the middle ≫ jj maybank

xxvi. the apology

Their voices disappeared as they rounded the corner, and Slater heard the truck start up from a distance.

Slater looked up the porch, at the dark house. She walked up the stairs, not bothering to knock, before pushing her way inside.

"JJ?" She called out in a quiet voice.

Upon no response, she crept further into the house. "JJ?" She called out louder.

She heard what sounded like blankets rustling from John B's bedroom and followed the sound. The door was open and the lights were on, and she noticed a lump on the bed, wrapped in blankets.

"JJ?"

The lump stirred, and a mess of blond hair appeared. It was followed by a tanned face and blue eyes.

"Go away," JJ said, his eyes meeting Slater's.

She closed the door behind her and sat down on the edge of the bed.

"Did you do all that, outside?" Slater asked.

"I don't want to talk to you," he muttered.

"So what, you're just not going to talk to me ever again, because I slept with Rafe Cameron?"

JJ shrugged in response.

"Please tell me you paid off your restitution," Slater said, ignoring the jab.

"I tried to," JJ said in a quiet voice. "But I ... my dad ..." He sat up, the blankets falling away to reveal his bare torso, which was covered with large, deep bruises, roughly the side of a boot.

Slater gasped, bringing a hand to her lips. "Oh my God, J," she murmured, her voice catching. She moved towards him, gently setting a finger on one of the bruises. "You need to see a doctor."

"I'm fine," he muttered, brushing her hand away. "What are you doing here?"

"I'm here to see you," Slater replied. "You've been avoiding me. Avoiding everyone."

He shrugged. "Well, maybe I don't want to talk to anyone."

"Is this about the gold? Is this about Barry? Is this about me? Is this about Rafe?"

"It's about everything," he said, sinking back against the headboard. "I did what I always do, which is fuck things up. I fucked things up with you, and I fucked things up with my friends." In a much quieter voice, he added, "I did exactly what everyone expects me to do."

"This isn't what I expect you to do," Slater replied.

JJ was silent for a moment before he finally said, "Why didn't you tell me about Rafe?"

Slater sighed. "Look, that wasn't how I wanted you to find out, okay? But I'm not going to apologize for what happened last summer. I'm not ashamed. And I sure as hell don't deserve to be treated like shit for it."

JJ's eyes softened. "You're right."

Slater nodded. "So why have you been treating me like shit?"

"I was angry," he said, his Adam's apple bobbing as he carefully picked his words. "I was jealous. I was hurt. I mean, I have this thing going on with the most amazing girl, and just as I'm beginning to feel like, 'damn, this is really happening,' I'm reminded all too well that you deserve better."

"And you really think Rafe is better than you?" Slater scoffed.

JJ shrugged. "I'm sure most people would think that. Riddle me this, Slater. Who would your parents rather have you bring home for dinner, huh? The son of Ward Cameron, kook god of the Outer Banks, or the son of Luke Maybank, a man your father has thrown in jail more times than I can count."

"You're not your father, JJ," she said, the anger in her voice gone as she looked down at his bruises again.

"Aren't I?" He said with a short laugh. "Did you miss the whole thing that happened this week? Where we were held at gunpoint?"

"That wasn't your fault," she said, reaching for his hand.

He quickly ripped it away. "It was my fault. I should have seen it coming. I should have sensed the trap. I've dealt with enough dirtbags like that in my life to know when I'm being set up."

"JJ, please, it wasn't -"

"Stop saying that," he said, frowning. "You don't understand, Slater. The fear in my chest, when we were lying on the ground like that? It wasn't for me, okay? I don't care what happens to me. I was scared for everybody else. Because I got them into that position. I got you into that position. If something would have happened to you, if he would have --" The boy's voice caught and he turned away, running a hand through his blond hair. "Slater, I --"

She pulled him into a hug, and he buried his face into her hair. She could feel silent sobs wracking his body and she wrapped her arms tighter around his waist.

"I've been around lying, cheating, pieces of shit like Barry my whole life. Hell, my father is just like him. Give me five, ten years. I'll be just like him."

"No you won't."

"How can you be so sure?"

"Because I just know," she murmured, pressing a kiss to the side of his head. "JJ Maybank, you are the most magical person I have ever met. Do you even know how amazing you are?"

JJ sighed. "I'm sorry. I'm so sorry. I never ... I shouldn't have made you feel that way. I shouldn't have acted that way. I don't care that you slept with Rafe. I don't care about any of that." After a moment, he added, "All I care about is you."

━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━ author's note ✫・゜・。.

okay, there you go. they're done being mad at each other. happy?

i just hate how jj feels like he doesn't deserve anything good ever !! like hello? (cough cough season 3 jj)

also i couldn't let maeve and slater be upset with each other for too long, they're each other's best friend.

thanks for reading, and let me know what you thought!

xx,

madi