The Beast of the Outer Banks || Kiara Carrera x Male Reader

The Gold

Pope hacked away at a tree that stood outside the Chateâu. Kiara was barely holding herself together, as Rebecca hugged the heartbroken girl close to her chest.

Pope finished the heart shape in the tree, and JJ used a blowtorch to heat up the end of a crowbar. He marked the wood with John B and Y/N's names, as well as their birth year, and the current year. He added 'P4L' at the bottom of the heart.

He walked back towards the group, standing beside Kiara. He held out a flask towards the memorial.

"To John B."

"And Sarah." Beca added. Kiara looked tearfully at her boyfriend's name, still not able to believe he was gone. "And Y/N."

JJ and Pope took sips of their respective drinks, as Kiara moved forward and put a box of objects that reminded them of their fallen friends in a small hole in front of the tree. The four of them covered up the hole, saying goodbye.

•••

Kiara stood on the porch of the McCoy house, taking a deep breath before knocking softly on the door. The last time she had been here, the house had been filled with laughter and warmth. Now, it felt like as though it was empty. She was nervous, unsure of how to face Francesca, especially after she had been so vulnerable on the night of Y/N's death, but she needed to talk about him, needed to feel close to him somehow.

The door opened slowly, revealing Francesca. Her eyes were tired, red-rimmed from tears, but she offered Kiara a warm, if weary, smile. "Kiara," she greeted, her voice soft and welcoming. "Come in, dear."

Kiara stepped inside, her eyes immediately drawn to the framed photographs on the mantelpiece. Y/N's infectious grin captured forever. The sight made her chest tighten. Francesca led her to the living room, with the lingering scent of vanilla from a candle that had burned.

They settled onto the couch. Francesca reached for a small blanket draped over the back and pulled it over the younger girl's lap, a small gesture of comfort in the face of overwhelming loss.

"It's still so hard to believe he's gone," Kiara murmured, her voice breaking the heavy silence. She glanced down, fiddling with the hem of the blanket, her fingers brushing over the soft fabric. "I miss everyone, of course I do. But it's different with Y/N. I'd never been so protective or vulnerable with someone."

Francesca nodded, her eyes glistening with unshed tears. "I know," she whispered. "Every day, I keep expecting him to walk through that door, to see his face. But..." She trailed off.

They sat in silence for a moment, the weight of their shared grief filling the room. Francesca reached out and took Kiara's hand, her grip gentle but firm. "You were so special to him, Kiara. He talked about you all the time. The way you made him laugh, the look on his face any time you were mentioned... you made him so happy."

Kiara's eyes welled up, and she blinked back tears. "He had such a hard life," she said, her voice barely above a whisper. "He didn't deserve any of the treatment he got off of everyone here."

Francesca smiled, a bittersweet expression filled with love and sorrow. "Hank had that too. He always said it didn't effect him, but I could tell it took its toll. He buried himself in his work, fighting for their rights. I loved his determination but I wished he dealt with his demons more."

Kiara nodded in recognition, then looked around the room, her eyes lingering on a photo of Y/N as a child, holding a book almost as big as he was. She chuckled softly through her tears. "His smarts were part of his gift, right?"