''I didn't see that coming either,'' JJ admitted, almost laughing.

I stepped closer to check on Rafe. ''Are you bipolar or whatever the fuck that was?''

John B's glare was ice-cold. ''What the hell are you doing?''

JJ crossed his arms, unapologetic. ''You weren't seriously going to trust what he was saying, were you?''

Pope chimed in, ''I mean, honestly, if he didn't do it, I was gonna do it.''

''He did seem sincere to me,'' I argued, kneeling to make sure Rafe wasn't seriously hurt.

JJ scoffed. ''Of course he seemed like that to you, maybe because whenever you're around, he switches up like some fucking psycho.''

Pope's voice was quieter but firm. ''Did you forget how he would get into your house and threaten you so you would tutor his sister?''

I hesitated, glancing at John B, who let out a loud, exasperated sigh. ''Well, if you put it that way, it does look bad—''

''Okay, maybe you're right,'' I admitted finally, my shoulders slumping. ''But that doesn't mean this is the way to handle it.''

✧･ﾟ: *✧･ﾟ:* *:･ﾟ✧*:･ﾟ✧

THE BOAT SWAYED gently on the water as we pulled into a small dock to refuel. The air smelled of gasoline and salt, mingling with the faint cry of gulls circling overhead. A weathered man stood at the edge of the dock, holding the hose to refuel the tank. His eyes narrowed slightly as he glanced at us, clearly curious about a group of teens out in the middle of nowhere.

''Where you headed to, bruv?'' the man asked JJ.

JJ leaned against the railing. ''Uh... we're on our way to go kill some people.''

The man froze mid-motion, his brow furrowing in confusion.

''By that he meant fishing,'' I cut in quickly, stepping forward with a bright smile, trying to smooth over JJ's unnecessary provocation.

''Fishing,'' Pope echoed from beside me, his voice rising with forced enthusiasm. ''We're on a fishing trip. We're going fishing.''

The man gave us all a long, suspicious look before shrugging and returning to his work.

✧･ﾟ: *✧･ﾟ:* *:･ﾟ✧*:･ﾟ✧

A LITTLE WHILE later, I found myself in the wheelhouse with Pope and JJ. The others had spread out around the boat, likely trying to find a moment of peace. The sun hung high above us, the heat seeping into the air as the sound of water lapping against the hull filled the silence.

JJ was hunched over a map, tracing lines with his finger as he muttered under his breath. Finally, he glanced up. ''Next stop... payback.''

I raised an eyebrow but didn't comment. There was something in his tone that made me uneasy, but I waited for him to say more.

''So, why'd you do it?'' JJ asked, turning his attention to Pope with a pointed look.

Pope glanced up, frowning slightly. ''Why did I do what? Save your ass?''

JJ leaned back, his smirk returning, though it lacked its usual charm. ''I don't know why you threw it away, Pope.''

Pope scoffed, shaking his head. ''Yeah, you know me. I don't need an excuse to crash out.''

JJ's expression darkened, his gaze dropping to the map again. ''Well, congratulations, Pope. Because now you're gonna end up just like me.''

Pope's jaw tightened, but he didn't respond immediately. Instead, he watched JJ carefully, his eyes narrowing. ''And what was I supposed to do?''

JJ's voice lowered, almost too quiet to hear. ''Maybe just let them shoot me. Would've been doing me a favor.''

I straightened abruptly, my chest tightening at his words. ''Excuse me?'' I frowned, my voice sharper than I intended.

JJ avoided my gaze, standing abruptly and gesturing toward the controls. ''You take the helm. I need some fresh air.'' He pushed past me and disappeared out onto the deck, leaving the door swinging slightly in his wake.

I stared after him, my heart heavy. ''I don't know what's going on with him lately,'' I murmured, turning to Pope.

Pope sighed, rubbing the back of his neck. ''Well, his life is pretty shitty.''

''That's one way to put it,'' I replied, my lips twitching in a weak attempt at a smile.

He gave me a long look before speaking again, his tone soft but firm. ''But I've noticed the same thing about you too.''

''What?'' I blinked, caught off guard.

''You're reckless,'' he stated bluntly. ''You put other people's safety above your own. You used to be different—kind, careful. But after the treasure chase... something switched in you. It's like you don't care if you die at all.''

The words hit harder than I expected. I glanced down at my hands, fiddling with a loose thread on my shirt to avoid meeting his gaze.

''You do that a lot,'' Pope added, his voice quieter now. ''Especially when someone mentions machetes or killing.''

My head snapped up, my eyes locking with his. There was no judgment in his expression, only understanding and something that looked like pity.

''This was not your fault,'' he said firmly, leaning forward slightly. ''You were just protecting JJ.''

I swallowed hard, his words stirring up memories I'd worked so hard to bury. The image of the man falling to the ground, the machete in my hands—it was seared into my mind, a permanent scar I couldn't erase.

Before I could respond, Pope reached out and pulled me into a hug. His arms were steady, grounding, as if he knew exactly how much I needed the reassurance.

He didn't say anything else, and he didn't need to. We both knew what he meant. Even though I'd done what I had to in order to protect JJ, the guilt still clung to me like a second skin.

''You did what you had to do,'' Pope murmured, his voice steady.

I swallowed hard, closing my eyes and nodding against his shoulder.

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