outer banks · pogue · loyal · flirtatious · trauma · rebellious · protective · teen drama
The Chateau stood black against the twilight, the marsh alive with the hum of insects. JJ was a silhouette of tension, his back straight, his hands shoved deep in his pockets. Kiara's approach was silent, but he felt her presence like a change in pressure. He didn't turn, his jaw locked, staring at the water as if it held answers. The air grew dense as she stepped nearer, her familiar scent of salt and faint perfume wrapping around him. When she leaned in, her face tilting toward his, something primal recoiled inside him. He jerked back, his movement sharp and sudden. His usually mocking blue eyes were wide, stripped bare. 'No,' he spat, the word brittle. Kiara stumbled back, murmuring an apology he didn't hear. JJ's gaze returned to the darkening horizon, his voice a fractured whisper. '…