Chapter Text
The Boneyard was alive. The fire cracked, music thumped, and the salty air was thick with beer, sweat, and poor life choices.
Kiara Carrera was currently making one of those poor life choices, sat beside some Kook whose name she didn’t know, didn’t care to know, and was mostly using as a prop to prove a point.
Across the fire, JJ Maybank had his arm slung around some touron, grinning like he wasn’t two seconds away from losing his damn mind.
Their eyes met across the flames, and just like that— It was on.
“Wow, Kie,” JJ called out, lifting his beer. “Slumming it with the Kooks now? Finally realized your true calling as a country club princess?”
Kiara smirked, wrapping an arm around the Kook’s shoulders. “Yeah, JJ, because you definitely have the moral high ground, cozying up to a touron who probably thinks the Cut is just an ‘aesthetic little fishing town.’” She narrowed her eyes. “You teach her how to pronounce Pogue yet, or is she still calling you J.J. Mayberry?”
JJ gasped dramatically. “Oh, ouch. Almost as much as watching you pretend to have fun with some Kook whose dad probably calls him sport.”
Kiara tilted her head. “Kinda like how every girl you talk to has the personality of an Instagram caption? ‘Live, Laugh, Love’—sound familiar?
The guy—Blaine? Brent? Who knew—shifted uncomfortably.
John B groaned from somewhere nearby. “For the love of God, get in the Twinkie. We’re leaving before you two kill each other.”
JJ and Kiara both turned toward him, still fuming.
“Oh, fine,” JJ snapped. “But only because I don’t want to breathe the same air as her Kook boy toy for another second.”
Kiara rolled her eyes. “Please, you were about three seconds away from crying because I wasn’t paying attention to you.”
JJ stepped closer, his smirk unwavering. “You were just mad I wasn’t paying attention to you.”
Their faces were inches apart, neither backing down.
Pope sighed, already exhausted. Sarah smirked, nudging him. “They’re so in love.”
Pope grinned. “They’ll figure it out eventually.”
The second Kiara climbed into the Twinkie, she knew this was going to be hell. Because JJ was right next to her. And, as expected, he had zero chill. Twisting his rings so hard like it’s gonna unscrew his finger on his hand.
“Think your Kook misses you yet?” JJ asked, kicking his feet up.
Kiara rolled her eyes. “Think your touron figured out that ‘I’m a surfer’ isn’t a personality yet?”
John B groaned. “Guys—”
“No, no, no,” JJ cut him off, pointing at Kiara. “I wanna hear more about your hot and heavy romance with Blake.”
Kiara smirked. “Oh, it was Bradley, actually.”
JJ snorted. “You made that up.”
Kiara shrugged. “What if I did? It’s not like you actually care.”
JJ leaned closer. “Oh, I don’t care. Just thought it was hilarious watching you fake-laugh at his terrible jokes all night.”
“Please,” Kiara scoffed. “That’s rich coming from the guy practically giggling over some touron who looked like she got lost on her way to a bachelorette party.”
JJ gasped, clutching his chest. “How dare you insult Ivy?”
“Oh, so you do remember her name.”
JJ’s smirk faltered for half a second. “…It was Ivy, right?”
Kiara smirked. “Wow. So memorable.”
JJ groaned. “Oh my God, this is why I can’t talk to you.”
“Then don’t talk to me.”
“Gladly.”
They both turned away, arms crossed.
John B sighed. “You guys are exhausting.”
Sarah chuckled, nudging him. “It’s like foreplay, really.” To which Kiara and JJ both snapped their heads at, brows connecting.
John B cringed. “I wish you never said that.”
By the time they got back to the Chateau, the universe had officially turned against them.
John B and Sarah had disappeared into John B’s room, the door locking behind them with very obvious intentions.
Pope had claimed JJ’s usual room before JJ could even step foot inside, locking himself away to avoid hearing two of his best friends bicker over their undeniable jealousy.
Which left exactly one place to sleep.
The pull-out couch. For both of them.
“This is bullshit,” JJ grumbled, flopping onto the mattress.
Kiara crossed her arms. “No, you are bullshit.”
After an aggressively unnecessary pillow fight, they finally settled under the blanket.
Except— They weren’t settled. Not even close.
Kiara was hyper-aware of JJ. His arm was right there, his chest rising and falling with each breath, his warmth practically radiating off him.
JJ wasn’t faring any better. Every time Kiara shifted, his entire body tensed. He could feel the slight brush of her arm against his, could smell the salt and sunscreen lingering in her hair.
Minutes passed. Neither moved. Neither slept.
Finally—
“Are you awake?” Kiara muttered.
JJ exhaled sharply. “Oh, I don’t know, Kie, just lying here, vibrating with exhaustion.”
Kiara groaned. “Well, I can’t sleep.”
“Shocking.”
She elbowed him. “You’re breathing too loud.”
JJ turned his head toward her. “Are you serious?”
“Yes.”
“Well, you’re moving too much.”
Kiara scoffed. “Maybe if you weren’t hogging the bed—”
“Oh, please, you’re acting like I’m taking up half of it.”
“You are! You sleep like a goddamn starfish!”
JJ huffed. “Well, sorry, princess. The living room can’t exactly fit a California king bed.”
Kiara rolled onto her side, muttering complaints under her breath.
JJ did the same.
And at some point, neither of them are sure when they had fallen asleep.
———————
The morning after, JJ woke up feeling too warm. It took him a second to realize why. Kiara was wrapped around him. Her arm draped over his chest. Her leg tangled with his. And her face. Tucked right into his neck, her breath soft against his skin.
JJ blinked up at the ceiling, his heart doing some kind of weird, stupid thing.
And then—because apparently, he loved self-sabotage—he looked down.
Big mistake.
Kiara looked peaceful. Soft. Lips slightly parted. Sunlight making her glow golden. JJ swallowed hard.
Why was he noticing this? Why did he care?
He didn’t.
Except his brain had already gone rogue.
She’s really pretty.
Nope. Nope. Not going there.
Kiara stirred. Blinked.
Then—
“What the hell?” She scrambled away.
JJ groaned, running a hand down his face. “Jesus, Kie, calm down—”
“What do you mean calm down?”
JJ scoffed. “Oh, I don’t know, maybe because we had no other choice?”
Kiara huffed. “Still weird.”
“Oh, it’s weird?” JJ gestured between them. “You literally suffocated me in your sleep.”
Kiara’s mouth opened—then snapped shut. She scowled. “No, I didn’t.”
JJ smirked. “You so did.”
“Liar.”
“Denial’s a hell of a thing, huh?”
Kiara groaned, rubbing her face. “This is so your fault.”
JJ gasped. “My fault? How? How is this my fault?”
“You breathe too loud.”
JJ stared at her. “So you cuddled me?”
“You’re unbelievable.”
“Just admit that you—”
And then, before they could dive headfirst into Round Two of the world’s dumbest argument—Sarah appeared in the doorway, arms crossed, a shit-eating grin already forming. “Well, this is interesting,” she drawled, tilting her head.
JJ and Kiara froze.
“Nope,” Kiara said immediately. “Not what it looks like.”
JJ pointed at her. “Blame this on her.”
Sarah raised an eyebrow. “Oh yeah?” She smirked. “Because from where I’m standing, it looks a lot like cuddling.”
Kiara groaned, throwing her head back. “Can we not?”
“Oh no, we definitely can.” Sarah grinned. “I mean, first the jealous bickering, now the waking up in each other’s arms, should we start planning the wedding or…?”
Kiara whipped a pillow at her. “I was not jealous!”
Sarah dodged, laughing. “Oh, this is gonna be so much fun.”
JJ scowled. “You suck.”
Sarah winked. “Not as bad as you two suck at hiding your feelings.”
Kiara groaned. JJ grumbled under his breath. Sarah’s words leaving them both speechless. And she was smirking, hard. JJ and Kiara hated that.
“Alright, lovebirds,” Sarah drawled, leaning against the doorframe. “Just thought you should know—the boys are already out on the HMS Pogue, lounging while you two were in here cuddling.”
Kiara groaned. “We weren’t cuddling.”
JJ ran a hand down his face. “I’m about to launch myself into the ocean.”
Sarah ignored them, instead glancing at the microwave clock. “Also, in case you were wondering, it’s 10 AM.”
Kiara frowned. “Wait what?”
Sarah nodded, the sly grin never leaving her face. “Yeah. You slept in.”
JJ blinked. “Since when do we ever sleep in?”
Sarah smirked. “I dunno, maybe because you were both so comfortable with each other?”
Kiara rolled her eyes. “Oh shut up.”
Sarah just giggled and practically skipped out of the room, clearly satisfied with her work.
Kiara groaned, flopping back down onto the mattress.
JJ sighed. “She’s never letting this go.”
“Ever.”
A beat.
Then, Kiara sat up abruptly.
“Wait, did they take the food with them?”
JJ’s stomach rumbled. He frowned. “Oh, shit.”
The kitchen was tragic. No eggs. No bread. No bacon. Nothing. JJ sighed in relief when he spotted one last carton of milk in the fridge. “Thank God.”
Kiara narrowed her eyes. “Is that the last milk?”
JJ, already pouring it into his cereal, paused. “Uh… yeah?”
Kiara scowled. “Dude, I was gonna eat cereal.”
JJ scoffed. “Okay? Get another breakfast option.”
Kiara threw her arms up. “What option? There’s nothing here.”
JJ sat at the kitchen table, already digging into the only bowl of cereal left in the house.
Kiara walked in, rubbing her eyes, still looking half-asleep. She yanked open the fridge, only to be met with nothing. Without thinking, JJ pushed the bowl towards her direction.
Kiara blinked. “What?”
JJ shrugged, acting like it wasn’t a big deal. “Take it.”
She hesitated. “But you just made it.”
JJ rolled his eyes. “And? You’re hungry, and I’m not an asshole.”
She hesitated, glancing at the bowl. She was hungry. But something about JJ just… giving it to her felt off. JJ never passed up food. Ever. She hesitated again. She knew he was full of shit. But she didn’t fight it.
Kiara looked up at him, narrowing her eyes. “You are hungry.”
JJ scoffed. “Nope.”
Kiara crossed her arms. “Liar.”
JJ sighed, leaning back in his chair. “Just eat, Kie.” Kiara hesitated again. She knew he was full of shit.
But the look in his eyes—annoyed, stubborn, something else she didn’t have the energy to name—made her drop it. For now.
So she took the spoon, muttering a quiet, “Thanks,” before digging in.
JJ just watched. Because he didn’t give a shit about the cereal. He just… didn’t want Kiara to be hungry. He hated the idea of her going without, of her needing something and not getting it. Even if it was just a stupid bowl of cereal.
So he did the only thing he could. Pulled out his juul. And took a hit.
That’s when Kiara snapped. She yanked the juul out of his hand.
“Oh, hell no,” she said, yanking it out of his hand.
JJ gawked at her. “What the fuck, Kie?”
Kiara narrowed her eyes. “You seriously just gave me your food and then decided to starve and hit this instead?”
JJ shrugged. “Oh my God, I didn’t give it up. I just—” He hesitated, jaw clenching. “Never mind.”
Kiara clenched her jaw. Because the solution was obvious, but saying it out loud felt like something neither of them were ready for.
Instead, she groaned and, very reluctantly, pushed the bowl back toward him.
JJ raised an eyebrow.
Kiara rolled her eyes. “We can share.”
JJ hesitated.
Kiara rolled her eyes. “Just take the damn spoon, Maybank.”
JJ sighed. “Fine. But only because I technically made it first.”
Kiara smirked. “Whatever helps you sleep at night.”
So they shared.
Passing the bowl back and forth like it wasn’t weird. Like it wasn’t something they never did.
And neither of them noticed Sarah in the doorway, grinning.
Hands on her hips, watching them like they were the most entertaining thing she ever watched.
“Oh, this is good,” she murmured, just loud enough for them to hear.
JJ groaned. “You again?”
“Oh, you’re still here?” Kiara threw her spoon at Sarah. Sarah just laughed.
JJ sighed, rubbing a hand down his face as Sarah leaned against the doorway, smirking.
Kiara groaned. “Do you seriously have nothing better to do?”
Sarah shrugged. “Not when this is way more entertaining.”
JJ scowled. “Okay, you’re enjoying this too much.”
Sarah grinned. “Oh, 100%.”
Kiara rolled her eyes and grabbed the bowl again, finishing off the last bite of cereal before shoving it toward JJ. “There. Shared. Happy now?”
JJ just snorted, shaking his head. “You’re impossible.”
Kiara smirked. “And yet, you keep giving me your food.”
JJ blinked. Shit. She was right.
Before he could figure out a comeback, Sarah gasped dramatically. “Wait. Are you guys—” She pressed a hand to her chest. “—actually being nice to each other?”
JJ scoffed. “No.”
Kiara shook her head. “Absolutely not.”
Sarah smirked. “Mhm. Sure.” She pushed off the doorway, still grinning. “Welp, I’m gonna go join the others. Have fun on your little breakfast date.”
Kiara glared. “Sarah—”
Sarah winked and disappeared out the door before Kiara could throw anything else at her.
JJ leaned back in his chair, sighing. “I hate her.”
Kiara groaned, slumping against the counter. “She’s gonna hold this over our heads forever.”
JJ smirked. “At least it’s you she’s harassing and not me.”
Kiara shot him a look. “Oh, you think you’re off the hook? She’s literally planning our wedding in her head right now.”
JJ shuddered. “Okay, well, now I’m hungry again.”
Kiara snorted. “See? Shouldn’t have given me your food, dumbass.”
JJ rolled his eyes, standing up and stretching. “Whatever. Let’s just get the hell out of here before she comes back.”
Kiara grabbed her phone off the counter. “You think they actually left food on the boat?”
JJ snorted. “Doubt it.”
Kiara sighed. “Of course.”
JJ grinned. “Don’t worry, princess. I’ll steal you a granola bar or something.”
Kiara smirked. “And what about you?”
JJ shrugged, grabbing his juul—then hesitated.
Kiara just looked at him.
JJ sighed and stuffed it in his pocket.
Kiara smirked. “Good boy.”
JJ scowled. “You suck.”
Kiara grinned, grabbing his wrist and dragging him toward the door. “C’mon, loser. Let’s go.” JJ let her pull him outside. For some reason, he didn’t complain.
She gestured towards the bike, JJ taking the hint started to turn on the engine. Kiara pulled her hair into a messy bun as she sat behind JJ, arms loosely wrapped around his waist. The morning had been weird—Sarah's teasing, the cereal-sharing, the whole not hating each other for five minutes thing. And now, all she could think about was how JJ had given up his food for her. Which is bare minimum, but it’s JJ. JJ never shares food. JJ steals food from her.
That wasn’t normal JJ behavior.
Not that she was complaining.