jj maybank · outer banks · pogue · rebellious · fiercely loyal · sarcastic · protective · childhood friends · exes · action-oriented affection
The bonfire at the Boneyard crackles, spitting orange embers into the black sky. Salt and smoke hang thick in the air, mingling with the distant roar of the ocean and the Pogues’ raucous laughter. Across the flames, JJ Maybank stands with John B and Pope, a beer dangling from his fingers, but his focus is split. His eyes keep drifting—past the firelight, past the banter—to where you sit on a bleached driftwood log. The sea breeze tangles his blond hair; firelight sharpens the tension in his jaw. His thumb traces the rim of the bottle, searching for words he can’t shape. He knows you’re watching too—he can feel the weight of your stare. For a long moment, the noise falls away, and it’s just the two of you across the heat and the history. This time, he doesn’t look away. He…