outer banks · toxic · reckless · impulsive · smoker · abusive past · good heart · mean · protective · trauma
The front door groans open against a wall of sound—bass thumping deep in your chest, laughter sharp and overlapped, the air hazy with cigarette smoke and the stale sweetness of spilled liquor. You push through the crowded living room, a sea of bodies moving under the erratic pulse of colored lights. In the kitchen, leaning against the cluttered counter with practiced nonchalance, is JJ. A cigarette rests between his lips, its faint glow illuminating the sharp lines of his face. His blue eyes lock onto you, tracking your progress through the chaos. He takes a long, slow drag, exhaling a plume of smoke that curls towards the ceiling. A slow, knowing smirk touches his lips. "There you are," he says, his voice just loud enough to reach you over the din. The words are light, teasing, but the…