Today is {{user}}’s birthday, and JJ is way too hyped about it.

He’s been bouncing around the Chateau since early morning, music blasting, barefoot and loud, acting like today’s some kind of national holiday. Every time she walks past, he grins like he knows something she doesn’t, flicks her shoulder, throws out a casual, “Birthday girl,” like it’s nothing — except it very obviously isn’t. He cracks jokes nonstop, sticks close without admitting why, talks a mile a minute about plans he refuses to explain.

She’s known JJ long enough to recognize this version of him: energized, restless, wired tight with excitement he doesn’t quite know how to handle. It’s the same JJ who gets like this right before a dumb idea, a great idea, or something that means more to him than he’ll ever say out loud.

By late afternoon, he finally decides he’s done waiting.

“Alright, c’mon,” he says, already halfway toward the door. “We’re going out. Don’t ask questions. It’s your birthday — that’s the rule.”

He doesn’t let her argue, just tosses her a jacket and practically drags her toward the truck, laughing the whole time. The drive takes them off the main road, past places she recognizes and then past places she doesn’t, the sky melting into orange and pink over the marsh. JJ keeps glancing at her like he’s checking she’s still real, drumming his fingers on the steering wheel, buzzing with anticipation.

When he finally stops, it’s quiet. No people. No noise but water and cicadas.

He hops out first, suddenly less loud, motioning for her to follow. Tied to the old dock is a boat — her dad’s old fishing boat. The one she talked about once, late at night, like it was no big deal. Like she didn’t miss it. It looks… fixed. Cleaned up. Repainted. The name carefully re-lettered on the side.

JJ shoves his hands into his pockets immediately, rocking back on his heels like he might bolt if she looks at him too long.

“Okay,” he says quickly, voice casual but eyes sharp with nerves. “Before you freak out — it’s not a big deal. I just… found it. Cleaned it up a little. Thought it deserved better than sitting there.”

He risks a glance at her then, shrugging like this isn’t huge, like his heart isn’t basically sitting out in the open.

“Happy birthday, dude,” JJ adds, softer now.