☘︎ JJ Centric Centric One-Shots ☘︎

JJ, Rafe & Sarah // Beaten

There had been a time when JJ was younger where he'd truly wondered if he was a destructive, bad kid. One that was unbearable and troubled enough that not even a father could manage to love - after all Luke Maybank clearly did not. Not in any way that was normal or could be considered as adoration. No, Luke Maybank wanted control, nothing else. His father had never once shown JJ an ounce of warmth or serenity beyond manipulating him into compliance.

And while there was no warmth within their connection there happened to be a few scarce moments that JJ had with his father where everything hadn't hurt. There were inklings of laughter of normalcy between them. JJ always held those moments close wishing for more of them. Also used them as ammunition and proof that his father wasn't all bad...that maybe it was him.

Maybe he was the problem. It wasn't exactly hard for him to come upon the conclusion that JJ was a bad kid while being treated as the very scum that littered his father's shoe. Sometimes JJ had wondered if him misbehaving every so often is why his father left him bruised and bloodied. As though it was justifiable.

It wasn't.

When he'd been younger he'd seen others misbehave so often, there were always punishments for it. At the time It'd make sense, really - his father's treatment that is. He'd always tell himself that it was because he was a bad kid, don't misbehave - don't get beat. But that wasn't true then either, wasn't true now.

As a kid, he'd needed a reason why his father was doing these things to him. He'd wanted a reason. Always asked himself why his father resented him so.

Now he didn't. Because now it was just a routine. The abuse was normal, and expected. It was all he knew. JJ knew the mistreatment as well as he knew the back of his hand.

_____

It was a Saturday morning. The sun had dawned on them and it isn't long after when JJ's door was thrown open, hitting the wall with a loud bang. A few shreds of light splinter into his room at the hurried entry. It doesn't have him stirring out of his sleep. Luke stoops down to the floor, crouching onto one leg as the elder kneels beside JJ's mattress.

''Hey, there you lazy ass,'' Luke calls, sickeningly sweet sounding. The tone's mocking at best. ''Rise and shine JJ, hello,''

Still half asleep JJ only complained, giving a groan of retaliation. Before turning over to face away from the figure of his father. Luke's expression dims. Probably taking his involuntarily reaction as outward disrespect.

That's not too far off if what his father says next is anything to go off of.

''Come on you worthless piece of shit can't you see I'm talking to you, get up,''

When JJ doesn't get up that instant Luke does it for him. Fisting a hand in his hair and wrenching him up by the grip. His scalp burns at the action, protesting at the hold.

''Dad?'' JJ groaned tiredly, peeking his eyes open. His hands go to try and pry the grip away although they drop when nothing works.

His dad neither lets go of the grip on his hair nor replies. Luke instead ignores him. And he'd continued to be ignored so long as Luke was too amidst the man's own tirade.

''I know you heard me when I said to get up already, I don't have time to wait on you. Come on, up and at 'em, boy,''

Mercilessly Luke yanks him up, out of his previous slumber and into a standing position, he whines at the pain in his skull but JJ has just enough time to glance at his alarm clock.

''Huh, wait, wait a minute what time.. Oh, you're kidding me - Seven. Dad, it's seven in the morning,''

It's the wrong move, the wrong thing to say. Because his dad's head turns toward his alarm clock at the indication. Seeing the time only has a shit-eating grin on the man's face. If anything his father seems with himself.