𝐂𝐑𝐔𝐄𝐋 𝐒𝐔𝐌𝐌𝐄𝐑, jj maybank¹

𝖼𝗁𝖺𝗉𝗍𝖾𝗋 𝗍𝗁𝗂𝗋𝗍𝗒-𝗇𝗂𝗇𝖾

𝐂𝐑𝐔𝐄𝐋 𝐒𝐔𝐌𝐌𝐄𝐑    /    𝖼𝗁𝖺𝗉𝗍𝖾𝗋 𝗍𝗁𝗂𝗋𝗍𝗒-𝗇𝗂𝗇𝖾
❛ home sweet home. ❜

AS KIARA PULLS her vehicle outside JJ's house, and Stella feels a sting in her heart. JJ looks at the house with a sad look because no matter how hard he looked at it, that house was never a home. And yet, he still croaks out a soft, "Home sweet home."

She leans forward in her seat, grabbing his arm. JJ looks over his shoulder at her and she can see tears briming in his eyes. "Do you want me to go with you?"

JJ shakes his head, taking off his hat and running his fingers through his hair. "Nah. This will only take a second."

Stella bit her lip, nodding and falling back in her seat. JJ grabs his bag and steps out of the car, making his way toward the door. He falters on the steps, looking back at Stella. Her gut twists and she reaches for the door handle. "Fuck this."

She slams the door shut and races forward JJ, him standing and watching her. "Stella, what are you doing?"

"I'm not letting you do this alone, JJ. Over my dead body will you ever be alone."

JJ looks at her and nods slowly, turning toward the door with her following. "Dad?" JJ calls out when the door shuts behind them.

Stella had been inside JJ's home more times than one, and every time it still shook her a little. The house was always in a state of chaos, one worse than the Château. Plate and dishes resided in the sink, dirty and collecting mold. Bottle and cans scattered along the floor and counter tops. A cockroach or two scurrying across the floor. It made Stella's heart sink knowing this was what JJ was left with.

JJ looks over at Stella after not hearing his father's voice. He holds out his hand and she takes it before he pulls her through the hall. They pause when they see Luke Maybank passed out on the couch. "Dad, I need the keys to the Phantom." He doesn't answer and soft snores leave his mouth. "Dad?"

JJ moves closer and looks down at the coffee table, picking up an orange pill bottle. Sleeping pills. He looks at his father with tears briming his eyes.

Stella notices and chews on her lip, looking at Luke's sleeping body before her eyes catch on a silver chain shining in the light. She nudges him and points at it. "Hey, J, look."

JJ's eyes follow her finger to the chain and he exhales roughly, picking up a pen and tweezers the rid the chain from his neck without stirring him awake. As he leans to the chain, Luke's eyes blink open slowly which makes JJ and Stella freeze.

"I didn't expect to see you." His groggy voice rings through their ears earning chills through them. Stella grabs JJ's arm and pulls him from the ground. "You're back."

"Yeah, no, I just— Just checkin' in."

Luke grabs a bottle from the table and takes a gulp when his eyes dart to Stella gripping JJ's arm. "This your girlfriend?" he asks, a laugh escaping his lips.

JJ looks at Stella and wraps a protective arm around her waist. "Uh... y-yeah. This— This is Stella."

"Nice to meet ya." Stella's met Luke plenty of times, but she knew from the drinking and the pills he probably hadn't remembered. He smiled at the girl with the kind of smile that made her shutter. She didn't say anything back, only offered him a tight lipped smile. "School out already?"

"What?" JJ asked. It was the middle of July.

"Did y'all ditch? It's all right. You can tell me."

"Yeah. We hit the break, you know."

"I hated school too. My boy!" Luke laughs and the corner of JJ's mouth turn up into a half smile. A broken smile. A smile that hid a shit ton of pain.

"Hey you know what..." He stands up and JJ pushes Stella behind him slightly. Luke takes ahold of JJ's shoulder. "Listen, hey. Hey, look, I know I'm hard on you sometimes. But sometimes I see— I see your mother in you, and it gets me a little tweaked, you know?"JJ forced out a chuckle. "You're a good boy." Luke's eyes meet Stella's. "He's good, i'dnt he? He treating you well?"

Stella gulps and nods, putting her hand on JJ's shoulder. "He's good. He treats me amazingly."

Luke smiles at JJ. "Ha. That's my boy. I love you, son." He pulls JJ into him. "Come here. I love you. I love you, son." Luke's eyes meet hers for a moment and she stiffens, shuttering. "And don't lose that girl of yours. Not like I lost your mother."

Stella watches saddened as JJ's arms slowly curl around his father's body, sniffles leaving him. "Love you too, Dad. I'm sorry."

"Ain't got nothin' to be sorry for." Luke becomes limp in his son's arms and JJ moves to let him collapse into the sofa. "You're a good boy."

JJ takes one more look at his father and pulls his shirt open, yanking the chain from his neck completely.

Stella looks at JJ and he grabs her hand. "C'mon."

Stella looks at Luke once before is dragged away by JJ, his hand unconsciously tightening around hers. She pulls back on him. "J, wait. Are you all right?"

JJ looks at her right before his free hand one meets the doorknob. He nods. "I will be."

Tears sting the back of Stella's eyes and she smiles a small grin at him, pushing herself to her tip-toes and hugging him. "I'm proud of you. I'm so fucking proud of you."

JJ's arms tighten around her, squeezing her to him when tears trail down his cheeks. He breaks down into her and Stella lets him, giving him the time to let out the emotions he had been holding in.

They pull away a few short minutes later and look at each other. Stella takes his face in her hands and wipes his tears with her thumb. "I love you so, so fucking much. I hope you know that."

JJ nods, his fingers digging into her waist. "I love you, Stella. You're the best thing that ever happened to me."

"And you're mine."

Their lips meet in a captivating kiss. One that took their breath away. One that they knew, this was it.

It was hard to wrap her mind around the fact. The fact that she was kissing JJ. The fact that she was his and he was hers. The fact that she got to show him the love he had missed out on all his life.

Their lives, from the day they were born, was nothing short of chaotic. A painful chaos that made their hearts wrench. And yet, in that chaos, they found each other. They found their anchors.