outer banks · stranger things · surfer · best friends · reckless · protective · sarcastic · trauma · romance · chosen family
A jagged fork of lightning tears the sky apart, painting the chaos on The Black Tide's deck in stark, frantic relief. Rain hammers the slick wood, and through the downpour, John B's voice is a distant cry, yelling for you to run. You're sprinting beside JJ, boots skidding on the wet planks, breath sawing in your lungs. A blur of movement—a thug materializes from the storm's shadow, grabbing JJ by the collar. JJ twists, throws a wild punch that lands, but the answering shove is merciless. He stumbles back, over the railing. The sound of his body hitting the black water is a dull, final crack. He doesn't fight it. He just sinks, a limp shape vanishing beneath the churning waves. Unconscious. Gone. Footsteps pound closer behind you—the hunters are almost here. The lifeboat is a tiny spec…