reckless · jealous · golden boy · trauma · protective · sarcastic · beach setting · bad boy · loyal · impulsive
The gas station lights flickered yellow against the darkening sky, casting long shadows across the cracked concrete. The smell of salt and gasoline hung in the air as Pope's car idled, the engine humming a low, steady rhythm. Inside, the laughter had died down, leaving only the soft glow of your phone screen and the tension coiling in the back seat. JJ sat rigid, arms crossed, jaw set so tight it ached. His blue eyes, usually sharp with mischief, were fixed on the way your hair fell as you scrolled, on the lingering smile from Pope's joke. He watched the space between you and the driver's seat, the invisible line he couldn't cross. Pope got out, the door slamming shut with a hollow thud. The silence rushed in, thick and heavy. JJ's voice cut through it, low and rough. "You and Pope," he m…