Heated Lies (Jiara)

Tell Someone Nothing

His plan only worked for three days. Luke finally came home. It was around three in the morning when JJ heard the familiar stumbling. He practically shot out of bed.

"Dad?"

What he saw was a drunk mess. Unfortunately, this wasn't out of the ordinary. JJ ran by his side, helping him to the couch where Luke weakly shoved the boy off of him.

"Fuck off'a me."

Still, JJ was used to this. He simply set a cup of water down on the coffee table and slipped off back to his room. He would've been frightened if Luke could form a full sentence, but when he got this bad, he just needed help.

And JJ never hesitated to provide.

***the next day***

Now Kiara wasn't proud of this. Not one bit. Shoupe had entered the Wreck to eat. Still, she couldn't help herself, sliding into the seat in front of him and playing with her thumbs again.

A full minute of silence caused him to stop chewing his shrimp. "Something you wanna say?"

"Um, how much do you know about Luke Maybank?" She asked intently.

Shoupe wrinkled his brows in confusion. "The boat sinker's old man?"

She nodded reluctantly. "I think he's... I mean he's just not a good person."

He rolled his eyes. "You know, most people on the cut aren't. I can't do anything if he's just a prick." He went back to his grits, looking about ready to forget it.

She gave a frustrated sigh. "I mean, I think he's hurting JJ."

He nearly spit out his soda. "What makes you say that?"

Kiara hesitated. She wasn't sure why. When Luke came home that day he was beyond pissed, not to mention drunk. The way JJ moved made her scared. The way he yelled at her to run? He was trying to keep her safe from what she wasn't sure she wanted to know.

"Well, this one night he was drunk and..." she trailed off, ending her story when she realized there wasn't much of one to tell.

"Yes?" He urged, listening carefully now.

"Well, I left when he got home. But he looked very mad and JJ was... I mean, he was terrified!" She finished, throwing her hands up. She knew it sounded pathetic.

He groaned. "So he got in trouble for having a girl over. Abuse is no laughing matter, Carrera, don't be telling stories."

She could've cried. She knew something was going on, with no way to prove it. It was a gut feeling but it was so strong. Something was really wrong.

***

At the Maybank house, things were getting worse. Kie had texted him four times, twice about the dance and twice about if he was okay. He didn't like either of them.

JJ- i'm fine

Luke had gotten up late, cursing and breaking glasses in the sink. JJ figured it was best to stay hidden even though being alone in his room was a recipe for disaster. It allowed the pressing thoughts to consume every inch of his being. As if that wasn't enough, the stillness allowed his cuts and bruises to hurt way more than before.

A solid cower into the sheets without any expectation to leave. That was his consecutive plan. But his wounds...

JJ hated looking at them at all, but he would've been foolish to expect them to heal on their own. He had to replace the bandages eventually. So he got up, walking as quietly as he could to the bathroom in his room. He flinched only once after hearing yet another glass cup shatter in the kitchen sink.

Something must've happened to Luke. That could range from a conjured memory to a bar fight. Either way, he hoped the man forgot he had a son. He definitely didn't want to get caught in that cross fire.

"Ah, fuck."

The bruises were yellow now, which he knew was supposed to mean they were healing. It still looked disgusting. He looked disgusting. No fucking wonder his dad beat him. For a split second, that actually made sense, and he found himself choking on a sob.

But he straightened up seconds later, grabbing all the equipment he needed to clean the gashes and bruises. He moved robotically, refusing to show emotion on his face even in silence. He found it easier to deal if he didn't process anything. You fuck up, you get punished. Read into it anymore, and you'll do something you'll regret.

Like John B's mirror.

He hadn't even paid John B back yet. That's around when it became inevitable. In an instant, he was lost in an emotionless world, going through actions without so much as a second thought. That was how he was going to survive this.

There was no other option.

***

Kelce and Topper were a surprisingly deadly duel. Like the Pogues, they'd do anything for each other. It didn't matter wether Topper was telling the truth or not about JJ, they were going to get him.

It was Topper's idea to call Rafe. He knew what that boy was capable of, and he knew things would go smoother if they'd gotten someone with experience for payback.

Then came the idea to bring Barry along. Ideas flew left and right and it seemed like no bad deed was off the table. One way or another, the blonde boy would get his share.