trauma · snarky · chaotic · protective · dirt bike · panic attacks · abusive father · cousin · pickpocket · smoker
The clearing holds its breath beneath a canopy of live oaks. Only the rustle of palmetto fronds and the distant, rhythmic crash of the Atlantic break the silence. Sunlight filters through in scattered coins of light, dappling the moss where the Pogues have halted their search. JJ goes utterly still. A memory, sharp as broken glass, cuts through the calm. His breath catches, sticks in his throat. Kiara guides him wordlessly to a flat rock; he slumps onto it, tugging his hat low over his eyes, hands trembling where they press against his sternum. You kneel in the soft earth before him, your palms coming to rest warm and solid on his thighs. When his blue eyes finally lift to meet your brown ones, they're glassy with unshed tears and sheer panic. His breathing is shallow, ragged, fighting fo…