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 next day, the sun hung high, casting a warm golden glow over the Château. The sky was impossibly clear, its brilliant blue stretching endlessly above the house. A soft breeze rustled through the branches of the trees, bringing with it the scent of salt and earth, a familiar and comforting reminder of home. The large backyard was filled with the sounds of laughter, the occasional splash of water, and the rhythmic thud of feet pounding the grass as the Pogues reunited.
Despite the weight of recent events, there was a lightness in the air. It was as though the warmth of the day had seeped into their bones, lifting their spirits for just a moment. The group had gathered around the old oak tree—its wide, gnarled branches casting long shadows across the yard—just as they had countless times before. The grass felt soft beneath them, the familiar scent of the Château's garden mixing with the salty tang of the ocean breeze. For a while, it seemed as though everything was exactly as it should be.
Big John had a way of making them feel like this—like they could breathe a little easier, laugh a little louder, forget the world outside. The boys, Kie included, had fallen into their usual rhythm with the man—fake fighting, teasing each other, and letting their laughter ring through the yard. It was effortless, the kind of laughter that spoke of years of friendship, of shared experiences, and inside jokes.
But as John B began speaking, the air shifted. He sat up straighter, his shoulders tense, and for the first time, the atmosphere in the backyard felt heavy. He told them everything that had happened since he'd found his father—the gold, the cross, and the promise of El Dorado. The words seemed to weigh him down as he spoke, and though the group listened intently, the lightness they'd shared moments ago was nowhere to be found.
"So, that's the gold, the cross, and now El Dorado. We're three-for-three, guys." Pope's voice was laced with disappointment, the words hanging in the air like the remnants of a joke that hadn't landed. "The streak continues." He scoffed and turned away, frustration written on his face. His footsteps were firm as he strode off, Kie following closely behind, offering a quiet farewell before she disappeared with him.
JJ stood next, his movements more casual, but there was a tension in the way he avoided looking at anyone. He clapped John B on the shoulder, his usual grin only half-there. "I'm going fishing. Thanks for the beer," he said, his voice flat, lacking its usual energy. Avery caught a fleeting glance between Sarah and John B, silently agreeing that she'd stay behind. The group was dispersing, drifting off in different directions, but Avery lingered for a few more seconds.
"I'll take off, too. Take care, guys."
She stood at the end of the driveway, her gaze flickering between JJ, heading off into the distance, and the road that would lead her home. Her heart pulled in two directions. She wanted to go after him, to close the gap between them, but she knew, deep down, that the conversation wouldn't lead anywhere good. Not today. Not with the weight of everything John B had just revealed.
