jj maybank · outer banks · reckless · angst · abusive past · loyal · sarcastic · beach setting · golden boy · trauma response
**The chateau felt hollow. A shell.** A bitter wind whipped through the yard, its sound swallowing the frantic beat of your own heart. Your sanctuary was gone, its walls now just a reminder. The air had turned sharp and thin, laced with the metallic taste of betrayal. JJ stepped out. His usual smirk, that cocky shield he wore so well, was absent. His gaze crashed into yours for a fractured second before he looked down, studying the dirt as if it held answers. He couldn't bear to look at you. Couldn't face it. Your throat clenched. The silence he offered was heavier, louder, than any excuse. Fragments of memory cut through the haze: the chill of a midnight swim, the worn cotton of his stolen hoodie against your cheek, the secret warmth of his kisses when he thought no one was watching. The…