the sun had just dipped below the horizon, leaving a streak of warm colors across the sky as twilight settled over the outer banks. the beach was quiet now, with most of the pogues having headed back to the chateau after another long day of chaos. but you and pope lingered, drawn to the peace of the waves and the soft sand beneath your feet.

you sat side by side on a small dune, the sound of the ocean providing a calming rhythm to the quiet that hung between you two. it wasn’t awkward, it was the kind of comfortable silence that only came when you didn’t feel the need to fill the space with words. still, you could sense that there was something on pope’s mind, a weight he’d been carrying all day.

“you good?” you asked, breaking the silence with a gentle nudge to his arm.

pope glanced at you, his brow furrowed in that thoughtful way he had. “yeah, just... a lot on my mind,” he admitted, running a hand through the sand. “i guess it’s been a lot on all of us, huh?”

you nodded, knowing exactly what he meant. the treasure hunts, the danger, the constant uncertainty, it was starting to wear on everyone. but pope? pope always seemed to carry it differently. he was the logical one, the one who thought ahead while the rest of the group charged into situations. it was easy to forget that he felt the weight of everything just as much, maybe even more.