050
to going full-kook!

"So..."

Bianca tucked her hair behind her ears and squinted past the sunlight to get a better look at Pope. The others, Cleo and Kiara were trekking ahead of them while JJ used the machete to chop down grass as it grew taller. The group had woken up at the 'ass crack of dawn' as JJ called it to prepare for their journey.

"You haven't stopped smiling since we got up this hill," Bianca pointed out, following the path her boyfriend cut out for them. "What is it?"

"What?" Pope snapped out of his daze and shrugged. "Nothin'."

"Riiight," Bianca turned back to face the front. "Nothing."

Sweat beaded the boy's forehead but the heat didn't deter the electricity building within his chest, "Okay, fine I'll tell you," He let out a rushed exhale.

Bianca laughed, which happened to catch boyfriend's attention. JJ glanced over his shoulder briefly at his best friend deepin conversation with the girl. His anger from two nights ago had disappeared, and now all that was left was disappointment.

Bianca met JJ's eyes just before he looked away. They needed to talk, she knew that. Apologise, more like. She just needed to find the right way to do it or some way to make it up to him.

"You have to swear not to tell the others yet," Pope continued, forcing the girl to return her attention. "I don't want them making a big deal out of it but... I kissed Cleo."

"You- what?!" Bianca choked on her breath, stopping dead in her tracks.

"Shhh!" Pope immediately tried to slap a hand over her mouth when the others turned around to see what the commotion was about but she shoved him away.

"I'm sorry- I'm sorry- but oh my god, Po!" Bianca gushed, unable to stifle her smile.

"Yeah, I was surprised too-" Pope began rambling sheepishly. "She was all like, 'I don't know what's gonna happen once we get up there and I don't know if I'm gonna get another chance,' which... honestly kinda freaked me out a bit," He shook his head and spoke in a low whisper. "But I didn't realize she felt that way about me too."

"Are you kidding? How could she not?" Bianca elbowed him roughly, causing him to rub his arm and shoot her a look. "Okay, fine, I'll stop. But I'm so happy for you, Po', and thank you. For trusting me enough to tell me."

"Shut up," Pope groaned, rolling his eyes. "I know you're just going to tell JJ anyway."

"Hm? Oh yeah," Bianca hummed, giving him a tight smile. The mention of her boyfriend only reminded her of all the groveling she needed to do.

"Hey, how's that cut doing?" Pope piped up again, nodding to her side.

"It's okay," Bianca glanced down at her top where the bandage peaked from below the cropped hem. "I can barely feel it now. I think the weed really took the edge off."

"Right..." Pope trailed off, pursing his lips. "If that's not what's bothering you then... what is?"

Bianca frowned at the grass beneath her sneakers, "What do you mean?"

"Your eyebrows," Pope smirked, ducking down to poke between her forehead. "They look like they've merged into one."

Bianca scoffed, swatting his hand away. The trees around them grew sparser the higher up the mountain they went, "Sorry... It's- JJ's mad at me. I think it's kinda getting to him, just how much I've been hiding from you guys."

"Yeah..." Pope winced, he could sense the tension from miles away. "That."

"I know I need to talk to him," Bianca let out a tired sigh. "I just don't know what I can say that could ever make it up to him."

Pope's eyebrows furrowed, "What are you talking about?"

"It's just, like- he always knows exactly what to say," Bianca admitted, kicking a small pebble underneath her foot. She glanced up to make sure her boyfriend wasn't looking before continuing, "And I know he thinks he sucks at talking, or- or that he can't find the right words but he always does."

Pope watched the girl, deep in thought as the breeze swept through her hair. He found himself wondering how he ever thought one of the most profound and extraordinary people he knew was once a shallow, rich Kook princess.

"It's like, he pours his entire heart out and every time I try to apologize," Bianca's eyes flickered up to Pope who was already staring at her. "I sound like a two-year-old who can't string a sentence together. I don't know, it just- it's like, everything's already in my head but the words get stuck in my throat- I don't know- I'm just- I'm-"

"I could listen?" Pope offered suddenly.

"What?" Bianca's frown returned.

"Tell me," He continued boldly. "You said everything's already in your head. Tell me. And when you're finished, we'll make it make sense... I mean, only, if you're comfortable with it."

Bianca hesitated, "... Really?"

"Yeah- 'course," Pope nodded. "We'll figure it out. We always do."

Bianca reached for his arm, linking theirs together, "Love you."

Pope pressed his cheek to the top of her head, "Love you too."

Back in the cave, Sarah and John B decided to go through the passageway alone. Not only was Big John too injured buthe would have never fit through that narrow hole in the wall. It was then that he revealed the last part of the message he kept secret.

"The true and patient seeker needs not light to see."

Big John handed the couple his last three flares, which were waterproof because there was no way their flashlights would survive the swim. They would last twenty minutes each and without them, there was no way they'd find their way back. But while Big John held down the fort in the cave, Singh and his men were trailing after the bloody breadcrumbs he left behind.

John B and Sarah emerged on the other side of the cave to nothing but stone walls. They followed the darkness and the stream of water trickling down to the catchment.

The cave went deeper and deeper, and it wasn't long before their torches flickered and died. They lit their first flare, using it as a makeshift torch. From then they knew, they only had thirty minutes in and thirty minutes out.

Meanwhile, the Pogues were making headway toward the site of Solana. Although the solstice passed, they were hoping it would lead them toward where El Dorado was hidden. They stopped at the peak of a hill, looking out into the distance.

Pope pointed toward four large stone pillars, amongst the chorus of greenery, "That's Solana. They couldn't have gone that far. Come on."

Kiara shared a look with Cleo. They'd been walking for hours with no rest. But how could they, when they were so close?

"At least it's downhill?" Cleo shrugged, nodding for Kiara to follow who did so with an exhausted huff.

Bianca glanced out at the jungle with JJ beside her, breathing in the fresh air weaved with sunshine. In a weird way, the forest reminded her of the ocean.

The bark looked much like driftwood, twisting in patterns that reminded her of the seaside waves. Even the color of the moss was kelp-like. It was soft and damp, yet her fingers came away dry.

Bianca tilted her head upward, feeling her hair tumble further down her back; the branches were several houses tall, reaching toward the sun. Birdsong came in lulls and bursts, the silence and the singing working together as well as any improvised melody.

"This place..." JJ's voice startled her. She almost forgot he was there.

"It's so pretty," Bianca nodded.

"Imagine living out here," The boy couldn't think of anything better. It was secluded, and surrounded by nature.

"We'd need to buy bug spray," Bianca scoffed. They were covered in insect bites.

JJ threw his head back in a chuckle, "Maybe just a few bottles."

"Yeah, a few hundred," Bianca giggled, glancing at him from the corner of her eye.

They lapsed into a comfortable silence, broken only by the staccato chirping of the jungle. Bianca's smile slowly faded, dawning on her that they still had an unspoken wound to tend to. JJ seemed to come to the same realization because he fell silent too.

"Being out here," Bianca hummed, wringing her hands together. "It makes you feel so...little. Like, nothing actually matters."

"Well," JJ turned to her, the corner of his lips twitching into a smirk. "I can think of something that matters."

Bianca shared a look with him, "JJ-"

"B-" He spoke at the same time.

They laughed awkwardly. JJ hitched his bag over his shoulder. The silence was so unbearable, the birds were cringing.

"I just want to say something," JJ tried again.

"No," Bianca narrowed her eyes. "Me first."

"I'll be quick-"

"Yeah- so you can be quick after me."

"Bianca," JJ warned sternly.

"JJ," Bianca crossed her arms over her chest. "Please?"

"How 'bout we rock, paper, scissors for it?" He offered.

Bianca rolled her eyes, "What are we? Five- rock, papers, scissors, shoot!" She stuck her hand out in the shape of a fist before he could even react. "I win- okay, I'm sor-"

JJ put a hand over her mouth so she couldn't get another word out, "You cheated- I wasn't even ready!"

"Mhurfpt," Bianca mumbled from behind JJ's palm, trying to peel it off but he didn't let up.

"Okay, that sounded a lot like an insult but I'm gonna pretend I didn't hear that," JJ chuckled, his eyes crinkling in the corners. "Just listen to me. I wanted to say I'm sorry for taking so long to come around. I needed to figure shit out in my head so I didn't say something dumb and fuck everything up."

Bianca's eyebrows drew together in frustration. If she could speak, she would've told him that she appreciated him feeling comfortable enough to tell her when he needed space but he shouldn't have been the one apologizing.

Unfortunately for her, JJ liked teasing her more, "Yes, I know I'm the sexiest man alive and I know it's distracting but please, try and stay on topic, Bianca," His smirk widened. "Look, I didn't mean to sound harsh about what I said before. It's just- ow! Fuck!"

Bianca stomped on the boy's foot, forcing him to drop his hand. She shoved his chest, "Okay, one, you're an asshole and two..." Her tone softened. "I'm the one who should be sorry."

He hesitated, "...You didn't deny that I was the sexiest man alive."

"JJ!" Bianca scolded. "I'm being serious!"

"Okay- okay," JJ chuckled, throwing his arms up in surrender. "I'm listening, I promise."

Bianca let out an exhale, "Look when you said..." She hesitated. "That it feels like you don't even know me-"

"B-" JJ immediately protested. "I didn't mean it like that-"

"No, let me finish," She lifted a hand to shush him, causing him to take a step back. "You were right. I just mean, we're so young and- and I feel like I don't even know myself and-"

"That is... not where I thought this was going," JJ laughed awkwardly. His lips turned into a frown, "Kinda sounds like a breakup, actually..."

Bianca swallowed thickly, "JJ, I..."

"Woah- woah- woah, hold on," The boy's eyes widened, rearing his head back. His voice raised ten octaves, "Are you breaking up with me?"

"What?" Bianca slapped his arm. "No, stupid- shut up. What I'm trying to say is, it's weird. Sometimes, when I feel like I can't recognize who that girl staring back at me in the mirror is... you always find a way to remind me. You know me...better than I know myself and- and you said, you've told me things you're too afraid to admit to yourself so..."

JJ's eyebrows drew together as he watched her reach into the depths of her pocket to find a piece of folded-up paper. But it didn't look like ordinary paper. This one was light brown, thinner, and singed at some edges.

"It's my turn," Bianca held the paper up between them. Her eyes met his, "Before the chateau burned down, I ran back inside-"

"I remember," His confusion lingered. "I tried to stop you-"

"Yeah, well..." She began opening the paper.

JJ's lips parted when he recognized the poorly drawn scribbles within. It was the so-called artwork he made while Bianca was busy trying to bake in the kitchen. It was of him carrying a sword and a baguette, protecting Bianca from square groupers.

"I didn't want to tell you why I ran back into that fire and almost died over this because I was embarrassed," Bianca explained, her eyes flickering down to the paper. "Embarrassed because this stupid little drawing meant more to me than any other memory I have of that place."

JJ's throat tightened. Once again he was reminded of how it felt to be loved so profoundly. Now and then he would get used to it and forget but then Bianca would so casually drop a bomb that made his heart squeeze so hard he could've fallen to his knees in front of her.

"This is you and me. And I love you," Bianca held the singed edges of the baking paper proudly. "And you always say and do the cheesiest things for me so I wrote you a little poem..."

JJ chuckled, watching her turn the paper vertically so she could read the handwriting on the back. Her hair cascaded around her cheeks the way it did when she was nervous and JJ resisted the urge to kiss her then and there.

"Pope helped- so don't laugh," Bianca warned, turning back to the paper. She took a breath to calm her racing heart, "When I met you in the summer, my world never looked so blue. I gave you every reason to turn and run away too...But you held me in your arms and told me not to cry. You said you'd fight off all the bad dreams, till the day that you die...Somehow, some way, that blue followed me here. And even in all that darkness, you held my hand, no fear... Gold and magic and fairytales, I never thought they could be true. But then I met you in the summer, and I fell in love with you."

JJ opened his mouth to respond but before he could get a word out, wild cheers of excitement and whistling emanated from downhill. The couple turned to the distance where Pope, Kiara, and Cleo jumped up and down around for them.

"Oh no..." Bianca cringed, hiding her face in her hands.

"It's okay," JJ chuckled and drew her into his arms to hide her away from their celebratory whooping and clapping. "It's fine."

Bianca buried her head into her chest. She would sell all the gold they ever found to erase that entire speech from their memories.

She glanced up from between her boyfriend's arms, "I promise, I'll do whatever it takes to make it up to you."

JJ's lips inched into a teasing smirk, "Nah, trust me, I think that public humiliation was enough-"

A sharp squeal left Bianca's lips when JJ picked her up by the waist and spun her in a circle. When he placed her back down, his eyes were earnest as he rested his forehead against hers, "Just promise me, no more secrets?"

"No more secrets," She giggled, her arms wrapped behind his neck.

"Good," JJ hummed. "Then if we're being honest... I kind of stole one of your headbands."

"You what?" Bianca gaped.

"Yeah, you know how my hair gets in my face sometimes when I'm doing shit and it's really good for keeping it out of my eyes so-"

Before she could respond, the Pogues ran up from the hill while their boisterous laughter echoed through the valley. But as they gathered around each other, little did they know John B and Sarah were about to celebrate something of their own.

They hit a dead-end. Unsure of where to go, the idea of giving up grew more enticing as the seconds ticked by. Sarah recalled the second part of the riddle– the true and patient seeker needs not light to see.

They put out their flare immediately and in its replacement, blue and glowing phosphorescence lit up their way in the shape of a hand. Sarah placed her hand atop the marking in the wall, and the stones began crumbling around them, revealing a new tunnel.

They followed it through, only for their next obstacle to be a deep ravine which with one wrong step would cause them to plummet to their deaths. John B was the first to jump across it but accidentally dropped a newly lit flare in the process.

After lighting their second last flare, Sarah was next to jump but now, they had less than an hour left to get in and out.

Hand in hand, the couple stood at the edge of a cliff, staring at none other than the legendary city of gold.

El Dorado.

It was the most beautiful thing they'd ever seen. It was indescribable.

Not because of the endless riches they could fill their bags and pockets with, which they did. But because of how much it cost them to make it there.

All the treasure hunting, and running for their lives and death and betrayal for the boundless chunks of gold hanging off every crack and crevice of this cave. They suffered great losses on their journey.

They jumped through ravines in the pitch-black darkness, cracked impossible riddles that hadn't been solved for centuries, and fended off Singh and his bloodthirsty men. They were exhausted, tired, drenched, and afraid but they finally made it.

John B and Sarah's hearts beat in sync, soaring with pride and bounding with excitement. They shared a look, one of knowing, as if they could both tell what their next thought would be.

They could hardly wait to share it with the Pogues, to tell them of the horrors it took to get here. To sit around a campfire or somewhere on the beach under the stars and share stories jokes and heartbreaks.

After everything they'd been through, yes, they were rich. But not in the way they were taught to be. Because even though they stared at the heart of all their treasure— the Royal Merchant, the Cross of Santo Domingo, and El Dorado all in one, it wasn't truly a celebration yet without their family.

"Hey, to going full Kook?" John B grinned, surrounded by boulders of gold.

"Full Kook," Sarah whispered back, carrying a chunk of the treasure in her hands.

John B fist-pumped the air and threw his head back, his voice reverberating off the aureate walls...

"To going full Kook!"

author's note. hello hello! what did you guys think of this chapter? the poem was sooo cringey lol but bianca deserves it for lying to jj for so long hehe. and is it just me but john b and sarah finding el dorado by themselves felt so underwhelming? like they should've been with the pogues. i just really need another scene of them screaming full kook like in the twinkie after raiding mrs crains lol. anyways, hope yall are having/had a great day! love u!! <3