outer banks fics

you scared me - john b x reader

requested? yes: "what about the idea of the pogues coming to john bs house and he's gone because DCS took him? and the reader is more attached to him, but they're not official yet. thank you!!"
paring: John B x reader
warnings: swearing, descriptions of anxiety and panic
word count: 2.9k
++
The familiar sound of the van's horn caught your attention. Immediately, you started to get excited. Another day with your best friends, but you were most looking forward to seeing John B.
You hadn't had "the talk" with John B yet, so it's not like you two were official, but it sure felt like it. Especially recently, he'd keep eye contact a little longer, and he'd linger his hands just near yours, so they're just barely touching. Put that with staying over at his place sometimes, hanging out without the others, and the occasional stolen kiss... you'd call it "unofficially official."
When you finally make it outside, you're surprised to see JJ in the driver's seat. Kie and Pope have their heads stuck out of the back with big smiles. You try to hide your confusion as you jump in with them.
"Come on, Y/N. I know you're in love with John B, but you could be at least a little bit happy to see me." JJ teases you with a wink.
"Whatever." You roll your eyes.
"I borrowed the van for some business I had to take care of last night, but we're taking it back to him now. No reason to fret."
"Please, keep all of the information about last night's antics to yourself. I'm not going to jail for something illegal you probably did." Pope shakes his head, and Kie agrees with him.
Soon enough, JJ is parking the van next to John B's house. Immediately, you know something is wrong. The front door is open, slightly swinging from the breeze that has just blown through.
"Uh... JJ, do you have the-"
"Obviously. It's under your seat. Hand it to me." He interrupts Kie. Everyone's eyes are on the house, and it stays that way as the four of you slowly get out of the van.
"I'm going in first, you guys stay here. I'll yell if I need help." JJ keeps the gun at his side as he makes his way up the stairs.
"John B?" He yells before entering, and then he disappears inside.
Your heart is beating fast. Kiara is gripping one of your hands, and Pope is standing in front of you both. Vaguely, you can hear JJ yelling John's name, but there's still no answer.
"Come on, John B." You whisper, mostly to yourself, but Pope and Kie hear it too. You're hoping he's playing a prank and will jump out to scare the shit out of you guys any second now.
Then, JJ appears at the doorway. "He's not here, guys. His clothes are gone too."
As if you didn't already feel uneasy, your heart dropped to your toes. "What?"
Kie grips your hand tighter, but you let go, push past Pope and JJ, and into the house. JJ is right. Trash liters the countertops and tables like always, but the few personal belongings John kept out were nowhere to be found. You frantically run to his room, but the only thing that's there is an unmade bed.
"Something is wrong. He didn't tell anyone he was going anywhere. What if DCS took him? Or those guys looking for the compass came back, and he was caught off guard? Why isn't he here?" Suddenly you feel your chest swell, and your voice is caught in your throat. You swallow to try and keep the tears from falling. As you turn around, you crash into JJs chest.
"Don't panic. We'll all drive through town to see if we spot him. John B can hold his own, I'm sure he's fine." JJ wraps his arms around you, but it doesn't stop the panic that's building in your chest.
"Yeah, good idea. We can ask the Sheriff if she knows. John B said she had tried to help him." Pope speaks up. He's entered the house with Kiara, and you can see him over JJs shoulder.
JJ spins around, eyes wild. "The cops? Why would we talk to the cops? No way."
Pope's eyes dart to you and back to JJ so fast that you almost missed it. You lean your head back against the door frame as they step closer to each other. Pope mutters something like "Can you not make her panic anymore? She's obviously not okay, dude."
They both look back at you, but you turn your head before they see you looking at them. "Okay, okay yeah. We'll ask Peterkin."
"Let's get moving. If DCS has him, they could be off the island already." Kiara speaks up from the kitchen, and Pope smacks his hand against his forehead, wondering why no one is considerate of how you're feeling.
"I'm staying here."
All three sets of eyes are on you at once.
"What? I'm staying here. He could come back here, and someone needs to be here when he does." Your arms cross over your chest.
"No, Y/N. You can't be here alone. Like you said, we don't know if those guys got him or not. They could come back, and then you're gone too." Kie worries, her forehead is wrinkled, and she's shaking her head. The four of you have moved back towards the entryway of the house.
"Give me the gun then. I know how to use it. I'll be able to protect myself if someone comes around." You reach your hand forward, but JJs eyes drop from you to the gun.
"I don't know if that's a good idea." He shakes his head as he looks back up.
"And it's a better one to leave me here alone with what, a butter knife to defend myself with? It'll be fine, J."
JJ looks at the other two, hoping they'll say something that works in his favor.
"We need to go. The sooner, the better. Give it to her." Pope nods. JJ sighs before carefully placing the black object in your hand.
"Be careful, please." You lock eyes with JJ for just a moment, but he says a lot in the silence. The main thing is that John B would kill him if anything happened to you.
++
Only an hour after they left, it was evident that you were not cut out for this. Sitting and waiting but not knowing what you were sitting and waiting for was the worst. You'd resorted to cleaning the house, which was an absolute disaster.
It took almost the entire day. The other pogues arrived back at the house around sunset. A pile of trash as big as the boat was in the yard, and it was their first clue that you'd been going crazy here all day.
"Y/N, it's us!" They knocked as they entered, finding you on the couch. A blank look on your face, staring at the wall. You'd worn yourself out, mentally and physically.
Kiara sits next to you, reaching out for one of your hands. "We brought food. Do you want to sit outside on the hammock for a little bit? Get some fresh air?"
Pope and JJ are standing in front of you.
"No news? You didn't find him?" Your voice is weak, and it makes all three of their hearts break.
"Why don't we go outside first? It doesn't look like John B got any groceries before he left, so I know you've got to be hungry." JJ stutters, and it's immediately a big red flag. Loud warning signals are all you can hear.
"I want to know now. Cut the shit. Why aren't you telling me?"
The three of them look at each other. Your stomach feels like it's bottomed out again. It has to be bad news if they don't want to tell you.
"Come on. What happened to no secrets between pogues? What the fuck?" You stand up, clearly angry with them.
"Do you think I can't handle it?" You poke JJs chest. "Huh, JJ? What I can't handle is all of you acting like I'm a child for having feelings for him! I can't handle not knowing what happened to him! So tell me. I'm a big girl."
Your screaming makes the corner of JJs mouth turn down. His eyebrows are knitted together. He's upset, just like you.
"Alright, fine, yeah. Peterkin said that the DCS lady showed up this morning asking for an officer to escort her here. That's all she knows. The plan was to get on the ferry."
The room falls silent. You can feel the tears coming, but there's not any willpower left to hide them. A deep breath is what you need, but instead, everyone around you hears broken gasps for air.
JJ starts to reach out for you, but you shake your head and step away. "I'm gonna... I need... to be alone... Right now."
You shut yourself in John B's room just as the first of many tears fall. As you lean against the door, you feel someone else's weight on the other side.
For a little bit, they take turns coming to the door and trying to coax you out. None of it worked. You didn't want to leave. Leaving felt like giving up hope that he'd ever come back. Your heart was broken, even if nothing was for sure.
Time passed slowly. John B only had a few small things left behind, and it didn't take you long to look at each one in detail. His bed smelled like him still. You'd stayed in here before, but never without him. It felt weird.
You don't know what time it is when Kiara and Pope come to the door together to say that they have to go home. JJ tells you at the same time that he'll be sleeping on the couch if you need him. They've left food right outside the door, but it's gone cold by now. Any appetite you had is gone anyway.
The covers of John B's bed engulf you as you fall asleep.
++
Knocking on the door, startles you awake. The only thing you can hear for a moment is your heart beating fast, and then the knocking sounds again.
"Y/N? Can you hear me?" It's just JJ.
You open the door, and JJs shoulders immediately relax.
"Sorry, I didn't mean to scare you. The sun is going to rise soon. Peterkin called, my dad was picked up, so I have to go get him. I wanted to let you know I'm leaving, but I'll be back in a couple of hours at the most." He looks down at his feet, wondering if you're still mad at him. Wondering if you're going to yell at him again.
"Thank you, JJ. I'm sorry about yesterday." You feel bad, almost ashamed of your actions.
"All is good. I get it."
Without any other words, you embrace him. It takes him a second to reciprocate, but he does, hugging you just as tight as you are him. "It hurts."
JJ exhales through his nose. "I know, god, I know. But John B is John B. He'll make his way back to us."
"You're coming back here after you get your dad?" You lean back to look at his face.
"Yes. I promise. I'll leave the gun in the couch cushion."
He leans forward and kisses your cheek. For the first time in the last twenty-four hours, you smile. Well, as much as you feel like, which really is just one side of your mouth lifting a little bit.
"Okay. I'll be fine. It's early. No one's going to come here." You're mostly trying to convince yourself, but JJ pats your shoulder, and then he's gone.
Instead of going back to sleep, you sit on the couch. The cold leftovers are pretty much devoured only thirty minutes after JJ leaves. You're about to stand up to but the box in the trash when there's a crash outside, you immediately freeze in place.
Then, there are footsteps in the gravel outside. You're sitting right underneath a window, the worst possible place. Slowly, you grab the gun. The footsteps are on the stairs now, you just have to wait until they swing the squeaky porch door to move, maybe it'll cover the sound of your own footsteps.
As the porch door opens, you bolt around the corner. The house is dark and silent for a second. You peak around the corner, eyes trained on the door. Whoever it is is being less careful now, their footsteps not as slow or cautious. The doorknob starts to turn, and you cover a gasp with your empty hand, moving back out of sight.
Your tears are back. JJ would've announced his presence, but it hadn't been long enough for him to return yet. Kie or Pope wouldn't be so sneaky. The door opens, and you quickly wipe away your tears, returning both hands to the gun.
A thud sounds through the empty house, like a bag hitting the floor. You're trying to decide if you should wait until the stranger turns the corner to find you or if you want to jump out and ambush them. The closer they get, the harder you cry. Your sobs are going to be hard to contain, and the thought of having to use the gun in your hand upsets you even more.
In a split-second decision, you step halfway out from around the wall. The person is a lot closer to you than you thought, and you almost collide with them. A scream leaves your lips, and theirs too.
"I have a gun! I have a gun!" You yell and cry at the same time, sounding and looking crazy as you pull it up towards the guy.
"Woah, woah, wait! Don't shoot. Y/N?" The voice is familiar, one you'd know anywhere. It's John B.
Your suspicions are confirmed when he clicks on a flashlight in his hand, it only illuminates his face for a brief second before he's shoving it in your face. "What the hell? Why do you have that? What are you doing here?"
His hand covers yours and lowers the gun until you can set it on the floor. You're both looking at each other. John B kicks it out of the way, but you both stay crouched for whatever reason. Suddenly, your body shakes with sobs. Your heart is still racing, you're pumped so full of adrenaline that your whole body is overwhelmed.
"Hey, hey, it's okay. Oh my god. Come here." John B falls back onto his ass and reaches for you, helping you crawl to him.
Feeling his shirt in between your fingers, his body pressed to yours, smelling his gross sweat, you've never been more thankful for any of it.
"What the fuck, John B? You scared me. Where have you been? I was so worried. I was so scared that you weren't coming back." You almost feel pathetic crying in his arms like this, but the look he gives you indicates that he feels the same way.
"I know, I know. I'm so sorry. I couldn't call or anything, and they didn't let me leave a note. I found a way back here, back to you. I always will, Y/N." John B squeezes you tighter, pressing a long kiss to your forehead.
You're still panting, and John B hasn't quite caught his breath either. "Fuck DCS. I don't want to lose you, John B. I can't. The last twenty-four hours have been the worst of my life."
John B sighs. "We're going to figure something out. I'll get someone to sign on as my legal guardian, so I can stay. I never wanted to leave you."
He brings one of his hands to cup your face and pulls you to look at him.
"You know what this made me realize, though?"
"W-what?" You sniffle, thinking about how red and puffy your face must be.
"That I love you. Even when you're crying, and there's snot running out of your nose." John B smirks, and you hit his chest, looking away to wipe your face on your sleep. The butterflies in your stomach are going wild.
"It made me realize I don't want to live without you. It also made me realize that I have a badass girlfriend who's willing to pull a gun on someone, even if she's crying hysterically while doing so." John B laughs again, the softest smile on his face. Your cheeks heat up from embarrassment and flattery at the same time.
"Girlfriend?" You ask, your eyes shining with more tears as you look into his that are just the same.
"Yeah. It has a nice ring to it, don't you think?"
All you can do is nod. You nuzzle your face into his neck and squeeze him tight. He feels your smile against his skin.
"Hey, John B?" You lean back after a few more moments of silence to look him in the eyes.
"I love you too."
You both fall asleep right there, on the floor, leaning against the wall that you'd been hiding behind.
Hours later, neither of you hear the other pogues enter. They're all panicked because you hadn't answered when they announced their arrival. Just to find out you're perfectly safe, and so is John B.