It was an incredibly silent walk to the condo on Figure Eight. Arriving back in the OBX from South America the Pogues split off in two different directions for the night; Pope and Cleo heading back to the Cut, to the Heyward's, with the other four making their way to the condo Ward had left Sarah because well, where else were they going to go? JJ had tried and failed to convince them he'd be fine at The Shack. All it took to get him walking side by side with Kie towards the side of the island he despised were her beautiful brown eyes. If she only knew how much power they had over him he'd be done for. Like anything she'd ever want, a look with those eyes, he'd grant her every wish.
It's a little past midnight when they turn down the street the condo shares with about ten others. JJ hates the way they all look exactly the same. No originality. He always liked one of a kind things, kinda like Kie. There would never be anyone like her, that feeling for him having stood the test of time. There's not a single person roaming about at this hour much to their liking. They don't smell the greatest and they aren't seeking any kind of attention from anyone aside from each other right now.
"Home sweet home." Sarah breathes as she unlocks the condo with the hide a key she pulled from the ugly decorative gnome on the porch.
As they all enter, each drop their bags to the floor as they look around the condo. It's too clean, too white, too Kook for JJ's liking but this was where he was going to have to lay his head, at least for tonight.
"There's two bedrooms, each with a shower." Sarah proclaims pushing John B. towards the master bedroom leaving JJ and Kie to stare or not stare awkwardly in the kitchen.
"You can shower first if you want, Kie."
"No. You go ahead. You're the one of us who had to help drag…" She stops mid sentence. The devastation over losing Big John still fresh.
"Okay… You gonna be okay out here by yourself?" He's not exactly sure why he's asking her that. Whether it's due to what she went through at Kitty Hawk or everything they went through in South America.
"I'll be fine, Jayj."
He was only gone for about ten minutes. He never was one to spend an insane amount of time in the shower but then again he never really had the pleasure of hot or even warm showers for that matter. He opened up his backpack he had dropped on the bed and pulled out the cleanest shorts and shirt he had before dressing and walking back out to the living room.
"Your turn." He motions towards the bedroom when he makes eye contact with Kie. She gives him a tight lipped smile and heads down the hall with her bag in hand.
Before JJ could even sit down Sarah stepped out of the master bedroom all showered and holding a pillow and blanket in her arms, handing them to him without a word. He could tell she was physically and emotionally drained from losing her father and as much as he hated Ward he couldn't help but feel bad for her. He knows a thing or two about shitty fathers even if Ward and Luke were shitty in different ways. And knowing what it's like to lose a parent he feels for her and his brother.
When she turns on her heal to leave JJ grabs her arm to stop her, "Hey… you're gonna be okay… John B… he's gonna be okay."
She can only nod and give him her best half smile before she quietly gathers a glass of water at the kitchen sink and disappears back into the master bedroom.
After setting himself up on the couch with the bedding Sarah thoughtfully provided, he sits down. He's used to being exhausted but this, this was a whole other level. He felt like he hadn't slept in a month yet his mind was running on too much adrenaline. Losing himself in his thoughts, well mostly one thought; and she was down the hall, naked in the shower. They hadn't had a conversation yet about what they were to each other now and it was strangely eating him alive little by little. He feels a bit guilty worrying about that when there are two emotionally distraught people in the next room but this is what he's personally dealing with at the moment so he allows himself to be selfish, for once in his life.
"J…" She calls for the third time, finally grabbing his attention. She was standing in the doorway between the living room and hallway, dressed in a cute pair of shorts and a purple tank top.
"You coming to bed?" She asks before noticing the bedding lying on the couch.
"Uh… Nah. You take the bed. Sarah made up the couch for me." He lies, sort of.
She smirks to herself before making her way over to him, stepping between his legs and lifting each of her legs one at a time to straddle him, cupping her hands around his neck and looking down at what one can only describe as a dumbfounded look or one of disbelief.
"What… what are you doing?" He breathes. She can feel how tense he is as he moves his head to look in the direction of the master bedroom like he's waiting to get caught by a parent for the naughty indiscretion.
She giggles as she pulls his head back to face hers as she moves in and kisses him hard. It takes a few seconds before she finally feels him breathe in, picking his hands up from the couch cushions and grabbing her ass to pull her closer to him. She can't help but bask in the groans he releases as she leaves his lips and sucks on the pulse point of his neck, running her hands down his chest while his hands roam about her thighs and waist.
She tries again, "You coming to bed?"
It really was the simplest question. One that he would not think twice about before but before was always a one night stand. There never was a need to talk about anything beforehand till… now. Damn, what is happening to him? When did he become… John B!? The thought's running rampant through his mind causing him to push her backwards towards his knees.
She looks at him with worry on her face. Like she's overstepped, done something wrong. She wraps her arms around her stomach and looks down avoiding eye contact. He's quick to sit up from his resting position on the back of the couch to reassure her, "Hey… look at me. Look at me, Kiara."
When she finally brings her eyes to his he continues, "Do I want to go to bed with you? You bet your cute ass I do but… I think we need to talk about what this is first."
"What this is?" She repeats.
"Yeah… like… what are we now?" He asks motioning between the two of them. He can feel an unfamiliar blush work its way into his cheeks and he's suddenly feeling stupid for asking. Like should he just know? He's so out of his element with this he thinks maybe she should just cut her losses and be done with him before they even get started. He lets out a sigh and looks away from her.
"I'm your girlfriend and you're my boyfriend. We're together. Unless that's not what you want." She says with confidence yet a little uncertainty.
When he looks up at her he cant help himself when he asks, "Are you sure that's what you want, Kie? Because I've never done this before, you know… the whole relationship thing. I might suck at it."
"Jayj, do you want to be with me?"
"Since I was thirteen." His eyes grow wide when he realizes what he's just admitted, out loud, scrunching up his face in displeasure with himself for letting that secret out into the world.
When he gathers enough courage to open his eyes and look up at her, her brown eyes are tear filled, her smile radiating a happiness he's not sure he's ever seen before.
"God I love you. More than you'll ever let yourself believe." She manages to express all while attempting to keep the tears from falling down her cheeks.
"I'm ready to go to bed now." He whispers with a smile that melts her heart.
When she stands she takes his hand, interlacing her delicate fingers with his strong ones and they walk down the hall in silence, closing the door behind them.
After making their way under the covers, JJ wraps her up in his arms, both ready to succumb to the sleep both of them desperately need but before he can drift off he needs to tell her one thing. "Hey Kie… I meant what I said at Kitty Hawk. I really do love you. I didn't just say it out of obligation and I should have said it at your parent's anniversary party. I was just…"
"Scared?" She tries finishing for him.
After a pause he shyly confesses, "Yeah."
"I'm scared too, J. But I know without a doubt, here… in your arms… is exactly where I'm supposed to be."
I found this in my notes! Thought I would give you something in my break. Tomorrow I have a Christmas story I wrote last week (different fandom) before my cat passed so I will be posting something tomorrow