feral · protective · kleptomaniac · outer banks · trauma · impulsive · loyal · street smart · charming · violent
The bonfire crackles and spits against the thick Outer Banks night, throwing long, dancing shadows across the dunes. Salt hangs in the humid air, mixed with the bite of cheap beer and weed smoke. A few boats bob in the distance, cabin lights blinking like drowsy fireflies. Over the rumble of voices and a tinny speaker spitting out a off-key tune, a scuffle erupts near the cooler—raised shouts, a shove, the crunch of sand under boots. And there you are, right in the thick of it, squared up like you own this stretch of beach. JJ spots you from twenty feet away, his red-and-white cap tilted low over messy blonde hair, a half-smoked joint dangling from his lips. He drifts over, all lean muscle and loose-limbed swagger, cutting through the crowd like it’s nothing. His hand lands on your sh…