Pancakes for dinner - JJPOPE

Chapter eight

JJ doesn't know how long the abuse goes on for. All he knows is that he's in pain, bleeding, and with no way home to John B's. With a heavy groan and a hiss of pain, JJ pulls himself to his hands and knees, gasping in shaking, heaving breaths. It tortured JJ to move, not having felt such intense agony that crushed every nerve in his body since he was home last.

Shouting slightly, pained, JJ gets to his feet, limping off down the street once more, hissing with each step. It burned, fucking ached like hell every time he took a step, every time he stumbled and fell to his knees, forced to stop and breathe deeply.

How fucking stupid was he to fall for Topper's trap? Of course he and Rafe were in on this thing together, of course they were out to get him. How could JJ think this was a simple outing to keep his secret safe?

It isn't until the sun is beginning to rise that JJ comes to his final stop, heaving in breaths, gazing up to find himself in front of Kiara's house. Dragging himself up the stairs and following the balcony, JJ stops short at the girl's bedroom window, slightly cracked as it was every night just in case JJ needed somewhere to stay in the middle of the night.

"Kie." Whispers JJ, slowly pulling the window fully open. "Kie, you awake?"

A small groan is given in response, along with the flicking of the lamp beside Kiara's bed, a much brighter light igniting throughout the room. "JJ?" Kiara mumbles, rubbing at her eyes, a gasp soon following as she rushes over to help his bruised and abused body inside. "Oh my God," She hisses, shutting the window and aiding JJ in taking a seat on her bed. "What the fuck happened? And don't give me any bullshit, J."

JJ can't take it anymore. Falling forward into the girl's arms, broken sobs escape from JJ's throat, croaky and painful. Kiara is quick to catch him, taking a seat beside him and holding JJ against her. "Topper overheard me in music," JJ sobs, gasping in breaths. "Heard me singing and threatened to reveal it to the person I wrote it about if I didn't go out with him."

"What the fuck?" Voices Kiara, resting her chin atop JJ's head.

"I agreed and it turns out the entire thing was a trap." Shrugging, JJ pulls away, rubbing at his eyes and ignoring the painful ache it causes. "He tried to.. He tried to rape me, Kie.. at least I think that's what would have happened if I hadn't kicked him off of me."

Kiara falls silent, her eyes wide, mouth agape, unknowing of what to say.

Sniffling, JJ lets out a shaky sigh. "I ran.. And then.. Rafe grabbed me and threw me to the ground and they just attacked me." JJ falls into Kiara's arms once more, holding on so tight, gasping in breaths and sobbing painfully into her shoulder. Fear and disgust flowed through his veins as he clung to her, unable to shake the thoughts of what had happened and what could have happened.

"I.. I'm so sorry, JJ." Whispers Kiara. "What do you want to do?"

"Can we.. Can we get under the covers?" JJ asks.

Kiara nods. "Of course."

With some help, JJ snuggles into the soft, heavy blankets with a small sniffle, the warmth easing the racing of his heart. Kiara slips in beside him, and JJ instantly snuggles against her stomach, allowing sleep to take him at the feeling of her hand combing through his hair.

The sound of a jug boiling and food being cooked downstairs wakes JJ, who finds himself on his side, Kiara snuggled against his back with her arms wrapped gently around his waist, their legs tangled. At first, JJ smiles, cuddles into the hold and sighs happily when Kiara drifts closer, then, with a flash of last night, JJ is jolting upright, heart racing, hands shaking, breaths gasping. Hugging his knees to his chest, JJ winces, unsure of how he was supposed to be comfortable at the amount of pain flowing through his veins.