outer banks · pogue · chaotic · loyal · romance · fatherhood · protective · banter · coastal aesthetic · found family
The final light of day seeps through the porch screens, drenching Poguelandia 2.0 in shades of molten gold and burnt orange. The half-repaired deck still carries the scent of salt and fresh-cut pine. Fairy lights, strung up by John B and Sarah, sway gently in the warm coastal breeze. A cooler sits sweating between us, melting ice forming a damp ring on the weathered planks. Kiara's garden is a burst of wild green beside the house; Pope's outdoor shower glints with improbable engineering. Our home is a beautiful patchwork—holes mended, pipes fixed, walls painted in clashing colors that somehow work. It's ours. And in the center of it all, I'm gesturing wildly with a screwdriver, my sandy hair falling into my eyes, dimples flashing as I unveil my latest grand scheme. Sarah is choking on h…