i cant use the main blog now that its for the rp

[uncleboingmatthews]

like a heart beat

[uncleboingmatthews]

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She smiles at him, a serious look in her eyes when she confirms, “it is.” She knows that he’s always the one to care more into what everyone around them thinks about their relationship, but she does hear the little voices in her head, too, reminding her that once they cross certain lines, there’s no going back. At the end of the day, the most important opinions on them would come from each other, nothing anyone could say changing that. She would do almost anything to make sure that they get their happy ending- fuck, she do literally anything for it. “Oh, she gave me that lecture after she walked in on us making out that one time when we were visiting home.” She can still picture Riley’s eyes wide in horror before he hands fly to cover them, Josh and Maya too close for her comfort at the bay window. “While I’m glad that I know your heart is being taken care of, if you and Josh are going to be doing…certain things, Maya,” she says in a mocking voice, imitating Riley’s ‘stern talking to’ she’d gotten once she forced Josh out of her bedroom, “then they need to happen in places that aren’t sacred to us, and I don’t want to hear about them. Your private moments with my uncle are not to happen in my apartment.” She attempts her best Riley scowl, pointing a finger as she recites the spiel she’d gotten. “Then I told her to stop speaking to her future aunt in such a tone and she went into an I’m not calling you Aunt Maya rant, but I think she’s still mad about when I said that once Auggie and Ava are married, she’s gonna be my favorite niece.” She can’t help but chuckle at the memory of antagonizing her best friend, always eager to point out that Riley would be forced to respect her authority. She doesn’t like to think too much into it because they’d just become cousins, making her transition to aunt as awkward as the transition Josh would have to make for Shawn as his dad as opposed to brother. Honestly, the entire family tree would seem oddly cross wired once Josh and Maya got married, which she wasn’t shy on pointing out would happen. She got this feeling deep in her heart when they got together, the overwhelming sense of ‘this is really it for us’ taking the lead. “Right, my mistake, you had a big, fat, intriguing crush on me.” He makes it too easy to tease him, she thinks. She is holding out hope that one day, the shock value of their PDA losing its stamina. Not that it’d be any time soon, but being able to relax around their family would be a great power to regain. 

“You think that my sex drive is higher than my need to have the upper hand?” she counters, quirking a brow. It’s not that she would even want to withhold sex, especially since she does seem to find her mind in the gutter more often than Josh does, but if it comes between feeling right and being turned on, she’ll take cold showers until the day she dies. “Who’s to say that once you get some, you’ll ever want to stop?” She’s cocky for a girl that hasn’t even lost her virginity yet, but she didn’t have the fear of their sex life being anything but great. She knew that their feelings are strong and true, that they’d both communicate what is good or bad, and that they’d both work towards the common goal of making the other feel good. How could sex go wrong when those things are guaranteed? She giggles into the kiss, stumbling a little when he pulls her to a stop. She barely has time to notice the dirty look their receiving before he’s kissing her again. She reciprocates, her free hand moving to the base of his neck as her lips work against his. “You’re lucky you’re cute, Matthews.” She wishes they could stay there, stay in this night. They’d never have to go home, wandering around as they steal kisses and laugh. Freely being able to express her love for her boyfriend is her favorite part of getting alone time, as rare as it is now that they’re back at their homes. Of course, he has to mention that he doesn’t like the thought of her not being fully clued in to this plan. His priority is always her and her comfort, another one of the reasons she knows how perfect their first time will be. “Calling them encounters makes it seem like you’re taking me on a safari,” she snickers, delivering a chaste kiss and shaking her head a little. “It’s going to be with you, and I trust you. As long as you don’t leave any visible marks,” she makes sure to insinuate that any others are acceptable, “I think that we’re safe from it being a headline. I don’t think there’s anything you can do to make me not think it’s perfect, if we’re being 100% honest here. You could literally do everything horribly and I’d fall in love all over again just because I know how hard you’re trying to make it everything you think it needs to be for me.”

Her eyes roll when he asks the his question. “She has spent time with you at family functions, and she’s heard the most from Topanga about you. She jumped at the opportunity to spill ever detail of every interaction we’ve ever had when my mom asked if we were a good match. Shawn bounces between you being great and you still being a teenage boy, and ‘I know what teenage boys think about, and I don’t like it, Matthews or not!’ And I’m biased because you’re my boyfriend so I only tell her when you do something extra sappy or if you’re annoying me.” She knows her mom never holds her irritations with Josh against him, usually chalking it up to Maya being moody and irritable to everyone on the days she complains about her boyfriend. It’s always something minuscule, too, like if he’s a few minutes late calling or he didn’t say goodnight before falling asleep- dumb little things she’s mad about because she just wants to be mad about something, never anything truly his fault. She hasn’t ever put too much thought into what would happen from Josh spending more time getting to know her mom. It’s kind of strange that they’re the only relationship not already bonded in another way, her connection with Josh’s parents being formed years ago. She thinks it’d go well, that Katy would only embarrass her a little and ask the basic questions a mother does when she’s getting to know a boyfriend. “Honestly, she might trust yours better than she trusts mine, but if the trust is there, we’re not questioning it.” Her mom is no stranger to the Matthews sensibility that Maya grew up learning or the stories that Shawn has that parallel to Maya’s friendship with Riley. Between that, and her basic knowledge of how carefully Josh has approached everything with her daughter, it’s no secret who would stop first if they got caught up in the heat if a moment. “I…” Does she think she’s waited long enough? Yeah, she let’s her hormones take the lead, and, yeah, it’s no secret that she wants Josh in multiple ways, but is this something she’s willing to hint that she wants to take from his control? “I mean,” logically, she can be honest, can’t she? “I’m definitely not saying that I haven’t waited long enough, but I’m not out here trying to ruin your big moment, y’know? I feel like we have very different standards for what our first time should be. I, for example, when at my most frustrated, would probably let it happen in the nearest closet or bathroom of wherever we are with absolutely no regrets, while you already have a romantic little scheme in that pretty little head of yours that is going to make it all memorable.” It almost goes right over her head that he mentions it being relatively soon. They could reach that milestone soon, and that’s just about enough for her to insist on holding out regardless of how long she thinks she should have to wait.

“Don’t get too used to it, I could easily change my mind.” She couldn’t, but she wouldn’t be Maya if she didn’t constantly tease him at any given opportunity. It’s almost too easy to steal another quick kiss, as if to deny the pointless lie she just told. Changing her mind is as far of a cry from reality as saying that her friendship with Riley is weak. She’s more sure of never letting Josh go than she is of mostly anything in her life, even in her newfound faith in hope not being just for suckers. “If this place closes, it’s going to be really hard to find another place that’s always empty, always dark, and open all hours of the night to sneak off to.” She knows there are other places around the city to spend their time, the restaurant they’d just left being an example, but she can’t think of anywhere being as perfect as this theater really is for them to run off and hide in. She’s not sure how they’re always lucky enough to miss any other teenage couple that undoubtedly takes advantage of this place as well, but it probably has something to do with Josh and his luck as a Matthews. She sighs happily when they settle into their seats, leaning into his touch without hesitation and grinning amusedly at the nerves that seem to be showing on his features. Her heart beats a little faster, always amazed at the way he looks at her when they’re so close. “Hey.” It’s barely a whisper before she leans in, connecting their lips. She keeps it sweet, innocent, just trying to show how much she cares for him, how much she truly cherishes him. When she pulls back, she pecks his nose and smiles giddily. Fuck, does her sun rise and set around this boy. Her stomach interrupts her internal beaming, growling obnoxiously to remind her that they still haven’t eaten. “We can finish being disgusting after we eat, I promise.” Her eyes leave his to locate her food, reaching over and pulling their sandwiches out. Maya hands him his before she places her own on her lap, glancing up at the screen where the previews had begun rolling. “What do you think this movie is even about?” she wonders curiously, pulling her grilled cheese out and taking a bite. “More importantly, what should we make it about because we can’t understand it? I vote vampires.” 

For Josh, at least, physical intimacy isn’t his biggest concern. Because they’re good at it, up to a point. He gets a bit rigid around his family, and sadly they spend a lot of their time together around people Josh is related to, but he’s pretty sure they’d have gotten a lot farther by now if not for his brother. And that’s probably, weirdly, exactly what Cory wants. He agrees that Maya is young, perhaps even too young, for certain things. Objectively, he does believe that. But she’s not just some girl, she’s his Maya and he’s Josh and at least he loves her, at least he’s responsible enough to think about it endlessly before doing anything. At least, no matter what happens between them down the line, she won’t regret it because he won’t let her have anything to regret. There are few things that would make Josh stop touching Maya in his brother’s apartment altogether, but his niece catching them pretty much on top of each other in a spot she considers sacred is definitely a contender. “She…really lectured you about that? I wasn’t sure she’d even bring it up.” He knows that they have a friendship that entails talking about everything but surely there are limits? When it comes to possible sexy times with members of the other’s family? He thinks possible just to make himself feel better, but it’s pretty much inevitable and he feels like his family knows that, even if they don’t want to think about it, but maybe they expect him to be as…self-disciplined as they were. It’s just so trivial to place such a high value on virginity and sex when it doesn’t have to mean so much, even though to Josh, stupidly, it does. But if a relationship is of incredible importance and both participants are willing, it seems dumb to avoid it just for the sake of…what? Purity? Maya’s imitation both does and doesn’t sound like Riley, but as realistic as it may or may not be, he would also prefer not to think about making out with Maya and his niece at the same time. “I’m sure I’d feel the same way if Riley was making out with my best friend in my house, but…” That’s different, his best friend barely even knows Riley. That’s beside the point, though. He smiles softly at her story, because even though he’s only eighteen, he’s not afraid to admit that he’s almost definitely already dating his future wife. If Cory and Topanga could meet as children, why couldn’t they? He already knows it’s possible. “Morgan has always wanted a little sister. I bet it’s more fun shopping with her than Shawn.” His sister might not buy her as much as Shawn usually did, but the enhanced experience would be worth the trade off. He didn’t have a crush on her back then and everything he said and did back then indicated as much. She knows this, though, so there’s no point in hurting her feelings by contradicting her. They’re together now so obviously there was something, and that something made itself known most prominently on the train after his NYU interview. It’s the closest he can pinpoint to looking at Maya and actually thinking, “oh.” Oh, she’s always easy to talk to, even when she’s giving him heart eyes, even when she’s sitting uncomfortably close on the couch. She always made him laugh and he saw how deeply she loved those she cared about. Even seeing each other on the train that night was fate, wasn’t it? That they’d be on the same train, in the same car. They just…fit. It was his unwillingness to fit that got in their way, but it was important that he see her differently before developing anything close to a crush. “What I had was…a niece with a really cute best friend. And, huh, guess I still do.”

“Uh…” How would he know? She’s not even that handsy, not any more than…an average girlfriend. “That’s inconclusive. I guess we’ll see who laughs last.” He realizes this means he’s hoping for her sex drive to be high enough that she won’t be able to use it to punish him and he’s already concerned that his own won’t be comparable to hers. If sex actually does end up ruining their relationship, he’ll just…die, probably. “Since it’s you, I’m sure I won’t.” There’s no way to know what it’s like, or what it’ll eventually become, until they enter that stage. But he loves every part of Maya that he’s seen on the outside and every part she’s shown him on the inside, so it seems likely that sex will be no different. It just doesn’t seem like something that would break him or work as some weird punishment. “I’d say the same thing about you except I’m not as shallow as you are.” Maya’s seemingly sudden change during middle school had flustered him at first and even now, even knowing that she’s his girlfriend, and he’s the only one who gets to kiss her, her beauty astonishes him. Every time he sees her in person again after time apart, seeing her leaves him breathless. She’s still so young, he’s pretty sure she factually does get prettier each time he sees her. But if she was still Maya with a different face, he wouldn’t love her any less, she’d still dominate his heart and thoughts completely. She’d still be able to get away with way too much. The one thing he doesn’t let her evade is claiming that she can’t do things that he knows she can, but that’s because he wants the best for her. He wants her to get everything she’s ever wanted. “I couldn’t think of the right word,” he mumbles to himself. He’s no expert. But sexual encounters is a phrase, so, there. “I…I don’t even do that now! And I could, if I…wanted, and I don’t! So that won’t change.” Sure, he’s only eighteen, but things like hickies, for example, have always struck him as so juvenile. Besides, if Cory say anything even resembling a mark on Maya’s neck, he’d lose his mind and Josh would be beyond embarrassed. “Everything horrible?” He frowns, thinking about all of the horrible implications. Does she think he’ll be awkward and bad at reading signals and generally be terrible in bed? Honestly, it feels like she’s right. He almost doesn’t even notice anything else she said, but after a few seconds, he tugs her to a stop again. “Wait…” He pulls her closer and wraps his free arm around her waist, leaning down to kiss her. It’s the longest one he’s allowed in public so far, but he’s hardly even thinking about witnesses. “What’d you say about falling in love?” He says against her lips, then kisses her again, because he knows it was just a slip, maybe not even one that does mean what he wants it to mean, because he’s wanted to say he loves her hundreds of times but he doesn’t want to scare her, even though they regularly talk about their future and the fact that they’re soul mates and there’s nobody else either of them would ever want to be with, ever. Love, though, when you say it out loud like that, is a whole different thing. it’s real, it’s now.

Josh knows that Topanga loves him, and she knows him well. If he needed a character witness for almost anything, Topanga would be at the top of his list. But she’s also an exceptionally honest person and if Katy ever brought up concerns that Topanga agreed with, she wouldn’t sugarcoat it. But that just makes her praise mean all that much more. “I feel like he’s remembering himself as a teenage boy and not Cory.” Truth be told, he’s not sure which man he resembles most, if either. Maybe he’s somewhere in-between. He used to fancy himself a Shawn but there are parts of Cory that are a part of Josh, too. That’s what sharing a bloodline and similar upbringing can do.  And he knows he’s not damaged enough to be Shawn, for which he’s lucky. “Not that I’m saying me and Cory are the exact same, or even mostly the same. Why do you tell your mom about annoying things? You’re not helping the Pro Josh side.” It’s only natural for a girl to complain to her mom about her boyfriend from time to time, but he’s offended, nonetheless. And embarrassed, to think Katy knows about every time Josh spaced on a Skype date or didn’t answer a FaceTime call because he wasn’t in a private enough setting. “I…don’t want to think about your mom even taking my hormones into consideration.” He thinks that Katy knows the difference, though, between Josh’s constant protective or loving touches and those of a boy who only has one thing on his mind. It’s barely on his mind, because he won’t let it be. Maya just forces him to think about it more than he wants. “I don’t want this to come out the wrong way…” Always a great start to a Josh speech. “But you’re…you’re so much younger than a lot of people are when they have sex for the first time and I don’t want to ever put too much emphasis on your age in our relationship again, but it is a factor. I know you’re miles ahead of me in maturity, but when I was fifteen, I definitely wasn’t ready. It’s not even about how long we’ve been together or how much I care about you. I mean…I would do anything for you. I just want to be sure this is the right thing. I don’t want to go through with it and then have these stupid doubts and second guesses that just spoil the whole thing. I can’t shake this thought that might not even be mine that we’re supposed to wait, at least until you’re almost done with high school.” It’s, like…illegal but that’s not even…the problem, at least he doesn’t think so. “And for the record…I don’t think I’m ever going to be the guy who has sex in a bathroom. Sorry if that’s a deal breaker.” It’s a weak joke to lighten the mood, but also, maybe something to keep in mind.

Every time he kisses her, he’s reminded that any and all moments not spent kissing her are wasted. “Based on that description, I’m surprised we haven’t been murdered yet. Maybe in a different place, we’d be less lucky. So we better keep coming and giving them my money so they don’t go out of business.” He does wonder how they manage to stay afloat with the random movie selections they provide and their broken seating and their lack of an audience any time he’s ever been there. Maybe it doesn’t cost much to keep running or maybe the owner is an eccentric billionaire. Despite his thought not five minutes earlier that he hates not kissing her at all times, it’s difficult when the moment is expected. Or it’s hard to initiate, anyways, so he’s lucky that Maya is so Maya and doesn’t have that same problem. He smile when she pulls away and kisses his nose, even though he just wants to immediately kiss her again. He wasn’t thinking about their food at all but of course Maya would never forget about a grilled cheese sandwich. “Okay, as long as you promise.” And he holds out his pinky, making sure she properly shakes it with her own before offering her the bag containing their food. He half-heartedly unwraps his own sandwich, quite frankly no longer hungry despite not eating since the morning. Before, his excitement to see her had ruined his appetite and now it was how one-track minded he got when he was with her. “Then it’s about vampires. I vote they can’t fly. Flying vampires makes no sense. Like, let somebody else have some of the superpowers. They can keep super strength and speed, though.”

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“Which will be me,” she scoffs. Maya is more than confident in her stubbornness, though her overactive sex drive does worry her a little. If she is this restless without crossing that boundary, there is no doubt in her mind that it’ll only be intensified afterward. She’s painted with bashfulness as he easily delivers the line that he won’t be. She wants to hate the effect that he has on her, but it’s just more confirmation in her heart that their stars finally aligned. It had taken what seemed like forever, but he is finally flirting at every chance because he can, leaving her nothing short of giddy. A laugh escapes her before she can help it, his defensive burst when she wagered hickies. It’s not even something she is sure she is into. She’d always only liked them in extremely heated situations, rough make out sessions- well, based on the three times she had received them. “What a shame…” she says with a taunting tone, but it drops when she realizes how she had worded things before. “Not that I think you’re going to be horrible, I just meant imperfect.” And speaking of imperfect- In all possible scenarios of Maya admitting to being in love with her boyfriend, in no form does the concept of accidentally saying it while they’re bantering about their first time come up. Not even once. And, of course, Josh needs to point it out. She’s not even fully out of the trance of the kiss they share, one that made her own name a little fuzzy because all she knows when he kisses her like that is that she’d stay there forever, when he asks what she said. Her hands had immediately moved, one around his neck to play with his hair and the other flat against his chest as soon as their lips met. “I…” She runs her fingers the back of his skull, trailing them to grasp at his jawline when their mouths reconnect. Josh was never one to initiate PDA, which only excites her more as they continue. She breaks it after a few more seconds, her heart hammering in her chest when she repeats herself. “I was explaining that even if everything goes wrong, I would fall in love with you all over again.” She keeps eye contact, knowing that she probably looks like an absolute loon right now. Her breaths are deep, struggling to keep up after getting caught up in their kiss, and her face feels like someone took an actual flame to it. Blue eyes sparkle with every ounce of complete adoration she feels for the boy in front of her. “You could forget all the candles. We could fumble over each other. Fuck, we could end up not even having sex and just spend the night hanging out because the plan falls through, and I would only love you more.” Her nerves are battling the fact that this is only Josh. Three words could mean the end of most relationships, but not hers. They’ll grow stronger. It’s not a gamble but a promise, a gift for finding her soulmate so young. Her instincts are telling her to fear the changes approaching, but the anticipation of what they are meant to have wins every single time. “Which I do,” she confirms, a smitten grin spreading across her lips. “I love you.”

[uncleboingmatthews]

like a heart beat

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uncleboingmatthews‌:

“Isn’t it?” She wasn’t necessarily being sarcastic, but, well, maybe he wants confirmation. Yes, Josh is a person who cares too much about what other people think, namely his family. Their opinion will always hold weight, but when it comes to Maya, there’s frankly nothing that can stop him from doing whatever it takes to make her happy or make them work. Taking their relationship to the next level isn’t a pressure he feels, necessarily, he just wants to make sure that he’s just as ready as she claims to be. And he believes that she believes she’s ready, but he can’t help feeling hesitant. Josh doesn’t actually know where Riley stands on the topic, whether she falls in line with her parents’ belief. It’d be weird if he did know, and it seems like Maya does, and he doesn’t need anything more specific than what she’s already disclosed. “I don’t think it’d matter who it was with, though, if that’s how she feels. At least she knows how much I care about you.” In some twisted way, he’s glad he’s the guy that it seems will inevitably be her first, so she’ll always know it was a good decision, that the guy who took her virginity loved her and she wasn’t used. Josh doesn’t think so horribly about all other men, except when it comes to her. When it comes to Maya, he doesn’t trust anybody to give her everything she deserves, but at least he knows he’ll try. He puts an arm around her waist at the taunt then pinches her gently to make her jump. “Okay, relax. It wasn’t a crush. I believe the word I used was…intrigued? You have to be patient with us guys, we’re a little slow.” She’s not wrong about the way they watch their movements around one another when family is there, but he has to believe that one day it won’t be like that. One day the phrase “Josh and Maya” will be so commonplace that it’d be even weirder if she didn’t sit on his lap when there was no more room on the couch, or he didn’t play with her fingers under the table at dinner. The more comfortable they become with each other and the more comfortable their family gets with them as a concept, the harder it’ll be if something goes wrong between them. He isn’t sure of much, but he is sure he can prevent them from breaking apart, or if he can’t, he’ll make sure they come out of it as friends. There’s just no possible way for him to live his life without her in it in some capacity.

It’s not that Josh doesn’t appreciate the physical aspects of their relationship, or that he doesn’t crave her in that way when they’re apart, but if he had to rate their sex drives on a scale from one to ten, he’d give her the higher score. He wasn’t sure how important being physical was to her, he didn’t ask in such specific terms, but he wasn’t a hugely sexual person (clearly). It was more like he craved Maya specifically. Maybe it was the same for her with him. All he can do is laugh at her comment. “You think I’m gonna want it more than you?” He pulls her in closer by the hand, stopping them again on the street to give her another kiss. “I’m sorry,” he murmurs, then kisses her again. “Please don’t.” A young woman with headphones on wears an annoyed expression as she’s forced to walk around them. This is only part of why he doesn’t appreciate PDA. Most of the time. He wants to make a joke about getting the wrong flavored condoms, but he’s not quite that bold, and also, what is she thinks he’s not joking? That he’s the kind of person who would buy something like that, with all the implications that come attached. “It feels weird planning something out that you’re not a part of. I know you’re…amenable and you’re open to whatever I have in mind, but still. And I feel like the closer it gets, people are going to just know somehow. Especially after. The most important thing is you and how you feel about it, though. I don’t want it to be a memory you look back on and cringe at, even if we go on to have much better encounters in the future.” Encounters? Ugh.

He smiles at her assurance, and at the fact that she could clearly sense the concern on his face. “How can she like me when she barely knows me?” It’s not a real argument, there’s no bite to his tone. He just wants to change that. “Her opinion is probably based mostly on what you and Shawn tell her. And I…I mean, it could be worse, but I wish I had more time to get to know her personally.” It’s one of his priorities once he moves to New York for school. He’s not sure how the logistics will work out, but second only to seeing Maya more, he wants to talk to Katy more, too. Of course, the more they talk, the higher the chance is that she could start to hate him. But that’s a risk he’s willing to take. “What about your hormones, does she trust those?” It’s hard not to notice how young Maya’s mother is. He’s not comfortable jumping to conclusions or making assumptions, but it’s possible she made decisions about this kind of stuff that maybe she wasn’t ready for. Ultimately, though, they must have led to Maya, and Maya could never be a bad thing. “Do you really think that?” It’s obviously a joke, but it’s the Maya kind of joke where she only uses a light-hearted tone to weaken the seriousness of what she’s actually saying. Something they have in common is how often they use humor to broach uncomfortable topics and sometimes he has to needle her to make sure she’s actually okay. Everyone else in her life has always let her joke, rarely digging any deeper. It’s a relief to other people, that she can make light of bad situations or big topics that they’d rather not deal with. But not him. “You can be honest. I’m not going to feel pressured, or anything. My, uh…plan isn’t that far in the future, but I can be…flexible…” Not a claim proven thus far, but still.

“What a relief to hear that.” Josh has always been dedicated to his schoolwork, obviously. But he does have some genuine, minor concerns, about the distracting nature of his girlfriend once they’re going to school in the same city. And not that he would ever admit it, but he likes the idea of shared study sessions, where he might be able to help her with assignments or SAT prep or college admission essays. College, for her, is still so far away, he has no idea where she wants to go, but even if it was all the way on the other coast, he’d want to help her get there. But then there’s the possibility that they get too caught up in other things they’d rather be doing together. For a second, he feels her fingers brush his back pocket and he’s not sure what she’s doing until his wallet materializes before his eyes, in her hand. It’s a wonder he hasn’t had it stolen yet, by someone other than Maya. “Famous last words,” he says as he follows after her. “If this place closes one day, I have no doubt that we could find somewhere else.” It wouldn’t be the same, maybe, but as long as it’s the two of them, the experience will be one worth having. He still hasn’t fully looked into the discounts afforded to NYU students around the city, but he can bet there’s new, interesting offers that will soon be available to them. They drop into their seats and at the same time, he wraps an arm around her shoulders. He’d been uncharacteristically bold a few minutes ago, and now that they’re in an arguably much more inconspicuous location, nobody else even in the theater yet, he’s nervous. It’s the feeling of expectation, the knowing exactly why they’re there. He shifts in his seat to look at her and runs a hand through her hair before cradling her face, moving in closer. “Hi.”

She smiles at him, a serious look in her eyes when she confirms, “it is.” She knows that he’s always the one to care more into what everyone around them thinks about their relationship, but she does hear the little voices in her head, too, reminding her that once they cross certain lines, there’s no going back. At the end of the day, the most important opinions on them would come from each other, nothing anyone could say changing that. She would do almost anything to make sure that they get their happy ending- fuck, she do literally anything for it. “Oh, she gave me that lecture after she walked in on us making out that one time when we were visiting home.” She can still picture Riley’s eyes wide in horror before he hands fly to cover them, Josh and Maya too close for her comfort at the bay window. “While I’m glad that I know your heart is being taken care of, if you and Josh are going to be doing...certain things, Maya,” she says in a mocking voice, imitating Riley’s ‘stern talking to’ she’d gotten once she forced Josh out of her bedroom, “then they need to happen in places that aren’t sacred to us, and I don’t want to hear about them. Your private moments with my uncle are not to happen in my apartment.” She attempts her best Riley scowl, pointing a finger as she recites the spiel she’d gotten. “Then I told her to stop speaking to her future aunt in such a tone and she went into an I’m not calling you Aunt Maya rant, but I think she’s still mad about when I said that once Auggie and Ava are married, she’s gonna be my favorite niece.” She can’t help but chuckle at the memory of antagonizing her best friend, always eager to point out that Riley would be forced to respect her authority. She doesn’t like to think too much into it because they’d just become cousins, making her transition to aunt as awkward as the transition Josh would have to make for Shawn as his dad as opposed to brother. Honestly, the entire family tree would seem oddly cross wired once Josh and Maya got married, which she wasn’t shy on pointing out would happen. She got this feeling deep in her heart when they got together, the overwhelming sense of ‘this is really it for us’ taking the lead. “Right, my mistake, you had a big, fat, intriguing crush on me.” He makes it too easy to tease him, she thinks. She is holding out hope that one day, the shock value of their PDA losing its stamina. Not that it’d be any time soon, but being able to relax around their family would be a great power to regain. 

“You think that my sex drive is higher than my need to have the upper hand?” she counters, quirking a brow. It’s not that she would even want to withhold sex, especially since she does seem to ind her mind in the gutter more often than Josh does, but if it comes between feeling right and being turned on, she’ll take cold showers until the day she dies. “Who’s to say that once you get some, you’ll ever want to stop?” She’s cocky for a girl that hasn’t even lost her virginity yet, but she didn’t have the fear of their sex life being anything but great. She knew that their feelings are strong and true, that they’d both communicate what is good or bad, and that they’d both work towards the common goal of making the other feel good. How could sex go wrong when those things are guaranteed? She giggles into the kiss, stumbling a little when he pulls her to a stop. She barely has time to notice the dirty look their receiving before he’s kissing her again. She reciprocates, her free hand moving to the base of his neck as her lips work against his. “You’re lucky you’re cute, Matthews.” She wishes they could stay there, stay in this night. They’d never have to go home, wandering around as they steal kisses and laugh. Freely being able to express her love for her boyfriend is her favorite part of getting alone time, as rare as it is now that they’re back at their homes. Of course, he has to mention that he doesn’t like the thought of her not being fully clued in to this plan. His priority is always her and her comfort, another one of the reasons she knows how perfect their first time will be. “Calling them encounters makes it seem like you’re taking me on a safari,” she snickers, delivering a chaste kiss and shaking her head a little. “It’s going to be with you, and I trust you. As long as you don’t leave any visible marks,” she makes sure to insinuate that any others are acceptable, “I think that we’re safe from it being a headline. I don’t think there’s anything you can do to make me not think it’s perfect, if we’re being 100% honest here. You could literally do everything horribly and I’d fall in love all over again just because I know how hard you’re trying to make it everything you think it needs to be for me.”

Her eyes roll when he asks the his question. “She has spent time with you at family functions, and she’s heard the most from Topanga about you. She jumped at the opportunity to spill ever detail of every interaction we’ve ever had when my mom asked if we were a good match. Shawn bounces between you being great and you still being a teenage boy, and ‘I know what teenage boys think about, and I don’t like it, Matthews or not!’ And I’m biased because you’re my boyfriend so I only tell her when you do something extra sappy or if you’re annoying me.” She knows her mom never holds her irritations with Josh against him, usually chalking it up to Maya being moody and irritable to everyone on the days she complains about her boyfriend. It’s always something minuscule, too, like if he’s a few minutes late calling or he didn’t say goodnight before falling asleep- dumb little things she’s mad about because she just wants to be mad about something, never anything truly his fault. She hasn’t ever put too much thought into what would happen from Josh spending more time getting to know her mom. It’s kind of strange that they’re the only relationship not already bonded in another way, her connection with Josh’s parents being formed years ago. She thinks it’d go well, that Katy would only embarrass her a little and ask the basic questions a mother does when she’s getting to know a boyfriend. “Honestly, she might trust yours better than she trusts mine, but if the trust is there, we’re not questioning it.” Her mom is no stranger to the Matthews sensibility that Maya grew up learning or the stories that Shawn has that parallel to Maya’s friendship with Riley. Between that, and her basic knowledge of how carefully Josh has approached everything with her daughter, it’s no secret who would stop first if they got caught up in the heat if a moment. “I...” Does she think she’s waited long enough? Yeah, she let’s her hormones take the lead, and, yeah, it’s no secret that she wants Josh in multiple ways, but is this something she’s willing to hint that she wants to take from his control? “I mean,” logically, she can be honest, can’t she? “I’m definitely not saying that I haven’t waited long enough, but I’m not out here trying to ruin your big moment, y’know? I feel like we have very different standards for what our first time should be. I, for example, when at my most frustrated, would probably let it happen in the nearest closet or bathroom of wherever we are with absolutely no regrets, while you already have a romantic little scheme in that pretty little head of yours that is going to make it all memorable.” It almost goes right over her head that he mentions it being relatively soon. They could reach that milestone soon, and that’s just about enough for her to insist on holding out regardless of how long she thinks she should have to wait.

“Don’t get too used to it, I could easily change my mind.” She couldn’t, but she wouldn’t be Maya if she didn’t constantly tease him at any given opportunity. It’s almost too easy to steal another quick kiss, as if to deny the pointless lie she just told. Changing her mind is as far of a cry from reality as saying that her friendship with Riley is weak. She’s more sure of never letting Josh go than she is of mostly anything in her life, even in her newfound faith in hope not being just for suckers. “If this place closes, it’s going to be really hard to find another place that’s always empty, always dark, and open all hours of the night to sneak off to.” She knows there are other places around the city to spend their time, the restaurant they’d just left being an example, but she can’t think of anywhere being as perfect as this theater really is for them to run off and hide in. She’s not sure how they’re always lucky enough to miss any other teenage couple that undoubtedly takes advantage of this place as well, but it probably has something to do with Josh and his luck as a Matthews. She sighs happily when they settle into their seats, leaning into his touch without hesitation and grinning amusedly at the nerves that seem too be showing on his features. Her heart beats a little faster, always amazed at the way he looks at her when they’re so close. “Hey.” It’s barely a whisper before she leans in, connecting their lips. She keeps it sweet, innocent, just trying to show how much she cares for him, how much she truly cherishes him. When she pulls back, she pecks his nose and smiles giddily. Fuck, does her sun rise and set around this boy. Her stomach interrupts her internal beaming, growling obnoxiously to remind her that they still haven’t eaten. “We can finish being disgusting after we eat, I promise.” Her eyes leave his to locate her food, reaching over and pulling their sandwiches out. Maya hands him his before she places her own on her lap, glancing up at the screen where the previews had begun rolling. “What do you think this movie is even about?” she wonders curiously, pulling her grilled cheese out and taking a bite. “More importantly, what should we make it about because we can’t understand it? I vote vampires.” 

[uncleboingmatthews]

like a heart beat

[blog4replies-blog]

uncleboingmatthews‌:

“Not to me,” he says with a false confidence while looking straight ahead. Just because he hasn’t done anything doesn’t mean it’s for moral reasons, it honestly isn’t for any real reason other than his own nerves. “There are…worse people to do things she wouldn’t approve of with, though. And that’s kind of a plus of dating me. She won’t want to hear about it.” He can’t really imagine Riley wanting details not matter who they were about, because he in the same way doesn’t want to think of Riley in that context, but probably even less when it’s her uncle involved. He laughs, watching her face as realization dawns. “I mean, yeah. My niece has a cute friend who practically lives there, am I not supposed to visit all the time? I wouldn’t say I realized it right away, but that was definitely a factor.” There was no reason for him to suddenly want to visit his brother more, anyways. As much as he loved him, and RIley and Auggie and Topanga. It’s not the answer he was expecting and he’s not sure how to respond immediately. He wraps an arm around her shoulders and gives her a sideways hug. “I’m honored. And I’m glad you feel safe around me. I feel like I’m the most me around you, too.” It wasn’t as drastic a change, since Josh was pretty much always Josh, but he wasn’t the most vulnerable person. He felt like the person who always had to have the answers, and instead of expressing his feelings, he hid behind jokes and distraction. With Maya, there was no point. She saw through it and he liked knowing that the person she was interested in was the real him and not some idea of him that she made up as a kid.

“Gee, you know me, how impressive,” he says, in not quite a deadpan, because he can’t suppress a smile. “It’s not very original and it could easily all go wrong, even before it starts, i just…planning it makes it closer to becoming real.” He wouldn’t mind it happening sooner, or being completely unplanned, but no matter how it happens, it has to be…not perfect, like she joked, but pretty damn close. They’d have plenty of chances for non-perfect sex after that. “Thank you for the tip,” he says sarcastically, though he means it. He still has to look into whether the hotel allowed candles, but he might just break the rules if they don’t. Candles are not going to be the thing that make or break their moment, but it will only further the fact that he pays attention to what she likes and wants her to feel as comfortable as possible. But he also has the very real fear of putting too much pressure on one night and ruining things under the weight of his own expectations. He’s trying not to care too much, but she’s his first love. Of course he cares.

It’s possible Josh is underestimating Maya’s mom. She’s the only person in this whole equation who he doesn’t know very well, though he’s certainly tried to change that. He knows that anyone who could single-handedly raise someone like Maya and get Shawn to finally settle down must be an amazing person. Maybe he’s just afraid she won’t like him, and she’ll be right not to. “Okay, I’m sorry, you’re right. I will have more faith in your mom going forward.” He wonders, though, how she would feel about them talking about her in this context. Mostly, he just hopes that she does approve of Josh. She’s nice enough, of course. And he’s proof that Maya might not make the same mistakes she made, at least when it comes to men. For whatever reason, her saying that makes him want to express some sign of affection, like kissing the back of her hand or running his thumb along her knuckles. Instead, he scoffs. “I just think I’m worth the wait, ever think of that?” Honestly, if she ever seriously tried something, he wouldn’t stop it. He wouldn’t be able to, probably, his own willpower would dissolve completely. But she respects his boundaries just as much as he over-respects hers. One of them just needs to do something and Josh can’t imagine who it’ll be.

He snorts, because that’s the kind of thing you can do in front of a girlfriend who’s stuck with you, and leans in to kiss her again, simultaneously too long and mostly chaste. “That’s not remotely what I was considering.” They’ve yet to accidentally buy tickets to some kind of porn showing, but it seems inevitable, considering when they went to these sketchy theaters. It probably helps that his family lives in a nice area and you might have to go farther uptown for that kind of thing. He would just like to have warning, whatever random thing it is that they end up seeing. Josh grabs the bag on instinct, barely managing not to drop it. “Thanks!” He says to the waiter, because he was fast, and he has seen them kissing more times than anyone in his own family tonight alone. “What about him?” He points with a finger as he lifts up the bag, indicating an older man with only half his head shaved, talking to a bicycle. “I bet it would be the best night of his life. But, in all fairness, it’ll probably be the best night of my life, too.”

“I guess that’s what really matters, huh?” She smirks up at him when he insinuates the lack of importance it had to him. She seemingly saw Josh get bolder and bolder by the minute, and it never failed to make her heart race. “That’s fair, but it’s at the price of the extra judgment she has because she doesn’t want it to happen in order not to hear about it.” She knows that confiding in Riley on that topic would be very touch and go. It’d probably involve vague situations where they both could assume where things led and leave it there where no one has to actually confront anything. “That’s so fucking dorky,” she chuckles, giving him a nudge. “You had a big fat crush on me, you loser.” She leaves out her blatantly obvious crush on him for years, opting to tease her boyfriend to avoid the warmth it gave her heart to know that he always wanted to see her the most, too. “I just don’t play into your little games of denial and diversion,” she points out. “Even around the family, though, we have to make sure we’re standing at an appropriate distance and we can’t kiss in front of adults without them battling between trusting you and loving us being happy or not wanting me to grow up and have a boyfriend. I swear if my mom and Topanga weren’t around, their heads would’ve exploded by now.” There’s no doubt in her mind about that, either. Cory and Shawn’s shared braincell wouldn’t even possess the power to figure that out without their wives there to ground them.

Maya shoots him a glare. “You know, you’re gonna be real sorry for being a dick once I have sex to withhold, right? You’re on the brink of losing making out.” With him matching her energy on the topic, she easily threatens it before it’s even becoming a reality. “You’ll get small little pecks for the rest of your life.” It’s an empty threat, and her smile is too big for him to think otherwise, but she still stands by it. She’d never outwardly admit to refusing to giving up the intimacy they share for her need for it. “I’m sure whatever cheesy little scene is going to be perfect, regardless of any way it goes.” She tries not to think about what he could be planning, wanting him to fully be able to surprise her when the time comes because he’s going to be so ready to surprise her if he ever gathers the nerve to execute his actions. She can practically smell the candles he’ll have lit already, planning on picking up a few and ‘leaving’ them in Riley’s room after the shopping trip so that Josh would have easy access to them. 

“Thank you,” she huffs, content with his reply. Her mom would be the only reason this idea would ever even see the possibility of coming true. As she usually good, she can see the thoughts swimming through Josh’s mind when he compliments her mom, knowing they hadn’t had too many interactions for him to trust her by. “She likes you," she tells him, her voice soft and certain. “She has the advantage of not being a Matthews, so she sees us a bit more realistically than everyone else does.” She remembers Katy sitting her down after they’d revealed their relationship over Christmas, expressing how excited she is to watch them fall in love despite the dramatic first reaction of her husband with Cory. Maya, of course, went bright red at the mention of being in love and changed the subject, but that moment sits fondly in her brain for times she’s irked with the stigma around her and Josh. “She trusts me more than she trusts you, and she knows I won’t do anything I’m not ready for. She also understands that we’re two teenagers, and she’d rather be on the same page than fight the inevitable.” She’d always appreciated how forward her mom could be when it came to things like missing curfew, drinking, and even sex. Maya was raised with the firm knowledge that no matter the status of her sobriety, relationship, or time of night she called, her mother would be there in an instant with whatever support she needs. It was awkward at first- being sat down and bluntly explained the pressures she would face entering high school- but she never fails to thank her mom for it when she sees her peers rebelling just to rebel and panicking to hide their choices from their parents in fear while Katy knows exactly where she is and what she’s doing, safe and trusted to make the right choices or call her if that’s not the case. “Uh, I think I’ve waited long enough, but nice try, Matthews.” It’s not the best joke in terms of taste, but Maya thinks it’s funny enough to entice a laugh from him.

“Good. I was kinda starting to like having you around.” She doesn’t think she’ll ever get tired of kissing him. It’d always been a form of PDA she couldn’t always see why everyone went so crazy over, but since being with Josh, it’s all she wants to do. When he suggests a tall drink of crazy, her eyes roll. “I think we should go with the latter option.” She tries to play off her blush at his comment about it being the best night, keeping her pace and rushing him to the entrance of their favorite and dingiest little theater. There’s a foreign title on the display, and Maya doesn’t blink twice in plucking Josh’s wallet from his back pocket and buying their tickets- partly because he was the instigator of this impromptu date and mostly because she didn’t have her wallet because of said circumstance. There would be a solid schedule of Latin features without subtitles until the ungodliest of hours, and so hiding out in their back corner would be secluded and private thanks to the lack of attention the single overnight worker paid. Even in the slim chance they would shift their attention to the actual screen, she knows they’d still enjoy themselves. They’d make up dialogue and tragic backstories and reckless actions for the characters. Any night out alone with Josh would be a great one. “I really hope this place never closes,” she says as she enters the showing room and heads for the stairs, right to the seats lacking an armrest that they can eliminate personal space with. “And that they never fix those chairs.” 

[uncleboingmatthews]

like a heart beat

[blog4replies-blog]

uncleboingmatthews‌:

“Well. Not necessarily. But to them, yeah, probably.” Josh didn’t want to speculate about Shawn when he was in high school, but he’d heard…things. There were downsides to going to the same high school as your siblings and their friends, even if it was over a decade later. Still, rumors were only that. It just seemed unfair that Josh should be kept on such a short leash by his family. Then again, it made sense. Shawn didn’t have a dad to look out for him and he was clearly doing his best to make sure Maya always had someone looking out for her. Josh liked to think he was that person, too, especially considering how much he policed his own actions. “Cory acts like he was born in the 1950s,” he joked. In his opinion, his parents weren’t that strict, they were simply…good people. Wholesome, even. Josh would never want to disappoint them. They never made him feel like he had, or could, though. It was Cory he really didn’t want to push away if he managed to make a mess of things with Maya. “We’ve still known each other a long time. Maybe not that well for some of it and maybe I didn’t visit as much somewhere in the middle, but…you know, after that Christmas where you started calling me Boing, I visited a lot more often.” She had probably noticed, given her crush, but she likely hadn’t thought she was a large contributor to that decision. Somehow, he found that confession exceptionally surprising. “Really? Nobody ever lets me forget it.” He couldn’t even if he tried. The Matthews family was extremely close, but even without that, he grew up in a house full of artifacts from his older siblings, walked the same school hallways they once had, and Mr. Feeny still lived next door. He even worked at the family business. Josh smiled when she kissed him, even though he’d said it because it was true and not in the hopes of being rewarded. “It is interesting to think about, but ultimately it’s a waste of time. Because this is our story and I kind of think it’s perfect, even with all of the meddling adults we have to deal with.”

“Um…I mean, I don’t know about perfect but.” He was too embarrassed to even say it. It was so cliché. And for all he knew, Shawn wouldn’t allow it. But Josh liked to think that he knew the man well enough to earn his trust. Josh was a lot more than just Maya’s boyfriend and Shawn was more than just his girlfriend’s step-dad. Growing up, Shawn was like Josh’s third brother, which would make him dating Maya kind of…weird but…the sentiment was still nice. “As long as you think I’m cute, I don’t mind being taunted so rudely.” Josh was obviously Maya’s most serious relationship, even if they weren’t physically that adventurous yet. The way he saw it, they had plenty of time for that stuff, and he planned on getting to all of it someday. “That’s the way I want it to be, too. I don’t want to put too much planning and pressure on it, but I…don’t know how to be spontaneous.” Period, with anything, but especially with this. It wasn’t just Maya’s virginity he had to consider, it was his own, too. And if it had to mean anything (and many arguments could be made about the trivialness of virginity as a concept), it had better mean something for both girls and boys, and everyone else. “So I shouldn’t start subtly trying to take notes on which candle scent you like best?” Haha, right…start.

Josh seeing Maya at all meant at least one of them was out of state, but both of them at the same time and without parental supervision was asking for a lot. “That’s pretty ambitious. Maybe if we won some once in a lifetime crazy contest with only four tickets, and we all entered together so it’d be unfair to swap Farkle and Riley out for Cory and Shawn.” Going on any kind of vacation with his girlfriend, his brother and his brother’s best friend sounded nightmarish, no matter how much he loved all of them. “Now we just gotta find a contest and rig it,” he joked, not unkindly, because he knew how much Maya craved privacy and he could definitely relate. It was a nice idea. He couldn’t tell if her palms were getting sweatier of it it was him, realistically it was probably both of them, but he’d tell himself that her hands were sweaty and she was blushing because it made him feel better about what he’d just said. It shouldn’t have come as a surprise to her, but he could have done more to show her how much he wanted her. To him it was just so obvious how enamored he was, and being a teenage boy, he had a lot of vivid fantasies that he hadn’t even remotely tried to make a reality. “I don’t like it,” he said, his voice cracking a little before he cleared his throat. “I just think it’s important. For now.” Maya wasn’t making much of an argument, because she was only saying the things he already knew, or the things he’d told himself plenty of times by now. But she was wearing on his resolve, if only because there really didn’t seem to be a good reason not to do something they both wanted to do, the more time that passed.

Yes, he was older, nobody was about to forget that any time soon, but he didn’t think that made him better at self-control than Maya. He might have been, based on the little they’d done and how much that wasn’t exactly Maya’s decision, but while they remained more or less alone in the corner booth, he couldn’t help getting a little carried away. He was only half listening to what she said, and he kissed her neck with a muffled “mhm” in agreement before exhaling and pulling away to look at her. His eyes roamed her face for a moment, then he forced himself to stand and offered her a hand. “I think we can order right at the register. We’ll wait at the bar.” There was a possibility they weren’t allowed to sit at the bar, due to being underage and all, but half the places in New York City didn’t care as long as you didn’t act like a dumbass, and they weren’t getting anything to drink, anyways. After they ordered and sat down on the stools, he was a little bit grateful, because it was harder to be close on such obviously separate seats. Still, he turned towards her, their knees bumping, and put his hand on her thigh. “What are the chances we’ve even heard of whatever’s showing tonight?”

“To everyone,” she thinks aloud, “even Shawn thinks that they did it right. I love them all, but the toll it takes on you being a normal teenagers when you have a little voice in your head reminding you that your best friend wouldn’t approve is a lot worse than you’d think.” She felt bad for Shawn growing up sometimes. It wasn’t like she didn’t get it. She was Riley’s Shawn, after all, and she knew the struggle it was internally to be best friends with the morality check task force leader. He’d always been up front with her when he talked about his experiences, and he’d always assured her that if she decided to go rogue here or there, just to let him know and he would be by her side as her partner in crime. “Hm...” her mind freezes when he slips in when he started coming around more. “You did start right after... Did you start coming around for me, too? Not just Cory?” She’d never even begun to consider that she would have anything to do with Josh’s presence. He loved his family, it never occurred that anything beyond that would influence him to stop by as much as possible. “Yeah, really,” Maya shrugs. “Obviously, it’s a huge part of who you are, but I just... You’re not like everyone else to me. I love being a part of it and I l love everyone so much, but I always feel like just another Matthews when we’re all together. Even with Riley, I have to make sure I don’t pull anything too classic Maya or she gets worried I’m going to go on like a bender. I mean that’s definitely not a bad thing that I’m a better person around her, but I don’t feel like that with you. I never feel like I have to make sure I’m being too nice or considerate or you’ll go into a deep investigation of what’s going on with me.” 

A smug look tugged her lips up, “I knew it!” She holds her head high triumphantly. “I knew you had a secret little plan in there, you sly dog.” She wonders if Josh ever thinks about the fact that she’s been pretty intimate before with other guys- hell, she even had a thing with Missy Bradford for a little bit- or if he just focuses on knowing that it had never meant as much as it does know. She understands his concern a little more at that, the perspective of fooling around with someone she didn’t have honest feelings about versus doing things with Josh. Her Josh. Not that he hadn’t always been her something, but it meant little compared to what they were now. He was her boyfriend whom she lov- cared a very great deal about. She wouldn’t let her mind travel to that L-word yet. She shakes her head, the playful laugh she lets out hopefully giving away how fucking cute she was finding this all. “I like this orange spice one that Riles gets from the farmer’s market. I’m sure she’ll help you get a few if you don’t reveal your true motive.”

Maya shakes her head at his counterpoint. “You’re forgetting the importance of having my mom on board, Joshua.” She had it all planned out in her mind. With her mom’s assistance, they could plan around a weekend where all of the adults would have something conflicting on their calendars. That’s where Josh would swoop in, pointing out that he’d be free and willing to go with to keep an eye on everyone, and Katy would just go crazy to Shawn about how nice it would be to have an empty nest for a few days. After Shawn is convinced, he brings it up to Cory after Katy casually slips in that Maya and Riley were too scared to even bring it up, knowing their fathers would never trust them enough for that, who then brings it up to Topanga who makes the rational point that with Farkle there, Riley and Maya would be thoroughly distracted from Josh’s presence. “She’s the key player. She’ll tear their defenses down from inside.” So maybe she had put a little more than no thought into it, a few lonely nights in her room getting the best of her. “Yeah, yeah,” she mutters with the roll of her eyes. “Just admit you’re a tease and move on, Matthews.”

A hand finds its way into Josh’s hair when he makes a noise against her neck, the vibration, her bottom lip tugged between her teeth. She was surprised at how distracting Josh was acting in public- pleasantly surprised, but still, a little shocked. She follows him with their hands linked, reading off her order to the man that takes it and finding the nearest stool to plop down on. She reminds herself of the seats waiting for them to avoid her frown at not practically being on Josh’s lap, her fingers finding the top of his hand on her thigh to trace little swirled patterns across it. “Slim, but even if it was one of your favorites you’d walk out of there single before I let you pay more attention to it than me.” Her head turns when their sandwiches are placed on the top of the bar beside them, wasting no time in a hurried ‘Thanks!’ before she forces the bag into one of Josh’s hands, the other getting a vice grip to start leading him out of there. “Now, hurry up, or I’ll find another boy to ignore a big screen with.”

[uncleboingmatthews]

like a heart beat

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“I definitely know.” If it was easier for Maya to get to Philly, they’d have an easier time spending time together, but the easiest thing would be living in the same city. Thankfully, that was undoubtedly in their future, he only wished it wasn’t so far away. He knew it wouldn’t be all fun and games at NYU, really he did, but the benefits would far outweigh the increased workload and demanding professors and friendly sorority girls. Josh spent a lot of his time mentally preparing for college (obviously – this was a guy who took a summer course in high school instead of enjoying his break from school). “It’s partially their overprotectiveness and partially our age difference, but really it’s that we’re both still young and we haven’t been together that long.” Certainly not by Cory and Topanga standards. He was caught off-guard by the question, surprised that she’d think about things like that, and not entirely sure what answer she was looking for. Like always, he settled for the truth. “Honestly, no. I don’t think it’s possible for you and Riley to never meet. You’d end up in class together eventually and you’d always become best friends. Even if you were just another one of my brother’s students, I’d still meet you and I’d fall for you. ‘Cause I’m not an idiot.” If they met under other circumstances, it’d be different, their relationship wouldn’t be built on a shared history. But most romantic relationships weren’t and it would still be beautiful, because it’d still be them. He’d just notice her looks before her personality if he met her when they were both in high school instead of as kids, and something about that felt a little wrong to him.

He rolled his eyes. “If it was that easy to make my head explode, it’d be gone already.” One of Josh’s biggest weaknesses was that he was a hopeless romantic, and he and Maya were already built up as some weird starcrossed relationship, if only because he’d framed it that way to avoid doing something to hurt her when they were younger. Their families didn’t disapprove, they were cautious. And they weren’t the thing standing between him and Maya going further than they already had, it was Josh. Maya clearly sensed this and he felt kind of bad about it but he wasn’t really depriving her of anything. They had plenty of time for more physical things. Most importantly, it couldn’t happen just anywhere, not in his mind. Maybe after the first time, sure, but he was one of those people who needed it to be perfect and the pressure he put on himself was the only thing threatening to ruin the moment when it came. It would be better if it happened organically and he didn’t plan it to death, but he didn’t like the uncertainty of going with the flow. “I get jealous to a healthy degree,” he said defensively. “Only because I care about you, not because I think anyone else has something over me.” Not doing certain things with Maya was his choice, ultimately, and he wasn’t about to forget that. He wanted more but he knew that once they started something, there wasn’t any going back. “You know child brides still happen in America, Maya.” Or maybe that wasn’t the kind of stuff Cory, seemingly her only teacher, taught her about in school.

“What, you want to enroll in NASA camp?” It was good idea in an American Pie kind of way, but he seriously doubted the validity of movies like that. But he was pretty sure that going away to some kind of summer camp would give them an opportunity to be together without their family – or most of their family, if Riley was coming. Josh couldn’t imagine anyone putting a stop to a museum visit, but in New York City, that didn’t mean any amount of privacy. “I think i’ve been to the museums around here more than you, because they’re always full of tourists and you can hardly walk around. We’d have better luck at Coney Island on a rainy day.” But that was probably pushing it, considering how far away it was, and how the only educational attraction was the aquarium. “With the way everyone acts, they probably think we’re already doing things we’re not, anyways. There’s really no use sneaking around, we should just…” He didn’t actually know how to end that sentence. “Maya,” he said tersely under his breath. “I absolutely never said I didn’t want to.” Josh strongly believed there were other ways of sharing intimacy that didn’t include being handsy.

The one time he’d caught Maya and Riley out after curfew, a lifetime before he and Maya were together, he hadn’t ratted them out to Cory. It turned out that leaving and entering the Matthews apartment without detection was pretty easy, but he’d never purposely taken advantage of that knowledge. He had no idea if the same was true for Maya’s place, but he had to believe Shawn was more savvy to these sorts of teen hijinks. But it was possible he knew that Josh wasn’t doing the things he was doing at the same age, so maybe he’d cut him some slack. He wasn’t surprised when Maya turned the kiss into more than he’d intended, but if he wasn’t willing at that exact moment to openly make out with his girlfriend in public, then he never would have kissed her to begin with. When she freed her hand from his, he immediately put his arm around her waist, nearly pulling her into his lap. They both broke the kiss the moment the waitress spoke and Josh couldn’t even shoot her an apologetic look, he was too embarrassed. But he didn’t let go of Maya, and at her question, he gave her waist a light squeeze. “Should we order the grilled cheese to go and sneak it in? I still don’t want you to starve.” He knew the waitress wouldn’t be back any time soon, so he leaned in to kiss her softly where her jawline and neck met. “But I really like your idea,” he mumbled against her skin.

“Yeah, but to be together long enough for us to think we’re ready for anything we would’ve had to be dating for two-thirds of a decade by now.” She rolled her eyes with a chuckle, thinking of the issues surrounding Topanga and Cory as the perfect example they had. “You should’ve seen Cory’s face the last time I let them glimpse into my dating life. He was so blown away that I was holding his hand when we walked in the apartment when it was his first time meeting the family, I thought he was going to pass out.” She left out the fact that it was also the last time she let anyone she remotely had anything more than a fling with into her home life, which she was positive Josh would assume knowing exactly how foreign bringing a potential romantic interest into the Matthews’ New York apartment that she hadn’t known since birth very odd. It was one of the things she did find nice about their pairing, knowing that she could be seen as the next Cory and Topanga in a way, just solely for their bond over childhood. “Sometimes it feels like we’ve been together forever, but they manage to bring ya right back into reality with that one.” Maya nodded at his response, knowing he was speaking his honest thoughts. “I know we probably would, but I don’t really think of you as a Matthews, I guess. It sounds funny, but with everyone in the family I’ve gained through Riles, it’s always her parents or her brother or her aunt and uncles. I never think of you like that anymore. You’re just my Josh, and it just makes me wonder if we’d be together if you weren’t a fellow Matthews first.” She couldn’t help her blush when he states that he’d fall for her like it’s the only logical option. Satisfied with the knowledge that he also felt like they would be together even without the universe’s help, she delivered a quick kiss to his cheek. “I’m glad we met how we did, though. I just like thinking about how you’d be mine in any situation.”

“Oh, so you do already have the perfect place in mind?” she teased, a little disappointed he was handing this so smoothly. She liked when he used to clam up at the thought of them having sex, but it made sense. They’d been together long enough that it wasn’t a foreign concept. It was something she was sure he put way, way too much thought into and would eventually blow her away from how sweet and detail oriented would be when they do cross that line. “I know you do,” she replies. “It only gets cuter and cuter.” It wasn’t that she loved making him jealous because she didn’t. She just loved that rush she got knowing that she was his, and that he would be ready to get angry over the thought that she wasn’t. Never in a scary way, but in a hot, protective, definitely making Maya feel special and wanted type of way. “Okay, sorry, like you’re deflowering an American child bride. My mistake.” She lets out a tiny sigh. “I just know how worked up you can get about this stuff, Josh.” She hoped using his name would convey her seriousness behind what she was saying. “I know you’re going to do it anyways because you’re a Matthews, but it’s not wrong for something to happen organically and in the moment. I just want you to know that in that big heart of yours. You put yourself under so much pressure for anything, and I’d be happy and blown away anywhere in any situation because I’m with you.”

Another eye roll escaped her when he completely missed the point. “No, dummy, we’d go somewhere out of state. Somewhere that Riley and Farkle could actually explore and we could totally ditch for another far less crowded activity.” She tried to think of a good example, but was left with nothing. “Like some weird nerd place that they actually want to go to, and we just stay at the same hotel and pose for pictures in front of landmarks before we totally have separate trips.” She wondered if they did actually think that she and Josh had done more, or if they did everything for the sake of being overprotective and involved on both sides. She managed an innocent smile at the tone he used to say her name, not exactly expecting him to admit outright that he did actually want to. Sure, she knew he did want to do things and only held reservations about the sanctity of them, but he was extremely less crude about the topic, something she always avoided being just to poke some fun at him. Hearing him flat out tell her that he clearly did made her eyes widen, her cheeks flush. She tried to conceal the little burst of being flustered she experienced, attempting to play it cool and keep her composed stance. “Right… you just like making me wait,” she said as if it’s obviously the only conclusion to draw. “My point exactly. Thank you for clarifying that and expanding on this discussion.”

Maya knew that deep down, there wouldn’t be any real consequences. They could climb into Riley’s window and act like they’d been there for hours, her best friend not hesitating to cover for them. When caught by the men already in there, she would slip that they arrived back while Cory was sound asleep and Shawn was in the bathroom or something as equally logical, knowing that Cory wouldn’t have much of a response to that because he was, just as she said, probably already knocked out on their couch. Shawn, of course, would know better, but he would let it slide, knowing that deep down they weren’t doing anything too extreme because he trusted Josh and was just doing his duty as a father giving him a hard time. A snicker made its way into the kiss and against his lips when she felt her body being subconsciously pulled towards his lap, knowing Josh was far less into PDA than she was but hadn’t had a moment to make out in too long and was just as desperate as she was to risk it out at dinner. After finally succeeding in embarrassing him enough to knock a response from him, Maya took it as a victory when they were left with their menus. “I think some grilled cheese and a dark empty movie theater with you sounds heavenly right now.” She already knew what she’d be ordering, the triple cheddar grilled cheese she had seen a million times on Jane the Virgin and had made on a whim that instantly became her favorite. That made it not an issue when she got distracted by her boyfriend’s lips when she started to actually reach for a menu. Her eyes fluttered shut and she gave a contented sigh as a reaction. “I think we might just have to bring her back over here pretty soon so we can be on our way, and so you can keep doing that in our favorite seats during the movie we’re not going to pay attention to.” She used favorite loosely as they’d only managed to sneak over there twice before, but always stole the makeshift couch that the pair of seats with the missing armrest created in the corner of the theater, the building manager being just too lazy to repair it.

[uncleboingmatthews]

like a heart beat

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 Even when they were on his case, Josh never took for granted how supportive his family was in general. They cared maybe a little too much, but it was a whole lot better than siblings who pretended he didn’t exist, which he knew was common with a lot of families with huge age differences. His parents had also been through this three times already by the time he was born and he came along at perhaps the worst time, and his birth wasn’t an easy one. So he knew, too, that his existence was never taken for granted, even when Cory was acting like Josh needed to be watched closely, lest he do something inappropriate. It was strange how Cory and Josh had been raised by the same people, and overall they had similar morals and values, but waiting until marriage to have sex was never something he subscribed to, even if his actions seemed to indicate otherwise. Still, Cory probably wouldn’t have cared as much if he was dating someone who wasn’t Maya. “They love you, Maya. They love both of us and that makes things complicated.” But it didn’t have to, in his opinion. “Guess so. You better get used to being Riley’s cool aunt.”

He made a noise of disapproval at the suggestion. “I’m not sure about that.” If anyone stumbled across Maya’s suspicious browsing history, he’d be the one to take the fall. At least now he could say he tried to convince her otherwise. “And anyways…it can’t be that hard. Teenagers have sex all the time, even with overbearing parents.” Frankly, the fact that the mere idea of where they could take their relationship to the next level was presenting an issue was embarrassing. Naturally, focusing on the logistics made Josh less nervous that pretty much any other aspect of the topic. “Nah,” he lied, tightening his hold on her hand. “I’m the one who gets to be with you now, that’s all that matters.” And even if he and Maya hadn’t gotten that far physically, he’d known her longer than most people, he’d had her in his life in a more meaningful way than any other guy she’d been with. “I’m not scared,” he said defensively. “I’m…it’s hard to explain. My family is really traditional and I take this stuff seriously. But that doesn’t mean I don’t wonder what it would be like.”

In an ideal world, he’d love to go on a trip with Maya, even if it involved his niece and one of their friends while all of his own friends were absent. But chaperoning was an extremely thin excuse when he could barely keep his hands to himself around Maya, even if it was little innocent touches or her hand always being in his. “Doesn’t Farkle have a girlfriend? Wouldn’t she get kind of jealous if we had some weird double date ski vacation? And what about Zay? Would he not come without Lucas?“ Honestly, he couldn’t tell if her suggestion was serious. It just felt like if they wanted to get away together, they’d either have to bring her whole class again, or it’d be just the two of them. And just the two of them would most likely involve lying or running off without telling anybody. Josh was trying to earn everyone’s trust enough that they’d eventually loosen up, not mess up so they were even more watchful. “Well…if we have to wait until you’re eighteen before we can be alone alone, it’d be worth the wait.”

“I’ll just have to keep reminding you, I guess,” he said with a smile as they neared the restaurant. Josh hadn’t given much thought to his own hunger, more preoccupied with Maya’s melodrama over her own, but his stomach growled as the scent of burgers and fried foods wafted over them. “That’s not a bad idea.” Thankfully, they didn’t have to wait long before the were seated, and considering it was a Monday evening, they managed a booth in the back all to themselves. “Hey,” he said suddenly, before their waiter inevitably came over and Maya fell into a hunger vortex while poring over the menu. He shifted so his knees slotted in between hers and leaned in to be heard over the music. “This place doesn’t close until 1am. How mad would my brother be if I kept you out past midnight? Because the more time that passes, the more I realize how short this trip is really going to be. And I don’t feel like sharing you with anyone else.” Josh took both of her hands in his and pulled her in closer for a kiss, the threat of someone coming over at any moment to hand them menus only mostly absent from his mind. Who could blame him for wanting to kiss her as often as he could, anyways?

“I know they do,” she sighed. “It’s just hard sometimes, y’know? Theoretically, that fact should make everything so much easier for us, but it’s only made it ten times harder. When I stand less than five feet from you, we have everyone’s eyes on us.” She knew it wasn’t out of anything but pure love and over protection at its finest, but she still found herself wondering what it would be like if they didn’t have all those ties. “Do you ever think about what it would be like if Riley and I had never met? Do you think we’d still end up together?” She knew it wasn’t likely. Without Riley, her and Josh wouldn’t have likely crossed paths as children, and she knew that without her best friend she wouldn’t be exactly on the better end of the grading scale which means she would have more time for causing trouble than homework. If anything, she would’ve met Josh sneaking around to college parties, which she definitely would’ve been doing by at least the age of fifteen, and he could not even give her a second glance. “Do you think we’d ever even cross paths in the real world if I didn’t have Riles?” 

She shrugged at his disapproval. “You’re just scared that I would find somewhere so perfect your head would pop off before we make it behind a door.” Maya stuck her tongue out at him playfully. Honestly, she could see their first time ending up in some closet or the back seat of a car, a desperate moment they don’t have it in them to pretend they’re able to walk away from. It wasn’t like she would complain if that were the case, either. It’d be nothing less than impressive for them to actually find a vehicle to do it in, let alone a technical room in someone’s home. It wasn’t an ideal situation, but it’d be one with total privacy which is all they could ask for. “It’s cute when you pretend you don’t get jealous.” She paused when she heard him deny being afraid. “It’s even cuter that you’re acting like I don’t see you repeating every warning of taking advantage of me for my age or the fact I had a crush on you since middle school by anyone that has ever known us. I’m not saying it’s something that needs to happen. I’m just asking that you don’t hold back on anything because it’s me, Josh.” She felt a little defeated with the result of the conversation essentially ending with them in the same place as it began. “Just… if you need the green light that I don’t need you to dance around doing something that feels right in the moment, I’m giving it to you. We’re stupid teenagers who care for each other a ridiculous amount, not some child bride scenario in a third world country where you’re going to be shunned for deflowering me.”

There was no doubt that her mom could talk Shawn into believing that with Farkle and Riley with them, Maya wouldn’t think twice about focusing all her energy on her friends, and if Shawn was convinced, Cory would be convinced. “I dunno, even without reliving the ski lodge, I think it’d work. Maybe we could go to some big science thing- a famous museum or something. It wouldn’t be a weird double date thing. It’d be Riley and Farkle having fun wherever we are because they are giant nerds, and us having some privacy while they geek out. In addition to us not needing to bring everyone I attend school with to the destination with us because Farkle, Riley, and I are already a solid trio, we’d also have the blessing of Cory with no Lucas there.” She was quite proud of her little scheme. With a little begging to her mom, she did truly believe they could get it in motion. “You just love to make me wait,” she muttered, a tiny glare shot his way. “First dinner... then this whole you not wanting to fuck me situation...” Her eyes gleamed mischievously, hoping to get a rise out of him for being so blunt about the topic. “And now, even a sweet, innocent trip where Riley and Farkle would pretend we hardly exist which means almost all of our time would be alone alone.” She clicked her tongue at him. “Tsk, tsk, Matthews. Might have to search for a new boyfriend that is a little more passionate about being intimate.”

Maya eagerly plopped herself down in the booth, beyond ready to get the meal moving along. (Not to escape Josh or anything, but to attend to being starved!) Everything slowed down for a second when she leaned forward, listening closely to her boyfriend with a small grin. “Not nearly as mad as my father would be knowing my curfew is eleven, but I think it might just be worth the risk.” It was still a little strange using those words, no matter how much time had gone by. She had a father again. She didn’t have a no-show sperm donor, but an actual father waiting on the couch for her to arrive so he can sleep soundly, her mother already in bed she’s sure as she was perfectly fine giving her daughter the much needed alone time that she had been wishing for since the last visit. She leaned in as he did, her full lips parted and cheeks flushed. She pressed a soft, tentative kiss first, then realizing just exactly how much she craved making out, she deepened it with her right hand breaking from his grasp and slowly moving up his chest. When it reached his neck, it paused, slowly wrapping its way to cup his jawline. They didn’t notice the uncomfortable waitress standing at their table with menus until she cleared her throat loudly, trying to avoid any more of an awkward encounter with a nervous squeak of, “I’ll give you guys a few minutes to decide.” Maya pulled back, her bottom lip tugged between her cheeks and a rosy tint to her face. She couldn’t even try to hold back her chuckle. “We might just have to trade out this place for one of those cheesy midnight horror showings at that little dinky theater a few blocks over to spare that poor girl another aneurysm.”

[uncleboingmatthews]

like a heart beat

[uncleboingmatthews]

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Maya chuckled at the thought of Topanga sprinting into action at her defense. “I think she’d be busy holding the boys back. Maybe Auggie could get a good one in?” She thought of back at Christmas when they’d announced they started dating. Auggie had come up to the both of them with his chest out, warning Josh that even if he was the cool uncle, he better not hurt Maya in any way. She didn’t like to think about the consequences if she were to ever hurt Josh. She hated how everyone assumed it’d be him that would mess up, the pressure of being a stupid teenager falling in love amplifying at the fact no one even tried to warn her about anything. The weight of that couldn’t be helping Josh in any way. “I bet if I broke your heart Topanga would have a day, though,” she attempted to joke, wanting to take some of the blame for the impossible scenarios everyone put in the air. There were no plans to break up, no plans for any point of someone being hurt, and she couldn’t stand that it still swung over them.

“Shut up!” She whacked his side at the joke about her height. It was true, the lack of privacy they got just about everywhere else was pathetic. She knew in some way she and Josh could actually relax together. She got a second of relief before she felt her blood burning again. “Oh, did you have somewhere else planned?” she teased, hoping to savor the ounce of her dignity through her blush. She wanted to fluster him just as much, an attempt to get the upper hand she usually held. “Please, lead the way, casanova,” Maya smirked devilishly. She knew how he danced around those topics with her, unsure of how to approach to please both her and the family around them. Her smirk only faltered when she realized how much it must condition his thinking, taking a second to be a little more serious. “All jokes aside, though,” she started with a squeeze to his hand, “I’d tell you if I weren’t alright with anything. I know they have it in your pretty little head that anything more than a peck to my cheek is taking advantage of me, but they don’t take into account the fact that I’m not a first grader anymore or the fact I’ve done far more than kissing with other guys I’ve gone out with.”

She laughed at the concept of him ditching school to stay with her. “Cory would just eat that right up.” She could even imagine the lecture they’d get from him. All the points of Josh throwing away his education to take advantage of Maya, or how she’d start falling behind in school distracted by a boy which she knows she shouldn’t do. It’d be carefully worded as to preserve the importance of each person, but still a little jab at them getting too consumed in their romance for them to stay ahead in their separate achievements. He’d mean well, but honestly just probably drive Maya even more into Josh’s arms because she’s sure the bulk of the blame would be on her boyfriend because of his age. “I think we need a vacation,” she blurted out. “I bet my mom would help in secret. She knows how they can get.”

She just knew Riley must love to have Josh owe her one for a rendezvous with Lucas. She was very fortunate that she had the ounce of independence with Shawn that Riley lacked with her own father. Sure, he checked in more than preferred, but he was very firm on trying not to treat Maya like she was still only thirteen, something he heard Riley complain about more than enough to want to enforce with Maya. “It was rough, babe,” she pouted. “I’m so lucky to have a big, strong boyfriend to save me from perishing.”

He made a face. “I think I could take an eight year old.” Naturally, he wouldn’t fight back but he was pretty sure he could hold his own against his nephew. He’d just do that thing where you hold out a hand on the other person’s head and they’re left to swing futilely at the air. Josh idly ran his thumb along the back of Maya’s hand as they walked, taking her words into consideration even though, when he allowed himself to think about such things, he could honestly say that he didn’t worry about anything happening to them. They missed each other most of the time, too much to let dumb things get in the way. Josh knew that Maya had her hang ups, that she was used to people leaving, and maybe one day she’d try to protect herself by leaving before being left. But even if that happened, Josh refused to blame her. If she broke up with him, for any reason, he would be utterly heart broken, but he’d always care about her and want the best for her.

“Don’t act like I wasn’t just stating a fact.” He pulled her closer, even as she swatted at him. Maya’s height was a slightly touchy subject, but as far as Josh considered, it was one of the cutest things about her and he mentioned it only in that context. “No,” he said quickly, a little too quickly, making it obvious he was lying. Of course he’d thought about it, even when he didn’t want to. Josh couldn’t control his thoughts, or even more specifically his dreams. It wasn’t true what people said about teenage boys always thinking about sex, at least not for Josh, but it was impossible to not think about it sometimes. But in any of these scenarios, they were never anywhere familiar like Cory’s apartment or Maya’s or even Josh’s house, even though it arguably had the best chance of privacy. And he wasn’t the kind of guy to get a hotel room, either. So…he never got very far with this particular hypothetical. “Far more, huh?” Ever since Maya expressed interest in him, Josh was practically hellbent on her dating other people, on her experiencing things with someone who wasn’t him, so if they ever got together, he wasn’t the guy taking all of her firsts. But now that they were together, he didn’t love thinking about it. “Well, I guess…we can’t just go from 0 to 60. Or, I…don’t think we should. So, um, if you want to do…stuff, we can…” He coughed before clearing his throat, finishing with a weak, “yeah.”

He scoffed. “Cory doesn’t get to judge me. He got to go to school with his girlfriend for literally his whole life.” And it seemed that Josh would never have a single class with Maya. In a way, that was one of the only things about their age difference that actually made him sad. Sure, they didn’t live in the same city, anyways, but even if they did, he’d never get to know her to way that her friends did. It occurred to him that he didn’t know school Maya. Even Cory knew school Maya. But they’d grown up together in other ways and he knew Maya more intimately than a lot of her friends. Josh laughed at the suggestion, but he was curious. “What kind of vacation?”

Growing up, Josh didn’t see any of his siblings nearly enough, though he always knew without a shadow of a doubt that he was loved. He was always considered their miracle baby, but there wasn’t just an age difference between him and his siblings, there was a generational gap. It was hard to relate to them on a brother level, but he’d do anything for his family. And for a long time, Shawn was like another brother, even if they didn’t see each other regularly. He knew that Shawn still loved him like a little brother, but he loved Maya, too, and it was natural to be defensive. “Sounds like we’re going to need some appetizers, too. I’d hate for my surprise visit to end in you starving to death.”

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She grinned in response, seeing Auggie being held at arm's length from Josh, as she was sure he was picturing as well. The one thing she would never hate about her over-the-top family was that it meant that they cared. Auggie loved her enough to fight his uncle. Cory loved her enough to have no boundaries. Shawn loved her enough to have .3 boundaries. Her mom and Topanga loved her enough to cut her some slack with Josh when they could manage to get a handle on their husbands meddling. “It’s nice to know they care, I guess,” she shrugs. “I don’t think I’d know how to act if they ever weren’t exactly who they are right now.” She was trying to look on probably the only brighter side of this. “Guess we gotta stay together forever to prevent World War Matthews Episode 2: Hunter Strikes Back.”

Maya couldn’t hold back a giggle at being tugged despite her protest and fake fight attempt. Her smile turned back into a smirk when she saw how bashful Josh became. “I guess I’ll have to find somewhere then.” She truly loves having the advantage of being as calm as she could show on the outside. She’d definitely thought about it, and it was definitely more than once. She was a teenage girl with needs, but also was painfully aware of how calculated every touch she got from Josh was. His hands would move to her waist, but never far enough down to pull at her hips. He slowed down for a breather the second she would pull herself into his lap. He would match her energy for exactly 46 seconds without fail when she started to get more aggressive in kissing, more desperate, and she knew that because she counted every single time. “What, you jealous, Matthews? Don’t want to hear all my dirty little secrets?” She was teasing, but what could she say? It’s fun to watch Josh squirm. “I’m not going to do anything you’re not okay with, Josh. It’s not just about me being comfortable.” She wanted to emphasize their equal partnership in this. “I’m not going to force you to do more, I just don’t want you to be scared to.”

At his comment, she immediately started to brainstorm ideas to get them in a class together once she finishes high school. She was sure she’d end up at NYU with him, so it was a matter of forcing him to take some beginner extracurricular class, maybe cooking or pottery. Maybe convince him to put off a few gen-ed classes until she was around and they could take the basic classes together that they wouldn’t need to pay too much attention in. He could finally see her in her prime as a class troublemaker. “I dunno. Maybe she can get them into letting you chaperone a trip without Lucas. We could bring Farkle, and him and Riles would be fine on their own.” She knew her mom would go for it, help nudge them along to get an escape. “We could all go back to Mount Sun Lodge,” she snorted sarcastically.

“I still can barely believe you’re here,” she repeats, “I never thought I’d be the type of girl gushing over this type of stuff, but it’s so different now that we’re home.” She missed Magnolia so much that it hurt sometimes. They had all the time for each other, routines, traditions, practically lived together. On top of that, they’d practically been living together. Usually a death sentence in the beginning of a relationship, she and Josh had grown stronger from it. She assumed it was because they’d been so familiar for essentially their entire lives, but there was something deep inside that told her that it was just how things were meant to be. A home with Josh would welcome her one day, and they were just practicing after giving in to their feelings. Maya beamed as they finally approached their destination. “We’ll buy out the entire kitchen, it’ll be fine.” She tugged on him a little harder, pacing forward towards the line right as her stomach let out a growl. “I know,” she spoke down to it, cradling it with her free hand. “We’re going to get some food in you soon.”

[uncleboingmatthews]

like a heart beat

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He smiled fondly at the comment, even if the implication was mildly offensive. Despite how he inadvertently toyed with her emotions before they started dating, Josh would sooner break his own heart a hundred times over than ever dare hurt her. Still, he smiled because it was true, she was already a part of his family. Hell, Maya was just as much a Matthews as he was. Her place in the family was already cemented by her relationship with Riley, but between dating Josh and gaining Shawn as a father, there really wasn’t much she could do to make her title any more official. Short of marrying Josh but that was another thing entirely. “If I started playing with your heart, I hope Topanga would kick my ass. I’d kick my own ass.” Josh snorted at the suggestion, wishing it was true. At least they did manage some time alone together. “Right, they have a great track record for respecting our privacy.” He often imagined Cory and Shawn with glasses to their ears against the wall whenever they were alone in Riley’s room. As if he’d try anything in his niece’s bedroom.

“I don’t know about sneakiest, but you are the smallest. It’s a definite sneaking advantage.” And it helped that his parents were, technically, elders and went to sleep around 9pm each night, if they were feeling wild. His father also still woke up at 5am each day in order to open the shop bright and early in the morning, a job that Josh himself was only saved from when he had school. He knew what she meant, though he was sure his own face was reddening despite how he resolutely looked straight ahead as if she hadn’t said anything suggestive. It was nice, the rare moments when she was flustered, he just ideally liked these moments when he wasn’t also flustered. He laughed it off, as if she was overreacting, and he was the mature one. “I do.” Josh hesitated, knowing that out in public wasn’t the best time to discuss important relationship milestones and questions of comfort with certain activities, but he also wasn’t good at bringing these things up organically. “But if you meant the other thing…I’m not sure my parents’ house is the ideal location.” He did not, however, expand on where the ideal location might be. No matter Josh’s own leanings, he couldn’t shake feeling like he was accidentally taking advantage. Everyone’s brainwashing had done wonders.

He grinned before leaning down to kiss the crown of her head, mumbling into her hair, “Don’t worry, I plan on it.” A lot of couples broke up before college, which on one hand Josh understood, but not in the context of his own relationship. Ironically, going away to college meant moving closer to his girlfriend, and if anything it would put less strain on their relationship. They’d conquered long distance and earned the chance to date in the same city, just like when they first got together. Sixteen year old Josh was intrigued by college girls, but sixteen year old Josh was an idiot. He didn’t notice that the perfect girl was right there. And there was no possible way for him to even meet a girl as interesting or beautiful or funny as Maya. He only hoped that she was too focused on him moving there that she didn’t even stop to think about all the new people he would meet, because they’d been down that path before they even dated. And even back then, nothing happened with Josh and any of the girls he met at NYU. He chose instead to walk his niece and her best friend home.

“I was hoping you’d say that,” he replied, clearly proud of himself for thinking of a place with exactly what she wanted so quickly. “Yeesh, I know the way.” Josh didn’t mind being dragged around by Maya – otherwise they’d never work out. He winced, remembering how he’d bribed his niece in order to keep her lips zipped. “I told Riley if she managed not to spill the beans I’d babysit Auggie for her and cover with Cory so she could go on an unauthorized date with Lucas.” Josh supposed he was lucky that Shawn didn’t interrogate Josh about his plans and request an outline of all their dates whenever he came by to take Maya out. “Aw, sweetheart, I’m so sorry you suffered.” He raised their joined hands to his lips and kissed the back of her hand. “I’ll spring for some dessert.”

Maya chuckled at the thought of Topanga sprinting into action at her defense. “I think she’d be busy holding the boys back. Maybe Auggie could get a good one in?” She thought of back at Christmas when they’d announced they started dating. Auggie had come up to the both of them with his chest out, warning Josh that even if he was the cool uncle, he better not hurt Maya in any way. She didn’t like to think about the consequences if she were to ever hurt Josh. She hated how everyone assumed it’d be him that would mess up, the pressure of being a stupid teenager falling in love amplifying at the fact no one even tried to warn her about anything. The weight of that couldn’t be helping Josh in any way. “I bet if I broke your heart Topanga would have a day, though,” she attempted to joke, wanting to take some of the blame for the impossible scenarios everyone put in the air. There were no plans to break up, no plans for any point of someone being hurt, and she couldn’t stand that it still swung over them.

“Shut up!” She whacked his side at the joke about her height. It was true, the lack of privacy they got just about everywhere else was pathetic. She knew in some way she and Josh could actually relax together. She got a second of relief before she felt her blood burning again. “Oh, did you have somewhere else planned?” she teased, hoping to savor the ounce of her dignity through her blush. She wanted to fluster him just as much, an attempt to get the upper hand she usually held. “Please, lead the way, casanova,” Maya smirked devilishly. She knew how he danced around those topics with her, unsure of how to approach to please both her and the family around them. Her smirk only faltered when she realized how much it must condition his thinking, taking a second to be a little more serious. “All jokes aside, though,” she started with a squeeze to his hand, “I’d tell you if I weren’t alright with anything. I know they have it in your pretty little head that anything more than a peck to my cheek is taking advantage of me, but they don’t take into account the fact that I’m not a first grader anymore or the fact I’ve done far more than kissing with other guys I’ve gone out with.”

She laughed at the concept of him ditching school to stay with her. “Cory would just eat that right up.” She could even imagine the lecture they’d get from him. All the points of Josh throwing away his education to take advantage of Maya, or how she’d start falling behind in school distracted by a boy which she knows she shouldn’t do. It’d be carefully worded as to preserve the importance of each person, but still a little jab at them getting too consumed in their romance for them to stay ahead in their separate achievements. He’d mean well, but honestly just probably drive Maya even more into Josh’s arms because she’s sure the bulk of the blame would be on her boyfriend because of his age. “I think we need a vacation,” she blurted out. “I bet my mom would help in secret. She knows how they can get.”

She just knew Riley must love to have Josh owe her one for a rendezvous with Lucas. She was very fortunate that she had the ounce of independence with Shawn that Riley lacked with her own father. Sure, he checked in more than preferred, but he was very firm on trying not to treat Maya like she was still only thirteen, something he heard Riley complain about more than enough to want to enforce with Maya. “It was rough, babe,” she pouted. “I’m so lucky to have a big, strong boyfriend to save me from perishing.”

[uncleboingmatthews]

like a heart beat

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Maya would never let him forget the way he used to wield their age difference like a shield, but it was actually just the first on a long list of reasons why he had held her at a distance for as long as he did. It wasn’t not the main reason he ignored his feelings until Magnolia, there were simply other factors to consider, factors that he had to face almost every time he saw his girlfriend. Because seeing Maya often meant seeing Cory, and sometimes meant seeing Shawn, and though these were two men who knew Josh’s heart well enough to trust him with Maya’s, it was still…uneasy. He wasn’t the kind of person to take advantage of someone, let alone his niece’s best friend, but he knew exactly why everyone had been skeptical at the beginning, and maybe still were. It was a precarious, strange situation to be in. His family watched them a little too closely and he knew Cory, at least, trusted him to take care of Maya. He was probably more preoccupied with what would happen should Josh and Maya broke up. For Josh’s part, he did do his best to ensure that things would never get awkward between his niece and her best friend, but he also found it nearly impossible to even theorize about a break up. He was far too busy enjoying every nanosecond he got to spend with Maya.

When it came to girlfriends, Josh didn’t have a whole lot of experience to draw from, but considering Cory married a woman he had known practically his entire life, he liked to believe his parents weren’t too invasive. If they hadn’t done anything to interfere with their middle son’s love life, their youngest child was probably safe. “I know, crazy that they might actually have a little faith in me.” Not to say that he did keep a respectable distance from Maya when they were alone, but he…well, it was a good thing there were times when they weren’t monitored by Josh’s brother or Maya’s dad. “Okay,” he huffed out a laugh, “But my parents have their limits, too. So when you say ‘sneak’ you better mean it.” He’d hate more than anything to get Maya in trouble but he thought the personal risk was worth it. His amazing girlfriend was someone who grew up without the love and support that Josh had felt constantly in his own home. Josh liked Maya’s mom, he respected how hard she had worked to keep the two of them afloat, but it meant a lot of nights where Maya fell asleep alone in their apartment and as far as Josh was concerned, she deserved a little extra affection as she dozed off.

“Maya–” he started, but unsurprisingly, he didn’t get further than that before she kissed him. PDA wasn’t something he was very comfortable with, under most circumstances, but arguably the time he was most open to kissing on the sidewalk was right after seeing her again for the first time in too long. He wrapped his arms around his waist, only vaguely aware of them blocking half the walkway. “I worry what will happen to us when I’m here for good. How am I supposed to go to class when you’re sitting somewhere all kissable just a few stops away?” Frankly, nothing else was getting him through the end of his high school career like the knowledge that soon he’d be in the same city as his girlfriend. “Got any place in mind? West 3rd?” Honestly, he wasn’t sure if he knew the place by this point because it was near Bleeker Street or NYU.

Maya made a note to check for a time she’d be able to surprise Josh with a trip to him within the new future, preferably within the month because not seeing him for more than a couple days was getting to her. “Or they have faith in me, so they trust that I’ll keep you in line if you start playing with my heart,” she grinned cheekily, a smirk forming as she continued to tease him. “Once I give them the a-okay, they’ll happily leave us be.” One thing that Maya loved about being so close with the Matthews family before dating Josh was that she had established relationships with everyone already. She had jokes and stories and the adults that surrounded her knew her better than her biological dad ever could, dancing on the line of knowing Josh would behave and making sure she is taken care of. While bringing a few obstacles, it brought just as much relief in knowing that she wouldn’t have to try to impress anyone or stumble over herself at an awkward introduction dinner.

“Joshua, you know I’m the sneakiest around,” she scoffed. “We’ll be sleeping in the same building without

the looks of any Matthews that give a damn. You’re getting me in bed whether you like it or not.” It took her one cocky eye roll and a fake punch to realize the words that had come out of her mouth, a deep blush spreading across her cheeks. “I- um...” she stuttered out a little sheepishly. It was an area that hadn’t been explored yet, and with new territory came talks about boundaries that Maya despised. Of course, she was grateful that Josh insisted on being so respectful and taking things slow, but sometimes she wished that he’d realize that she wouldn’t hate being shoved up against a wall to make out. It was a touchy subject with a past of issues regarding age and very protective fathers and father figures emphasizing to not take advantage of their little girl and rarely any alone time now that they’re more acquainted in having less space between them than more. “You know what I mean.”

She melted a little into their affection when she felt his arms around her waist, a dumb grin forming at just how happy she truly was to have him back around. It only grew when he mentioned being around full time. She couldn’t wait to be able to see him every night- because she knows it’d be every night- and have him around for every little Matthews family activity that occurs, big or small. Just picturing Josh beside her for a typical after dinner soft serve run or an impromptu beach day made her heart beat a little faster. “I dunno. I guess you’ll have to just kiss me all the time.” She shrugged nonchalantly. “That’s your job now. No more school, only me.” Nothing in her wanted anything more than for that to be the case, choosing to ignore the fact that he had obligations and responsibilities.

“That actually sounds perfect,” Maya nodded, checking their surroundings before she interlaced their fingers. She started pulling him in the right direction, just now remembering how hungry she’d been all night from Riley pushing off dinner to keep the surprise. “So, Boing, what I want to know is how you managed to sneak your way here without Riley blowing the surprise.” She was almost more amazed at that than at Josh’s arrival. “I was completely hoodwinked. You told me you had some stuff or whatever to wrap up with school and wouldn’t be around, I say ‘Fuck it!’ and arrange a girls weekend with Riles, and next thing I know I’m being held hostage where they starved me!”

[uncleboingmatthews]

like a heart beat

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Maya was truly restless. It was Friday- not even a regular Friday, an extended weekend Friday- and all she wanted was to go out and do something. She was urging to go see something, to explore somewhere, fuck, she would even be willing to do Topanga’s grocery shopping to escape the confines of the apartment, but for some odd reason, Riley swore her by ring power that they’d spend all day at each other’s sides. It’s not that she didn’t love being by Riley’s side, either, it’s just that being trapped in the Matthews’ apartment made her painfully aware of her boyfriend’s absence, and she’d been trying to avoid confronting those feelings until alone and in a place to peacefully sulk.

They had been trying to make more time together since returning from Magnolia, but their schedules just weren’t adding up. When Maya was free, he was preparing for tests and finals and everything to be in line for graduation, and when the tables were turned she was between shifts at Topanga’s and the three clubs that Riley convinced her they needed for their college applications. How wood shop, foreign films that she mostly slept through, or intramural soccer were going to help get her into a sculpting or performing art program was still unknown, but it was Riley, and when has Maya ever been able to tell Riley no? So they crammed their afternoons with everything Riley wanted and spent multiple weekends at outings for each. 

If she were being honest, she just missed being near him. Yeah, they talk a lot through phones or computers or even one time through mail because she got grounded and just wanted to tell him all about it right then, but it’s not the same as being right there, and she hated that aspect of their relationship. Magnolia had spoiled them in being able to spend every day together, even practically living together, so the reality check of having separate lives monitored by parents and actual adults hit them hard. There hadn’t been any outward disagreements about the pair, but she noticed everyone watching them a little closer, clearing their throats when they sat side by side, even Shawn had given Josh the “I’ll kill you if you hurt her” speech after they announced on Christmas they were a couple. She appreciated it, truly, but to hear her mom enforce the ‘no closed door’ room when they were celebrating her birthday made her slowly want to climb into a hole because even alone, they didn’t seem to be actually alone.

She was nearly at her limit when Riley kept stopping her from asking when dinner would be ready because someone had clearly forgotten about it, just about prepared to grab her things and head home when she heard a knock. She was praying it was some food, so she eagerly accepted Riley’s prompts to grab it, but when the door swung open it felt as if the air had been sucked straight from her lungs. “Josh!” she squealed out, unable to contain the excitement she felt. Her arms wrapped around his neck, pulling him down with her after a faint kiss so that she could give him a proper one. She pulled away, oblivious to Riley watching or anyone else even being in the room. “God, I missed doing that.”

It didn’t matter how many times he heard her say his name – the sound would always clutch at his heart, and he was sure it literally skipped a beat. He expected her to be excited, of course. Even when she was teasing him or pretending to be embarrassed by him, he knew how much she cared. Josh respected himself too much to be with someone who wasn’t as crazy about him as he was about them, though he found it impossible to believe that Maya’s feelings reached quite the same depths. Often times his own feelings were unfathomable, but he liked it that way. It was like living in a dream that he was afraid to one day wake up from, so he focused wholly on the present, on the tiny blonde firecracker in his arms, and the way her voice pitched high when she saw him.

He laughed softly against her lips, still acutely aware of his niece’s eyes on them, even if Maya seemed much less preoccupied by her best friend. When she broke the kiss to speak, he could feel the heat spreading rapidly from his cheeks to the tips of his ears. “Me, too,” he agreed quietly and leaned his forehead against hers, as if somehow Riley wouldn’t be able to hear him. In an attempt to remind them all of where they were, Josh wrapped an arm around Maya’s shoulder and turned them around to face the only other occupant of the room. He offered his niece a slightly bashful smile. “Hey, Riles.”

Normally, this was the part where he’d give her a hug in greeting, but he was fairly certain that releasing his girlfriend was not within the realm of his capabilities. That was, until his brother and sister-in-law decided to make an appearance, and he subtly excused himself and Maya to go get something to eat somewhere away from the prying eyes of his family. Once they hit the streets of New York, he exhaled, a little more dramatically than was called for considering how quickly they’d escaped the apartment. “You’ve gotta come visit me in Philly one of these days,” he said thoughtlessly, though it was something he dreamed about often. “Then we’ll just…have to deal with my parents.” His father could be intimidating, but not to Maya, and his mother already loved her, and they were both in their kindly grandparents days. They didn’t have the energy to monitor Josh as closely as they had with their first three children. “You can stay in Morgan’s old room.”

As they headed down the street, he wasted no time in threading his fingers through hers. It took a moment before he realized he didn’t actually know where they were going. “What are you in the mood for?” He asked, glancing down at her with a grin. He visited frequently, but he’d never feel like he saw her enough. And every time they were together again, he could swear she just got more and more breathtaking. Soon enough, he’d be living in New York, and they could put long distance behind them again.

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The tiny girl hummed contently in response to the feel of her boyfriend’s touch, her cheeks rosy and dimples out. She sobered a bit at Riley clearing her throat before waving awkwardly towards the couple, more so at her uncle, and it calms her down enough to be content just beside Josh after so long of being apart. It’s hard for Riley, and she knows that, but Maya also knows that it’s hard for herself to cross those boundaries and have the courage to confidently present herself as Josh’s significant other to the family she had gained with her friendship to Riley and the risks that accompanied dating her best friend’s uncle. She had been working tirelessly since Magnolia to stay on top of putting her own happiness above striving to keep everyone around her comfortable, and she wasn’t slowing down when it came to PDA with Josh. Of course, she wasn’t talking full on making out at family dinner or something even crazier, but she proudly stood beside him now after a full kiss in greeting without any guilt for indulging herself. Once Cory and Topanga arrived, she let the space grow a little. She was trying to be more selfish, not out to give Cory a mental break. They greet everyone quickly with the exception of a round of hugs for their guest from Philly, the usual ‘How was the trip?’ and ‘How’re Mom and Dad?’ dialogues being exchanged between brothers. She’s thankful for Josh being quick on his feet when they manage to make it out of the door without too much of a struggle.

Maya smiled softly at the suggestion she visit him. Of course, she’s comfortable with Amy and Alan. They were practically another set of parents to her between the welcoming of her relationship to Josh and the years she spent accompanying Riley during visits. “I don’t think they’ll bother us too much,” she responded. “They don’t seem like the ones to check the room we’re in every five minutes to make sure we’re arms length apart.” A little snort escaped from her picturing the Matthews patriarch sneaking around to catch them in the act of holding hands like Cory and Shawn still do.

“But that’s really cute thinking I wouldn’t sneak into your bed anyways because I refuse to be under the same roof as you at night without being the little spoon.” It was in a teasing tone as she gave his hand a quick squeeze. Cuddling was something she’d rarely admit to loving to anyone that she knew, but was one of the things she loved about being with Josh. It just felt right together, they felt right. She felt safe and loved and she could fall asleep in seconds as opposed to the hours she usually spent at night on her own. The quirks of being able to nap everywhere was always a fun little fact about her, but no one ever seemed to see the cause of being so tired all the time.

Registering his question, she pulled them to a stop and tugged him from the center of the sidewalk. Swiftly, she changed her grip to wrap around his neck, another kiss being delivered before he even fully acknowledged they’d stopped walking. “Sorry, I just hate not being able to do that all the time.” It was an insincere apology, but she didn’t think he minded. “Honestly? I’m kinda really feeling a grilled cheese right now.”

[uncleboingmatthews]

like a heart beat

He would easily admit that he was the kind of boyfriend who missed his girlfriend pathetically whenever they were apart, if only because that girlfriend was Maya. Even before they started dating, she was someone he always longed to see, even if all they had time to do was dance around one another’s feelings. Somewhere, in the trappings of his unconscious desires, he had always hoped that Maya would be at the apartment whenever he drove up to visit his brother. Now that he was allowed to feel this longing (it was expected of him, even) that small, unbidden nagging came on at the strangest times, often when he was powerless to do anything besides send her a text or watch her face fill his laptop screen. It was good, it was almost enough, but it wasn’t the same. For all of its strangeness, Magnolia had done something that hadn’t been possible elsewhere: it forced Josh to confront what he felt for Maya, and reconcile these feelings in the best way imaginable.

Josh would be graduating high school in less than a month, and having already gotten into NYU, schoolwork was not his first priority, for perhaps the first time in his life. Which easily freed up that space for Maya, who he needed more than hoped to be at Cory’s apartment. Thankfully, he had sworn Riley to secrecy, ensuring not only Maya’s presence at the NYC Matthews’s residence at the time Josh would be arriving, but also that this arrival would not be mentioned to Maya. It was a three day weekend, with Monday being Memorial Day, so Josh had taken the opportunity to spend the long weekend with his girlfriend. Riley had assured him that they had no other plans, so he wouldn’t be inconveniencing anyone. Now he could only hope that Maya was as eager to see him as he was to see her.

It was 7pm by the time Josh made his way up to his brother’s home. He hoped his niece had kept up her end of the bargain and forestalled dinner so that Josh and Maya could go somewhere alone. As much as he loved his family, he’d spent enough time with them carefully watching the way he and Maya interacted within the constraints of their new relationship. He took a deep breath (always with an air of dramatics with him) and shook out his arms before raising one of them to knock on the door. Normally, he would barge in without the polite warning, but he didn’t want to risk walking in just to discover Maya was in the bathroom or something equally anti-climactic. Josh could faintly hear Riley’s voice, the urging lilt of it, before the door opened to reveal Maya.

“Evening, Miss Hart,” he said pleasantly, pleased that his visit had seemingly remained a secret. He couldn’t help grinning, though it didn’t stop him from throwing the backpack he’d been carrying in his hand over one shoulder so he could free his arms enough to wrap them around his girlfriend. The hug was firm – he held her tightly, feeling the warmth of her body after what felt like years in teenage boy time. He lifted her off the ground so that their faces were close enough that he could give her a chaste kiss before lowering her back to the ground. While Cory and Topanga weren’t in the living room, he was hyperaware of Riley’s eyes on them. “Did you miss me?”

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Maya was truly restless. It was Friday- not even a regular Friday, an extended weekend Friday- and all she wanted was to go out and do something. She was urging to go see something, to explore somewhere, fuck, she would even be willing to do Topanga’s grocery shopping to escape the confines of the apartment, but for some odd reason, Riley swore her by ring power that they’d spend all day at each other’s sides. It’s not that she didn’t love being by Riley’s side, either, it’s just that being trapped in the Matthews’ apartment made her painfully aware of her boyfriend’s absence, and she’d been trying to avoid confronting those feelings until alone and in a place to peacefully sulk.

They had been trying to make more time together since returning from Magnolia, but their schedules just weren’t adding up. When Maya was free, he was preparing for tests and finals and everything to be in line for graduation, and when the tables were turned she was between shifts at Topanga’s and the three clubs that Riley convinced her they needed for their college applications. How wood shop, foreign films that she mostly slept through, or intramural soccer were going to help get her into a sculpting or performing art program was still unknown, but it was Riley, and when has Maya ever been able to tell Riley no? So they crammed their afternoons with everything Riley wanted and spent multiple weekends at outings for each. 

If she were being honest, she just missed being near him. Yeah, they talk a lot through phones or computers or even one time through mail because she got grounded and just wanted to tell him all about it right then, but it’s not the same as being right there, and she hated that aspect of their relationship. Magnolia had spoiled them in being able to spend every day together, even practically living together, so the reality check of having separate lives monitored by parents and actual adults hit them hard. There hadn’t been any outward disagreements about the pair, but she noticed everyone watching them a little closer, clearing their throats when they sat side by side, even Shawn had given Josh the “I’ll kill you if you hurt her” speech after they announced on Christmas they were a couple. She appreciated it, truly, but to hear her mom enforce the ‘no closed door’ room when they were celebrating her birthday made her slowly want to climb into a hole because even alone, they didn’t seem to be actually alone.

She was nearly at her limit when Riley kept stopping her from asking when dinner would be ready because someone had clearly forgotten about it, just about prepared to grab her things and head home when she heard a knock. She was praying it was some food, so she eagerly accepted Riley’s prompts to grab it, but when the door swung open it felt as if the air had been sucked straight from her lungs. “Josh!” she squealed out, unable to contain the excitement she felt. Her arms wrapped around his neck, pulling him down with her after a faint kiss so that she could give him a proper one. She pulled away, oblivious to Riley watching or anyone else even being in the room. “God, I missed doing that.”