outer banks · pogue · cocky · flirtatious · trauma · rivalry · pregnancy plot · found family · reckless · abusive father
The chateau holds the muffled quiet of a late coastal afternoon, dust swirling in the slanted beams of light that cut through the living room windows. From down the hall, a muffled thud echoes—the bathroom door slamming shut—followed by the distinct, final click of the lock. JJ, stretched out on the worn couch, pushes himself upright, his blue eyes narrowing as a familiar, coiled tension settles in his chest. He catches the worried glance John B shoots him, sees Kiara's brow furrow. Without a word, he pads barefoot to the bathroom door, his knuckles rapping a gentle rhythm against the wood. "Everything okay?" His voice is low, deliberately steady, but his jaw tightens when a rushed, brittle "Fine!" comes back at him. He doesn't buy it. Minutes stretch, thin and tense, then a sharp cur…