written in the stars - a topper thornton fanfic (outer banks)

t w e n t y

song: 'somebody else' by the 1975

one year ago

JJ lay in his bed, staring at the ceiling. He tried to trick his body into falling asleep faster, but every time he came close to dozing off, reminders of the night on Figure Eight kept him wide awake.

He lifted his head towards his window when he heard a familiar series of seven taps against it. Genevieve. He sat up slowly and peered out of his window, squinting into the darkness to make out a tiny figure stood in the yard.

Genevieve sighed shakily as she waited for JJ's three taps against the windowpane, that signalled their meeting in the boneyard. It had been days since the incident on Figure Eight, and days since they'd spoken. Genevieve was a stubborn person, but she wanted to fix her broken bond with JJ, and she wasn't about to let pride get in the way.

JJ hesitated, unsure if he was ready to face Genevieve, but tapped three time against the glass nonetheless. He quietly got out of bed, pulling his shoes on, and headed towards the boneyard.

The light of the moon cast an eerie glow across the beach, illuminating Genevieve's slim shadow as she sat in their usual meeting space, on a log near the back of the boneyard. She fidgeted with her rings as she heard JJ's footsteps getting closer and closer. She wasn't sure what she was going to say to him, or if she even had anything to say to him, but she knew for certain that she did in fact miss him.

JJ sat down on the log next to her and gazed out towards the ocean, building up the strength to look her in the eye. Guilt had been eating him alive, and he wasn't sure if there was enough of him left to give Genevieve the apology she deserved. He didn't think that there ever would be.

"I missed you JJ," Genevieve said after a few minutes, breaking the silence. She studied the emotions that flashed across his bruised face. If it really wasn't Luke who had given him those bruises, Genevieve had a feeling she knew who did.

"I'm sorry Gen, I really am," JJ began, looking over at her. The moonlight illuminated her striking features, and reflected against her eyes. God, she really was beautiful.

Genevieve smiled weakly. "I know."

A familiar silence engulfed them as they stared across the ocean, watching the waves crash against the shore. Genevieve sighed. "Did Dad give you that black eye?"

JJ sighed and nodded. "He could have done a lot worse. He should have done a lot worse."

Genevieve sighed. "He shouldn't have made it physical, especially not with you."

"I shouldn't have said what I said, and I shouldn't have left you on Figure Eight."

"JJ..."

"No, Gen, seriously. You're the closest thing to family I have, and to think that I'd put you in danger like I did...." JJ paused and cleared his throat, hoping that Genevieve hadn't noticed that his voice was shaking. "Of course you're only looking out for me when you stop me from doing stupid shit to the Kooks. I was angry, and blew up in your face. You didn't deserve that. And I know I'll never be able to fix what I've broken, but I want to at least try, Gen."

Genevieve looked over at JJ, whose eyes had become glassy. She rested her head against his shoulder and took his hand in hers. "It's ok, JJ. I forgive you," she whispered.

JJ sighed shakily and gazed out towards the ocean. "Your dad told me not to show my face at yours ever again."

"Don't worry about him, JJ. He'll come around. You're always going to be welcome in our house. You're as much his son as I am his daughter."

JJ nodded and rested his head against Genevieve's. Although it hadn't been long, their time apart had been more than long enough. He had missed her. The thought that he could have lost her forever made him sick to his stomach. He was meant to protect her, and he had put her in danger. He would never let that happen again.

"We gotta stick together, us two," Genevieve said after a while.

JJ glanced over at her. "What do you mean?"

Genevieve shrugged. "We've got to have each other's backs, you know. We don't have much, but we have each other. If we lose each other, we've lost everything. We're family."

JJ nodded. "I'll always have your back, Gen. I promise."

Family. Genevieve would never see JJ as anything more than that. JJ would never love anybody like he loved Genevieve, and she would never even know it. He bit the inside of his cheek and gazed out over the ocean, conflicted thoughts running through his mind.