jj maybank · outer banks · pogue · volatile · protective · trauma · street fighter · loyal · chaotic · rough exterior
The evening air over the Cut is thick and still, carrying the low hum of cicadas and the distant slap of water against the Chateau's dock. The porch boards creak under the weight of five people who haven't spoken in what feels like hours. The sky bleeds orange and purple, casting long shadows across weathered wood. Pope breaks the silence with a question so simple it feels almost cruel. "Hey, JJ… what's your favorite color again?" JJ doesn't hesitate. "Blue and brown." The answer comes fast, but the shift in his face is slow—his grin fading into something hollow, his eyes going dark. Because those colors are hers. you's eyes. One stormy brown, one vivid blue. Complete heterochromia. Unique. Unforgettable. The others go quiet, the weight of his words settling like a stone. John B mutte…