𝐓 𝐇 𝐈 𝐑 𝐓 𝐘
the sea and the sand

The glistening stars hung perfectly in the sky, hovering above the Twinkie. The breeze was just right, the sea adding a soft chill to the wind. If it weren't for the dampness in the air, Meredith might have considered it to be cold, but she didn't mind the gentle gusts that painted her cheek.

The blonde, blue-eyed pogue was her comfort against the chill, arm draped over her shoulder to soften the goosebumps that littered her tan skin.

After the thrill of finding the Royal Merchant gold, JJ had stolen the Twinkie from John B- who was far too distracted with his adrenaline to notice. The blonde wasn't quite ready to rest yet, still high on the rush. He had asked the Kook to go with him. Normally, she may have declined anyone else, but JJ wasn't anyone else. Besides, she enjoyed his company (and his weed).

So, he stole her and the van and ventured off towards the mainland. Upon showing up to the mainland, they had noticed a small dance festival and decided to park not far from it.

There were fairy lights strewn about, hanging from lampposts and different decorations- from flower pots to different musical instruments. JJ thought that it was quite cliche- it reminded him of that one Disney movie with the Princess and her abnormally long hair (he wasn't sure what the name was).

However, his heart fluttered at the girl's excitement.

A first aid kit laid on Meredith's legs as JJ worked gently at her palm, hand holding hers tightly, but not enough to inflict and pain. She found it odd that the most selfless pogue knew so much about first aid, but she figured it was from all of their pogue adventures and the amount of trouble he got himself into.

"This is entertaining to you?" The blonde furrowed his brows, back rested against the back of the seats as they sat in the trunk of the van.

"It isn't to you?" She narrowed her eyes, hand resting in his palm as he cleaned up the dirt around the large gash. "It's sweet. Plus, it reminds me of Tangled."

"That's what it's called," he nodded, previously racking his brain. She watched as his tongue poked the inside of his cheek in concentration, his touch feather-like as he tried not to hurt her. "Well, that movie is also cliche."

Meredith scoffed, jaw dropping at his words. He smiled at her overdramatics but allowed her to continue anyway. JJ enjoyed watching her discuss her interests. He liked how happy it made her.

"What?" She gaped. "That movie is, like, one of the best. It's not cliche!"

"Yeah, it is," he chuckled, eyebrows furrowed as he concentrated on the wound, fingers holding a cotton pad doused in rubbing alcohol. "And, it's not like anything in that movie actually happens. Besides this- this is gonna hurt a little. Just try not to move."

His warning forced her eyes down at their touching hands to where he held a rubbing alcohol-drenched cotton pad.

He pressed it to the wound, eliciting a loud wince from the girl. She flinched backward, trying to pull her burning hand back, but he held her hand tighter. "I'm sorry, I'm sorry! I'm sorry, okay?"

She took a deep breath, bringing her knees up to her chest. "It's okay," Meredith sighed, curling her knuckles slightly at the burn. "Anyways, kids get kidnapped. That's in the movie."

JJ scoffed, eyebrows drawn together. "Obviously, but that's not what I meant."

"Oh," the tan girl chuckled. "Enlighten me, then."

"Alright," he raised his brows in amusement, sending her a quick, challenging glance before his cerulean eyes fell back onto her wound. "First of all, there's no glowing flowers or any bullshit like that. Or- or the, uh, whats... the lost princess shit. Nah, none of that's real."

"Okay, but there's other Disney movies that have the same fictional stuff," She smirked. "This one's just better."

"If you believe that, be my guest," JJ shook his head, a small smile on his lips. For some reason, and he would never figure out why, but he wasn't bored talking to her. And he'll be damned. He enjoyed talking to her about Disney Princesses of all things. "Just let me know when you find that flower."

"I will," She joked, a giggle escaping her lips when he laughed, shaking his head at her antics. "Let me know when you find that lost princess."

JJ laughed. "I will."

A comfortable silence overlooked them as he continued his work on her hand, applying pain relief ointment on the tore skin. Meredith watched him closely, her ebony eyes following every action and tense of his hand muscles. His eyebrows pinched together in focus, and his eyes squinted- Meredith caught every contorted feature.

"One of the best?" He suddenly spoke, pulling her from her daze. At his words, she frowned in confusion.

"Huh?" She hummed, lifting her head.

"You said, 'one of the best'. What's your top?" He questioned, referring to the topic of Disney movies.

Her breath hitched in her throat at his interest for things that involved her. Usually, everyone would either silence her when she got excited over things she valued, or they would simply tell her that they didn't care. But, him sitting before her and willingly asking her about her interests- it appalled her.

"Oh," She furrowed her brows. "Um... Moana, one hundred-percent."

"No, like what movie?" JJ became confused, and Meredith chuckled at his cluelessness.

"That is the name of the movie," She smiled, unable to find a flaw behind his unintelligence. Everybody in JJ Maybank's life shunned him away for two things. His upbringing and his lack of intelligence. In middle school, he was often bullied in class because he was 'stupid' or knew nothing. But, to Meredith, it just pulled her in more.

"It is?" He looked up, pausing his process of wrapping gauze around her palm.

"Yeah," She giggled.

"Oh," he nodded slowly, looking down before she could notice the slightly blush that overcame his cheeks, embarrassed that he hadn't known. But, Meredith simply smiled, looking past it to continue their conversation.

"So, what's your favorite?" She inquired, eyes glancing down to their joined hands, the back of hers to his palm.

"Oh, no, no," he snorted. "I don't have a favorite."

Although he thought he had gotten away with lying through his teeth, Meredith had noticed, and she wasn't letting him slide that easily. "Yes, you do. You knew about the 'most cliche' Disney movie to exist." She mocked, lowering her tone.

"I don't sound like that," he gaped, lips forming into a playful scowl.

"Whatever," She rolled her eyes. "You gonna answer my question?"

"No," he replied flatly. "I don't have a favorite."

"You've gotta have a favorite," She tried to persuade. "Everyone has a favorite. But, I swear, if you say Cinderella or some shit like that, I just might kill you."

"Well, then good for me, 'cause I wasn't." He muttered cockily, an eye brow arched challengingly. "I would've said... like Beauty and the Beast, or something."

"Hm, not bad," She nodded in approval. "Why?"

"Is this some interrogation?" His gaze flickered up to hers, and he really didn't mean to sound arrogant or annoyed, but it was all too surreal for him. Nobody had cared so much about little things like she did. It didn't feel right opening up about such useless things, especially with a girl whom he didn't want to scare away.

Her shoulders slouched at his sharp tone, gaze immediately falling. "I'm sorry, I didn't mean to..."

"No, it's fine," he shook his head, internally scolding himself for being so harsh with someone who had shown the slightest bit of interest. "I'm being an ass."

"And I'm pushing," She closed her eyes. "Like always."

"What?" He scoffed, eyes lifting off of her hand at her words. "No, you're not. I'm sorry."

"Forget it," She shrugged, chest rising and falling with deep breaths as he finished up on her hand. She looked away from him, out to the open back door where music traveled through the wind and people danced around. JJ sighed heavily at himself, at the way her face fell at his harsh tone.

"She gave the Beast a chance," he spoke up, trying to grab her attention again and wipe the frown off of her pretty face. "She saw his good side and all that bullshit."

Meredith turned at his words, gaze softening at his vulnerability. It wasn't often JJ Maybank opened up to someone- if ever. Now, as he did, she soaked in every word.

"It's kind of like us," he smiled. "You don't shit on me for being poor or an asshole."

She felt her heart flutter and her cheeks to become hot at his words. He spoke as if they were falling for each other, as if there was a possibility that they, too, could give each other a chance. Her ebony eyes fell to his lips- she couldn't help it. She really wanted to kiss him.

"Yeah?" Her lips lifted into a dulcet smile, one that he reciprocated. All the while, their eyes locked onto each other's lips, but neither of them had the courage to close to mere inches between them.

"Yeah," he whispered.

Meredith smiled up at him, and JJ almost mistook the adoration for teasing. But it wasn't teasing. She was admiring him.

"Mer?" He whispered, dropping her hand after taping the gauze so it didn't fall off. The air shifted between them as she lifted her gaze from his lips, ebony eyes meeting his blue ones like the sand and sea.

"Yeah?" She whispered back softly.

"Why do you care so much?" He spoke out, and immediately he felt like his vulnerability was slowly seeping through, and she could see it. JJ felt as if his heart had pummeled out of his chest and all of his breath had been sucked from his lungs because her gaze felt a lot more intimate and the blonde wasn't sure whether or not it was from his nervousness or the mere fact that he couldn't look at her without fantasizing about kissing her. But, he was fucking terrified.

She stared at him, and it felt like an eternity before she spoke again. "I just do..."

"But- why?" JJ Maybank couldn't seem to understand how someone could care about him just because. There was always an ultimatum.

"I..." She whispered, feeling as if her lungs were constricted and every breath had been stolen from her. "I don't know..."

Because, for the life of her, Meredith Waters truly didn't know why she cared so much about someone like him. Sure, it was easier with him. Everything- from stupid, pointless conversations about damn princesses and opening up healed wounds, it was all so much easier. But, she couldn't put her finger on it. She cared about him just because. Because it was easy.

Her whole life, she had struggled to put things into words to explain her feelings. But, maybe, this once, she would try.

"It's just..." She sighed, eyes unable to leave his. "It's easy. Everything's easier with you..."

JJ really tried to understand. He truly did. But, he just couldn't. "Why?" He scoffed. "I mean, look at me, at who I am. It's not worth it."

"It's worth it to me," her voice was barely a whisper, but even with the background music and laughter of dancing people, he had heard it.

JJ stared, unable to come to terms with the fact that the island's most spoiled, bratty girl had found interest in him. Had cared for him more than most. It stunned him- a Kook falling for a Pogue. A Pogue falling for a Kook. It was all too surreal, yet he'd never change it. Ever since the girl strutted into his life with her designer hand bags, fresh manicures and the bitchiest attitude, his life had become better. The universe had given JJ Maybank what he wasn't aware he needed.

"It shouldn't be." He spoke with such certainty that it made her stomach churn and her heart ache because JJ Maybank spoke of himself with such hatred that no amount of enemy could harness.

Meredith sighed, shaking her head defiantly. "I think that's for me to decide." And no matter what she would decide- whether or not she wanted to be in his life, it wouldn't change how she felt.

Meredith Waters wanted JJ Maybank and only him.

"Don't choose wrong," he whispered, almost as if he was warning her that she would be better off without him. But, she didn't want anyone else.

"I won't," she murmered, soft whisper fanning his lips at his proximity. If JJ leaned forward just slightly, he would surely close the painful gap between them.

"No?" He furrowed his brows, mirth dancing behind his cerulean irises.

"No," She shook her head, eyes flickering back and forth between each eye, then finally landed on his lips. JJ noticed because his lips curled up mischievously, but she didn't glance away. If anything, it only drew her in closer, breaths heavy.

Goosebumps littered her skin when his palm met her cheek, his feather-like touch sending a chill down her spine. Her breath hitched when his thumb traveled lower, brushing over her bottom lip and watched as her lips parted nervously.

He could feel her breath from their close proximity as her words escaped her mouth. "I'm not making a mistake."

Then, like a magnet, he pulled her in, hand snaking to the back of her neck so he could close the space between them. It was like literal fireworks erupted in her stomach as soon as her lips met his. At first, she had remained frozen, but the softness of his lips was like an invitation, and once her lips moved in sync with his, she couldn't seem to pull away.

His kiss was so intoxicating, how their lips molded together like two puzzle pieces.

She inhaled sharply at the electrifying feeling. His touch felt so much stronger behind her head as he held onto her as if she would disappear.

Wanting to be closer, she sat up, moving to straddle his thighs, legs on either side of his figure. Her lips never left his, even when his hands snaked to her hips, holding her down onto him like they were meant to be one. In some way, they were because she didn't pull away, and he didn't plan on letting her.

JJ's arms enclosed around her body, pulling her close until her body was flush against his. He never wanted to lose the feeling of her against him.

Meredith had never felt more safe in the arms of someone who she shouldn't because they were the sea and the sand. They met no matter what, and nothing could part them.

His tongue slipped past her lips, the girl parting her lips as an invitation. Their tongues danced against each other, his hand holding the side of her face.

He panted through his nose, hands roaming anywhere that he could reach- from her waist to her lower back.

JJ never asked for much in life. If he did, it was to escape this cruel island people called home and for a free weed discount. Everything else, he managed to fend for himself. But, maybe, this once, he asked that Meredith Waters didn't lose interest in him like everyone else had.

Finally, she pulled back, hands falling limp at her side. Her chest fell with heavy breaths as she dropped her forehead onto his, trying to savor the taste of his lips against hers.

Like clockwork, his hand found hers, fingers running against the bandage on the back of her hand. He laced their fingers together, and for once, Meredith ignored the pain that seared through her palm because his touch made it hurt a lot less.

Her nose molded into the bridge of his as their foreheads pressed against each other, her hand on the side of his face.

And they sat, two souls morphing into one because the sea and the sand were always touching, and they were the sea and the sand.

authors note!
AHHHH! what do u guys think? this is so tangled coded, and their kiss scene is definitely xo by beyoncé.