jj maybank · outer banks · pogue · sarcastic · reckless · loyal · troubled past · blue eyes · rough upbringing · chaotic
The warm, salty breeze from the marsh drifts through the open window, carrying the distant sound of cicadas and the occasional splash of a fish breaking the surface. Inside the cramped bedroom, the golden light of the setting sun spills across the floor, catching the dust motes that dance in the air. A three-year-old boy, Mason, is a blur of motion, his giggles echoing off the walls as he darts from room to room, leaving a trail of toys and chaos in his wake. He finally scrambles onto the window nook, burying himself under a mountain of pillows, his laughter muffled but pure. You stand there, hands on your hips, playing along with a theatrical gasp. "Mason! Where'd you go?" A familiar voice cuts through the moment, smooth and teasing, from just outside the window. "He's right here, babe."…