She was different. She wasn't a Pogue anymore. She was essentially a Touron now. Where she was once one of them, she wasn't anymore.

But she was back in The Cut now. In no time at all she'd be a Pogue once again. Just the same as them.

JJ and John B. carried the keg between them. They led the group on their way down to the boneyard, with Y/N bringing up the rear. Her hands were in the pockets of her shorts, kicking at the sand as she followed. A kegger was the last thing she'd wanted right now. As a kid she couldn't wait to join the keggers at the boneyard, but now she wanted nothing more than to go back to the chateau and go to sleep.

They set down the keg and John B. fixed her a drink. She smiled as she took it but the smile didn't reach her eyes. "Have a seat," said John B. "More people will turn up soon."

The rest of the Pogues got drinks and, just like John B. said, more people turned up. Pogues, Kooks and Tourons. John B. and JJ handed drinks to whoever approached them and Kie and Pope began mingling.

Sarah sat herself down beside Y/N. "Hey," she said, offering her a polite smile. "I'm Sarah."

They'd already been introduced somewhat awkwardly by John B. and she appreciated this. "Y/N," she said, smiling back. This one seemed more genuine. "So, when did you start hanging around with this eyes?" She asked, pointing a finger between her cousin and his friends.

Sarah shrugged her shoulders and sipped from her red solo cup. "Last summer," she answered. "We had a kinda crazy summer," she said with a laugh.

"With John B. that doesn't surprise me," she replied and finished her drink. "What's up with JJ? He hasn't said one thing to me since I came back."

"Oh you're gonna have to ask JJ about that. Were you guys close before you left?" Asked Sarah.

She nodded her head. "He was my best friend."

***

Rafe Cameron didn't normally crash the keggers the Pogues through at the boneyard. They were beneath him, childish in comparison to the kind of things he did.

But Topper was still obsessed with his sister, still in disbelief that a Pogue had stolen Sarah away from him. Any party they threw, Rafe found himself there, white powder dusting his nose as a way of coping.

He looked around the boneyard. There was nothing there to interest him. Kook girls were stuck up and boring, and Pogue girls were... don't get him started.

He walked to the keg for a drink. "Rafe."

"Pogue."

He snatched the red cup away from him and walked away. The music was meh and the constant chatter was annoying. This might have been one of Rafe's worst nightmares.

Rafe looked around for the familiar face of his sister. He didn't care about her, wasn't looking around to see if she was okay, just wanted to see if Topper was nearby, and if he was ready to leave.

The first thing he saw was the back of Sarah's head. It was undeniably her though. Looked around her, looked for any sign of Topper. But he was nowhere to be seen. Topper wouldn't dare leave without him, Rafe knew that.

Suddenly, he wasn't looking at Sarah. No, he was looking at the girl sat beside Sarah, the one looking past her, staring right at him. They locked eyes for just a moment, but that was enough for Rafe.

He watched as she said something to Sarah, stood and stretched her arms up. She walked past her, wordlessly walked around JJ and Pope, heading to the water.

Rafe stood, not caring much when he knocked over his drink. He brushed the powder from his nose, shoved his hands into his pockets, and headed towards the water. He didn't make a noise, his steps obviously silent in the sand. As he walked, he watched her toe off her shoes, pull off her socks and step into the water.

"You're seriously friends with the Pogues?"

She turned quickly to look at him. "Am I friends with them? I... I honestly don't know," she said. The waves her gentle against her ankles.

"You're new here, aren't you?" Rafe asked. She was gorgeous, he realised as she looked at him. "I'm Rafe."

"Sarah's brother, right?"

Rafe's face fell. "You've heard of me."

But her smile was still kind as she looked at him. "Pope mentioned you, but not much more than that. I'm Y/N," she said, holding her hand towards him.

The way she was looking at him, she had no idea who he was. She had no idea the things he had done. If she did, she wouldn't have been looking at him with such kind eyes. She would have been running for the hills if she knew who he was.

But Rafe took her hand and shook it. "If you're looking for something fun to do, you should ditch the Pogues and come hang with me," he said.

"You got a phone number or something?" She asked, still holding her hand out towards him.

Rafe fished his phone from his pocket. He hesitated before putting it into her hands. Rafe Cameron didn't get anxious; he couldn't explain what he was feeling when she held his phone above the water. He resisted keeping his hands under it, ready to catch it.

"There," she said, handing it back to him. "Now we can hang out."

From the keg, John B. Routledge put two fingers in his mouth and whistled. "Y/N!" He called. When she looked towards him, he beckoned her over.

"I better head back," she said, pointing her thumbs towards her cousin. "It was really nice to meet you, though."

"You too," Rafe said. He watched as she grabbed her shoes and socks, and headed back over to the Pogues. Who on earth was she?"

Y/N headed back to the Pogues. She turned just once to look at Rafe as he still stood by the water. He too was watching her go, and she couldn't stop from smiling at him.

Maybe it would be nice to hang out with somebody else, she thought as she walked over to them. Besides, the one person she had been looking forward to seeing didn't want anything to do with her. He could barely look at her.

She had no idea what she was getting herself into.

Permanent Taglist: @urfavnoirette

Series Taglist: @aragingbisexual21 @f-i-z-z-ypops

#jj maybank #jj maybank imagine #jj maybank x reader #jj maybank fluff #jj maybank smut #jj maybank x reader smut #jj maybank x you #rafe cameron #rafe cameron imagine #rafe cameron x reader #rafe cameron fluff #rafe cameron smut #rafe cameron x reader smut #rafe cameron x you #obx #obx imagine #obx x reader #obx fluff #obx x you #outer banks #outer banks imagine #outer banks x reader #outer banks x you #outer banks fluff

[behidethetrees]

YOU COULD BE MY BABY, LET ME MAKE YOU MY LADY.

IN WHICH…Rafe Cameron cant get enough of you.

Pairing: Rafe Cameron x Fem! Pogue!Reader

Contents: NON CANON!Rafe, Reader fixes cars, Kinda mean and flirty!Rafe, Your main friends are the pogues, This is set in the 2000s!

A/N!!: This is a prequel to this fic per @sublimepenguinpeach-blog request! Rafe is sooo boyfriend i need him idc. Enjoy!

Prequel Part 1

MARCH 2006. 

You were 16 years old when you met 17-year-old Rafe Cameron. You knew Rafe because Everyone on the island knows the Kook prince. Little did you know Rafe knew you too, Kinda. He heard rumors about a new girl moving to the outer banks, But when he found out you were a Pogue he quickly became uninterested.  At first, he thought you were Trash, You felt the same about him. You had heard so many stories about him from JJ and John B that you just believed he was as stuck up and entitled as they made him seem. 

One day at work you went outside to greet your 11 AM client when you realized It was Rafe Cameron. He stood In front of his black Truck, arms crossed and annoyed when he noticed you. Something about you just captivated Rafe's attention. Your face was angel-like with Soft features and big curious eyes that stared right back at Rafe's threatening ones. 

As you fixed His engine you never saw him carefully watching your hands or occasionally glance at your determined eyes, That was his favorite thing about you. Rafe didn't speak to you in the hour he was in your presence, He was afraid if he did, He wouldn't stop. Your voice was so sweet that Rafe knew he would get addicted to it sooner or later. 

You and the pogues attended midsummer and Rafe hated that he couldn't stop looking at you, From afar Your white flowy dress and your flower crown that he was sure Sarah made for you since yours matched hers. Rafe just couldn't help but ask about you. 

“Yo Top who's that chick next to Sarah? Never seen her.” Rafe lied while staring dead at you, Not bothering to move when you noticed. 

“Y/N Y/L/N I think.” Topper glances at Rafe's blank face, picking up on why he was asking.

“ Dude are you trying to bag that? She’s a Pogue, And out of your league.” Topper jokes while hitting Rafe's shoulder, Rafe took a quick look at Topper. 

“She's pretty hot for a pogue.” Rafe took a swig of his drink. 

“Good luck man, Heard she's hard to get.” Topper warns Him. Rafe only rolls his eyes. What Rafe didn't know was that you were talking about him too. 

“Oh my god he is staring at you, Ew!” JJ says as the rest of the group tries to hide their looks at Rafe and laughter.

“Think he likes you?” Kie suggests, You fake gag. 

“That's gross you would even say that.” You hit her on the arm, “I'm gonna go over here, you guys coming?” Your friends follow you to a different area that was out of Rafe's sight, Rafe was disappointed but he knew you two were bound to see each other again. 

And he was right, You two did see each other again. Only at another party one of your mutual friends was throwing. You were left alone on the couch When the only person you knew left to talk to some guy, You saw a blonde-headed boy with a white button-up sitting next to you, You didn't need to look twice to know it was rafe, You rolled your eyes. 

“Damn I just got here princess what's with the attitude?”  Rafe asks amused, Your “I hate you’ attitude didn't work on Rafe, If anything, It made him want you more. 

“Nothing.” You take a slip of your cup, He stares at your facial expression, Noticing your nose scrunching up in disgust as you drink out your cup.

“Can I get you another drink? I'm about to go get myself one.” Rafe offered, You were a bit confused as to why he was even talking to you but you accepted. When Rafe got back he handed you your drink and sat back down next to you. You never expected by the end of the night You would be lying next to a sleeping Rafe. He claimed he was “so drunk” he couldn't go home. 

His shirtless body in the pale moonlight and his messy Long hair in his face made your insides all mushy and your cheeks heat up. Were you feeling a certain way for Rafe Cameron? 

Rafe's unpredictability is what drew you to him, he was hard to read, intimidating, You liked that.

For the next months, you began to see Rafe more often. He knew how to crack you open and reveal everything he wanted to know about you, Within the second week of seeing Rafe he already knew your address and would sneak into the window of your small home at night where no one would catch him. You two didn’t just do malicious things together, Sometimes you two would stare at the stars on the beach and talk about what you two wanted in the future.

One day Rafe surprised you with a gold necklace, ‘R’ shaped, You had a feeling you knew why Rafe was giving this to you but couldn’t help but want to ask, But before you could speak, Rafe beat you to it. 

“ I know you're confused so I want to tell you that I love you Y/N and I want to be yours, as well as I want you to be mine.” He bluntly stated, wasting no time telling you how he feels. 

“You're the only person in the world I dont hate, You're the only person that knows me inside and out and I dont want that to change.” Rafe leg bounces up with anxiety, Waiting for you to respond. 

“Rafe…I love you too.” Rafe eyes visibly widened and he started to slightly smile. 

“But I dont want to be a secret, You’re gonna have to tell people you’re dating a pogue and I know you dont like that.” You looked at him, His jaw unclenched and his face softened.

“I will do whatever you want me to do Y/N, I'm not ashamed of you.” Rafe looked at you, searching for agreement in your eyes, “I dont care what people will say about us. I have loved you for so long nobody could change how I feel about you.” He wasnt lying. Rafe never let anyone dictate how he felt about things, He certainly wouldn't let someone try to tell him he shouldn't love you.  

“Yeah?” You smile at Rafe, He smiles back. 

“Yeah. Now let's put this necklace on and go out to eat Baby.” Rafe Smirks at you as he walked behind you to put on your necklace. You had mixed emotions. You loved Rafe and you were Glad you two finally made it official but you couldn't help the anxiety that pooled in your stomach.

As soon as you got the courage to tell the pogues, The very judgemental pogues, They were shocked to say the least. 

“Rafe Cameron?” “What the fuck?” “Definitely did not expect that one.” Spilled out of their mouths, You started to regret saying anything. But you couldn't keep a secret from the pogues. 

“Guys please listen, I know you guys dont like him and that's okay but you’re are my best friends and I want you to be happy for me, Even if it's fake I want you to respect me and Rafe.” The pogues all look at each other conflicted. 

 On one hand, in their eyes, Rafe was a rich cocky asshole that always excluded the pogues from events just because he could, But on the other hand, You talked about Rafe like he was the sun. You smiled like you would never stop and talked about how good he was to you. The pogues did notice Rafe hadn't bothered them in a while and has been okay when them showing up to his parties, He even congratulated John B and Sarah when they started dating which caught everyone off guard, They started to think that maybe Rafe was changing and you were the reason.

“Does He treat you right?” JJ asks. Out of all the pogues, JJ was the most protective of you. He cared about you like you were his family, You were the little sister he always wanted and he would never let anyone hurt you, especially a man. JJ and Rafe never liked each other but If he made you happy, JJ would be willing to tolerate him, Same as for Rafe. 

“Yes I promise JJ, He respects me, You dont need to worry about that.” You clarified. You knew JJ had a tenacity to interrogate every guy you talked to. JJ thought he knew everything there was to Know about Rafe Cameron, But now he wasnt so sure. 

“Y/N this is insane, But we love you and want you to be happy.” John B steps into the conversation. They all agreed. You smiled at them and jumped to hug the pogues, ‘Thank you thank you!’s Fell out of your mouth as you bounced up and down. 

“I'm serious though, If he ever does anything you let us know and we’ll deal with him.” JJ put his hand on your shoulder carefully not to touch your new glitter tattoo (That you and Rafe both secretly matched). He stared at you, expression serious and stern, You could only hug him. 

“You know he really does love you.” You heard Sarahs voice whisper in your ear. you turn to see her smiling at you, You just knew from then on , everything was okay.

A/N!: hiii sorry this took sooo long to post ive been getting writers block but im back now, Thanks for reading!

Requests

Taglist: @nowitsmissing

#rafe cameron #rafe cameron x reader #drew starkey #drew starkey x reader #outer banks #rafe cameron imagine #rafe cameron fanfiction #rafe cameron fluff #rafe cameron smut #rafe cameron x you #obx imagine #rafe obx #obx 3 #obx x reader

[mayfieldss]

Isn't that what friends are for? - JJ Maybank

Pairing; JJ Maybank x female!kook!reader

Warnings; Language, family reunion gone bad, generic rude comments made by family members, friends to lovers.

Summary; You take JJ as your date to your sister's wedding, and not everything goes to plan.

You got the invitation two weeks before the wedding itself. Baby pink cardstock, cursive gold letters, and printed flowers announcing the date, time, and venue of your older sister's wedding. It was late notice, and you hadn't known she was even engaged, yet here you were, staring down at the mail in your hand, too late to RSVP to the special event.

Your sister was five years older than you, with a superiority complex beyond saving, and was the kook princess of the outer banks long before Sarah Cameron came along. She moved to the mainland not two years earlier, and you were left alone with your parents and their expanse of money to do as you wished. You weren't surprised to hear about the wedding this late, you were something of a mess to your family, kook gone bad, hanging out in the cut and wasting your days on fishing and beer. Your parents were out of town, and you'd thought nothing of it until this, but now you knew where they were. They were on the mainland, helping out your sibling with their stacks of cash and credit cards.

It's stupid, but anger consumes you, and even though you'd never cared for weddings, it hurt to think they didn't care to tell you, nor invite you until the last minute. It was a pity invite, and you knew that much was true. So somehow you take the invite across town, to the chateau where you know your friends will be. John B, Kie, Sarah, Pope, and JJ are all there on the porch when you arrive, just as expected.

"Look at this shit." You raise the invite high in the air, before flinging the flat card like a frisbee over to John B, who catches it with expert skill.

"A wedding invite? Your sister's getting married?" He's squinting at the words, Sarah, who sits in his lap, doing the same. She's the first to take the invite from John B's hands, fingers scanning over the details of the card.

"Wow, you got this pretty late, don't you think?" She's seen the date, clearly, and looks up with raised brows.

"Yeah, they did that on purpose, they don't want me to go, I know it." folding your arms over your chest you move to sit next to Pope, who pats you on the shoulder in such an awkward way that you have to smile just a little.

"Give me a look" JJ has made his way to John B and Sarah, and he snatches the card from their hands, scanning the words fast. "I hate cursive man; I can't read this shit."

He chucks it in Kie's general direction, the thing falling at her feet before she picks it up. "The wedding's in two weeks? Shit Y/N, you think you're gonna go?"

You shrug, leaning back into the broken-down couch on which you sit. "They don't want me to."

"That's all the more reason why you should." JJ circles the porch before coming up beside you, sitting on the arm of the couch and staring you down with an affectionate, yet mischievous gaze. "You allowed a plus one?"

His question takes you off guard, and you nod waiting for one of your other friends to interject—they don't.

"Great," JJ claps his hands together, "I'll go with you, cause a little bit of chaos, and make this shit fun." He's grinning ear to ear, and you know it's a bad idea. Going by yourself in the first place will cause enough trouble with your sister, considering she's disgusted by your choice of lifestyle and friends, and you're still not sure why she bothered to invite you at all, but bringing one of those companions she hates so much will make things ten times worse. Maybe that's part of the appeal, however, because in the next instant, you're saying yes, and you feel a whole lot better once you do.

"We're going to a wedding ladies and gentlemen!" JJ announces to your small group of friends. He stands taking your hands in his own and pulling you from your seat. "We're gonna have a fantastic fucking time."

-

You don't know why you let JJ talk you into going. He was a charming boy with a big smile that was hard to resist, and a tendency to steal things that didn't belong to him—your heart included. So, though you don't quite understand how you ended up on a ferry to the mainland with JJ Maybank by your side, you weren't surprised.

"I seriously can't believe they didn't tell you." JJ is leaning over the railing of the big boat, looking out at the water as he speaks. His brow is furrowed in deep concentration, something that is always very concerning.

"I can." You step up beside him resting your arms on the railing. "They won't expect me to be there." You turn your gaze to the blonde boy and find his eyes on you already. He smiles, lighting up the evening air.

"Well, you know how I love to make an entrance." He winks and at that moment JJ is almost irresistible "And besides," He continues, "they might be happy to see you."

"Maybe." You look him over in the evening light, the sun beams shining against his hair like a halo. "Thanks for coming with me."

JJ's smile widens as you say it, and he drapes an arm over your shoulder, pulling you into his side. His hug is tight and comforting, and he's so warm despite only being in his old grey tee and cargo shorts. "No problem princess, no Pogue goes into battle alone."

You laugh at that, and you swear you can hear JJ's breath catch, if only for a second. He doesn't seem to acknowledge it, however, so neither do you, leaning into his side just a little more.

The mainland is way busier than Kildare, and even though you've been there many times before, the differences to your natural Outer Banks habitat always seem to surprise you. You can't get away with as much in Charleston as you can in the figure eight, let alone the cut.

"D'you got the invite?" JJ asks, hand on your shoulder as you walk down the street. You got off the ferry an hour ago and, as of right now, are scanning the street signs for directions to the venue. The wedding is tomorrow, but you insisted on mapping out your route, so you knew where you were headed when the time came. You pull the envelope from your pocket and hand JJ the invite as your eyes drift from place to place.

"Look, Y/N let's just ask someone for directions tomorrow, or better yet, GPS." His hand gives your shoulder a gentle squeeze and you turn to face him, finally giving in.

"Okay, but I swear to god JJ if we miss this wedding—"

JJ's laugh cuts you off and he removes his hand from you "Am I mistaken or were you not the one complaining about this little trip ten minutes ago?"

At that, you slap him on the shoulder, moving forward toward the nearest fast-food shop you can see. "I need to make an appearance so I can see their faces, Jay. I need to see my sister's utter disgust."

JJ jogs up beside you just as you enter the closest store, picking up a menu as he passes the counter. "What's your sister's name anyway? Gotta make a good impression."

"The devil incarnate." You turn to face him just to see the smile on his face as you say it, and it's there and wide as it ever could be.

"You really hate her, don't you?" JJ says, eyes moving to scan the special deals on the wall of the restaurant. You follow his lead, reading over the prices with minimum focus.

"I don't hate her, she's my sister, I just dislike her views on—almost everything."

"Including Pouges?" JJ presses, eyes flitting to your figure.

"Including Pouges." You confirm, JJ running a hand through his hair as he watches you, thinking a thousand things about your being.

"I bet she hates that you're one of us, huh?"

To that you look at him, the smallest of smirks falling to your face at the sight of the tired, blue-eyed boy. "I was always a Pogue JJ, they just didn't want to admit it. Now they have to."

-

The next day, you're exhausted, waking up in a cheap hotel, its walls covered in bubbly, chipping, white paint. JJ is in the other bed across the room, passed out with his cheek squished up against the hard hotel pillows. He's in his clothes from yesterday, though at some point during the night, he discarded his t-shirt in favour of the cold night air on his skin.

"JJ, wake up." You watch JJ's still body unresponsive to your words, and when you say them again louder, with little to no reaction from the boy, you almost think he could have died in his sleep.

"JJ, get up, holy shit you sleep like a log." You're out of bed now and standing over JJ with your hands on his shoulders. Your skin touching his own is enough to set alight something in JJ, waking him without you needing to give him a single shake.

"Good morning to you too." He grumbles, hand moving over the top of yours. "What's the time?" His voice comes out a tired slur as he moves into a sitting position begrudgingly.

"We have an hour, Jay, we slept in."

To that JJ groans even louder, throwing his legs over the side of the bed, ready to stand. Once he does so you rush over to your bag, grab your things, and move into the bathroom. JJ gets dressed by his bed, pulling on his white button-up and trying his best to smooth out the wrinkles with his hands. He can't lie that he does in fact want to make a good impression, on you if not your family. He doesn't need to impress you, you're already one of his best friends, but for some reason, he felt the strong urge to try and do so. When you come out of the bathroom JJ realizes why. It all seems to click in his head, the reason why he was trying too hard to remove the creases from the fabric of his pants and straighten the collar of his shirt. It all made sense when he saw you. You're in a sundress, cute and simple, but JJ finds his mouth agape at the sight and he thinks perhaps you in a sundress may be his kryptonite.

"Well don't you look handsome," The sound of your voice as you approach sends shockwaves down JJ's spine and he knows then that maybe he wants a little more of you than what he's got.

"Oh, this old thing?" JJ pulls at the fabric of his shirt, a wide grin forming on his lips as he tries to mask the beating of his heart. "This's just a little something I threw on." He's making eye contact, even though it's hard not to look at everything else.

"You look fucking great." He takes your hand in his own, thumb running over the back of it, feeling your skin against his. You smile, and with pride, JJ watches as your face flushes.

"We better get a move on Jay," You clear your throat and JJ smiles a little wider, taking in you and the sundress again. "We can get breakfast on the way and brush our teeth in the car." You're still talking as you move toward the door, and JJ squeezes your hand which is still tightly wrapped in his own.

"Are we just gonna leave our bags here?" JJ gestures toward the pile of both his and your things, and you shake your head, moving back over to your bags and letting go of JJ's hand. You grab your things, waiting for JJ to follow suit, before you leave the hotel room, checking out with JJ close behind.

-

The wedding is packed when you get there and you highly doubt your sister or her husband to be, have this many friends. You think it's safe to bet that your sibling has never spoken to half of these people in her life. Walking in with JJ, however, is a relief. It's a weight off your shoulders to have someone you trust by your side when running into the line of family fire, even if he does just head straight for the drinks and appetizers being served.

"So, when do you think we'll start to be heckled and chased out of here with pitchforks?" JJ's mouth is stuffed with some kind of cracker, his voice muffled.

"Hopefully never, JJ."

You take one of the appetizers for yourself before JJ can swallow them all, ushering the boy over to a seat to watch the ceremony. It's long, drawn out, and rather boring, but there are a few old people shedding tears and wiping them away with fancy monogrammed handkerchiefs, clearly enjoying the show more than you ever could. JJ's knee bobs up and down beside yours, the boy never able to sit still, and you loop your arm through his as you sit and watch your sister wed a man you've never met.

"God, how can she walk in those shoes?" Your voice comes as a whisper next to JJ's ear, and your close proximity makes him shiver.

"I dunno, but I reckon you could do it better." JJ's eyes follow your sister as she walks arm in arm with her new husband, his brows furrowed and you laugh, the sound masked by clapping and cheers of the other guests.

"Do what better Jay? Walk in those shoes? Not a chance." You're looking over your shoulder now as you wait for your sister's figure to disperse and JJ steals what might be seen as a longing glance your way.

"You can do fucking anything, baby." His own words startle him, but you more so, your head snapping his way with wide but mischievous eyes.

"Baby?" You question the nickname, trying to hide a smile.

JJ clears his throat, shifting in his seat before standing with the rest of the guests, offering you a hand just for show. "What'd you mean?"

"You just called me baby." You say it again, staring him down, and this time you let your smile show. It's embarrassing for JJ only because he really did enjoy not only saying the word but using it to refer to you. It made him feel warm and secure in the fact he had you with him, but now he was damn worried you hated him for it. Your smile says otherwise.

"Maybe I did, maybe I didn't. We'll never know."

You laugh, looping your arm through his again. "Oh, I think we already know."

JJ doesn't say anything to that, instead opting to nudge his elbow into your side, a nervous smile plaguing his features. He's leading you away from the seats and you know he's heading back to the appetizers table when you're stopped by two people. They step in front of you and JJ, blocking your path, and when you lock eyes with them your heart sinks. It's your parents, with rather stern looks on their faces.

"Y/N, you came." It's a long, drawn-out sentence provided by your mother, your father placing a hand on her shoulder—a silent conversation between them. JJ can feel you tense beside him, a figure he can hardly recognize, and though he knows it's not the best idea, he unhooks his arm from yours and trails it around your waist, watching your parents' eyes as he does so. He wants to make a point that you have someone here to protect you, to defend you from whatever nonsense they decide to spout about your being.

"JJ Maybank," JJ extends a hand toward your father and mother. "I don't think we've met." He smiles wide, inviting conversation if they dare to start one, but JJ's last name alone seems to scare them off, and for once JJ is happy for his father’s bad reputation. They choose to ignore him, turning to you with a newfound attitude.

"We'll see you at the reception." Your mothers voice sounds calm enough, but you know she's calculating ways to prevent you from attending as she leaves, your father in tow.

When they're finally out of sight, your shoulders drop from their unusually high place, and you turn to JJ with eyes closed in frustration. "I fucking froze, they just appeared, and I froze." Placing your hands over eyes you let out a quiet groan, irritation consuming you, running across you skin like a flame.

"It wasn't all bad." JJ doesn't know what to do, so he stands there awkwardly, wanting nothing more but to touch you, though he doesn't think he has the right to do so. "Their faces were priceless."

You chuckle, hands falling down by your sides as the other guests begin to mill out the gate, ready for the reception. "We should get going if we've gotta walk to the next hellscape."

JJ takes your hand, his other pointing out the gate as you turn. "I don't think we have to walk, man. They have shuttles."

He's right, and when you follow his gaze, there are four white shuttles filling with people ready to be escorted to the next venue. Others get into their fancy cars, white and black, sleek-looking things, before driving off. You and JJ, however, opt to take the free and less fancy route, and you jump into the first free shuttle that you see. It takes mere minutes to get to the place, and you hadn't realized just how close the locations were to each other until you'd travelled between them, but now JJ offers you a hand as you step out of the shuttle, and you walk with him to the wide open double doors of an ornate hall.

"This shit is crazy man." JJ is staring at the ceiling, which is decorated with huge, hanging soft blue and white lights, leaving you to guide him through the crowds of people.

"Can you please watch where you're going?" You mutter when JJ almost bumps into his fourth person within three minutes. He nods, still looking around, before shaking himself out of his trace.

"Oh, to be a Charleston Kook." JJ swings his arm over your shoulder, words spoken not so quietly into the air surrounding you. A few heads turn, but JJ ignores them, a smile on his lips. "At least we look fucking good right?" He's turned his head to face you, and his close proximity is enough to make even the stablest woman faint.

"Yeah, at least we look good." You send him a smile, though with your heart beating so fast you can't do much more than that. It's then that you see your parents again, sitting at the far table closest to where the bride and groom will later sit. "Fuck." They're looking right at you, and JJ follows your gaze to them when you speak. He feels you tense again and stops dead in his tracks, turning you to face him.

"Why are you so scared of them?"

"I'm not." You sound doubtful, eyes flickering back to your parents as they whisper to each other. JJ can see the concern in your eyes, taking your hands in his own.

"Stop. stop looking at them." His words do nothing to tear back your gaze, and his hands come up to hold your face. "Don't look at them. Look at me."

JJ doesn't regret saying it, but he can't deny that his breath catches in his throat when you do in fact look at him. Only then does it register just what he's doing, where his hands are, and just how easy it would be to kiss you...

But he doesn't. JJ shakes himself free of all the raging thoughts that beg him to do something he shouldn't, and instead he smiles. "Don't let them pull you down, baby."

He's staring you down, gaze softer than it should be for someone that just wants to be friends, and he tries not to flinch when your hands come up to rest atop his on your cheeks. "You did it again."

There's a smile on your lips that matches his, and JJ plays right into your trap. "Did what again?" He's lost in you then, and he hates himself for falling, but he just might be.

"You called me baby." Your grin grows wider, and JJ removes his hands from your face, even though he doesn't want to.

"I guess I did." He's not as nervous this time, perhaps because he's so giddy to be this close to you. "You seemed to like it, though."

JJ is pushing his limits. He knows that well enough, but he's never been one to run from danger. He watches your demeanour change; examines the way your chest pauses movement as you hold in a breath before you speak.

"I guess I did."

Those few words almost kill him, and he's falling again and falling hard. The flirting is heating his body, skin crawling with the urge to pull you closer, press his lips to yours, and never stop touching you. But he just grins, eyeing your lips without shame until both his and your attentions are pulled to something else.

It's the bride and groom waltzing in with smiles on their faces. Your sister looks pleased with herself as if she knows she was rich before but is even richer now thanks to her marrying a man with a fantastically decent job. And then her eyes lock onto you, and things change. She's still smiling, but it falters for a second or two when she examines your figure, as well as the boy beside you. She's heard of JJ, and clearly, it's obvious just who he is when she sees him. JJ dares to put an arm around your waist again, sending fireworks through your body as he leans down to whisper in your ear. "She's pissed. Mission accomplished."

You let out a quiet chuckle, smiling back at your sister and gripping onto JJ, just for the show of it, and definitely not just because you want to.

God, JJ is losing it. The way you touch him makes him feel just that little bit more alive, and it drives him crazy when you pull back and lead him toward a table. He doesn't want to sit down unless he's got you on his lap, he thinks. But you sit in a different seat to him, distance put between you as you wait for the food that is bound to come at such a fancy wedding. He smiles, watching you close as you eye the cake on the other side of the room like a child. JJ wants to go steal it for you, run over and take it, the two of you able to eat it with your hands as laughs escape you. But that's just a fantasy, and soon someone is making a toast to the bride and groom, one that lasts a little too long.

"Have you ever thought about getting married?" your voice comes quietly beside him, and it takes JJ off guard.

"Not specifically." he hasn't thought about marriage, but he has thought about being paired with someone, having a relationship that lasts longer than one night. It's occurring to him now, whilst you're inches away that perhaps he wants that with you. He doesn't let on though, and soon the other man's toast is over, and people begin mingling with each other again. JJ's eyes drift back to the sundress you're wearing subconsciously, and he lets it sink in just how much he actually thinks about you. He doesn't quite understand how he didn't comprehend the way he felt about you sooner.

"JJ." his name falls from your lips, and he's snapped back into reality. Your smile is contagious, and the borderline flirtatious nature of it is deadly and oh so tempting, but he gathers his wits and smiles back.

"What?" He asks, voice matching his expression, but before you can answer, someone is calling your name. When you turn, it's your mother waving you over to her table with your father at her side. You know they want you to come alone, but JJ isn't having it, and he stands when you do, linking his arm with yours again. "Shall we move to the front lines?" His breath brushes against your ear as he whispers to you, and you nod, moving toward your parents' table with caution but confidence, nonetheless.

"Hey, Mom, Dad." you greet them each with a smile, though not a genuine one, and before you or your parents can get another word in, your sister appears like Casper the ghost in her cocaine-coloured wedding dress.

"What are you doing here?" Her voice is shaken, and you would almost think her to be scared if not for the furious look upon her face.

Your sister's eyes flick over to JJ and it's like a teen comedy the way her school bully attitude comes about. "You brought a plus one." She's still eyeing up JJ, most likely assessing whether she has the strength to push the boy from the building. JJ smiles, warm and welcoming and it only infuriates her more.

"I got an invite. Were you not expecting me?" Your voice comes surprisingly steady, and you even find it in yourself to send a mocking smile. It's much easier to fight back against your sister than it is your parents.

"Nice to meet you, ma'am." JJ slips into a fake Southern drawl, and it's absolutely priceless the way not just your sister, but your parents react. Wide eyes and concerned frowns consume the three of them, and it makes everything just that bit better.

Your sister turns back to you, repeating her previous statement despite being very clear the first time. Her intentions are unknown to you, though you enjoy the way her face goes beet red with frustration. "You brought a plus one."

You smile a little wider, looking at JJ with overexaggerated glee you would only see in a Disney movie. "I did, isn't he just the cutest?" You rest your head against his arm for good measure, your mock joy turning true as you watch your sister slowly come to her breaking point. You don't understand why she doesn't want you at her wedding. You understand the late invite, just for good measure, but whilst you never got along, you weren't that bad with each other, and your tendency to prefer Pogue life over your natural Kook habitat was no true reason for exile, yet here you were being pushed further from your family. Not that you entirely minded.

"Y/N, why are you here?" Your sister doesn't speak this time, instead, it's your father, who looks disapproving as ever. JJ feels you tense again, and takes over, just in case you can't make out the words.

"She told y'all already. She got an invite, and who loves to turn those down? You lot invited us, so if you didn't want us here that's kinda on you." It's not the smartest thing to say, but with your arm now looped through his, as though you were a real couple, he doesn't care what he's saying, as long as he's defending you.

"We did not invite you, boy." It's your mother, and she speaks with words direct as a missile, aimed at JJ for the kill. But he deflects expertly, like he always does.

"Well, technically you did." he's giving her one of those scrunched-up face looks that are done in the movies when one character is about to prove the other wrong, and he knows he's got her pinned. "With all due respect, Mrs. L/N, the invite stated a plus one was invited, and that plus one is me. So, if we put two and two together, that means I was invited to this wonderful wedding." He spares a glance at you, finding a small, proud, smile on your lips when he does so. The fact you might be proud of him as well as yourself sends an electrical current through his veins.

"Well, with all due respect to you, Mr. Maybank, I would like you to leave." Your sister is beside herself with anger and you think she might pop from the expanse of it. JJ only smiles, hugging you into his side.

"It's nice to see you've heard of me, all good things I hope." He feels extra confident thanks to the way you lean into him, accepting his affectionate advances as he plays this little game with your family.

"No good things at all. I want you out of here." Your sister isn't going to take no for an answer, and you still don't get why this bothers her so much. What it is about you and your company that she despises, you may never understand.

"You need a reason to kick him out, and so far, he's been nothing but kind to you. It seems quite unfair don't you think?" You carry a look of mock concern as if you're explaining manners to a child. Your sister isn't having it, and you didn't think she would.

"He's a Pogue, Y/N!" Her voice comes louder than it should, and a few heads turn in her direction at the sound of it echoing off of the walls. You don't let it faze you, and JJ stands just as strongly at your side.

"Oh, but he's just so handsome." You lock eyes with JJ, bringing a hand up to his cheek for dramatic effect. "I think I'll keep him."

JJ's heart is racing with the compliment and the touch of your hand, and when you pull it away, he feels as though he's lost a part of him. He winks at you, flirting with absolutely no shame around your family. They don't bother to show him respect, so why should he give them anything close to it? Instead, he focuses all his attention on you because, quite frankly, that's always been his favourite thing to do.

"Y/N," your mother's scraping voice comes again, tearing your eyes back to her table even when JJ internally begs for you to look at him again. "We gave you a chance, and you blew it. Go home."

That gets you riled up, and God does JJ find it attractive when you respond, the utmost fire in your voice. "You never gave me a chance. You didn't even want me to come here, but I did because it's my fucking sister's wedding, and yet you're mad that I exist? And you," You turn toward your sister, eyes tearing deep into her soul. "Why d'you hate me so much? You're no angel yourself, you know." When you finish, no one says anything, dead silence consuming not just your family, but the entire hall you stand in. After a minute or two passes, you're done with it.

"This is so pathetic. You want me to go? I'll go." You take JJ's hand in your own, leading him out after you with your head held high. There's going to be one hell of a fight when both you and your parents meet again back home, but you're okay for now.

"That was one hell of a wedding." JJ laughs, stopping in his tracks once you're down the block. He turns you to face him, and all the anger you felt before melts away at the sight. His blonde hair falls hopelessly into his eyes, smile crooked and sweet. Something about it pulls you in and clearly, JJ feels something similar because soon, he's taking a step forward. "So, you think I'm handsome, huh?"

It's mischievous and playful, and just what you need right now. "I think you are very handsome, JJ Maybank."

"Well," JJ is testing the waters, watching you with cautious, yet needy eyes. "I think you're pretty smokin' hot yourself."

"Is that so?" Your smile is contagious, and your flirting kills him with every breath he takes. "You know," You start the sentence with just as much romantic intention, but JJ doesn't let you finish it. He takes the risk of pulling you in, closer than you've ever been to each other, and he kisses you with an amount of passion he's never felt before. His hands grip your hips, and he knows he shouldn't be doing what he is, but he can't back out now. He's kissing you, and as he does so, he thinks that maybe he never needs to breathe air again. He can just breathe you. But you do pull back eventually, flushed and confused, though JJ made a mental note that you did, in fact, kiss him back.

"Sorry," He mutters, even though he is most definitely not. "I wanted to know what it felt like to do that." His hands are still on your hips, though he doesn't grip them as tight now as he waits for your response. It comes slowly, and you take time to catch your breath and process his words. When you do finally speak, he's taken aback.

You sound so calm, and JJ can't quite believe this is happening to him, but he sure as hell likes it. Your hands come to rest over JJ's, still placed neatly on your hip bones. You don't move them away, though, and he takes that as a good sign.

"It felt pretty fucking good."

You smile then, a smile full of intention that JJ wants so desperately to unlock. "Would you like to try again? You know, to make sure we really know how it felt?"

JJ swears you'll be the death of him one day, but he thinks he'd be content with that if it meant he got to kiss you one more time. And he does, not wasting a single second. He doesn't think he'll ever waste time with you again.

-

GENERAL TAGLIST: @heliads @candywh0r3 @caplanreads @hiya-itsamberamber @s00buwu

OUTER BANKS TAGLIST: @scenesofobx

#jj maybank fic #jj maybank #jj maybank angst #jj maybank one shot #jj maybank x reader #jj maybank x y/n #jj maybank fanfiction #jj maybank fanfic #outer banks #jj maybank imagine #jj maybank drabble #jj maybank blurb #outer banks fanfiction #jj maybank x pogue!reader #jj maybank x fem!reader #jj maybank imagines #jj maybank oneshot #outer banks imagines #jj maybank fluff #obx #jj maybank outer banks #obx fanfiction #outer banks fic #outer banks fanfic #jj maybank reader insert #jj maybank x you #outer banks season three #outer banks imagine #obx fanfic #obx s3

[jessmaybank]

Jailbirds; Part 2 - a change of heart

Series masterlist

Outer banks masterlist

Pairing(s): JJ Maybank x fem! Reader.

Word count: 1.2k

Summary: feelings start to change.

Warnings: mentions of violence, swearing, SMUT, fingering, praise kink.

“You got into a fight?” He says, the smile on JJs face unmissable as the mystery unraveled. He figured you just got caught drinking or something, not anything violent. You were a little trouble maker, and he liked it.

You sigh, tearing your eyes away from his ocean blue ones as you decide to give into him.

“Fine. Rafes new girl, Sophia. She bumped into me at a party tonight, and spilt her drink all over me, hence the shirt” you say, gesturing your arms towards your soaked top, which is finally beginning to dry.

“So..” you hesitate

“So you punched her?” JJ tuts, although there is no sense of disapproval laced within his voice as he bites back a smile.

“You would too if you saw the way she spoke back to me, all smug whilst I’m stood there drenched. Bitch had it coming” you say, tapping your foot on the cold floor out of annoyance.

“What about you?” You ask, as you realise it’s gone quiet.

“I was protecting a friend” he says, as blunt as ever.

“Kiara?” You say, concerned. You missed her more than anything.

JJ turns his head to face you, his gaze softening as your eyes meet.

“How is she?”

Your question makes JJ’s head spin. He recalls the events that transpired tonight, how a kook wouldn’t take no for an answer and tried to drag Kie away from him and the rest of the pogues. He recalls that your supposed to be the enemy.

And just like that, his hard demeanour is present again.

“Better now she’s not surrounded by rich assholes” he says, bringing his fingers up to his lap so he can fidget with them.

you knew what the blonde says was most definitely true, but you also knew he was trying to get under your skin.

“Yeah, that’s probably true. I want to run away sometimes” you sigh.

JJ scoffs at that.

“What, your castle not fancy enough or something?” he taunts, and you can feel the agitation beginning to engulf you.

“It’s not my fault I was born lucky, jackass. Get that through your thick skull” you say, maybe a bit too harshly.

The guard interrupted your bickering, chucking two grey blankets in the cell in case we wanted to sleep. However, that seemed unlikely seeing that the only thing in the cell was one long bench. Not exactly comfortable.

JJ gets up to collect the blankets, chucking one right on your head so the blanket is sprawled across your face, which earns a small chuckle from him.

“Thanks for that” you say sarcastically, pulling the blanket off your face and onto your legs, before combing your fingers through your now messy hair.

“I’m sorry” he blurts out after about a minute of silence.

“It’s just a blanke-“

“Not about the blanket. That was funny” he smiles.

“About what I said before, you seem cool…for a kook” he says, chuckling as he makes the kook comment.

And you laugh with him.

For the rest of the night, you and JJ end up finding solace in each others presence. The dark and dingy confining jail cell had transformed into a sanctuary where the pair of you could uncover each others hidden layers, peeling back the cold masks you wore in the outside world. You wanted to ask him about his dad, but you knew that was way to personal and it was none of your business.

“Okay, okay, what about… the worst sex you’ve ever had?” The shaggy blonde asks, and you furrow your eyebrows as you ponder his question.

“I would have to say this touron a couple months ago, he couldn’t even find the…you know” you say, exchanging a knowing glance with the boy as you turn your heads to face each other.

“I do know” he says.

“Is that right?”

And just like that, his ocean blue orbs are filled with dark lust.

JJ slowly moves his hand underneath the blanket covering you, tracing his fingers over your skirt and landing on your thighs, all whilst keeping eye contact.

Your eyes flicker from his eyes to his mouth, then back up to his eyes again to meet him in a dazed gaze.

Your whole body burned as he begins tracing circles on your thighs, a sigh leaving your mouth as the familiar ache in between your legs begins to grow for him.

You watch his movements under the blanket for a moment, before he brings a finger to your chin, forcing you to look up at his angelic face.

Your lips meet in a deep kiss, your cherry chapstick driving him crazy. Your hand finds solace in his hair, pulling at his blonde locks before he bites your bottom lip.

He takes the opportunity to slip his tongue in your mouth, his craving for more on display. Your tongues fight for dominance as you feel his hands go down your skirt and into the place you needed him the most.

You whimper as he pushes your panties to the side, using two fingers to gather up your arousal before he pushes them inside you.

“So wet for me” he whispers, biting his lip as an indication of his horny state.

Your head falls back onto the cold wall as he pounds his fingers in and out of you, biting your lips shut to stifle your moans. The guard could come back at any moment, but neither of you cared.

Your head falls onto his shoulder as you bite at his skin, eager to stay quiet.

“You like that?” He says in your ear, his voice low and raspy. JJ could feel his shorts tighten every time another heavenly moan left your mouth, and he couldn’t get enough. He had to have you.

You nod your head obediently, worried your words would fail you.

“Your being so good for me” he says, his fingers pulling out of you and instead finding your clit, drawing hard circles which make your back arch.

“Who’s my good girl?” He says, the overwhelming pleasure only intensified when you lift your head to look at him, your mouth hung open.

“I- I am” you whimper, struggling to keep your eyes open as you begin to see stars. you were close.

JJ doesn’t think he has ever been so aroused than he is In this moment. Watching your fucked out state is making it near impossible for him to stop himself from throwing you on the cell floor and fucking your brains out.

“I’m close” you whisper, the tight knot in your stomach evident as you screw your eyes shut.

JJ shakes his head with disapproval.

“Look at me whilst I make you cum all over my fingers” he says.

At the last second, he shoots his fingers back inside you, the feeling of you clenching around his fingers making a small moan leave his mouth.

Before you knew it, you were completely coming undone before him, staring up at him through your eyelashes as he fingers you through your orgasm, admiring how sexy you look when you cum.

You try to regain your breath as JJ’s fingers pull out of you. He peppers hot kisses on your neck as a form of aftercare, which you appreciate.

You were about to fix your panties, before he pulls you up on your lap so your straddling him, a cheeky smirk painted on his criminally handsome features.

“I’m not done with you yet”

____________________________________________

I love this series so much it might be my favourite! part 3 is coming ♥️

Tags: @pagesfalling

#obx #outer banks #jj maybank #jj maybank smut #rudy pankow #jj outer banks #outer banks smut #obx3 #jj mayback x reader

[pappydaddy]

how you get the girl (j.m.)

a/n: i got a little carried away with this one lovelies! but i hope you enjoy it💛!

tv show/movie: outer banks

pairing: jj maybank x fem!kook!reader

not requested

style | i wish you would | how you get the girl - you're here

synopsis: after an increase in reckless behaviour, jj's friends confront him, giving him an ultimatum. jj enlists the help of sarah and kie on how to win y/n back.

taglist: @rottenstyx | @boxofsilentwords | @popeheywardssecretgf | @lexi-2004 | @i-always-come-back-xoxo | @rootbeerfaygo | @luvhanns | @thelakespoets | @lonely-simplicity | @tenaciousperfectionunknown | @k-k0129 | @maybankslover | @smarie7543

*line through your user means i could not tag you lovely!

au where there was no treasure but sarah and kie mended their friendship and brought everyone together

warnings: angst, heartbreak, mentions of an unsafe party, drinking, drug use, voyeurism/exhibitionism, mentions of witnessing public sex, inappropriate relationships mentioned, john mayer referenced, being hit on during a vulnerable state, older women (40) hitting on drunk jj, spicy content (not smut).

masterlist | taglist | wips | navigation

-not my gif - my header-

“Six months. It has been six months of this and I am tired,” Pope exclaimed as they all gathered in the Twinkie. “We are basically acting as his parents and I can barely take care of myself!” He continued as John B drove down the road. 2 AM, just like clockwork. 

  “Tell me about it. I think I’m getting grey hairs. I need to go to the hairdressers sometime,” Sarah muttered, picking up her blonde hair, intersecting it before flipping down the visor, looking at the roots. “Seriously, we need to do something about this. I cannot be going grey at eighteen, John B.” She looked to her boyfriend, flicking the visor back up. 

  “Look, I don’t know what you guys want me to do. JJ’s gone off the deep end, there is no talking to him when he is like this. The harder we push, the further he pulls away from us,” John B sighed. “Look, the best thing for him is for us to give him space, he will come around when he’s ready. If we push him too hard, he won’t have us to protect him anymore.” 

  Kie hummed, agreeing with him, but Pope and Sarah shared a look. “Well, he’s off the deep end about his break-up with Y/N so, why don’t we use that to reel him back in? At least stop making us go get him at 2 AM.” Pope suggested, looking between Sarah and Kie, trying to gauge if it was a good idea. 

  “How did you know about JJ and Y/N?” Kie asked, sitting up straight, fearful. Pope blinked at her, his eyebrows furrowed in confusion. 

  “It was obvious-” 

  “Painfully,” John B chipped in, turning into a random driveway. “This is the address he texted. Let’s go find him. And I’m not hating the idea Pope had about using Y/N.” He remarked, eyebrows raised suggestively. 

  They all climbed out of the van, approaching the house with the obvious party going on. It was as if they wanted the cops to bust it. The stench of weed and alcohol. It was enough to make anyone who wasn’t drunk or high run away from it. And if that was obvious, there was sure to be an abundance of drugs being used. It would probably be a drug dog’s worst nightmare. “I do like it, but how would we use her? It’s not like she’ll be up to talking to him. The ball is in his court. It is up to him to tell her how he feels.” Kie stressed, earning a hum of agreement from Sarah. 

  “Yeah, she laid down the conditions, he was the one who refused to answer. She should not be responsible for his actions and she should not be responsible for making this right. Besides, she’s really torn up about this.” Sarah explained further as they opened the door, the noise hitting them like a brick wall. 

  “We give him an ultimatum. He either stops this behaviour or next time we’re calling Y/N and telling her about everything he’s doing. We no longer protect him from her finding out all of this,” Pope gestured around to the party full of people tripping on some sort of drug or so horribly drunk he is amazed they are still alive. “Is happening. I mean like, there are at least two couples having sex right there.” 

  “Oh my god, there is,” Sarah gasped. “John B, all of these people are way older. Like John Mayer old and creepy. This is so much worse than the other parties he’s been to.” She pointed out. 

  “Yeah, I’m catching the drift that this might be a tipping point for JJ’s behaviour. This is not safe for any of us to be here.” John B noted as they moved around the house some more, the thumping music and random yelling overwhelming them. 

  From between the noise, they could hear a familiar voice. “You know, I would love to do that with you, but I have someone already.” JJ. He sat on the floor, back pressed against the wall as an older woman dragged her hand up and down his leg, lips pressing kisses all over his face. 

  “JJ, man,” John B quickly rushed over to him, swatting the completely drunk woman away from his best friend. “Get away, you’re old enough to be our mother.” He shooed her off. With a huff, she stumbled off, her heels scuffing against the hardwood. 

  “John B! My man! My buddy, have you seen this party? It’s full of cougars! I’ve been hit on so much, it’s insane.” He was beyond drunk, his speech slurred and his eyes half-lidded. 

  “Yeah, we saw that Buddy, but you don’t want these people to hit on you, they’re too old and don’t have good intentions.” John B coached him. A sober JJ knows this. He might get an ego boost, but he knew not to accept any advances. Drunk JJ, John B wasn’t too sure. 

  John B wrapped JJ’s arm around his shoulder, Pope taking the other one and doing the same. Together, they hoisted JJ up to stand. “But, I couldn’t accept any of them because all I can think about is Y/N. She’s ruined sex for me.” He slumped, not being able to keep his body weight up. John B and Pope stumbled, but kept themselves standing. 

  “Why are you even at this party, JJ? How did you get yourself into this situation, Dude?” Pope asked, looking around. He wasn’t even sure how JJ knew this was happening. It’s not like he runs in any social circles with forty-year-old women who think sleeping with a barely legal teenager is okay. 

  “I heard about this from my cousin. He was supplying some of the weed,” JJ slurred, his eyes closing as his feet dragging as they neared the door. “Last party I was at, I saw Y/N. She was with Topper. Not only did she ruin sex for me, how can I go to another party where she might show up looking so amazing with Topper on her arm,” He rambled, opening his eyes as he felt the cold night air hitting him. “So, I thought that Y/N would never come to a party like this and if she did, I would drag her back out of the party because it would be so unsafe for her to be in there. She would get John Mayered! So, I went to the party.” 

  “You went to the party you deemed unsafe?” 

  “Well, yeah. What if she did come to this party? Who was going to protect her? Topper? Yeah right. He would be too busy snorting cocaine up his nose to realise she was in trouble.” He reasoned as they unceremoniously shoved him into the back of the Twinkie. 

  Turning to the group, John B said sternly. “We’re talking to JJ tomorrow about the ultimatum.” 

____   

  “JJ, we need to talk.” JJ looked up from John B’s coffee table where he was carefully rolling a blunt - his second one since noon. The voice came from John B himself, Kie, Pope, and even Sarah in tow. They had been out together all day, since even before JJ got up.  

  “Okay, then talk away dude, I’m not bothering you.” He shrugged, packing the loose weed in the paper carefully, eyes trained on it. His friends all settled into spots, Pope and John B sitting on either side of him. It raised a red flag within JJ’s mind, but he didn’t care too much about it - he knew they would never hurt him.  

  “Talk with you, Buddy.” John B clarified, gently reaching in front of JJ when he stilled for a second. Pope did the same, grabbing the baggie of weed and handing it to Kiara who quickly moved it away from the living area. John B gently pulled the blunt in progress away from JJ, both to avoid a fight and to make sure none of the weed spilled onto his floor (it’s like catnip of JJ). 

  “Don’t see what we need to talk about, but okay,” JJ shrugged, seeming to be playing obliviously. He knew what they were wanting to talk about. He’ll just pretend he doesn’t. “Talk away, my friend.” He leaned back on the couch as the four of them shared nervous glances. 

  “Well, okay,” John B cleared his throat, looking at his friends in a silent way that said he would start the conversation. “We wanted to talk to you about your behaviour lately. You’ve resorted back to reckless JJ. It was first getting into week long fits of rage-” 

  “Particularly when you see Topper-” Pope added in.

  “Especially when you see Topper and Y/N together,” Kie piped up, sitting on the now clear coffee table across from JJ, Sarah sitting beside her. They were ready to jump up at any time, knowing JJ doesn’t like to feel cornered. “Then you get all mopey when you see Y/N and then all of a sudden, you’re angry again.” Kie explained as gently as she could. 

  “Now, it's the endless partying, but last night with that dangerous party you went to, it’s too much. It’s much worse than what you’ve done in the past. You surpassed your own level of recklessness last night.” John B told him. 

  “So? I won’t go to any more of those parties. I realise now that it was dangerous. Happy?” JJ asked, moving to stand up but John B and Pope simply put their hands on his shoulders, pushing him back down.   

  “It’s been going on for six months, JJ. Which also is about the time you and Y/N stopped talking suddenly. After that phone call you had that night.” Sarah observed. 

  JJ shifted, elbows resting on his knees as he shrugged. “I don’t see it. And I don’t know why you guys are bringing Y/N into this. She has nothing to do with anything, she’s innocent in this.” He denied, blue eyes avoiding everyone.

  “She told us about you a couple of weeks ago, Sarah and I,” Kie informed him, his blue eyes widening, snapping up to look into Kie’s calming brown ones, trying to see if she was bluffing or not. Didn’t matter if she was or not now, she for sure knew from his reaction. “We already knew about you two, but she told us what happened.”

  “We haven’t told her about your behaviour. We figured you wouldn’t want her knowing about some of the things you’ve done.” John B informed him.

  “We have been working double time trying to keep her from getting any information. Your drunken adventures, the attempted hook-ups, the drug use, last night’s party. We have made sure none of it has reached her,” Pope explained. JJ’s blue eyes shifted from each person, a sense of gratitude within them. “But, we have reached the breaking point with your behaviour, especially after last night, JJ.” 

  “So, we’ve decided to give you an ultimatum. You work with us to figure out how to help you fix this or the next time you call us after doing something stupid. We call Y/N and tell her everything.” John B ripped the metaphorical band-aid off. And surprisingly, JJ didn’t flip the table or his lid. 

  They all watched him as he let the words sink in. They could see his blue eyes moving from side to side as if the answer was written on the floor. “I want to get her back. But she’s with Topper now-”

  “You think she’s with Topper? She hates Topper- well, hated Topper,” Sarah spoke up. “Her and Topper were set up on a date by their parents. She called him out on his shit and they became friends. He’s basically just standing in for us while we’re here babysitting you. Once you’re back in her life, I am sure both of them will be more than happy to go their separate ways.” 

  “Okay, that takes care of that, but I don’t even know the first step to getting her back. She is the first girl I actually like, let alone love and this is all uncharted territory for me.” 

  “That’s where we come in.” Kie smiled, pointing between her and Sarah. JJ slid back in his seat, a bit unnerved with their smiles and the gleams in their eyes. 

  “They are going to use this opportunity to enact their revenge, aren’t they?” JJ questioned.

  “Possibly.” Pope agreed. He hoped they did.  

____ 

  Gruelling.That was the word JJ would use Sarah and Kie’s seven day program designed to help JJ get Y/N’s back. They sugar coated it, of course, saying that it was all necessary, but he hardly thought it was necessary for him to run all around The Cut getting them things while they sat at John B’s. They wouldn’t even let him use his bike. “If I get a cold, I am coming for your heads.” JJ painted. It was fifty degrees go and they had him outside running since the early hours of the morning. 

  Sarah and Kie shared a look as they dug through the bag JJ just brought them. “Oh, I didn’t realise you didn’t want our help to get Y/N back,” Kie hummed, pulling all the candy out of the bag. “Well, Sarah, I guess we can just leave since JJ doesn’t-” 

  “No, wait,” JJ exclaimed, hands shooting out in front of him in case they tried to leave. “I need your help, I do. But I don’t see why I need to be out running in fifty degree weather. Getting a cold isn’t going to help get Y/N back.” 

  Kie rolled her eyes at his overdramatics. “You’re not going to catch a cold-”

  “Wait, he might have a point,” Sarah remarked, hands stilling as she shifted through the snacks herself. Kie threw her a questioning look. “Risking a cold,” Sarah spoke again as if that was to make it all make sense. “He’s risking his health to show her how much he loves her! It’s the ultimate romantic gesture!” 

  JJ slumped down in one of the free chairs littering the living room. He really thought Sarah was going to stop this madness. “Should we still do flowers and candy then? Or should he just show up at her doorstep in the middle of the storm we’re getting tomorrow night?” JJ’s mouth fell open to protest, but Kie and Sarah already launched into re-evaluating the plan. 

  “I’m definitely getting sick after this.” He groaned, hand falling over his eyes as his skin felt like a million needles were sticking into it - his skin unthawing from being out in the cold all day. 

  “Oh, hush. This means you don’t have to run anywhere anymore,” Sarah scolded him. JJ let his hand drop, somewhat relieved. “By the way, do you even understand what happened between you two?”

  JJ looked at her, eyes wide as he questioned her sanity. “You mean the thing you explain to me everyday even though I showed a full understanding of how I screwed everything up from the start of these past seven days,” Sarah and Kie nodded. “Oh, well than yes, but I am sure you’ll torture me by revisiting it.”

  “Maybe you should have thought about this before you broke Y/N’s heart.”  

____

  “Wow, they were not kidding when they said it would be a storm.” Y/N muttered to herself as she pulled the curtains covering her bedroom window back, looking at the downpour. She could see it in the yellow gleam from the streetlight, if she didn’t know better, she would assume they were having a hurricane in February. She never understood the expression raining cats and dogs until now. In an odd way, it was beautiful. Especially when she closed her eyes and listened to it hitting her house. She could be lulled asleep standing right there if she allowed herself. 

  Stepping away from the window, the curtain danced back into place. She never used to have curtains, but following the imposition of her relationship with JJ, every time she saw headlights shine through her window, she thought of him. In an effort to squash any hint of regret, she begged her parents to buy her curtains - which they did with little to no fight. Since then, they remained closed, plunging her in darkness that she found suited her recent mood for the past six months. 

  With a sigh, she picked up the pizza take-out menu she had found. It was her and JJ’s favourite place to order pizza from. Topper had innocently fetched it for her in case she lost power and couldn’t look up websites to order pizza from. He claimed that she should save her phone data for texting and emergencies. She thought he was insane. 

  “I could go for a pizza,” She hummed, opening the menu as if she didn’t know what she already wanted. Picking up her phone, she dialled the number she knew by heart. After a few rings, the girl’s voice spoke through the speaker, obviously chewing gum in the obnoxious way. “Hi, I would like to place an order for delivery. My info should be in the system already, it’s under L/N. I just want what I usually get.” 

  She pinched the phone between her ear and her shoulder as she stood up, gathering some blankets that were carelessly thrown on her floor. “Large pizza with extra sauce and extra cheese with pepperoni?” The girl questioned after a few seconds of typing and clicking. 

  “That’s the one. Could I also get two orders of breadsticks with that?” She paused the gathering of blankets, blinking as she listened to the typing on the other side of the phone. 

  “Okay, anything else tonight?” 

  “No, that will be all. Thank you.” 

  “Should be delivered in about twenty minutes. Any later than thirty and the order is free.” She drawled before hanging up the phone. Y/N smiled, looking forward to the greasy food as she slipped her phone into the pocket of her (JJ’s) hoodie. Shifting the mass of blankets, she started to make her way down the stairs to set up in the living room. Her parents were away in Cuba, celebrating their wedding anniversary meaning Y/N was alone in the house. Humming, she set the blankets down on the couch, hands hitting her legging covered thighs as she looked around, seeing if anything else needed to be changed. 

  The sudden sound of a rough knock startled her. Her gate was closed and nearly impossible to scale so it had to be someone she trusted enough to give the gate code to. This eased her nerves slightly, actually making her feet move towards the door. “Oh my god, what if it’s the cops. Did I do anything wrong? Did they get evidence that I was drinking at that party Topper dragged me to like a week ago,” She whispered to herself, her mind spiralling. “I can’t go to jail. They’ll take one look at me and know I cannot offer anything but tutoring sessions which are useless in prison.” She panicked, but another knock pulled her from her mind. 

  Grabbing the door handle and yanking it open, she didn’t give herself anymore time to think. “JJ? Are you insane? You’re shaking like a ghost!” She exclaimed, worry taking over so much she couldn’t even think about questioning why he was here after six months. He stood there, his figure vibrating from the freezing rain. She wanted to take him and pull him into he warm house, but something stopped her.  

  “It’s been a long six months, Y/N,” JJ started, making her furrow her brows in confusion. She was well aware of how long the six months have been. She’s still moping around. “I was too afraid to tell you what I wanted that night and for every night for five months.” He confessed, his face red but she wasn’t sure if it was the bitter cold, him catching something, or him blushing. His blue eyes stayed on her despite his teeth chattering. 

  “So what changed, JJ. Why are you here right now,” She paused, gesturing to him. “You’re going to catch a cold.” She sighed, her still burning love for him outweighing her judgement as she grabbed his arm, pulling him into the house. 

  “In the last month, specifically the last week and some days, I wasn’t afraid to admit it anymore. I want you, Y/N,” JJ was still chattering as she wordlessly led him to the couch, wrapping a blanket around him. “And not in a secret hook-up situation. Like I actually want you for worse or for better. To be in an actual relationship with you and I will wait forever and ever until you can trust me again because I broke your heart and I knew that from the second you hung up the phone, but I was too hurt to do anything about it.” 

  He panted slightly, still shivering like a chihuahua. Y/N sighed, grabbing his freezing hand and pulling him up the stairs. He let out a low, unsure noise as she did so. “Look, I am still hurt and heartbroken, but I am willing to listen to you because that’s what you do when you are mature and ready for a relationship,” She informed him as she pulled him into her room. “I still have some of your clothes so sit on the bed while I get them.” She instructed, pulling open a drawer in her dresser. 

  “I just want you to know that if you give me another chance, I will do my best to fix your heart, to put it back together,” JJ spoke up after a few beats of silence. He could tell she was still listening as she rooted through the drawers. He looked at the dresser, seeing many photos in frames that were all too familiar. “You kept them up.” He whispered. 

  She stood up, looking back at him in confusion before following his eyes, spotting the pictures. “Oh, yeah,” She hummed, looking back down in her drawer. “I couldn’t bring myself to get rid of them. They reminded me of the good times. Reminded me of how it used to be between us before I pushed you too hard.” She muttered, throwing a shirt and a pair of sweatpants at him.

  He put them on the bed beside him, standing up, his eyes locked on her as she wrapped her arms around herself, nearly curling into herself in a way to protect her heart (surely). The blanket fell from his shoulders as he strides towards her. Her bedside lamp was on, casting a dim light around the room, making her look magnificent, but he wasn’t too focused on her looks - she always looked magnificent to him. 

  “I lost my mind, Y/N-” He spoke, startling her as she thought he was changing. Whirling around, she was once again startled by how close he was to her. Surely, she would have heard him moving. It’s not like he was a light guy. With all his muscle tone and his usual work boots on his feet. 

  “What do you mean?” She asked, eyes searching his face in confusion, noting how he looked in the dim lighting himself.

  “I lost my mind. When I refused to label it. I knew I didn’t want to lose you, but yet I did because I was stupid and I lost my mind. Then, I actually did lose my mind and I didn’t find it until a week ago,” His voice was scratchy from the raw emotion as she looked down at her. “I left you because I was scared and I don’t have an actual reason for being scared, but I lost my mind. You didn’t push me too hard. This was all my fault.” 

  “JJ, it’s both of our faults. I shouldn’t have sprung that conversation on you. I should have approached it another way-” He cut her off with a shake of his head.

 “No, you aren’t getting it. It is my fault. I love you and I was too chicken to say it while you were so ready and I couldn’t see it,” He let his hands grab her biceps in the most gentle way possible. Despite the fact that his skin was freezing, Y/N found warmth filling her from the contact. “I was a mess for the past six months. Like a literal mess. I was drinking, going to dangerous parties, and putting myself in dangerous situations because without you, I am nothing, Y/N. I have nothing without you-”

  “That is not true-” She tried to protest but he cut her off again. 

  “But it is true. I couldn’t even perform after you-” 

  “Oh,” She looked shocked at this, eyes drifting down to his lap before looking back up at him. “Really? You couldn’t,” She glanced down again before looking back into his eyes. “Because I left you?” 

  JJ nodded. “I mean, I got it up, but only when I was picturing you. But it was in the dead of night. But it was like that when we were dating,” He used that word for lack of a better term. “It was always you. From the very second Sarah introduced us all till this moment.” 

  The doorbell sound of the buzzer on the gate went before a voice echoed through the house, someone speaking into the microphone. “That’s my pizza,” She told him, voice soft as if not to break the delicate energy in the room. “I should go pay-”

  “Let me, I’m already soaked. I don’t want you to get a cold.” He patted her arms before taking out his wallet and making his way down the stairs. She followed him, her heart suddenly light for the first time in six months. Sure, his words were slowly mending her heavy heart, but this act of kindness, for whatever reason, just fixed one of the biggest cracks. 

  She stepped outside on the covered porch, wrapping her arms around herself to fend off the bitter wind, as she watched him run down the paved driveway the best he could without slipping. Even in the dark, blinded by the gleam of the delivery car’s headlights, she saw him paying for her pizza and breadstick with his own, hard earned money including a tip (but it was a minute over thirty minutes so he pocketed everything except the tip again). JJ didn’t seem to notice her standing out in the cold and she didn’t realise she had walked off the porch into the pouring rain until JJ spoke up. “I thought I told you I was getting it. Now look at you, you’re completely drenched and-”

  “Kiss me.” She spoke in such a sure tone with such authority in her voice it shocked JJ. Not just because she, the girl who he thought I would have to beg to take him back, was telling him to kiss her, but the way she said it. 

  “What?” He asked, breathless. He didn’t want to get his hopes up. 

  “Kiss me.” She repeated, stepping closer to him. Her clothes were soaked and sticking to her uncomfortably. Her hair was sticking to her face. But none of that was noticed by her nor him. She shook from the cold, but so was JJ so he couldn’t scold her for being out here. 

 “Y/N, are you sure-” JJ started but she cut him off as she took another step closer to him. The two pizza boxes were soggy and nearly hitting her from how close she was but JJ was too stunned to move them. Instead, he was staring into her eyes, searching for any sign of unease.   

  “I am completely and irrevocably sure, JJ,” She whispered, the sound would have been drowned out by the sound of rain hitting the pavement around them if they were not so close together and JJ wasn’t hanging off of every word she was saying. “Kiss me.” She urged, a small smile playing on her lips. 

  “But,” He looked at the pizza boxes in his hands. “The pizza-” She simply shoved the boxes out of his hand, sending the already ruined food and boxes to the ground. Pizza slices and bread sticks flew into the grass of the yard, the cardboard of the boxes breaking and ripping upon impact. 

  “It was free anyway. Kiss me.” This time, he listened. His hands slid along her jaw, angling her face up towards him as he stepped the rest of the way, his lips pressing against hers in such vigour it nearly knocked the two of them over. Eyes instantly closing, awareness slipping from their minds. Her hands instantly gripped his side, fisting the material of his jacket. His lips tasted the same, but this time she noticed a hint of unflavoured chapstick. Kie and Sarah were the masterminds behind this, Kie only ever had unflavoured chapstick. 

  Quickly, any form of thought was stripped from her mind as the kiss deepened. Both of their lips were desperate for one another. Their bodies pressed against each other as they stood there. Rain falling down on top of them, cold droplets hitting their faces, making their muscles jolt, but the kiss never broke. 

  “I had a whole speech planned-” JJ muttered against her lips, eyes opening, pulling back slightly, but she wasn’t having that. Her lips instantly fitted against his before he could say anything else, making him hum against her, his eyes closing again.  

  She could feel him pulling away to speak again, her eyes remaining shut as she spoke. “Shut up and take me inside, Maybank. You’ve said enough. Now show me.” She ordered, re-attaching their lips. 

  “Message received.” He mumbled, hands leaving her jaw as hers let go of his side. Just feeling his fingers dance over the tops of her thighs, she jumped, wrapping her legs around his waist as if no time had passed. His hands stationed on her butt, he blindly carried her into the house, mouths attached, tongues exploring the all too familiar areas of each other’s mouths, and eyes closed. 

____

  Y/N groaned, pulling her lips away from JJ’s as his phone rang for what felt like the hundredth time within the hour. “JJ, could you just answer it or put it on silent?” She asked, nails dragging up and down his bare back. She was under him, her legs straddling him. The sheets were a mess, tangled around JJ’s legs while they were pulled over the pair. 

  JJ sighed, letting go of some of his weight as he let his head fall into the crook of her neck. She giggled as he placed open-mouthed kisses along her shoulder. “I think I have more important things to take care of,” He muttered as her fingers trailed up into his hair. She giggled at his ticklish kisses. The sound of the phone stopped. “See, now we can go for another round-” 

  The shrill ring started again. JJ was conscious not to put all his weight on her as he slumped more. “JJ, just answer it and get whatever it is over. Maybe it’s important.” She urged him, pulling his face from her neck. 

  “Oh, I know who it is. They are still trying to torture me, I am sure,” He groaned, lifting himself up enough so he could grab his phone, holding himself up by one arm. Y/N let her hold on his hair drop, one hand rubbing up and down the arm he kept her caged in. He plopped the phone on the bed next to them, resuming their position. She could see Kie’s name on the phone, a picture of her she took once when she stole his phone as her contact. He hit answer before clicking the speaker phone button, settling against her body once again. “What?” He asked as Y/N went back to dragging her nails up and down his muscular back. 

  “What do you mean ‘what’, Maybank,” Kie’s angry voice sounded through the phone. JJ huffed, rolling his eyes as Y/N silently giggled. “You were supposed to call us two hours ago to tell us what happened and how it went.” She scolded him. 

  “Well, we were busy.” JJ snapped, looking down at Y/N, winking. 

  “Busy for two hours? What on earth-” Sarah cut her rant off, presumably because someone gave her a hint. “Well that’s good, right? That means you guys made up?” She spoke hopefully. JJ and Y/N looked at each other, ridiculous smiles on each of their faces. 

  “It is good.” Y/N agreed, eyes consumed by JJ. 

  “So, are you dating? Are you guys feeling it out? Tell us!” Sarah pressed, sounding like a kid on christmas morning. 

  “We’re dating. Officially and not secretly.” JJ informed them. Hoping this call will end soon. Y/N found herself wishing the same thing which made her start to press kisses along his chest, looking up at him through her eyelashes. He groaned, leaning his head down to lightly bite her shoulder - trying to stay quiet. But that only egged Y/N on. 

  “Say,” Pope’s voice popped up over the phone, pausing for a second. “You two aren’t in bed naked by any chance, are you?” He posed the question, most likely knowing the answer to it already. 

  “I think you already know the answer to that, Buddy.” John B spoke for JJ and Y/N.

  “What JB said.” JJ pulled his mouth away from Y/N’s shoulder. A chorus of disgusted noises and complaints left their friends.

  “How are you not grossed out by this, John B?” Kie questioned, her nose turned up. 

  “I told you not to call him! I told you they would be busy!” He defended himself as JJ hit the end call button, smacking his phone off the bed carelessly.

  “Another round?”

  “Another round.” He answered, lips crashing against hers as he settled his weight on her just enough to earn a hum from her.                

#jj maybank #jj maybank x reader #jj maybank x fem!reader #jj maybank oneshots #jj maybank imagines #jj maybank fanfiction #jj maybank fluff #jj maybank imagine #outer banks #obx #jj obx imagine #jj obx #jj maybank angst #jj maybank blurb #jj maybank obx #jj maybank x y/n #jj maybank headcanons #jj maybank drabble #jj maybank fics #jj maybank fic #jj maybank masterlist #jj maybank oneshot #jj maybank one shot #jj maybank outer banks #jj maybank preferences #jj maybank x reader angst #jj maybank x you #jj maybank x reader fluff

[devilsskettle]

i am literally obsessed with character dynamics where it’s like:

i want to be you and you want to be me and we love each other but also there’s a deep seated resentment that we both feel for each other but we try to hide it even though we both know and it’s this charged current running under all of our interactions, and it sucks because i only envy you because i love you because all the things i love about you are the things i wish i could have and i just want to be you and i don’t understand why you’d want to be me because we can’t see ourselves or love ourselves the way we see and love each other. but it’s all hopeless because neither of us can change the fundamental parts of who we are or the circumstances we find ourselves in or what people have done to us and when we try to play each other’s role in the relationship or in the world it really fucks things up actually

anyway stream running up that hill (deal with god) by kate bush

#pairs nicely with ‘i am pretending i am doing good because i want you to keep seeing me how you see me and not how i actually am’ #and ‘i did this thing because i thought you’d want me to and you got on board with the thing because you thought i wanted you to #but neither of us actually wanted to do the thing. we just wanted to win the other person’s approval.’ #and all the things fiona apple says she resents in Relay. ‘i resent you for being raised right’ etc #and ‘you want to be me and i want to protect you from being me’ #anyway. #i’m thinking like. kim & jimmy in better call saul. laura & donna in twin peaks/fwwm. kie & jj in outer banks To Me #debbie & ruth in glow #rust & marty in true detective even perhaps. in certain moments #and of course these two characters in this story i keep saying i’m gonna write <3 they’re best friends who kind of hate each other <3

[popesgirlfriend]

Not Another Rebound

This is 3k words of me being in love with Pope :)

Warnings: there's a bit of angst and I swear a little bit, kissing, overuse of italics, and I think that's it

Note: Just wanted to write about my main man getting all the love he deserves. Still pretty new at this though. Shout out to @dreamingwithrafe for letting me talk about my boyfriend Pope, here's that fic I've been mentioning since forever lol

You’re blushing, you know you are, but you can’t help it. You and your friend, Kiara, were walking down the docks when she spotted her other friends, the pogues. She had stopped to talk to them but quickly got caught up in a side conversation with JJ and John B, leaving you alone with Pope. If it were anyone else, you’d be fine. But he had smiled at you and suddenly you couldn’t form a coherent thought. 

He was so fucking pretty, even prettier up close. You’re used to seeing him from afar at keggers with his friends, illuminated by the light of the bonfire. Or surfing at the beach, saltwater dripping down his toned chest. You’ve never been this close to him before and none of the cells in your brain are cooperating with you.  You can’t even make proper eye contact.

“Kie says you’ve been prepping for a scholarship interview, how’s that going?” you manage to ask. You’re still not quite making eye contact though. The boat you can see peaking over his shoulder is just so interesting.

“You and Kie talk about me?” he smiles at you. Christ. You start trying to defend yourself but the only thing that comes out is a bunch of half-formed words. You’ve never stuttered this much in your life. He just laughs, “Relax, Kie talks about you too.” He nudges your arm and goosebumps erupt all over your skin. In the middle of the day, on a hot day, in the Outer Banks. You’d be more embarrassed if you weren’t currently freaking out about him stepping closer. 

“The interview prep is kind of brutal actually,” he continues, “I feel like I’m stressing myself out more than anything else.”

“I’m sure you’ll do great. If anyone deserves that scholarship it's you,” you say. 

“You would know about that, wouldn’t you? Kie tells me you’re going to be valedictorian when you graduate from the Academy.”

You roll your eyes, discomfort fading as the conversation shifts to you, “Do not listen to anything she says. She exaggerates everything. I told her that this year the administration is deciding to let the student body choose the valedictorian for our graduating year. I have no  idea how she got that out of what I said.” 

“It’s probably because you’re exceptional. I can see you being valedictorian,” Pope nudges your arm again. 

“How would you know that? We’ve never talked before.”

“I just do.” Kie chooses that moment to pop back to your side. It takes you a moment to even realize she’s talking to you, you’re too busy staring at Pope. You two are practically sharing the same space, Pope having crept closer throughout your conversation. Are his eyes sparkling? 

You are snapped out of your Pope-induced trance by Kie waving a hand in front of your face. 

“Can we go now or do you want to stay here and admire Pope some more?” she asks. 

You bat her hand away, “Shut up.” You can feel yourself blushing again and now that you’ve been called out you just want to run and hide. You turn to walk away as Kie’s laughter fills your ears. In your haste, you miss Pope’s soft look in your direction. 

That was almost a month ago. Since then, Kie has invited you to absolutely every event she and her friends have planned. Every moment not spent at school is spent with the pogues. You’ve started not even changing out of your uniform, just pulling up to John B’s chateau in your pleated skirt and navy blue jacket thrown over a shoulder. It’s started to get warmer in the Outer Banks, and for the pogues, that means parties on the beach. 

It’s your first time partying with them and you might have had more to drink than you normally would in an effort to calm your nerves. There are no tourons here, it’s not quite summer yet, so everyone is local. You recognize more people than you thought you would. 

“Hey, pretty girl, what are you doing all alone over here?” Pope slides up beside you. 

The nickname makes you blush but the alcohol in your system means you don’t immediately turn into a stuttering mess. 

“Well, I didn’t think I was alone. Kie was here a moment ago I swear,” you use the half-empty beer bottle in your hand to gesture to the empty spot on the other side of you. Pope laughs at your fake pout and you’re transfixed. He’s so beautiful you can hardly breathe. He’s talking again but you can’t hear him anymore over the kiss me kiss me kiss me pounding in your head. 

“We were thinking of heading out on the—”

“Kiss me,” you blurt out. You see the moment he registers what you said. Even the alcohol isn’t enough to quiet the butterflies swarming in your stomach at his silence. 

He sighs, “You’re drunk.”  He’s looking everywhere but at you. You just want to see his pretty eyes again so you grab his face with your hands, turning his head back to you. There he is.

“I’m not drunk but even if I were you have to know how much I want to kiss you all the time. I’m not subtle about it. I don’t even know how to be subtle about it. You drive me crazy,  Pope Heyward and—”

He kisses you. One second you’re trying to cut off all the words trying to spill out of your mouth, the next, there is a pair of soft lips pressed to yours. Your hands are still on his face so you pull him in closer. You want him closer. Being pressed chest to chest wouldn’t even be good enough. You want to feel skin. Your hands have a mind of their own. They move down his neck to rest on his chest and back up like they can’t settle on a spot. You want to feel everywhere. He presses closer to you, pushing you back into the tree behind you. You’re sandwiched between the rough tree trunk at your back and the warmth of Pope at your front. You never want to be anywhere else. 

“Slow down, wait, wait,” Pope says, breathless, against your lips. You chase him for a second before the words catch up to you and you’re pulling back. He looks dazed. His lips are spit-slick and swollen. You wanna bite them. His gaze is fluttering between your eyes and your lips and back again. You want him to kiss you again. 

“What are we doing here, pretty girl?” 

“Making out against a tree,” you say. He rolls his eyes and you can’t help but smile. He’s so pretty. 

“Okay, what happens after this?”

“You take me on a date. There’s this bookstore I’ve been meaning to take you to. Then we can get lunch after, or dinner, or whatever works.” The kiss might have sobered you up more than you thought. There’s not enough alcohol in your system anymore to prevent the nervous rambling that usually happens whenever you’re around Pope. 

“You want to date me?” he asks. As if the answer would be anything other than yes. As if there’s anyone else who has captured your attention the way Pope has. 

“If you’ll let me, yea. I’d love to.” You’re so busy admiring the smile that spreads across his face that you don’t even notice him pulling you back in until you’re kissing again. And if the two of you spend the rest of the party making out and whispering into each other’s ears, then that’s no one’s business but you’re own. 

It takes about two months for the honeymoon phase to wear off. Dating Pope is even better than you would have imagined. Even your wildest dreams don’t come close to how amazing it is. You’re so excited he even wants you back that you might have gone overboard. Those first two months, you tried to be the best girlfriend Pope will ever have. Final exam season had come around again and you had pushed your own studying aside in favour of helping Pope study. You stayed up late with him reviewing flashcards and kissing him stupid every time he got an answer correct. 

You started helping him with his chores around his dad’s shop. He complained about it being boring and tedious so you showed up to keep him company. Heyward might have been happier to see you than Pope was, always happy for an extra set of hands.

You planned all your dates. Picnics on the beach once it got truly warm. Surf dates. Shopping trips on the mainland where you two really just roam the streets hand in hand. Movie nights at your house that turns into hours of cuddling and conversation with the movie playing in the background forgotten. Everything was fine until you realized that you planned all your dates. Pope has never initiated anything. Never a date, a kiss, or even a conversation. Scrolling through your messages you notice that every text thread between you and Pope was started by you. Every hug or kiss or any act of physical affection was you just trying to get as close to Pope as possible. He has never once reached for you first. 

To test your theory, you don’t text him. He’s supposed to be out with the pogues today, an outing you couldn’t join because of other obligations. Usually, when you and Pope aren’t together you text him a couple of times throughout the day just to check in. Not today though. You’re adamant that you are not going to send a single text message. Not a good morning, handsome that you usually start with. Not a has JJ fallen off the boat yet? Nothing. You check your phone every hour but it remains dark throughout the whole day. Not a single text. The disappointment you feel sits heavy in your chest when you get back home. You know Pope is also at home because you’ve gotten messages from Kie saying that they’re back at the Chateau. JJ had sent you a single message with a picture of Pope in the hammock at the back of the chateau staring down at his phone followed by a single question mark. You left that one unanswered.

Knowing that Pope had his phone in his hand and still hadn’t texted you was the final nail in the coffin. Obviously, Pope doesn’t like you as much as you like him. After his failed attempt at a relationship with Kie, you were clearly the rebound. Something to build back his ego. It probably helped that you were so clingy, always wanting to be around him, constantly texting him. Well, no more. 

You managed to go a full 5 days on your new restricted affection schedule, as you’ve started calling it. You only send good morning and goodnight messages. You told yourself if he initiated the conversation then you would reciprocate (the thought of not talking to Pope at all was excruciating) but after the initial good morning, he doesn’t say anything else for the rest of the day. You stopped randomly appearing at Heyward’s to see him. You stopped showing up to the Chateau unannounced to see if he was there. You put a hold on everything you used to do to try and spend more time with him. 

On the sixth day, you get a message from Kie. 

KieKie: Okay, this has gone on long enough. What is going on with you and Pope???

No idea what you’re talking about

KieKie: Really? Then why haven’t you been around lately and why is Pope snapping at all of us all the time now?

How Pope reacts to JJ’s stupid jokes has nothing to do with me and I’ve just been busy lately 

KieKie: busy with what? 

KieKie: you know what I don’t care we’re having a bonfire later tonight and you’re coming 

Fine. 

You don’t want to say that you’re nervous to see Pope, but the way your hands are sweating and you can’t hear anything over the sound of your own heartbeat probably means that you’re nervous. You pull up to the chateau when it's already dark. You can see the light from the fire and hear your friends’ laughter before you even get out of the car. You take a moment to hype yourself up, trying to get all your nerves out before seeing him. The walk from the car to the back of the chateau feels like it takes forever and two seconds all at the same time. No one notices your presence at first, too wrapped up in whatever story JJ is animatedly telling. You quietly sit yourself down on the grass next to Kie’s feet. Funny enough, Pope notices you first. 

He springs to his feet, eyes locked on you. Everyone else pauses and then follows his gaze. As a group, they chorus out your name. You roll your eyes as they all start talking to you at once. John B even throws a rock at you for “ditching them this past week”. Pope doesn’t say anything though, just stands there staring at you. You stare back. 

“Hey, Pope, could you go grab another case of beer from the kitchen for us, bro?” John B asks. You fleetingly glance at the full case sitting by his feet and then back at Pope. 

“Yea, yea, and maybe you should go with him,” JJ says, looking at you. “You know how heavy those cases can be. He might need help.” 

Pope raises an eyebrow at you so you stand. You walk back to the chateau without checking to see if he’s following. The moment you step into the empty house though, he’s right behind you. You can feel the warmth coming off him and you missed it. You missed him. 

“Are you going to Midsummers?” Pope asks. You’ve settled into a corner in the kitchen with him standing at the entrance looking at you. That’s not what you expected him to say though and you say as much. 

“Kiara’s parents are making her go and she’s been talking about it all week. There’s apparently a lot of prep that goes into it. You know, with the whole picking a dress and then trying to find a matching suit for your date. She’s trying to get JJ to agree on this weird shade of purple,”  he explains. You’re still confused. 

“Okay. I don’t know where you’re going with this, Pope.” 

He runs a hand down his face roughly and then lets out a deep sigh, “Do you not want to go to Midsummers with me? Do you not want to take me as your date or something?” 

And then it clicks. Is that all he wants? To be shown off in front of Kie? He must note your  rising anger because he’s quick to start speaking again. “It’s fine if you don’t!” he reassures, “I just thought that would be something you wanted, but you haven’t said anything and you actually haven’t said much of anything lately and I just—” he sighs again— “I can’t fix it if you don’t tell me what I did wrong. Tell me what I did wrong, please.” 

“You could have texted me,” you say. He’s visibly upset and you’re fighting to not rush over there and comfort him. This might be the end of your relationship though, you have to stay strong. “If you wanted to talk to me so bad you could have messaged me yourself. Communication goes both ways, Pope.” He just stands there, staring at you with his mouth agape and it makes you angrier. “You know, if all you wanted was an ego boost, I would have preferred if you let me know at the beginning instead of leading me on like this.”

“What—”

“I get it, Kie rejected you and now you’re using me to fix what she broke–’’

“Hold on–”

“I get it, okay, but it would have been nice to know that you don’t actually like me the way I like you instead of letting me embarrass—” 

“Let me speak, woman!” Pope yells, cutting you off. You’ve never heard him raise his voice before and definitely not at you. You stop talking immediately. “You think I don’t like you? You think my heart doesn’t skip a beat every time I look at you? You think I don’t light up on the inside every time you reach out to hold my hand or touch my neck. You think I don’t want you? Sometimes you get up to leave and I want to pull you back down into my lap so I can keep feeling you just a little bit longer. Sometimes I want to go with you, anywhere, everywhere. I just want to be wherever you are. 

I have wanted you since I first met you in 5th grade. I didn’t even know what it meant then, all I knew was that you were pretty and my stomach felt all funny whenever you smiled at me. That’s all I know now too. Kie started bringing you around and I felt like I was in 5th grade all over again. I didn’t know what to do so I let you take the lead. And then we got together and I was so scared of ruining it, of ruining the best thing to ever happen to me, so I let you take the lead again. I want to do anything you want to do, as long as it's together. I want your name popping up on my phone every day, every hour. No, actually I don’t. If you are texting me that means we’re not together and I don’t want that. I want you in my personal space all the time.”

He stops talking to make his way over to you. 

You’re stunned, rooted in your spot. You don’t stop him when he runs a careful finger along your cheek and down to your neck. You don’t stop him when he presses even closer to you, chest to chest, wedging himself into any free space he can find. He drops his face into the crook of your neck to run his nose up and down the skin there. 

“I want you so fucking bad I don’t even know what to do with myself. You’ve been gone this week and it felt like the world was ending. You don’t know how many times I wanted to text you, call you, just to hear your voice. I like that you’re clingy because it means I get to cling back. Don’t ever, and I mean ever, disappear on me like that again. You’re mad at me, come yell at me. Get right up in my face if you have to, but don’t ignore me. Do you understand me?”

You nod. 

“No, pretty girl, I’m gonna need to hear it. You’ve had me out of sorts all week. I need to know you won’t do it again. I can’t handle it,” he says, leaning back to look you in your eyes. 

“I won’t do it again.”

“Good, good.” And then he kisses you. It's more forceful than the way he normally kisses you, almost bruising. He tips your head back as he gets even closer to you and you let him. You let him show you just how much he missed you, how much he wants you. You distractedly notice the catcalling and whistles from outside the kitchen window but you ignore them in favour of kissing your boyfriend. Turns out you weren’t a rebound after all. 

#pope heyward x reader #finally writing for my boyfriend!!! #pope heyward #i just wanted to write someone being obsessed with him and this was the result no idea where the angst came from that was an accident #also i had more background info in my head I just didn't end up writing it so sorry about that #pope heyward x fem!reader #outer banks #outer banks fic #obx fanfiction #pope heyward fluff

[katsu28]

i LOVE ur writing smmm could you please do jj maybank x reader where u guys get sent to go grocery shopping and end up getting kicked out because u were messing around 🫶

ur the sweetest ily!!! <3 i enjoyed writing this so much, thank you for the amazing request!!

supermarket shenanigans

pairing: JJ Maybank x reader

summary: see request! 

warnings: swearing, sexual innuendos, allusions to sex, inappropriate behavior for a grocery store lol 

masterlist + taglist

(gif found on pinterest!)

“Yo, d’you think John B would notice the difference between regular cheddar and extra cheddar Goldfish?” You glanced over at JJ from where you were scanning the shelves for the brand of popcorn Pope had asked for, where he was holding two almost identical looking bags of the tiny fish shaped crackers. “Like, I know he asked for extra cheddar but I kinda wanna get the regular one just to fuck with him.” 

“You really wanna get between John B and his Goldfish, don’t come crying to me when he cuts your dick off in your sleep,” You replied, to which JJ’s eyes widened, and he instantly tossed one of the bags back onto the shelf. 

“Copy that. What else do we need?” He asked, making his way over to slide his arms around your torso as he peered over your shoulder to look at the list on your phone. 

You and JJ were on grocery duty this week, and seeing as the only thing left in the Chateau fridge was the stale butt end of some old bread, the two of you had quite a shopping trip ahead of you. 

“Frozen pizzas and…Eggo waffles.” You recited off the list, maneuvering the shopping cart towards the frozen foods section with JJ hot on your tail. 

The blast of cold air from the freezer as you yanked the door open raised goosebumps on your arms, but was a cool escape from the sticky heat of a summer day in the Outer Banks. You’d stay inside this air conditioned store forever if it weren’t for the impatient blond teenage boy currently sagging against you with his entire body weight. 

“I’m bored,” He whined, digging his forehead into your shoulder. 

You inhaled a sharp breath through your nose, because although you loved JJ, the heat radiating off his body was stifling. “Get away from me, J, you’re too hot!” 

“Don’t I know it, babe.” 

“Not what I meant.” You groaned, unpeeling yourself from him. “Why don’t you head over to pick up some fruit? Sarah wants white peaches and grapes.” 

“Fine. I’ll leave you alone. Holler if you need something off the top shelf, short stuff.” JJ huffed, but you knew he was just poking fun at you. 

“Kie said she also wants strawberries and bananas for smoothies!” You called after his retreating form, fighting the urge to roll your eyes at the haphazard hand he waved over his head in response. JJ disappeared around the corner, and you went back to browsing the frozen pizzas. 

It didn’t take long before you heard pounding footsteps coming back your way, then JJ’s voice. 

“Babe, babe, look,” He sounded a tad too gleeful for your liking, and you already knew he was about to show you something he wasn’t supposed to. Turning around, your eyes clocked in on the eggplant he was holding over his crotch, then flicked up to his shit eating grin with a raised brow. “Look at my schlong, babe!” 

“You wish it was that big.” You snickered. 

JJ looked immediately offended, head cocked and nose wrinkled in maximum offense taken at your words. “Not cool.” 

“Sorry.” 

“So not cool.” He muttered, chucking the eggplant into the cart with a childish pout. You stifled a laugh, letting the freezer door swing shut before following JJ as he stomped back to the produce section. Grabbing a few produce bags, you milled around, picking up some fruits and veggies to toss into the cart for the week’s dinners. Free food from The Wreck was nice, but you were starting to feel a little bit guilty about freeloading off the Carreras for so long. 

JJ was still moping around from your earlier jest, and now you felt bad, so you came up with your own way to cheer him back up. 

“Hey, J,” You lilted, attempting to get his attention. No response. “Wanna see my melons?” 

That got him good. His head whipped around so fast you wouldn’t be surprised if he’d given himself whiplash, eyes wide at the chance of possibly seeing your boobs. His shoulders slumped in disappointment, however, when he saw that you were in fact not flashing him, but holding two mini watermelons in front of your chest. 

“Funny.” He deadpanned. 

“You didn’t actually think I was gonna show you my tits, right?” You snorted, making your way over to him with your hands on your hips. He shrugged, letting his hands slap against his sides disappointedly. “We’re in public, baby.” 

“That’s never stopped you before.” 

Your face grew warm, and you reached over to shove his chest lightly. “Shut up.” 

“Don’t tell me you’re shy now, Y/N,” JJ smirked, catching your hand and bringing it up to kiss your palm. “What was that thing you were asking me to do last week at the beach? Wanted me to take you in the back of—” 

“Oh my god, stop it.” You hissed, wrenching your hand back. 

“Gimme a kiss and I will,” He countered, puckering his lips at you. You shook your head with a snort, shoving your palm into his face instead of granting his request. 

“Get a grip, dude.” You moved to walk away, but JJ lunged at you, grabbing you and spinning you around in a circle before setting you down again. “JJ!” 

“I’ll get a grip on you, sweetheart,” He growled, biting at the side of your neck gently. 

“Did you just bite me?” You exclaimed incredulously, scrunching your nose in confusion. JJ mumbled something unintelligible, planting a soothing kiss over the spot he’d just bitten instead of answering your very obvious question. 

“Kiss. Now.” 

“JJ—” 

“Please?” He pleaded, squeezing your hip. “I’m dyin’ here, woman, gimme something!” 

You braced your hands on his biceps, craning your neck to brush your lips against his ever so gently, and JJ’s eyes fluttered shut in anticipation for your sweet kiss. What he wasn’t expecting was for you to knee him in the balls—not too hard, you still needed those working for later—and then scamper away. 

“Jesus fuck—ow!” He swore, doubling over in pain. “Baby, what the fuck?” 

“Come and get me, blondie,” You taunted, winking at him before disappearing around the corner of a shelf. JJ only faltered for a second before he took off after you, heavy boots pounding on the tile as he chased you through aisle after aisle, dodging some very annoyed shoppers with his barging across the store. 

You, on the other hand, were a little more polite about it, weaving through carts with a ‘so sorry!’ to every person you passed. In hindsight, inciting a chase in the grocery store wasn’t your best idea, but now that you’d started it, there was no going back. Not until JJ caught you. 

Skidding to a stop in the pet food aisle, you bent over, bracing your hands on your knees as you tried to catch your breath. You didn’t see or hear JJ anywhere, which was a good sign. It meant you could take a break and—

“Gotcha, sweetheart,” JJ’s breath was warm against your neck as he collided with you out of nowhere, snatching you up around the waist and nearly bowling you over in the process. He squeezed you impossibly tight, so tight that your attempts at wriggling out of his arms soon proved a wasted effort. “Thought you could get away with it, didn’t you?” 

“Maybe.” You lilted, winding your arms around his broad shoulders with a sheepish smile. 

“Solid effort, I’ll give you that.” He hummed, mirroring your grin. “Now can I have my kiss? Please?” 

“Yeah, alright,” You’d barely gotten the words out before his lips were moving against yours in an eager kiss. As always, you melted right into him, the feeling of his hot mouth on yours turning you into putty in his muscular arms like it always did. 

“Excuse me, ma’am, sir,” Your kiss with JJ was interrupted by a sharp, nasally voice cutting through the atmosphere, causing you to pull away from your boyfriend with a start. Behind him was a severe looking man in a shirt displaying the store’s logo, frowning at the both of you like you were merely the gum on the bottom of his shoe. 

“Hi. So sorry,” You felt your cheeks flame embarrassingly hot at being caught making out in a random aisle, pushing one hand against JJ’s chest lightly to stop him from going for another kiss, drawing a pout from the blond boy. “We were just—” 

“We’ve been getting some complaints from other shoppers about disturbances to the shopping environment and concerns of inappropriate behavior from the two of you. We’re going to have to ask you to please leave the store.” 

“Come on, man, we were just messing around,” JJ sighed, shifting around to face the guy with a half-assed shrug. 

He didn’t look amused. “Please make your way out of the store, or I’ll be forced to call the police.” 

“No need for that, we’ll go,” You said quickly. Another run in with Peterkin and Shoupe was definitely something neither you nor JJ needed. “Sorry again for the disturbance.” 

Before anyone could say another word, you tugged JJ out of the grocery store and back into the sweltering heat of the parking lot, not stopping until you were safely making your way to the Twinkie parked crookedly towards the back. 

“That was so embarrassing!” You groaned, covering your face with your hands. 

“Disturbances to the shopping environment, my ass,” JJ rolled his eyes, slinging an arm over your shoulder. “Those folks got sticks up their butts.”

“We were being a bit disruptive.” You admitted, smiling guiltily. 

“Only because you wouldn’t give me a kiss. If anything, this is your fault.” 

You shot a playfully pointed look at him. “Whatever.” 

“So…how do we tell everyone we didn’t actually get any groceries?” 

“That is a very good question.” 

taglist!

@scenesofobx @purple-flamingo @milkiane @tenaciousperfectionunknown @strawberryforks @vesperluvsbillie @fearthewalkingbitch @like-gabriel-and-castiel @eichenhouseproperty @dpaccione @directioner5lifw @liltimmyst @lilygreennn @mrstealuregirl @izzymaybank @bubsonnobx @laylasbunbunny

#jj maybank #jj maybank x reader #jj maybank x you #jj maybank x y/n #jj maybank x fem!reader #outer banks #jj maybank imagine #jj maybank fluff #jj maybank one shot #outer banks netflix #obx netflix #outer banks imagine #outer banks one shot #rudy pankow

[oddlykilledghosts]

I Want You To Like Me - Rafe Cameron x reader (Part Three)

Summary: You're a pogue by choice, kook from birth. The friendship that you have with the other pogues is undeniable, no one questions their loyalty for you or your loyalty to them. So when a certain King of the Kooks takes interest in you, it's only right to turn him down. Right?

Apologies for the long wait! Had a lot of ways this chapter could’ve gone…but hopefully you guys like what I ended up on…I also ended with a little less Rafe than I had intended but that equals more parts for later on

Also do you guys want me to share my outer banks playlist I listen to while writing these fics? I also have one specifically for this series! Lemme know

p.s. I had Paramore’s “All I Wanted” on repeat while writing this particular part so do with that what you will

Word Count: 7k

Pairings: Rafe Cameron x reader, John B x Sarah Cameron, platonic!Pogues x reader

The phone call aftermath moved very quickly. You had taken a couple minutes too long, soaking up the air that had reached you in the wind from the ocean in a sore attempt to calm your flushed cheeks, and when you returned to the Chateau Pope was awake and Kie and John B had fallen into an argument that left your stomach heavy with added dread. At least, you thought to yourself, that this dread was familiar. Talking on the phone with Rafe Cameron while he was oh so casually “hitting balls” with Topper and Kelce at the country club most definitely did not fall into that category. Pope, who was using the same cereal bowl as you had been and had hopefully cleaned it before his own use, was sitting in the kitchen in a hungover daze looking like he wanted to step into the fight and use a few calming words but couldn’t quite make the leap there. The Chateau’s exterior door to the screened-in porch creaked on its hinges but the indoor entryway opened without noise when you walked in. This calmed your heart rate after hearing the voices inside get louder when you approached the house, not wanting to involve yourself too much in a fight when you had JJ’s hat to be dealt with. Neither of those things mattered though, because when you stood in the doorway debating how to get to your room without getting in the sight of either of the two bickering pogues, Kie spotted you, just as you deciphered what they were arguing about. Sarah. 

In these types of fights between the pogues, there were always sides, but there was also the essential knowledge that the fighting would eventually be resolved. In being the two girls in the group, you ended up sticking by Kie in a lot of times of need whether you agreed with her or not. JJ tended to pick John B. Pope was always the mediator. It was how things worked. And they worked well. This instance, however, was odd. 1) because JJ was out surfing, 2) You owed John B, and 3) because you needed John B’s help with Rafe that day too…which meant Kie was right AND was going to be left in the dust. Plus, a little bit of you also hated that Kie happened to be right that particular day about that particular (*cough* the Cameron’s) topic. Mostly because that very day you were going to go against almost every word she was saying.

Kie reached a hand out to you, urging you to show your alliance by standing physically next to her. If you went, you would be parallel to John B and crossing a line across the threshold. Her eyes poked holes in your heart, as if her gaze caused the blood to fall slowly out of it and pool around your feet in a painting of guilt. It was one argument. She would forgive you. Except that this small, meaningless fight meant more and you knew it. It meant sides. Sides that weren’t in this room. Sides that you and John B were taking. Were you willing to risk fighting for one kiss? That one kiss swam in your bones and it felt so warm, so similar to the sun hitting your skin. But this was wrong. “Y/N, you know I’m right, right?” Your hesitation caused Kie to falter. Normally, she would be full of confidence and show no mercy to her opponents, but as a friend you held her heart in your hands. Unfortunately, you were about to squeeze a little.

You eyed John B carefully but even he looked a little lost and frustrated as you met his gaze. His eyes wavered a bit just as you stepped a foot closer to his side of the room-

“Y/N kissed Rafe.” The room suddenly felt stiff with hot Outer Banks air as the words fell from John B’s mouth.

“WHAT?” Your head snapped immediately back to John B, while at the same time Kiara echoed your shock and your word and looked towards you. Pope munched on his cereal, still a little sleepy and a little bit scared to intervene until he has his wits about him. Luckily he had already gulped down Kiara’s concoction, as it was sitting empty next to his bowl, so he was sure to sober up faster than usual. 

“And he has JJ’s hat.” John B helpfully added to his last statement.

This time only Kiara spoke, “What the fuck, Y/N.” She placed a hand on her forehead and looked down at her feet which you noticed were a pair of vans that had originally belonged to you.

Heartbeat slowing a bit, you paused, looking between John B and Kiara. When your eyes glanced over John B his own eyes urged you to talk. To say something. You didn’t know what his game was. John B obviously had kept his relationship secret for some time now, only making a slip up the night before. Why couldn’t you? Why couldn’t you figure this out without judgment you knew was going to come from your friends? You thought John B understood this. He had forgiven you easily, but only because of his own indiscretions with the middle Cameron sibling. You knew how much this feud hurt Kie, you had been there when it happened. You couldn’t hurt her like this. 

But you already had. 

Kie stood still for a minute, staring at your silence, and finally after playing with the multiple friendship bracelets on her wrist she spoke again with an exasperated sigh, “Let’s go get the hat, Y/N.”

Then she walked out of the Chateau.

“You should probably follow her.” Pope said between munches, he had already poured himself another bowl. The solo cup that had been taped to his hand from the night before had been attacked and was hanging limply but was still unfortunately attached.

When you started towards the door, Pope added with a heavy amount of side eye towards the leader of the pogues, “Both of you.” John B, not wanting to cross Pope when he was probably right, pushed past you and followed Kie out towards the Twinkie. 

“You’ll talk to-” You said, stopping at the door.

“JJ. Yup.” Pope responded. You gave your friend a smile and he gave you one back, laughing a little cautiously as he added, “You know Rafe’s a dick, right?”

You shook your head, a little happy Pope didn’t seem as mad and a little disappointed in yourself that you were here in this situation at all. “Yeah. Just-”

“Talk to JJ. I know. I’ll distract him until you guys get back.”

When you went to leave you again stopped and turned back to Pope, “You don’t hate me, do you?”

Pope turned towards you with a light and soft smile on his face, “No, I don’t, Y/N. Now let me eat my third bowl of cereal. It’s brain-”

“-food. Blah blah. I’m leaving.”

_______________________

When you reached the cars (there were usually only two there, yours and the Twinkie, as well as JJ’s dirt bike) your car was missing and you assumed JJ had taken it down to his favorite surf spot, so Kie had already made herself comfortable in the front seat of the VW van. When you were close enough to see your friends through the windows, you could tell there had been a little spat before you got there because John B was sulking in the back. 

There were always signs that John B was actually upset, only this time you couldn’t even decipher his side profile. He looked more on edge than anything. You wished you could lend him JJ’s hat, as if transferring the magic again…but you’d have to get the hat first and that seemed like it would happen after Kie killed you both. If Kie was really about to blow up she might think to do it in the Twinkie driving 80 down the highway so no one could hear the lecture she was about to induce upon the two of you. The hat magic might cheer up you and John B after being totally eviscerated though.

You knocked on the driver’s side window, and Kiara, looking a little pissed but not fuming, rolled it down. “Yes?” 

The thing was it was weird you could never view Kiara as angry. Yes, she had a lot of anger towards kooks and the environmental damages people and corporations were doing to the planet, but to you she was easy going and carefree and liked to have fun. Her eyebrows being furrowed always submitted confusion first in your mind, not anger. Especially when it was targeted at you.

“I assume I am also in a backseat timeout?”

“Get in the passenger seat, Y/N/N.”

Nicknames were a good sign, so you followed suit and climbed into the passenger side of the Twinkie and hoped Kiara wasn’t planning on crashing the van in a crime of passion and narrowly escaping as the sole survivor.

At first the drive was very quiet. Neither you or John B spoke, but you did send back and forth worrying glances. It was easy to read John B when you knew him like you did, easier now that he was letting you in on his feelings. His eyes gave everything away, and once you got used to looking in them, more often or not it was hardly a feat to discover what his true purposes were. However, you also wanted to send daggers through John B. But as much as you were angry with him you trusted him. He rarely saved his own ass instead of his friends. If this was an attempt to leech all the anger Kiara had about kooks away from him and onto you, you would’ve been able to tell. And so far, there was no sign of that in his deep brown irises. 

Then finally, halfway across the Cut, Kiara started talking. Well, she was more likely demanding answers than plainly having a chat. It started with a question, “Is what John B said true?”

Both you and John B started speaking at the same time but John B was louder and cut you off, “I wouldn’t lie about-”

Kie snapped back quickly, still keeping her eyes on the road, “I was asking Y/N. So shut up.” John B opened his mouth once more to protest, but no words came out and he closed it just as fast.

You sighed as the Twinkie came to a red light, “Yes. I kissed Rafe last night. To be fair, I think I was drunk. But either way, I’m sorry.”

Kie let out a breath, “Is this an ongoing thing?”

You tried to hide the fact that it might be becoming one, but your hesitation with your answer cued Kie off. “...No.”

“But you like him.”

“Jury’s out on that one.”

John B piped up, “I have a feeling the Jury has its verdict.”

At the same time you reached back to hit him, Kiara again told John B to be quiet. Then she continued and peeked a soft glance at you while she was driving while occasionally looking back to the idle road, “You weren’t going to tell me?”

“Maybe not yet? I was very worried I was making the wrong move.”

She sighed and then pulled over onto the side of the street. “Y/N, yeah, I’m mad at you.” Then she took a deep breath in, and with a little more tension in her shoulders she continued, “But you deserve to figure things out. I’ve mostly figured my side of things out…but you came from that side of the island too. However, you are also a pogue, and you are also my best friend. I don’t want you to get hurt. And Rafe well…” Kiara’s voice was full of hard edges and warnings of being careful (and mostly not to cross her again) but you knew she was trying to be understanding. It wasn’t a full switch from how she had been fighting with John B at the Chateau but it was a kinder (in retrospect) approach.

“He’s quite an interesting choice.” John B piped up.

“Shut up John B.” You and Kie said at the same time, and you turned back to each other a smile tainting both of your lips. Connection. You felt this overwhelming urge to hug your friend. Like it was new and fresh, seeing her with clean eyes. It was refreshing to see that your assumptions about Kiara’s reaction had been wrong. That you were worried about this big explosion and the volcano had passed by nonthreateningly. She was still very much her assertive self, but it was recognizable and not seized with so much anger that you couldn’t move past it. That you had been right to trust your gut that Kie was not harboring anger for you, and she never had been. It would just take her time to understand if this was something you really wanted. It would take time for you to understand.

Although there was still anger there that you could clearly see underneath her civility and in her tone that you would be able to work through it at a later date. Maybe when this whole Rafe thing turned out to be a flitting desire and not something that would cause a bigger debacle. You were sure though, that if Kie had suspected it was just hooking up, she would’ve been less angry. It was one thing to have sex with a Kook and it was another to be thinking about having real feelings for one. Especially Rafe. 

“It’s not like I couldn’t see this coming, you have been in love with him since we were friends with Sarah.” Kie added, crossing her arms and rolling her eyes as she showed off some of the facial expressions she had been holding back. 

“I have not been in love with him-” You protested, pouting a little that you had seemed that transparent.

Kie laughed a little and interrupted you, “Okay sure, recently you’ve said you hated him. Which was apparently a lie.”

“Lie my ass!” You protested again, pushing your friend playfully as she sat still at the wheel of the unmoving Twinkie.

“Well either you’re lying to us or yourself.” John B chided annoyingly as he purposefully messed up your hair and leaned up to where you and Kie were sitting. “I think it’s better I said something, look at you two as close as ever.” 

Which was exactly why John B spilled your stupid dirty laundry, you saw it plain and clear in his eyes and a little bit in that stupid smirk. You had figured it shortly into the drive, but John B didn’t want you to be in his position. Kiara was smart and fierce, but she was also stubborn. If you had wandered over to John B’s side and held your secret close to your chest, your friendship with your best friend might have never been the same. He was saving you from later fights. Because he was right, Rafe could end badly. You might need your best friend for that. Big John never said honesty was the best policy, but you liked to think that he would be proud of the pogues sticking together.

You stole a look at Kie and she nodded in confirmation, then you both used your hands to push John B back into the back of the Twinkie with force. He landed on the floor of the vehicle with a soft thud and a playful chuckle. “John B, you are a quarter forgiven. Don’t push your luck. You’re still dating my mortal enemy.” Kie said with a sharp tongue, throwing a dagger of a look towards your mutual friend. Somehow the incident with you had lightened her mood about Sarah, and you hoped she could also learn to forgive John B for keeping that a secret. You were ready just that morning to lay your life down for the same if not worse conditions.

“Does this mean I’m fully forgiven?” You asked, looking at Kiara and your similar chokers and shared shoes. There was a kinship there, in the things you shared as pogues. As if you were all connected. It showed in JJ’s shirts you found and ended up sleeping in. Or one of Pope’s button downs. But you and Kie shared the most, your styles intermingled and showed the bond. Kook turned pogue, mirror images. 

Kiara sighed and rolled her eyes, “I’m still deliberating. We still have to get the hat back.”

You checked your phone, it was eleven twenty a.m. you still had time to make it to Tannyhill. “Rafe said to meet him at Tannyhill at noon.”

In an attempt to not make things worse, you assumed Kiara elected to ignore that you had made plans to meet up with Rafe, whether it be for JJ’s hat or not. And you were glad she did. You needed your best friend.

“Gun it.” John B said with a smirk, still on the floor of the Twinkie. 

“This thing only goes so fast, Routledge.” Kiara retorted, but pulled back onto the road and hit the gas hard. 

___________________

You got to Tannyhill with ten minutes to spare, which was exceedingly lucky with how fast the Twinkie goes. When you arrived, you noticed that there were a few straggling cars from the night before that were still parked around the house and on the street. This time, rather than what you had thought the night before, you knew Ward would not approve this. He’s more of the kind of man that pretends to be friendly with neighbors and isn’t actually forgiving. But now with less people at the property, it was open enough to pull into the house’s driveway. You really hoped that Rafe was right and Sarah would not be home since everything was still fairly fresh with Kie. Seeing the two girls go head to head would be too much for one morning. 

When finally you made it close enough to the front door, Kiara put the Twinkie into park and looked around, as if a group of Kooks was about to ambush us. When she seemed to think it was all clear, she got out of the car. It was your turn to ask a question, “Where are you going?” you asked, a little afraid of what her answer would be because as soon as you asked it John B was already out of the car too (although a bit more comfortable with the house than Kie seemed to be).

Kie shrugged and motioned for you to come out, “We’re getting the hat, you coming Y/N/N?”

See, to you this could mean many things, and several of them went through your mind. The most common instance is that Kie would pummel Rafe. It was safer than sorry to follow your friends so you didn’t end up locked up after assaulting someone and Rafe claiming a B&E case.

You caught up quickly with your fellow pogues but started to protest that you should go in alone. That it was fine. You could get it and everything would be great. Both of your friends swatted your protests away as soon as you reached the front door. “You need backup,” Kie would say. “We get the hat, get out, it’ll be an adventure,” John B added, though you weren’t quite sure what adventure he was referring to that would land you at Tannyhill. Then Rafe opened the door, with you tugging on John B’s arm to turn back to the Twinkie, John B pulling you towards the door and Kiara’s arms crossed in a defensive pose. You froze with your hands locked around John B’s arm.

“Sarah’s not here.” Rafe said in a bored voice to John B, the door only open enough for his silhouette as if he were afraid all three of you would barge in if he opened it wider. His eyes subtly passed over you in a quick motion as he scanned the three of you and immediately you dropped John B’s arm. A sizable bit of embarrassment washed over you, but you let it go easily as you looked at Rafe in the doorway. Mostly because if anyone at all knew that you weren’t with John B, it would be the Cameron boy. 

Kiara spoke up in a stern voice, “We’re here for the hat, actually.”

Rafe’s eyebrows twitched, as if remembering Kie’s brashness for the first time, “Well, actually, I’m curious why you think I have a hat you would want.”

Kiara pointed towards you without breaking eye contact with Rafe, “This one,” she paused and smiled smugly. “Seems to think you do.”

Rafe looked back to you swiftly but his expression stayed bored and made of stone, and his eyes went quickly back to Kiara, “Then only they can come in.”

Kie crossed her arms and looked at John B as if asking him a question but he shrugged subtly and she went to look at you, “Okay. We’ll be waiting.”

You stepped forward and Rafe opened the door to just fit you through, although you had to duck underneath his arm to get through the threshold. He smelled nice, you’re sure like some expensive cologne he owned, and it wafted close to you as you passed him almost enveloping your senses.

When he shut the door you heard John B yell something through the door that sounded a lot like, “No funny business you two!” And then something like Kie smacking him on his head.

———————————

Rafe led you to the living room, to the same couch on which you had talked to him the night before. But he stayed standing, leaning himself against the wall watching you. You couldn’t tell if he wanted you to sit down so you stayed standing opposite him and crossed your arms in an act to do something with your limbs. It seemed like he was telling the truth about not drinking much, he had been up early to golf and seeing him now he had the same glow around him that came with Cameron sobriety.

“So…” You started, looking at him expectantly. 

“Why are your friends here?” He asked, looking stern and unmoving. The house was more quiet than you remembered in your past kook years and it unnerved you a bit. When you had been friends with Sarah there was always laughing, always the three of you, and the house didn’t seem so big. But occupying the new space there again was the feeling you had, pulling you towards Rafe Cameron, as if it filled the emptiness. It buzzed inside your bones and all of a sudden all you could think about was kissing him again as if this feeling was controlling your every thought. Because you wanted to. You wanted to forget about your friends outside and “kooks vs pogues” and just kiss Rafe Cameron because you could. Because you had, and you weren’t ready to give that up. 

You were staring at his lips when Rafe spoke again, causing you to jolt back up to his blue eyes. “I didn’t think one kiss would have you running off to your friends so fast, Y/N.”

There was a hint of familiarity in his words that awakened your senses back to normal, something that reminded you of the old Rafe when he would tease you and Sarah. You shrugged, “They just want the hat and then they’ll leave.”

“Will you leave?” Rafe prompted harshly, stepping a foot closer to you and away from the wall. His eyes were cloudy and you couldn’t see beyond his intentions. You wanted to believe that he wanted you there. That you could stay. Spend a real day with Rafe away from everyone. 

It took a second for you to decide on your words, but when you did they came out easily, “You invited me, I planned to stick around.” You crossed your arms again after you spoke, a little uneasy in standing your ground. “Now where’s JJ’s hat?”

“Always sticking up for Maybank, Y/N. It’s really hard for me to believe you don’t have a thing for him.” As he spoke he walked towards one of the linen closets and waved you towards it. His words, you knew, were an insult coming from his mouth, but it barely bothered you. JJ and you were very close, as you were with all the pogues. Even John B had once mentioned the two of you becoming a couple. But it was odd it was something Rafe noticed. Then he spoke again, nodding you towards the closet, “Kept it nice and pretty for you.” His tone was a little condescending, but otherwise not laced with malice like you had expected.

You made a face at Rafe and walked over to the closet and when you opened the door there it was. You didn’t want to admit that his comment of ‘Kept it nice and pretty’ was actually accurate as it rested nicely on some fresh white towels. No gasoline stains or smells and no tears in it (as your imagination had led you to believe). It was sitting plainly in the closet. “Why is it-” You started.

Rafe was by your side the minute you spoke, sparing little distance between the two of you. “Didn’t want anyone to see it.” There were doubts to this comment, but you didn’t poke at them. His friends were casually showing up at Tannyhill most days, and even Sarah would’ve asked questions about Rafe having JJ’s hat in his possession.

“And I assume you didn’t want JJ’s hat ‘tainting’ your perfect room. Pogue paraphernalia would never dare to disrupt the King of the Kook’s room.” These words dripped with sarcasm, a usual tone in the Chateau, and it alarmed you that you were making playful remarks at the kook in front of you instead of plainly insulting him. 

Rafe ignored your joke, and slight jeer at him, and glanced at your lips a little too quickly. “Is this a confession that you’ve been thinking of my room, Y/N?”

You stepped back, trying to keep your composure, “No,” You grabbed the hat and pushed through Rafe to make your way back to the front door. You spoke this time now facing away from the kook, and slightly waving him off with the hat in your hand, “According to you, I should be fantasizing about JJ’s room.” Then you added quickly, “If anything.”

Before Rafe could catch up with you, you had already opened the door. Kie and John B fell hard onto the entryway’s hardwood floors as you swung the door open. It was obvious they had been leaning against the door when it had been closed. Either listening or resting against the doorway. Probably listening. You let it go, since you figured they had a right to be a little nosey. When you had opened the door quickly, the two pogues had fallen with a thud and now opened their eyes to you looming over them. “Got the hat.” You said cheerfully to your friends laying on the floor, waving the hat from your fingertips into their view. 

It seemed too easy. Too nice of Rafe to not burn up JJ’s hat in anger at the pogues. They’ve had enough squabbles for that to be possible. But there it was in your hands, and here you were ready to get it back to its owner as if nothing had ever happened. 

A part of you hoped that maybe that hat hinted at something softer in Rafe. The Rafe who might have liked you. Seen you care, and then cared in tandem. It didn’t seem like something he would do, and yet you wanted to hope. 

Kiara grabbed it from your hands and sat up, leaving John B to nurse his head while still laying pathetically on the floor. “Mission accomplished,” Kiara praised, a little in spite of herself and then looked annoyingly down at John B. “Get up, JJ’s probably already at the Chateau.”

At first John B didn’t move but only offered up both of his hands, and after a round of Kiara calling him pathetic you both helped him up. He was a lot heavier than he looked and Kiara kept calling him names but eventually you both got the boy standing upright. Rafe stood watch as you and Kiara struggled, not offering any help because either he knew it wouldn’t be received or he didn’t want to. Both you and Kiara made sure to send an unpleasant face his way but he just shrugged and looked smug. It was quick going after that as you all knew JJ could stay out on the ocean all day, but he wouldn’t as he had a shift at the country club. So there was a small window of him noticing it was gone and your friends being able to retrieve it back to him. 

As John B and Kiara were making their exit they turned back to you, as you had stayed in the entrance to Tannyhill. Kiara called back encouragingly and a bit hopefully, “You coming, Y/N/N?” John B looked more like he knew your answer already and gave you a little nod back towards yourself, and additionally towards Rafe who he could see standing beyond you. You could feel it again, that buzzing, that pull…whatever it was. It was here. And you wanted it. You wanted to feel it. You wanted to fall into it. And as always, it was radiating off of Rafe who was standing a few feet behind you. And now that you were here you were more than aware of his presence.

“No I’m okay, tell JJ I had to go home for the day.” You looked back behind you, catching a glimpse of Rafe again leaning up against the wall and watching you. “I’ll catch up with you guys later.” You waved to your friends, although Kiara looked a little unconvinced of your safety at the Kook residence, but she got into the Twinkie all the same and drove away (mostly after John B gave her a little nudge and not after she gave Rafe the finger). 

You turned around and closed the door.

__________________________

The minute you closed the door, no longer supervised, you felt the pull become stronger. It felt odd to be alone with him. You hadn’t spent this much time with the Kook since your days of being friends with his sister. Him just standing a few feet from you  felt intimidating. A beat of silence passed between the two of you as Rafe took you in.

You prayed he couldn’t hear your quickened heart beat.

“About last night-” You started, playing with the choker Kie had let you borrow. 

Rafe was suddenly moving towards you until he was a couple inches away. Subconsciously he took a small step back, but not quite big enough to give you any actual space to have your own thoughts. His eyes were suddenly harsh but when he spoke it was rushed and quiet, “If you’re going to say it was a mistake-”

You opened up your mouth to speak but he interrupted you before you could. “I don’t think it’s a mistake.”

Part of you wanted to be truthful, that you agreed. That you wanted more of him. But when you opened your mouth again, something else came out. “What?” Nerves got the better of you. This Rafe wasn’t one you were familiar with yet. The one clear with his feelings. Clear with feelings towards you.

That step that he took to separate the two of you was a distance you wanted to sever. And now, subconsciously hating that distance, you took a step forward towards the boy so close to you, and yet it still felt too far. You could practically feel the heat from his body and the breath coming evenly from his mouth and nose on your cheeks. Rafe’s eyes didn’t leave yours. Didn’t even look down to check you out, though he easily could. “Do you want me to say it?” Rafe questioned, leaning towards you a little more, wanting clear in his eyes so locked with your own.

Heat flooded into your cheeks, and you knew he was pretending not to be pleased at the sight. You wanted desperately to kiss him. To stop this pathetic excuse of talking. But you also did want him to say it. To soothe your mind about his intentions. “A little,” you said, trying to keep your voice as even as his. 

“You don’t think I want you?” Rafe chided, turning his head slightly to the side with a smirk. 

“No,” you shook your head. “I think you do and you don’t want to admit it.”

And then, with Rafe’s face twisted slightly in confusion, you closed the gap between the two of your bodies and pulled him close to you. You didn’t want to hesitate anymore, you wanted to dive in. His body reacted, even in his small state of shock at your words, and he melted slightly into you as you kissed, his arms immediately wrapping around you and pulling you as close to him as humanly possible. It was wanting. Wanting each other. Wanting more. Wanting this. His body was warm, so much warmer than you were, and he felt sturdy. Safe somehow. More stern than other people you’d kissed. Your hands found their way up to his hair and it was unsurprisingly soft, you used it to pull him closer to you. He happily obliged to your touch.

You could tell he urged to touch you anywhere he could, but his hands stayed protectively on your back and waist as if holding you was enough for now. They felt nice there, as if you belonged in his embrace. There was something in him holding back and you wanted to let it loose. To scream that he could do what he wanted. You tried to urge that in the kiss, but you let it stay safe.

And then a breath of air, the two of you wanting to breathe but not wanting it to end. When you both detached your hands were on either of his face, cupping him there in a soft touch. And then there were his words, so easily misinterpreted, “Do you want to go up to my room?”

____________________

You had passed Rafe Cameron’s room many times. Laughing with Sarah as you gossiped in the hallway on your way to her room. Knocking on it to remind him to come down for dinner with his family when you were invited over. You remember exactly where it was, but you let Rafe guide you up the stairs with his hand in yours which felt so warm you wished you could bottle his warmth to keep with you when you were cold. His palm burned in your hand as it pulled you along.

The door was closed, just as you remembered, but he opened it easily as he pulled you back onto him and into the unfamiliar space. There was no time to observe what he put on his bedside table or what books he liked to read because Rafe was on you, springing you onto the bed and met you with another kiss there. This time, however, his hands moved along your body and slid along your curves. You were there with him, matching his energy as you urged to tug off the t-shirt he was wearing. 

Kie had been right. You had wanted this. For longer than you even let yourself believe. 

And suddenly you felt a little guilty that you hadn’t seen it before. That you doubted Kiara would support you. That you had waited this long. Because for a second, this felt overwhelmingly right. Right enough that all that time that had passed where this had not happened felt like a waste.

A short breath of air as Rafe pulled off his shirt and leaned down to kiss you again. The quick second he was away from you, the pull you had begun feeling reappeared but this time it was intoxicating and welcoming and pleasurable all at once, and it begged you to bring him back down for another long kiss.

“Wait-” You said, short of breath and flushed in your cheeks. 

Rafe stopped, even though you hadn’t expected him too, and loomed over you expectantly as his body heat encapsulated you in warmth, “What?” He replied, sounding a little annoyed.

“I just-” You paused, pushing a small lock of hair from his face and brushing your hand against his face. He seemed to suddenly freeze at your touch, as if it was too intimate for him. The world honestly could’ve stopped right there for you, just looking up at him. But then another thought came into your mind. “Is this what you had in mind for a date?” You questioned, confusion and annoyance mixing into one now that you remembered what he had said on your short phone call earlier in the day. 

Rafe rolled off of you and onto the bed that was unoccupied on your right and let out a small huff, “No.” Was all he said. He didn’t move to fetch his shirt that was now discarded on the floor. 

All you had to do was turn your head to look at him, so you did, and he was staring at his ceiling fan with his eyebrows knit together. His own face was also a little flushed and you wanted to touch his cheek again to see if his own warmth was magnified there. “I don’t want to be a hookup Rafe.” Was what you replied. 

Rafe turned his head, his face still stern and unreadable, while little strands of his hair falling into his eyes as he did so, and calmed a single piece inside of you that thought you were being played by the eldest Cameron, “We have a reservation at the Island Club this evening.”

“What?” A little shock went through you as you sat up at his confession. You were going to be seen in public while having dinner with Rafe Cameron. As your first date. An actual date. Did he bring every girl to the Island Club on their first date? You didn’t think he did, you’d never heard that before anyways. He was casual, you’d seen him date girls his dad wanted him to. But even when you were at the Island Club with your family, you’d never seen a girl on Rafe’s arm or at the Cameron’s table other than his sisters. This was something bigger, and here he was saying it.

“Do you not want to go?” Rafe asked, rubbing his eyes, still laying on his back.

You looked down at the boy, “I’m just surprised. I was about to have sex with you.”

“You were surprised you were going to have sex with me?” 

“No. Rafe. It’s just- This is all very confusing.”

That made Rafe sit up to meet your eyes at a clear level. “Y/N.”

“I was just about to go against everything and become a hookup and here you are saying we have this reservation-” You ached to touch him again, but the inches between the two of you on the bed felt like it was growing with each second. 

Rafe interrupted you, “Do you think it was Sarah’s idea to invite John B to the party last night?” 

This threw you off for a second. 

“Yes?” You phrased this as a question, but it seemed obvious to you that it was Sarah’s decision.

“When she asked, I told her she could invite him hoping his friends would come. Hoping you would come.” Rafe’s face stayed stoic and his chest moved evenly, but what he said didn’t sound confident like he usually did. It sounded like it was the truth, behind a wall he didn’t want to let down.

“But you hate pogues.” Rafe looked at you like you were stupid until you realized what he was saying, “You sat next to me on purpose.”

This time Rafe raised his eyebrows in annoyance, “It took awhile for Maybank to leave you the fuck alone, that’s for sure.”

A beat of silence as you went through the night before. 

“What if I didn’t come? What if I didn’t like you?” You wanted reassurance because you did like him. More than you wanted to admit. You wanted to ignore your differences and all of Rafe’s past shit and just be.  You wanted him to say it. 

Rafe dodged your questions with a response of his own, holding eye contact with you. “You aren’t a hookup, Y/N. Okay? Does that answer your question?”

For a split second you had to process. As if this was information you hadn’t quite gotten a hold of just yet. But there it was. Rafe Cameron actually liked you. He was closed off, sure, but this was his way of saying it. Of saying he would’ve tried harder. How many times had you seen him pick up food at The Wreck when you were there? Especially when you know he knows that it’s part pogue institution. Or out of the corner of your eye when you visited JJ at the Island Club? Or trying to talk to you at last year’s Midsummer's but Kiara kept butting in and pulling you away?

“Yes,” You said, moving a little closer to the boy. “It does.” Your heart was pounding. You did want to have sex with Rafe. Maybe not now. Maybe not even on your third date. But you wanted to. You wanted there to be a third date. You wanted to like him. 

You touched his face and moved on top of his lap, “Kiss me again.” You whispered close enough so only he could hear.

And he did.

☆taglist: @totallynotkaibiased @asimpwriter @kriss-harrington @parkershoco @sarahlizzie @craftyalmondghostflap @siriuslysmoking @igotmajordaddyissues @strngtsblog @fangirlfree @slvtherinseeker

#rafe cameron #rafe obx #rafe cameron imagine #rafe cameron x reader #outer banks #obx fanfic #obx #rafe cameron fanfiction #rafe cameron fanfic #obx2 #obx3 #john b routledge #john b #kiara carrera #pogues #pogues x reader #obx kooks #pogue life #obx pogues #creative writing #writing #fanfic #x reader #reader insert #fanfic author #fanfic writing #fanfic writer #fanfiction

[loveharlow]

ONE - "FRIENDS"

CHAPTER SYNOPSIS; [2.6k] The Pogues leave the comfort of their island and travel onto another. An all-expenses paid trip, courtesy of Ward Cameron's parental guilt fund. Exhausted and aching from the compact plane seats, they've reached their destination. Welcome to Orlando, pogues.

CHAPTER WARNING(S); swearing, a tad bit slow because this is the first chapter but it's still cute

A/N; So I promise this idea came out of nowhere but I'm so in love with it like when I say I did the entire planning for this in a couple hours I mean it. It's angsty and cheesy and exactly what I wanted so I hope you like it!

series masterlist. jj masterlist.

A WEEK EARLIER…

“Guys! Guys! You will not believe what just happened.” shouts a giddy Sarah, practically skipping into the Chateau with a bright smile on her face. Her eyes are lit up like a kid with a sugar rush and she’s basically bursting through the front door, plopping down beside her boyfriend on the couch.

We were just sitting around seeing as we hadn’t had much to do since we’d all graduated last week.

“We’re going to Florida.” Sarah gushed, the smile never leaving her features. However, JJ snorted, everyone turning to him with raised eyebrows but we were just as confused.

“Yeah and I was the first person to walk on the moon.” He mocked. Sarah’s face fell and I plucked his arm, muttering ‘don’t be a dick’. 

“I’m being serious.” Sarah said a little sadly.

“Sarah, we can barely afford a ferry to the Mainland. What makes you think we could afford to go to Florida?” John B quipped.

“Oh, I don’t know, maybe the plane tickets my dad bought for all of us to go there next week.” She said in a teasing tone, pretending to look at her nails. All of our eyes went wide. It was a shocked silence that filled the small space until Kie spoke up, visible bafflement written across her face.

“Why would Ward Cameron pay for us to go on a trip?....What does he want?” She was met with hums of agreement and Sarah’s triumphant smile accompanied by a small giggle.

“He doesn't want anything. I think he feels bad about how he treated John B when we first got together. More specifically, I shut him out since he treated you guys like shit and he thinks money is the solution to everything. He also says it’s a graduation gift. Look,” She pulls out her phone from the back pocket of her shorts.

She scrolls and taps for a minute or so then turns her phone around for the rest of us to see. “-six economy tickets from the Outer Banks to Orlando. Believe me now?” She questions cockily.

We stare at the screen, murmurs of ‘holy shit’ echoing out around the room. 

“No first class?” John B asks.

Sarah snorts and puts her phone away. “He doesn’t feel that bad.”

PRESENT…

“Attention passengers, the seatbelt sign is now off and the plane has landed. Be mindful of passengers when retrieving your belongings from the overhead bins. Welcome to Orlando.”

Rubbing my eyes, I lifted my head from JJ’s shoulder. It was him, Pope, and myself in a row—Pope begging for the window seat to take pictures and JJ giving it to him without a fight, taking the seat closest to the aisle and leaving me in the middle. He may not want to admit it but it was easy to see the way he tensed when the plane took off, roughly swaying us back and forth as it gained speed to take off. 

He relaxed halfway there, though. I connected to the plane's wifi and turned on one of the free movies, even though I ended up dozing off.

Passengers were gathering their things and shuffling through the narrow aisle as we waited for a while until we could get up comfortably and grab our own. Once there were less people crowding the cabin, we unbuckled ourselves and stood up with groans, the seats causing mild discomfort. 

We grabbed our bags from the bins, my bag a bit heavier than I recall, almost causing it to hit me in the head before JJ’s hand shot out. “I told you the bag was heavy.” He reprimanded, lowering my small duffel bag and handing it to me. I rolled my eyes, “Yeah, yeah. I got it.”

He playfully glared at me before lightly pushing my shoulder. “Get off the plane, you brat. This cabin is too small, it’s making me nauseous.”

I laughed but walked up, following behind the other half of our group that was walking in front of me. “Correct me if I’m wrong but is JJ Maybank scared of planes?”

“Yeah, right-” He deflected, exiting the cabin behind me with Pope following behind him sleepily, wishing the attendants a farewell. “Never. But nobody wants to sit in this ice box all day.” He retorted, now walking beside me as we walked up the ramp that connected the actual airport and the plane.

“You have a point. It was so fucking cold.”

“You don’t have to tell me.” He chuckled. “Don’t think I didn’t notice when you slipped off your crocs and wrapped your cold ass feet around my ankle.”

My jaw dropped slightly as I felt a heat rush to my cheeks. It was something I had done almost subconsciously, noting how warm he was during the flight as I laid my head on his shoulder. I had just kicked off my crocs and pushed them under my seat with my heel and wrapped them around his leg. “I didn’t think you would mind.”

“I didn’t.” He winked. I scoffed and walked slightly ahead of him seeing as we fell behind the group a bit.

“C’mon, I want coffee and a cookie.” I urged him to catch up with myself and the group.

OUR GROUP HAD SPLIT, SORT OF. Kie and I were standing in the small line at a coffee shop in the airport while everyone else was at baggage claim. It wasn’t too long but there was still a wait. It was about a quarter past 3 pm so people weren’t really craving coffee at the moment. The other stops like pizza and sandwiches had a pretty decent wait, though.

“Did JJ and Pope want anything?” Kie inquired.

“Pope just wanted water and JJ wanted tea.” She just nodded and moved up in the line.

“So…” She started. She looked like she would explode if she didn’t ask whatever was on her mind so I turned to her with questioning eyes and motioned for her to ask her question. “You’re sharing a room with JJ. How do you feel?” She sang with a kiddie-ish smile on her face, grabbing my arm and shaking it a bit, causing my own smile to form.

“It’s not that big of a deal, Kie. It’s not like we haven’t slept in the same bed before.” I replied, slightly awkward. It was as clear as day to see that I had a crush on JJ. We’re best friends and we have been since elementary school. He made me feel things that no one ever has. No friend, no boyfriend. It was like my heart beat a certain way just for him. 

A way that made my head spin and my mind go blank. And up until about a year ago, I was convinced that best friends was all we’d ever be. For context, JJ had kissed me at a kegger almost a year ago. That was the first time we’d kissed but it wasn’t the last.

So why aren’t we together? Because JJ Maybank doesn’t do feelings. That's the only reason I can come up with, anyway. But as far as I know, JJ and I have kissed a number of times on different occasions and each time I try to talk to him about it, he’ll avoid me like a virus or act like he’s busy until I stop trying to bring it up. They aren't even like full-on kisses. Sometimes it can just be a little peck. It's almost like he does it on accident.

“You’re right, it’s not a big deal.” Kie agreed. “It’s a huge opportunity. You can get laid or a boyfriend. Or both.”

“Kiara.” I whisper-yelled. “Oh my- please, stop.” I hissed as we approached the counter. We relayed everyone’s drink requests to the cashier, who informed me that they only had sugar-free cookies. Ew. We rounded to the other end of the small kiosk where others were waiting to pick up their orders. 

“I’m just saying. You guys have been running circles around each other for years. One of you needs to say something before it’s too late and you end up as one of those 'what if’s', y’know?”

I sighed and dropped my head forward. I was achy from the plane and I felt a mild headache coming on. “Can we please just drop this for right now? Please?” I pleaded with the girl beside me. I knew she was only trying to give me that ‘push’ but I just wanted my coffee and to sit down somewhere comfortable.

“Fine.” She complied. “I’ll stop. For now.”

“6 drink orders for Kiara!” The barista mildly shouted from her place behind the counter, Kie and I walking up and grabbing both cardboard trays of drinks and she handed us a handful of straws. Thanking her, we walked off in the direction of baggage claim where the others should’ve been waiting.

Kie examined her hand that held the straws. “Plastic straws? People never learn.” She grumbled, annoyed. I couldn’t help but smile fondly. Only Kie, I thought.

WE WERE NOW WALKING THROUGH THE GARAGE CONNECTED TO THE AIRPORT. Apparently, Ward had thrown in a rental car, too. A black, seven seater BMW. The walk was quiet, aside from the sounds of everyone drinking the decently prepared beverages from the coffee stand. Sarah was clicking the noise button on the keys in search of our temporary vehicle.

Once we heard the sound of the car, Sarah let out a silent ‘thank you’ and everyone let out satisfied hums. Approaching the car, Sarah popped the trunk and prompted everyone to pile their suitcases and bags inside. I let go of my suitcase, which JJ had kept an eye out for in baggage claim while Kie and I were gone, so I could slide my bag off of my arm and into the trunk.

When I turned around my suitcase was gone, my head whipping around as I heard the clanking of wheels and turned back to the trunk to see JJ putting it inside. Since my bag was the last and everyone was already piling into the vehicle, JJ closed the trunk, turning to me with a smile that said ‘don’t mention it’. I just nodded and gave him a small smile. 

We rounded the vehicle to climb in, the seat pulled down in the back which I assumed was for me to climb in and sit next to Kie who was in the last row. Pope was in the second row and John B and Sarah were upfront, Sarah driving. 

“Sorry,” Pope started, looking in my direction. “My legs are too long to be all the way back there.” I shook my head with a small smile as I climbed in, “It’s cool.” Once I was settled next to Kiara in the back, JJ pushed the seat back up, securing us in and climbing in himself and shutting the door.

Sarah started the car. 

“I thought you had to be like 21 to rent a car.” John piped up.

“Dude, Ward paid for this. He found a way.” Pope added.

“He’s not wrong.” Sarah replied with a shrug. “Let’s just pray not to get pulled over. John B, pull up the navigation.”

“Why can’t you do it? I wanna sleep.” 

“Because I’m driving. Just pull it up.” 

John B groaned but pulled out his phone and entered the address of the AirBnB as Sarah read it to him. She turned on the radio and let it play lowly as she pulled out of the garage.

AFTER ABOUT FORTY-FIVE MINUTES LATER, WE PULLED UP TO THE HOUSE. It was almost 5pm so the sun was still out. Finally being away from the airport gave everyone a little boost of energy, no longer as exhausted or tired. Instead, almost beaming with excitement as we stared up at the house we’d be staying at for the next few days through the window as Sarah pulled the vehicle into the driveway.

“Goddamn.”

“It’s so pretty.”

“Is that a hot tub?”

Turning off the car, Sarah hopped out followed by the rest of us. We stood outside of the car, peering up at the house. It seemed to be a two story home, an off white color on the outside, a balcony poking out on the second floor, pristine windows on the outside, and the big freely moving plants and palm trees surrounding the front door. You could also see what seemed to be a couple deck chairs and a hot tub around the side. 

Everyone started moving to grab their belongings from the trunk, visibly more energized with little smiles on their faces. When everyone had everything, we made our way to the front door where there was a keypad to unlock it. Sarah punched in the code that she received from Ward that the homeowners had sent to him when he booked the house. With the door open, we all shuffled inside taking in the interior. It was nice and modern. A small foyer when you walk in, a slightly curved staircase leading upwards to the bedrooms, walking further you were met with the kitchen which was clean and smelled like lemon. 

The cabinets and structures were a kind of charcoal-ish gray and spotless, a small island in the middle of the room set with 3 bar stools and 3 lights hanging above. To the right of the kitchen was the living room, a simple L-shaped sofa with a flat screen sitting above a TV-stand. 

I walked out into the backyard, John B following mindlessly as everyone else wandered around as well to scope out the place. There was a short gravel path leading to where I spotted the outdoor furniture earlier. A small hot tub accompanied by two neutral colored deck chairs and a small circular glass table between them.

Walking back into the house and going back to where I saw the staircase, I ascended it. Reaching the upper floor, there were five doors. 3 were open and revealed a queen-size bed in each with their own quirks—tv’s, dressers, closets, desks, etc. The other two doors, one of which was a bathroom and the other a linen closet filled with soap, body wash, towels, and other essentials, were cracked open allowing us to see inside.

At the sound of Sarah’s voice, everyone gathered back in the small foyer downstairs where we had abandoned our luggage.

“So, for the rooms-” She started. The pairs had already been established so she was just making sure everyone was okay with the rooms. Her and John took the room all the way to the left, Pope and Kiara in the room in the middle, and JJ and I in the room all the way to the right. She stated there were bathrooms in each room as well and to make sure we keep this place as organized as possible.

Everyone nodded and set off to their assigned rooms for the rest of our stay. I followed JJ as he ignored my protests stating I could carry my suitcase up the stairs myself. He had his own backpack on, his suitcase in his left hand and my suitcase in his other. We both entered the room and it was quite spacious. Not overly large but definitely bigger than anything we were used to back home.

The bed was in the middle facing the TV against the wall opposite to it, black bed sheets and pillows. There was a closet to the left of the bed against the wall next to the bathroom door.

JJ sat all of the bags out of the way, me following suit with my small duffel bag as he sighed dramatically and fell back onto the bed. “Oh, this feels amazing.” He closed his eyes.

I nudged his calf with my foot. “Scoot over.” He shuffled to the side as I plopped down next time, turning to face him. He was right, the mattress was soft and felt like it was molding to every part of my body.

“This trip is going to be great.”

A/N; So this is the start to a small series I came up with. This chapter was just an introduction of sorts so I'm sorry it moved a bit slow, I know it felt like filler but the next chapter is so damn cute.

feedback is appreciated! thanks for reading.

©loveharlow

#jj maybank #jj mayback x reader #jj mayback imagine #obx jj #jj maybank x reader #obx jj maybank #obx jj x reader #obx netflix #obx fanfiction #rudy pankow #rudy pankow x reader #jj maybank one shot #jj maybank fluff #jj maybank imagine #jj maybank series

[ashes-writing]

outer banks ● one girl two guys pt 5 ● j. maybank + t. thornton

(( changing up the photos a little bit. bear with me. these came from pinterest, btw. and they're part of my little image hoard.))

warnings

complicated relationships... all around., jealousy, angst. pining, friends to lovers, looots of PDA ( you've been warned, if you're not fond of touching/kissing/affection) , fluff. Kiara -and her audacity, Sarah -and her jealousy, eventual filth, confrontations of the verbal and possibly physical kind. rivalry. mentions of alcohol + 🍃, sex / pda and varying states of undress and other potential adultier themes to come. sarcasm and dark humor, ig.

word count

3407 exactly. welcome to part 5. for the context, here's part 4.

-- y'all are gonna be so fucking siiiick of me and my bullshit,oops rip.

summary

One girl. Two guys. You're feeling torn. This can't possibly go wrong or be messy at all.. Right?

-- my summaries are traash and I own this.

taglist + shoutouts

-- taglist for outer banks -as well as every other fandom I write for can be found ( here ). If you'd like to be on it, please add yourself or let me know, i'll happily add you.

@tbmunson - i love you sm bestie. you knew i was going to tag you for this bc you're my inspiration, always!!

@valentineshiftz - your comments omg you don't know how much they mean to me. i can't even begin to thank you and I'm so glad you're enjoying this.

@writingreadinglurkingandsmirking - your comments make my day, like.. i'm living for your reactions!

other links

masterlist ● jj's masterlist ● topper's masterlist ● about+ rules

“Burger and fries for table 2. All dressed.” you tell the cook in back the order from table 2 and you’re heading back out with a pitcher of beer and the appetizer they ordered and Kiara stops you halfway out of the kitchen. 

“What? I’m kind of busy, Kiara.”

“You’ve been talking to Topper Thornton a lot lately.” Kiara’s staring at you with a solemn look and her arms folded. You blow a bubble with your gum, raise your brow at her. “Yeah? And?”

“I just don’t think that’s a good idea, ___. And it’s really upsetting JJ.” Kiara tacks on that last part and you laugh quietly. “It’s not upsetting him. It shouldn’t be. I mean… correct me if I’m wrong here, you’re the girlfriend.”

“Right. And as the girlfriend, I just thought.. Nevermind. Look, you hate me and I get that. But JJ hasn’t done anything.”

You blow out a breath. “Now kind of isn’t the time to talk about this, Kie. The place is packed. Look.. I’m just trying to finish out my shift here, okay? I’ve got stuff to do later.”

“We used to be friends, ___.”

“Yeah? Blame your mom. Maybe if she’d keep her fucking nose out of places it doesn’t belong.. Maybe if you didn’t go home telling her everything.. A friend would have kept their mouth shut, especially if they knew opening it might come with the risk of their friend being sent to live with some asshole who never wanted their friend born to begin with.” you’re blowing up but you can’t help it. Kiara rubs her forehead. “I’m sorry, okay? Maybe I just thought..”

You cut her off. “Did I ask you to think? Did I ask for help, Kie? No. No, I didn’t.”

She takes a deep breath. “Fair enough. So that’s why you hate me? It’s not because I’m with JJ?”

,, oooh… go ahead, ___. Tell her the truth.” the thought comes and for a second, you seriously play with the idea. But in the end, you decide against it. Because you’re trying so hard to keep from pushing JJ away completely. Because when this thing with Kie comes to a bitter end -and it will, you know Kiara too well, she gets bored too easy- you don’t want to have alienated him. You don’t want him to feel like he can’t come to you.

“I don’t care who you date. The fact that you even think I do is kind of stupid. Possibly even a little self-centered.” you laugh as you look at her, smirking. Watching your comment settle over her because you’re that special kind of petty to a point where you have to hurt someone exactly as much as they hurt you.

You weren’t always like this.

But then everybody in your life disappointed you. Kept hurting you, kept breaking promises. Now you live in a constant state of defense mechanisms active.

“You need to apologize to JJ. Because it bothers me to see him like this.”

When she says this, you’re half out of the kitchen. You pause in the doorway and you look back, mouth agape at her audacity, -and maybe the fact that she’s apparently so clueless that she doesn’t know why things are strained between you and JJ Maybank right now.

The fact that he hasn’t bothered to tell his poor and clueless pretty little girlfriend anything only cuts just a little more. Because it basically confirms what you’re already figuring out. He doesn’t feel the same way about you and when you tried to show him how you felt back at the beginning of summer, it was probably the stupidest thing you could’ve done.

You’re tempted to tell her exactly what went down that night but you don’t for reasons that have everything to do with not making things worse or causing problems between the boy you’re in love with and his flavor of the month. The thought, as it comes, leaves a bitter taste in your mouth. ,, you’re pitiful. A real mess,  y’know? Just tell her. See how quick she is to demand you be the one to apologize then.” 

“You need to keep your nose out of my life.” you finally manage to respond, walking out into the front of the restaurant. You let the door slam behind you. Kiara stands there, a hand caught in her hair. Staring at the door because she’s now got the strong feeling that she’s missing a lot of context.

The rest of the short shift passes by in a blink. Around the end of it, just as you’re clocking out, you’re surprised to see Topper and his friends standing outside one of the big windows in the front. Topper sees you and he starts to make faces at you, making it hard to focus, making you snicker quietly as Anna is telling you about some stupid party the restaurant is hired to cater at the end of the week. 

Kiara’s barely listening, she’s paying closer attention to the way you and Topper act with each other. Because you’ll glance over and pull a crazy face right back at him and at one point, you’re pretending like you’re going to fall asleep on your feet as if you’re bored out of your skull.

Anna finally finishes talking to you and Kie, releasing you both from work for the afternoon. You rush out and Topper is leaned against the front wall of the building, sipping a snow cone through a straw as he holds one out to you. You take it and suck it down greedily.

Kelce is looking from you to Topper wordlessly. Rubbing his chin in thought, especially when you and Topper seem to migrate closer together as a crowd of tourists overtakes the sidewalk and forces this to happen. Topper’s got a hand at your waist and you’re staring up at him.

“C’mon, man. We’re losing peak waves.” Kelce points out, barely hiding laughter as he glances from you to Topper. He’s just seen Sarah and John B walk past but his best friend has been so caught up in staring at you for a few seconds now that Topper didn’t even notice they walked past.

And Kelce is thinking to himself that’s definitely a good sign. Maybe the idiot will leave Sarah Cameron alone and stop running back the second she comes around batting her lashes, even hinting that she might want him back.

Topper finally breaks out of his daze, responding to Kelce. “Yeah. We should get going.”

Your brain’s finally done a full reset and you manage to nod, muttering a quiet “Yep.” in agreement. Topper turns his attention to you again. “You have sunblock.. Right? Because you got burnt really bad the last time we went out.”

You hold up your backpack. “In here somewhere.”

When he slips an arm around you as the three of you make your way down the dock to Topper’s waiting boat, you’re pulled into his side, the scent of his designer cologne enveloping you as you breathe it in before you can stop yourself from doing it. And it’s becoming  habit by this point, it’s getting so that if you’re out somewhere and you even think you catch a whiff of it -or similar scents- you’re looking for Topper’s face in the crowd.

This thought, as it hits, is more than a little scary.

He steps onto his boat, reaching out. Grabbing you by the hips to pull you on board. You’re laughing about it and the sound carries. The sound of your laughter manages to get the attention of JJ as he pulls the Pogue to a stop on the opposite side at the end of the dock. When he looks up just in time to see Topper Thornton pick you up by the hips and pull you onto his stupid little boat, he glares at Topper.

Topper gives him this little shrug, it’s mild. He smirks too. Holds JJ’s gaze as JJ looks from Topper to you, your back is to him so you don’t see. You’re staring up at Topper and the pang of jealousy that hits JJ takes him by surprise.

It shouldn’t bother him to see his best friend happy and he knows this. But then he’s thinking back to that night about two months ago. When you were in his lap, your arms around his neck. All cozy with him. When you told him he was pretty. When you told him you wanted to kiss him and he panicked and shut down because it was everything he wanted and he didn’t know how to handle it beyond the fear that overtook after you said it. He’s aware that he got in his own way. And for a while, he thought maybe that wasn’t a bad thing.

Seeing you with Topper all the time lately has him starting to wonder if he was wrong about that theory. Feeling like his reaction that night to the way you were being so affectionate was a complete mistake.

The boat takes off and he watches as you and Topper disappear from view.

John B and Sarah wander over and John’s jaw flutters. As soon as he sees the anger blaze in his best friends eyes, he nods. Because he’s just seen the way his girlfriend was looking at her ex boyfriend as if he was betraying her. And he hasn’t said anything to Sarah yet but it’s really bothering him.

“You saw ‘em too, huh?”

“Mhm.” JJ answers, glancing from John B to Sarah. He shares a look with his best friend and then he shrugs. “We need to get a move on. Pope’s waiting.”

“Yeah.”

Kiara rushes over, throwing her arms around JJ. She’s upset again and when she starts telling JJ why, he nods quietly. And a sliver of hope lingers even though it shouldn’t, taking hold. You didn’t tell Kiara about what happened between you and him earlier this summer. ,, or what didn’t happen but could’ve happened.” he reminds himself, bitter at the thought.

If you were really all in with Thornton, it stands to reason you would’ve just told her.

,, or maybe she’s a good person and she didn’t want to do something to mess you and Kiara up. Kiara’s your girl, man. You can’t have them both.”

But selfishly, in an ideal world, this is what he’d want. Because he feels very strong feelings for you both and it’s got him torn two different ways.

“When did that even happen? How?” Sarah speaks up. Kiara shrugs. “It’s probably a rebound thing. That or he’s up to something.”

“He’s not like that.” Sarah says it and she can feel John B staring at her. She looks up at him and sighs. “He’s not, okay? Maybe it’s a good thing, maybe he’s moving on.”

But deep down, the fact that he might just be moving on.. This bothers Sarah just a little more than it should.

–

You gulp as soon as you see the waves today. You melt into Topper’s side just a little and for a few seconds, you wonder exactly what you let yourself be talked into. Topper chuckles. “You’ll be fine, okay? I won’t let anything happen.”

You nod. Swallowing hard. Gazing up at him and then glancing back out at the water. “That wave was big.”

“It’s not as scary as it looks. But first..” Topper nods to his board, “You need to learn how to stand. C’mere.” he steps away, standing by his board. You’re pouting a little before you even realize it, you didn’t want him to let go yet and this thought as it settles in, has your mind reeling.

,, okay but you did say it yourself when you were arguing with JJ not so long ago. You’re definitely attracted to Topper Thornton physically. That’s it. That has to be all this is…Right?”

Deep down, you’re starting to suspect it’s not. But you’re not about to let yourself acknowledge it. Because you’ve started to get close to Topper and you like being friends with him. God knows that falling for him might possibly have the same end result as you, finally making a desperate attempt to clue JJ in to how you felt about him at the beginning of summer. 

You wander over and you step onto the board. You swallow hard when Topper steps on behind you, hands at your waist as he pushes down on your body just a little to get you to bend down like you need to be. “Keep your feet apart.”

“Like this?” you question. Topper nods, chuckles quietly. “Like that. You’re going to feel like your balance is off when you’re out there. If you have to, put your arms out.” his hands leave your hips to settle on your arms and he guides them into place. He’s pressed against you from behind.

From nearby on the sand, Kelce chuckles. “She needs to turn her foot a little, dude.”

Topper looks down and nods. “Yeah. He’s right. You need to turn your foot towards the front of the board.”

“This is complicated. How the fuck do you remember all this?” you’re exasperated with yourself because you’re just feeling like you have to look awkward. And you’re a little scared because you know they go out where the water will be over your head. You can swim exactly enough to save your life and that’s it.

Topper chuckles at your outburst, the sound sending just the teeniest jolt racing through you. “Relax.” he mutters quietly, his lips grazing the shell of your ear. “You can swim right?”

“Uhm..” you give him a sheepish look. He bites his lip. “Okay, change of plans. Because you kind of need to learn to swim first. You’re going to wipe out.”

You nod. And then he’s scooped you up, making you laugh and have to throw your arms around his neck to hang on. He’s carrying you out into the water and Kelce, just to be a little shit, he hollers out, “Jesus. Get a room, guys.”

You can feel a slow heat work it’s way from the pit of your stomach when you lock eyes with Topper as he laughs. That heat spreads through you til it’s settled in the tips of your ears. He’s teasing you a little when he asks, “Are you blushing right now?”

You pout up at Topper a little. “I don’t blush.”

“I think you do. I think you are.”

“Am not!” you smack at his chest lightly and you laugh. And it’s a real one. You haven’t really laughed in a while. It feels good to laugh again.

When he starts to wade out to where the water is starting to creep up your body higher, you cling to Topper. “Hey, whoa..” he coaxes. “It’s okay. I’ve got you. Relax.”

You nod and you’re staring up at him, lost in the varying shades that make up his eyes. You’re staring really hard. It’s hard enough that he’s staring right back. “I’m gonna lower you down a little.. Okay? But my hands are gonna stay on you, I swear. I’m not going to let you drown. Relax.”

“Easy for you to say, you were swimming and surfing at birth.” you mutter, the softness in your voice has him biting back a quiet groan.. Especially now that it’s combined by the way he feels holding you right now. He chuckles quietly. “I wasn’t.”

“You were! You won your first surfing thing when you were like what.. Ten?”

“How’d you know that?” he laughs. You laugh softly. “JJ entered too. I had to listen to him have an angry meltdown when you won and he didn’t.” you admit quietly. Topper chuckles. 

But then he stops to think about it. Realizes that he’s seen you at a few of his competitions when they’re local. JJ hasn’t entered one in years.

He doesn’t say anything though because he’s not trying to give himself any reason to get his hopes up. So when you admit to going to a few shows he’s been in because it’ll pass time, he’s a little shocked.

,, Kildare is boring. She was just looking for something to do.” is countered by ,, But she was there. Sarah couldn’t even be bothered.” and it’s not much but it’s somehow more than even his own girlfriend at the time could be bothered to do.

“Something just nipped my foot!” you’re squealing, clinging to him even more and he realizes in this moment that if his goal was not to fall for you, yeah.. He’s beyond fucked.

He laughs. “Are you gonna be okay, ___?”

“Haven’t you seen Jaws? I know what’s in deep water, dude.” you’re pouting up at him as you say it and he laughs again. “Jaws is a movie.”

“And what makes it scary is that it fucking happens on occasion. Sharks get snackish.”

“I’m not gonna let you become shark bait.”

“You’re not gonna be able to stop it!” you’re being dramatic and you know it. But you’re both laughing. For once you’re having fun. You don’t have so many negative things in your mind threatening to take over. You want to enjoy the moment.

Topper lowers you to the water and he keeps his arms beneath you. You suck in a breath. Stare up at him. “Okay. Relax. Try to float.”

“I’m telling you, I will sink.”

“No you won’t.” Topper’s voice has a calming effect. You try to relax and you’re even floating a little. Until the second you feel him slowly slipping his arms out from beneath you, then your eyes are popping open and you sink down just a little. When you come back up, you splash him. He splashes back. Picks you up by your hips. Your legs slip around his waist. “Better? Now will you stop freaking out on me? People are gonna think I’m drowning you, woman.” he’s barely hiding laughter.

You pout at him again. But you slip your arms around his neck and nod, biting your lip as you stare at him and the laughter dies away. “Yeah. Much.” you respond quietly. 

Then he dunks you both and you surface from beneath the water, splashing at each other. Kelce paddles out on his board. “Since you two are gonna goof off, I’m napping.”

You share a look with Topper and as Kelce’s board floats past, he reaches out, tipping Kelce off. Kelce comes up from beneath the water, sending up rowdy splashes. Soaking both of you because the second you realize the water is up to your mouth now and you can’t touch bottom with your toes, you fling yourself at Topper all over again dramatically, wrapping your arms around his neck and your legs around his waist as you cling to his body.

“Hey! Easy, man.” Topper gives Kelce a dirty look but Kelce chuckles, mimics the sound of a cracking whip as he looks from his best friend to the way you’re clinging to him and have your face buried in his neck. You look up at Topper, eyes catching on the way a drop of water drips down from blond tips.. Rolls down the slope of his nose and settles on his lips. 

Your legs squeeze his hips just a little tighter and everything just kind of falls away. He’s staring at you and he can’t stop himself. He notices the exact second you melt into him a lot more and he mumbles quietly, “You okay?”

“Just realizing you’re really not going to try and drown me, that’s all.” you give him a sheepish smile and he grins. “I told you, didn’t I? You can actually trust me.”

“Yeah.” you answer, managing to tear your eyes off of him for just a second.

“Lemme see your board, Kelce.”

“Dude..”

“Board, Kelce. Now.”

Kelce pushes the board to Topper. Topper sits you on it and moves to stand between your legs. “Not so bad, huh?”

“It’s kinda cool. I’m not crazy about trying to stand up on it yet though.”

“It’s okay.” Topper laughs quietly. 

“Yeah.” you answer. Leaning down into him a little.

“For the last time. Just get a room.”

Topper flips Kelce off and you’re laughing. Burning up all over, but laughing again.

This is definitely one of the better days of your summer.

“I’m having fun.” you admit quietly and Topper grins at you. “Me too.”

#jj maybank #topper thornton #jj maybank fanfiction #topper thornton fanfiction #jj maybank imagine #topper thornton imagine #jj maybank fic #topper thornton fic #jj maybank x you #topper thornton x you #jj maybank x reader #topper thornton x reader #jj maybank x yn #topper thornton x yn #outer banks ● jj maybank #outer banks ● topper thornton #<- my writing ● jj maybank #<- my writing ● topper thornton #<- warnings | see above ● PDA / touching ● angst complicated relationships jealousy ● alch + w**d other stuff eventual filth #<- female reader warning | vague characteristics ● hair /personality / clothing / female parts / petnames or nicknames #fandom ( outer banks ) ● season ( all - au.. kind of. nothings in order tbh ) ● characters ( jj maybank + topper thornton ) #-- i've got to try and squeeze a little moment in with her and JJ. but i'm lowkey in love with Topper oops rip.

[runningfrom2am]

the sea around us; chapter three

In which Rafe Cameron has to choose between his dad and a pogue who's changing his outlook on life more and more every day.

(rafe cameron x f!oc)

(eventual!jj maybank x f!oc)

warnings/tags: violence, drug/alcohol use, smoking, sexual content (if you squint), slowburn, older brother’s best friend, (these tags are obv not exhaustive but regardless it’s pretty PG13)

wc: 3.3k

my masterlist, series masterlist, requests

*:･ﾟ✧*:･ﾟ

The next morning, JJ and John B picked me up at the dock behind my house on the HMS Pogue. John B sure has a thing for naming vehicles- he's not the worst at it. I live just down the street from the chateau, so I could see them from the porch right after they left John B's.

Hurricane Agatha sure did a number on the Outer Banks last night. The three of us, Anna, Deck, and I, huddled up in our bathroom since Anna wanted to tell "scary" stories and Deck just wanted to be included. The wind was loud all night, cracking trees and crashing sounds outside kept us up. I ended up passing out on the floor around 4 am, with the twins laying tangled on top of each other in the bathtub.

"Morning, Snow White." JJ says to me as I approach them tied up on the dock.

"Snow White? Really?" John B elbows him in the ribs and he winces.

"Dude- ow. I was gonna say Sleeping Beauty but I just thought it was funnier. You know, because-"

"Yeah JJ I got it." I cut him off. "Good one." I say, jumping into the boat with my cooler backpack over my shoulder. "I slept on the bathroom floor last night- my neck is killing me."

"I'll drink to that." JJ says, turning me by my shoulders to get into my backpack as John B unties us and we head off towards the Heywards'.

"Dude, look at this place." John B says as we pull up to Pope's.

He's out working on the dock with his dad, cleaning up the mess that Agatha had left in her wake.

"Well, look who we have here." Mr. Heyward says as we approach, JJ standing up from my side, preparing to help Pope on.

"We have a safety meeting, attendance mandatory." He explains.

"I can't. My pop's got me on lockdown."

"Come on, man."

At this, JJ holds his hands up to his mouth, pretending to talk into a radio. "Your dad's a pussy. Over." I gasp, reaching forward and giving a light hit to the back of JJ's arm.

"Oh, I heard that, you little bastard." Heyward says, pointing a finger at JJ.

"We need your son." I add, standing up and slipping my arm over JJ's shoulder to steady myself in the moving boat.

"Yeah, and island rules. Day after a hurricane's a free day." JJ shrugs

"Who made that up?"

"Uh... Pentagon, I think. We have security clearance. I have a card." I roll my eyes and shake my head.

"Think I'm stupid?"

Pope chimes in now as he starts to head toward our boat. "I'll do it tomorrow. I promise. Tomorrow."

"Hell no. You doin' it right now." Heyward says sternly.

"Get in the boat." John B whispers to Pope, loud enough for Heyward to hear.

"Boy, if you get in that boat..."

"Go, go, go." Pope says as he climbs in and I wave goodbye to his dad.

"Bring your ass back up here."

"I promise I'll do it tomorrow, Dad."

"You gonna clean shrimp, clean fish, you'll clean your dirty ass room!"

"Love you, Pops."

"Bye, Mr. Heyward! We'll bring him back in one piece." I smile and he shakes his head at me.

"And I don't like your friends!"

Next on our bus route, is Kie.

"Hey Kie!" I smile and wave as she walks up with a cooler behind her. She's greeted with a chorus of "good mornings" from the boys as she jumps in and reaches out for the cooler behind her.

"Whatcha got? You got some juice boxes?" Someone asks as I help set the cooler down on the bottom of the boat, and begin dumping my bag of drinks into the ice with the ones she brought.

"You know, just some yogurts and carrot sticks." Kie says, getting settled herself as John B steers us away. I'm looking forward to some fishing this morning.

"You got my kind of juice box?" JJ asks her and Kie nods.

"Yeah." She says as JJ starts going through the cooler already.

*:･ﾟ✧*:･

We're almost at our fishing destination of choice out in the marsh when JJ decides to practice his favorite and least successful party trick.

"Hey, Snowy, hold this up for me will ya?" He asks, cracking open a beer and holding the bottle out to me. I roll my eyes as I take it from him, stepping up onto the front of the boat and facing everyone.

"Punch it, Pope!" JJ shouts, pointing a finger at his dark-haired friend, who's now taken over for John B behind the wheel.

"Here we go, I'm movin'.." Pope rolls his eyes and starts to go faster,

"We've tried this six-thousand times and it's never worked." John B protested and I nod in agreement.

"I've got this, it's gonna work." JJ insists.

When we get to the right speed, I slowly tip the bottle back so the drink inside starts flying back toward JJ's face and open mouth. Safe to say about three drops end up in JJ's mouth, and half the bottle ends up on our friends behind him.

"Dude stop you're getting beer in my hair." Kie groans, putting her hands in front of her face so she stops getting sprayed. John B turns away so it doesn't get in his face either.

Pope puts his hand up in front of his eyes too, telling JJ "alright, alright!" He laughs, and John B agrees. "Yeah, alright, you're done JJ."

Their pleas go ignored, only because the bottle is almost empty and I am getting way too much of a kick out of this. This suddenly stopped when we heard the motor make a rattling sound and we were all suddenly thrown forward, JJ and I flying off of the boat and into the water.

When I finally get my bearings and stick my head out of the water with a gasp, the other three are leaning over the edge of the boat shouting at us. "JJ? Snowy?"

"I'm good." I cough as I swim back toward the edge of the boat, giving a brief thumbs-up to my friends.

"I think my heels hit the back of my head." JJ groaned, swimming up behind me. He grabs my waist with one arm, and with the other, he grabs the boat as he helps push me up while John B grabs my hand and lifts me back in.

"Everyone okay?" Kie asks and I look around at everyone, watching JJ climb back in on his own. I definitely don't have the upper body strength for that. His arms though... man.

A chorus of "Yep" and "All good" answered her question, and I pulled my soaking wet shirt over my head, laying it across the front of the boat to dry since I still had my swimsuit on underneath.

"Pope, man what did you do?" JJ asks, removing his shirt as well.

"Sandbar, the channel changed." Pope said and I look out over the edge of the boat, seeing if that beer bottle is within swimming reach for me to grab it. Kie might have a conniption if I left it behind. I squint a little as I see something at the bottom of the water, something big. Not quite the sand, but not a tarp or something either. A boat?

"Guys? I think there's a boat down there." I point, and JJ walks up behind me and looks down at where I'm pointing my finger with his arm around my waist holding me in so I don't fall back over the edge.

"Shut up, what?" John B said, joining us and looking over the edge.

"No way..." Kie says, shielding her eyes from the sun and squinting down into the water.

"That's literally a boat." I said, looking back at everyone.

Within seconds, everyone was stripped down to their bathing suits and diving in to get a closer look. I didn't want to get too close, so I kind of hovered above as long as I could, watching the others swim down.

After a few seconds, JJ starts to swim up towards me, grabbing me by the waist and pulling me back up with him so we can get some air. When my head breaks the water I take a deep breath, and JJ smiles at me with a slight chuckle. "A Grady White."

When everyone makes their way back up onto the boat, JJ tells everyone else. "That's a Grady White, a new one is 500 g's- easy."

John B flipped his hair out of his eyes and shook it on top of his head to try and get some of the water out. "That's the boat I saw when I surfed the storm."

"You surfed the surge?" Kie gasped.

"Yeah." John B said, high-fiving Pope.

"That's my boy, pogue style." JJ said, laughing and high-fiving him as well.

"Do we know whose boat it is?" Kie asks and I look back down over the edge.

"No, but I'll see what I can find." John B said, grabbing the anchor to ride it down.

"Be careful," Kie tells him, as he sits on the edge of the boat, walking up and giving him a kiss on the cheek. That one came a little out of the left field. I mean, it's kind of obvious that the boys always hit on her, but that is typically a one-sided inside joke.

"Diver down, fool!" Pope said, walking up and pushing John B off the edge with JJ as Kie stepped back.

He's in the water for a while, and I find myself sitting on the edge of the boat looking down at John B. He's been down there for a while, I definitely would have drowned by now.

Pope speaks up, sharing my thoughts. "He's not back yet..."

"He probably just found something cool." JJ shrugs, sitting down next to me to look over the edge.

"Should we try and get him?" Kie asked, just as John B bursts out of the water gasping for air.

"Oh, my god." I sigh a breath of relief, putting my hand on my chest.

"Any dead bodies?"

"Looting potential?"

"I don't know, I just found this busted motel key." John B says, holding up the key on a small keychain, with a room number written on it as he climbs back onto the boat and hands the key to Pope.

"A key?" He asks, turning it over in his hand.

"Yes Pope, a key."

JJ sighs. "Great, we salvaged a motel key."

"Hey, we should report this to the coast guard." Kie states, our voice of reason.

"What if we waited to see if there's a finders fee?" I suggest and JJ snaps and points his fingers at me, nodding excitedly. Kie rolls her eyes a little at us, in a fun, loving way.

"Yes, Snowy's right. We won't have to work all summer! Thanks, Agatha, ya batch!" He says, pointing his hands up to the sky now.

We quickly pack up to head back to town, in hopes of reporting it and collecting a check.

*:･ﾟ✧*:･ﾟ

Without any success, we weigh out our options, and ultimately decide to go to the motel that the key belongs to, and see if we can return it to someone personally. At least, that's what we've convinced ourselves was the plan. No premeditated breaking and entering intended- unless no one is home.

JJ whistles as we pull up towards the motel. Definitely a classy place, at least 2 stars.

"It looks like somewhere kids would stay as a dare."

"A real shitshow.."

"Motel, or meth lab?" The group voices their thoughts, similar to mine.

"It doesn't look like somewhere someone with a Grady White would stay.." John B says as he steers us in.

"More like somewhere with a Grady White gets killed," I add.

"Snowy lay off the true crime pods. This may be a dump but we'll probably be fine." JJ says, ruffling my hair with one hand while bringing back his radio bit and bringing his other hand up to his mouth. I squint and try and pull my head out from under his hand where he's just resting it now. "This is your captain speaking, HMS Pogue comin' in for landing."

JJ jumps out to the ground to help pull in the boat, as John B and I climb out behind him.

"Don't let JJ do anything stupid, Snowy." Pope tells me and I give him a salute.

"Yes sir." I say and JJ wraps his arm around my shoulders.

"C'mon, Pope, she's in on it and you know it." He says, turning us both to walk up to the motel.

We hear John B talking to Kie, telling him again to "seriously, be careful. I mean it." and JJ scoffs slightly. "She's so far up his ass bro." He whispers to me and I quietly laugh.

John B caught up with us quickly, and we headed up the stairs to the second floor, where the motel room we are looking for should be.

"What's with all the mattresses?" I ask JJ, looking up at him next to me.

"After a hurricane, they get ditched because they get all moldy."

"Oh, gross." I reply, scrunching up my nose a bit and JJ reaches over me and taps it before bringing up John B and Kie's chat from just moments ago.

"Yes Snowy, gross. However, not as gross as that conversation we just heard." He said, letting me go and walking up to John B just ahead of us.

"What conversation?" John B just asks and JJ looks back at me knowingly.

"Oh, be soo careful John B..." He mimics Kie's voice, and I can practically feel John B roll his eyes.

"God, you're so weird." He brushes JJ off, walking ahead of us again across the balcony. "Maybe she just wants us to be careful."

"It's true! Ever since you've been threatened with exile from that conversation you had with the social services people she's been like," He grabs John B's shoulders from behind, rubbing them at the same time. "Oh, be soo careful John B, just give me that John D already!"

"Get off me." John B tries to duck under JJ's grip so he would stop as I laugh.

"He's not totally wrong."

"Yeah! See? Snowy knows, when are you gonna swoop on that, man?" JJ asks, looking back at me briefly.

"You're the one always hitting on her and Snowy anyways." John B tells him and JJ nods quickly.

Me too? I didn't know I was actually included in that after what happened between us. I've been known to be a little oblivious though.

"Of course I am! Snowy is pretty much Princess of the Pogues out here, like, look at this hair." He says, reaching back and grabbing the ends of some of my hair that's draped down in front of me, almost reaching my hips. He twirls it gently before dropping it just as I could feel a blush spreading across my face and chest. "-and Kie's a super hot, rich, hippie girl slumming with us, for some reason."

John B chuckles and shakes his head.

"Exactly, I can't figure that out either bro, but who cares?"

John B was unimpressed. "You need help. Not a little help, you need a lot of help." JJ rolled his eyes. Here he went again. "It's like every girl who just has a heartbeat, you're like. . . Uhh!" He imitated a zombie.

John B then stopped and backtracked a step looking at the number on the door next to us. "This is us, 25." He says, changing the subject.

JJ steps up and knocks on the door. "Housekeeping!" He says, in this really funny high-pitched voice.

"That's what you sound like, Snowy." John B leans down to say close to my ear. I side-eye him and roll my eyes, giving him a light shove as JJ tries to look in the window when he didn't get an answer.

"No power, AKA no cameras, let's try the key." John B says, stepping up to the door and inserting it, trusting the handle and holding it for us to slip inside.

"JJ, don't touch anything- this is probably a crime scene," I whisper, as he promptly begins to touch almost anything he can reach. He picked up a bag, and John B instructed him to look for a nametag or something on it, as I look around the shabby-looking motel room. No doubt in my mind that there are bed bugs in here.

We shuffle through everything we find, me with a tissue in my hand so I'm not touching anything, while John B tries to open the safe. He eventually gets it open and calls JJ and I out of the bathroom to come and look.

"Holy shit.." I say, staring in awe at what's inside as he pulls it out. Bare hands. Of course. An orange document envelope, filled with some papers and a load of cash, and I don't notice what JJ pulls out until he talks to me.

"Hey, Snowy, check this out! John B can you take a picture of us? Mr. and Mrs. Smith style?" He says, holding up what I now see is an actual literal gun, leaning his back into me.

"Oh my god, JJ!" I say, backing away.

"Oh yeah? Seriously you want a picture? We're just making our own incriminating evidence now, that's what we're doing?" John B says, running his hand through his hair.

"This is a fuckin' speedy gat, man. Just, bam! Bam!" He laughs, posing with it again. We all jump a little when we hear something tap the window, and JJ and John B look out to see Kie and Pope waving at us wildly, then pointing over to the door and saying something.

"Fuck, cops. Cops man!" John B whispered as we frantically look around for somewhere to hide. We're screwed. JJ grabs my arm and pulls me towards the window as John B opens it.

"I got you, don't worry." He whispers to me, holding my hand and placing his other hand on my hip as I step out onto the small platform under the window. He and John B climb out after me, and John B shuffles to the side opposite us, while JJ steps in front of me and I grab onto the sides of his shirt for dear life, looking up at the sky as he places one hand on my waist to hold me against the wall, and the other up next to my head to steady himself.

I see John B lean over to look back inside, and we hear a small exchange between the officers. They're taking some of the cash. Unbelievable.

I try and take deep breaths, but I can feel myself starting to panic. I'm not good with heights. or cops. "Hey, Snowy, you're okay. You're okay. I've got you." JJ whispers to me and I nod slightly, squeezing my eyes shut. I feel JJ shift his arm that was next to my head, and something falls out of his pocket and hits the dumpster below us, making a loud bang. I flinch and close my eyes tighter somehow, as JJ pushes himself closer to me against the wall, tipping his head back. I can feel his chest moving as he breathes, and I try to focus on that to help me relax. I open one eye to look down at Kie and Pope, who have assumed the "just act natural" position down on the Pogue. Oh god, the cops are looking out the window.

"Oh. My. God." I whisper and JJ slowly moves and puts his hand over my mouth.

"Shh.." He hushes me, and I cringe internally as I feel my cheeks burning up under his hand, and hope he just chalks it up to me literally having a panic attack. But, he's JJ. He'll never let me live this down.

Suddenly, John B and I see Kie and Pope resume their waving, signaling the cops have left the room. That's our cue to get out of here- and we can't do it fast enough.

*:･ﾟ✧*:･ﾟ

A/N;

Hi, me again :)

Hope you enjoyed this chapter! I'm loving writing this, let me know what you want to see in the future!

-R

#rafe cameron #rafe cameron x oc #rafe obx #obx #obx fanfic #outer banks #jj maybank #jj maybank x oc #rafe fanfiction #rafe x reader #outerbanks rafe #rafe cameron fluff #rafe cameron x reader #rafe fic #rafe imagine #rafe outer banks #rafe x you #outerbanks #rafe cameron fic #jj maybank x pogue!reader #jj obx #jj maybank fanfiction