Apart From You
Request: Reader and JJ are in a relationship despite her father telling her to stay away from him. One day she gets a call from Sarah or Kiara that he’s in the hospital- his dad beat him within an inch of his life. Luckily her dad is somewhere on the mainland for the next two weeks so she can sneak out. She doesn’t leave his bedside for anything but using the bathroom until he can leave the hospital. Maybe he’s in surgery when she gets there, and/or has to have emergency surgery, maybe his heart stops a few times from like internal bleeding or something.
Pairing: JJ Maybank x reader
Warnings: some language, the beginning of spice that doesn’t lead anywhere, angst but has a fluff ending
“Dad please! Stop!” Your footsteps on the stairs echo along the walls as you storm to your room as your dad rants on and on about how bad of an influence JJ is. Quickly turning around your eyes find his as he starts his ascent up the stairs. “I love him please, try to understand.”
“Sweetheart, I know you think you love him but you’re both too young to understand what that means.”
His voice is softer and the hardness in his eyes melts away. He doesn’t understand. Mom left years ago and he refuses to even think about dating again. It doesn’t matter if you are dating JJ or someone else, he will never approve. You turn around with nothing more to say and plan to stay in your room the rest of the night.
“You are grounded starting now till an undetermined date.” His voice stops you in your tracks. “You can hang out at the country club or anyone else but the pogues and that includes JJ. Consider yourselves broken up.”
The finality lingers in his voice. You’ve only heard this a handful of times in your life and you know better than to challenge it. There is no negotiating, no changing his mind. The door closes behind you, the sound deafening. You’ve never felt so alone.
You: Steer clear for a while, wait for him to cool down
Tears blur the words on your screen. You tell yourself that your dad just needs to cool down. He is one of his moods and he heard about a gun firing off at a boneyard party. It was incredibly stupid of JJ to bring the gun and to actually fire it. But you understand why he did it. John B was drowning at the hands of Topper.
A week passes and your dad hasn’t let up on the ban. Mostly you just stay at home in your room. You avoid seeing your dad. A day after the ban started, he took your phone so you couldn’t message JJ. He has eyes all over the island that could keep track of where you went, who you spent time with. Dinner time is the only instance you can’t avoid him.
“I have to go to the mainland for two weeks for work.” His eyes bore into yours like he already knows you’re getting an idea. “Ban is still on. Mrs. Sanchez will be checking in on you and you have to tell her if you’re going anywhere. I will still have my eyes on you. But you will get your phone back and I hope I can trust you.”
You stay silent and continue to eat like you never heard anything. You want your phone back at least so you can contact JJ or any of the pogues. If you still can’t get out to see them, phone communication was the next best thing.
A scraping sound comes our way as your dad slides your phone to you. Your eyes stare at it like it might bite you. Can’t seem too eager for it but you have to be thankful at the same time. Slowly your hand wraps around the device and you slip in into your hoodie pocket.
“Thank you,” your eyes reach his for a respectable amount of eye contact to show your appreciation. “Have a safe trip.”
Voicemail #1 : Y/N it is Sarah please call me back! It’s about JJ, it’s an emergency!
Voicemail #2: it’s Kie, Y/N please answer your phone! JJ is in the hospital. It’s not good. Luke… he *sniffles* JJ is in really bad shape.
Voicemail #3: The fact you haven’t answered or showed up means your dad took your phone. Please whenever you get this get your ass over here!
Your dad gave you your phone last night but didn’t allow a charger till he left the next morning. The girls’ words ring in your ears. The calls are from last night. If your dad gave you the charger you would have known and been there immediately.
Not caring about the phone now, you leave it behind and grab your car keys. The truck roars to life for the first time in over a week. Tires squeal in a distance, your tires, but the only thing you can focus on is getting to the hospital. Kie mentioned Luke, JJ’s father, which means only one thing. Luke beat JJ, bad enough this time to need medical help.
“JJ Maybank please.” Your voice robotic, in shock.
“Room 0023” the nurse at the front desk informs you. “The ICU.”
The ICU. That snaps you out of your trance and the next thing you know is you’re running. Passing through the unit doors your eyes skim all the number to find his room. The door is closed and you stop dead in your tracks. Taking moment deep breaths pass in your nose and out your mouth. The beating of your heart is still heard through your ears. Slowly you open the sliding doors to his room, preparing yourself for what you are about to see.
The room is empty. No bed. No IV pumps. The monitor is set on standby, no one to hook it up to. Why wouldn’t he be in here? The lady at the desk said he was here! What if he is dead? You stop breathing with that last thought before hyperventilating. A nearby nurse notices you in distress and slowly directs you to a chair against the wall.
”Sweetie, he is in surgery.” Her calming voice is a balm in the panic storm of your mind. “Are you related to him?
You’ve seen this part in movies before. If you don’t say you are in some compacity then they can’t share anything with you. It’s insane because you and the pogues are the family he has but they won’t accept that.
“I’m his cousin… more like siblings really. We grew up together.” The last part is at least the truth. JJ has been in my life since childhood. Were in the same class till your father’s rose up in the company that let you become a kook in middle school. No matter the social status, JJ never stopped being the most important person in your life.
“He was beaten up pretty bad, we suspect a possible hit and run along with a fight. Some facial fractures, a few broken ribs, left femur is broken. Nothing showing up on the scan of his head thankfully. He has some blood collecting in the space around his left lung, the trauma surgeon is placing a chest tube now and they are evacuating blood that is also pooling around his GI tract. But I don’t think they’ll need to wire his jaw shut and I think they’ll be able to take the breathing tube out after surgery as well.”
The nurse’s words try to settle and make sense but the only thing you can focus on is the fact his own father tried to run him over. A chest tube sounds really serious. A breathing tube? Could he not breathe on his own at one point?
“You can stay in here till they bring him back if you want.”
“Thank you.” You breathed.
The tears start flowing the second she steps out the door. All the tension and fear is crashing in on you at once. The tension between you and your dad the last week. The worry you always have for JJ getting into trouble without you there to help. The fear that iced your veins the second you saw the room was empty, scared he was dead and you never got to say goodbye. The fear you still have in seeing the full extent of his injuries.
The sound of wheels and beeping of machines echoes down the hall. A bed pulls into the room with a team of people in blue scrubs. You watch them settle the bed, the pumps, and the monitor before leaving the room. One of the people on the team catches the nurse that spoke to you outside the room and gave what you could only assume was updates on how it all went.
Your eyes gaze over towards the bed. Getting closer you see JJ laying there like he is asleep. He has a slight crease between his brows like he normally does when he is dreaming. You pray that he isn’t in any pain right now.
“JJ?” You gasp and rush to his side. Taking a seat on the side of the bed instantly your hand finds his while your other runs it’s fingers through his blood matted hair. A sob tightens in your throat as you try to speak. “It’s going to be okay, you’re okay. I’m here. I’m not going anywhere.”
The nurse is telling you how the surgery went and that they are just waiting for him to wake up. He got a lot of pain medications before heading over but he is responsive so they aren’t worried about his airway. She is trying her best to explain what things mean and being assuring that they are doing everything to help him. By the look in her eyes you think she knows you’re not actually his cousin but she doesn’t’ say anything and neither do you.
“Do you know how we can get in touch with his father?” She asks you next. Yeah the end of a bottle somewhere, hopefully in the bottom of a ditch.
“I think he is working on the mainland. I forgot my phone so I don’t have the number on me.”
She leaves you be after that. Occasionally coming in and out as she needs for various assessments and administering medications. You just stay where you are and continue to watch the rise and fall of his chest. Your eyes on occasion falling on the chest tube and following down to the drain.
Your eyes meet JJ’s. Despite the pain he must be in, he sends his signature smile your way. Instead of smiling a sob escape past your lips. Your free hand tries to shield your face so JJ doesn’t have to see you cry.
“No princess, don’t cry. I’m okay. Promise.” JJ squeezes your hand. “Your dad is going to be pissed you’re here.”
“I don’t care. He is on the mainland for two weeks but even if he wasn’t I’m not leaving here till you do.”
JJ doesn’t argue with you and you stick to your word. You stay the night there and only leave to use the restroom. Occasionally taking a sponge bath in the sink. The girls bring extra clothes for you when they come visit.
“Careful, I think I’m being spoiled.” JJ groans in satisfaction as you poor some warm water over his head. The nurse gave you a basin with some shampoo so you could wash the blood out of his hair. It has been almost a week and the doctor took out the chest tube yesterday.
“I think you’re entitled to a little spoiling.” Your voice is lighter than it has been in days. Leaning over, you press your lips to his forehead.
“I only want to be spoiled by you.” JJ whispers, his eyes closed, enjoying the feeling of the warm water and your fingers running through his hair.
Finishing up, you take a towel and massage his head, trying to wring out as much water as you can before combing it. JJ protests and begs for you to just run your fingers in his hair instead. A request you complete knowing that JJ’s hair has always looked a mess no matter what. Messy is its natural state of being, as is the beautiful boy laying in front of you.
“How did I get so lucky?” JJ’s eyes gaze into yours like his looking at a piece of art.
“I think you’re getting delirious from all the pain medicine.” You can’t help but giggle, letting your hair fall on your face to shield the blush betraying you.
“Don’t hide from me, please.” His words lock up in his throat and you notice a sheen over his eyes. “You’re beautiful, even when you’re embarrassed. I’m sorry about the gun. I will never admit this to anyone else but it was stupid… I’m stupid. It cost me you, anything that does is not worth it.”
If JJ wanted to say more he couldn’t. Your lips find his with a tender kiss. JJ’s tongue dances across your lower lip, asking for more. Parting your lips you both begin to explore each other. Your body is on fire and JJ is the only thing that can be your salvation. JJ’s hands find your waist and guide you to straddle him. Careful, you maintain distance between your bodies, scared that any change in position could bring him pain.
“I wish I wasn’t in the hospital,” JJ gowls. “Or I’d have you on your back and naked in three seconds.”
“I think you’re overestimat- oh fuck!” JJ’s tongue trails down your neck, quickly finding your sweet spot.
You can hear JJ’s smug smirk rolling off his tongue against your skin. One hand remains firmly on your hip while he trials his fingers so gently up your torso, shivers ignite in their wake. He takes his time, leaving incoherent shapes before reaching his desired destination. Fighting a whimper, you bite your lip as JJ’s hands play with your breast, his thumb ever so gently grazing your sensitive nipple, as his tongue continues at it third favorite spot.
“You’re right,” JJ pants out of breath. “I do like to play with my food before I eat.”
JJ’s lips leave your neck, refocusing on a new territory. You notice the labor behind his breathing. Glancing up at the monitor you have a feeling that his elevated heart rate is in part for the excitement of being together like this again but also from pain. His warm wet tongue distracts you from your thoughts as it runs down the center of your chest, grazing the inside crevasse of each breast.
“Fuck, I want you so bad.” JJ breathes between every few words. “But I think I have to stop.”
“I’ll let the nurse know you’re ready for more pain medicine.” Your lips brush his forehead, not trusting either of you for another kiss. Carefully and quickly, you climb off of him and head for the door. “When I get back we are watching a trashy hospital cable movie and cuddling. Keep your hands to yourself this time.”
“Movie and cuddling, yes. But the last part is asking too much of me. I have to make up time being apart from you.” His signature wink flies toward you and you can’t wait for the day you get to take him out of this place. Not just the hospital but away from his dad, away from your dad, maybe from the outer banks all together. As long as you two are together and there is no one there to break you apart.