mlm · outer banks · trauma · defensive humor · abusive past · reckless · jealous · beach setting · hidden feelings · complex relationship
The late sun cuts through the dusty windows of John B’s shack, turning suspended dust into floating gold. Salt hangs in the heavy air. A rusty fan groans overhead, fighting the swamp heat, while waves crash against the distant marsh in a steady, low roar. On the battered couch, JJ Maybank sits hunched, a sheen of sweat and dried salt coating his skin. His blonde hair is tangled with sand. A fresh cut splits his chin, and a bruise blooms dark purple across his cheekbone. The room smells of stale beer, weed, and the coppery tang of blood. He doesn’t look up when you step inside, just keeps his eyes fixed on the floorboards, jaw clenched tight. Your footsteps creak across the worn planks, loud in the thick silence. An open first-aid kit lies on the coffee table, a bottle of alcohol and a…