summary: in which your boyfriend JJ hasn't told you about his father yet and has been acting distant lately and hiding things from you, but he won't tell you what. little do you know it's a lot deeper than you anticipated
trigger warning:this deals with physical abuse so please skip if this triggers you
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"Hey babe, do you wanna go to the beach later?" You asked your boyfriend as you sat on your couch watching tv.
"Nah, don't feel like it," he replied bluntly.
JJ not wanting to go to the beach? That was odd.
JJ had been acting rather distant lately. He wouldn't come around as much and he hadn't stayed the night in a while. Now he was blowing off any kind of date that didn't involve sitting on the couch watching tv in silence.
"Since when do you ever pass down an opportunity to go surfing?" You half laughed, trying to lighten the mood as it felt incredibly tense.
"I just don't fucking feel like it (Y/N)!" He raised his voice, startling you. He never did that.
But it didn't scare you, it just pissed you off. He hadn't been treating you right lately, cancelling plans with no explanation, making excuses not to stay over and now getting aggravated at the fact you just missed spending some quality time with your boyfriend.
"What the fuck is up with you?" You asked, standing up from the couch and looking down at him.
"What's up with me?" He retorted. "What's up with you! Since when have you been so damn nosy!"
This just fuelled your anger anymore.
"Oh, I'm sorry for just trying to be a good girlfriend!" You yelled. "I'm just sick of the way you've been acting lately! You don't tell me anything anymore, you're hardly around and when you are you might as well not be cuz you don't say shit!" You ranted, your throat feeling like it was wrapped in barbed wire as you tried not to let your voice crack or your tears fall.
"God, you have such high expectations from me!" JJ yelled back, lifting his arms up in the air in frustration.
As he did, his shirt rode up his abdomen ever so slightly, but enough to reveal something horrifying.
The exposed skin was ridden with bruises, ranging from black and blue to red and slightly yellow. You gasped as you took in what you saw, even if it was only for a split second.
You'd noticed that JJ would sometimes have bruises and cuts on his face, but he always blamed it on getting in a fight with some kooks or falling off his motorcycle. The more you reflected on his excuses, the more idiotic you felt for believing them.
"JJ..." you whispered sadly.
"What?" He sighed, frustration laced in his voice as he ran his hands through his hair.
"Where did you get those bruises?" You asked quietly, already anticipating his response.
"I don't know what you're talking about," JJ replied bluntly.
"Yes, you do," you responded, "and if you don't want to talk about it, I completely respect that, but I need you to know that I'm always here for you and I'm sorry that you didn't feel like you could trust me with it."
JJ stared into your eyes, his lip trembling at your words. He started bawling. Your heart broke at the sight of his shoulders shaking and the sound of his sobs. You instantly ran over to him and wrapped your arms around him tightly, pulling him into the most loving embrace possible.
JJ reciprocated by pulling you even closer, squeezing you as if he was trying to release the pain. Tears rolled down your cheeks as you cried for the boy in your arms, the boy you loved.
He cried into your neck as you stroked his hair, whispering sweet nothings into his ear.
"I-I just didn't know how to tell you," he said in between sniffles.
"It's okay, baby," you whispered, "I'm here now and I'm not leaving."
"I didn't want you to pity me," he continued.
You pulled away from him so you could look him in the eyes.
"I could never pity you, JJ Maybank," you stated, gazing into his blue eyes. "You're the strongest person I know."
JJ cracked a small smile, causing your heart to swell.
"That man," you said, anger starting to boil inside you at the thought of him, "doesn't love you."
JJ nodded sadly, looking down at his feet. You grabbed his chin gently and lifted his face to meet yours.
"Hey, it's okay...because your family is here, with me, with Kie, with Pope and with John B," you continued. "Never forget that."
JJ pulled you back in for an embrace, kissing your forehead.
"God I love you so fucking much (Y/N)," he sighed into your hair. "I'd be lost without you."
"I love you too, JJ Maybank," you smiled into his chest, feeling at peace in his arms.
