Chasing The Stars || JJPOPE

NINE

POPE STARED AT the clock, which was to hit six o'clock in approximately thirty seconds. He had woken up about fifteen minutes ago, the first thing his eyes meeting was JJ's back as he slept on the cot beside Pope's bed.

Within the minutes that passed, JJ had turned over to face Pope's bed, his lips parted, eyes screwed shut. His breathing was soft and peaceful to Pope, he hadn't ever seen JJ in such a vulnerable state. He couldn't look away. And so the pair laid there like that, Pope feeling content. Sure, it was a bit creepy, but he had realized this was the only time JJ would ever let Pope see him like this.

And then the alarm clock blared through the small bedroom, birds chirping in the background.

Pope sat up, sighing deeply. Even though he had been awake for a while, sitting up made him feel like he was still half asleep. He rubbed his eyes, attempting to wash the sleepiness away.

JJ groaned, barely acknowledging the repetitive beeping of the alarm clock. Pope reached over, missing the button a few times before finally pressing it, the room falling silent once more.

"JJ." Pope said while rubbing his left eye, his voice full of sleep, "We gotta get up." JJ groaned as he pulled his pillow closer to him, clearly frustrated. Pope sighed, swinging his legs on the side of the bed and bringing himself to his feet.

He shuffled his feet over to the dresser, pulling out a regular t-shirt, along with a pair of denim shorts. Simple. Pope never took much time with his appearance, he didn't feel the need to.

JJ finally lifted his head up, eyes slowly opening. He looked over at Pope's figure before the dresser, slipping his tank-top over his head, exposing his bare back. JJ's eyebrows raised.

When did Einstein start working out?

"JJ." Pope said as he slipped his shirt over his head, turning to face JJ. The blonde quickly looked away in attempt to not seem creepy. Pope sighed, "Get up."

"I've fallen ill." JJ murmured into his pillow, still half asleep. Pope used his foot to nudge JJ's limp foot, which was hanging off the small cot.

Pope rolled his eyes as he then slipped on a pair of denim shorts on, and then his white Converse sneakers. JJ still laid on the cot, glancing at Pope every now and then as the boy was dressing himself. It was strange, JJ didn't even remember his father or his small trailer that he was supposed to call home. He was in the present for once, he actually felt present.

Once Pope exited his bedroom, JJ dragged himself off the cot. He wiped a hand over his face, sighing heavily. He had slept quite well for once, but his body was still telling him he needed more of it.

Suddenly, Pope walked back in, opening his dresser and pulling out a random shirt. JJ's eyebrows furrowed when the Heyward boy tossed it at his chest, JJ catching it out of instinct.

"You can borrow this." Pope commented, his nose then scrunching up, "And the shower."

"Okay, rude."

______

JJ munched on the banana that Pope had given him as they exited the house, fresh air hitting the two like a slap across the face. It was a calm morning on the island of Outer Banks, the sky barely awake and a slight chill in the air remaining from the night before. Kids were heading to school, parents off to work — the usual.

"Well..." JJ spoke up awkwardly after swallowing his last bite, "I'm gonna head to Sarah's."

Pope turned, eyebrows raised slightly, "Yeah, right." He was a bit surprised that JJ was leaving, for he didn't know why. For some odd reason, he expected JJ to walk to school with him, he wanted him to. But he seemed to keep forgetting that JJ was only there for tutoring, not for a friend.