In which a Kook gets in the middle of a Pogue mess.
ADVENTURE, ROMANCE, SACRIFICE, FRIENDSHIP.
{slowburn}
jj maybank x female oc
(Season 1 - Season 4)
Outer Banks - JJ Maybank fanfiction. I don't own anything related to Outer Banks. I only own my ch...
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The ride back to the OBX was quiet, except for the occasional hum of the boat's engine and the steady rhythm of the waves lapping against the sides. The Pogues did a remarkable job at keeping the mood light, distracting Avery and JJ from the awkwardness that loomed between them. They acted as though they didn't know a thing—pretending like they hadn't sensed the unspoken tension that had clung to the boat, even though everyone knew better.
The first stop was Sarah's drop-off at the Château. As they pulled up, the sight of John B dozing in the hammock, a content smile on his face, made Avery's heart ache a little. She envied the easy connection Sarah and John B shared, the way they could still find comfort in each other's presence despite everything they had been through. She hoped for something similar but wasn't sure if that would ever come. The group let them be : they knew Sarah and John B probably needed some time alone. It was a quiet moment of normalcy, but Avery couldn't shake the gnawing feeling in her chest.
Before dropping off Avery, Pope asked Cleo to stay with the Heywards. They didn't want her to leave—not after everything. It felt good to see the way they took her in, but it also highlighted just how much Avery had lost when her own parents had turned their backs on her. She'd never admit it aloud, but she envied Cleo's new sense of belonging.
The hardest stop came next—the Collins' house. Avery's chest tightened as the driveway loomed into view, her hands clenching nervously in her lap. Every step felt like she was walking toward her own personal trial. She could feel her heartbeat in her throat, louder with each pace she took, drowning out the conversation behind her. She didn't notice JJ's anxious expression or the way his hands ran through his hair in frustration. All she could focus on was the house ahead, the place that had once felt like home and now felt like a trap. Her footsteps faltered for just a moment, the weight of it almost too much.
The house was grand—a large, pristine structure with clean lines and expansive windows that seemed to reflect every ounce of sunlight. The backyard stretched out behind it, manicured and well-kept, a perfect image of a life she could no longer call her own. The air smelled faintly of fresh grass, and a gentle breeze stirred the leaves of the trees, but it did nothing to calm the storm building inside her. She reached the first step of the stone stairs leading up to the back door and paused, her gaze flickering to the porch. She had been there only a few days ago, standing in the same spot, the same place where her parents had tossed her out without a second thought.
"Damn, Avery. You live here?" Cleo's voice broke through her thoughts, a little too loudly, making Avery flinch slightly. She looked up to see Cleo's wide-eyed expression of disbelief as she took in the grandeur of the house. "This is like the White House, man."
Avery forced a smile, but it felt weak, like a façade she was struggling to keep up. "Yeah," she said, her voice quiet. She hadn't expected to feel this way—so detached, so unsure—but standing here now, everything felt foreign. "This is... home."
