#highpope fics

[highpope]

stuck with you - jj maybank blurb

hurt/comfort fic with my fave blond pogue while i get back into the swing of writing. this trope is everything to me i will never get sick of it. the formatting of this is so weird im sorry

warnings: mentions of blood and a fight. not graphic

requests are open! :))

“y/n, it’s not that bad. Stop looking at me like that,” JJ had said as he came through your front door, face and hands covered in blood that wasn’t completely his own.  “Your nose is actively dripping blood and your hand looks broken, J. It is most certainly that bad.” 

It wasn’t unusual for him to come to you in these types of situations, but that didn’t make it any easier. But if he felt comfortable enough to seek you out when he was hurting, you would take it. You kept your medicine cabinet well stocked with bandages and antiseptics for reasons like this, but also threads for stitches and some heavier dose medication that they don’t specifically sell over the counter at convenience stores. Hospitals were expensive and none of you had the kind of money to go to the ER every time someone got in a fight.

“It’s not like I haven’t broken it before. Besides you should see-” 

“Shut up.” You spoke, cutting him off and walking into the bathroom.

You didn’t want to hear about it.JJ follows and together you get situated like clockwork, not even needing words. He jumps up to sit on the counter while you wash your hands and get everything you need.

“Here,” you said as you handed him a rag to hold to his nose. You tap his knee with the back of your hand and he moves so you can stand in between his legs. His eyes soften when he looks down at you and you have to actively fight the blush creeping up your neck.

You gently move his head to face the wall with a hand on his chin, assessing the damage. “If something hurts, you tell me.” 

He nods, “yes ma'am.” a smile plays on his lips. 

You roll your eyes and start washing the cuts around his cheekbone and forehead. Such a flirt.

Sighing you tilt his head up slightly and clean the blood off his cracked lip. 

He drops his hand from his nose, the blood seeming to have stopped with the added pressure, “my little nurse,” he says, leaning to kiss your temple. You fight the urge to lean into his touch. Softly cleaning up the rest of his face and began to run your thumbs across his cheeks and nose to check for any broken bones. 

“Ya know, you’re gonna be glad you had all this practice when you get into med school.” 

You can feel him smile under your hands but you don't answer. Just keep scanning over his face.

JJ reaches out and smooths your furrowed eyebrows, “Hey” he says softly.

“Baby, stop.” he reaches out, encircling your wrists and bringing your hands down to rest in his lap. Tears well up in your eyes and you blink, trying not to let any out.

“Talk to me, baby, please.” JJ says, his voice just above a whisper. 

You take a deep breath before speaking, “I just. I don’t like seeing you like this. J, what if something more happens and I can’t fix it. Or I’m not here or god, JJ, I don’t know.” Your tears were now uncontrollable.

JJ swipes your cheeks, “I’m sorry, I’m so sorry. I never mean to scare you, I’m sorry.” He wraps his legs around your body and moves you so you're resting against his chest. 

“I’m the one supposed to be taking care of you,” you sniff.

His hands are in your hair and one slowly moves up and down on your back, tracing comforting circles. “I’m okay. I promise. I’m not going to leave you, ya know.” 

“Yeah?” you whisper, lifting your head back up to look at him. 

“Yeah,” he replies, kissing your forehead, “do you know how crazy I’d have to be to mess this up? You’re stuck with me, kid.”

[highpope]

I’ve known since you wandered home with John B in third grade, and gave me all the answers (even though they were wrong) to my math homework that if there was going to be another boy in my life, he was going to have to fight you for that spot.

you’re KIDDING

She Wanted You

JJ Maybank x Routledge!Reader

Word Count:1.4k

Warnings:none

A/n: angst bc im boycotting watching season three LOL, not my gif

“What do you mean she left?” JJ questioned, dumbfounded. He didn’t realize it, but he was walking into a war zone. The Chateau no longer had the same feel. It was like someone sucked the air out, and pumped smog in. 

Keep reading

[mrs-cameron]

thanks for tagging me @starkey-babie 💛💜

rules: tag 9 people you want to get to know better

3 ships:

jjpope

love and joe from “you” (CRAZY? yeah that’s the whole point)

don’t get me wrong, i love me some toxic ass chair from gg, but maturing is realising dair were much more compatible (minus him being gg because i refuse to accept it). thx for my attraction to toxic men tho gg 💋

last song:

she’s my collar - gorillaz, kali uchis

last movie:

can’t remember the last time i had an attention span to sit through the whole movie

currently reading:

no books rn 😭 i read your fics tho

currently watching:

i switched my attention from tv shows to true crime youtube so… kendall rae is my number one bae (will rewatch obx sometime soon… it’s for my soul)

currently consuming:

nothing but i probably should go find smth it’s noon already

currently craving:

get more energy i’m exhausted lately

i’m tagging: @mentalpolaroids @highpope @noellestrash @futur3milf @rosealie @pogueslandia @hernameisnoell (if you want to ofc 😌❤️)

[highpope]

hey hi :) my requests for blurbs/headcanons are open while I’m working on my new series <3

open to writing for anything on my list but mostly obx and the summer I turned pretty !!

[highpope]

some things are better off untouched

part one - live on ao3 here.

Lucy has been in love with her best friend Jeremiah since she was 14, but she couldn't ever tell him. Not when she was sure he didn't feel the same way.

Jeremiah x OC - Debutante Ball Escort fic

obviously not all of this is canon but I'm going off od the outline of the tv series tsitp and not so much the book.

tags: some ppl who have showed interest :)

@illumi3 @callmeniffy @youguysoozechemistry @andrewgarfields-girlfriend @whoreforrobin @ahalya25 @randumfanfics @bmkisseths @spencerreidsknee @headshoulderskneesand-toews @gillybear17 @neighborhoodspidey

[highpope]

Thanksgiving HC - JJ Maybank

hi! happy (american) thanksgiving however you celebrate lmao. I hope today’s a good day no matter what

when he was really young his dad and him would go over to a relatives house for dinner

but it always ended up with someone fighting and his dad getting drunk

eventually it was just too much work to be worth going

so he started going to John B’s for dinner

the two of them would play video games while big John made dinner

I’m convinced they both had like old game boys and were very competitive

they’d fill their paper plates and sit at an old picnic bench out back no matter the weather

it made it feel more special

dinner itself wasn’t your “typical” thanksgiving meal

instead they had fish and instant mashed potatoes roasted vegetables and a pie from ms lana

it wasn’t perfect but it was good and they were together so it didn’t matter

after big John died the boys probably found it hard to celebrate

so pope and kie would sneak out after their own family dinners and bring them leftovers and whatever desserts were left at the grocery store

they’d build a fire and just celebrate without the pressure of the holiday

thankful to have their chosen family

[highpope]

Silver Keys - Ch. 6

JJ Maybank x OC x Topper Thorton Soulmate AU

warnings: none :) Lmk if there are ever any

notes: I can't even apologize for the lack of updates, this is what we're rolling with lately. comments and reblogs are encouraged and appreciated!!!

silver keys masterlist

JJ never realizes how much of a mess everything is until June is gone for more than a day. Without her, Kie gets too annoyed at the rest of them (mainly John B and him) and there’s no one to settle the arguments between the four pogues. It’s like something shifts with the universe. And that is why the last two days have been a mess.

June left for her recital Thursday night all set to perform on Friday. There were two rounds of competition, from what JJ understood. The main event is on Friday and the second round is on Saturday. So it was up in the air when she would be back.

As for the rest of them, John B said some stupid shit to Kie and she stormed off. She texted in the group later only to say she wasn’t coming to the boneyard for the party Saturday night.

Which left John B, JJ, and Pope to their own devices. Which went pretty much just how JJ expected it to: he was high and slightly tipsy and JB was doing that weird thing where he pretends he hasn’t drunk that much but is totally gone. Pope was probably hating his life, wishing he hadn’t pulled the shortest straw (or in their case the shortest pasta noodle) and gotten stuck as DD. JJ did feel slightly bad about that, but no one wanted him to drive anyway.

Now, it was about halfway through the party and JJ couldn’t find any of his friends let alone people he liked enough to talk to. He had quit beer pong when a member of the opposing team threw up on her shoes. Pretty much the whole scene shut down after that. He noticed a few groups sectioned off in foldout chairs, some around various bonfires.

JJ wasn’t sure how much time had passed after that. Probably enough that Pope was ready to go home. So, he stumbled his way through the small circles of people, laughing and dancing in a gentle sort of way. It was almost melodic, the way everyone navigated through the sand. JJ had stopped when he saw Topper and Kelce leaning against a tree arguing.

It was more than obvious that JJ didn’t like Topper. He was a rich, stuck-up kook. He didn’t give a shit about anyone else and JJ didn’t understand how June had been with him for so long and it was frustrating that he couldn’t give her better. But she was happy, the happiest he had seen her in a while. He could be civil with Topper, hell he’d even be nice because JJ would do anything to make sure June was happy.

“You don’t think this has gone a little too far?” JJ heard Kelce say.

“No, dude. And what’s the harm anyway? It’s not like June is ever going to know I’m not her real soulmate. She believes me.” topper replied.

JJ felt his stomach drop. It took him a few seconds to process what he was hearing, but when he did the rage took over his body instantly.

“Well, I don’t know. She very obviously has a soulmate. Real songs are getting stuck in her head. You’re just lying and saying that they’re yours.”

“I’m not lying!” Topper yelled, his voice getting harsher the closer he got to Kelce, “I don’t have one, okay? I don’t fucking hear anything. And it’s not fair. So why can’t I just pick someone?”

Without a second thought, JJ rushed forward, slamming topper to the ground.

“What the hell did you just say?” He yells, looking down at Topper. He didn’t care if he was causing a scene, he didn’t care about anything. He could only picture June’s face when she inevitably found out and that was enough to make his blood boil.

“This is none of your business, pogue.”

Topper pulled himself up from the sand and swung at him, catching JJ’s cheek. He couldn’t help himself, he launched himself at Topper. He punched his nose, fast and hard. He looks down at his own hands, already bruising and covered in someone else’s blood.

“Tell her.” he spits at him “or I fucking will.” He kicks at the sand and turns away. JJ isn’t sure why he’s letting him off like this. Maybe, in the long run, this will hurt less for June.

June. That’s all that matters. Not topper and not some stupid soulmate. And if not kicking Topper’s teeth in and letting him save face will help her then that’s what he’ll do.

He took a deep breath and knocked on her window. He wasn’t sure what he was going to say, he wasn’t sure if he was going to say anything. If she asked why he was there, he wouldn’t have an answer.

JJ heard some rustling and moments later was met with June opening the window and pulling him inside.

“J, what the hell? You scared me.”

“S-sorry, I didn’t mean to.” She looked tired but happy and his heart hurt a little.

“You could’ve come to the front door. My parents would have let you in.”

“I just. I couldn’t-” He didn’t know what to say. He could hear Topper’s confession ringing in his ears.

June grabbed his chin and turned his head to look at her, “God, what happened to your face? Please tell m-”

“It’s nothing, I just. I have to lay low for a little, okay?”

“Are you-” she pressed.

“June, please”

“Okay, but you have to tell me what happened.”

He hesitated, “It was some kook okay? It’s over, done-zo”

“who” He hesitated again. She searched his eyes and it took everything in him not to tell her. He tried to get her to stop.

“You didn’t catch his name? Ya know before he gave you a black eye”

“We didn’t swap phone numbers, fuck, June”

“You don’t just punch people for no reason JJ. You can’t just”

“June” he pleaded

“Okay, fine… I just want to make sure it wasn’t your-”

“It wasn’t. okay?”

“I just wanna make sure you’re okay. Don’t be an asshole about it”

He did feel like an asshole. She was only trying to make sure his dad didn’t show back up at the chateau and he was yelling at her.

“I’m going to get you ice,” June said without looking back.

When she returned she tossed him a frozen bag of peas and told him to ice.

“This isn’t my first black eye, Moto”

“Yeah, yeah, Maybank,” She sighs, “I know.”

“Hey,” he says softly, “I’m fine, I promise. Just a little black eye. You should see the other guy.” He joked.

She didn’t say anything, just looked at him anxiously. When she finally did speak it came out a whisper, “I just worry about you, idiot.”

He nods, “I know, I’m sorry.”

JJ lays back to rest his back against her wall and stretches his legs. June is sitting across from him, leaning against her bed.

“Tell me about the recital, I wanna hear about how you kicked ass.”

“That’s not how it works, J.”

“C’mon,” he pleaded.

She sighed and her face relaxed, “it was really good. Like, the environment and everyone there. I played really well, too. I don’t think I missed a single note.”

“Play it for me,”

“No, no. It’s okay.”

“C’mon JuJu,” he nudged her foot with his.

She sighed again, moving towards her keyboard.

“Don’t look at me.”

“What?” JJ laughed.

“Turn around,” she urged.

“Fine.”

He did as he was told, turning around so that their backs were practically touching. He could hear June crack her knuckles and take a deep breath before beginning to play. He listened as she began softly, telling a story through the music. It sounded familiar, something he’d probably heard her hum before. But there was more to it than that. It was the feeling of waking up from a nightmare and realizing that you were at home, safe in your bed.

“I like when you play,” he was looking at her now, his full attention on the way her hands glided over the keys and her curled up when she was focusing. He noticed the freckles on her nose and her chipped nail polish like he was looking at her for the first time.

She smiled when he said this and JJ felt the familiar comforting feeling June often brings. She played for a few more moments before stopping, her eyes closed, concentrated.

“Keep going,” JJ urged.

“That’s it.” She said with a sad shrug, “my mom used to play it for us when we couldn’t sleep at night. She wrote it in college I guess. But, she never finished it. So… that’s it.”

“Beautiful,” he whispered.

She met his eyes, “yeah it is isn’t it?”

He nodded sincerely, looking from her eyes to her lips, “yeah.”

They stayed like that for a moment, concentrating on only each other. JJ knew he was falling, knew he had been falling for some time now and he was desperate to know if his best friend was falling for him too.

[highpope]

so I’m thinking … thanksgiving headcanons? any requests? Ideas?

[highpope]

first chapter is upppppppppp

[highpope]

Hi!! My name is Jordan (you can call me that) or J or highpope or any other term of endearment you'd like. My pronouns are she/her/hers and I identify as queer 👍💜

When I am writing, it's usually for OBX, but I also have some julie and the phantoms & tsitp stuff on my masterlist. I am open to writing for any of these fandoms/characters as well!

- teen wolf - spiderman/peter parker - harry potter - hsmtmts - tsitp

as a reminder:

- I do not write smut. There are many great writers on this site for that, and I will happily send you their blogs, but I am not one of them.

- my characters are usually aged up to 18 unless in school, etc.

- I do not write anything revolving around EDs/self harm (pls don't ask for anything like this) and I will always include tw when writing about other sensitive topics. please message me if I ever need to add anything.

- I do not write for real people. Meaning I won't write celebrity x reader or anything of that nature.

- reblogs, comments, and likes are my favorite thing. feel free! but do not repost my work on any other site. All of my writing will be on tumblr and ao3 under highpope only.

ily be safe, J 🤗

[highpope]

highpope’s holiday special

hi lmao I am finishing up finals over the next few days and i need something to keep me sane. SO here is my winter/holiday/christmas prompt list. (Ive only ever celebrated xmas and didnt want to overstep in my lame attempts at other holidays)

just send me an ask with the prompt and a character and whatever else and we can celebrate together. :)) I hope this takes your mind off of the stress of school or the holidays or ... the world like it is for me. so so much love, J

Prompts

🎁 gift exchange/secret santa

 ❄snowed in

🌲 decorating the tree

🍪 baking cookies

🎄 christmas morning

🛷 sledding

🥂 new years eve party

 💄new years kiss

Quote Prompts

“I’m not kissing you under the mistletoe”

“Shut up and take the present”

“Your cheeks are so red, it’s so cute”

“Are you shivering?”

“You’ve never decorated a gingerbread house?”

“Do you smell burning?”

“what do you want for christmas?” “you”

Characters I write for

obx - practically all of them (i cant do rafe yall are just too good. i cant compete)

jatp - all (as well as ships)

Peter Parker - ive never posted any but why not

omg i used to write for cath and levi (Fangirl) and im feeling nostalgic so im including this

[highpope]

a lil sneak peek of something coming:

He took a deep breath and knocked on her window. He heard some rustling and moments later was met with June opening the window and pulling him inside.

[highpope]

I wanted to post a Valentine’s blurb with June but I don’t want you guys to know who she ends up with so ..... maybe we save that for the epilogue ?

any takers?

[highpope]

‘Woah, scary. Oh, you’re not wearing a costume yet? My bad.’ for day two with rafe please!

so cute! I've never written for rafe before tbh so I hope this is good ... even though it's super short hahaha

send me a request (highpope's 13 nights of halloween)

warnings: mentions of alcohol

You were at a costume party with a few of your friends. You had lost them at some point during the night, but it didn’t really bother you. You were content to dance to the music and sip your drink.

You were doing just that when you saw Rafe Cameron sitting on the couch, nursing a beer and scrolling on his phone. He wasn’t wearing a costume as far as you can tell. Just a white crewneck and a pair of jeans. He looked incredibly casual in comparison to his usual attire. The two of you have always been friendly, but never anything more.

You strutted over to the worn couch he was sitting on and sat down, your shoulder brushing his.

“Uh,” he clears his throat, “Hey, y/n.”

“Whoa, scary,” you gasp, smacking his arm. “Oh. You’re not wearing a costume yet? My bad.”

He chokes down a laugh, “Yeah? And your costume is so original,”

You were dressed as a witch. Your hair pulled back to allow a solid black witch hat to sit on your head. You had a purple cloak-like cape over a simple black dress.

“At least I’m dressed up,” you reply.

“Hey,” he gestures to a small name tag that reads “Hello, my name is debt”

“Debt?” you repeat.

“I’m student debt.”

“That is the dumbest thing I’ve ever heard,” you laugh.

Rafe turned to look at you, “Yeah, but it is a costume. So, I think I deserve an apology.”

“Well,” you mirror his stance, “I’m sorry I made fun of your costume. Even if it’s lame.”

"I’ll take it,” he says smiling, taking a drink.

[highpope]

"Boo!" (JJ x reader)

highpope's 13 nights of halloween - send in your requests

“C’mon guys, it’ll be fine.” John B called out behind him. You and the rest of the pogues had walked up a small gravel path to the abandoned church on the island. The boys had heard that it was actually haunted and had somehow convinced you to stay over so they could “ghost hunt.”

“Yeah, yeah. That’s what you said last time and we ended up getting shot at.” You replied, tightening your hold on JJ’s hand. You had a small duffel bag around your shoulders and he was carrying two sleeping bags in his other hand.

“Which time?” Pope muttered, he also didn’t want to be there. He didn’t believe in ghosts, but he was sure to point out about every disaster and disease you could possibly contract from a building this old. We’ll be crushed and suffocated in our sleep, he had said.

“Hey, I warned y’all about Craine. It was JB that made us go in.” JJ said to the two of you.

“You guys aren’t really scared are you?” Sarah asked, turning around on her heels.

You looked at Pope, he narrowed his eyes back at you.

“Absolutely not,” JJ laughed, “lead the way, Blondie.”

When you finally pried the door open, the six of you were met with what genuinely looked like a horror movie. Pope was right, if you didn’t get sick from mold exposure, the ceiling was definitely going to collapse.

“Are we sure about this?” You asked, trying to reason with someone. Kie just shrugged and made her way through the debris, “we’ll be fine just gotta clean a few things up.” You reluctantly started helping clear a space to lay out your sleeping bags and settle in for probably the longest night of your life.

For the most part, the night had gone relatively well. John B and JJ were geeking out about how haunted this place was while using this camera Pope had recommended. It had a night vision lens and you could set it on a timer to turn on when it detects motion. They were very excited. You laughed, watching your boyfriend and bestfriend.

“So, what happens when we stay here all night and nothing happens,” Sarah joked, nudging Kie next to her. They were helping themselves to the blunt JJ rolled earlier, while you and Pope had just started a card game.

“I tell them I told you so and we move on with our lives,” He said.

“Ha ha,” JJ mocked.

John B shared a look with JJ before he responded, “You’ll see.”

Sarah rolled her eyes and went back to softly chatting to Kiara. Before you could return to your game John B spoke up again, “Oh, shit. Hey guys, can you run to the van and get my drawstring? I forgot the flashlights.”

“You forgot the flashlights? The one we need to go to the car…to get the flashlights.” Pope said, skepticism high.

“Yup.”

“You are su-”

“Hey,” you say, smacking his chest, “let’s just go. We’ll make it there before it gets too dark.”

Pope grumbled something under his breath before standing up and offering you his hand. You took it thankfully and shot a look at JJ before you turned back to the door.

“Be safe,” he called out to you tilting his head slightly.

“I’ll be so safe,” both you, Pope, and John B say at the same time, remembering a familiar joke.

“That is the last time I ever do anything nice.” He replied, finality in his tone.

“When do you ever do anything nice?” You hear Kie before the two of you are too far from the door.

The bath back to the road was a lot harder to see in the dark with no nearby lights. The trees towered above you, blocking most of the sky. You had to stay trained to your feet in order to ensure you wouldn’t fall or end up going the wrong direction.

You heard a branch snap behind you and you instantly froze. Slowly, you turn, afraid to find out what the actual cause was. When you can’t seem to see anything, you turn around to keep following Pope to the car. Only he wasn’t in front of you anymore. You tried to squint in the darkness to make out how far you were or where he could be, but it was no use. You could barely see past your hand.

You might as well keep going, you thought. Carefully, you tread down the path, focusing on every step. You only made it about four more seconds before you heard another branch snap. This time accompanied by a scream in the distance.

“Sarah?” you yell. You can hear your voice echo off the trees, “Pope are you there?”

You wait. All you received is silence in return. Your heart was starting to beat faster, adrenaline pumping as you tried to make a decision. You could turn back and try to make it back to the church or try to find the van and hopefully Pope. The latter seemed like the smarter idea, but the farther down the path you got, the darker it seemed.

You were on high alert. You heard another scream and that’s when you decided to run. You were sprinting down the path blindly, kicking up rocks and mud. You weren’t sure you were even going the right way, but you didn’t care. Your mind was racing and you had started to run out of breath.

You felt something touch your arm and you shrieked.

“Hey, hey!” Someone called out. You realize Pope had reached out to you.

“Shit,” you breathed, relief washed over your body.

He let go of you, “Let’s go get these stupid flashlights and get the hell out of here, yeah?”

“Yeah,” you nodded. You linked your arm with his and continued down the path once more. The pair arrived at the van in mere moments, unlocking the door and reaching inside to look for the flashlights.

“I think it’s in the back?” You suggested to Pope. His knees were on the seats in the middle row while his top half hung over the back.

He replied, but it was drowned out by the fact that he was upside down in the backseat.

“He probably didn’t even leave his stupid bag out here.”

Just then something grabs your waist, making you scream. You swing your arm behind you, yelling for Pope to help.

“Y/n, hey, it’s me.”

“JJ?” you yelled.

“Dude c’mon?” Pope said, obviously annoyed, “was this all some big prank?”

JJ brought a flashlight to his chin, turning it out and let out a menacing laugh.

“So not cool.” Pope said, slamming the van door and snatching the flashlight from him. He started walking back to the church.

You hit JJ on the arm.

“What was that for?” He replied, rubbing his forearm.

“For scaring me!”

“Baby, you have to admit it was kinda funny.”

“It certainly was not.” You pushed past him.

“I’m sorry. It was just a joke. I didn’t mean to make you scared,” He said, rushing to meet you, grabbing your hand with his.

“That was literally your intention.”

“Well, yeah,” he said sheepishly. You turned to leave once again, “But I thought you’d yell and then laugh about it.”

You groan.

“Look, I’m sorry. From now on, I promise only to protect you.”

“Okay,” you said hesitantly.

“Okay?” He pushed.

“Yes. Okay.” You said, rolling your eyes.

He leans down and kisses your forehead, “Okay baby, let’s move.”

JJ throws his arm around your shoulders and produces another flashlight from his jacket pocket. You feel yourself leaning into his side, happy not to walk back alone and in the dark.

“So,” JJ started when you had made it halfway up the walkway, “Did you think I was a ghost?”

[highpope]

Hide and Seek - JJ Maybank x Reader

Notes: I saw a tiktok about how intimate hide and seek is and thus this little blurb was born. Let me know what you think!?

Warnings: none - some swearing

Requested: nope!

When the storm hit, you had been with Kie at The Wreck cleaning up from the massive dinner rush that had just ended. The restaurant closed early in preparation for the hurricane, but it had taken much longer to do all the dishes and clean the floors than you both had thought. Especially when the boys insisted on arguing about the latest installment in their favorite movie series rather than help.

You watch the sky grow darker and darker as you stack the last of the plates in the cupboard. Kie and her dad were shuttering up the remainder of the windows and then the rest of you could finally get out of here.

“You know,” you start, walking over to the boys, “we could’ve been safe at our own houses by now if you guys would’ve helped clean up.” You untied your apron and sat down in the empty chair next to Pope.

“Trust me, they would’ve made it worse,” Kie speaks up, walking back in from outside.

John B gasps and grabs his chest, offended.

“Kie, where’s your pops? Let's get out of here before the world opens up.” JJ says, hitting the table and standing up.

“He had to run to get some stuff to finish the windows. Shouldn’t be too long.”

She looked nervous, like she was trying to convince herself more than us.

“Are you sure?” Pope asks. The sky was dark and the wind was practically blowing through the building at that point.

“Yeah, as long as he makes it back before the rain, we’ll be fine.” you reassure everyone.

And that was when the rain started.

“Shit.”

You had lived on the island long enough to know how to handle a hurricane. There was nothing more that you could do than to prepare and just wait it out.

After about an hour of being clued in to the same argument from before, you couldn’t handle it anymore.

“Y’all are ridiculous.” Kie said, her eyes closed and leaning back in her chair.

You agreed, “No more, please.”

“Then what’re we going to do?” John B asks.

You look around at your friends, faces blank and eyes staring off into the distance, “We could play hide and seek?”

Pope scoffs, “Really?”

“Yeah, I think it’d be fun. I don’t see any of you coming up with any ideas.

“I’m in” Kiara says, raising her hand.

“See! C’mon,”

The boys share a look of disgust before Pope reluctantly agrees, making John B and JJ groan.

You look over at JJ who narrows his eyes at you, “Please.”

He tightens his jaw slightly before sighing, Fine. But I’m not it.” He quickly brings his finger to the bridge of his nose.

“Nose goes!” the rest of us yell, doing the same.

All except John B, “Guysssss” he whines, “fine.” He closes his eyes and begins to count: 50, 49, 48…

You quickly stand up and circle the room, thinking of a place to hide. You watch your friends run off into different directions before you sprint off into the kitchen. There’s a perfect place under the sink that you are sure you can fit into.

When you reach the spot, you see that Kiara has already beat you to it. She pulls the curtain shut and tucks her legs in.

30, 29…

You tiptoe around the kitchen looking for another place to hide. You can’t be the first one found, you suggested playing the game! Your heart speeds up a little before remembering the storage closet in the back of the restaurant. Perfect! You run off and quickly open the door to reveal JJ.

“Hey, go hide somewhere else,” he whisper-yells.

“Ready or not…” John B yells from the dining area.

“He’s coming,” you hiss, “let me in.”

You push past JJ and slowly close the door, making the closet pitch black.

“You are standing on my toe,” he says putting his hands on your shoulders to move you over. Your back hits into the shelf behind you, making a loud noise. Before you can react, JJ is pulling on your shoulders again to bring you away from the shelf.

“Shhh” he urges.

Your breath hitches as you realize how close you two are.

“Nervous?” JJ whispers, almost inaudible.

“Hm?” You question.

“I can hear your heartbeat.”

You shake your head.

“You sure?”

“Mhm”

He slowly moves his hands from your shoulders to your back and then your hips, inching you impossibly closer. You can feel his hair brush against your forehead, your heart beating faster.

“Hi,” you whisper.

“Hey” you can hear him smiling. You notice your breaths are in sync and you can hear his heart, almost as loud as your own. His hands tighten around your waist and your noses brush and just when you are about to close the gap between you, he stops.

“Shh! Someone’s coming,” he says while covering your mouth as if you were talking.

The door swings open causing you both to squint from the sudden rush of light.

“Uh, hey guys,” Pope says.

“What? Where’s John B?” JJ questions, moving his hand from your mouth and his other arm from your waist.

“He cut his head open like an idiot. I’m trying to find the first aid kit.”

“The storage closet next to the bathrooms” you speak up.

“Thanks!” He says and hurried out of the kitchen.

“Well, I guess we won.” You say, clearing your throat.

JJ turns around as he’s heading out of the closet, “hell yeah we did.” He extends his arm and you take his hand, heading back into the dining area.