Always You || Simon Minter (miniminter)

Chapter 31

The second JJ stepped through the doorway, the atmosphere shifted like someone turned the brightness and volume all the way up. The boys exploded into cheers, music forgotten, and JJ vanished under a pile of arms and shouts.

"LET HIM BREATHE, YOU ANIMALS!" someone—probably Harry—yelled.

Simon's arm brushed mine as we watched everyone swarm JJ. He didn't say anything. He didn't need to.

He just let out a quiet breath that said:

He's home. Finally.

JJ eventually broke free long enough to grab me, dragging me into one of his suffocating bear hugs.

"I missed you!" he said into my shoulder, squeezing the life out of me.

"I missed you more!"

"Oh shut up, both of you," Simon called, trying to sound annoyed but failing miserably.

JJ turned to him, squinting dramatically.
"Well, well, well... look at this blonde twig getting territorial."

Simon barked a laugh. "Mate, I wasn't even—"

"Don't lie." JJ pointed accusingly. "I saw the boyfriend lean."
He bent back, doing an absolutely horrific impression of Simon leaning into me.

The boys roared.

Simon groaned. "You've been home for two minutes and I already want to ship you back to LA."

JJ beamed. "Too bad. You're stuck with me."

He pulled Simon into one of those gruff, macho, totally-a-hug-but-they'll-never-admit-it embraces. Simon held on longer than he'd ever admit.

The familiar rhythm returned instantly—their brotherly bickering, the subtle loyalty, the shared language of two boys who grew up together.

"Come on then," Simon sighed. "Let's get you a drink before you tell everyone how emotional you got on the flight."

"HEY," JJ snapped, "I was not emotional."

Harry poked his head out of the kitchen. "So you were crying?"

"No!" JJ yelled. Then quieter: "Shut up."

The house filled with laughter—warm, chaotic, home.

JJ's arrival lit the whole house up. Within minutes the boys had dragged him to the living room, pelting him with questions, jokes, and enough back-slaps to bruise an elephant.

I barely had time to breathe before JJ was reenacting some LA story about a producer who "looked like a melted candle."

Music thumped through the floor. Vodka bottles cracked open. The lights glowed warm against the decorations we'd put up. It felt like the perfect kind of chaos—the kind we were best at.

Simon slid behind me, wrapping his arms around my waist as JJ dramatically told Cal he had "fan behaviour."

"You really missed him, didn't you?" Simon murmured into my shoulder.

I nudged him. "Of course. He's my best friend."

Simon hummed. "And what am I?"

"My boyfriend," I teased, "who gets jealous for absolutely no reason."

He squeezed my waist. "He gets all your hugs tonight. I deserve at least one."

"Relax," I laughed. "You'll live."

The boys dragged JJ into the kitchen for a welcome shot. Harry poured something that looked like poison.

JJ took it, slammed it down, immediately coughed. "Oh my days—who made that?"

"Harry," everyone said at once.

Harry bowed. "You're welcome."

The laughter shook the walls.

Simon stayed close—not clingy, just orbiting. He'd let me roam, checking decorations and making sure JJ didn't replace all food with vodka, but every so often his hand brushed my lower back.

A quiet reminder: I'm here.

At one point JJ caught me looking at Simon, eyebrows raised knowingly.
"What?" I mouthed.

He smirked. "Nothing. Just happy for you."

My heart warmed.

But this wasn't a sentimental night. It was feral.

Harry tried to stack cups taller than JJ and created a leaning tower that collapsed on Ethan, who screamed as if stung by bees.
Cal, Freezy, and Stephen debated which Sidemen member would die first in a zombie apocalypse.

"Josh," everyone answered—even Josh.

Tobi put old Sidemen clips on TV, making the room even louder because apparently everyone had "exclusive commentary."

And JJ... JJ kept looking around the room with that soft, fond smile he only wore when he was home.

A couple hours in, cheeks flushed, he slung an arm around me.

"Millie, I missed this. Missed you. Missed all of you."

"I know," I said softly. "We missed you too."

He nudged me. "Simon treating you alright?"

I glanced across the room. Simon paused mid-argument with Ethan and looked up like he felt me thinking about him.
His expression softened instantly.

"Yeah," I murmured. "He is."

JJ smiled. "Good. 'Cause if he wasn't, I'd fight him."

"You'd win."

He grinned. "I know."

Later, when the room settled into a drunken sprawl, I found myself on the sofa with my legs stretched across Simon's lap. He traced circles on my calf with lazy fingers.

JJ walked by, stopping dead.

"Bro. You're like... cuddly."

Simon blinked. "And?"

"And it's weird. Stop it."

"Never," Simon said, pulling me closer just to bother him.

JJ fake gagged. "Sickening. PDA. Vile."

"Go away," Simon told him fondly.

JJ wandered off muttering, "My two best friends are disgusting."

Simon leaned down. "He's jealous we didn't cuddle him when he walked in."

"I HEARD THAT!" JJ shouted.

"Good," Simon replied calmly.

Everything felt right again—everyone together, JJ home, Simon beside me.

HI SO UPDATE YAY!!
Sorry this chapter is kinda shitty I just had to get JJ back and OOO he's met someone ;) so I hope you all enjoy pls comment and vote if you have, love you all❤️

P.s. I will add a gif when I'm home, it's almost 10pm and I'm on my way to work till 4am so I shall see you then ;))))