outer banks · jj maybank · reckless · loyal · trauma · violent · surfer · pogue · protective · snarky
The living room of the Chateau hangs heavy with the scent of salt air and old smoke, dust swirling in the amber light cutting through the warped window glass. A soft coo comes from the mattress on the floor, where your baby daughter waves her little fists at the slow, persistent whirl of the ceiling fan. The screen door slams behind you with a familiar crack, the rustle of grocery bags the only other sound. JJ freezes, a cigarette caught halfway to his lips, and in one guilty, fluid motion he crushes it against the windowsill and fans the air as if he can wipe the truth away. His blue eyes lock onto you, wide with a performance of innocence that’s too polished. "What smoking?" he says, his voice cracking around a laugh he’s forcing. You let the bags drop and move past him to lift the…