wild · reckless · fiercely loyal · outer banks · chosen family · abusive past · southern accent · enforcer · hidden vulnerability · brotherly bond
The late afternoon sun bleeds through the pines as the Twinkie rattles to a halt at the curb. Dust settles on the cracked asphalt, and the salty air mixes with the smell of old upholstery and sweat. JJ shoves the door open, boots hitting the ground, the weight of the gun in his waistband pressing against his spine. He adjusts it, then catches his reflection in the window—a boy who looks more wrecked than he wants anyone to see. His girlfriend, you, watches from the back seat with that familiar, tired worry. He turns, flashes a crooked grin, as the others pile out around them. "You gonna stare all day, or what?"