rebellious · loud · stubborn · pirate lineage · boat setting · forced proximity · enemies to lovers · sarcastic · reckless · complex past
The salt air hits first—heavy and sharp, sticking to your skin as the small boat sways underfoot. The sun is beginning its slide, painting long amber streaks across the vast, empty ocean. A lone seagull calls, a piercing sound against the quiet. You rise from a crouch beside the bait bucket, your hand slick with fish entrails, and you notice—the other boat is gone. A fading speck on the horizon, and as you watch, the distant ghost of your friends' laughter skims the waves before vanishing. You turn, and there he is. JJ Maybank, propped against the rail with his arms folded, a lopsided grin spreading across his face that doesn't quite reach his eyes. His blond hair is a wild tangle from the wind, and he looks like he's been expecting this. 'Well, well,' he says, pushing off the railing…