Heated Lies (Jiara)

Determined

JJ barely said a word. Kiara would whisper reassurances, and he wouldn't even deny that he needed them. He'd had a headache since the moment he woke up.

"So... my house?" Kiara wondered, hopping in her truck. JJ followed behind, grunting a response that she could only guess was a yes.

So they drove. He kept his phone zipped into his pants pocket, ignoring the vibrations. He should've turned off his location, because now everyone knew where he was.

He was just waiting on one of them to do something.

"J, you okay?" She let a free hand reach across to touch his shoulder.

His movements were mellow. "Yeah. Thinking too hard again."

"It's gonna be okay." She reminded him, but his face didn't change. "I love you..."

It wasn't much, but his lips twitched into something better than a frown. That was all she needed. He was going to get through this.

***

"I feel really bad about JJ." Nora said. She'd simply trailed behind Pope during their departure. "Kiara told me about you guys. I think I understand Pogues now..."

"Oh, cool." Pope had replied. He was leading her to his house, because where else was she going to go? "Which one do you think you are?"

He let her in his room. "I think I'm in between, like Kie."

***

Kiara brought him to her house, but she knew exactly what was going to happen. He was reeling because of his father. He'd make the decision eventually. It seemed as though just being in the obx was scary.

"Kiara?" He'd been on her bed, squeezing one of her pillows in an attempt to calm his nerves.

"Yeah, what's up?"

His eyes looked disappointed. "Uh... Would you freak if I said I wanted to give him one last chance?"

Of course she didn't have to ask to know who he was talking about. Her breathing hitched, even though she knew he would say something eventually.

"It's not up to me." She whispered back.

He watched her fiddle with her fingers, and then appear to search for pajamas.

"I just have to make sure..." He told her, cautiously. "He can't do any worse than what he's already done."

It sounded like he was trying to convince her. She didn't give much of a response, stepping into silk checkerboard pants and a cropped tank top. He couldn't say he didn't look at her lace bra, even if it was for a second, but it didn't distract him the way it normally would've.

"It's not up to me. I can't control you, J. This is your decision." She got closer to press a kiss to his lips, pulling away slower than planned when he held on. "I love you no matter what choice you make."

He nodded, and it was vigorous like he could shake his thoughts away with it. She snuggled into the blankets beside him, letting their legs tangle as she laid against his chest.

***

"Wheeze!" Rafe had called with a frustration in his voice.

She clomped down the stairs, anger evident in her own features. "What?"

"Look, dude, I need you to cover for me." She crossed her arms and he sighed. "Cmon, please? You've done it for Sarah a million times!"

"Yeah, cause Sarah isn't a raging psychopath!"

He ran a hand over his face, turning away from her before he did something he'd regret. "Okay, what if I told you there was something it for you?"

Now she was listening, sitting in one of their large velvet chairs. "Go on."

"I don't have anything off the top of my head, but I'll owe you one, alright?"

She thought, twisting her lips to make a choice. "Alright, but where are you going?"

"To patch things up with a Pogue."

***

Kiara fell asleep rather quickly, while JJ stayed wide awake. He'd tried multiple times to get comfortable, but every inch was him was hurting despite his scars being healed.

He kept his arms around her like he usually did when they slept, but he wanted nothing more than to run. So seconds later, he was freeing himself to do so. She stirred only once, which almost made him backtrack his choice, but he pressed on anyway.

He was writing a note, an explanation as to why he'd left her alone. He knew if he didn't do it now, he'd never do it. One thing JJ hated more than the issues at hand, regret.

He would always wonder what Luke's messages meant if he ignored them. So he wouldn't. He set the pen down, folding the note and leaving it on her nightstand.

He then pressed a kiss to her temple before slipping out the window. It was late, but he knew his father would up. What alcoholic abuser wouldn't be? He wasn't going to drive.

A part of this felt morbid, because he'd been in a similar situation before. He remembered how it ended, the pain, the ache. The way he remembered him saying next time would be worse.

He actually wasn't afraid, though. Not when he set off into the night, high on the feeling of being on top. Even if things didn't work out, he'd have the Pogues, and he could tell the Sheriff...

That was another thing. Shoupe definitely told him not to go back. He clearly wasn't about to listen. He saw this as the last time. Luke's last chance to make things right. It was the final game, that JJ was playing at least.

He wasn't hanging on after this. The leaves underneath his feet were crunching in sync with his heartbeat. The moon could've been blinding. There were no clouds, just endless stars. The occasional wind would blow his hair in various places.

He couldn't have been more grateful not to give a fuck. He was wandering, shoving both hands in his pockets and spinning in the middle of the road. One would call this side of him extremely reckless, but to him, it was fun.

Then he felt something else in his pocket. A long rectangular item. He pulled it out to examine, and chuckled when he realized he'd left a weed pen in his shorts. It wasn't even a thought. Two instant hits.

Then he was approaching his house. This would determine everything.