#16 + pope 💜
omg thank you so much for requesting this, i need more pope fics in my life 🥺
15: it’s okay. i couldn’t sleep anyway.
you call him up at midnight. it's early for you, but pope's an early rises and for him, this is late, so you apologise for calling the moment he answers.
he laughs. you have the imagine before your eyes- he rubs his eyes, then the bridge of his nose as his sight adjusts to the darkness in his room. 'it's okay. i couldn't sleep anyway.'
pope means well, but his voice is heavy with sleep, and you know he doesn't want you to feel bad about waking him up.
(it doesn't make a difference.)
'do you want to go for a walk?' you ask. 'it's not that cold, and... i really can't sleep.'
'meet you out in fifteen?'
'sounds good.'
by the time you've left your house, the fifteen minutes has already passed, and pope isn't on the place where you usually meet - halfway between your houses, that are just one block away.
he arrives two minutes late with an apology on his lips, and you assure him it doesn't matter.
the two of you walk for about half an hour. you'd stay longer, but despite his protests, you see he's struggling to keep his eyes open.
'we should probably head back,' you say.
'you sure? i don't mind staying out a little longer.'
you sigh, shaking your head. 'you're barely standing on your feet.'
'but if you need me to-'
'pope.' you smile at him. 'i'm good. we both need to get some sleep.'
he opens his mouth and he knows he wants to protest, but all that comes out is a loud yawn, and a quiet laugh. 'you might be right.'
pope walks you home and texts you once he's home, too. you reply but he doesn't open it, and you have the exact image in your head again - pope sprawled across his bed, with his shoes probably still on, and a phone in his head, but eyes closed.
it might be the fresh air, or the few minutes you got with your best friend, or the fact that he'd rather stay up for you and fight the need for sleep than be a rational human being like he usually is, but you fall asleep easier than usual.
(of course, it's with another image of the boy in your mind.)
