I understand this is supposed to be like a revenge type of prompt, but I kinda like it this way ya know?

JJ felt the tears pour down his face as he stumbled down the sidewalk towards downtown Kildare. He would occasionally have to stop and lean his weight on a nearby tree or pole before pushing off of it and continuing his track. Peterkin had to bring JJ back home because of Luke's demands, so the kid left the Chateau hesitantly. He waves a bye to John B as the sheriff's car pulled out of the rocky driveway and traveled across town. It was mostly silent for the entire car ride, efforts of small talk were made but never lasted long.

Unfortunately, JJ knew what mood his father would be in. He was fidgeting in the back of the car for the entire ride, his hands picking at the skin around the nails. Causing some blood to pile up.

His father was relentless, with a beer bottle in one hand and the stench of overdose lingering in the room, Luke had completely beaten his son until he passed out next to him. The beer bottle in Luke's hand had been broken after slamming it into his son's side; the sharp edges had been used as a vital weapon during the fight. Tearing through skin with ease, enough to make JJ cry out and let his hands fly to the new wounds.

The punches and kicks didn't slow, even as the insults faded out. JJ was barely conscious enough to recognize that his father had stopped. He looks around slowly, jerking backwards once he faces his father's limp body. JJ feels like he can't talk cause his lip is swelling, blood still running from the multiple cuts scattered across his face. He feels copious amounts of bruises covering his body.

That brings him to now, JJ stumbled once again over a crack in the sidewalk. It was sheer luck that he didn't fall over. He groans cause he feels his likely broken ribs grate against each other. Blood drips down his side, also covering his face. It felt as if there wasn't a single part of him that wasn't blue or purple. But thank god, he could see the large sign ahead. 'Heyward's Seaford' it stated, a large green fish on it.

Vaguely, he could see Pope and his father loading some groceries onto their boat. They were about to leave for a delivery. JJ attempts to quicken his pace, hoping to try and make it to them before they leave.

Apparently the gods listened. Heyward happens to glance in JJ's direction and gasps out loud when he catches sight of his son's bloody friend. He was limping heavily towards them, an arm waving sluggishly in hopes of catching one of their eyes. Bobby hadn't been expecting this at all, he was just pushing the boat off of the dock, untying the ropes that held it steadily.

"Pope!" He shouts, already working his way off the boat. "Tie the boat back on, your friends here. He looks hurt." Pope looks up from where he had been arranging groceries into plastic bags. "Oh my god!" He shouts once he also sees JJ. Heyward is already gone, leaving Pope to tie the boat back to the dock for a hasty moment before following.

JJ barely manages to keep himself standing just long enough until Bobby comes closer, wrapping JJ's arm around his shoulder. JJ practically collapses into the father's side with a gasp of pain that turns into a low whine. Bobby struggles for a moment to support the limp kid, but Pope joins a moment later, taking JJ's other side over his shoulder. JJ gives a low and airy groan when his ribs shift. Together, the two Heywards drag the bloody blonde into their old shack of a house.

"Son, who did this?" Heyward asks gently, not knowing where to look at all the brutal injuries. He gestures silently to his son to grab the med kit that resides in their bathroom.

JJ only shakes his head and then lowers it in shame. Heyward realizes his mistake of going to touch him when he flinches back violently, almost falling out of the wooden chair. He holds his hands up in a sign of gentleness and kindness, trying not to scare the already frightened kid anymore.

Pope comes back just then, holding a large red box that he knows is filled with bandages and ointments, possibly some thread and needles for emergencies that Bobby had never thought he'd have to use them for. But the blood is stark on JJ's pale skin and against the tank top covering the gnarly wounds that hid underneath.

"What the hell?" Pope whispers to his dad, who doesn't even bother to admonish the foul language.

JJ keeps his eyes on the two of them, tracking their every movement. They're full of fear and cause an ache to grow in Bobby's heart. JJ's blond shaggy hair falls over his eyes but the kid makes no move to swipe it so it stops obscuring his vision.

"Jay do you think we can take off your shirt? We gotta see what's makin' you bleed that much?" Pope says gently, not making a move until he is given a slight nod. Pope gets closer but doesn't miss how his friend's muscles still tense up and he pushes himself slightly further back onto the chair.

It takes a couple minutes to remove the tank top because of JJ's broken ribs, causing extra pain every time he lifts his arms. But they do it and reveal multiple deep looking scrapes littering the tan and toned stomach, back, and torso. Heyward purses his lips in anger, but prevents himself from asking more questions. There were a shit-ton of bruises littering him, ranging from red to purple to blue.

The bandages bleed through easily, especially with the deeper scrapes. The skin around the cuts look torn and jagged, so it clearly hadn't been done by a knife or something with a solid straight edge. "We might have to stitch these up Jay." Heyward comments, although he was already threading the thread into the needle. "Is that okay?" JJ nodded quietly, his silence putting Pope on edge. It was worrying to see the always hyper blond who could never shut up, not even say a single word to the easiest of questions.

Heyward gets up and leaves for a moment without a word, leaving the two kids. JJ's eyes track him until he's gone, but he still keeps an eye on the door as he turns his attention to Pope.

There's a beat of silence. "Was this your dad?" It feels strange to ask the question and it leaves JJ quiet again. "yeah" It's almost silent.

"Why didn't you go to John B's?" It was a reasonable question. But there was only a shrug.

Their conversation was interrupted by Bobby returning with a bottle of alcohol with hopes to take off the edge of pain. The bottle in Heyward's hand makes JJ reel, his eyes grow wide and he stands up out of the chair.

"Shit! I–I I'm sorry...I can leave." He was already backing up towards the door, Pope noticed the small amount of tears welling in his eyes. Heyward quickly puts down the bottle, Pope can't tear his eyes away from his panicking friend, who missed the door and was leaning against the wall.

Slowly he falls to his butt because his legs can no longer support his weight, his legs instinctively curl into his chest and he ducks his head into the small gap made, hoping to protect his face. There's a beat of deafening silence.

"JJ?" The mere whisper echoes around the room, interrupting the soft lap of waves hitting the dock outside. Some gulls were heard in the distance. "Hey buddy you okay? There's no more bottle alright? Can you uncurl yourself cause I don't believe that it's very comfortable for you right now." Pope approaches his friend with a kind sounding voice, not moving though until JJ's head pops up.

In total, it takes about twenty minutes for JJ to get comfortable again. He only lets Pope approach him and help him to stand again. He leans of Pope dependently and they slowly make it back to the chair. It's a silent trek but JJ gains more confidence again, although during that time, he'd lost even more blood and his face was even more pale.

Heyward takes a seat next to JJ, holding the needle and thread in one hand and explaining his every move before he makes it. "Before I start JJ, would you like some of that?" Instead of grabbing the bottle, he gestures to where it sat on the kitchen counter. JJ looks at it and a lopsided looking smile appears on his swollen lips. Pope rolls his eyes. "Of course you do, never one to refuse alcohol." But he goes to grab it anyway.

With the bottle hallway empty, Heyward pulls it away with a laugh. "I think you're good now. Wouldn't want you getting drunk."

"Alright you're gonna feel a sharp poke." Heyward instructs, not beginning until he receives yet another nod from the kid. He hisses as the needle enters his skin, flinching slightly, but Bobby doesn't stop. "Another poke right now." True to his words, JJ feels a sting that erupts in that area but since he had been expecting it, there was little to no reaction. The alcohol seemed to be taking some effect. "Just a tug." Bobby ties a small knot and ties the skin close, ending it with a snip of the thread. He leans back to check on JJ, who sat silently.

"Good?" Pope questions. JJ suddenly relaxes, feeling comfortable with them, likely the alcohol as well. "Mhmm." Heyward continues silently with the stitches until most of the deeper scrapes are closed and the shallow ones continue to be bandaged by Pope as a way to save some of the thread for the more severe ones.

JJ had gone completely limp during the process but was still clearly conscious under Pope's supervision. He would occasionally flinch in the chair if a sharp poke surprised him. Once they had finished, JJ looked up blearily at them. "done..?"

Heyward smiles and starts packing up the bloody towels and throws away the extra thread and needle. Pope wipes the limp hair from JJ's forehead to feel for a fever, slightly surprised when he didn't feel any abnormal heat. "How you doin'" Pope asks.

JJ closes his eyes, "better...thanks Pope, Heyward" They both grin down at him.

Once again, the mass of the three of them manage to drag JJ to the sagging couch in the living room. They didn't want to drag him upstairs and figured it would be safer to keep him on the first level. Just as JJ's tense muscles loosened on the comfortable cushions, Heyward comes closer to him and Pope leaves at the subtle request of his father.

JJ was struggling to stay awake, fighting sleep, but he stayed long enough to take part in the conversation. "Thanks Heyward...sorry for coming. I wasn't planning on coming here but I didn't wanna go to John B's cause I'm pretty sure he's sick of taking care of me." He winces at how weak the excuse sounds. Heyward only nods and smirks.

"It's okay son, you deserve this. I don't know who did this to you but if it ever happens again, this house is always open for you."

JJ nods, he realized that it was supposed to prompt him into telling Bobby that it was his own father that beat him this badly, but he stayed silent. Pope knowing was enough.

Soon after, JJ was sleeping silently on the couch and the two Heywards watched silently while starting their own silent conversation. Pope ended up finishing the delivery, leaving his father to watch over his friend. When Mrs. Heyward returns home, she is slightly surprised by the young kid in their house but welcomes him lovingly. She cooks a nice home-cooked meal for the family, now including the blonde, that they all ate together once he woke up. Laughter resounded around the house and many stories were told ranging from deliveries, rogue adventures, and the Heyward's life before Pope. It was the first time in a long time that JJ had felt at home.

Ahhh omg I'm so behind, it's just been a really busy week. I'm trying to catch up though