𝐌𝐈𝐒𝐂𝐇𝐈𝐄𝐕𝐎𝐔𝐒, jj maybank [ rewrite ]

𝒔𝒊𝒙, smugglin'

Swinging her legs away from Ava, Kiara sits up properly, running a hand through her hair, "Guys, we can't keep that money."

"Okay. Not all us can afford unlimited date plans, Kiara," JJ retorts harshly, leaning against the porch roof beam as he turns away from her to look out across the garden.

"We have to pass that off to Lana Grubs," Kie continues, ignoring the blonde's comment, "Otherwise that's bad karma."

"Bad karma to be implicated in a felony, too," Pope adds with a stern nod, "We gotta go dark."

"If that means we get to keep the money, then I agree," JJ hums.

Ava's eyes float over to her brother, who's been unusually quiet during this whole debate. She tilts her head, "John? You got something to say?"

He nods at her, "I don't agree."

JJ's back straightens and he turns to look at his best friend with furrowed brows, "What? Why?"

"Just think about it," John B begins, "This is Scooter Grubbs we're talking about. Same dude that's buying individual cigarettes at the Porthole. Shit, one time I saw this dude begging for chance in the Save-A-Loy parking lot because he needed gas. We're talking about a dirtbag marina rat who's never had more than forty bucks in his pocket, and all of a sudden he's got a Grady White? Just saying."

At his truthful words, the rest of the group peer around at one another with a sign of realisation. He's right. Something else must be going on in order for a broke man to have such an expensive new boat.

Later on during the day, the Pogues are hanging around the dock outside the Chateau, while JJ fishes with Ava at his side and the others are sat a few metres away still conversing on the topic. Ava straightens up slightly, her hands rummaging around in her pockets until she groans and throws her head back.

JJ peers over his shoulder at her with furrowed brows, "You good?"

She sighs, dropping back down to walk on the beam next to him, "Do you have any cigarettes? I must have left my pack on the HMS."

Slowly, a smirk spreads over JJ's face and he nods enthusiastically, causing her to narrow her eyes at his reaction. "They're in my pocket," He motions down to his shorts pocket before wiggling the fish line, "You're gonna have to get them, though. I can't take my hands off the rod." He snorts at his own words, "Ha. Rod. That's what she said."

Rolling her jaw, she turns away from him, waving him off with her hand while she attempts not to smile at his annoyingly amusing words, "You're disgusting."

Smile wavering, he looks at the side of her face, his hands become sweaty from anxiety as they curl around the fishing rod. He nudges her side gently, causing her to turn her head to meet his gaze so she's able to watch as he balances the fishing rod carefully before digging his hand into his pocket, pulling out a cigarette packet and offering it to her along with his lighter.

She eyes the box before politely taking it with a smile. While she pulls one out, she looks up at him, "I didn't even think you liked cigarettes. I thought you preferred hand rolled blunts."

He hums, nodding as he turns to look back out at the sea flowing beneath them, "I do. I hate cigarettes, but I hate it just as much when you complain about not having any."

After lighting the cig and balancing the box on the beam they're leaning on, she raises her brows at him with a smirk, "You keep a box for me, is what you're trying to say," She nudges him repeatedly, being careful not to let the cigarette in her hand sleep as she laughs quietly, "That's cute."

JJ bites his lip before letting his head drop between his arms with a sigh in an attempt to hide the fact he's blushing from her, but she catches on quickly and after blowing a cloud of smoke out, she ducks her own head to meet his eyes, and he lets out a laugh as she pulls a stupid face at him.

She chuckles, straightening up when he turns his head to hide it in the crook of his arm, "I made JJ Maybank blush. I can finally take it off my bucket list."

JJ snorts into his arm at her words before taking a deep breath and straightening up with confidence. He can feel her eyes burning into the side of his face while she smirks, but he refuses to meet her gaze, biting down a smile as he stares at the water ahead and his grip on the fishing rod tightens while he listens to their friends separate conversation.

"Which means? JJ?" John B questions, whirling around from his perched spot to point at his best friend.

"They were straight smuggling!" JJ answers, clearly having heard more of the conversation than Ava. Suddenly, his body jerks back as he pulls the fishing rod with all of his strength, "FISH ON!"

Removing her cigarette from between her lips, Ava laughs as he wrestles with the fish on the other end of the line. Eventually, he's able to pull it out of the water and throw it onto the decking, splashing water all over Ava in the process, causing her jaw to drop.

JJ bursts into a fit of laughter at her, while she stands completely still and gobsmacked, feeling the water run from her clothes and skin and darken the wooden deck below her while her cigarette is now just a soaking piece of paper.

Following after John B and Kiara back towards the Chateau, Pope comes to a stop beside the cackling the boy and soaking girl, who finally moves to flick JJ off harshly. Grinding her jaw in annoyance, she precariously steps over the fish and past the two boys before rushing inside, ringing out of her t-shirt.

"I'm sorry, Ava!" JJ calls, earning another middle finger, "Seriously. I'm— I'm sorry," He laughs once more, turning away from the girl and his eyes meet Pope, who's looking back at him with raised brows, "Why are you looking at me like that, Pope?"

Watching as the blonde picks the fish up, Pope rolls his eyes, "So, you and Ava, huh?"

JJ shakes his head, beginning to walk along the decking with his friend at his side, "Nah, man. Ava is— well Ava's Ava. She's my best friends twin sister, and she'll never have me."

Pope glances at him, "You can't seriously think that."

"Of course I think that, Pope," JJ mutters, kicking the ground below at his feet once they step off the dock, "Why wouldn't I? Why would someone as fucking. . . perfect as her want someone like me? A low life who's broke."

"You seem to forgetting that's she's just as broke too, if not more," Pope reminds him with a chuckle, "And, you're not a low life, but if you're counting yourself as one, than technically speaking she's a low life too."

JJ throws his head back, "I'm not speaking technically, Pope. I'm talking literally. Ava's has everything there is for her to become something, and get away from here and go somewhere with her life. I don't."

Narrowing his eyes at his close friend, Pope sighs, "What the hell makes you think that? I mean, sure, your life at the moment consists of smoking and drinking, but you can easily change that. You have the skills to have a job, it's just you don't want to. There's a difference between not being able to, and not wanting to."

"Jesus christ, Pope," JJ laughs, stepping up the porch steps and peering over his shoulder at his friend, "You been rehearsing that, or something?"

Glaring up at the back of the boy, Pope mutters quietly, "You'd be surprised."

. . .

softies