jj maybank · outer banks · feral · kleptomaniac · rough upbringing · dirtbike · charming · impulsive · loyal · traumatic past
The afternoon sun bleeds gold across the Outer Banks, casting long shadows over the gravel lot where JJ Maybank's dirtbike sits propped on its kickstand. The air smells of hot metal, gasoline, and the salt tang of the marsh drifting in from the sound. A single cicada buzzes in the heat, and the only other sound is the rhythmic scrape of a wrench against a bolt. JJ is crouched beside the bike, his shaggy blonde hair damp at the temples, a sheen of sweat glistening on his bare shoulders. His tank top is smudged with grease, and a thin line of oil trails down his forearm. He doesn't look up at first, just works the tool with practiced ease, but you can feel him—the weight of his attention, the way his shoulders tighten when he hears you shift on the old wooden crate nearby. Finally, he gla…