outerbanks imagines.

a long night out-pope

"idk. it's weird without you."

"weird how?"

"quiet. dull. boring."

"just a few more weeks, right?

"right. then everything
will be right back in place.
as it should be."

"<33 what would you do
without me? :)"

"i don't even want to
think about it."

pope watched as his message delivered,
sending it to y/n who was miles away from him.
he wasn't lying when he said his life felt weird without his beloved.
his arms felt empty,
jokes felt horribly unfunny without her laugh to match his,
and his bed,
though still holding her impression,
was beginning to smell less and less like her with each passing day.
he knew their separation wasn't going to last forever.
they only had a few weeks left to go.
but after so long of being long distance,
pope couldn't help but feel dread settle in his core.
would y/n return to find that pope had changed in a way she couldn't love anymore?
would her travel to a different city with surely more applicable men to date her change her mind about their relationship?
pope was suddenly overcome with anxiety.

"hey. are you busy rn?"

"eh. i can talk. u okay?"

"yeah.
yeah, i'm okay.
what are you up to?"

"at some party. you?"

a party.
pope had to suppress the urge to demand every detail.
he locked his phone,
throwing it to the side,
and got up to examine himself in the mirror.
he had changed,
that much was evident.
the last time y/n saw him in person was well over seven months ago,
just before she left for the school year abroad.
pope was happy for y/n,
that she got the chance to chase her dreams through a program meant to broaden students horizons.
he just wished he was able to see her success up close rather than through a measly phone screen.
since their last meeting,
pope had decided to let some of his facial hair grow in.
his rounded face was now smoothed out to be met with structured lines,
and he even began to work out.
his muscles were beginning to show now.
surely y/n would find this new pope more attractive than the one before...
right?
pope began to look at the pictures decorating his mirror,
all with y/n and his friends.
though there were a few taken of just him and his girlfriend on their dates.

"*one image*
remember that night?"

"how could i forget?
you had to console me after the movie"

"i didn't know marley and me was sad!"

"was still a great night.
i miss u pope :("

"i miss you so much more, pretty girl <3
soon tho, right?"

"soon <3"

pope sat on the edge of his bed and looked at the calendar on his phone,
counting down the minutes until his y/n would be in his arms again.
it still seemed like forever;
there would never be enough time in the world for him and y/n.
pope was glad to have some reassurance,
even though y/n hardly knew the thoughts storming in his mind right now.
she missed him,
she loved him deeply,
and she would return to him in just a few days.
then why do i feel so worried?
he asked himself,
beginning to pace the room in an attempt to escape the thoughts.
pope knew then and there,
he needed a break and he needed one now.
***
pope regretted his decision immediately.
he should have known better than to trust jj with something as simple as a distraction.
"welcome to the good life!"
pope turned his head to jj,
mouth agape and heart racing.
"this isn't at all what i had in mind."
"exactly. get out of your mind, man! drink up."
jj shoved a cold can into pope's hand,
feeling the condensation make his hand slick.
pope slowly cracked it open and tilted it back,
the bitterness hitting his tastebuds before sliding down his throat.
it burned on its travel to his stomach,
but he found peace in the buzz growing inside of his head.
though it'd never be enough to drown out the image of his sweet, beautiful girl, y/n.
and this time,
no longer feeling worried,
he reveled in the bliss inside of him.