𝐒𝐓𝐘𝐋𝐄 || 𝐉𝐉 𝐌𝐀𝐘𝐁𝐀𝐍𝐊

𝐄𝐋𝐄𝐕𝐄𝐍

       THE TWINKIE was parked along the edge of a dirt road, hidden under a canopy of thick oak branches. The afternoon sun streamed through the leaves, casting dappled light across the cracked leather seats and the cluttered floor. John B and Kie had disappeared toward the lighthouse, leaving Pope focused on his notebook in the backseat, muttering something about syntax and word count. That left JJ and Avery sitting on the hood of the Twinkie, legs dangling over the edge as they "kept watch."

Avery was wearing cutoff jean shorts that showed off her long legs and a fitted white tank top that clung to her curves. Her black Converse high-tops were scuffed, and her long dark hair was loose, cascading over her shoulders in waves that looked effortless but weren't. She had a pair of John B's old sunglasses perched on her nose and a teasing smirk tugging at her lips as she turned to JJ.

"Are you seriously playing with that lighter again?" she asked, watching him flick the flame on and off, the tiny burst of fire illuminating his tanned face.

JJ leaned back on his elbows, the lighter still in hand. He was shirtless, as usual, with a red bandana tied around his head to keep his messy blonde hair out of his eyes. His cut-off jeans hung low on his hips, and he had a mischievous grin as he glanced at her.

"Just keeping my hands busy," he said, flicking the lighter shut with a sharp click. "Unless you've got a better idea."

Avery raised an eyebrow, pushing the sunglasses up onto her head. "I've got plenty of ideas, Maybank. Most of them involve you not burning down the Twinkie."

JJ laughed, the sound low and easy, and shifted closer to her, his knee brushing against hers. "Relax, princess. I'm not gonna burn anything down... today."

"Princess?" she echoed, leaning toward him with a mock-offended expression. "That's rich coming from the guy who uses my shampoo when he crashes at my place."

JJ smirked. "What can I say? It smells nice. Like coconuts and... something else I can't figure out."

"Vanilla," Avery said, rolling her eyes but unable to hide her smile. "You're impossible."

"And you love it," JJ shot back, his grin widening as he nudged her shoulder playfully.

Avery shook her head but didn't deny it. Instead, she reached out and grabbed the lighter from his hand, holding it out of reach. "Enough with this. I'm confiscating it."

JJ didn't even hesitate. He leaned in, so close she could feel the warmth of his skin, and grabbed her wrist lightly, his fingers curling around hers. "Oh, yeah? And what are you gonna do if I take it back?"

His voice was low, teasing, but there was something else there, something that made her heart skip. Avery's smirk softened, and for a moment, she just looked at him. His blue eyes were brighter than the sky above them, and his usual cocky expression faltered, just slightly, when he noticed her staring.

"I might let you," she said quietly, her voice losing its edge. Her gaze dropped to where his hand was still holding her wrist, his thumb brushing lightly over her skin.

JJ froze for half a second, like he wasn't sure if she was serious or just messing with him. But then he smiled—an actual, real smile, not his usual smirk—and let go of her wrist, though he didn't move away.

"You're full of surprises, Street," he murmured, his voice softer now.

Avery shrugged, leaning back on her hands. "Guess you'll have to stick around and find out what else I've got up my sleeve."

JJ chuckled, his eyes lingering on her for a beat longer than usual. "Oh, don't worry. I'm not going anywhere."

The silence between them stretched, but it wasn't uncomfortable. It was the kind of quiet that felt loaded, like something unspoken was hanging in the air. JJ finally broke it by reaching up to tug lightly at a strand of her hair.

"Hey," he said, his tone teasing again. "Do you actually care about keeping watch, or can I distract you for a bit?"

Avery tilted her head, a slow smile spreading across her face. "Distract me? You've been doing that since the day I met you, JJ."

JJ grinned, leaning back beside her on the hood of the Twinkie. "Well, it's good to know I've still got it." He bumped his shoulder against hers, the gesture easy and familiar. "Let's see how long I can keep your attention before John B comes back and ruins everything."

Avery laughed, the sound light and genuine, and rested her head against his shoulder. "You've got all the time in the world, Maybank."