❛𝐖𝐀𝐕𝐄𝐒❜ ― 𝐣𝐣 𝐦𝐚𝐲𝐛𝐚𝐧𝐤

𝟎𝟑𝟎.

030.
BIRD.

❝
2 cigarettes - jack & jack
No more late nights, us just talking
Used to FaceTime, now you just calling
It's no one's fault but some things just fall apart, yeah
I smoke two cigarettes and I don't even smoke, no
Now the sun's coming up and I'm halfway sober
And I know it won't but I'm still here hoping
That it gets better now, whoa
❞

❰ PRESENT ❱

Avery's eyes had widened in horror as she stepped into the chateau, looking around in a daze as JJ stopped by her side to check if she was okay.

"Uh..." he began, glancing at the rest of the group that had scattered around the house. "Aves? You okay?"

"How long has it been since I cleaned this place?" she asked, furrowing her eyebrows with slight irritation as she pointedly looked at the brunet that sat at the table.

He stiffened, peering at his friends for help. They shrugged in return, not really sure how to answer the girl's clearly frustrated question. "I- you know- it's just been-"

She held up a hand, frowning as she walked forward with the blond tailing her as he headed into the kitchen. "Don't answer that, but tomorrow, I'm making you clean and do your laundry."

He blanched. "But I don't have-"

"I'll take care of the supplies. You're doing the labor," she insisted, pulling the spare chair out before sitting down.

He tried to protest, but when she gave him a stern look in response, he shut his mouth, knowing that he couldn't stop her once she had that expression donned on. She averted her gaze when she heard the scraping of a jar and saw JJ trying to make a peanut butter sandwich for himself just as Pope walked by and grimaced at the sight.

"The bread had mold on it three days ago," he informed the blond, making her widen her eyes in concern as she stood up and sped over to them.

"I'll just pull off the bad parts," JJ reassured him, continuing to make the sandwich as he glanced at Avery, who stepped in next to him with her nose scrunched. "Plus, mold is good for you. It's just a natural organism."

"JJ, I- let's just go," she sighed, too tired to argue before pulling him back to the table as John B began to rip open the package.

She watched him with a knowing gaze as he bit into the sandwich before gagging a second later, his face paling as he spat out the bit he'd been chewing. His eyes met hers and she nodded with pursed lips, taking the food from him before lightly pushing him in the direction of the trash can.

She picked off the mold for him as he washed his mouth out with beer, setting it into a small pile on the desk as she hovered next to the brunet who unfolded a map. She had her green eyes focused on it as she quickly scanned over the coordinates scribbled in different parts, feeling JJ sidle up next to her with his hand pressing against her lower back.

"Holy shit," the brown eyed boy breathed out.

Pope reached over, pointing at a spot on the map. "Oh. X marks the spot."

"Longitude, latitude," he muttered, dragging his finger over the lines before glancing at the package. "Wait, there's somethin' else in there."

He reached into the opening and pulled out a tape recorder, causing Avery's breath to hitch in her throat as she realized that maybe John B was right about this whole thing. Maybe Big John was alive, and it was his son's responsibility to find him.