OBX Imagines

Sparkles & Fireworks | Pope

"Yo, Pope! Help me up with this!"

JJ, who was struggling with moving two keggers at once over the sand, called for the boy, making him roll his eyes for interrupting his conversation with (y/n).

"Sorry."

"It's ok." the girl laughed, bumping his shoulder with hers, "Go help him before he breaks his neck. Or someone else's."

Both laughed and Pope got up from the blanket to go help his friend. (y/n) took a moment to look around and really take in her surroundings. It was New Years Eve, forty minutes away from midnight actually, and the Pogues had decided at the last minute to spend it on the beach after hearing about the firework show on the Mainland that would be seen from the Outer Banks. JJ wasted no time in getting the keggers, begging his cousin for some help and for sure owing him something, and John B invited some other people from the Cut to join them. The beach wasn't packed but it was full enough to be surrounded by a nice soft sound of voices, laughter, the strings of someone's guitar and then the comforting crashing of the waves. The cold was manageable with a thick sweater and the fire and Pope had insisted on bringing some extra blankets. (y/n) wouldn't dare let Pope know about it, but she had heard John B tell him that if he wanted to keep her warm there were other ways and that could actually bring them closer. His response was an annoyed shut up and he felt his face heat up, but he couldn't deny he hadn't thought about it, at least of having her in his arms all snuggled up.

"I'm back." Pope announced, sitting back next to her, "And I brought company." he gestured his head to JJ, John B, Kiara and Sarah making their way to their blanket, drinks for everyone in hand.

"There you go, miss." John B said, passing (y/n) a cup filled with beer.

The girl thanked him and checked her phone. Thirty minutes to midnight.

The short time until the new year arrived was spent playing drinking games, that were easily forgotten about with the amount of times some topic would come into conversation and distract them from the actual game. The refilled beers also weren't helping in keeping them focused on just one task.

Five minutes.

"Guys, I really need to pee!"

"Dammit, Sarah!"

"Sorry!"

"JJ, leave her alone, you went to pee three time in the past twenty minutes!" (y/n) defended.

"Yeah, but it's only five..." he checked the time on his phone, "four minutes 'till midnight!"

"Sarah, run." the girl got up and ran until she reached the nearest rock, her body disappearing behind it when she crouched down.

"There goes my midnight kiss." John B complained.

That lit up something in Pope's head, the same picture that had been on his mind the past few days: a midnight kiss with (y/n), along with its consequences. Would she back away or reciprocate? How would they act after? Should he even try it in the first place?

"One minute!" JJ yelled, standing up with his cup in hand.

"I'm here!" Sarah arrived and John B also stood up to put his arm around her shoulders, ready for the firework show.

The other three Pogues stood up too and gradually everyone around the beach did the same, mostly couples ready to share the first kiss of the new year. Pope was looking around, trying to avoid the couples to not depress himself even more, when a hand holding his brought his attention back to his circle.

"You ok?" (y/n) asked, her voice almost inaudible under JJ's loud excitement.

The boy nodded and smiled at her, holding her gaze for a few seconds, and if it wasn't for the countdown starting, he probably would've stared at her longer.

"3, 2, 1!"

"Happy New Year!"

Cheers and whistles erupted, and while ones kept cheering, others took the opportunity of sharing the famous midnight kiss at the same time the fireworks started to blow up in the sky.

(y/n) looked at John B and Sarah, lovingly still glued to each other. She smiled to herself, the appreciation she had for that couple was clear to whoever looked at her eyes in that moment. But she also felt a bit jealous, for more that she tried to tell herself the opposite. Beside her, Pope looked at the other couples in the same way while battling with himself in his head to just bury his nervousness and kiss the girl next to him. Screw this. He turned to (y/n), who had the same thought and faced him at the same time. This made them laugh, the situation easing their nerves a bit. (y/n) decided to be the one to break the ice, and for more she was enjoying the way Pope was looking at her, she had had enough of just stares. She needed the physical stuff, and so did he. With a hand securing his jaw, she moved forward on the tip of her toes and kissed him, not lasting long until Pope kissed back and held her by her waist. Not even the loud explosions of the fireworks could break them from their peaceful minds, that were finally cleared up from all the doubts and fears of making the move.

They pulled away, not because they wanted to, but because their friends couldn't hold their excitement for them either. (y/n) and Pope laughed at all the jumping and yelling around them.

"You guys are idiots." the boy commented, holding her closer to him to escape the commotion.

"And you guys just kissed! Aw!"

(y/n) shook her head and finally spoke.

"Just get outta here and go get more beer!"

Surprisingly, they did as told, also wanting to give the two some alone time.

"Happy New Year." Pope wished her, his voice calmer and steadier.

"Happy New Year."

She answered, and with one last look at the fireworks reflected in his dark eyes, she glued her lips to his again. And again, and again.