#pope obx

[rafesangelita]

maybe you could do where bitchy reader is actually a virgin but everyone assumes she isn't because of how confident and bold she is? but just as her and pope are about to have sex for the first time she shyly tells him??? eeek so cute

♡ — warnings : little bit of banter, heavy petting, arguing (barely lol), loss of virginity, oral (f. receiving), fingering, unprotected sex, a lot of praise, premature ejaculation, slight overstimulation,

“are you sure your brother isn’t here?” pope walked up the steps of your trailer, your bedazzled duffle bag hanging from his shoulder as you unlocked the rickety door. “ugh, yes pope! i told you like a million times already!” you rolled your eyes, stepping inside before pulling him in by his shirt. “m’just asking..” he muttered under his breath, allowing you to basically drag him over to your room. pope had been inside the trailer before when you had snuck him in after walking you home from work so late one night. “barry isn’t coming back tonight, i promise you don’t have to worry about hiding like the last time.” you laughed, sitting him down at the edge of your bed.

pope shook his head at the memory, his hands finding the curves of your hips as he pulled you on top of his lap. you looked so good right now in your tight mini dress and sandals, pope couldn’t help but grope you through the thin material until you were whining pathetically against his neck. licking a stripe up the column of his throat, pope groaned as you began leaving kisses there, your nails running along his scalp in a way that had him hardening in his pants. “shit— you know that drives me crazy.” he hissed, snaking his hand down the globes of your ass before his fingers pressed against your clothed cunt.

“m’gonna rub you dumb through these panties, baby.” you gasped, feeling the pads of his digits cirlce your clit over the lace of your thong. it always blew your mind, the way pope just knew your body like the back of his hand. he knew how to get you going, knew how to make you shake and cry until you were forcing your thighs shut around his hand, you had never felt anything like it. “pope?” you whimpered, trembling helplessly as the familiar tension began threatening to snap in your tummy. he stayed silent waiting for you to continue, but when you didn’t he stopped all ministrations. “what’s wrong?” he thumbed your chin, urging you to meet his concerned eyes.

breathlessly, you blinked up at him from under your lashes. “i wanna go all the way.” you whispered, watching as pope’s gaze darkened ever so slightly. “all the way? as in like—” you cut him off before he could use some fancy technical term, “i want you to fuck me.” at this, pope swallowed thickly. “but?” he could tell there was something sitting on the tip of your tongue waiting to be confessed. you sighed, feeling slightly embarrassed. “i’ve never had sex before, pope.” either he wasn’t hearing correctly, or you just grew another head. “why are you looking at me like that?” you put a little bit of space between you two, your cheeks heating as pope stammered over his words.

sensing your unease, pope was quick to pull you close once again. “i’m sorry, it’s just— i’m surprised is all,” your face twisted into one of confusion and offense, pope’s eyes widening as he realized how that might’ve sounded. “not in a bad way, of course! i just would’ve thought since you’re.. you know; you.” you gasped, swatting him away as you rushed to get up. “so because i’m a dancer, that automatically means i’m having sex?” you scoffed, suddenly feeling exposed as you adjusted the neckline of your dress. “no! shit, i worded that so bad,” pope cursed, “i’m talking about your personality, not your job occupation.” he panicked, attempting to grab your hand.

“my personality?!” you repeated in disbelief, “what does that even have to do with anything?” pope shot up from your bed before you could walk out of your room, his hands finding purchase on your arms. “i just mean your attitude. besides the fact that you have an endless line of men begging to be with you, you’re just so confident and flirty and really beautiful, you could have anyone you want. literally. my friends included.” he chuckled, watching the way your expression slowly softened. “you’re so far out of my league it just caught me off guard,” he apologized, caressing the side of your cheek, “and just for the record, i wouldn’t have cared if you did sleep with other people already.”

melting into his touch, you closed your eyes for a moment as he held you. “have you done it before?” as much as you were already jealous at the thought of someone being intimate with pope, you had to remember that he was still a really good guy at the end of the day and it wouldn’t be far fetched if he had already shared experiences with others. “sex? yes.” pope could see the gears working in your head at his answer, your eyes narrowing as you thought about who. using your distraction to his advantage, pope sat you down this time and began to ease the tension. “it’s been a long time since i last did anything with someone, i promise.” you hummed, sparing him a glance.

“you’re still hard.” pope looked down at his lap and nodded. “yeah, well you tend to have that effect on me..” you laughed softly, both of you finally meeting gazes. “i’m sorry, i didn’t mean to freak out or anything. i’m just tired of people always making pre-judgements about me. i know you didn’t mean anything bad.” you scooted closer, allowing him to embrace you. pecking the crown of your head, pope breathed in the scent of your shampoo, his jaw ticking once he felt your hand rest over the tent in his boxers. “i still want you,” you spoke, “please.” if there was anything pope could never say to you, it was the word ‘no’.

“are you sure?” pope was already laying you down against your pillows before you answered him with a kiss to the corner of his lips, his hips slotting between your thighs. leaning down, you wrapped your legs around his waist as he went in for your neck, your mouth falling open in a silent moan as he trailed wet kisses down to your cleavage. pulling at his shirt, you watched with your bottom lip tucked between your teeth as pope slipped off the garment, his muscular build revealing itself to you in all of its glory. “fuck, i forget you’re hiding all of this sometimes.” you reached out, running your hand down the ridges of his abs until your fingertips met his happy trail.

“i guess treasure hunting has its way of paying off.” he snorted, his hands working to get you bare and pretty beneath him. despite working in a club, you still felt nervous as pope slowly got you out of your dress, his eyes running down your naked form. “i’ve seen you dance so many times before,” he whispered, “and i’ve tried to imagine you like this, but my imagination truly doesn’t give you enough justice. you’re fucking stunning, babe.” you smiled, feeling less nervous as he adjusted himself to where his head was between your thighs. “i want you to lay back and just let me work, okay? this is all about you.”

sucking in a breath, you fisted the sheets as pope’s lips connected with your flesh, his tongue circling teasing licks against your skin. rubbing you with a firm grip, you knew he wasn’t going to spare you once he locked his arms around your thighs and delved in without hesitation. back arching off of your bed, you cried out once he found your clit. “pope—!” you moaned, your hips bucking as he held you tight against his face. you let out a shuddered breath, your hands flying up to cup your tits as he brought you closer and closer to that sweet release. eyes fluttering shut, you jolted once he teased a finger at your entrance.

“i just want to get you ready as best as i can baby, you let me know if this hurts?” unable to form a coherent sentence, you nodded frantically, waiting with a bated breath as he slowly slipped into your soaked cunt. “f-feels good,” you whimpered, “fuck.” pope sighed in relief, his eyes never leaving your face as he continued his ministrations. by the time pope had three fingers inside of you, you felt more than ready to take something else. “i want more, pope,” you reached down and motioned for him to come up from between your thighs, “i’m ready.” pulling away to get his pants off, your breath hitched in your throat once you saw the size of him.

“oh, wait—” pope shushed you, his hand tucking a piece of hair behind your ear before he pinned your thigh to his hip. “you’re ready,” he pecked your temple, “i wouldn’t have stopped doing what i was doing if i didn’t fully believe you could take it.” you swallowed hard, both of you sitting in silence before you gave him a small nod, your arms coming up to wrap around his neck as he lined himself up with your waiting pussy. upon pushing into you, you made a sound you had never made before, your walls already clenching around him as he filled you to the hilt. kissing you softly, you held onto pope while he used his mouth to muffle your moans.

“i’m gonna start moving, okay?” he interlocked your hands together, keeping them close to his chest before he pulled out and glided back in. “oh, my god..” you all but melted into a puddle of nothing beneath him when you felt him reach a depth you couldn’t even begin to imagine. pope was so gentle as you took in all the new sensations you were able to. you and pope had your fair share of intimacy, but this? him rocking in and out of you while his body weight laid on top of your own was something that could bring you to tears. you couldn’t get any closer than this, and yet you felt like he was in your skin. he was all around you. everywhere you looked, touched— pope was everything in this moment.

it was only a matter of time before your hips started meeting his thrusts, prompting him to move faster as you grew more frantic with every word of praise. “you’re doing so good.” pope groaned, his movements faltering as he felt his orgasm beginning to unravel. quickly snaking a hand between your bodies, you shrieked as he started rubbing hard circles around your clit, the action sending you over the edge and leaving you to clamp tightly around his cock. embarrassingly enough, this was the fastest pope had ever finished, his cum painting your insides with hot, white spurts. you reveled in the way your body wracked in full blown bliss, your heartbeat pounding loudly in your ears as your nails raked down his torso.

still twitching inside of you, pope cradled your head and held you securely until you eventually tapped out, overstimulation beginning to set in as his fingers never slowed down the rubbing against your sensitive bud. “too much!” you whined, placing a firm hand on his chest, “too, much, pope!” without a second thought, pope stopped, both of you breathless and utterly fucked out. you gazed up at him, your vision growing a little fuzzy as your eyes watered. pope blinked, long and slow. “are you okay?” his voice came out rushed and concerned once he saw the tear that escaped the corner of your eye.

wiping away at your face, you nodded, bringing him down by the nape of his neck for a kiss. you had heard stories from your co-workers about their first times and how horrible it was. either the guy was an asshole, the place was dingy, or hell, even both. you used to wonder what yours would’ve been like, especially once pope came into the picture. it didn’t take long to determine he was perfect. protective, smart, sweet, he was everything you hadn’t had before. “i’m more than okay,” you smiled at him, “how long before we can do it again?”

[drewsephrry]

miss madelyn cline, thank you for your service

[especially-obsessed]

Anchor

Summary: JJ wonders why you never go swimming with any of the Pogues. So he takes it upon himself to find out

Pairing: JJ Maybank x reader

Warnings: Fluff, angst, mentions of drowning/death, aquaphobia, mild swearing

Word Count: 3.1k

A/N: Enjoy <3

Masterlist

You peer into the water, watching the bubbles breaking the surface from where Pope had just dove in, nearly landing on John B’s head. You let out a soft chuckle, watching them play like there wasn’t a care in the world. Kiara was further away from the boat with Sarah, waiting for the boys to follow them. 

You wondered what it would be like to swim out here again. It would be nice not to feel left out anytime the group wanted to go swimming or surfing, even though it was a feeling of your own making. Your smile faded at the thought. 

Suddenly, you feel your body being pulled from the edge of the boat by two strong hands gripping your waist. Just as quickly, your feet are no longer touching the floor of the boat; they’re being swept out from under you. You feel a body pressed to you and look into his eyes, yours wild with fear.

“J, what are you-” you start, grasping at his biceps, struggling against his strong hold on you.

“Better hold your breath, sweetheart,” he says, moving closer to the side of the boat. 

You can feel his chest expand as he sucks in his breath of air and takes a step up. “No, JJ, no, put me down!” you scream.

But it was too late.

The two of you were already falling through the air off the side of The Snapper. You held on to JJ as tightly as you could, your stomach dropping farther than the drop off of the boat (which was even more terrifying because this boat was much larger than the HMS Pogue was).

Your body started to drift from JJ’s just before you hit the water, and there was no air in your lungs. You were petrified with fear. The water encompassed you, and you instantly lost JJ. The bubbles from your abrupt entry into the water surrounded you, tickling your skin. You opened your eyes under the water's surface and saw the outline of JJ’s body already making its way back up for air. 

But you were still sinking. Why were you sinking? What the hell was happening right now? You opened your mouth to scream for help, instantly regretting your decision. Water flooded your airways, seeping to the very bottom of your lungs. Your eyes were burning, and you didn’t know where you were.

Is this what drowning felt like? You fill up with water like a sponge until there’s nothing left for you to take in. You tried to move your arms in any direction you could, trying to move your body in any direction. The water was thick like honey, keeping your limbs stagnant. But you still weren’t moving fast enough. You weren’t going to make it to the surface. There was no time left. 

The corners of your vision started to blur before beginning to go dark. Your limbs were weightless, floating aimlessly in the water. You felt no pain, no fear. Your body was shutting down. You felt your body jolt upwards suddenly, just before your vision completely faded.

Before your eyes are even open, you’re coughing up water. Aggressively. Your lungs can’t fill up with air fast enough, and the water clogging your airways going in the opposite direction wasn’t helping. Your gag reflex kicked in, and you rolled your head to the side to try to keep yourself from drowning. Again.

“Oh my God,” you heard someone mumble. There were a few sighs, even a 'thank God'. You finally opened your eyes, but everything was blurry. You were blinded by the sun's reflection on all the white surrounding you. You closed your eyes, unable to see anything anyway.

From the gentle swaying you felt, you were back on the boat. Thank God. You rolled onto your back again and took deep breaths, still coughing every few breaths.

You opened your eyes again, seeing a blond mop of sea-kissed curls blocking the sun from your view. You could see the sun rays poking out in a few different directions past his head. It almost looked like a halo around his head. JJ was hovering above you, his hands placed on either side of your head, his legs straddling your hips. He looked into your eyes, worry written all over his countenance. It pained you to see him so upset. 

“What the hell happened?” someone asked. Pope. You recognized his hoarse voice instantly. He was somewhere by your head, out of your field of vision. 

“They jumped in together, and y/n just never came back up,” Kie said somewhere to your left. You turned your head toward her, seeing how worried she was. 

“You can’t get rid of me that easily, you know,” you said, trying to relieve the apparent tension surrounding you. Pope sighed as he walked to the back of the boat. 

“Apparently, we can,” John B retorted. He was standing next to Kie. Sarah was cradled into his side and smacked his chest lightly, even though she was smiling. 

 “You never said you can’t swim,” JJ muttered. You turned your attention back to the blonde boy still blocking the sun from you. You gave him a confused look, not processing what he just said. 

“You never told us. Why the hell wouldn’t you tell us something like that?” He asked, his voice getting louder. He moved himself off of you, allowing the sun to blind you in his absence. You squinted and attempted to sit up. Sarah jolted forward to help you. JJ was pacing, running his fingers through his hair. “If I would have known that, I wouldn’t have jumped into the water with you!” He shouted. 

“JJ..” you started, but he wasn’t stopping. 

“You could’ve died! You were just at the bottom of the marsh and-”

“It’s okay, J-” John B started, placing a hand on his chest. JJ brushed him off and shook his head. He grabbed his hat from the floor of the boat and fixed it the way he does so effortlessly. You looked up to try and meet his gaze, but he was looking anywhere but at you. He shook his head again and moved to the boat's cockpit.

You looked down at your hands in your lap, unsure what to do. Guilt washed over you. JJ started the engine and did quick work to get the boat going. John B patted your shoulder and smiled before walking towards the back of the ship. Kie wrapped a towel around your shoulders, goosebumps blanketing your skin as the salty marsh air whipped around you. Sarah and Kie sat on either side of you, wrapping their arms around you. They were keeping you safe in their own way.

You looked back up, trying to catch JJ’s eye, but he was looking out on the water, not so much as glancing in your direction. His jaw was clenched tightly, unwavering as he maneuvered the boat through the marsh.  

You felt terrible. Guilt was seeping out of your every poor. You felt nauseous. And your diaphragm hurts, like the feeling you have after you’ve had hiccups for an hour. 

“I’m sorry I didn’t say anything before,” you whispered to the girls. Kie scoffed, resting her elbow on her knee and placing her hand under her chin.

Sarah rubbed your back. “It would have been nice to know,” she said lightheartedly. 

“I just figured you were scared of sharks or something crazy. Even though they are very gentle creatures,” Kie added. You laughed (or attempted to). It quickly became a cough with even more water coming out of your lungs. You wiped at your mouth with the towel. When you looked up, JJ’s eyes were boring a hole into your skull. He looked away when he noticed you were staring back at him. It was going to be a long ride back to Poguelandia. 

You were almost dry by the time JJ had the boat docked. Pope had made his way back to the front of the boat to check on you. He checked your pupils and made sure you didn’t have a concussion. He confirmed that your chances of surviving were almost 100% (because, of course, we could die at any given second). 

Everyone unloaded off the boat, JJ being the first to take off once everything was tied down. He walked up the ramp to the shop and sat behind the counter. He took his hat off and ran his hand through his hair again before putting it back on. He was pacing back and forth, checking on random things in the small store space. Kie waited up for you as everyone made their way back to the house.

"I'll catch up," you told her, glancing at the shop and back to her. She gave you a sympathetic smile before turning and following the others. You unwrapped the towel from around your shoulders and laid it across the railing leading up to the shop. You walked up slowly while making sure not to sneak up on him.

But he knew you were coming.

JJ had his back turned to you, looking out on the water now. You could see his chest moving quickly. His hands were resting on the railing. He used his hands to pull his body forward, bringing his mouth to rest on his hands.

“J, I’m so sorry,” you said, crossing your arms over your chest. You stared at the back of his head, trying to read his body language.

“I don’t understand,” he said quietly. He shook his head and straightened his back, turning around to face you. You stared at his face. He no longer looked angry. He was upset, eyes red and bloodshot. Tears threatened to spill from his eyes.

This wasn’t carefree JJ Maybank, reckless and altruistic until the day he died. This was JJ, vulnerable and terrified, cracking open right before you. All you wanted to do was rush up to him and hug him. Tell him that it was all just a fucked up joke and that he didn’t need to be worried. He could go back to being his energetic self and not worry about you anymore. 

But you knew it was time. It was time to tell him the truth. 

You sighed deeply. Before you could form the right words to start, JJ huffed and put on a stern face. He wiped aggressively at his cheeks, thinking that your sigh was a sign that you weren’t going to justify yourself, that you thought he was being stupid and overreacting.

No, he wasn’t about to stick around for that. He started to walk away, trying to brush past you and get away as quickly as possible.

You caught his wrist before he could get too far. “Stay,” you practically whispered. You held his wrist in your hand. JJ refused to look at you at that moment. You took in a shaky breath. “Please,” you begged. JJ sighed and threw his head back. He slowly turned around, and you let go of his wrist. He kept his gaze lowered to the ground, leaning against one of the wooden beams, studying a knot in the floorboard. When you examined his face, you could see the fallen tear trails. Your heart broke in half. 

“I’m sorry I didn’t tell you,” you started. He still didn’t look up. You could see his nose twitch as he sniffled. You continued anyway. “I should have said something months ago. Hell, I should have said something the first time we went out to surf the surge. But I was scared you guys would judge me.” You paused, still trying to look him in the eye. You moved closer to him, your face inches away from his. You gently lifted his chin with your hand, forcing him to look at you. His eyes were red, and his jaw was tight. You moved your hand to cup his cheek. You felt him lean into your touch slightly. “But…I know how to swim, J,” you said slowly. JJ’s eyes went wide, a multitude of emotions wracking through his brain. He started to pull away from your hand unknowingly. You quickly dropped your hand from his cheek and turned your back to him. You thought he was rejecting your touch, his anger unforgiving. The guilt was engulfing you, swallowing you whole. You felt terrible. 

There was an uncomfortable pause, the silence deafening. You could hear your own heartbeat threatening to beat out of your chest.

“What happened then? Why didn’t you swim?” He asked you. JJ followed you to the edge of the shop where he stood earlier, staring out into the horizon. You just shook your head. Now, it was your turn to avoid eye contact. JJ was leaning on the railing to your left, and you focused on everything and anything to your right. 

“When I was seven, my dad took me out in the marsh. A quick fishing trip, nothing fancy. Some daddy-daughter time. But it all went so wrong. My dad, he…” you stopped, choking on your words. You swallowed harshly. JJ stared at you intently, slowly putting the puzzle pieces together. “I was stuck out there for three days by myself,” you whispered. Realization dawned on him.

You were the Marsh Girl. 

Rumors still went around about the Marsh Girl. People said that her dad went out there and killed both of them, leaving the boat behind as the only evidence. Or that the girl pushed him off the boat and claimed that it was an accident.

The news said a girl was found after three days of being out there, but the name was never released, so of course, kids made up stories. JJ’s worry and anger melted away. He didn’t dare move closer to you, afraid that the slightest movement might shatter you into dust, letting you fall between the gaps of the dock and taken away by the murky water below. Instead, you turn to face him, building up the courage to look at him when you say this. 

“My dad...he must have had a heart attack or something and lost his balance. I was too young to remember all of the details. But when he went over the side of the boat, he took me into the water with him. He almost drowned me," you took in a shaky breath, reliving the memories in a flash second. "When we jumped into the water today…I don’t know what happened to me. I saw you going back up to the water's surface, and I was just…stuck. I wondered if it was how my dad felt when he went into the water. He could see me getting to the surface but couldn’t make it back up himself,” you stated calmly. You close your eyes, unable to look at JJ. Another second, looking at his shattered face, and you would break yourself. “J, I know how to swim.”

“What?” he didn’t mean to say it; it slipped out before he could stop it. JJ mentally smacked a hand over his mouth. He studied your face to see if you were messing with him. 

“I can swim,” you repeated. 

This whole time, JJ thought that he almost drowned you. He had always wondered why you never went into the water with everyone else. He figured it was so that you could keep up on your amazing sunkissed skin or because you didn’t want to get your hair wet. He knew you weren’t that superficial, but it still had crossed his mind. He never in a thousand years would have guessed that this was why you didn’t touch the water. 

“y/n, I almost killed you,” JJ said, fear seeping back into his every pore. The thought of losing you, especially at his own hands, was suffocating. He felt a sharp pain in his chest, unable to control his now erratic breathing. Noticing his panic, you closed the distance between the two of you and placed your hands on either side of his face. You used your thumbs to gently wipe away the stray tears that fell from his eyes. 

“No, no, J, this is not your fault. You didn’t know.”

“I should have known. I should have just asked you why you didn’t ever swim with us. Lord knows I’ve bothered you enough times about going with me,” he dropped his head again, feeling defeated. You gently pushed his face back up, forcing him to meet your eyeline. 

“You had no way of knowing,” you reassured him, smiling a little. You stroked your thumb across his cheekbone and felt him lean into your touch. He closed his eyes tightly. 

“The thought of losing you…” he sucks in a jagged breath. He won’t let the thought go. He can’t. The images of your lifeless body floating in the water, replaying over and over again like a bad movie montage. “I was the one who pulled you out of the water. You weren’t breathing, and I-” 

You quickly pulled JJ’s face down to yours, connecting your lips gently. You couldn’t think of a better way to ground him. To keep him from spiraling again. He was stiff for only a second, his brain not catching up to what you were doing. Maybe you shouldn’t have done this. 

Then his face pressed closer to yours, his lips pushing deeper into the kiss. You smiled into him. JJ’s hand moved to your hips, and he squeezed gently. Your hands slid down to his neck, and you pulled back, seeing JJ's toothy grin. His eyes were still red and puffy, but he was smiling. He was downright giddy, swimming in a wide range of emotions he didn’t understand. But you grounded him.

You were his anchor. 

“Would now be a bad time to ask if you wanted to go surfing with me tomorrow?” He asked, teasing. You smacked him on the chest and let out a genuine laugh. JJ pulled you into a tight hug. One that told you he was never letting you go. 

From the shore, you could hear the Pogues hooting and hollering, witnessing your very public display of affection. But you didn’t care. Nothing mattered now except the sweet, broken boy before you. Your entire world.

Your anchor. 

“Why don’t we go ahead and give them a real show,” JJ whispered in your ear. You squealed as he started to pepper your face with kisses.

Taglist: @pogueslandia @milkiane @bjrmaybank @strnqer

Masterlist

A/N: I desperately needed to write something happy after watching season 4 <3 This is unedited, so please ignore any typos or stupid grammatical errors.

Likes, reblogs, and follows are never expected, but greatly appreciated! These let me know I should keep on doing what I’m doing! (:

Please check out this post for useful mental health resources.

[pinkdodo]

New fav thing: Rafe with his mouth open

[insidekatmind]

When everyone's asleep-Pope Heyward

Wearning: +18,smut, english is not my first language.

The night had fallen on John B’s cottage, enveloping everything in a silence broken only by the chirping of crickets and the rustling of waves in the distance. John B and Sarah had taken refuge in their room, leaving the rest of you to settle down in the kitchen, which had been converted into a makeshift camp. Thin mattresses and blankets spread on the floor welcomed Kiara, Cleo and JJ, already immersed in a deep sleep.

You, on the other hand, couldn’t sleep. You felt your heart beat faster than normal, but it wasn’t the waves or the wind that shook the windows. It was him. Pope.

He was lying beside you, his face relaxed as he pretended to sleep. But you knew him too well. You noticed the way his hand barely moved, looking for yours under the shared blanket. A slight smile curled your lips as you let your fingers intertwine.

"Don’t you sleep?" he whispered, his voice a breath in the silence.

"And you?" you replied in a similar tone, the smile evident even in the dark.

The others were all too tired to notice what was going on between you. Pope came a little closer, his warm breath caressing your cheek.

"You’re the one keeping me awake," he admitted, with a glimmer of malice in his dark eyes that you could glimpse in the dim light.

"I didn’t do anything," you replied quietly, trying to keep an innocent tone.

But it wasn’t entirely true. The tension between you had been building up for days, weeks perhaps. You were always close, but lately every touch, every look seemed to carry a deeper meaning.

"You don’t have to do anything, Y/N. I just look at you," said Pope, the sincerity in his voice making your heart beat even faster.

You did not answer, but let your face draw near to his until your lips touched. It was a soft kiss, almost shy, but the way Pope drew you closer made all doubts vanish. His hand gently laid on your cheek, his thumb drawing imaginary lines on your skin.

"They’re sleeping," you murmured against his lips, your hands clinging to his shirt.

"I don’t care," he replied, the voice charged with a sweetness that made you tremble. "I’ve waited too long for this."

The kiss grew deeper, and each touch seemed to set the air between you. Your hand slid down his chest, feeling the muscles tense under the cloth, as he left a trail of caresses along your side.

"Pope..." his name slipped away in a whisper, a mixture of desire and uncertainty.

"Shh..." he silenced you, his smile lighting up his face. "You must say nothing."

It was not easy to remain silent with the way his lips explored your skin, descending down your neck. You would sometimes glance at others, but they were completely unaware of what was happening. JJ snored slightly, while Cleo and Kiara were wrapped in their blankets, lost in their dreams.

"Promise you won’t regret it tomorrow," you whisper, biting your lower lip as his eyes met yours.

"The only thing I would regret is not having done it," said Pope, his voice full of determination.

Your heart seemed to explode at those words, and you let the moment overwhelm you. It was risky, crazy, but every second with him made you feel alive like never before.

As the night continued, it seemed that the world outside the chalet had vanished, leaving only you two, your whispers and kisses exchanged, as if the rest did not matter.

Pope’s breath deepened as your lips continued to search for each other, hungry but slow at the same time, as if you wanted to savor every second of that stolen moment. His hands gently slid on your hips, drawing you closer.

"Come here," he whispered with a thread of voice, and before I could answer, you felt his strong hands guiding you, gently sliding on him.

Your heart seemed to beat so fast that it could wake up others, but at the time you didn’t care. His hands were on your sides, holding you with the right pressure, while his gaze was lost in yours.

"You’re amazing, you know?" Pope whispered, his tone loaded with a sweetness that made you melt.

You looked down, a shy smile curving your lips. "You shouldn’t say that so often, I could get my head blown."

"I’ll stop saying that when you stop driving me crazy," he replied, a flash of fun in his eyes before drawing you back to himself.

The kiss became more intense, and your body instinctively responded to his. You felt the warmth that emanated, the way in which his hands explored the curve of your back, going up and down with a delicacy that contrasted the obvious desire that you felt growing between you.

"Pope..." whispered against his lips, your hands clinging to his back, trying to balance.

"Tell me," he replied, his voice low and crusty, as his fingers brushed the skin of your bare side.

"If anyone wakes up..." you started, but his lips settled on yours again, interrupting you.

"They won’t wake up," he assured with a mischievous smile, his eyes shining bright as they were looking for yours. "And even if they did, I don’t care. I want you."

Those words made you shiver, and without thinking too much, you let go completely. Your hands moved towards his face, caressing his jaw as your lips continued to move in perfect harmony.

Sometimes you would glance at others, but their sleep seemed deep and peaceful. JJ was curled up under a blanket with a peaceful expression on his face, while Cleo and Kiara were not even making the slightest movement.

"See? Everything under control," Pope whispered, noticing your worried look.

"You’re too sure of yourself," you replied, trying to keep a firm tone, but the smile that formed on your lips betrayed your true mood.

"Only when it comes to you." His words left you breathless, and you felt the need to reciprocate the gesture. You bent down again to him, your lips finding his neck, leaving light kisses that made him barely shake.

"You’re torturing me," Pope muttered, his voice broken by pleasure as his hands clenched even tighter on your hips.

"I didn’t think you were so sensitive," you joked, but the smile on your face turned into a slight moan as he decided to counter-attack, his lips moving down your neck, leaving a trail of heat that made you tremble.

The moment seemed eternal, a mix of audacity and desire that completely enveloped you. For a moment you forgot everything: the chalet, the others, the possible consequences. There was only you and him, the dark accomplice of that night, and the desire to continue discovering every nuance of each other.

Your movements started almost without thinking about it, slow and uncertain at first, but soon the need to feel more, to be closer to him, took over. Move your hips against him, creating a slight friction but enough to make him jump under you.

"Y/N..." Pope whispered at your lips, the tone charged with a mixture of surprise and pleasure.

You noticed the way he clenched his teeth, desperately trying to hold back a moan that could have broken the silence of the chalet and attracted the attention of others. But the way his hands clung to your hips made you realize how much it was making him lose control.

"Is something wrong?" you asked with a whisper, a mischievous smile curving your lips as your hands flowed on his shoulders.

"You... know it exactly," he replied with a clenched teeth, a flash of fun mixed with desire in his eyes.

You kept moving, your hips following a slow but steady pace, while he tried to keep control. His hands guided you, holding you tight enough to make you feel the warmth of his skin through your clothes, but never too much to be intrusive.

"You’re incredible," he muttered, interrupting the kiss to stare at you with eyes that shone in the twilight.

"You’re not bad yourself," you joked, but your voice betrayed the effect he was having on you.

He bent forward, his lips finding your neck, and this time did not hold back. He left a more determined, almost possessive kiss, followed by a trail of light bites that made you shiver. Your movements became more fluid, more natural, while his breath became irregular.

"If you keep this up, I can’t guarantee that I’ll be able to hold back," Pope whispered in a husky voice as his eyes settled on yours with an intensity that made you tremble.

"Who told you I want you to hold back?" you said with a whisper of voice, your hands sticking in her hair.

The way his body reacted to those words was enough to make you realize how close it was to the limit. He moved just below you, trying to make more contact, while his lips returned to urgently seek yours. Every kiss was an unspoken promise, an invitation to let go completely.

For a moment, you forgot where you were. There was no longer the risk of being caught, or awareness of how risky what you were doing. There were only you and him, lost in a vortex of emotions that seemed to grow with every movement, every whisper, every kiss.

You started to lower your pyjamas and thongs and then do the same thing with his shorts and boxer shorts. Pope was already shirtless and having Pope all naked and needy under you was a sight.

You joined your lips with hers while you lined up your pussy on her cock and sank in it while trying not to moan. Pope was going crazy: your pussy was squeezing his dick and the fact that he couldn’t moan was killing him.

Your lips kept searching for hers with increasing urgency, the kisses getting deeper and more messy, while the heat between you increased inexorably. Your movements on his hips became more determined, the rhythm you followed sent shivers down your back and, judging by the way Pope clenched his jaw, also along his.

"God, Y/N..." He whispered with a thread of voice, his hands clenching even more on your hips, as if trying to control what was happening, but without really being able to. " You’re riding me so well"

Every movement of yours was a sweet torment, and you felt it in the way his breath became more and more irregular, his eyes closing for a moment before opening again and looking for yours.

"Pope..." you murmured, his name coming out almost like a moan as you felt the growing warmth between you. Your hands clung to his hair, the touch that seemed the only way to anchor yourself in reality as you lost yourself in him.

"You’re playing with fire," he said in a hoarse voice, the tone that had a warning note, but his smile betrayed how much he loved everything that was happening.

"I see you more than comfortable with the fire," you replied, your voice a mixture of provocation and desire.

Pope laughed softly, a muffled sound to not wake up the others, but immediately after his lips returned to yours, hungry, as if he needed that touch to breathe. Each of his kisses was deep, slow and incredibly intense, and the way his hands held you made you feel wanted in a way that you had never felt before.

Your movements became more natural, as if your bodies spoke a language you had never learned but instinctively knew. Every touch, every pressure created a crescendo of emotions that left you breathless.

"I can’t think of anything but you right now," Pope confessed, his voice broken by pleasure as his gaze waned into yours.

Those words made you melt, and you returned with a long kiss and full of feeling, your hands slipping down her back, wishing the moment never ended.

"Neither did I," you replied in a whisper, your foreheads touching as you both tried to catch your breath.

The sound of a slight movement from the sofa made you freeze for a moment. You both turned your head towards JJ, who turned under the blanket, mumbling something in her sleep.

You both held your breath, holding up a nervous laugh when he showed no other signs of awakening. Pope looked at you with a complicit smile, the desire in his eyes now mixed with a touch of fun.

"You’re too dangerous," he quipped softly, putting one hand on your back and moving closer to him again.

"Yet you don’t seem to want to stop," you replied with a mischievous smile, your lips resting on hers again in a long and sweet kiss. And as palpable as the risk was, neither of you seemed willing to give up that stolen moment.

You started rolling your hips on his cock feeling how his dick went on your g-spot and you lowered your head biting his neck not to chase the moan that was coming out of you while he left a small moan at impact.

"shit y/n" he murmured as you left him sucking his neck, leaving a mark. " you’re my death" said Pope as he put your hands on your ass and squeezed it to make you move more against him.

You bit the inside cheeks of your mouth not to groan but always small groans were coming out so Pope joined his lips with yours swallowing all the groans.

"you’re holding it so well to me" I whispered near your lips and then kissed you again while you groaned.

You both came to the climax and Pope cum inside of you while you were still kissing.

After a while you recovered you adjusted and fell asleep hugged.

The next day you were all out and only JJ was still sleeping. When he came out, he seemed amused." Guys I had a strange dream... I dreamed that someone was fucking while I was sleeping, what a cool thing" said JJ amused and unaware of everything.

You and Pope looked at each other and were holding back a laugh amused.

[123hearteyes4u]

The One For You

au college! rafe cameron x female reader

synopsis: Y/n has always lived her life for the people she loves. Putting their needs and wants before hers. But as she gets entangled with a guy named Rafe Cameron, everything changes and challenges everything she knew.

themes: College romance, friends to lovers, slowburn, angst, fluff, yearning, mental health, autism, drinking, friendship, dorm

a/n: aahhh i never really realised how nerve-wracking it is to put out my work and honestly this series is....gonna take a while because i really love a good storyline and depth...i promise to publish blurbs and drabbles soon (even though it's already sitting in my notes BAHAHAHHA) Also apologies if the grammer is weird!

w/c: 2.6k

Prologue, Part One

Part One: First Encounters

An awkward silence seems to fill the room. She stands by the door with her hand on the doorknob, still taken aback by the sudden and unexpected appearance of the two unfamiliar guys who were sitting on the floor. She keeps quiet, not knowing how to react. 

Truthfully, y/n and her roommate didn’t really get to know each other. When it was move-in day at the dorm building, they didn’t see each other because y/n had to deal with Michael’s care facility before she could settle in the dorm. She even moved in late. Ever since then, it has been just hi’s and bye’s between them. 

All three of them get up to approach y/n as she quickly closes the door behind her. She takes a big gulp and closes her eyes with her back facing them, just so she can mentally prepare for socialization. She turns back around and slightly fakes a smile. She looks up to see Kiara standing in front of her, with the guys hovering behind her. She tucks in her curly hair behind her ear and smiles warmly at her. She introduces the guys and y/n to each other. 

The three of them have known each other since they were in middle school, being from the same city and all. Rafe and Pope were a year older than Kiara, so they were like big brothers to her. Apparently, they have made a promise to each other that they would enrol in the same college so that they could stay together as a group. At this point, they’re more like siblings. Y/n wishes she had friends like that but she mostly kept to herself throughout middle and high school. She couldn’t really seem to fit in with the others. She was always too nervous around people. Just like right now. 

“Well, it’s great to finally meet Kie’s roommate”, Pope smiles at y/n. She nervously smiles at him. She admits to herself that she feels like a phantom in their dorm because she’s rarely around, but instead working at her part-time jobs. 

Before she can reply to him, he speaks up again, “We’re sorry to intrude your dorm this late…we’re just chilling around”.

She chuckles, mentioning that she doesn’t mind them at all. However, she would love to freshen up and lie down on her bed after spending the whole day outside. Fortunately, Kiara tells her that they’re leaving for a party just around the block, not far from their campus. Y/n looks at their outfits and it is apparent that their night is not over yet. On the other hand, she notices that Rafe is particularly quiet while the other two keep talking to her. He didn’t even talk at all. She doesn’t mind it at all, but she was just curious to know what he would sound like. There is no doubt that she finds him attractive with his lovely green eyes and broad shoulders. Even so, her mind is focused on her bed, which is just behind them. 

To make it even worse, Kiara asks her if she wants to come along for the party. She swears she could just lie down on the floor right now and sleep, so she politely declines her offer. After a while, they start to make their move. Pope opens the door and the rest follow behind him. 

“I hope to see you around more often”

She smiles at Kiara’s words. She seems sweet. Rafe is the last one to close the door.

“Sweet dreams, y/n”

His smile disappears behind the door. Her heart stops for a second. And there was the voice of Rafe Cameron. Not only did he decide to speak at the very end of that whole interaction, he shot her a smile that seems rather dangerous. She shakes her head before she thinks too much about it. 

As sad as it sounds, y/n never really interacts with people. She tries but every interaction she had in her life left a weird feeling in her stomach. It's just her, not because of the others. But mostly, it was all just insults thrown at her about Michael. Hence, that whole interaction really catches her off guard. But of course, there are very few that leave a good impression on her.

She buries her head into her pillow as the sunlight sneaks into the dorm. It was already morning. She turns around to face the ceiling and slowly opens her eyes. She rubs her eyes slowly and reaches out for her phone on the nightstand beside her bed. She scrunches her eyebrows together as she squints her eyes. She woke up earlier than she had expected, and maybe it’s because she has always woken up early in the morning. She looks at the empty bed beside her and realises that Kiara’s not in. And that means she has the dorm to herself. 

Y/n snacks on her microwaved pasta while doing her school assignment on her laptop. It was one of the rare days where she didn’t pick up a shift in any of her part-time jobs. She just wants to catch up on weeks worth of lectures. It is quiet. No orders from customers, no lectures from professors, just her and her slides in the bed. If she could, she would just ignore her lectures, head straight to the bed and sleep the whole day.

In the late afternoon, the door opens and finally comes Kiara. Y/n turns around in her chair. Kiara greets her and plops onto her own bed as she takes off her shoes. She seems tired, having spent the entire night out. She moves around in the dorm, trying to get her stuff together for a shower.

“So do you have any plans later?”, she asks. 

Y/n is in a daze. She didn’t think about going out at all. Kiara sits down on her bed and seems to be deep in thoughts. She presses her lips into a thin line.

“Do you perhaps….wanna hang out with me and the guys?”

“Hang out with…you and Pope…and Rafe?”

She nods enthusiastically and her eyes start to sparkle, hoping that y/n will say yes. She has always been wanting to spend some time with y/n, considering she never really gets to see her in the dorm. It would be even much better if they become good friends. Y/n blinks as she hesitates to give her an answer. She nervously laughs and reluctantly agrees. 

Kiara squeals with excitement and goes over to her drawer to pick out clothes for later. It’s like she never sleeps. Y/n shakes her head, confused as to what she signed herself up for. She doesn’t even know where they’re going. She stands up and cautiously approaches Kiara to ask her. 

Apparently, Rafe is having a housewarming party in his new apartment. Y/n widened her eyes due to the fact that he could even afford such a place in New York, considering he is still in school. Some, if not all, may accuse Rafe Cameron as a trust fund baby. Kiara mentions that his family owns a huge construction and manufacturing business in the city. Must’ve been nice.

Y/n looks in the mirror as she fixes her hair and clips her long fringes behind her ears. She thought to herself that it must feel nice to have a place of their own at such a young age, but how awfully lonely it would be. She had no doubt that Rafe’s nights would be lonely, being a financially comfortable college guy in NYC. She starts thinking about all the girls he’ll bring to his apartment to hook up with, or parties that he will throw. Just like this housewarming party.

Y/n and Kiara walk along the hallway. She slightly furrows her eyebrows as she could hear music and people talking. No way that he would invite the whole college to his apartment. She gently holds Kiara’s arms, and stops them before heading closer to his apartment just in front of them.

“Is there gonna be a lot of people?”

“Oh yeah! Rafe’s in the hockey team so they’re probably in there with their own friends”

“But I thought it’s a housewarming party…”

Her face immediately drops at the thought of being in a small space with many people. Not to mention, people around her age. She brings her hand up to her chest and starts to fiddle around with her necklace anxiously. She takes a big gulp as she tries to process this information. Kiara notices and hugs her to reassure that she wouldn’t leave her side. Y/n highly doubts that. She forces a smile. Her mind is now filled with endless thoughts, even some being how to leave the party politely.

They arrive right at his doorstep and Kiara rings the bell. Rafe opens the door and shoots them a warm smile. Kiara shoves a  glass of wine as a housewarming gift into his arm and he gladly takes it, placing a hand on his chest and smirks. They went in and y/n jaw drops. The apartment looks so cozy and homely. Nothing that she had expected from Rafe. 

She can see movie posters and odd trinkets all around the apartment. Honestly, she thought the place would be like a finance bro cave with white walls everywhere and not a single trace of personality. He brings them around and sees that Pope is already in the kitchen, helping Rafe to prepare the food he had bought for the party.  She hears 2000s rnb and indie music playing in the background. 

Surprisingly, it isn’t the music that’s loud, but the voices instead. As she tries to familiarise herself in the environment, she can’t help but notice the people. Bunch of friends in every corner, having conversations and laughing among themselves. She can feel eyes on her as she walks through the room with Kiara beside her. 

They eventually settle down on the couch. Y/n bites her lower lip as Rafe brings them a can of beer. She looks at the beer and realises she has never drank alcohol before. She looks around and opens the can, pretending to drink it. And then the worst thing finally happened. Kiara was eventually whisked away by her other friends, leaving y/n alone. She tries to reach her hand out to Kiara but she quickly pulls it back. She fiddles with her necklace again. Rafe and Pope are nowhere in sight. She looks around again and she can feel the walls caving in. She closes her eyes to calm herself down, but she can only hear the noises getting louder. She scratches her forehead, hoping it will go away. But she can’t take it. She opens her eyes and it only makes the room spin for her. She immediately gets up and puts the can on the table in front of her. She hurriedly slithers among the crowd of people and leaves the apartment. Before she presses the first floor in the lift, she sees the button for the rooftop. 

She opens the door and gasps. She can see the city’s skyline. All the lights from every building just shining,  giving the illusion that the city never sleeps. She covers her mouth and chuckles. She goes closer to the edge of the rooftop and puts her hands on the railing. She takes a deep breath and smiles. All the nervous system got out of her. The wind blows through her hair, causing it to fall onto her face. She laughs as she tucks in her hair behind her ears. She keeps her sight on the breathtaking view in front of her. She has never seen the city like this. 

It only makes her wonder how much she has missed ever since moving there. Her eyes softens. She folds her arm as she starts thinking. She could never take the time to admire the city, when all her days are filled with school and work and visits to Michael’s facility. She never has time for herself.She can’t afford it. She inhales and tilts her head just a little, never leaving her sight on the skyline. A wave of sadness crashes through her, realising that she can never truly be as free as she wants. But at the same time, she knows how incredibly fortunate she is. Being in the city of dreams, working her way up to a future that could help her family. 

She hears the door open and turns her head around immediately. It’s Rafe. Her mouth widens a bit, shocked to see him there. But somehow he doesn’t look too surprised to see her there.

 “Y/n? I thought you left”

He walks up to her. He settles beside her, putting his arm on the railing. She looks around and realises that it is just the two of them on the rooftop. She starts to feel nervous around him. She tries to avoid his eyes.

“I… almost did..”

“Well… I’m glad you didn’t”

It hits her. He’s on the rooftop instead of his apartment. She looks at him, puzzled. She hesitates to speak up.

“Why aren’t you in your apartment?…It’s your housewarming party”

He looks back at her and she quickly looks out to the skyline. It’s like a reflex. He presses his lips into a thin line and shrugs his shoulders.

“I just needed some fresh air“

She slowly turns her head back to look at him. They eventually made eye contact, and somehow it doesn’t feel too nerve-wrecking for her. She thinks that maybe it’s because she understands how it can get overwhelming with crowds. It must have been exhausting for him to entertain all these people in his home. She just never expects it from him. She doesn’t know why. A smile starts to crack up on y/n’s face.

“Thanks for coming. I know parties aren’t really your scene”

“H-how did you know?”

“I saw that you kept playing with your necklace the whole time you were in there…must’ve been nerve-wrecking being in a room full of people you don’t know”

She slightly opens her mouth and her eyes start to panic, wanting to say something. She shakes her head and starts waving her hand around. She doesn’t want him to think that she hates the party. He laughs at her reaction, putting his hand on his chest and pulls his body back.

“I’m so sorry..I didn’t mean to-I just”

“It’s fine..I completely understand”

He tries to reassure her. He understands her. Somehow, he finds it nice to find someone introverted because most of his friends love to socialise and just get out there. They’re big social butterflies but sometimes it’s hard to keep up. Kiara and Pope knows about this particular demeanor of his, so they never force him to do anything he doesn't want to. With y/n, he feels like he doesn't really have to talk a lot with her. She nervously laughs again and looks back out to the view in front of them.

“You know I actually didn’t want to come to your party”, she reveals. She looks back at him and gives him a small comforting smile. “But I’m glad I did”, she looks out at the view. His eyes on her. If she hadn’t come, she wouldn’t have known that such a place exists in the most normal part of the city. She was happy that Kiara had invited her. She smiles at the view, not realising that his eyes are still on her.

[lotusparis]

fuck all of you hos for never posting pope ffs 😤

[mayanneaa]

gossip girl - ᴊᴊ ᴍᴀʏʙᴀɴᴋ.

PAIRING : jj maybank x reader

SUMMARY : you train jj to be a proper gossiper.

WARNING(S) : established relationship!! slight swearing but it's pure fluff!, not proofread

A/N : xoxo. my tummy hurts so fucking bad. also this one's ending might be a little shitty forgive me pls (divider by @roseraris)

WC : 1k

masterlist.

“JJ!” You exclaim, skipping through the Chateau, looking for your boyfriend. The air is sticky, filled with the smell of wood, salt, and beer.

You make your way through the living room and spot your boyfriend in the back, lying on one of the hammocks.

He covers his face with his arm, slowly swinging.

“Jay, you have to hear this!”

JJ sits up the second he hears your voice, his eyes almost shut. “Hi, baby.”

He extends his arms, and you quickly hug him, leaving a peck on his lips.

“Okay, so you better hold on to this hammock, because—”

“Woah, woah. Wait,” he says, rubbing his eyes and moving in the hammock, trying to give you some space. “What’s going on?”

You grit your teeth while sitting on the edge of the worn-out material, not being able to keep this to yourself any longer. “Ugh, remember when I told you my mom asked me to go help the Jones? They just moved back here but without Ben.”

JJ furrows his brows, “Ben? The father…?”

You nod, “Yes! Well, their daughter is our age, and, by the way, she’s super sweet! Maybe I should invite her over here—”

“You’re drifting off the topic, baby.” JJ reminds you, now fully awake and interested in your story.

“Yeah, right. When I got there, she seemed kinda sad and annoyed, so as the good person that I am, I asked her what was wrong, and she spilled the whole tea! Everything!” You ramble, animating with your arms, and JJ watches your every move with a slight smile, clearly amused.

“She said her father cheated on Ms. Jones with a girl who’s barely 20! Do you understand that?!”

JJ giggles under his breath, lying back down. “Yeah. That’s so fucking messed up…”

“Right?” you say before you take a deep breath, “She mentioned that that side chick used to live here and that we might know her, but i have no idea who could that be.”

“Damn, you gossip like an old lady.” Your boyfriend says, pulling you to his chest. You gasp, dramatically placing your hand on your heart.

“I will find out. I mean, who cheats on such a beautiful woman like Ms. Jones? Especially this… this Ben? He looks like he sneaked onto the Earth—”

“Woah, woah, chill!”

You sit on the couch in your living room, sipping the juice from the recipe you just tried out and trying to get through a book when you get a notification.

With a sigh, you reach for your phone to read the message you got from JJ. He’s supposed to pick up his hoodie, which he left there last week.

A few minutes later the comfortable silence gets broken with the loud ring of the bell.

JJ doesn’t even hesitate, he just comes in without a second thought. You take a look at his face and can immediately tell he’s not in the best mood. He immediately comes up to you.

“Hi,” you say as he leans in to kiss the top of your head. “What’s up?”

He grunts, “I had to go and fix the AC at the Jones house. They were talking so fucking loud my head feels like exploding—”

You let out a gasp, and your eyes glisten. “At the Jones? What were they talking about?”

JJ squints his eyes, “Uhh I don’t know? I stopped paying attention after some man joined in.”

You look at him, disappointment mixed with disbelief. “Are you serious?”

“Well, yeah, they were arguing so I just did my thing and left.”

You groan. “You are kidding me. JJ, you could’ve heard something about the drama!”

He widens his eyes, a sheepish smile crawling onto his lips. “Ohhh, right… I’m sorry, baby.”

Your lips form into a pout, and JJ raises his eyebrows. “Nuh-uh, don’t pout at me for this. I’m not a gossiper, you know that.”

“Well, I know, I know…”

“But I promise I’ll tell you anything I hear.”

You sigh and hug him, breathing in his scent. “You better.”

You don’t even know when did you drift off to sleep, sitting on the back porch at the Chateau. The soft breeze and whistles of wind put you to sleep like a lullaby.

The front doors close with a loud crack, announcing that JJ has returned from the shop. You and the Pogues were supposed to have dinner tonight, and your boyfriend had to go and buy all the missing ingredients.

“Baby, you won’t believe it!”

You slowly open your eyes, eyelids fluttering from the orange sunset sky. You hum, and JJ runs outside, the grocery bag still in his hand.

“Did you get everything?” You ask, stretching your arms with a yawn.

“Yeah, I think so, anyway…” He speaks so fast you have to gain your consciousness quickly in order to understand what he’s saying. “Guess who I met at the store!”

You squint, trying to come up with a name in your mind, still fogged up with sleep. “Rafe?”

JJ shakes his head and you click your tongue.

“Topper?”

“No!” he gets a bit frustrated, a sight that makes you laugh. “What was a thing you were super invested in?”

Your eyes widen. “The Jones?”

JJ’s grin grows even wider. “Yes! Oh my God, would you believe that the man I saw is actually Ms. Jones’ new boyfriend? And that’s not the best part. He’s Ben’s cousin who’s much more successful too! This man owns four different restaurants and has three houses in Asia, Europe, and South America. He’s crazy rich!”

You gasp. “Wow. You really clocked all of this, didn’t you?”

He looks at you, a proud look on his face. “Duh. It was so much fun!”

JJ starts to tell you the story about how he had to follow them in different isles to hear everything and in the meantime, you check the grocery bag.

“…Then they moved to the dairy fridges, so naturally I went after them and—”

“JJ.”

“Huh?”

“You forgot half of the products...”