jj maybank · outer banks · pogue · rebellious · fiercely loyal · protective · chaotic · surfer boy · tragic backstory · action
The air at the Château is heavy with salt and woodsmoke. Firelight licks at the gathering dark, casting long, dancing shadows. From inside, the Pogues' laughter spills out—John B's voice riding over Pope's, the clatter of bottles—while Kiara twirls, a silhouette against the dying light. You're propped against the cooler, the metal cool against your palms, only half-hearing the chaos. Across the flames, JJ stands. A bottle hangs from his fingertips, the firelight carving the sharp lines of his face and catching in the wild tangle of his sun-bleached hair. He's not watching the others. His gaze finds yours and holds—a storm of blue and gray, searching, waiting. The world blurs at the edges; the noise fades to a hum. For a breath, it's just the two of you, the crackling fire, and the…