We listen and we don’t judge
Reader x obx
Word count: 1.3k
Content warning: chaotic fun
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“So, today we’re going to be playing ‘we listen…” you paused looking a JJ, “and we don’t judge’,” now turning to Pope.
He caught it, turning his nose up to you, “that should be for John B.” In which Sarah had snatched the camera from your hand, holding her palm against the side of it as she zoomed in on John B, ready and willing his sassiest look yet, directed towards the camera, “I am like the least likely to judge, guys, I mean,” and directing a wild gesture towards JJ, “hello?”
“Guys, the intro is supposed to be short and sweet,” you reminded, watching the blond move to swat at his friends. Although, he didn’t deny it. “Like Sarah,” you added, earning a firm flick to your wrist, “I am slightly above average, thank you,” she defended, returning to her usual cadence.
Luckily, that comment had urged the boys to focus more on the conversation at hand than the blame game. Once they settled down, you repositioned the camera, tilting it back up to capture you all in frame.
“We got da listenin, da judgy not so much,” Cleo retorted, and there was no commotion around that comment.
“Who wants to go first?” You asked, stepping back behind Sarah, placing an encouraging hand on her shoulder, which she quickly brushed off, shuffling behind JJ. And this little human shuffle went on before you were pushed in the center. You had reluctantly accepted your fate when your friends had started saying “we listen, and we don’t judge.”
You clapped your hands together nervously, feeling especially watched with how the boys were breathing down your neck and the girls, each with a hand on your shoulder, wrist, and back. “Well…” your eyes flickered up to the ceiling, “ whenever i can’t/don’t want to find a swimsuit" your eyes shut as you said this next part, “sometimes… I swim nude.”
It went silent for a moment until Cleo suggested “why not all the time?”
This obviously earned a cheer from JJ.
Next up was John B.
“We listen and we don’t judge,” Sarah started, curious to see what her boyfriend would share. “When I worked on ‘my druthers’ I used to nap on the lower deck, and store my lunch in the mini fridge” which wasn’t the worst thing, but based on how Sarah’s jaw dropped it meant something to her. “Why didn’t you just ask me?” John B slugged his arm around her shoulder, holding her chin as he faced her, “you weren’t always a pogue, Sarah Cameron,”
“That’s fair,” the couple shared a kiss and moved on.
“You guys are disgusting,” JJ joked, slipping past the two. “Since we’re in a sharing mood,” eliciting a shared groan. Something about that sentiment made you anxious about JJ’s confession, debating if he should share. You don’t have to know everything about JJ. If you heard it, you’d believe it.
“So, you know, kooks and I don’t have the best history,” and it went downhill from there. You had to tell JJ ‘off camera’ that he couldn’t admit to something as illegal as peeing in cleaning supplies that was ‘used’ to sanitize the pool at the country club.
“What were you thinking?” Kiara interjected, turning JJ around. “You know how unsafe that is? Even more unsanitary.”
It wasn’t the shock at his statement. It was more the fact that two of the six pogues were kooks and at some point still use that access to enjoy some luxuries. Especially Sarah,who loved to swim at the country club.
She stood in the corner, her bottom lip quivering, and her hands shakily wrapped around herself for comfort at the thought. John B stood beside her, attempting to rub circles against her back, and Cleo recorded the whole thing.
Pope had digested the information, confronting his friend with a goofy grin on his face, “what was the timeframe of this adventure of yours?”
You slapped Pope’s shoulder for encouraging this conversation, even worse you too were curious. “Last month, I don’t know, I was-” whistles, saluting to the sky.
You turned to Cleo, “Go to commercial.”
Once the commotion had winded down one semi panic attack, an intervention, and snack break later you guys got back to it.
Pope was up, clapping his hands together, “on a much lighter note, I prefer fruit juice over a beer anyday,” to which JJ objected. Not how this works, but it was cute to see.
“I second that,” you added. “No, hey, focus,” he snapped, approaching the fridge, pulling out two iced cans, tossing one at you and Pope.
Of course you caught it, reflexes, but it also made you recoil from the frozen metal stinging her palm, dropping it against the carpeted floor. Luckily it landed with a light thud, narrowly missing your feet. “Let's finish the video first,” you added, sweeping the can to the side.
The confessions had circled back to you, prompting your friends to take a step back, kind of spotlighting you.
You felt the need to spice things up, Pope isn’t a bad person, his answers were the normalest, John B and Sarah went the couple route, JJ has been temporarily banned from confessionals, Cleo is killing it as coordinator, and Kiara has assigned herself the mediator and in the meantime sharing her most recent nature ventures, which left you.
You’ve confessed so far some good, some half decent, and some sequential things, like your very minimal role in JJ and the pool story.
“I never charge my phone-” earning a series of agreement, you paused, bringing a hand over your face to conceal your laughter.
The others followed while Cleo hummed, “I second, you neva charge ya stuff.” Once you gathered yourself, you stood up straight, a hand around your stomach as it began to ache from laughter. “I was gonna say, I do when I’m on the phone, but I will tell you it’s dying when it’s not, just cause I don’t wanna talk,” you choked out, distracted by the visible offence on JJ’s face.
“So, that time I called you about the-” “yes, fun fact, that was the first time I tried it, and it worked,” not so fun for him, but, you had the decency to follow up with him after you took your long awaited nap.
“Well, how’s everybody feeling? A little lighter? Little heavier?” Knowing these things about each other, you’d say some you could live without, but it was an interesting experience.
The feedback was positive, filled with unseriousness and genuine fun, a nice break from reality.
“Okay, people, one last thing, our exit, who goes first?” That was an easier pick, starting with Sarah giving a cute little wave to the camera, John B holding his hands together, denying his closeness with any of ‘these people’ as he so eloquently put it, Pope with number and statistics, rounding off with, “all in all, we might not do this again,” followed by a shrug. Of course he’d be okay with that.
Kiara gave a lousy smile and skipped off behind the scenes. Cleo turned the camera to her, holding it out, capturing a nice full shot of her and her curls that made you crazy. (They’re so springy) “catch ya next time,” and a wink.
You swear, if she wasn’t dating Pope…
Two people left, you and JJ.
It went as one was expecting. You had a pretty generic response with lots of enthusiasm, and then the circus followed. JJ tried to sneak another confession in there, but before the clip ended, you could see just about everyone reaching for him, and during editing, you had Pope play the last clip in slow-mo.
You love your job.
