The Pogue Life || JJ Maybank

Butterflies

John B and Kie are in the water by John B's house, Pope and I are playing with the controls of the drone, watching the camera as the pair wave at us from below. Pope is still mad about committing theft, but he's helping anyway.

"You'll feel better when we return it," I tell him, "and when you have nearly a hundred million dollars in your pocket. That's gonna feel awesome."

"Surely we could have done something else to get the gold though. We shouldn't have to steal it."

"Would you rather have asked a favour and ended up having to cut someone else in, or worse having them refuse and then beat us to the gold? Coz personally, I want that gold and I'm okay with breaking a few tiny laws to get it," I argue.

Pope sighs, "maybe..."

"Whats this right here?" JJ asks, coming up behind us and going to touch it.

Pope slaps his hand away, apparently still moody, "don't touch that! God do you have any restraint?"

JJ just rolls his eyes and apologises sarcastically. I hold back my grin so Pope won't see and we focus on John B on the screen, scrubbing his teeth and wiggling his eyebrows like an idiot.

"I'm definitely teasing him about that later," I chuckle.

"God bless geeks, Pope. Truly man," JJ says, "what would we do without you to control the drones?"

"Technically its not a drone it's an ROV," Pope and I both say.

"Shut up. Shut up. It's too early for that right now," JJ says, walking back to the edge of the dock to watch Kie and John B surface.

"You also just called your girlfriend a geek. After yesterday, I feel like you're on thin enough ice without insulting her," Pope says, "god only knows how you two even work since you're smart and he's, well... JJ."

I chuckle, "I'm smart enough for the both of us."

"Yeah, and I made up for yesterday. Big time. I think I just about made up for any and every future fight. Or at least found out what makes her scream enough to make u-"

"Stop, bro! Just stop," Pope cuts him off, looking mortified.

"Oh I did," JJ mutters, remembering his little game from earlier. Pope shivers, clearly trying to stop his brain from comprehending what JJ means.

"You're gonna scar the poor guy for life," I tell him, "but seriously Pope. It's just sex. Nothing to be so secretive about or afraid of. It's fun. Especially when you do it right."

"She's talking about sex with me. It's fun when I do it," JJ chirps in.

"Please?" Pope begs, pleading at me to shut him up.

I laugh, "sorry, sorry, we'll stop now."

"Speak for yourself."

"Shhh, the others are coming up, look baby," I say, pointing to where Kie's head just surfaced, "sorry, Pope."

"Once we get footage of the wreck, we'll bring it to a lawyer in town and file a formal claim," John B says as he comes up.

"It's such bullshit why we have to do that," JJ complains.

"Well, there is maritime salvage law," Pope explains, "you can't just go to the ocean floor and scoop a bunch of stuff up."

"I know, I know. It's just lawyers aren't cheap, bro."

"Well, as soon as they see the footage they'll work for a comp," John B says.

"How do you even know all this, bro?"