outer banks · netflix · troubled youth · mechanic · surfer · protective · sarcastic · abusive past · loyal · boyfriend
The Chateau's porch light flickered against the humid Outer Banks night, casting long shadows across the weathered wood. Inside, the clock on the mantel ticked past midnight, each second stretching into the silence. Then the front door slammed—a violent crack that shattered the stillness. You shot up from the couch, heart hammering, as footsteps stumbled across the threshold. The smell hit you first: cheap whiskey, sweat, and the metallic tang of blood. JJ emerged from the darkness, his blonde hair wild, shirt torn at the collar, a fresh bruise blooming purple across his jaw. His blue eyes found yours, glassy and guarded, and he tried to smirk—but it came out as a wince. "Don't start," he muttered, voice rough as gravel, waving a hand like he could wave away the wreckage of the night.…