I don’t have a title yet

Posted originally on the Archive of Our Own at http://archiveofourown.org/works/53573017.

Rating: Not Rated

Archive Warning: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Fandom: Outer Banks (TV)
Characters: JJ Maybank, Luke Maybank, John B. Routledge, Kiara "Kie" Carrera,
Pope Heyward, Heyward | Pope Heyward's Father, Rafe Cameron, Sarah
Cameron, Wheezie Cameron, Rose (Outer Banks), Ward Cameron,
Topper Thornton, Barry (Outer Banks), Victor Shoupe
Additional Tags: Season 1 Episode 5 - Midsummers, Angst, Fluff and Angst, Child Abuse,
Canonical Child Abuse, Implied/Referenced Child Abuse, Enemies to
Lovers, Secret Relationship, Daddy Issues, Eventual Smut, Explicit
Language, Underage Drinking, Attempted Murder, but its ok, Violence,
Drink Spiking, Drowning
Language: English
Stats: Published: 2024-02-06 Words: 2,551 Chapters: 1/?
 I don’t have a title yet
by TheRealSlimLady

Summary

Tags don’t match up yet but most of them will

Also don’t come for me if I don’t finish this I usually don’t

Basically a rewrite of what happens after episode 5 (midsummer)

The waves pushed him under. But it wasn’t like drowning. No. The waves were on his side
today. He’d been there what? Four hours now? The waves weren’t so good when he first
started, but now was the perfect time to go surfing.

“JJ!” A familiar voice calls out and JJ kind of loses his footing. His head dips under the water
again before breaking the surface and whipping his wet hair back. He laughs slightly at the
sight of John B.

“What are you doing here?!” JJ asks, because it’s odd. It’s a full on storm out there yet John
B is all the way out here.

“I could ask you the exact same thing!” John B yells across the heavy sound of waves
crashing, and rain hitting the sand and water. Not to exclude the thunder booming over their
heads.

“The waves are perfect man” JJ chuckles once he gets close enough to be heard clearly. He
shakes his wet hair like a dog would, and John B winces slightly when the water hits him.
Not that he’s not already dripping wet from the rain.

“DCS was just at my place bro, I sent you like a thousand messages.” John B says, not
seeming too happy, in contrast to JJ. But his smile falters slight, though he never really drops
the smile etched tight onto his lips.

“So? Hey come over all the time right?” JJ shrugs it off as he grabs his towel from his bag
hanging from a tree at the end of the beach. He pulls it over his head, ruffling it into his hair.

“No, this time’s different. They’re sending me to foster care or some bullshit.” And his voice
cracks slightly at the end. It’s only then JJ sets his towel downward. His eyes get bigger. Like
they usually do in situations like these. It makes him seem almost more… young. Yeah. It
makes him seem younger. When his smile falters and he lets his face rest while he thinks.
Then it’s back to his usual expressions. In which he furrows his brows and bites down onto
his lip.

“For real this time?” He doesn’t even crack a joke. The severity of the situation settles far
down into his stomach. The rain and the wind is enough of a cover up for JJ not to see John
B’s eyes well up as he speaks.

“Unless if Kie’s parents or Mr. Heyward magically turn around and decide to adopt me. I
don’t see-“ And suddenly they’re hugging. It’s not weird. But usually John B’s the one to
offer hugs. JJ’s hugs are always a little weird, as he doesn’t really let someone be the smaller
person despite him being pretty tall. So it just ends up with JJ wrapping his arms around him
while keeping his neck low. But it’s still comforting. Because it’s JJ.

JJ giving him a hug. And it takes his mind off of things for just a split second. Before his eyes
start welling up and this time he doesn’t feel like stopping it.

“Ion wanna go Jay,” John B shuffles deeper into the hug. “What about my dad?”
“We’ll find your Dad. It’ll work out.” JJ offers comforting words. But he doesn’t know what
he’s saying. Of course it won’t be fine. John B is getting sent to foster care. And his dad
might still be somewhere out there. Might. Because deep down JJ knows it’s a wild dream.
He barely remembers Big John's face. He always was bad with faces. Like his mama’s face.
He forgot that too. But Big John was more of a father to him than Luke ever was, or will be.
It took a while for JJ to accept it. That he’s dead. And that JJ is back to dealing with his own
father. But then John B comes with all these plans about the gold chase and his dad being
alive. God he hates that gold chase. He’s just in on it because John B is. But now that seems
so far-fetched.

John B will be gone. But he isn’t. Right now he’s still wrapped under his arms into an
awkward hug that JJ doesn’t really want to let go off. Because that would mean letting go of
John B. And he’s not ready for that.

“We’ll find him.” He whispers. And John B barely hears him through the storm. But he does.
And it only adds to the sobbing.

“Also, remember the scuba gear?” John B adds. JJ nods but he’s not sure John B caught it so
he just say ‘sure’ and waits for him to speak again. “I got fired by Mr. Cameron.” John B
chuckles. And it’s not funny. But HmJJ can’t help but chuckle as well. John B pulls out from
the hug, and JJ lets him with ease.

“Was bound to happen anyway right?” He says with a big smile etched onto his lips. But it’s
a sad smile. The one you crack when your best friend is about to get sent to god knows where
and you’ll probably never see him again. John B just nods with a shaky breath.

“I don’t know ‘bout you but that deserves some kind of going away party.” JJ tries to lighten
the mood. And it seems to work as John B chuckles lightly before turning around and
walking through the wet sand. JJ takes that as a hint to follow so he grabs his backpack and
towel before following John B’s trail.

“You can’t go surfing in a storm alone, do you know how dangerous that is?” John B says
after a walk in silence. Not complete silence as the downpour of rain is almost deafening. JJ
shakes his head in amusement.

“Worried? Don’t be. I’m the best surfer on the island, you said so yourself.” JJ nudges him
playfully. In which John B grins.

“How the hell do you know about that?” He curses as he pokes JJ back harder. JJ almost
tumbles into the sand before regaining his balance and laughing.

“So you did say it!” He laughs, and this time it’s John B’s turn to shake his head. JJ doesn’t
feel like surfing anymore. He feels like laying down. Maybe sleeping his worries away. Just
forgetting about all of this and waking up with John B still there. But that’s not going to
happen.

“There’s the midsummer party we can sneak into.” John B brings up. He struggles with the
key to the chateaux before finally opening up the door.
“The kook party?” JJ questions. He does like where this is going. Who doesn’t like crashing a
party?

“Yes, the kook party. I’ll see you tonight?” John B scoffs at him.

“Sure.” JJ says, the cold of the rain is suddenly evident as he starts shaking a little. “Wait!
How the hell am I supposed to get in?” But John B’s already closed the door on him. JJ
places the surfboard on the wall and puts his shirt back on. He could always pose as a waiter
or something. That always works. He did promise Pope he’d help him with whatever chores
his dad has put on his head today. He’ll tell him ‘bout the party then. And as for Kie. She’s
probably already invited right? He’ll double check later.

𓆝𓆟𓆞

“JJ!” Pope exclaims when he sees him. He’s tending to the shop. Currently helping an old
lady bagging her groceries. She throws a mean glance towards JJ but he ignores it. Pope is
more or less happy to see JJ in one piece after the whole sinking Toppers boat deal. He’s been
in edge ever since. Heywards kind of have had this gut feeling for when something is about
to happen for generations. At least that’s the story his dad tells. And right now he feels like
something bad is bound to happen to him. And it’s right around the corner.

“Sup, you heard ‘bout the party?” JJ asks as he helps the lady bag her groceries while Pope
helps the next customer. The old lady shoves a mean glance his way before taking the last
fruits and putting it in the bag herself. Rude.

“The midsummer party? Yeah man I’m already going with pops. We’re gonna be making
cash there.” Pope explains. JJ sits down at the side of the register while bagging the next
customer's bag.

“Good. Cause me and Bree are gonna be there too. Don’t know how he’s gonna get in but
I’m gonna pose as a waiter.” He explains and Pope glances his way questioningly.

“What about the gold?” He asks.

“He’s off the gold. For now at least.” JJ answers as he hands the bag to the man. Just then Mr.
Heyward comes strolling in.

“Son. Someones here to see you.” He says, sounding not so happy about it. And there it is.
That feeling he had. It comes bursting in all at once and nauseousness rolls into his stomach.

“I have an arrest warrant for felony destruction of property.” Mr. Shoupe says as he walks in
with a hand on his belt.

“What?” Pope says, looking back to JJ. And JJ only shoves the look back his way as Shoupe
keeps talking.
“Keep your hands where I can see them.” And for a second Pope wonders who he’s talking
to. But it becomes evident with the intense eye contact with Shoupe and the fact that he’s
now forcefully handcuffing him.

“Whoa Chief, what'd he do?” His father asks. Shoupe simply hands him the warrant and asks
him to read it. Chaos breaks loose and everybody is suddenly talking over each other.

“So you’re just arresting my boy?” Heyward asks while Shoupe reads him his rights. Pope
doesn’t fight back. He wouldn’t dare to fight a cop. This is it. He sunk Topper’s boat and now
he’s getting what he deserved. Karma is a bitch. Shoupe drags him to the car, opening the
door and starting to drag Pope’s head into the car before JJ speaks up.

“Wait! Wait-“ He pushes forward past Heyward. “It wasn’t him.” He mutters. It’s not very
loud but Shoupe heard him loud and clear. Fuck. Why did he do that? Now they’re both
getting arrested.

“It was me. I was mad because he’d just been beaten up. And I was so sick of those assholes
from Figure Eight that I lost my shit.” He says. And suddenly everyone is quiet again. Even
Shoupe.

“JJ what are you doing man?” Pope finally speaks up. But JJ almost cuts him off right there
and then.

“I’m telling the truth, man. For once in my goddamn life I’m telling the truth.” He says. They
hold eye contact for a second and Pope gets it. But that doesn’t mean he likes it.

“Is that so?” Shoupe speaks up. It’s a question. Directed at him, Pope thinks. Because Shoupe
is staring right at him, waiting for an answer.

“I took his old man’s boat too.” JJ adds. Shit. He doesn’t want to do this. Pull JJ under the
bus. That’s wrong. It goes against everything he stands for. But shit he just pulled himself
under. He would never do his friends like that. But JJ’s eyes are tearing into his side. And the
pressure is really really tense between his dad, JJ and all the other customers watching.

“Yeah..” He hushed out. And Shoupe doesn’t waste a second before uncuffing Pope and
grabbing JJ tightly by the collar.

“Get in.” He shoves JJ into the car after handcuffing him. JJ just looks at Pope. What the fuck
was he thinking? Probably something along the lines of; ‘thanks, but I’m gonna go fuck up
my life evn more now just because why the hell not’ and that’s it before Shoupe has driven
off. And Pope is suddenly pretty alone. He turns to his dad. But he’s already walking away.

“I knew that boy was trouble. I told you Pope. I told you. He’s a Maybank. Just a matter of
time before something went down with him.” His dad spits. But Pope is having none of it. A
Maybank? Seriously? He of all people should know that where you come from has nothing to
do with you as a person. He should know. Everybody should know.

“I was the one who did it, Pop.” He mutters. And for the first time in his life he feels like he’s
really in trouble.
“Shut up.” His dad turns and Pope swears he’s going to grab his collar, lift him up or choke
him because he looks so mad. But he just pokes a finger at him.

“Shut your mouth. They’ve got Maybank. Do you know how bad it would be for us if you
just come strolling in and say shit like that? So shut it.” He says before entering the shop
again.

𓆝𓆟𓆞

She gets a message from Pope. And immediately she knows somethings up.

Pope : 15:46

-Kiara

-Can you come over

-Please

Kie : 15:49

-What’s wrong?

-I’ll be there soon

And so Kie grabs his fathers car keys and gets going. It’s a rough 15 minute drive. She makes
it in 10 minutes. No cop no stop right? She shuts the car door and Pope comes out
immediately.

“Kie!” He half yells. Before wrapping her in a hug. She wants to squirm away. She hates
hugs. Or she hates when people hug her. If she hugs someone that’s different. But she doesn’t
pull him off. Instead she lets him.

“What’s up?” She says after a while.

“It’s all my fault. Gosh I shouldn’t have- Oh my god I’m doomed.” He says. Offering little to
no explanation as to why he’s dragged her out the other side of the island.

“I sank Topper's boat.” Pope says. Kie pulls him off.

“You did wh-“ She starts but Pope cuts her off.

“And Shoupe was gonna arrest me. And then JJ came in and took the blame-“ Pope almost
sobs. Kiara can’t say anything. She just stares at him. Like what is she supposed to say?
‘Wow that’s great for you?’ Or ‘Oh my gosh you’re such a bitch how could you let him do
that for you?’ Like what the hell.

“I’m sorry.. I just- I don’t know what to do?” He says. It sounds like a question. But it’s not.

“We can’t do anything now. Just- Just wait and we’ll see.” Kiara says. She wants to sound
comforting, but it comes out like an order, or an insult. And she hates herself for it because
Pope needs someone. And she feels like she’s just messing it up even more. She always does
mess it up more. But damn. JJ in jail, who would have thought? It was only a matter of time
but she didn’t expect him to go for something he didn’t even do. She should change the
subject before he starts crying. She really doesn’t need him to cry right now.

“Hey- uhm. Are you going to the party tonight?” She says. Pope takes a step back before
sniffing slightly.

“Yeah my dad is going to sell some drinks or something. I’m gonna help him.” He says.

“You better give me free drinks then.”

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