All That Glitters

Just Surfing

"Do you want me to wait for you?" John B asked. He crossed his arms with JJ's shirt and shoes. "JJ?"

JJ glanced over his shoulder. "I'll meet you back at the Chateau. If Pope or Kie ask, I'm just surfing."

"Or y'know, I could just tell them the truth. Pogues don't lie to each other." John B followed him into the denser part of the woods.

"John B, there's gators back here." He warned.

"You're not gonna get anywhere if you keep pushing them away. I know you don't want to involve them to the same degree as me, but you can't keep them in the dark. Pope worked so hard to get the ring for-" JJ stopped in his tracks and reached for John B's shirt.

"Look, I never asked him to do that." He released him. Continuing to trek deeper and deeper.

"We're your friends, JJ. You were so tired all the time. How could you think we were just gonna sit back and watch it devour you like that?"

JJ sighed and stopped again. Shaking his head and turning back around to pull John B into another hug. Digging his face into John B's still damp hair.

"You really should turn back now. I promise I'll be at the Chateau in the morning." He pulled away and held John B's face in his hand. He took a deep breath while looking away and withdrew from him. John B sighed as he walked away.

He stood for a few seconds. Not really sure whether he was content leaving JJ alone at the moment. To bear the weight on his own. He was about to start walking after him again when JJ turned abruptly around twirling his ring between his fingers.

"I uh... I don't wanna lose it." He said while staring at it.

John B snickered and held out his hand. JJ peered up at him, flicking his eyes back and forth between John B's. Without breaking eye contact, JJ placed his ring on John B's hand. Gave him a quick half smile and took off again.

Now. Now John B felt alright to leave him.

He quickly turned in the opposite direction to make his way out of the woods. Walking in such a way that if he stepped on a branch or something that wasn't quite stable, he wouldn't fall over or trip. Such was the way of those that decided to traverse the tree covered part of the island after dark.

He huffed to himself when he made it back to the beach. Lucky for him the road out of there wasn't made entirely of dirt. His feet already hurt from getting thrashed around by Topper earlier. Fresh bruises were forming in various places on his skin. The rough terrain of the woods had not been kind to him.

A loud yelp startled him back to reality. "Jesus, JJ." It came from where he'd left him. Suddenly feeling dread shake his bones. "Take it easy, bubba." He said almost like he was berating him for chugging a drink too fast.

John B made it back to the chateau after walking for a bit. He wasn't exactly sure how long he'd been gone but he made sure to keep JJ's clothes straddled under his arm to make sure he didn't drop them someplace. JJ would kill him if he'd lost his shoes.

The Chateau was still not looking the best. A part of him was hoping that it was back to the way he'd had it before Agatha. But such wish fulfillment wasn't possible for people like him without dropping a good gallon or two of elbow grease into it. He pushed the door open to the stench of stale beer and old pizza residue all over every surface. He scrunched his nose and placed JJ's clothes and shoes on a chair near the door outside under the makeshift awning that somehow survived. He kicked around some of the cans that littered his floor with drowsiness enveloping him as he made his way inside.

He quickly changed out of his previously soaked clothes and then belly flopped on his bed. The blankets felt like heaven after the bullshit he just went through. The thought of JJ being out there in the woods by himself for the rest of the night made his heart ache. Another part of him wished he'd told him to rest first where he wouldn't be alone. The other just wished he'd told him to reset at the chateau where he could keep an eye on him.

John B scrunched his eyes shut and slapped a stray pillow over his face.

——

John B woke to someone knocking the door to the chateau. A dull warm pain radiated from his eye where Topper had clocked him.

He firmly pressed it seeing how terrible that would feel. He flinched almost immediately.

"Mr. Routledge?" He dragged himself out of bed and absentmindedly tidied up things that were in his path to the door.

He opened the door with a half dozen or so empty cans in his arms. Not realizing who had just woken him up.

Sheriff Peterkin stood with her arms crossed on his doorstep. Wearing an almost surprised look on her face. John B dropped one of the cans.

"Uh... Sheriff Peterkin." He gulped down his surprise and tried to hide the remaining cans that were in his hands.

"Can I come in, son?"

"Yeah yeah. Of course."

——

"Guys I think I'm gonna let it go." John B started.

"What?" JJ said surprised.

"Peterkin said if I stay outta the marsh for the next few days she'll help me out."

"So we're not going back to Scooter's possible drug smuggling boat? Fine by me." Pope said.

"Wait wait wait. You're giving up on potentially getting massive dough just because Peterkin said she'd talk to DCS for you? You believed her?" JJ was baffled.

"Yes, I believe her."

"I think it's wise of you to drop it, John B." Kie said.

"Thank you." He said back at her.

"Okay. Okay... so I get why you don't wanna get involved, Pope. You're the golden boy who's gonna grow up to dissect dead bodies so it makes sense you don't wanna screw that up." JJ moved his way to the center of the group. Pacing between Pope and Kie.

"A forensic pathologist, yes."

"Kie, you're already rich as hell so you don't need this that badly." She squinted her eyes at him and sat back in her chair. Raising her hands in defeat. "But you, John B. You and I?" He shuffled in front of him. "We don't have anything to lose. We really don't. Your dad just left you here without a plan. And my dad sure as hell ain't gonna do shit for me. We've got nothing to lose and an infinite to gain by going after whatever Scooter stashed in the wreck. The police don't want us going back in the marsh. They must know there's something valuable down there."

"If I stay out of the marsh, I won't have to go into the system. Leave all of you guys here."

"But if there's some tight shit in the wreck we could sell it and make a bunch of money. You don't see rich kids going into foster care, John B."

John B bit his lip and peeked over at Pope. "Alright well how did you expect us to get it outta the boat? Whatever he was hiding in there, JJ?"

"You still working on the Druthers?" JJ asked, biting his nail.

"Yeah?"

"And what does the Druthers currently have?"

"Ah, scuba. You're suggesting I steal from my rich Kook boss to steal from a dead smuggler?"

"It's not stealing. You're borrowing it, bro. Just for a few hours."

"Without asking."

"You can get it back before he even realizes it's gone."

Kie and Pope exchanged concerned glances. Darting their attention between JJ and John B.

John B hung his head in his hands and jumped over the railing beam thing he'd been leaning up against. "Nothing to lose." He clapped JJ's back and smiled. "You uh, made it back in one piece too."

"Yeah." JJ subconsciously rubbed the side of his nose. John B slipped his ring back into his hand. "Thanks."

"Let's go get something to lose."