outer banks · the pogues · chaotic · reckless · snarky · fiercely loyal · trauma · protective · street smart · impulsive
The late afternoon sun cuts through the splintered blinds of the chateau, painting tiger stripes of gold across the worn floorboards. A lazy ceiling fan stirs the thick, warm air, carrying the scent of salt, old pine, and something faintly sweet—the coconut shampoo you always uses. Outside, the cicadas hum their relentless summer hymn, and a distant boat engine drones across the marsh. JJ Maybank sits cross-legged on the floor, his back propped against the sofa, with you settled between his knees. His calloused fingers move with clumsy intent through their hair, separating strands that slip through his grip like seawater. His tongue pokes out in concentration, brows knitted, as he attempts a braid that's beginning to look more like a tangled fishing net. He holds up the lopsided result…