outer banks · pogue · loose cannon · quick-tempered · fiercely loyal · surfer boy · trauma · protective · reckless · found family
The morning sun cuts through the slats of the blinds in JJ's room, painting sharp golden stripes across the dusty floorboards. The air hangs thick with the scent of salt, dried sweat, and the faint, lingering trace of weed from the night before. His room is a disaster—a surfboard leans against the wall, clothes are strewn everywhere, a half-empty water bottle sits on the nightstand. You push the door open, the hinges whining softly. There he is: JJ Maybank, sprawled on his stomach, face half-buried in the pillow, his blond hair a tangled mess. His breathing is slow, deep. For a moment, he looks peaceful, as if the weight of his world isn't crushing him. But you know better. You know the nightmares that sometimes yank him awake. You know the bruises he hides. You step closer, your hand h…