rules [ JJ MAYBANK ]

XIII

HIS POSSESSIVENESS & WILLINGNESS
TO LET HER DRAW ON HIS
CONVERSE
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"JESUS, AND I thought JB was possessive." Cori hadn't meant to say this aloud, and she immediately regretted it when JJ threw his hands up in exasperation.

"Do you see yourself?" He was astonished. "Of course I'm being fucking possessive right now."

JJ watched as Cori avoided his eyes. It was obvious, to him, that she was trying to shut what he meant out- the serious reasons as to why he was acting how he was.

She felt vulnerable, and self conscious. Cori was embarrassed that JJ had to see her like this. That Kie, and Pope, and JB felt like they had to worry about her, or why, in the first place, they had to wonder why she was beaten and bruised.

"Your mom?" JJ's voice was quieter when he spoke this time, and it caused another wave of embarrassment to flow through Cori. She didn't want to seem like she was cowering away from his anger, or that she was acting like a pussy because of her mother, but at the same time, Cori knew that JJ was just trying to be there for her.

He's just trying to be there for me. Cori forced herself to meet JJ's eyes and nod in response to his question. It's just JJ. He's just trying to be there for me.

She battled to keep JJ's eye contact. His strong gaze, one which usually came with comfort, seemed to terrify Cori. She watched as JJ took a deep breath to settle himself, taking a couple of steps towards her.

That was all it took for Cori to cast her gaze back at the floor.

She soon felt JJ's thumb and pointer-finger on her chin, tilting her face upwards so that she could meet his eyes. JJ brought his other hand up to cup Cori's cheek, and she could swear they were so close that the green freckles in his blue eyes were visible to her.

It seemed insipid to betray eye contact now.

"Remember when I told you about my dad," JJ began, his thumb beginning to rub Cori's cheek. "And my past?"

Cori forced a nod, biting her tongue to keep her eyes from glistening over with tears. She resisted an urge to slap herself, which caused her to have to do the same when she felt another urge- this time to laugh at the thought of slapping herself.

"Which means you remember how stubborn I was being with opening up to you." It was a statement, but JJ portrayed it as a question. Cori wasn't sure if he had asked to make sure her mind was still on him, or if he was truly wondering- but either way, she nodded.

"Now, I don't know if you know this, but- Actually, you probably do." JJ doubled back on his words. "With your odd ass profiling skills."

"You know what profiling is?!" Cori sounded excited, and she grabbed JJ's wrist- the one who's hand was cupping her face. JJ mentioning anything to do with Cori's favorite show sparked interest in her, and he watched as happiness began to reveal itself again in her eyes.