stevie | outer banks | JJxOC

38- the phantom

"Home sweet home," JJ gritted his teeth. Stevie noticed his jaw clenching, which he did when he was nervous. He hollowed into himself. Like everything that was him was hidden and there was only a shell. Stevie hated it. The power that his dad and his house held over him made her mouth feel bitter. "I'll be a second," JJ adjusted his cap and opened the door to leave at the same time Stevie's door opened too, "What are you doing?"

"Coming with you?" Stevie thought it was obvious.

"Please stay in the car." JJ looked down, embarrassed. He would keep Stevie from his dad till the end of time if he had to.

"JJ please," Stevie was standing her ground this time, "I wish I ran after you the other day. I could've stopped it. I get you want to keep me separate from you Dad but I want to protect you too."

"Ok," Truthfully it made JJ feel slightly reassured that he would have to be alone. That is what he hated the most. All those years with him, JJ felt so alone in that house.

"I love you," Stevie reached for his hand and JJ led them towards the house, both of them apprehensive to what they'd find in the house. Stevie turned back to smile at Kie who was still in the car. She offered back a nervous smile.

Although JJ had tried to clean the place you would never know. Beer bottles and dirty plates rested on almost every surface like they did when Stevie came after running from DCS. The sink was stacked with undone washing and the bin was overflowing. The decor wasn't all bad, they had some photos on the wall albeit the glass was usually smudged or in some cases broken, and they were never on the wall straight. Many years ago Luke had quite enjoyed collecting little sailing trinkets which he kept on the mantelpiece, which were now covered in dust.

"Dad" JJ cut the silence. He slowly eased further and further into the house with Stevie still trailing behind, connected by their hand, JJ walked through the kitchen with no luck in finding his dad and walked further until he read snores, "Dad I need the keys to the Phantom," JJ walked up to luke who was clearly asleep on the sofa.

"JJ," Stevie caught his attention and gestured to the spilt orange bottle of pills on the coffee table. "He's out."

JJ looked disappointed which quickly changed to inquisitive as he spotted the chain around his father's neck. "Keys." He whispered before moving away to try and find something to help him get them without waking Luke.

"What are you gonna do with that?" Stevie asked sarcastically as JJ came back with a pencil and some tweezers. She loved his confidence even if the idea was insane.

"Shhh, I have a vision," JJ stayed focused. Like a scientist, he tried to dissect the keys which he was unsuccessful at like Stevie had predicted.

"JJ," Stevie's smile left her face as she noticed Luke's eyes open. JJ quickly removed his arms and stood back up, standing partially in front of Stevie.

"You're back," luke's voice was grim and grating, "I didn't expect to see you,"

"Yeah no- I-" JJ stuttered.

"Schools out already?" He asked after taking a swing of warm beer. Stevie and JJ shared the same concerned look. He's so out of it.

"What?" JJ was so confused, they hadn't been in school for weeks. Even at Luke's standards how on earth has he forgotten the time of year?

"You two ditch?" Luke smirked as he went to take a swig of beer, "It alright. You can tell me."

JJ was too stunned to speak. It made him want to vomit- looking at his dad. He was a mess, he didn't know anything about what was going on. Not the time of day, not the time of year, not the police manhunt. JJ wished beyond anything that his dad would just care, would pay attention, rather than looking and acting like a confused child.