𝐭𝐨 𝐛𝐞 𝐬𝐨 𝐥𝐨𝐧𝐞𝐥𝐲

sixty-five: Insecure.

AFTER THE day they had, JJ and Kai finally got into bed. "Jesus..." JJ muttered and suddenly clung to Kai's side, hugging him tightly. "JJ?" He whispered and the blond hums, his face against Kai's neck. "I..." Kai paused for a moment to think about it.

Don't tell him.

"What is it, baby?" JJ mumbled and Kai just stared at the wall before flipping onto his side, putting his arms around his boyfriend who clearly just really needed some love at the moment. "I love you..." He whispered and JJ just smiled against his neck.

"I love you too..." He said back and began to close his eyes when Kai's fingers start to run through his hair. I can't tell him, was the only thought in Kai's mind as he just laid there, comforting his lover who didn't need to hear all of that after finding out his dad was in prison and he didn't get to successfully get their best friend out. "Your plan was kinda dumb... not gonna lie." He said and JJ pulled back.

"I take offense to that, Kai Lynch." He said with a soft scoff but he smiled anyway, because even he could agree since it didn't work out. Kai pressed his hand against the side of JJ's face, "he'll get out. I know he will." He said quietly and JJ just nods. "I just wish we all could've done more..." He said quietly and Kai smiled softly. "You do so much for others, JJ... it's what I love most about you." He said to the blond.

JJ leaned in, kissing him passionately as he kissed back, putting his arms around JJ's neck. That night, they finally had a bit of relief for the first time in a couple of days and when they woke up, JJ smiled at his boyfriend and kissed his cheek as Kai was still asleep before he got up to get dressed. Kai woke up not long after, yawning and getting dressed as well.

The rest of the morning, they mostly hung out with Pope and Kie. JJ had decided he needed to wax his board so they sat outside as Kie strums softly on her ukulele and JJ was waxing his board. And Kai? He just sat there, staring at JJ who only had a button up shirt on that wasn't even buttoned up. JJ kept glancing up to smirk at him or just grin widely.

Each time, Kai would glance away with a blush or a small smile on his face. "That's a lot of wax on your board, man. Put too much wax, it's gonna be slippery." Pope tells JJ suddenly as Kai glanced over at Pope with a confused look. "Are you telling me how to wax my board, Pope?" The blond boy glanced over his shoulder. "I'm just saying that's a lot of wax."

"No, no, no. You're teling me how to wax my board. Are you kidding me?" JJ said as Kie glanced up at the boys with an annoyed look. "I'm just saying that's a colossal waste of wax." Pope tells the other teenage boy. "Guys, really?" Kie said as Kai just smiled, shaking his head. A loud honk catches their attention, "did you hear that?" JJ asked and the honk goes off a couple of more times so Kai got up.

The van came in sight and Kai chuckled. "Are you serious?" Kie exclaimed, standing up. "Hold on." JJ said, raising his hand as Pope looks at the other three. "No!" He said, turning back to the van. "Am I dreaming?" JJ asked as John B got out of the van, smiling big.

"Guess who's out of the clink, boy!" He said as he shut the van door. "No freaking way, man!" Pope said as they rush over to the boy, "bro!" JJ exclaimed as Kai throws his arms around John B, Kie, JJ and Pope right behind him to join the hug. "My boy's out of the can!"

"Welcome home!"

"We missed you!"

"I missed you guys too," John B chuckled as they all pull back from the hug now. "How'd you do it? You bust out?" JJ asked and John B glanced at Kai. "Uh, they dropped the charges." He says, smiling and glancing at JJ.

"They dropped the charges? No way..." Kai said, smiling. "Dude, that's phenomenal!" Kie exclaimed. "So you're telling me I did all that work for nothing?" JJ asked as Pope looks at him with a scrunched up face. "Oh, the most elaborate escape plan of all time?" He asked with a sarcastic and mocking tone.

"Oh, foolproof," Kie says with air quotes and Kai chuckled. "Yeah, it was actually." JJ said as Kai noticed John B look around. "Wait, where's Sarah?" He asked suddenly, looking at the boy to his right and Kai just looked at Kie. The smiles disappeared as Kie glanced around at the other boys then looked at John B.

"No, no, no, where... where's-where's Sarah?" John B asked, looking at the girl now. "She went to go meet Wheezie last night. She didn't come back." Kie said as John B glanced away, "come back yet... she'll be back, JB." Kai said, patting his best friend's upper arm.

"What the hell is that asshole doing here?" At that, Kai immediately looked over to see Sterling's car pulling up the driveway right behind John B's van. "Um..." Is all he said, glancing at the other four. "I-I don't know... I'll go see what he wants." He tells JJ who just glanced over at the car again.

Kai approached the car with a glare on his face. "What the hell do you want?" He said when Sterling got out of the car. "I just wanted to see if... you were okay. I mean, it seems like you got a lot on you right now. And I'm sorry I just added more to that." He said and Kai just let out a deep sigh, glancing over at the others who were all still standing together.

They all looked away except for JJ who he sent a small smile and a nod for reassurance before looking back at Sterling. "Listen... therems things that are far more important right now, to me, than you. And whatever silly little confession you made yesterday... John B is free and that's all I care about right now, alright?" He said and Sterling just nodded softly.

"Just promise me you'll think about it." He said and Kai's brows furrow together. "I know it. You know it. We're a better match than you and JJ... I can tell. I can feel it and soon you will too." Sterling said then suddenly stepped closer, hugging the other. Kai just gets more confused as Sterling just sent a grin to JJ who was watching them with an angered face.

"Okay, dude, come on, it won't be worth it... And besides, Kai loves you, not him." John B said when he saw JJ's fist clench tightly. "Okay, seriously, get off me... I don't have shit to promise to you, and even if I did, I-I wouldn't do that to JJ..." He said and Sterling smiled faintly, staring at the boy before him.

"Remember that fear you have of JJ being in love with someone else from before you two started dating? How sure are you that... if JJ were given the opportunity, he wouldn't take it? Being with him... or her." Sterling said and what he said stayed on Kai's mind as he scoffed and walked away, going back to join his friends. And then he thought about it as he glanced between JJ and Kie. Maybe Sterling's right.

What if Kie just suddenly confessed to JJ behind his back? And wanted to be with him? How sure is he that JJ would say no? And choose Kai over her? Suddenly, Kai had never felt even more insecure in that moment.

AUTHORS NOTE
angst. lol
anyways i've never really talked about it but i like to think jj is unlabeled and because that's my fav jj hc, he's unlabeled in this fic :) i also stronlg believe both sarah and kie are lesbian or bi. pope is defo bisexual or pansexual, and john b is the token straight on thin ice