Heated Lies (Jiara)

JB the Mediator

"You're home."

"Yes."

Luke stared at him with absolute disgust. His hands already formed fists at his sides. JJ could feel the previous bruises aching. How was he bleeding if his father hadn't started yet?

"You pathetic motherfu-"

The plane landed before Luke's hand met contact with his face. The clapping woke him up with a gasp. He took several breaths, hating the way his chest tightened.

His clothes felt restricting, but he couldn't strip in public, so he settled for fanning the bottom end of his shirt. Pope had come to check on him and grab their bags from above.

"You alright? You're sweating."

JJ was still trying to calm himself. He kept one hand on his chest, eyes closing until he could feel the solid ground beneath him.

Pope tried again. "JJ, you're-"

"Yeah, no shit, I'm sweating. It's hot in here." He stood, grabbing his only bag and storming off the plane.

John B and Sarah followed a mildly offended Heyward.

***

Nora and Kiara spent the whole night in the Carrera's room. They knew they'd be in deep shit if they were caught, but it didn't seem to matter to either of them.

It was around five in the morning that her phone buzzed. Nora had stopped crying a while ago, soft sniffles being heard every few minutes. They hadn't talked all that much, it was mostly Kiara comforting her in the little ways she could.

She picked up her phone hesitantly.

"Who is it?"

"Nothing." Kie replied. "Calendar reminder for the dance I'm never gonna get to go to."

Nora grinned a little. "Maybe you can."

Her head turned as she tucked her phone back under her pillow. "What?"

"When is your dance?"

"December." Kiara slid off the bed to lean on it from the floor. Nora followed, kicking her shoes off for the first time in two days.

"You're still busting me out?"

"Want to... Kind of stuck until-"

A loud buzzer cut her off, making both she and Nora flinch. She immediately grabbed her phone and shoved it in her bra.

Kiara threw open the door, shoving her outside before standing in front of her room. Nora barely made it back in front of her room before Ms. Jenkins began to yell. Neither of them had slept the night before, which would make that day rough.

"Close one!" The shorter girl whispered to her.

"Damn right!"

***

The hotel Pope chose to stay in was cleaner than expected. Each of them passed out quicker than the last. It was JJ that got up first in the morning, going downstairs to rid his mind of the reoccurring nightmares.

He started with a cup of coffee that was too bitter for his usual taste, but he wasn't drinking it to enjoy it. He was hoping it would keep him awake and away from the terrors of his dreams.

Then his eyes were glued to the tv on display. There were stories on the news about people he didn't know or care about. He wasn't getting the desired distraction.

John B stepped out of the hotel elevator about an hour later, rubbing his eyes and sighing. He saw JJ, waved, and went for the food. He joined the Maybank with a plate of eggs and bacon not even four minutes later.

"Hey."

JJ's response was to steal his bacon.

"How'd you sleep?" JB pressed on, rolling his eyes. "Pope said you were salty when you got off the plane."

"Pope is full of shit." He bit back, making his friend pause mid-chew. He quickly regretted his words. "Sorry."

"S'okay." The Routledge didn't look like he minded all that much.

"No, I don't mean to treat you guys like shit. I know you're just looking out for me, okay? I see that." He ran a tan hand over his face, standing to refill his cup. "I can't stop thinking about Kie and my dad."

It was a miniature confession, but John B's expression wasn't because of that. He knew all there was to know, but JJ was actually talking about it now. With him.

"What about them?" He tried to act unfazed. He didn't want to scare him.

"I can't figure out why Luke would pay for plane tickets. I know if I go back home he'll just..." He tapered off, avoiding his friend's eyes like the plague. "I can't help thinking he'll change. Even though I know he won't."

His eyes started to water, but he quickly rubbed them with the palms of his hands. John B didn't tell him he saw, or how he thought a little too long about JJ addressing his father by his first name.

"And Kiara?"

JJ sunk further into his seat. "I miss her so fucking much." He didn't even try to hide on that. "I've never like... I mean she means so much to me, you know?"

"Yeah."

"But I'm conflicted cause she snitched." He spat the sentence out with venom in his tone. "I trusted her. How am I supposed to feel about that? I keep trying to be pissed because I made her promise not to say anything and she did it anyway!"

"Do you want my honest opinion?"

John B continued eating, glancing at the sun leaking through the curtains in the lobby. He didn't wait for JJ to reply.

"Don't be angry with her. As you pointed out, she was just looking out for you. She only did it because she knew you wouldn't. She didn't want you living like that. If we'd known earlier, we'd probably have done the same thing."

"Yeah, but the promise, JB." His eyes closed, feeling the warmth on his belly when he lowered his cup. "I was so close to believing I loved her."

"I think you do."

"How do you know? You and Sarah were different. There was no hardship. She wanted to break the rules to be with you. The adventure was fun. For us, I nearly lost my mind after I told her."

"Told her..."

"That my dad beat the shit out of me, John B!" It seemed as though the whole room went quiet. The Routledge threw his plate away, and sat closer to JJ.

"I really can't say I know. I'm not in your shoes, dude." He admitted. "But the way you talk about her; the way you said you were trying not to be mad at her. You're trying not to because you know she did it out of love. Somewhere in that thick skull of yours, you see it as an act of kindness."

The Maybank was quiet after that, beginning to bounce his leg in a hushed anxiety. He was thinking too hard about this. Things we're always complicated when it came to his father.

But then John B pulled him into a hug. He nearly shoved the boy away, but something about his embrace made his eyes sting again.

"Don't forget we're here for you, man." And then he pulled away again, leaving JJ to blink his tears away.

A choked "yeah" was his only response before the rest of the pogues made their way down.