Pope Heyward Imagines

what about me?

As Y/N approached the group, her heart sank a little deeper. She had been waiting all day, her phone tightly gripped in her hand as she stared at Pope's name, willing it to light up. But instead of the buzz she had hoped for, there was only silence. She had told herself to be patient, to understand that he was busy, but after hours of waiting, the disappointment had settled in.

"You know when your phone buzzes, it means I'm trying to talk to you, right?" Y/N's voice was calm, but her eyes held a mix of hurt and frustration. She stopped in front of the group, her eyes searching Pope's, hoping to find a shred of recognition, of understanding.

Pope turned to her, his face instantly registering the guilt. "I'm so sorry, baby," he said, his hands rubbing the back of his neck awkwardly. "We got some new information and I've just been running around—"

"Really, Pope?" Her voice cracked slightly, the weight of her disappointment starting to slip through the cracks of her steady composure.

"I know, and I'm sorry. I really am—"Before he could finish, Kie's voice broke through the tension. "We need you, Pope!" she called out from the Twinkie, the urgency clear in her tone.

Pope's eyes flickered between Y/N and his friends, torn between two worlds that seemed to be pulling him apart. "Y/N, I promise I'll make it up to you," he pleaded, taking a step closer, his hand reaching for hers. "But right now, I have to go."

Y/N didn't move, her hand limp in his as her eyes bore into his, searching for the boy she had fallen in love with. "What's today, Pope?" she asked quietly, her voice softer now, a trace of vulnerability seeping in.

Pope blinked, confused. "Baby, what do you mean?"

Her heart ached at his cluelessness. "What is today, Pope?" she repeated, her voice firmer this time, the hurt now clear.

Pope glanced over his shoulder as the Twinkie honked impatiently, Kie and JJ waving for him to hurry up. His mind was a mess, filled with maps and plans, the chase of another adventure. "I'm sorry, but I have to go."

Y/N stood frozen, watching as he took a step back, then another, before he broke into a jog toward the van, leaving her standing there alone. Tears welled up in her eyes as she watched the beat-up van pull away, Pope's figure disappearing into the distance. He was out chasing adventures once more, and she was left behind, again, waiting for him to come back. But this time, the weight of his absence felt different. He wasn't just missing a casual hangout—he was forgetting them. She was last on his list of priorities once again.

It wasn't until the van had turned the corner, the echo of the horn fading, that it hit Pope. His heart dropped into his stomach as the realization crashed over him. It was their anniversary.

He cursed under his breath, feeling the heavy pit of guilt that had already begun to form. All day, she had been waiting for him. Not just to hang out, but for a day that meant so much to them. And he had missed it—he had missed her. All because of another adventure. All because he couldn't balance his world with hers.

Back on the street, Y/N wrapped her arms around herself, a single tear slipping down her cheek as she stared at the place where Pope had been just moments ago. She had been waiting for him—waiting for him to choose her, just this once. She wanted to be enough for him, but every time, it felt like she was competing with his need for something more, something bigger. And she couldn't shake the feeling that maybe she would never be enough.

But deep down, she loved him. Even now, with her heart breaking, she loved him with everything she had. And maybe that was why it hurt so much—because she couldn't stop loving him, even when he kept forgetting the things that mattered.

As Pope rode in the van, his mind racing, he knew he had to make things right. He couldn't let Y/N slip away. She was his anchor, the one person who grounded him when the world felt like it was spinning too fast. He had taken her for granted, but now he knew, more than ever, that he couldn't afford to lose her.

His heart pounded as he made a silent promise to himself, to her—he would fix this. He would remind her that she was always the most important part of his world. Even when he was too caught up to see it, Y/N was the one he loved. The one he needed. And he would spend every day proving that to her, starting now.