Together

94. Invested

Kiss me like you wanna be loved
You wanna be loved
You wanna be loved
This feels like falling in love
Falling in love
Falling in love
-Ed Sheeran

JJ was all over the place as he starts putting together his belonging for a day of surfing. He runs around his house, grabbing a beach towel from the bathroom, his board shorts from his dresser, and a bag of individually wrapped chips from the pantry. Felt like a kid on the first day of kindergarten, getting all ready to go and shit.

"Whoa," Shoupe says, surprise in his tone as JJ hops through the hallway. "Where you going?"

"Can I borrow the truck?" JJ asks, picking up the keys on the kitchen table. "We're gonna hit the break."

Shoupe nods in understanding. Makes sense why JJ would be so jumpy, the kid has been depriving himself of the activity for a while. His clear excitement is enough that it'd probably sway Shoupe even if he needed the vehicle for the day.

"Yup, yeah," he agrees. "That's fine."

JJ bounces on his feet, showing the keys by way of indication that he appreciates Shoupe letting him take the truck. But before he can truly make his escape, his guardian looks up suddenly, reaching out like he just remembered something important.

"You taking off now?"

"I mean I was planning on heading to get Kie," JJ explains, his haste only partially because was excited to hit the waves.

"How she doing?" Shoupe asks, genuinely.

JJ doesn't think much of the inquiry. Shoupe knew that Kie was struggling a bit, JJ had told him as much. Had to, really. Couldn't be out of his bed for a week straight without some form of explanation. That much Shoupe had been very clear about since day one.

Not that Shoupe was particularly pleased that the only real response to his absence was, "Kie needed me." JJ may have played on that bit a tad more than necessary, knowing Shoupe had a soft spot for the girl since Florida.

"She's doing good," he smiles, head ducking into the fridge to fish out the Gatorade bottle he had stored there. "We'll see after today though." He wouldn't deny that this was still making him a little apprehensive. Was really hoping waves wouldn't be too bad.

"We should really get you a wet suit if you're gonna insist on surfing this late into the year," Shoupe comments, leaning against the counter.

JJ rolls his eyes, but there is no malice behind it. "I'm fine," he dismisses. "I'm not gonna waste money on that kinda shit."

Shoupe chuckles, shaking his head. "Not saying you'd be the one paying for it, Jay."

JJ stiffens slightly. Shoupe taking care of him, even after all this time, still wasn't something he automatically leaned into when it came to stuff like that. Shoupe understood that from the jump, never asking JJ if he needed specific items like clothes or toothpaste. Things just showed up in his room and he used them. They didn't really talk about it.

It made it easier. JJ was a starving kid when he entered the house but that didn't mean he came inside with hat in hand begging for a handout. He had pride after all. Shoupe couldn't think of a single time JJ asked him for anything other than to remind him that they looked like they were running low on toilet paper and that was more of a collective need rather than singular.

He clears his throat. "Nah, that's alright," he declines. "This'll probably be the last time anyone is gonna go out rest of the year anyway."

Shoupe gives a tight lipped smile, and a short nod indicating he understands. An awkward silence seems to fall and Shoupe isn't quite sure how to clear it so he just goes with the first thing he thinks of.