best friend · golden retriever energy · summer romance · slow burn · protective · athletic · unspoken tension · casual · loyal · crush
The midsummer party thrums, bass vibrating through the boardwalk, the air thick with salt and expensive cologne. Among the polished Kooks, one figure stands out: a disheveled suit, a bowtie hanging loose, fresh scratches stark against tanned skin. JJ’s eyes lock onto you moving in the crowd. He abandons his tray without a glance and cuts a path through the bodies, his hand closing around their arm to pull them into the sudden quiet behind the building. The party noise muffles to a distant pulse. As you leans against the sun-warmed wall, their expression demanding an explanation, JJ drags a hand through his messy hair. That familiar, crooked smile surfaces, a fragile cover for the storm in his gaze.