Ocean and Alcohol ✘JJ Maybank✘

Changing Tides

Everyone was asleep when you made it back to the Chateau. Pope and Kie had knocked out on the floor near the bed that JJ slept in. You wanted to smile at the sight of them, but you were so exhausted that you could barely move your feet. Shuffling around your friends, you peeled off the t-shirt you had borrowed from JJ, which was now covered in your blood. Without a second thought, you dropped it on the floor beside the bed. You didn't think JJ would mind if you crashed with him for the last few hours of the morning. You crawled under the blankets, careful to keep on your side of the bed, cradling your arm up to your chest.
It took you seconds to fall asleep. You didn't even realize you had until sunlight woke you up a few hours later. Feeling consciousness return, you groaned and squeezed your eyes together tight.

"Morning sleepyhead," a voice said. You hummed and peaked open a single eye. JJ was standing by your side of the bed, smiling down at you.

"Feeling better?" You asked him as you pushed yourself up to a sitting position. He shrugged his shoulders and tucked a stray piece of hair behind your ear.

"You need another shirt?" He asked. You nodded your head slowly, rubbing the sleep out of your eyes.

"Yes, please."

He tossed one of his shirts in your direction before jumping back on the bed, wrapping his arms around your waist.

"What are you doing?" You asked with a laugh as you pulled his shirt on over your head.

"Giving you a hug," he said and pressed a kiss against your thigh.

"Where are Pope and Kie?"

"Outside macking or something, I don't know," JJ mused, closing his eyes again. You slid out from underneath him, to which he groaned and reached out for you again.

"I gotta go talk to them," you said, stretching your arms once you stood.

"Why?" JJ whined, rolling onto his back. You smiled down at him and poked his nose with your finger.

"Because."

JJ groaned, but he didn't push any further. You walked away, a smile still on your face. The sun was warm and welcome against your skin as you walked outside. If you focused on the task at hand and the sun on your face, you could almost forget what had happened the night before.

"Pope! Kie!" You called, waving your hand in the air. They were whispering back and forth to each other until you called out. Pope smiled when he saw you nearing, but Kie just crossed her arms.

"So?" He asked once you finally reached them. "Your plan, how did it go?"

You let out a sigh, swinging your arms at your sides.

"Fell through." Pope dropped his head. "I'm really sorry. I thought I could do it, but-"

"What happened to your arm?" Kie interrupted, nodding toward your wrapped up arm.

"I fell over yesterday when I walked back from Barry's."

"You didn't have that thing on last night."

"I did, but it was dark and we were a little preoccupied." You crossed your arms, feeling your heart start to pound. You hadn't really given yourself time to think of a lie to cover yourself. You had just gone to bed. Kie narrowed her eyes and opened her mouth to say something else, but not before JJ cut in.

"Hey, Ellie!" He called from behind. You spun around, your heart dropping at the sight of the bloody shirt in his hand.

"Fuck," you breathed, hanging your head.

"What's this?" He asked and dropped the shirt at your feet.

"I was just telling Pope and Kie," you said, looking back at them. "I fell. Used the shirt to stop the bleeding until I got something to wrap it up with."