a/n~ just a super fluffy little me cute meeting idea I haven’t been able to get out of my head all day!
The live music could be heard from down the block as you scurried towards the entrance, hoping to catch the local band you had heard so much about before they called it quits for the night. A soft sigh escaped you as you closed in on the bar and slowed your scurrying walk down to a saunter, reaching up to adjust the strap of your shirt that had slipped down off of your shoulder.
“You have been an incredible crowd, probably one of the best we’ve played for! I wanna thank these incredible guys behind me!”
A soft smile spread across your face as you listened to the voice of the singer, one you had become familiar with over the last few months; delving head first into their extensive discography of singles after hearing one at a party once. Your eyes wandered as you slipped into the bar and began to mingle amongst the crowd of people watching the band, but they settled on the man who stood front and center; a mic stand directly in front of him and what looked to be a vintage guitar in his hands.
“To my left on keys we’ve got our resident film school drop out, Josh Kiszka!” Your eyes wandered to the man who sat behind the portable keyboard, his wildly curly hair catching your attention first.
“To my right we’ve got our resident space nerd who would probably rather be up on a space ship right now, Sam Kiszka on the bass everybody!” The younger looking boy stepped forward, turning his nose to the ceiling as he plucked out a deep tune. You couldn’t help but giggle as he strut his stuff back to his position with a huge smile on his face.
“And lastly, hiding behind me we have the curly headed one on drums, give it up for Danny Wagner!” The man who stood front and center turned and nodded towards Danny, giving him the floor to show off.
“We are Tom Sails! Thank you all for hanging out and rocking out with us tonight!”
A smile spread across your face and you shrugged your shoulders as you made your way out of the crowd, and perched gently against a bar stool. Flagging down the bar tender you ordered your usual drink and pulled out your phone, curious to if you would be able to find where Tom Sails would be playing next so you could actually catch a full set.
“Next week at the Lounge.” The voice of the singer - whose name you hadn’t yet caught - startled you and your phone slipped from your hand, falling to the floor with a loud clatter. He chuckled softly and bent at the waist, picking up your phone and slid it gently back into your hand.
“We play the Lounge next Friday night if you’re trying to catch a set. Seems you slipped in a little too late for that tonight. But it’s a real show with actual purchased tickets so… you can’t sneak in last minute.” He joked and turned his attention to the bar tender as he placed a glass of whiskey on the rocks down in front of the man. You rolled your eyes gently and reached for your drink, taking a sip as to not spit out the bad taste retaliation remark tickling the tip of your tongue.
“Yeah well… not everyone plays the guitar and jumps around on stage for a living, now do we?” You asked, cocking your head to the side. His eyes widened a bit and he raised his brows at your remark. Reaching up he placed a hand to his chest and feigned shock.
“I do more than just play the guitar and jump around on stage, I sing as well.” He chuckled and downed his glass of whiskey, tapping the empty glass against the counter to garner the bartenders attention once more. He nodded at the man behind the bar and then in your direction in a silent request.
“Do you sing though? Because all I saw was someone jumping around like a crazy person while playing a Les Paul.” You shrugged and tucked your phone back into your pocket, giving the man sitting in front of you your full and undivided attention.
“I guess that’s for me to know and for you to find out, now isn’t it? Here.” He shrugged his shoulders and slid a shot glass in front of you. You raised your brows and looked at the glass, unsure of what was in it.
“Tequila, let loose a little bit.” He joked, continuing to sip on his whiskey as he gauged your reaction, wondering if you’d be brave enough to take the shot with him.
“I don’t even know your name and you’re trying to get me tequila drunk? At least take me out to dinner first, damn.” You giggled and turned your head as you felt your cheeks being to heat with blush, unsure of where that comment had come from.
“The names Jake, and anyone who turns down a free tequila shot is crazy.” He laughed and reached out, placing a reassuring hand on your bare knee. Your body stiffened slightly but relaxed quickly as his eyes found yours. The kindness that lit up his dark irises causing a calming sensation to wash over you.
“How do I know you didn’t tell the man to spike it? Hmm?” Jake rolled his eyes but couldn’t help the smile that spread across his lips and turned his attention to the crowd. His eyes locked with another person and he waved them over, grabbing the shot off of the counter and held it out to them.
“She’s a party pooper, take a shot with me.” He joked and handed the shot to Josh who quickly downed the clear liquid and tapped the shot glass against the counter before turning on his heel and mingling back out into the crowd. Jake turned his attention back to you, sliding the shot glasses blindly across the counter.
“So about that dinner proposition. Next Friday, five pm. Gives us enough time to get to know each other before the show. Don’t worry your ticket will be me.” He chuckled. Your eyes grew wide and you reached out, wrapping your hand around the now dampened glass and brought it to your lips, tipping your head back and downing the rest of the liquid in one go.
“Is that so? I have to wait until next Friday to learn more about the mysterious singer of Tom Sails? Why not now? The night is still young!” Jake rolled his eyes and reached out, slipping your phone out of your pocket and quickly dialed his own number. You watched intently as his phone screen lit up and he declined the call, slipping your phone back into your pocket.
“I can’t ditch my brothers. I’ll be in touch, sweetheart.” He mumbled and pushed himself to stand before slowly making his way back out into the crowd.
~*~*~
An odd sensation ran through your body as your phone screen lit up, clocking the time at well past midnight. Pushing up onto your elbows you reached over and scooped the device up off of your nightstand, tapping the screen to bring it to life once more. A number you didn’t recognize was connected to the text message displayed.
‘So I was thinking, a coffee date would be more appropriate to start.. meet me at that little mom and pop shop downtown, tomorrow, 9am and don’t be late, sweetheart.’
You couldn’t help the way in which you had rolled your eyes, knowing exactly who the message had come from. Pulling a deep breath in through your nose you fiddled with your thumbs and mulled over if you should answer him or not when another message came through.
‘On second thought, 10am, wouldn’t want you to think I’m standing you up if I’m late.’
Tilting your head from side to side, you shrugged your shoulders and nodded as if he could see your reaction through the phone screen. You quickly typed a response of confirmation and tossed your phone back onto the nightstand before laying back down and getting comfortable for the night.
~*~*~
The bright morning sun stung your eyes and you lowered the sunglasses you had resting on your head to block out the harsh light. Turning your wrist you glanced as the time on your watch and rolled your eyes. You should have known he was going to be fashionably late when he changed the meeting time the night prior and we’re glad you had brought your kindle along, getting in some much needed light reading as you waited for him to show.
Jake was a whirlwind as he approached the cafe table you had occupied, sitting out under an umbrella enjoying the warm morning air. His hair was frizzed, as if he had pulled a brush through it as he was driving, his eyes displaying just how tired the late night he had made him feel. Pulling a deep breath in through his nose, letting it out in a sigh and placed two coffee cups down onto the table. Your eyes found his face and a soft smile caressed your lips as he took a few deep, calming breaths and turned his attention to you.
“I’m so sorry, Josh turned off my alarm, Sams dog made quite the mess overnight because she got out of his room unattended, and this morning has been a mess. How are you?” He sighed once more and reached out, wrapping his hand around his coffee cup to bring it to his lips. You gave him a minute to self regulate, taking a smidge longer to put away your kindle and pull your drink over in front of you.
“You live with your brothers I take it? Sounds like it makes for chaotic mornings.” You mused, reaching for the individual servings of creamer he had set down with your cup.
“Chaotic isn’t even the word. I’m still unsure how we work so well together as a band. But how are you? How’s your morning been?” You nodded slowly, envisioning just how chaotic a morning would be with a band of brothers and a dog who can’t be left unattended.
“Well let’s see, my morning started by being woken up at almost 1am to a text from some weird guy I met at the bar last night but, I slept well after that and this morning hasn’t been that bad. I think I’m okay today.” Jake rolled his eyes but couldn’t help the chuckle that slipped past his lips at your comment.
“Damn bar creeps keeping you up at night, don’t they know you need your sleep.” He scoffed. You shrugged your shoulders and straightened out your back, sitting up straighter.
“Some of them just have to have their ten seconds of fame it seems.” You shrugged. Jake loosed a sigh and leaned back in his chair, reaching up to scrub a hand down the length of his face. A comfortable silence fell over the both of you and you reveled in it, enjoying the company of another human being that wasn’t a family member.
“What’s your favorite color?” Jake asked, turning his attention away from the cars that zipped by on the street and back to you. You cocked your head to the side, taken back a bit by the randomness of his question.
“I don’t know… maybe sky blue?” You said, shrugging your shoulders to accompany your answer. A genuine laugh escaped him and he leaned forward, resting his elbows against the table and cupped his chin in his hands.
“Please forgive me, it’s been a long time since I’ve done the whole getting to know someone thing… I’m just a little rusty.” He chuckled, his eyes sparking and chest warmed at the sound of your laugh.
“So you ask me what my favorite color is? What are we… five?!” You soft giggles had turned into full laughter as you realized he was overwhelmed and didn’t know how to act. You shook your head and turned your attention back to your coffee, finally sipping on the now warm liquid.
“I panicked, okay?! How do you even talk to a pretty girl?!” He joked, moving his foot slightly and brushed it up against yours under the table. Your cheeks heated with a blush as realization washed over you. Cupping your hands fully around your cup of coffee you leaned forward, invading his personal bubble slightly.
“You panicked but are now playing footsies with me? I’m not sure Mr. Charismatic, can work a crowd like it’s nothing, will actually panic when talking to pretty girls. It’s easy you go.. ‘Hi, my names Jake, how are you?’ And then I would go ‘Hi Jake! My name is Emery, I’m good, how are you?’ See how simple that is?!” You reached out and placed your hand gently on Jake’s wrist, your instincts kicking in. He swallowed hard and his gaze fell to your hand caressing his arm.
“Working a crowd is… vastly different than this.” His voice was barely above a whisper as his nerves kicked into high gear. A soft smile spread across your face and you pulled your hand back, wrapping it safely around your coffee cup once more.
“Right, you many never see the same face in the crowd more than once but me, you’re gonna be seeing a lot more of me.” You muttered softly, nodding your head gently as his expression lightened.
“Hopefully a lot more of you.” His voice held the soft tone, unsure of if it would crack if he spoke normally. You pulled your bottom lip between your teeth, and nodded, now understanding his thoughts.
“Ah, well. I liked the man I met last night but I think I like the one that’s sat in front of me just a little more. We should do this more often if you have the time.” A gentle nudge in his direction, knowing he was a busy man and you had plenty to get to before it got too late.
Jake nodded along to what was said, lost somewhere deep in his own mind as he processed everything that was going on. A soft smile spread across your face as the alarm on your phone began to chime, alerting you to get to work. With a nod and a soft sigh you pushed yourself to stand and watched as he followed suit.
“This was nice, but work calls. I must make that money! I’ll see you around?” You posed the statement as a question, hoping to gain an answer. Jake nodded gently and opened his arms in a silent request. You couldn’t help the smile that spread across your face as you stepped forward and wrapped your arms around him.
“I’ll see you around.” He nodded and turned on his heel, heading back the way he had initially come.
Jake girl role call: @vanfleeter @writingcold @klarxtr @stardustvanfleet @the-wicked-gnome
Jake wasn’t one for gifts or materialistic tokens of appreciation; something you were fully aware of from the first time you had hung out as a group. He thrived off of interactions and the reactions people would have to things that would slip past his lips - his mind never on that of what a simple flower could mean to someone.
He watched your eyes wander to the flower section of the super market you were in. A soft smile spread across your face as you made your way over to the single wrapped carnations they had on display, plucking one up out of the water bucket you brought it to your nose and smelled it before placing it back where you had gotten it from. His bottom lip found a home tucked safely in between his teeth as he flicked his gaze between you and the flower display.
“Hey, you’re almost done right? I’m gonna hit the bathroom really quick and meet you in the car. My stomachs starting to hurt.” He called, watching as you waved him off and turned the corner. He made quick work of plucking the flower you had been admiring out of the water and made a bee line for the registers, not wanting you to see what he was up to. After paying for the single carnation he tucked it into the inner pocket of his leather jacket, unzipping it so the flower would be safe where it was hidden away.
It hadn’t taken long for you to finish your shopping and pay for the groceries, quickly making your way to the car and tossed the bags into the trunk. Jake watched you in the rear view mirror and a soft smile played across his lips as you glanced up and blew him a kiss, something you knew always caused his cheeks to redden.
The ride home was short and quiet, top forty music playing on the radio as background noise because neither of you could be bothered to connect to the Bluetooth. But Jakes nerves felt shot, gripping the steering wheel tightly to keep his hands from visibly shaking. You leaned over the center console as he threw the car into park in your driveway and placed a soft kiss to his cheek.
“Did you put my deodorant on by mistake again? You smell like flowers.” You giggled, opening the car door and slid out before slamming it shut and made your way to the back of the car. Jake watched once again as you scooped the two bags out of the trunk and waited for you to close the trunk before he slid out of the car.
Jake quickly made his way up to the front door and opened it for you, stepping inside in front of you and waiting patiently to close the door behind you. He watched as you slowly made your way into the kitchen and placed the bags into the counter. Jake pulled a deep breath in through his nose and plucked the flower out of the inside pocket of his jacket. A smile tugged on the corners of his lips as he glanced down at it and fixed the way the plastic it was wrapped in sat.
He closed the distance between the two of you and reached out, gently tapping your shoulder with the tip of his finger. You raised the shoulder he had tapped in a silent answer, trying to keep your attention on the task at hand. Jake chuckled lightly and reached out, tapping your shoulder a second time. Turning your head slightly, you glanced over your shoulder at him and crinkled your nose.
“Yes, my darlin’?” You cooed, reaching up to place the bag of sugar in the cupboard above your head. Jake wrapped his arm around your midsection and pulled your back flush against his front, hiding his face in the crook of your neck. Shy moments like this were often few and far between when it came to Jake and the things on his mind. Turning your head slightly you pressed a soft and reassuring kiss to his forehead.
Jake wrapped his other arm around your midsection and held the flower out in front of you. Turning your attention to his outstretched hand, a smile tugged at your lips and you plucked the carnation out of his grasp. Bringing it to your nose you pulled in a deep breath, the scent of it infiltrating your senses. You could feel his lips curling into a smile against your neck and you turned your head, pressing another kiss to his forehead.
“You got me a little surprise.” You cooed, holding back the tears that threatened to well up in your eyes. Jakes arms tightened around your waist and you let your free hand fall to rest gently against his arms.
“Thank you, baby. How’d you know I needed a pick me up?” You mumbled, letting a wave of tears fall and reached up to wipe them away quickly before he knew what was happening.
“It… it was the first time I’ve seen you not have to force a smile all week. I don’t know. It’s just a flower.” A sigh slipped past your lips and you wiggled, a silent request for him to loosen his grip. Turning on your heel you reached out and wrapped your arms around his neck, leaning up to press your lips to his.
“It’s not just a flower. It’s a little token of love and appreciation and I know you’re not big on materialistic things. To you it’s just a flower, but to me, it reminds me that even when I’m down and out those that love me will always find a way to remind me even in the form of just a flower from the grocery store.”
Jakes eyes lit up as he pulled your body closer to his and leaned down to press a soft kiss to your forehead. Your eyes fluttered shut and you leaned up on your toes to hides your face in the crook of his neck, breathing in a scent that was undeniably him. His arms tightened around you and he took a step back from the counter, giving you both more room to sway as he began to hum your song.
He knew all you needed was a little quiet time away from the hustle and bustle of work and the real world. Knowing that slowly dancing around the quiet kitchen to whatever song he hummed being one of your favorite things to wind down with. He would give you the world if he could, but for now sloppily hummed songs, slow dances and store bought carnations would have to do.
Warnings: 18+. Pure fluff. Implied sex, if you squint super well.
Author's Note: This fluffy blurb wouldn't be what it is without @losfacedevil ❤️
Valentine's Masterlist
As you wash the dishes from dinner, even though Jake insisted that it can all wait to be cleaned tomorrow, you begin to hear soft music playing from the living room.
He’s enticing you. Luring you to him to finish off the night. Smirking to yourself, you continue washing the dishes, grabbing one of the small salad bowls to start scrubbing.
You feel a warm sensation on your hips as his hands glide along the fabric of your dress. His lips gently press to your shoulder as he kisses you.
“Jake..” You warn.
“Come dance with me..” He says as he sways the two of you side to side.
“I need to wash these.”
“I told you that you can wait until tomorrow..”
He slides his hands to your waist before moving down your arms. He dips his hands into the warm, soapy water and grabs your hands. He pulls them out of the water and takes you away from the sink. He dries them off with a towel, being meticulous at drying off every drop of water.
Feeling satisfied he takes your hands again and pulls you out to the living room where he changes the song to a different one. It isn’t often that you find yourself swaying to the rhythm of slow and intimate music. Nor is it often that you find yourself dancing with Jake. He isn’t much of a dancer and he makes it known.
Though as the familiar tune begins to play, you tilt your head back to look at Jake. He flashes you a smile before tugging you into his body.
“This is Josh’s song.” You giggle as he presses your head against his chest.
“Shh..” He hushes. “Tonight it is not.”
You giggle and give in anyways and step in time with Jake as he moves the two of you side to side. He starts to hum along to the music before the words begin to slip from his lips.
Lonely rivers flow
To the sea, to the sea
To the open arms of the sea, yeah
Lonely rivers sigh
"Wait for me, wait for me"
I'll be coming home, wait for me
You smile against his chest which vibrates as he sings. Jake singing is just about as rare as his dancing. You almost never hear him singing unless you catch him in the act whether he’s singing in the shower or singing along to music as it plays while he cooks dinner. So hearing him sing brings a warmth to your chest.
He continues on singing until it drifts it off to mumbles, unsure of what the next words are. It’s a wonder that he doesn’t know them, considering Josh has sung it on stage every night for the last four months.
“And here I thought you knew the words..” You tease.
His hand comes down on your ass in a rough swat as he continues humming. “Words tend to escape me when I’m in your presence.”
You huff a laugh, feeling the vibration of his chest as he laughs himself. “Smooth..” You say lifting your head.
“But I’ll have this song memorized soon enough if Josh keeps singing it..” He grumbles. “You just wait. Eventually you’ll get tired of hearing me sing it.”
You shake your head and tilt your head back again to look at him. “I don’t think I will ever tire of you singing. You have a beautiful voice.”
He playfully rolls his eyes and pushes your head back down onto his chest. “You say that now.. Just wait..”
As the song continues, it increases in volume and he starts singing until it gets to the high notes. His voice cracks and you can’t stifle the giggle in time. He squeezes you tightly in his arms as he powers through it and finishes on a strong note.
“See?”
“Can’t see you when you keep my head pressed to your chest.”
He scoffs and pulls your head up. He cups your face in his hands and kisses you. “I love you.”
“I love you too.”
He wraps his arms around you again and continues swaying again even though the song has already ended.
“Jake..”
“Shh.. Stay here..”
“But the music..”
“Don’t need music..”
The giggling infects you again and you lay your head back onto his chest. He continues the swaying movement and he starts humming a different song.
When you realize that he’s humming the beginning verses BedRock, you immediately swat at his chest and pull away earning his laughter as reciprocation. “Jacob!”
His head falls back as he laughs. “It came to my head!”
Read on AO3 | Masterlist | Standalone in the Cabin Fever universe
Summary: Josh comes home sick, and you take good care of him.
Pairings: Josh x Reader | Genre: fluff, sickfic | Word Count: 2k | Warnings: none!
A/N: More Josh and Baby! Thanks to everyone who shared their cuddly Josh pics today — they were my "research" for this fic :3 I hope you like it! ♡
You woke to a tangle of blankets and a very warm boyfriend.
Propping yourself up on the pillows, you did your best not to wake him as you gently tried to disentangle yourself from him. He was snuggled so close that he was practically on top of you, and while you didn’t mind his closeness, he was awfully warm to the touch. You brushed his soft curls back from his face and weren’t surprised to see how flushed his cheeks were.
Josh was always been a furnace, no matter the weather, and you felt that it suited him: it seemed like the light and comfort of his personality couldn’t help but show in rosy cheeks and warm, gentle hands. During the winter months, he was always happy to share a little of his warmth with you, and you’d fallen asleep in his arms the night before, thankful for the heat radiating from him as you pressed close under the covers.
His temperature now, though, was starting to feel more like a fever. It was especially noticeable with the snow falling gently outside the window, highlighting the chill of your bedroom in your beautiful old house and the warmth of Josh’s face pressed against your neck.
You brushed your thumb over his cheek. “Joshy.”
He only cuddled closer to you. “Five more minutes,” he mumbled.
You smiled. “It’s okay, honey,” you said softly. “You need to sleep. Do you want me to call the boys and let them know?”
His expression scrunched then, and he lifted his head just enough to give you a sleepy, confused look.
“Let them know what?” he asked. His voice was gravelly, and he cleared his throat. “Am I late? What time is it?”
Without waiting for an answer, he reached over you to grab his phone from the nightstand.
“Might as well get up,” he said, giving you a wry smile. “Unless you want to try and squeeze some more sleep out of the seven minutes we have until my alarm goes off.”
You touched a hand to his back when he sat up. “Do you feel okay?”
He looked over his shoulder, a little distracted. “Yeah. Why?”
“You feel warm.” You touched your hand to the back of his neck, and a sweet little giggle bubbled out of him as he moved away from your hand.
“Quit that,” he laughed, and it quickly dissolved into a few crackly coughs. “Your fingers are freezing, baby.”
“Sorry,” you said. You sat up next to him. “I think you should stay home.”
He smiled. “Why, because you want me to stay in bed with you all day?”
You couldn’t say the thought hadn’t crossed your mind, but mostly you felt like he should stay home to rest.
“Let me take your temperature,” you said, getting out of bed to get the thermometer. He followed you to the bathroom, and you thought he was coming willingly to get his temperature checked until he started to brush his teeth. You looked around in the drawers for your thermometer gun but couldn’t find it.
“What’re you looking for?” he asked around his toothbrush.
“Thermometer,” you answered.
He rinsed his mouth out. “I don’t have a fever, baby. I told you I feel fine.”
You abandoned your search for the thermometer and put a hand to his forehead. “But you’re really warm, honey.”
“I run hot, you know that.” He pulled your hand down and kissed your palm. “I promise I feel fine, sweetheart. Thank you for worrying, but you don’t have to.”
He went to get dressed, sifting through his wardrobe for a few moments only to pick his trusty white sweatshirt and khakis. He shivered when he took his pajama shirt off and replaced it quickly with his sweatshirt.
“This house is like a meat locker,” he said, coming over to you to give you a hug. “I kinda wish I was staying home with you and snuggling all day.”
You put your arms around his neck and rested your cheek against his shoulder, watching the snow collect on the windowsill. He still felt overly warm, but you knew there was no use trying to get him to stay home. Josh was nothing if not dedicated to his work, and you knew that him admitting to wanting to stay home was a gentle reminder to you that he was still going to work but was thankful for your worry.
You kissed his cheek. “Come home if you start to feel bad, okay?” you asked. “Promise.”
“I promise, baby.” He gave you a tight squeeze. “I’ll see you after a while. I love you.”
You gave him a gentle smile. “Love you too.”
Snow continued to fall all day, piling up in a beautiful powder across your yard; you ventured out to turn on your Christmas lights when it started to get dark, and your house looked like a gingerbread house bedecked in candy and frosting at the end of your long driveway. Though the snow kept you inside most of the day, you did run to the store to stock up on cough drops, NyQuil, and Josh’s favorite tea. You made soup for dinner, knowing it would be the perfect meal for such a cold night and still convinced that Josh would need some homespun doctoring when he got home from work.
You saw you were right as soon as he came in from the car. You opened the door and meant to greet him when he came up, but he stopped at the top of the porch stairs; after a moment, he ducked his head with a harsh sneeze, and a fine dusting of snow fell from his curls with the movement.
“Goodness, bless you,” you said. "Come inside, honey. You’re covered in snow.”
“Sorry,” he croaked, his voice shot. He let you brush his jacket off on the porch before you helped him out of it, and no sooner was it off than he turned away from you to muffle a volley of congested coughs in his sleeve.
“Sorry,” he said again. He sounded terrible, and you guessed he’d probably pushed his voice to the limit trying to keep pace with the boys in the studio.
“It’s alright, sweetheart,” you said gently. You hung up his jacket and were surprised to hear him give a hoarse laugh.
“What’s so funny?” you asked, unable to help a smile yourself.
He shook his head. “Nothing. I’m just waiting for you to say ‘I told you so’.”
“Aw, honey.” You gave him a hug, and he buried his face in the crook of your neck. “I wasn’t going to say that. I’m just sorry you’re sick.”
“I should have stayed home, like you said.”
“You didn’t get a lot done?” You hated the thought that he’d gone in when he felt bad and hadn’t even gotten done the things he’d been planning on.
He lifted his head. “Actually, we did a ton,” he said. His smile was lopsided. “You should have heard me sing, baby. My voice sounded fantastic with it all hoarse and deep like this.”
“I bet it did,” you said truthfully, a little wry. Though you wished he wasn’t sick, you couldn’t deny that the raspy edge to his voice was alluring; you’d heard him sing coming off a cold before, and you’d been surprised how much you’d liked it.
You gave him a quick kiss. “But you’re going to lose your voice if you’re not careful,” you reminded him. “Which means you’re on vocal rest until I say so.”
He chuckled, and the sound was warm and gravelly. “Yes ma’am.”
You led him into the kitchen, having him sit at the table while you fixed him a bowl of soup and a mug of tea.
“Thank you,” he said, looking up at you with a glassy, exhausted, completely devoted gaze. You couldn’t stop yourself from cradling his face in your hands and giving him a gentle kiss, and you felt his smile when you did.
“What was that for?” he asked.
You brushed his curls back. “No reason. I just love you lots, that’s all.”
“Aw, baby,” he said tenderly. “I love you lots too. Thank you for taking care of me.”
It was your pleasure to take care of him, and you showed it by showering him with the affection and care he always gave you when you were sick. You put his pajamas in the dryer to warm them up; you brought him medicine; while he got a shower, you put on another kettle and set up the couch with a nest of pillows and blankets so you could watch a movie together. You wished there was more you could do, but he was a good patient and really wanted nothing more than for you to be close.
“Where are you going?” he asked when he was settled. His curls were tight and damp, his cheeks rosy, his hands wrapped around the mug to get all the warmth he could; he looked up at you pitifully, worrying you weren’t going to join him on the couch.
“Just to get into my pajamas,” you said as he bottled a few coughs in his chest. “And to get you some Vick’s. Pick out what you want to watch, okay?”
You changed into sweatpants and an old tee of Josh’s, grabbing the vapor rub and the box of tissues from the bathroom before you came back to the living room. Josh looked a little sheepish as the movie started, and you smiled at the familiar jaunty banjo tune and the voice of Kermit the Frog that started Emmet Otter’s Jug-Band Christmas.
“Is this okay?” he asked.
“We can watch whatever you want,” you reminded him. “And you know I love this one anyway.”
He smiled up at you as you came close, and his cheeks took on an even deeper color as you straddled his lap.
“Um, baby...”
“Settle down, cowboy,” you said with an affectionate laugh. “I’m just putting your medicine on. Hold still.”
He was patient and pliant as you rubbed the Vick’s on his chest and neck, giving a contented little groan of relief when you massaged your fingers over his sore muscles.
“That feels so good, baby,” he said when you pressed your fingers down the line from his neck to his shoulder.
“I'm glad it’s helping, my heart.”
He looked up at you with a dreamy smile. “Call me that again.”
You kissed him. “I love you, my heart. My sweet Joshua.”
His hands gripped your hips gently, and you both lost yourself for a few minutes until he had to pull away with stuttered breaths.
“Sorry, I — ”
He caught a sneeze in the crook of his arm and groaned. “Ugh, why does it hurt to sneeze?”
“You poor thing,” you said with a tender laugh. You climbed off of him and handed him a tissue from the box on the coffee table. “Bless you.”
“Thanks.” He sighed and pressed his free hand to his temple, warding off a headache. “I wish I didn’t feel terrible. I’d just kiss you all night if I didn’t feel like I was going to drop dead any second.”
“So dramatic,” you teased, pulling the blanket over both of you and snuggling close. “Let’s take a rain check for when you’re feeling better.”
You could tell he was tired, and you watched with mingled amusement and affection as he tried to stay awake as the movie played. He rested his head on your chest, and you played with his hair as you sang softly along with the movie — “Thus the winds of time will take us, with a sure and steady hand, when the river meets the sea.”
“I like it when you sing, baby,” he said, his voice soft and hoarse.
You smiled. “I like singing for you, Josh.”
He cuddled closer to you, seeking warmth and comfort that you were only too happy to give.
“You know John Denver sings this song?” he asked, half asleep.
“I do,” you said. “You got me that album for Christmas last year.”
His smile was drowsy. “Maybe we should do a Christmas album with the Muppets.”
You gave a soft laugh. “Maybe you should.”
You pulled the blanket up over his shoulders and tucked it snugly around him. He snored softly as he dozed, congested and content to let his body rest and heal; you lay with him and held him, loving when he curled his arm around you to get as close as he could be.
“Thank you for taking care of me, baby,” he said just before he fell asleep. “I love you.”
You kissed his soft curls. “You’re welcome, Josh. I love you too.”
a/n~ The ever so lovely Hillary requested this a few weeks back and I couldn’t say no, the idea was just too cute! First dates at a Halloween theme carnival is the way to go for this shy boy.
“You look gorgeous, and I’m under dressed.” Josh chuckled as he watched you twirl under the orange glow from the lights of the carnival rides surrounding you both. The black skirt of your dress floated along on the breeze and you reached up, holding the thin wing printed fabric out to catch on the breeze.
Josh stuffed his hands into the front pockets of his khaki colored jeans, his eyes never leaving your face as you gripped the hem of your skirt and curtsied in his direction. A nerve filled smile kissed his lips and you threw your head back in laughter, almost losing your balance as you tried to right your legs. You stumbled slightly to the right and your eyes grew wide as your foot slipped, causing you to almost take a knee. Josh scrambled slightly, yanking his hands out of his pockets as he lunged forward towards you and cupped a hand around each of your elbows to steady your now wobbling body.
Giggles escaped you as you took full advantage of his soft and cold hands gently holding your elbows to plant your feet shoulder width apart and steady yourself firmly. He was quick to pull his hands back, stuffing one back into his pants pocket as he brought the other one up to cup the back of his neck. You watched on as he began to rub the back of his neck gently and a pale pink blush began to bloom across his cheeks.
You pulled a deep breath in through your nose, trying to quell the giggles that continued to bubble up in your chest. Josh averted his gaze, suddenly finding the gravel that graced the ground more interesting than your previous blunder. The sounds and smells of the carnival engulfed your senses. There was carousel music drifting through the air as the screams of those riding the zipper drowned it out ever so slightly. Josh snapped his head up and let his gaze dance around the area; trying to find the cause for every single noise that attacked his senses.
“Let’s walk?” The soft spoken suggestion rolled off your tongue as you brought his attention back to you. Your head was cocked slightly to the side as his wild gaze found yours and softened slightly as he was brought back down to Earth. A soft smile tugged at the corners of his lips as he bowed towards you and held his arms out in an ‘after you’ gesture.
The ground felt foreign under foot, a plot of land you hadn’t walked on in many years. The once smooth ground now riddled with holes from rodents and deep tire tracks from years of vehicles finding the short cut to be more convenient than riding the main road. You could feel Josh’s eyes on you, his gaze boring a hole into the side of your head as you kept your eyes downcast and studied the path you two now walked.
The gentle movements of his hands caught your attention, shaking you out of your thoughts and bringing your focus back to him and the loud, greasy smelling carnival you were walking through. Both of his hands having been pulled from his pockets and he wrung them out at his waist, unsure of what to do with them or where to place them. You raked your gaze from his hands to his face and a warm sensation of fondness spread through your chest.
Josh’s eyes danced around the different booths housing different games; the balloon pop, hunt a duck, tin can alley and plinko - games that you never had any luck winning and the sprinkling of food vendors. He had his bottom lip tucked safely between his teeth as his fingers fiddled around each other, the cracking of his knuckles and soft sounds of his hands rubbing together causing a soft smile to spread across your face.
You stepped closer to him, finally falling into step with each other as you analyzed the look on his face. The once confident, full of himself man had vanished and in his wake sat that of an anxious, awkward ball of nerves. The warmth in your chest grew as you watched his eyes settle on a game booth not far off - a halloween themed game of corn hole - something he thought he would be good at. His eyes found yours and he nodded gently in the direction of the booth.
He reached out and placed a hand on your lower back, acting purely out of instinct before he fully processed his movements and his eyes grew wide as he retraced his hand from you. Soft giggles erupted from your chest as a deeper crimson blush erupted across his cheeks. You fell a step behind him and let him lead the way to the booth that had caught his attention.
His eyes danced over the ghost themed booth; with paper ghosts hanging from the banner, to a styrofoam shaped tree with lollipop ghosts stuck into it by the sticks and right down to the ghostly decorated corn hole boards. The carnie behind the booth nodded towards Josh as he flashed two unlimited play wrist bands you weren’t even aware he had acquired. The guy behind the booth placed eight bean bags up onto the counter and nodded towards the boards.
“Land the bean bag on the board for one point or sink it in the hole for three points. First to twenty one wins a prize.” You eyed the carnie and stepped up next to your board as Josh made his way over to the other.
It was just a friendly game of corn hole you had thought, until a wicked grin spread across Josh’s face and he had sank all four of his bean bags before you even thought to toss your first one. Your jaw dropped and your crossed your arms over your chest as you watched him step forward and retrieve his bean bags from under his board. He cocked his head to the side as he took his position back next to his board.
“What? You’re not even going to try?” He chuckled, tossing another bean bag and sliding it straight into the hole at the top of the board. With a shrug of your shoulders to sung your arm underhanded and let all four bean bags go at once - watching and they all landed on your respective board.
“Sink two more and you win, it’s not even a fair game at this point.” You said, raising your eyebrows in a challenging manner. Josh nodded softly and without even a semblance of trying, landed his last three bean bags into the corn hole board.
The carnie rolled his eyes as he turned in his seat and plucked a small stuffed ghost off of the shelf behind him. Josh couldn’t help the triumphant giggle that slipped past his lips as he took the small stuffed ghost from the carnie and turned to you.
“For you? Look! You can clip him right into your claw clip - he can live there!” Josh giggled, slipping the tag of the stuffed ghost in between his teeth as he slowly unclasped your claw clip and made sure to secure your mess of hair in his hand as he slipped the clip through the thin plastic tie of the stuffed ghost before returning the clip to your hair. He nodded gently and flicked the small ghost to spin the face the right way.
You took in his side profile, how the corners of his lips just kissed the corners of his eyes as he watched the little ghost spin at the back of your head. How he scrunched up his nose as a breathy chuckle escaped him and he placed his hand under the ghost to stop it from spinning. His tiny bottom teeth on full display as he turned his attention to you. You couldn’t help yourself as you reached up and poked the tip of your finger into the shallow dimple that formed on his left cheek causing his nose to scrunch even more and his eyes to screw shut with nerves. You admired his full smile, the small gap between this two top teeth being one of your favorite features he possessed.
“I think we’re going to have to find a game I’m good at now, that was the most unfair game I’ve ever played.” You said. Giggles erupted from your chest as his jaw dropped and he crossed his arms protectively over his chest.
“Well I never! You could have been good at that, but you didn’t even try.” He averted his gaze elsewhere, all of the colorfully lit booths and fried food smells attacking his senses all at once. He took a deep breath, trying to calm his heart that was now hammering in his chest.
“You didn’t even give me a chance Mr. Sunk all four bean bags in under a minute. I didn’t even get a chance to throw my first one and you had all yours sunk. Boom, done!” A soft blush bloomed across his cheeks and his jaw dropped slightly - as if he were about to say something but stopped himself. Your heart swelled in your chest with every sentence you elicited from him as you began to break through the shy and bashful demeanor he carried.
“Go on, unleash the thoughts. I’m waiting!” You singsonged, rolling your hand along with the words which earned you and even more silly look from him.
“It’s not my fault I’m faster than you, I won fair and square.” He mumbled, sticking his tongue out in your direction. Your eyes grew wide and your dropped as you processed his actions.
He couldn’t help the soft, nervous giggles that floated up out of his chest as you stepped forward and linked your arm through his, placing your hand on his bicep and quickly turning him in the direction of the little face painting booth that had caught your attention. He took a deep, steadying breath as his eyes fluttered shut momentarily, reveling in the way your weight felt pressed up against him. You glanced up at him through your lashes, the soft smile kissing your lips expanding to a full on grin as you realized his eyes were closed, and the adoration you had for the boy grew in your chest.
Josh could feel your gaze on him as you slowed to a stop and gave his arm a gentle and reassuring squeeze. He shook himself out of his thoughts as his eyes slowly opened and he took in the list of different designs perched on an easel in front of him. A confused but enthusiastic expression kissed his features as he turned his attention to you and nodded his head in the direction of the easel.
“Face paint?” He chuckled, watching as your face lit up like that of a child and you nodded your head excitedly.
“Wouldn’t be Halloween without a little bit of pizazz, would it? Besides you said you felt underdressed.” You giggled, motioning down to the butterfly print dress you wore. Josh shot you a sidelong glance, cocking his eyebrow slightly and pursing his lips as he let his gaze rake down your figure for the first time all night.
“But face paint? Okay, okay. You have to get this though, or it’s a no go from me.” He chuckled, turning his attention back to the list of designs and reached up, pointing to a butterfly design. You nodded lightly, having already had the exact design picked out and turned your attention to his face as he silently made his decision.
“That was my first choice, it was only fitting with the dress. What were you thinking?”
A soft smirk spread across his face as he untangled his arm from yours and stepped up to the older lady working the booth. He flashed his wrist band in her direction and earned a nod from her as he took a seat on her little bar stool. Reaching up he shielded his face so you couldn’t read his lips as he told the woman his request.
You watched on as she slowly outlined the sockets of his eyes with a black paint crayon - careful not to get any in his eye brows, and quickly went in with a paint soaked sponge, effectively blacking out around his eyes. She continued down to his nose, drawing two tear drop shapes and filled them in with black as well. She pulled a floss pick from her bag, darkening the floss that was pulled between the plastic and used it to create the straight line of teeth across his lips.
A toothy grin spread across Josh’s face as he rose to his feet and stepped away from the stool he had been sat on. You giggled at the grin he wore, both the one painted along his lips as well as his own. You held your hand out in his direction as he approached you, a silent request for your wristband he still possessed. He shook his head gently, turning to flash the pink wristband in the woman’s direction before bowing to you and moving out of your way.
~*~*~
You followed closely behind Josh, tucking your free hand securely into the back pocket of his jeans, your other hand wrapped gently around a stuffed owl Josh had won from the ring toss game. Reaching back he tucked his hand around yours, making sure you stayed with him as he maneuvered through the crowds around the food booths.
“You said the Ferris wheel?” He called, turning his head slightly as he found a break in the crowed and ducked into it. He breathed a sigh of relief as he felt his anxiety dissipate a bit being out in a more open area. You nodded your head, a soft smile spreading across your face as your gaze found his.
“Yeah! I thought seeing a Birds Eye view of the carnival would be cool and then we can jet if you wanna.” You knew by the way his adams Apple bobbed that he was having second thoughts about the Ferris wheel. You wrapped your arm gently through his once more and pressed your cheek up against him. His breath caught slightly at the sudden contact and he shot a sidelong glance at you. Your eyes were shut, taking in the sounds all around you and the scent of him wafting gently through your senses.
“A Birds Eye view, because being in the heart of it isn’t enough?” He mumbled, eyes fully trained on the Ferris wheel. He watched as the carts swayed gently with each pass of the wheel, some swaying harder every time it came to a stop to let passengers off and on. You could hear the underlying fear in his tone and fought the urge to tease him about it that bubbled up in your chest. A soft smile caressed your lips as you tugged on his arm and took off in the direction of the Ferris wheel.
It wasn’t long before you were both tucked up into the Ferris wheel cart. Josh tucked himself into the corner of the cart, his eyes a little wider than normal as he tried to calm his nerves. His hands were wrapped tightly around the bar in front of you, knuckles near white as the Ferris wheel came to life and began to move upwards. Pulling his hands back he stuffed them under his thighs, scooting himself out of the corner he had tucked into.
Your gaze was locked on the scene around you, all of the lights from the rides and booths filling your vision and a soft smile spread across your lips as you watched the zipper throw its carts around. A soft sigh slipped past Josh’s lips and he pressed his knee up against yours, the contact enough to quiet his buzzing nerves a little bit. He took a deep breath, letting his eyes flutter shut as the Ferris wheel came to a stop at the top.
You turned your attention towards him, the soft green coloring of his skin quite prominent against the now fading black face paint he wore. Reaching towards him you looped your arm through his, your go to move of the night and felt his body stiffen. His eyes sprang open and he took another deep breath before pulling his arm from yours and wrapped it gingerly around your shoulders.
“Okay?” Your voice was barely above a whisper, a soft smile tugging on the corner of your lips as you watched him take in everything around him.
“Yeah uh, just.. just a little chilly.” He forced a chuckle and a soft nod of his head as if he was trying to convince himself of his feelings more than you. Your eyes danced to the horizon in front of you, the sun almost fully set as night fell around you and you tucked your bottom lip gently between your teeth. You reveled in the feeling of his hand on your shoulder, the soft weight of it keeping you grounded.
“It’s okay, yknow, if you’re afraid of being up here. It’s endearing that you’re not all big tough guy.” A sigh slipped past Josh’s nose as he processed what you said and let his eyes flutter shut as he leaned forward slightly and pressed his forehead to yours. Your name slipped past his lips on the gentlest whisper - the first time he had uttered it all night.
Your heart hammered in your chest, both from the fear of being stopped at the top of the Ferris wheel and the anxiety of being so close to Josh. His warm breath fanned across your face and he gently ran his nose along the side of yours.
You reached out, placing a gentle hand on his thigh as he reached up and cupped your cheek in his hand. Without a second thought he closed the distance and captured your lips with his in a soft kiss. He pulled back quickly, eyes wide and jaw slightly agape as he realized what he had done.
Giggles erupted from your chest at the look on his face - one of sheer embarrassment, eyes as wide as they could be and his bottom lip tucked safely between his teeth. You shook your head gently as you reached up and tugged on his chin, causing his bottom lip to come loose from his teeth. Cupping your hand around his chin you used your thumb and index finger to press gently against his cheeks and pucker his lips.
“That was cute, wanna try it again?” His eyes grew even wider as you giggled at him and leaned forward, pressing your lips to his, a soft smile tugging on the corners of your lips as you felt him reciprocate the kiss.
Summary: You don't like haunted houses. When you get scared by a big huge werewolf, you find you like the man behind the mask.
Pairings: Danny x Reader | Genre: halloween fluff, hurt/comfort | Word Count: 7k (yikes) | Warnings: smoking, anxiety, general Halloween spookyness
A/N: This is my fic for the GVF Fic Writer's Halloween Event! I used the prompt “carnival haunted house”. I hope you like it! ♡
“Come on, it’s not gonna be that bad! You’re being such a baby.”
You crossed your arms over your chest, half defensive and half warding off the chill of the autumn night. You couldn’t exactly argue with your friend; you were kind of being a baby about the haunted house she’d dragged you to with her boyfriend and a bunch of his Greek life pals. Still, she knew you weren’t particularly adventurous, and you figured she should have known you would be wary of doing something like this.
“I’ve never been to a haunted house,” you protested. “And the reviews said it's supposed to be the scariest one in the state.”
“Well, yeah,” she said with a roll of her eyes. “Why would we go to some lame ass haunted house? We’re here to get scared.”
You have a doubtful hum as you looked over the front of the house. They’d certainly done the place up — the actors that milled around in the sharp lighting set the scene, and the house was realistically run-down and looked on the verge of structural collapse. The screams punctuating the soundtrack of ghoulish music that came from inside didn’t do it any favors, either.
“It’ll be fun,” she insisted. “You always do this. Frat parties, horror movie marathons, literally any hookup I try to get you... You always chicken out at the last second.”
You winced at a particularly shrill shriek that came through the boarded-up window. “Yeah.” You found yourself wishing you’d decided to stay home with a good book and a hot toddy.
“Just stick with Ben,” she said, gesturing to the one single guy in your group. “Who knows? You might even get some action later — if you're not too scared, that is.”
You gave her a dry smile. “That idea is even scarier than the haunted house.”
She scoffed. “Your standards are too high. Ben’s nice. And he's hot.”
You had to admit she was right about him being hot. But as for him being nice, well, you’d heard the rumors, and you didn't want to find out if they were true.
“Can’t I just stick with you?” you asked. You took her hand. “Come on, Ash. Girl’s trip through the haunted house.”
She untangled herself from you. “No way. I’m with Jackson.”
Before you could try and convince her not to leave you alone in a haunted house, the undead ticket taker ushered you to the door with a chilling moan. You felt a flare of anxiety as you came into the dark foyer and took a seat with your group in front of a hooded fortune teller.
“Welcome, my dearies,” she said in a cackling voice. “I’ve seen your fortune in my crystal ball, and I see many winding paths and dark shadows in your future. Some of you may not even make it out alive.”
The ouija board on the wall moved by itself, spelling out “doom”. You tried to relax; maybe this wouldn’t be so bad. Maybe it would even be fun.
Suddenly, a box beside the fortune teller popped open with a shriek and revealed a leering skeleton. You jumped and couldn't help a little cry of fear.
“Here we go,” Ashley said derisively.
You frowned at her. “I thought the whole point was to get scared.”
“Yeah, from shit that's actually scary.”
You didn't have time to reply, moved along from your seat to a dark, winding hallway by a frantic actor in grisly makeup. You got shouldered to the back of the pack, behind Ashley and Jackson, and tried to keep your cool.
“Oh, this is gonna be good,” Ashley said, a tone of delight in her slightly hushed voice. Screams and creepy laughter echoed from farther off, and you all cautiously made your way down the dark hallway.
The hallway was narrow, and your group was moving slowly in suspense; a ghoul jumped from the hole in the wall you hadn’t noticed and howled at you.
You bit out a curse and grabbed the back of Ashley's sweater, deciding right then that you didn’t like this at all.
“Get off,” she said, pushing your hand away. “Find somebody else to hold onto if you have to, geez.”
Stung, you withdrew your hand and hugged your middle. The frenzied atmosphere had your anxiety on high alert, and you jumped at every little thing, adding your frightened voice to the cacophony of shrieks and screams and rattling cages that lined the walls.
You made it through the house by sheer willpower alone, growing more and more agitated as actors jumped out at you, skeletons fell from the ceiling to dangle in front of you, and strobe lights disoriented every scene. When you finally made it through, you tried to catch your breath, and then remembered with horror that there was a haunted walk in the woods to get through next.
“Ashely,” you pleaded. “I really don’t like this. Is there any way — ?”
“Don’t ruin it,” she said waspishly, obviously annoyed and being pulled forward by her boyfriend.
You felt close to tears. You weren’t trying to ruin it, and you were embarrassed that you couldn’t keep it together and hurt by her callousness.
Unable to do anything else, you kept moving forward through the cemetery scene and shied away in fear from every ghost and mangled undead creature that leapt from behind the headstones. Your breathing was rapid, and you started to feel lightheaded as you tried to keep up with your group.
A few moments of quiet followed when you made it out of the cemetery, and you foolishly let your guard down. Then, without warning, an actor jumped from the woods into the path, screaming to beat the devil, right between you and the rest of your group.
You froze, unable to see past the gruesome makeup and the awful screaming. When you finally found use of your legs again, you hurried past him and rounded a corner only to be scared by another actor in a horrible mask.
You were at your wit's end. You fled, stumbling down the dark wooded path, and found the trail completely empty. You looked frantically for your group; they must have left you behind, hurrying on to the next array of terrifying scenes. Your hands shook as you found yourself completely alone in the pitch-black woods, waiting in terrible suspense for the next thing to jump out at you.
You quickly came up on a dense patch of forest, skeletal branches tearing at your hair and your sweater. There was a figure ahead, a shadowed and huge werewolf, and you thought it was a statue; you had just passed it when it moved.
You screamed as it ran into the path from behind you and came right up beside you.
“Wait! Stop!” you pleaded, unable to stop the tears from finally overflowing. You cowered and begged the actor to leave you alone. He reached a clawed hand out towards you and said something in a distorted voice, and you shrank back as he moved closer.
“Please,” you sobbed, beside yourself. You couldn't take any more; your heart was fairly beating out of your chest, and you couldn’t stop crying.
The actor swept off his werewolf mask, revealing a concerned expression and a bounty of curly black hair. He kept his distance from you but still had one hand outstretched.
“Hey, hey, it’s okay,” he said in a surprisingly gentle voice. “I didn’t mean to scare you more after you said to stop — I should have taken my mask off sooner. I’m sorry.”
You inhaled in a choppy breath, still reeling from the overwhelming fear and now faced with the biggest, gentlest looking guy you’d ever seen.
“I’m not gonna hurt you,” he said, calm and kind. “And I won’t scare you any more.”
Your breath caught on a pitiful sob. “Do you promise?”
His expression was gentle. “Yes, I promise. My name’s Danny. I’m just an actor.”
You tried to collect yourself, working to steady your breathing and stop crying, watching as he looked around the woods.
“Where’s your group?” he asked. “They’re not supposed to let people go alone.”
“They l-left me,” you managed.
He frowned. “They left you?” He gave a disapproving hum. “Some friends they are.”
You didn’t say anything to that, figuring your emotional state was enough of an agreement.
“I’m just trying to get through this so I can go home,” you said miserably. “I’m sorry.”
“You don’t have to apologize,” he said kindly. “Is it your first time?”
You nodded, running your sleeve over your face to try and repair yourself. “My friends made me come.”
He sighed.
“Well, I can’t make your friends not be dicks to you,” he said apologetically. “But I can get you out without having to go through the rest of it.”
You looked up at him, so relieved you were almost dizzy with it. “Really?”
“Of course.” He extended his hand to the woods he’d come from. “Right this way.”
Despite his kindness to you, you still felt wary. He noticed and softened his posture towards you.
“I promise there’s nothing scary,” he said, and you knew he was being sincere. “It’s the way I get out, kind of like a backstage shortcut. I’ll take you right back to the front where you can wait on your group.”
You gave a shaky sigh of relief. “Thank you.”
You followed him off the main path onto another that cut through the woods, finally settling after a few minutes, the cold air stinging your warm face. Though you still heard the shrieks of people passing by, you felt more at ease walking beside Danny. He held his mask under one arm and trudged a little awkwardly through the brush in his big suit, making sure to stick by your side.
“I’m not going to get you in trouble, am I?” you asked, looking up at him. He was still a little imposing even without the mask, tall and broad, but you weren't afraid of him.
“No, you’re alright,” he assured you. “We can take people out if they use the safeword.”
You hadn’t even known there was a safeword, and figured that would have been a nice piece of information for Ashley to share with you.
“What is the safeword?” you asked. “In case I ever decide to come back in a fit of insanity.”
He chuckled, and the sound was warm.
“It’s ‘kitkat’,” he said. “Like the candy. Any time we hear it, we stop whatever scene we’re in and make sure that person gets out safely.”
“That’s nice of you,” you said. You had to step twice for each one of his long strides, and you were glad you had him with you as the sounds of the maze still rang out in the darkness.
He shrugged. “The owners are good people, and they want to make sure it's a safe and fun experience for everyone.”
You tried to listen to what he said, but you saw something coming towards your path; though you knew it was probably just another actor coming off set, you remembered one of them walking alongside you in the trees and jumping out at you.
“It’s okay,” Danny said gently. “They’re not going to scare you. I promise.”
The actor came into the path a few paces ahead of you and gave Danny a friendly wave in his undead getup. Danny tried to lift his hand to wave back, and both of you realized that you were holding on to his arm through the suit.
“Oh, sorry,” you said, blushing hot and quickly withdrawing your hand.
His smile was patient and unconcerned. “No worries.”
Sooner than you expected, you came up to the fence and saw a cheery bonfire and a few outbuildings just beyond.
He held the gate open for you. “Well, here we are,” he said amiably. “This is the staff entrance, but if you go around that building, you'll come around to the main ticketing booth. You shouldn't have any trouble, but if someone asks, tell them you safeworded out and Danny sent you back.”
You stopped halfway through the gate. “Thank you for your help, Danny. I'm sorry to have been a bother.”
He shook his head and gave you a friendly smile.
“You weren’t a bother,” he said. “I’m glad I could help, and I’m sorry you didn’t have such a great time.”
Your returning smile was a little wobbly. “Well... have a good night. I hope you scare lots of people.”
He laughed. “Thanks. You have a good night too.”
He turned to go back to his shadowy wooded post, and you wended your way through the staff section, passing a few actors in various states of costuming. A security guard directed you towards the main entrance, and you found a spot to sit and wait for your group.
Long minutes passed. You texted Ashley and told her where you were, but you didn't get a response; you wondered if they'd chosen to do the extra zombie maze and haunted hayride without you. You were cold, and you wished you had your own car so you wouldn’t have to wait for a ride.
“Hey, kitkat.”
You looked up at the familiar voice and saw Danny waving to you from the fence that bordered the staff area. You walked over and felt a sort of shy warmth at his smile.
“Hi,” you said. “Were you worried I might have died of fright?”
He chuckled. “A little. I just wanted to check and see if your friends had come back yet. They’re still not here?”
“I texted them, but I guess they must have gone ahead and done the extra stuff.” You huddled further into your sweater. “It’s really kind of you to interrupt your work to check on me.”
He looked a little bashful. “Well, I just wanted to make sure you were okay. I’m actually done for the night; somebody else is being the werewolf for the last shift.”
“Ah, I see,” you said. “Passing on the torch of terror.”
He smiled. “Something like that.”
A breeze rustled through the trees, and you shivered.
“Are you cold?” he asked.
“A little,” you admitted.
He gestured over his shoulder. “You’re welcome to come sit by the bonfire while you wait. A few of us are hanging out for a while.”
“Are you sure?” you asked, thinking it was a very sweet offer.
“Yeah,” he said. “As long as you’re okay with seeing people with their makeup and costumes still on.”
“But they’re not, uh... working, right?”
He smiled. “Nope. We don’t scare off the clock, I promise.”
“Okay, then. Thank you.”
“You’re welcome.” He opened the gate for you and led you to the bonfire, and the two guys already sitting there in matching skull makeup and tattered costumes looked up at you in uncanny synchronicity.
“I thought you said you don’t scare off the clock,” you whispered to Danny.
He laughed, but it wasn’t unkind. “They’re just like that. It’s a twin thing, I guess.” He offered you a seat on a log bench by the fire. “Guys, this is...”
Danny looked at you. “Shoot. I don't even know your name.”
You smiled and introduced yourself to the twins. They lost some of their spookiness as they introduced themselves as Josh and Jake.
“So you're Danny’s kitkat,” Josh said with a winsome smile. “Nice to meet you.”
You smiled back, a little sheepish. “Thank you. You both look... terrifying.”
Jake mimed a gallant bow. “Why thank you. We certainly try.”
Danny touched an unobtrusive hand to your shoulder.
“I’m just gonna get out of this suit,” he said. “I’ll be right back.”
You nodded. “Okay. I’ll be here.”
He turned to go, but before he’d made it two steps, he turned back towards you.
“Do you like apple cider?” he asked.
You were a little bemused at the question. “Yeah. I love it.”
He smiled. “Okay. Sit tight.”
You watched him go, endeared to his thoughtfulness and the warm ease of his smile. You had the somewhat silly thought that it suited him to play what was essentially, in the light of day, a big shaggy dog.
“So, kitkat,” Jake said, and you guessed the playfully teasing nickname had stuck. “How did you like our little haunted patch of heaven?”
You gave a wry smile. “How many people that burst into tears and get escorted out seem to like it?”
He laughed, and it was an amusing contrast to his makeup.
“Well, I guess you’re right,” he said. “But some people who leave early just didn’t know what to expect, and they come back again when they're more prepared. Some people flat don’t like this kind of thing.”
“I think I'm probably the second kind,” you admitted. “My friends brought me, and I knew I wasn't going to like it.”
Josh lit a cigarette and held it between his long fingers painted to look like bones.
“You’re not with your friends now, though,” he observed. “Do they know you’re here?”
You shrugged. “I texted them, but they’d already left me behind by the time I got to Danny. I don't know when they’re going to be done.”
“They left you behind?” Jake asked, indignant. “I mean, no offense to your friends, but that’s kind of a dick move.”
“No, you’re right,” you agreed. “Danny was very kind to help me even though I was hysterical when he jumped out at me.”
Both twins lifted their gaze to something behind you, and Josh grinned.
“Aw, Dan, you hear that?” he said. “You’re a very kind werewolf.”
You looked over to see Danny wearing a somewhat bashful smile and holding a mug wreathed with steam, a jacket draped over his arm.
“Just doing my job,” he said modestly. He sat beside you and handed you the mug, then put his huge jacket over your shoulders. “Here. This’ll get you warmed up.”
You took the mug gratefully and warmed your hands on the sides of it, breathing in the tart fragrance of apple cider as steam rose from the drink. His jacket, though you were practically swimming in it, was warm and smelled like sweet, spicy cologne. “Thank you, Danny.”
He smiled. “You’re very welcome.”
He stretched his long legs out towards the fire, and you admired how he looked in snug jeans and a rust-colored sweater. He wasn’t scary at all out of the suit, and you were curious as to how much his friends would change once they were out of their makeup.
“What part do you two work?” you asked the twins. “I don’t remember seeing you in the house, but then again, I was kind of trying not to see anything.”
They smiled, curving the black-and-white skeleton grins into something gentler.
“We’re past Danny a little ways,” Jake said. “There’s a section of the woods between Jason’s chainsaw attack and Elm Street, and we do a whole routine of following people and then screaming at the top of our lungs when we get close to them.”
“Josh is very good at it,” Danny said. “He’s got the pipes for it.”
You smiled despite the lingering unease of imagining being caught in their scene. “I’m glad I didn't make it to your section, then.”
They laughed.
“You should have seen Jake when he was the undead pirate in the swamp scene,” Josh said. “He’d sit completely still in the chair in the corner and then jump up and chase people out through the alligator swamp.” He looked to his brother. “What was that, two seasons ago? That was a big hit that year.”
“Have you played a lot of different parts?” you asked.
All three of them agreed.
“They move you around all the time,” Danny said. “It’s fun getting to play different characters and wear different costumes. Josh played this little dude with a pumpkin head that didn’t look scary at first, but it freaked people out when he stood as they passed by and just turned his head to watch them.”
“Oh, yeah, I remember that one,” Josh said, fondly reminiscing on scaring the bejeezus out of people. “Weren't you Michael Meyers when I was doing that?”
Danny laughed. “Yeah, because I was the only one tall enough that year.”
“What was Sam doing then?” Jake asked.
Josh shook his head. “He was a zombie, I think. Maybe.” He looked to you. “Sam is our younger brother. He works here too.”
“He should be getting off any minute,” Danny said, glancing at his watch. He looked towards the woods. “There he is now, actually.”
You looked over too, and you gasped as you saw a huge four-legged stilt creature with mossy horns atop a deer skull head.
“That’s just Sam,” Danny said quickly, wanting to reassure you.
You smiled in delight. “It's okay. I’m not afraid of that. I think it’s wonderful.”
A few coworkers near the fence helped Sam get out of his costume and off the stilts, and he shook his hair out of his face as he came over to your bonfire.
“Howdy, boys,” he said. He caught sight of you and gave you a curious smile.
“I didn’t know we were inviting lady friends to hang out,” he said.
The twins laughed, and Danny’s smile was a little embarrassed.
“Danny just helped me get out of the woods,” you told him with a smile. “And your brothers have been nice enough to share your bonfire while I wait for my group.”
“Ah, a kitkat, huh?” Sam asked. “Sorry if I scared you coming out in all my regalia.”
“She said you were wonderful,” Jake teased. “Not scary at all.”
He smiled. “Well, I’m glad you liked it. It’s a bitch to get in and out of, but I think it looks cool.”
He sat catty-corner to the twins and sighed deeply as he stretched. “Cigarette.”
Josh pulled one out of his pack for him and tossed him a lighter. “So polite, Sammy.”
Sam smiled as he lit his smoke. “You know what some girl said to me? She said she wanted to take me home as a pet.”
Danny grinned. “As, like, a sexy pet? Or just a huge, weird dog?”
“Huge weird dog,” he agreed. “Though you’ve probably got me beat on that one.”
“Nah, Danny gets all the lonely Halloween housewives,” Jake said. “They like him all... wolfy.”
You looked over at Danny. “Do they really?” you asked, amused.
You didn’t know for sure in the warm light of the fire, but you thought he might have blushed.
“Sometimes,” he admitted. “They probably wouldn't feel the same if they saw me out of the suit, though.”
You thought that couldn't be true. If he hadn’t scared you, you might have been... intrigued by the werewolf costume. Certainly you were intrigued now that he was out of it.
You talked for a long time around the fire, learning some of their different parts they’d played, getting funny stories of their best scares, finding out some of the behind the scenes secrets that made it less frightening and more interesting to you.
“How long have you worked here?” you asked.
“This is our fourth year,” Sam said. “It’s just a seasonal thing — our real job is playing music, but, you know, gotta pay the bills before we land Madison Square Garden.”
You drew Danny's jacket closer around you, thankful for its warmth. He had moved closer, or maybe you had moved, so the two of you were shoulder to shoulder.
“What kind of music do you play?” you asked.
“Rock n roll,” Josh said proudly. “Jake’s on guitar, Sam's on bass, and Danny's on drums.”
“Does that make you the mercurial lead singer?” you teased.
He grinned. “I do what I can.”
You thought of Danny playing drums and felt something close to butterflies at the thought.
“We’re doing local gigs, mostly,” Jake said. “We’re hoping to get a recording contract soon, but for now, we’re starving artists splitting rent and scaring people in the side.”
You smiled. “You should do a Halloween-themed concert here,” you said. “All decked out in makeup and costumes. I would come.”
“That’s actually a fantastic idea,” Josh said. “Hey, Dan, you picked a good one.”
You were a little embarrassed but mostly pleased at his lighthearted teasing, and you thought Danny felt the same. As the brothers started discussing what their spooky concert could entail, Danny checked a message on his phone.
“Brian lost his fake arm,” Danny said to the group. “Some moron thought it would be funny if he grabbed it and ran off with it.”
“Super,” Jake said dryly. “I assume the security guys are escorting the arm thief off property?”
Danny stood and pocketed his phone. “I reckon. But he asked me if I’d bring him a spare arm.”
He looked down at you with a hopeful expression. “You want to come along?”
“On a zombie arm delivery through the quarantine zone?”
He smiled. “Yeah. Through the backstage, so no scary stuff.”
He held his hand out to you, and you took it.
“I might cry again,” you warned. “You never know.”
He squeezed your hand. “I won't let anything get you, kitkat. You stick with me and you’ll be just fine.”
You were happy to comply, enjoying the feeling of your hand in his as he led you to the prop storage building. He had to let go of your hand to sift through the array of knives, chainsaws, and tombstones, and you followed him through the winding aisles of shelves stacked high with all manner of fake blood and gruesome pumpkin heads.
You skirted a group of seven foot tall skeletons looming in the light of the bare lightbulbs overhead. “You guys have a lot of stuff.”
“This isn't even half of it,” he said, looking for a particular shelf. He rounded a corner and you followed, coming face to face with a leering clown mask that made you draw a sharp breath.
“You okay?” he asked, looking over his shoulder.
“Yeah,” you said, a little embarrassed that you’d been frightened of a completely motionless mask. You moved close again and concentrated on him instead of the ghoulish props. “This stuff doesn’t freak you out? Even just a little?”
He shrugged, but he wore a tell-tale smile. “Not really. I’m used to it by now.” He found the shelf he was looking for. “Aha! Here we go.”
He pulled a grisly arm in a ripped sleeve from the collection and held it up. “High five.”
You slapped your palm against it. “Is that all we need?”
“Yep,” he agreed. “We’re all set.”
He took your hand again and led you back outside, walking along the fence until you reached a different entrance to the woods. You pressed closer when you started down the path, and he smiled down at you in the dim light of the half-moon.
“You’re okay, kitkat,” he said sweetly. “Remember what I said?”
“You’re not going to let anything get me?”
“Right. I gotcha, don’t worry.”
The woods were almost pleasant without the frantic haunts and jumpscares, and you noticed the lush sounds that filtered through the sound effects and various shrieks and screams that drifted through the darkness.
A trilling, haunting bird call caught your attention. “Is that part of the ambience?”
“A natural one,” he said. “That’s an eastern screech owl. They sing all the time out here.”
He pulled you to a stop. “We might be able to see this one. Hold on.”
His hand was warm in yours, big and callused, and you watched his face as he studied the trees. He was handsome, there was no denying it; his curls were brushed by the breeze, and you couldn't help but do the same when you saw the excited curve of his smile.
“There it is,” he said quietly, pointing to a tree a few paces ahead. “See it?”
You looked where he directed, and after a moment of searching, you saw a small brown owl perched on a branch. It called again, a waterfall of notes, and you watched the feathers on its head stand up like little horns.
“Spooky,” you said.
He smiled. “Isn't it pretty?”
“It’s beautiful,” you agreed. He squeezed your hand, pleased you’d liked it.
“Let’s go deliver this arm,” he said. “Shall we?”
“Lead on, good sir.”
You reached the quarantine zone section of the maze, and you started to feel uneasy again as the screams of happily frightened patrons and dedicated actors got louder. Danny shouldered a side door open and took you inside, winding through the narrow walls with an ease born of practice.
You came up to a little room open to the backstage side with a barred window of the opposite wall. A guy in all his zombie finery cracked a smile that was slightly marred by his macabre makeup.
“Brought me a snack, huh?” he joked.
“Just an arm,” Danny said, handing it over. “Sorry yours got snatched.”
He rolled his eyes. “It was a bunch of frat guys. Idiots.”
You wondered grimly if it was one of Ashley and Jackson’s troupe that had taken the arm. You wouldn’t be surprised.
“See you around,” Danny said, squeezing his broad frame back through the entrance. He took you back down the maze to the place you’d come in from, and you were about to ask him if he’d ever worked as a zombie when an actor slammed against the bars his jail cell beside you.
You yelped and moved behind Danny, feeling your heartbeat pick up again.
“Hey, Cindy, hold up,” Danny said to the actor, holding you hand tightly and putting himself between you and the actor. “I got a kitkat with me.”
She immediately let up on her routine and peeked through the bars of the cell.
“Oh, I’m sorry,” she said sincerely. “I didn’t see that it was you. Are you okay, hon?”
You tried to find your voice, tucking yourself safely behind Danny. “I’m fine, thanks. You’re very effective.”
She laughed. “Thank you. Sorry again for scaring you.”
You followed Danny out, trying to get your heartbeat to settle into a normal rhythm. When you were through the back door again, Danny turned to face you.
“I’m really sorry,” he said, and you heard how much he meant it. “I forgot there was a spot there. I should have warned you.”
“It’s okay,” you said weakly. You looked up at him. “You didn’t let her get me, so I guess we’re good.”
He gave you an apologetic smile. “Still, I feel terrible. Are you okay?”
You nodded. “Yes. Sorry you got stuck with the wimpiest girl in the whole world.”
“I don't mind,” he said kindly. He squeezed your hand. “Let's get you back to civilization, yeah?”
As you walked, you felt your phone buzz. You read the text from Ashley, and from the number of odd typos, it seemed like she’d gone back to the car and gotten into the frat boys’ stash of weed or alcohol or both. She didn't seem remotely concerned or apologetic that they’d completely abandoned you, and the demand to come back to the car for a ride home didn’t exactly make up for it.
“Is that your friends?” Danny asked.
You gave a doubtful hum. “I’ve decided ‘friends’ is a bit of a strong word, but yes. They're finally headed back to the car.”
Danny didn’t say anything for a moment. Then, he seemed to work up his courage with a deep breath.
“Okay, so, before I say anything,” he said, “I want you to know you can absolutely turn me down and it won’t hurt my feelings. I’m happy to walk you back to your friends’ car and leave it at that.”
You felt a spark of something eager, something curious. “Okay,” you agreed. “What’s behind door number two?”
His smile was shy. “Well, I was thinking, if you don’t live nine hundred miles from here... I could drive you home. Maybe we could grab some dinner.”
You wanted to say yes immediately, but you made yourself think it through. It was a little crazy to be accepting a ride home from a guy you’d just met at a haunted house — a lot crazy for you, considering you were the opposite of adventurous or risk-seeking — but there was something about Danny that you knew was trustworthy. He’d been nothing but kind to you and hadn’t done anything that made you even vaguely uncomfortable, and you wanted to get to know him better.
“I’d like that,” you said, and you felt yourself blush when he smiled.
“Really?” he asked. “Like I said, I don’t mind taking you over to your friends. But if I do, I... I would like to get your number, and ask you out for something in the daytime if you want.”
You’d never had such genuine, conscientious attention turned your way before, and you found you very much enjoyed it.
“I would love to go out sometime when it’s not pitch black,” you said, teasing a little, and he laughed.
“And tonight?” he asked, cautious of seeming insistent.
You smiled. “I would be grateful if you could drive me home, if it’s not too far out of your way. I live at the university.”
“That’s not out of the way at all,” he said. “Our house is right around the corner.”
You liked the thought that meeting up with him again would be easy, almost like it was meant to be. As you made it back to the bonfire where Sam, Josh, and Jake were waiting, you texted Ashley to tell her your plans; just as a precaution, though you didn’t think you’d need it, you shared your location with her.
“I gave her instructions to let them do a documentary on me if I get murdered,” you said.
Danny laughed. “Okay. I can promise you that it won’t be me, at any rate. I do think we should get some killer pumpkin waffles, though. I know a good place.”
“Are you going to the diner?” Sam asked. The three of them had been shamelessly listening in on your conversation, and they gave you three matched smiles as you came up to the fire.
“Can we come too?” Josh asked.
Jake elbowed him. “They’re going on a date, dummy.”
Josh scoffed. “It’s not really fair of him to bring up the diner and not invite us.”
“We’ll sit at a different booth,” Sam promised.
You laughed. “I don’t mind if you come,” you said. “And we can sit at the same booth.”
You looked up at Danny. “Unless you mind.”
His smile was equal parts fond and exasperated with his friends. “No, I don't mind. The more the merrier.”
The boys were thrilled to hear that, and they left to get out of their costumes so you could leave. You and Danny sat by the fire in a bashful, quiet companionship.
“I would like to go out sometime, just us,” you said. “If... if you want to. You four seem kind of like a package deal, though.”
He chuckled. “We are, kind of. We’ve been friends since we were kids — they’re really more like my brothers. But yes, I want to go out sometime too, just us.”
“Even though I'm a kitkat?” you asked. “It’s been quite a first impression.”
He smiled and brushed your hair behind your ear in an affectionate, innocent touch. “It wasn't so bad,” he said. “I’m glad you were my kitkat.”
You blushed and tried to hide your smile. The boys came back and rescued you from doing anything foolish, like kissing a guy you’d just met, and the five of you made your way through the grass to the staff parking lot.
“You two look downright friendly without all your makeup,” you said to Jake and Josh. You saw their differences more clearly now, noticing how Jake’s face was softer and Josh's features were in sharper relief. They were still a matched pair, and Sam clearly took after them in their good looks, but Danny was the one who really held your attention with his tall, broad, and dark aspect.
You all piled into Danny's car, and as they let you have the front seat, you learned that they usually rode together since they were all coming from and going to the same place.
“It’s my turn with the aux,” Jake said, reaching for it.
“No sea shanties, please,” Sam said dramatically.
“Let kitkat have the aux if she wants,” Josh chided. “She’s the guest.”
“Oh, um...” You took the cord when Jake handed it to you. “Are you sure? What if I pick something you hate?”
“Try us,” Danny said. “Between the four of us, we have a wide variety of musical interests.”
You pulled up your Halloween playlist, thinking it was appropriate, and played “Werewolves of London”.
“Oh hell yeah,” Danny said. “Turn this up.”
“Hey, Dan,” Jake said. “This could be your theme song.”
He smiled. “I'll just put a Union Jack on my costume somewhere.” He glanced over at you. “You like Warren Zevon?”
“I love him,” you said. “Excitable Boy is my favorite album of his.”
“That’s because you have excellent taste,” he said seriously.
You were pleased that he liked what you’d picked, and all of you sang along as he drove past rolling farmland back into the city proper. He pulled up to a diner you’d always wanted to try but had never had a chance to, and the five of you found a booth in the corner and placed your orders for a variety of classic diner food and a round of coffee.
You talked and laughed as you had your late-night dinner, and the more you got to know Danny and his brothers, the more you liked them. When you were finished, you lingered over your coffee and waited for the milkshakes you ordered; you hadn’t wanted a whole dessert to yourself, and Danny offered to split his with you.
Your pumpkin pie shake came with two striped straws, and you giggled when Danny’s nose brushed against yours as you both took a sip. You saw Sam, Jake, and Josh watching you with amusement and affection and couldn’t help but blush.
“Sorry if this is too early to say,” Josh said, “but you two are cute together.”
Danny blushed too, but his smile was pleased. When you were done, he stood and said he was going for a cigarette.
“You want to come?” he asked.
You took the hand he offered and smiled up at him. “Sure.”
He led you outside, and you thought you heard the boys talking about the two of you as you left them. The night air was chilly, and you moved close to him for warmth and maybe something more.
“I have a pack in my jacket,” he said, and you realized you were still wearing it from when he’d given it to you earlier.
“Oh, I totally forgot,” you said, making to take it off and give it back. “I’m sorry.”
“No, that’s okay,” he assured you. He pulled it back on your shoulders and made sure it was snug. He smiled. “You look better in it anyway.”
He pulled a pack of cigarettes out of the pocket, along with a lighter, and his face was all sharp angles and warm colors in the light of the small flame.
“You want one?” he asked.
“Sure,” you said, taking the one he offered you. “Thanks.”
He lit it for you and closed the lighter with a little click. He brushed his thumb over the surface of it in an absent, thoughtful touch, and you wondered what he was thinking.
“Thank you for taking such good care of me,” you said.
He smiled. “You’re welcome. It’s my pleasure.”
“Do you ever go through the haunted house?” you asked after a moment. “Not as an actor, I mean.”
He shrugged. “I’ve never had the chance to. I guess I would like to, just to see if from the other side.” He grinned down at you. “Why, are you thinking of coming back in a fit of insanity?”
You gave a soft laugh. “Maybe,” you said. “If I had a big werewolf bodyguard with me to keep me safe.”
He didn't say anything for a moment, but he looked at you with such tenderness and attention you could hardly believe it was directed at you. You didn't consider yourself pretty, certainly not someone to attract such a look from a boy as pretty or as kind as he was, and you felt beautiful under his gaze.
“Can I have a fit of insanity too?” he said. “Just for a second?”
You unconsciously tipped your face up towards him. “Just for a second.”
His smile was impossibly affectionate. “Can I kiss you, kitkat?”
“Please,” you said softly.
He moved slowly, giving you time to pull away, and when he kissed you it was gentle and warm and undemanding. Your whole body felt warm and tingly with something you didn't think you’d ever experienced before.
You sighed when he let you come up for air, and you were glad that he stayed close, his nose brushing against yours.
“I really like you, kitkat,” he said, quiet and sure.
You twined your fingers with his, thanking your lucky stars for haunted houses and big, scary werewolves and everything that was going to come with them.
You smiled and kissed him again. “I really like you too, Danny.”
danny taglist:@tearsofbri@busybeingtrash@myway-late@gotavansleep@gretavanbri@stardustchxrds@pxppylove @bajabule69 @radmads-gvf@sunnykiszka@audgeppp@ageoffleeet@stardustjake @for-ur-love @aspenkiszka @aspenchosetheroad
Welcome to the 2023 GVF Fic Writers Halloween Event! Prompts are below the cut, but first, some info about this very spooky affair.
٭ The rules are simple: pick a prompt from the list below and write a fic about it! The prompts range from particularly Halloween-y to just general autumnal vibes, and you're welcome to riff off any of them in any way you choose. On your post, please note which prompt (or prompts) you picked for your fic!
٭ This event is open to all GVF writers, whether you're a seasoned vet or a first-time writer! If you're a reader, show your love for GVF writers by liking their fics, reblogging them, and commenting in the reblog or even just in the tags. All fics from this event will be reblogged by me and added to a masterlist that will be linked in my bio!
٭ Fics can be written for any and all pairings — x reader, slash, platonic, x oc, multi, whatever you like! It's also open to any length fics (blurbs, oneshots, series) and all genres, from vampire sexy to candy sweet to scary movie spooky and everything in between. Please make sure to clearly tag any potential triggers in your fic — we want this event to be accessible and fun for everyone. Please also use a readmore in any fics that are longer than blurb length, just to keep the dash tidy.
٭ Absolutely no negativity will be tolerated, whether from readers, writers, or anyone else. This is a community-building event, and if you're not here to have fun and be kind to others, don't be here at all.
٭ Tag your fics with #gvfhalloweenfics. To make sure I don't miss your fic, please tag me (@hearts-hunger) so I can reblog your fic and add it to the masterlist!
٭ The deadline is technically October 31st, but I'm happy to add fics to the masterlist any time before or after Halloween if your creative energy is grooving or lagging. You can also write as many fics as you want!
٭ Now that I've talked your ear off, let me say one last thing before we get to the prompts: my asks (with anon) and dms are always open for any questions about this event! Please reblog this post to get the word out, and tag any writers you think might be interested! Happy writing, and happy Halloween!
1. carnival haunted house
2. real haunted house
3. pumpkin patch
4. apple orchard
5. scary movie night
6. campfire ghost stories
7. baking halloween treats
8. carving pumpkins
9. trick or treating
10. decorating for halloween
11. making costumes
12. putting on halloween makeup
13. halloween bar crawl
14. ghost hunting
15. monster/ghost/witch au
16. county fair
17. halloween party
18. exploring a graveyard
19. adopting a black cat
20. playing with a ouija board
21. buying halloween decor
22. dark magic
23. a walk through the woods
24. cosy coffee date
25. camping trip
26. hay ride
27. local oktoberfest
28. cabin vacation
29. halloween/autumn wedding
30. starting a new halloween tradition
31. fic based on a halloween song
Warnings: MSG Discussion including dreams coming true, Jake fluff, tears, and lots of them, oh and some more fluff fluff fluff
Word Count: 1,429 (A quick read)!
A/N: I literally wrote this mini fic while watching the livestream and crying, so I hope you guys enjoy. 😭😭😭😭
“We fucking did it,” He said breathlessly, practically flying into your arms, knocking you off balance. You grounded yourself quickly, wrapping your arms around him. “We fucking did it,” he said again into the curve of your ear, this time, his voice trembling as he repeated himself. You tucked your face into the curve of his neck, kissing his slick skin. Watching from his side of the lower bowl, his passion while playing had rendered you speechless, dissolving your composure into little more than a helpless pool of tears for the majority of the show.
“I am so incredibly proud of you, Jake. My baby. Your dreams just came true!” You hugged him as tight as you could, swinging him from side to side as his breath hitched, trying his best to not sob. Lifting your face, you looked up at him, aware of the tears that streamed down his face a thin, glistening line. You watched as his lips quivered. Reaching up, you swiped the tears away from his cheek, moving to squeeze his shoulder. “Go to Josh. You need him more than you need me.”
“I-” he attempted to argue, but you shook your head and reached for his hands. “You’ve worked your entire life for this. I’m not going anywhere. Go to him.” He looked at you for an extended moment, more tears welling in his eyes. You reached for him, hugging him tight one last time and kissed him, pulling his face to yours.
“I love you, Y/n,” he murmured against your lips.
“I love you too,” you told him, squeezing his hands below you.
“I’ll find you,” he assured you and you nodded.
“Go!” you practically shouted at him, pushing him away with a chuckle.
“Okay!” he grinned, wiping his eyes, squeezing your hand one last time before turning to sprint to find his brother. You watched him move, searching the backstage area for Josh until he spotted him. The tears continued to flow as you watched them embrace, their expressions of utmost earnestness as they cried together, laughed together and held each other. You hugged yourself as you watched them, smiling when you saw Danny and Sam doing the same.
“We fuckin slayed Madison Square Garden,” Danny shouted with amazement.
“I need a fuckin’ beer,” Sam admitted, offering an exhausted chuckle.
The boys’ families filtered backstage shortly after, the boys doling out hugs to everyone, but taking special time for their parents. You watched as Karen kissed her boys, throwing her arms around their necks and kissing their faces. Lori reached for Danny, and though he towered over her, he pulled her in, wrapping his body around hers.
“They were shouting your name,” Lori told him. “All of them,” she squeezed him tight. “I am the proudest I’ve been since the day you were born.”
You stood to the side, wiping at your dripping nose and swiping away the tears.
“Awe, come here,” Josh said, reaching his arms out to you, hugging you tightly. You sobbed freely over his shoulder, squeezing him tight. “I’m so proud–I don’t know what to say,” you chuckled through your nose.
“So don’t,” he said. “Just–take it all in,” he said, squeezing you one more time before stepping back. “Thank you for believing in us, and even more importantly, in Jake. He loves you so much, Y/n. You have no idea.”
You wiped at your tears, becoming aware of how disheveled you most definitely looked. “Speaking of the devil,” He said, taking a step back as Jake reappeared in front of you, his hair combed, looking slightly refreshed. Everyone around you went silent, turning to stare at you and then back at him. Jake stepped forward into the circle of people.
“Today is a huge day for all of us,” Jake said, his gaze moving over everyone. “It’s been my dream to perform here on the same stage as so many legendary performers. Since we booked this venue, I’ve silently panicked and dreaded,” he laughed, and everyone smirked in response “This performance…It’s a lot to live up to,” he explained. “And I couldn’t have done it without these three,” he said, waving his brothers over, who wrapped their arms around each other. “I love you guys so much. Thank you for helping me live my dream every single day. I’ll never have the words to truly explain how profound of an honor it is to be your brother and partner in crime.”
Out of the corner of your eye, you saw people filtering into the backstage area, and you immediately recognized your parents and your siblings, coming to stand quietly by Karen and Kelly. Confusion rattled your mind as you mouthed to them “What are you doing here?” Your mother tilted her head toward the boys, silently telling you to pay attention to them.
“And you,” Jake continued, looking from your family and back to you. “You are the love of my life,” he said, taking a step forward. “I said that this was a dream to perform in,” he explained, “but I’ve realized over the last two years that it’s okay to have more than one dream in life.” He took a final step forward, taking your hands in his. “When we signed the deal to perform here, I was ecstatic, but there was one more thing I wanted to do that would complete this dream of mine.” You watched as he dropped one of his hands, digging into his pants pocket. In a moment of awe and amazement, you watched as he dropped to the floor on one knee, opening a black velvet ring box, revealing the most gorgeous engagement ring you’d ever seen.
“Jake…” You began, but he spoke again.
“Y/n. I’ve waited my entire career for this night,” he explained. “But I’ve waited my entire life for you. Will you make my dreams come true by marrying me?” He asked, his smile the widest you’d ever seen it, his eyes filled with wonderment and hope. You chuckled out of surprise, covering your mouth, feeling your throat ache as the tears began to pour all over again. You nodded yes.
“Of course, Jake. Yes, I’ll marry you.” He pulled the ring out of the box and reached for your hand, putting it on the wrong finger.
“That’s the wrong–” Josh blurted before Karen reached her hand up to cover her son’s mouth.
Jake apologized quietly to you with a grin before switching to the appropriate finger. You leaned down to kiss him, not wanting to wait for him to move upright. He pulled you into him, kissing you breathlessly, uncaring of his family’s presence. Everyone cheered and clapped as you lifted your hand in the air, showing off the ring.
“She said yes!” Sam shouted before beginning to hoop and holler over the family. Lori and Karen took ample pictures while Kelly and Daniel Sr. butted shoulders with soft grins.
***
“I got you something,” you told Jake as you both stepped into the hotel room. “When you accused me of being weird earlier,” you grinned, stepping into the bathroom. You reappeared with a huge bouquet of red roses, finished with baby’s breath in a large vase. There must have been fifty roses in the bunch. You watched as his eyes widened at the arrangement. “This is why I couldn’t make it to soundcheck. Surprise!” You watched as his cheeks pinkened, his eyes growing glassy once more. He took the vase, bending to smell them before setting them on the closest dresser before returning to you.
“Thank you so much,” he said, lifting his thumb and forefinger to your chin, tilting your face up to kiss your lips, lingering there for a long time, as if communicating to you all the words that he didn’t know how to put together just yet.
“It’s the least I could do for my rockstar boyfriend,” you said, raising your eyebrows as you hovered above his lips.
“Correction. Rockstar fiancée,” he said, reaching down for your hand, rolling the ring around your finger. You lifted your hand for him, looking at the ring.
“It’s beautiful, Jake,” you said. “Really. And getting my family there? You have a knack at never letting something be completely about you. You’re selfless to a fault.”
“Well, let me show you how selfless I can truly be,” he said, reaching to turn out the light and pull you into the bedroom, the walls illuminated by the soft lights of New York City, the sounds of cars whisking by on the streets below.
Summary: They say laughter is the best medicine, but you're pretty sure that's only because they haven't met Sam. | Standalone in the Sunshine Daydream universe
Pairings: Sam x Reader | Genre: fluff, sickfic (migraine), hurt/comfort | Word Count: 3k | Warnings: none! | Title song: “Deep End” by Holly Humberstone
A/N: My very first standalone fic for Sam and Birdie! This fic is a special gift to all the Sunshine Daydream besties. I hope you like it! ♡
“Yeah, man, I don’t know. I think if we add any more freakin’ reverb we might as well trash it.”
You winced a little as you listened to Sam talking on the phone, feeling from the tone of his voice that he must not be in a great mood. You couldn’t exactly tell — he’d been talking to Jake as he came in the door, and they had been talking steadily as Sam started up the handful of household chores he liked to knock out before he settled in for the evening. He was unloading the dishwasher right now, and he seemed to be very impassioned about whatever song they were talking about.
“That’s not going to fix the problem, though,” he said firmly. “The whole tone of the song is riding on that.”
You still couldn’t tell if he was arguing with Jake or just having an overzealous discussion. You didn’t like not knowing; it had always made you uneasy to not be able to read someone’s mood, and that was especially true with Sam. He knew that about you and was usually very good about being straightforward if he was upset, but he’d barely said a word to you since coming home half an hour ago.
As worrying as that was, though, you had more pressing things to worry about. The familiar ache of a budding migraine was becoming less and less easy to ignore, and you felt yourself flinch when the plates Sam put away clattered against each other.
You curled in on yourself on the couch, praying the medicine would kick in before it got too bad. The last thing you wanted was a full-blown migraine with a grouchy boyfriend, if that’s indeed what he was, and you’d rather just take care of it by yourself if you could. Unfortunately, you were beginning to think you’d taken the medicine too late to head it off at the pass. Rosie was curled up next to you, and you tried to relax against her solid warmth and manifest a beautiful migraine-free evening with the power of positive thinking.
It took about five minutes before you gave up that dream. You could feel the pain starting to spread, settling in deep where it usually hit behind your eyes and over the crown of your head. You wanted to ask Sam to get you an ice pack, but you didn’t want make him more annoyed than he already was, and you didn’t feel like you could raise your voice enough to interrupt his phone call anyway.
“Rosie, come get your dinner.”
His voice carried from the kitchen, and you guessed you’d missed him getting off the phone with Jake. You weren’t surprised; it was getting to the point where a bomb could go off and you’d be too distracted with pain to worry about it.
Still, you tried to stay tuned in to Sam; you’d missed him, and you were looking forward to spending time with him now that he was home and off the phone. He called for Rose again, but she didn’t move from her spot beside you. With effort, you sat up and tried to nudge her to go into the kitchen.
She looked up at you and cocked her head, and you knew she wouldn’t get up unless you did. She always knew when you weren’t feeling well, and she liked to stay close and keep an eye on you when you were sick or unhappy.
You sighed. You didn’t want her to feel torn between you and Sam, but you also didn’t have the energy to try and redirect your sweet, protective, somewhat stubborn dog.
“Come on, Rosie,” you said quietly. “Daddy’s calling you.”
You only managed to get her to hop off the couch, and she looked up at you as she sat at your feet. You thought you heard Sam again, but all of a sudden, you couldn’t think about anything but the pain you were in; you sat on the edge of the couch and rested your head against Rose, burying your face in her soft fur, trying to ride the wave of dizziness and pain without bursting into tears.
You felt Rosie’s tail thump against your foot, and you guessed that was in response to Sam coming in from the kitchen.
“Rose,” he said, a touch of exasperation in his voice. “Come on, now. I know you want to be with mama, but it’s time to eat.”
She still didn’t move. You felt the tension in her even as she kept perfectly still for you, and Sam came over to see what the holdup was.
“What’s going on with my girls?” he said, hunkering down be the couch so he was at Rosie’s level. “You two just can’t be separated for even a minute, huh?”
Sam put his hand on your knee, and Rose gave a tentative kiss to the back of his hand.
“Come on, birdie,” he said to you. “You know she won’t go anywhere if she thinks you want her to stay.”
You nodded. You did want her to stay, but you didn’t want to annoy Sam.
“Sorry,” you said, lifting your head. You stroked Rose’s ear. “Go on with daddy.”
She gave the quietest bark you’d ever heard in protest.
“Rosebud, you are being downright contrary,” Sam said, giving her a playfully vigorous few pets. “You just don’t listen to anybody now, is that it?”
He looked up at you with a smile that was reassuring to see. “Has she been like this all day?”
Before you could answer, his expression clouded with alarm.
“Are you crying?” he asked.
You touched a hand to your cheek and felt a few tears. You hadn’t even noticed them.
“Oh, uh... I guess,” you said weakly. “Sorry.”
“What do you mean, sorry?” he said, his voice tight with dismay. “Birdie, honey, what’s wong?”
“Um...” The brave face you’d tried to put on had started to crumble, and even if he was in a bad mood, you needed his help.
“Migraine,” you said in a small voice. “It’s really bad.”
He took a sharp breath. “Okay, baby.” He kept his voice calm for you. “Have you taken any medicine?”
You nodded. “It’s not — ” Your voice caught. “Not really helping.”
“It will in a little bit,” he assured you. “We just have to give it some time to work. Let me go get you an ice pack, okay?”
He left Rosie with you and went back to the kitchen, and you heard him rummaging around for a few moments before he returned.
“Drink some water,” he said, handing you his water bottle. He turned the lights off in the living room, leaving only the light from the kitchen, and knelt in front of you again to hold the ice pack to your temple. “Where does it hurt?”
“Everywhere,” you said miserably. Your head was wreathed in pain, but the ice was helping a little.
He studied your face with worry and gentleness. “I’m sorry, birdie. Did it come on all of a sudden?”
Your throat felt tight as you looked at him. “No,” you said quietly.
“No?” he repeated. His brow knit. “You didn’t say anything, sweetheart.”
“I didn’t know if you were angry.” Your voice was wobbly. “I thought if I took some medicine, I wouldn’t have to bother you.”
Even in the dim light, you could plainly read the surprise on his face. “What do you mean?” he asked. “Why would I be angry?”
“I thought you were arguing with Jake,” you admitted. “That maybe you had a bad day at work, and you were still in the middle of it when you got home. And since you didn’t say anything to me when you got here, I thought...” You bit the inside of your cheek. “I didn’t want to make it worse.”
“Oh, honey.” He touched your cheek. “I wasn’t angry. I just got caught up talking to him, but I shouldn’t have been on the phone when I came home. I’m sorry. Thank you for being so patient with me when I’m being stupid.”
That coaxed out a watery laugh, and he gave you a gentle smile.
“I’m really sorry, birdie,” he said sincerely. “You know you can interrupt anything if you need to ask me for help, right? Especially if you’re hurting.”
Your eyes welled with tears, but you didn’t know if it was from the pain or the relief of having Sam with you after missing him all day.
“Thank you,” you said softly.
“No need to thank me, birdie,” he said gently. “I love you, and I want to take care of you.” He switched the ice pack to rest against the opposite temple and brushed the tears from your face.
“Sweetheart,” he said, his voice soft and worried. “Does it hurt that bad?”
“I don’t know,” you admitted.
He hummed. “Yeah. Just everything all together, huh?”
You nodded. “I missed you.”
“Aw, birdie.” He kissed your face when you hugged him, holding you close for a moment. “I missed you too. I’m sorry you don’t feel good.”
He ran a hand over Rosie’s head, and she wagged her tail at finally being included after sitting patiently at your side.
“And you were just looking after mama, weren’t you, sweet girl?” he said. He gently scuffed his hand up and down her side. “You’re a good girl, Rosie.”
She rested her chin on your knee again, and Sam smiled.
“Yeah, you love your mama. I know.” He patted the couch cushion. “Come up here and lay with her.”
She did obey him that time, and you curled up with her as Sam spread a soft blanket over you.
“What can I do, birdie?” he asked, brushing your hair back from your face.
You tried to think of what had helped last time you got a migraine this bad. You knew there wasn’t much for it but to wait until the medicine kicked in, but surely there was something you could do.
“I don’t know,” you said pitifully, knowing it wasn’t helpful.
“What about some coke?” he offered. “I think the caffeine helps, right?”
You nodded. “I don’t think we have any here, though.”
Sam had already pulled out his phone. “Good thing we live in the modern age. Do you want anything to eat?”
“I don’t think so. Well, maybe. I don’t know.” You groaned. “I hate this. I can’t even think straight.”
“So you’re thinking about Anne Hathaway? Sounds like a pretty good migraine to me.”
You couldn’t help but laugh. “You’re so dumb.”
He smiled. “Yeah, but I made you laugh, and you know what they say about laughter being the best medicine.”
You tipped your face up towards him, and he leaned down to give you a gentle kiss. You felt an incredible relief to be with Sam, to have him making dumb jokes for you, to know that you could depend on him and rest completely in his care for you. The tension you’d carried since he’d come home gave way to the familiar comfort of simply being with him, and it made all the difference.
“So, a large coke... extra ice, yeah?” he asked.
“Yes please.” You hid your face behind the blanket and pressing the ice pack to your forehead. “I wish this medicine would be the best medicine. That would be great.”
“I’m sorry, baby,” he said, a little distracted as he placed your order. “Listen, I’m just going to get you something to eat, and you can decide later if you want it. Okay?”
“Uh-huh.”
He gave a sympathetic chuckle. “My poor birdie.” He pocketed his phone. “Do you want to watch a movie to take your mind off it? Or will the sound and the light make it worse?”
“I think I just want to lay here in the dark for a while, if that’s okay.”
“That’s perfectly fine, sweetheart.”
“Can you sit with me?”
“Of course.”
With a little maneuvering, all three of you found room on the couch; you lay with your head in Sam’s lap, and Rosie was curled up at your feet.
“Can I put the ice pack on the other side?” you asked, feeling a little sheepish.
“Oh, sure,” he said easily, doing it for you and putting the ice pack between your head and his lap. “You know, I was just thinking I wanted a nice ice pack to the crotch. It’s refreshing, really.”
You laughed. “Thanks. Let me know if you get a little too frosty.”
He leaned his head back and absently played with your hair, breathing a tired sigh. “This is nice, actually. We should lay in the dark more often.”
“Yeah, it is nice.” You wished you weren’t in pain, but other than that, it was nice. “So what were you not-arguing with Jake about?”
He hummed. “Well, that’s kind of a long, involved story.”
You closed your eyes and relaxed against him. “I like long, involved stories. Tell me.”
He did, and it was soothing to listen to him as he wove you a tale of brotherly bickering and artistic decision-making. By the time your food arrived, you’d managed to follow only half of the narrative twists and turns, but the sound of his voice had worked its magic.
“There’s your coke, birdie,” he said quietly, easing you up so he could get off the couch. “Be right back.”
He came back in with bags of takeout, and you found you were feeling well enough to sit up and take your drink when he offered it to you.
“Feeling better, baby?” he asked.
“A little,” you said. You took a long drink. “Thanks for getting this.”
“Sure. I hope it helps.” He set the bags on the coffee table. “Are you hungry?”
You thought about it. You still felt achy and woozy, but your appetite had returned somewhat.
“Did you get any fries?” you asked.
The corner of his mouth tipped up. “Yep.”
The three of you got settled again, and Rosie took a few minutes from her vigil to have her dinner; you and Sam started a documentary about the making of Friday the 13th.
“I still don’t know why you like to watch this documentary when you won’t watch the movie,” Sam said. “Makes no sense, birdie.”
You laughed. “The movie’s scary!” you said. “And lakehouses are supposed to be about romance, not murder.”
He gave you a cocky smirk. “You’d know all about lakehouse romance, wouldn’t you?”
You blushed. The two of you had just celebrated your anniversary a few weeks ago; you’d gone up to stay at the same cabin where you’d fallen in love, and Sam had certainly pulled out all the stops to make it romantic in every sense of the word.
He picked up your ice pack and touched it to your cheek. “Here, birdie. Your cheeks are all red.”
You laughed and pushed it back towards him. “You’re awful.”
He kissed your cheek to soothe the icy sting. “You’re beautiful.”
You finally felt the medicine start to work as you had dinner, and Rosie came back with her chewy bone to keep her occupied as she sat next to you. Sam cleaned up when you were done, and when he came back to the couch, he asked if you wanted him to braid your hair.
“I just thought it might help,” he said. “But you look like you’re feeling better, actually.”
“I am,” you said. Between the medicine and Sam’s ministrations, you had started to feel much better. “But I would love it if you braided my hair.”
He smiled. “Say no more, my love.”
You sat on the floor between his legs, and from the first moment his fingers started to gently untangle your hair, you were in heaven. He took his time, lightly scratching your scalp, rubbing circles along your temples and behind your ears, gathering your hair just to brush his fingers through it in a soothing, repetitive motion.
“This is some braid,” you mumbled, content and starting to feel sleepy now that the pain had subsided.
He chuckled. “Does it feel good, birdie?”
You hummed in agreement. “Thank you.”
He kissed the crown of your head. “You’re welcome.”
He finally did put your hair in a simple braid, and you rested your head against his knee when he was done.
“I decided something,” you said.
“Oh yeah?” He traced his fingers over your jaw. “What’s that?”
You wrapped your arms around his leg. “I think you’re the best medicine.”
“Sweet birdie,” he said gently, and you could hear the smile in his voice. “I’m glad I could help, honey. And I’m really glad you’re feeling better.”
He tugged lightly on your braid. “But I can tell you’re sleepy, and I don’t think you want to sleep on the floor.”
Reluctantly, you got up from your spot and joined him again on the couch. You snuggled up to him as he leaned against the arm of the couch, and he tried to pull the blanket over the two of you.
“Rosie,” he said. “You’re on mama’s blanket.”
He pulled it again, gently, just enough to tell her to move. She hopped down from the couch and then hopped right back up, tucking herself by your feet once you and Sam were settled.
“There we go,” Sam said, putting his arm around you. “Sammy and birdie and Rosie, all snuggled up.”
You toyed with his necklace as he put on another movie, knowing you’d be asleep before it was five minutes in.
“Just push me off when you want to get up,” you said. You knew he wasn’t ready for bed yet and didn’t want him to feel like he had to stay for your sake after you’d fallen asleep.
He laughed, and you loved the sound of it all rumbly and warm in his chest.
“I don’t think I’ll just push you off, birdie,” he said. “But thanks. I’ll keep that option in mind.”
You cuddled close. “Thank you for taking care of me.”
“You’re very welcome,” he said gently. He ran his hand up and down your back, easing the last of your pain until it faded completely. “I love you, birdie.”
You gave a sleepy, contented sigh as you fell asleep. “I love you too.”
sorry if tumblr didn’t tag you — it’s stupid sometimes. but i’m real thankful for you, sweet peaches! and if you’re a new bestie and would like to be added to my taglist, check out the form right here! ♡
Summary: “Mornings are meant to be spent with you,” Josh blurts out, nerves obvious in his voice. “Soft rock music playing while I bestow a thousand kisses across your body.”
Or
A coming back together story
A/N: FLLUFFIEST AND ANGSIEST writing to date. The premise of this fic follows along the lyrics of tommy’s party by peach pit. One of my favorite songs so you should go listen as soon as possible.
Word Count: 8.9k | Warnings: breakup angst, alcohol consumption and weed consumption, swearing probably, ANGST and Happy Ending!
Join my Taglist!
You were running late. Not for anyone’s fault but your own. You didn’t want to go to Sam’s party, and yet, out of obligation or something like spite, you were dragging yourself there. You loved him and you loved all your friends that you were bound to see, but there was a nagging sense in your stomach that you were going to regret the entire night.
Maybe it was for liquid courage that you cracked a hard kombucha while you had gotten ready and then took a few (three) shots before stumbling out of your front door to the uber you had called half an hour after the start time of the party that was across town. Sam, like all the rich people in your life, chose to live in the nicest part of town and you couldn’t fault him even if it meant your uber cost an extra 10 dollars for the longer drive than if he had his party at a bar downtown like any civilized adult.
Walking into the party felt kind of like walking back into high school. Out of place somewhere you already didn’t want to be, searching for a lifeline. You saw the one person you’d probably know the best immediately upon entering. Sam was by the door, yammering about how the house needed more lights to the three unwilling participants in his drunken house tour. You called his name, getting his attention before getting pulled into a sloppy hug. You grinned and yelled over the bass-heavy rock “Happy Birthday, dude!”
Sam grinned back and yelled that there were drinks in the kitchen and to PLEASE help yourself. You bit your lip and gave two thumbs up to him and the people in his little entourage, before slipping past them to his kitchen, where you planned to help yourself, heavily.
There were more hard kombuchas sprawled across the countertop that were calling your name until a bottle of semi-decent-looking whiskey tucked in the back of the array of alcohol caught your eye. Scrawled messily across the label in black sharpie was the claim “JAKE’S” and you chuckled to yourself before pouring a double shot of it into the compostable disposable cup you had picked up from the stack at the far end of the counter. If it came to blows with that particular Kiszka, you knew you could take him.
You added in some root beer to the whiskey after checking that no one was around to see it and gulped at the drink, a little spilling down your chin with the amount of vigor you had used. You needed the alcohol haze on your mind to get heavier before you could face anything more at this party. The lights were dim and the music was thumping, people were talking loudly and laughing louder and you felt impossibly alone. And anxious.
The unknown hand that descended on your shoulder didn’t help the anxiety, but managed to placate the lonliness. You jumped, sloshing a little bit of your drink before whipping around to scold the owner of said hand.
“You swipe from my whiskey business, trouble?” Jake inquired with an arched brow.
Your eyes were wide on his face, before glancing down at your cup and back up to him, a bite of your lip overtaking your face. Guilt.
Jake’s usual casual smirk that he sported in situations where he was comfortable morphed into a grin. There was a tinge of sadness in his face, but he hoped the smile masked it enough. “Oh, c’mon, you know you can always take from my private collection. You’re the only one who can stomach it besides me, anyway.” He pulls you into a side-hug that is stilted but attempting to be comforting. “Wouldn’t have left it out if I didn’t want you to have some.”
You tried for a smile and took a sip. He’d left it out, hoping you would show. “Thanks, Jake. Your handwriting is atrocious, by the way.”
Jake’s smirk returns as he chuckles, his hair falling forward from behind his shoulders. It’s gotten long again since you’d last seen him. You didn’t want to think about the last time you’d seen him. Your eyes cast anxiously to the two entrances to the kitchen, searching and double-checking that no one else had come through the doors to surprise you.
Jake notices and leans into the countertop with his hip. “I was just about to go light up? Care to join?” He lifts up the joint she hadn’t noticed in his hand before.
“I don’t know…” You start, unsure why you would decline a chance to be away from the crowd already. Maybe how Jake was staring at you, the way he terribly hid his concern for you. Would he try to ask you how you were really? Weed always made him more earnest. But weed could help you, so long as you kept Jake away from certain talking points. All this going through your mind and what you swore was a certain head of curls pushing through the crowd at the far door of the kitchen made you say, “Uh, sure. Let’s do it.”
Jake went to say something in the way of how pleased he was, but just a quiet squeak came out when you quickly began to move out of the kitchen and away from the approaching curls. You grabbed Jake’s hand with the joint in it by the wrist and flipped on your heel, leading him out of the kitchen door you had entered through. You weaved through the people in the hallway, towards the closed door to the side yard where the light was off. It was unlocked thankfully and you quickly felt around the exterior wall for a switch you knew was there, before the empty outdoor space was illuminated. The music was muffled once the door was shut and you sat on the measly single concrete step below the door.
“Sam should really do something with this space,” you mumble, feeling capable of breathing and thinking and living once more.
Jake shrugged and leaned against the wall, looking down at you and then around the empty side yard. It was an afterthought, but why did you care? He was still trying to catch his breath from the sprint you had just performed to get you out of the house in what seemed like 5 seconds flat.
“I don’t think I’ve moved that quickly outside of a motorized vehicle in years.” Jake sighed.
“You should get a Peloton. It’s great.”
“I work out,” Jake says indignantly. “You just fucking flew, though.” Then he adds. “I didn’t know you had a Peloton.”
You shuffle your feet, staring at them as they move in no particular pattern. “Yeah…it was a gift.” You cough. “It’s a great stress reliever as well as a workout machine.”
Jake hums, a wave of realization washes over him as his eyes watch you, clumsily messing with your feet and your free hand. He doesn’t say anything else on the subject, though, and brings the joint to his lips, slipping his shiny silver zippo from his back pocket. It lights and he puffs on the filter.
There was no breeze tonight. No stars and no moon. It was like the sky had taken the night off–which you weren’t sure was allowed. And yet, there it was, endless black. Your hand expertly took the joint from Jake’s outstretched fingers.
“I’ve been on a T-break for the last few months,” you say when you hand back the joint.
Jake raises a brow again as he begins to puff on it again.
“Well, I said I quit, but here I am getting high, so it must’ve been a T-break.”
Jake chuckles and coughs a little on the smoke that catches in his throat from his laughter. You grimace in silent apology, accepting the joint back. Jake asks one single question for the remainder of the joint and for that you are grateful, even if it’s one of the worst questions he could’ve asked. After he asks it, he’ll leave you alone, but it’s killing him not to know. Or at least, try to know. You had been such a good friend to him and he missed having you around lately. He knew he couldn’t say that though. It wasn’t his place, but still one measly question couldn’t hurt.
He was lucky you were feeling so light and airy from the weed when he asked. If he had tried the question when you had first arrived or when he found you in the kitchen, you’re pretty sure you would’ve turned tail and run home crying.
“How are you really doing?” He inquires.
“I’m really high.” You laugh.
Jake sits beside you and turns his head, holding the joint out to the ground for ash to fall and the weed to burn with no lips around it to inhale the smoke. He says your name once and you know he’s serious.
You sigh and stick your legs out straight in front of you, your skirt flattens across your thighs nicely but you smooth your hands across it anyway and then grab at your drink beside you to take a sip. It’s almost empty. You look in his eyes for a moment and there’s that sadness and concern again.
“Did not want to come.” You say and Jake nods. “Came. For Sam.” You clarify and Jake nods again. “I know I’ll see him eventually. It’s fine. I’m fine.”
Jake nods and pats a hand gingerly on your shoulder and you grimace at your lap. He was trying so hard to navigate a difficult situation and you admired his courage.
“Thank you, Jake. For the smoke.” You say and pause, mustering your courage to just blurt it out. You stare at the wooden fence across from you. “And for being my friend, still. You’re a good guy.”
Jake shakes his head and pokes out the joint, not interested in smoking it anymore. “And you are too. A good friend…who deserves happiness.”
Your lips spread into a smile and you look at Jake in the eye for a moment before knocking your forehead against his own shoulder. Something you always appreciated about Jake was his ability to understand non-verbal communication. He allowed you to do that and understand it was you thanking him. Even if you couldn’t say more on the topic. He knew.
Jake blew out a breath after a moment, “Jesus, fuck, I’m high as shit.”
You giggle and it feels louder and sillier than anything you’d done all night. Oh fuck. “Yeah. I think I am too. Good stuff.”
“Josh’s,” Jake mumbles, moving to crawl back to standing, he needed water. “Sorry.” He mumbled with widened eyes when he realized the word, the name, that had left his mouth.
You roll your eyes and hold your arms out for Jake to help you stand. “He’s not some super-villain. Just my ex and your twin. You can say his name.”
Your eyes matched Jake’s red and droopy eyes as you stared at each other once he brought you to standing, both of you taking in each other’s state. It’s tense and quiet, the thumping music heavy at the door.
You keep your hands in Jake’s, enjoying his warm caloused hands. So much like someone else’s, yet so different. “Do we have to go back in?”
“I mean…” Jake looked down his nose at you. His voice dropped lower to a raspy almost-whisper. “We should probably go back. Right?”
You smile lazily at Jake and then drop his eye contact, looking at your feet, how close the two of you were standing, and then taking a step back. He was giving you the option, but you both knew there was only one right answer.
“Back inside it is.” You add a laugh to try to not sound too bleak. “To face the gallows.”
“I still think you’d make it as a comedian, trouble,” Jake adds.
The tension dissipates. Whatever crack in the wall that was there, a tiny possibility that could’ve grown if you wanted, was patched over and covered. Forgotten. You and Jake were friends. A lot of shared history and a lot of understanding, but it was better this way.
“My one man show,” you say, shaking off the memories of when it was a duo act. You and Josh loved a good bit and would drag them out as long as you could, staying in character for entire nights out or, once, an entire week during a family vacation. “I’m good, man.” You reassure Jake when he looks at you concerned again, with his hand on the door handle.
The music grows louder but is more muffled than before as the weed and alcohol successfully contain you in their all consuming bubble. You were thankful for the moment to gather yourself and to remind you that facing Josh might not be all that horrible. You could do anything when stoned, this was something you truly believed especially when the high was in its starting area, when you were first plunged into the strange warm fuzzy place in your brain.
Jake’s hand on your back pushed you through the crowd and you heard the words “refill” and “water” leave his lips so you began to wander towards the kitchen again. Once back, you’re mildly disappointed to see it’s not empty. It’s not crowded, there’s just three other small groups of twos and threes getting refills or lingering after having gotten their refills. The night was progressing, meaning more inebriation caused more plans to be forgotten half way through. Expert missions of moving from one area of the house to the next were abandoned when the roadmaps slipped from the de facto leader of the small groups’ brain when they had another sip of their drink of choice. You knew because you used to come to parties like these with groups.
Now you were a lone shark, or maybe just the remora to Jake’s lone shark, attaching yourself to him, just along for the ride as he made the decisions. He expertly slipped past the huddled groups without interactions, just nods of chin and his smirk. You noticed some of the whispers and shared looks from some of the people in those groups as you passed by, but chose to believe they were about how handsome and mysterious Jake was and not how you were with him.
Jake looked between the faucet and the cups he had forgotten were at the end of the counter, debating whether he would go back for one or not. Shaking his head after a moment of weighted silence, he opened the cupboard to the right of the sink and grabbed one of Sam’s precious souvenir pint glasses and filled it with water. You watched in mild awe that Jake did not fear his little brother’s annoying nagging if caught and desire for water to touch your cotton-mouth-y, well, mouth.
Jake stuck the glass under the faucet again and refilled it before holding it out towards you and you smiled. Accepting the glass, you turned it in your hand, observing the etching of Snoopy and Woodstock dressed as chefs holding a gigantic sandwich with the word ‘Philadelphia’ in red bold letters above them. Sam was weird, but you respected his collection. You’d even gifted him a ‘San Francisco’ one for Christmas a couple years ago with Snoopy and the Peanuts dressed up for a Giants game.
You sipped at the water and let it wash into the various pockets of your mouth before swallowing, humming in satisfaction. “Good stuff.” You repeated.
“Only the best.” Jake responds. “Whiskey time?”
He doesn’t wait for your answer since you're drinking more of the water. He picks up your abandoned cup and his own and snatches his whiskey from behind the more popular liquors: grey goose vodka in multiple flavors besides the classic, a few okay gins and tequila–tons of it.
You take the cup filled with whiskey straight and you grimace. You weren’t in the mood to drink much more, feeling plenty fucked up, and you definitely weren’t in the mood to stomach whiskey on its own. You do an obligatory cheers motion with Jake and pretend to take a sip.
“I forgot to tell you,” Jake suddenly says with a burst of energy and you widen your eyes, startled. “We’re doing a set later.”
“What?”
“Sam wants to, for his birthday. Have a jam sesh.” Jake shrugs and slips his phone out of his coat pocket, checking the time. “Honestly should probably check the setup, make sure no one trampled the gear. C’mon.”
You would think professional musicians would want a break from their job for their birthdays, but these guys loved it so much it was hard to keep them away. Plus, knowing Sam, he’d probably insisted on choosing the set list, making Jake and Josh take a reluctant backseat to what they would play. Were you intrigued? Yes. Completely and utterly apprehensive to watch Josh perform? Double yes.
You followed Jake out of the kitchen and through the bodies in the living room towards the open French doors leading to the patio and backyard. Sam had a temporary stage set up at the back of the yard that no one was standing on or messing with besides Danny who was checking his drum kit was okay already. Everything on the stage was secondary personal stuff, none of it their expensive favorites, but it still wouldn’t be great if any of it got wrecked.
A boisterous and booming laugh took your eyes off of Danny and made you fall out of step with Jake. Right beside the stage was Josh, grin plastered across his face and beer can sloshing haphazardly as he swung his arms wide as he regaled his small group with a big important story he dramatized to be even grander than it had been.
Your eyes scanned the group surrounding him, focusing hard to make out the faces in the dim light as you tried to keep walking, following blindly behind Jake who was pausing at the edge of the stage on the opposite end from Josh. You swallow hard and debate taking another sip of the whiskey, but decide it won’t help. Your legs finally bring you to standing awkwardly beside, but slightly behind, Jake as he talks with Danny. You positioned yourself to be slightly in Jake’s shadow unintentionally.
Danny greets you and your eyes flicker to him for a moment before returning to Josh, just a few feet from you now, but he still hasn’t seen you. You mumble a ‘hi’ and Jake explains for you that you were likely on a different planet from the joint you had shared. You nodded perfunctorily and then stuck your cup into Jake’s chest.
“I can’t drink this,” you say, barely above a whisper, still watching Josh.
He was winding down from the story, you could tell. His audience was enraptured, with one particular girl close by his side that you didn’t recognize. She was grinning, shiny and bright as she watched Josh in all his inebriated glory. In his element. Entertaining. It was magic to be so close to him in those moments, how it felt spiritual when he caught your eye inches away. How his teeth seemed to smile just for you when he placed his hand on your shoulder.
And there it was. Josh rested his arm around the beautiful girl’s shoulders, palm pressing her closer to him as he laughed and grinned. She smiled at him and you swore you saw him wink. It was drunken and dopey, but you saw it.
You hadn’t felt Jake take the cup from your grasp, but your hand fell to your side, now empty. Danny and Jake followed your eyeline and then met each other’s eyes and frowned a little.
“How about you sit right here?” Jake huddled you towards a lawn chair that was close to the stage, but against the house wall so no one would bump into it.
“So I get a front row seat to it all?” You mumble miserably.
“Here,” Danny says, passing his hyrdroflask from behind the drum kit to Jake, who hands it to you, flipping the mouthpiece open and instructing you to drink.
You should’ve left once you could feel your legs again, but you couldn’t stop staring. Thankfully, Josh hadn’t noticed. You probably would’ve died on the spot if he had caught your intense eye. Instead he gives the girl a squeeze and mumbles something into her ear. She laughs loudly and stumbles on her feet a little as she steps back from him. Josh turns towards the stage and clambers onto the top of it. If it wasn’t clear to you before, his lack of agility cemented it. He was close to belligerent, but holding himself together well.
It would be laughable when he almost tilts over right after he’s stood upright finally, but you’re not the person who can find that funny anymore without seeming cruel. Instead, you decide to take a sip of Danny’s water and shut your eyes, tilting your head back against the wall, hoping to ride out the rest of this night in a strange detached state. If no one spoke to you for the rest of the night you would be happy.
You willed away the disparate images passing behind your shut eyelids. A different reality your mind had conjured up specifically to torture you it seemed. Where you were beside Josh just then and the two of you had tumbled up onto the stage. First you guide his hips up and then he pulls you up after him, the pair of you happily and drunkenly falling over one another, tangling yourselves up into a few cables in the process. You two were laughing through it all and then Josh would stop and smile the smile that was just for you, a special gleam of love in his eyes you’d grown used to. He’d cup your cheeks between his palms and pull your face to his, a big blistering kiss bestowed upon your lips quieting your own laughter. It would lead you to falling deeper into love with the man who really saw you and forgetting where you were. And then the boys would holler at the pair of you and you’d hide your face in Josh’s jacket before he’d help you up, with a pat to your bum before you inevitably made it back to the seat you were in now.
No. Now there was only this chair. And a borrowed water bottle to touch your lips. Fuck. You moved your mind to your escape plan.
The music would start soon anyway and then you could probably slip out to call an uber after a few songs. You heard Sam join the rest of the band on the wooden stage a few minutes later, his long legs thumping as he jumped up onto the stage and his drunken voice louder and whinier as he asked Danny to check his bass for him, since he was the birthday boy.
You peek out of one eye, too amused to miss the visuals of this exchange and see Danny shaking his head and muttering under his breath as he picks up Sam’s bass. Sam is smiling triumphantly with his hands on his hips, tapping his foot impatiently like the prince he was. Then your eyes slide to the right and see Jake and Josh huddled around Jake’s amp.
Just close your eyes. But you can’t.
Josh is all antsy. He’s waving his hands about and rocking Jake’s shoulders. Jake’s murmuring words below his breath trying to placate whatever situation his twin seems to be troubled by. You know it’s wrong to strain your ears to hear the conversation but you can’t help it.
“…just aren’t really my thing.” You catch the end of Josh’s slurred sentence. He’s still grinning as he complains.
Jake shakes his head. “They’re Sam’s thing since it’s Sam’s birthday.”
“I know we agreed to it but can’t we just, I don’t know, not?”
Jake laughed a little and tried to hide it with a cough, his eyes sliding to you for a quick moment. “Josh, it’s like 5 songs.”
“I’m slammed, man,” Josh stumbles on his footing, adding to his case accidentally.
“Just sing the choruses and then hit some high notes. He wants to jam anyway, you’re not on frontman duty tonight.”
“Oh please, Jake. I’m always on frontman—“ Josh’s train of thought runs off the tracks when his eyes finally catch yours.
You freeze. You weren’t moving anyway but you freeze all the same. Blood runs cold. Spine rigid. You don’t know how to breathe and you were right. You are going to die.
Josh is frozen too and Jake watches it unfold. Both of your faces were completely open with the pain. You could see it around the eyebrows and the lips and how it swelled through the irises of your eyes as you looked at one another.
Someone smashing a beer can followed by the electric thrum of a bassline makes you bring your free hand up in the air. It’s supposed to be a wave as it travels to the height of your head and then loses momentum, pausing for a moment as Josh’s eyes flicker to the movement before it falls again.
You drop your gaze to your lap while Josh stays on you. His similarly intense gaze burns you. He wants to come talk to you even though he has absolutely no idea what he’d say to you anyway. His feet even begin to lurch towards the end of the stage nearest you, but Jake pulls him back.
That succession of chords on Sam’s bass was his signal that he wanted to get the jam session started. It was followed by a verbal announcement from the birthday boy as well.
“Everyone come outside now. It’s time to hear me play sweet sweet music for you.” Sam says into the mic before handing it off to Josh.
Josh looks over at you one more time but you make sure your eyes are anywhere else on the stage but his face. He licks his lips and swaggers to center stage.
“Friends and family, loved and loathed ones, day trippers and moonbeam chasers,” Josh pauses for the roar of the crowd. Smaller than their concerts, obviously, but still spirited for the size of this party. “What a glorious fucking night to celebrate the birth of the youngest Kiszka.”
Maybe Danny expected Josh to say more because there’s a pause before the drum kicks in. Josh turns on his heel to face Danny and signals him to start. Danny counts them in and Jake walks them into a perfect cover of “The Lemon Song.”
Josh hated doing Led Zeppelin covers but Sam loved the bassline on this song. He’d been obsessed with it when he first started playing and Jake enjoyed the guitar on it too. So here Josh was, proving every critic correct that he could sound just like Robert Plant. Jake shredded away on Jimmy’s solo chords and then lowered his amp for an extended moment to give Sam a proper bass solo. And Josh admittedly got into the song, feeling the vibrations through his chest, getting lost on stage.
They transitioned straight into “Cold Cold Cold” and “Feel Good Inc.” Both with heavy basslines. Josh liked these two because he got to use his tambourine in the first and had few words in the second. He also skipped a lot of the words in the songs, not knowing them, but holding the microphone towards the crowd, telling them to sing along when it was the chorus or popular parts of them.
Then they took a break. Normally Josh might joke around. Tell a story about Sam when he was a weird little kid. Instead, he just took a swig from his beer beside the unutilized mic stand and talked in Jake’s ear until Sam signaled he was ready to continue. He had moved to the keyboard he had also brought out for the evening.
“This one’s a little on the nose but, hey, what little bro wants, little bro gets.”
Josh started singing the first verse of “I’m going to be a teenage idol” and you grimaced. You loved Elton John and if you thought more highly of yourself you would’ve thought Josh’s reluctance to sing this song was because it reminded him of you.
He tritely pointed to himself when he sang “it kind of makes me feel like a rock and roll star.” He paced around the stage, continuously sweeping his hands towards Sam as he expertly played the hard keys for the song. He sipped at his beer and belted one of the later verses with a passion that masked what you knew was sadness. Josh was a professional, so he knew how to keep his shit together even when he was drunk, but he wanted off this stage and you knew it.
Then the song ended. Your eyes watching Josh’s demeanor shift. “Thankfully this one isn’t…or is it?”
“Psycho Killer” started up and you couldn’t help the laugh that came past your lips. You pressed your hand to your mouth, feeling like you were betraying yourself. Josh hadn’t looked your way since they had started but somehow either his trained ear heard that or he had some psychic sense, because he stared at you again, faltering on the classic song’s lyrics.
Given the conversation you eavesdropped on, you weren’t sure if they had planned to play “Happiness is a Warm Gun” but they transitioned into it seamlessly from the last so they didn’t stop and Josh knew all the words. You two had listened to the Beatles’ white album countless times together. It was your favorite of theirs. You’d put it on all the time with Josh and he’d happily listen along, always acquiescing to your arguments about it even though he preferred Let It Be. On lazy Sunday mornings when you never got out of bed until dinner time. On the road, for tour or for road-trips you’d take together up to the cabin or little Airbnbs you’d found in cool spots.
This wasn’t your song though and for that you were thankful. You might’ve thrown up if for some reason Sam had added that to the setlist. You might’ve found a way to time travel and kill Paul McCartney before he could add a bassline to that song if that would’ve stopped that. You’d give up the existence of that song before Josh sang it in front of a small crowd where you weren’t the one he was singing it for anymore.
Again, your imagination was running wild tonight. Seeing Josh’s beautiful face brought back every memory you had with him. The last few years had been the best years of your life. Meaning that these past few months have been the hardest of your life. Half the time you weren’t even sure if it was life anymore.
So many memories were from nights just like tonight, but he wouldn’t be some distant figure causing building anxiety as you steal glances at one another from across the yard. You used to be the one keeping up with him, telling stories together and getting drunk to aid in your fun rather than to run away from your hangups. Stealing kisses and sneaking off to empty hallways or plain taking off early to be alone together again.
You couldn’t help getting lost in the sound of Jake making the guitar riffs his own, the velvet of Josh’s voice and how all four of them meshed their instruments so expertly, making any song something special. Your eyes had shut and you were swaying in your seat to the music. Loving it. This piece of connection could never be severed. All your silly feelings forgotten for one blissful moment before the music came to an abrupt and cruel end.
Sam took the mic from Josh who almost let it carelessly fall to the floor. “Thank you all for coming! Love you guys!” Sam quickly called before being pulled off the stage by his girlfriend who was eager to make out with her man.
You grimaced. You knew how she felt. Goddamnit.
Josh doesn’t immediately come up to you. Not that you were hoping for that. You actually were dreading the moment when you two finally spoke again. You two hadn’t had much contact since the breakup, so your last verbal conversation had been about you picking up the rest of your stuff from his place in December. Over the phone. You still had a key so you came when he was out.
You pinched the bridge of your nose and sat forward, willing those memories to stay put in the locked cabinet you were never going to revisit. Leaving seemed like a good idea now. You’d paid your birthday dues, shown up and even stayed for the show. Slipping off seemed ideal. You just needed to return Danny’s water bottle to him.
He was still at the bandstand, in front of his drum kit with Jake and another guy from their work, Brian (you think). You stood, feeling a little better but still pretty high given your major break from the drug prior to tonight. You blinked a few times, double checking that none of the guys in the small huddle transformed into Josh suddenly before you got to them.
Jake gave you a hand up onto the stage and you thanked him, before handing Danny his water and thanking him for it as well. He reassures you that it was his pleasure and then he thanked you for leaving him water in it. He was a wonder to you and you smiled genuinely at his kindness. You missed him. You missed all of them.
You rocked on your heels and fidgeted your hands to rest on your hips. “Well, I’m gonna head out I think. This was plenty for me and my old self.” You proclaim when the conversation lulls.
Jake nods, not even trying to get you to stay, whereas Maybe Brian protests, saying the night was still young. Danny shoots him a look with a subtle head shake and you smile at your feet. These guys still had your back and for that you were grateful. You hugged Danny and told him to tell Sam goodbye for you in case you didn’t bump into him on your way out. As you were leaning into Jake’s warm side for the second time tonight, a voice interrupts the farewells.
“Dan, have you seen my elf–” Josh stops talking again, eyes widening on your face.
You don’t freeze this time, immediately dropping away from Jake. It wasn’t wrong, but you also couldn’t face Josh while touching his twin. Josh must have missed you within the group, hidden among the taller men.
“Hey, I was just leaving,” You say, your voice quivering a little with nerves, barely aware of what you were saying.
“Hello,” Josh slurs after a weighted moment. His eyes slid along your face and down your entire body, as if they had been starved of you since he’d last looked at you. He looks away, back to Danny. “I think, perhaps, I left it in the kitchen. Thanks Daniel.” He flips on his heel and wanders off.
You can’t help but watch him go. It’s not your fault your eyeline is directly aligned with where the girl from earlier is positioned right next to the door to inside. Or that you catch how he pulls her back into his side and she laughs at whatever he has said just for her. It was right in front of you. What were you supposed to do? Tear your eyeballs out? Now that’s a thought.
His bright mustard jacket eventually disappears between the various bodies and his hair is obscured by the dim lights in the house. He’s gone, laughing with her just like you two used to.
“Well, if that’s not my cue,” You let the silence that follows finish your thought for you.
Jake apologizes for Josh and you tell him it’s not necessary. Really. It’s been five months. It was mutual. If anything it was you who initiated it. If Josh can’t speak to you or if he’s seeing someone new. That’s just fine. Fine. So fine.
Your uber takes you home and you don’t cry. You don’t let yourself. Something possesses you in the morning to type out an email though. You’re not sure why you don’t just send a text. The email feels less personal, less intimate than a text. Less risky. And somehow more private. It was almost like sending a letter, which you used to send Josh on occasion–of course, those were love letters.
Hey there bud… You look at the words and almost throw your computer out of the window. Bud? Bud!? You couldn’t write anything else though, anything less was too little, too strange, anything more, like his name, was too intimate, too much.
How’d it go last night?
Your love letters used to read like poetry and you guessed this was kind of like that, but it wasn’t a love letter. You still could just save it as a draft and never send it after all.
I saw you at the bandstand looking pretty slammed. You used the exact word Josh had described himself last night. It had been repeating in your mind all night. Did you see me feeding my drink to Jake? Probably not I guess, you were quite the mess. And that girl who tagged along there with you, I never caught her name, but she seemed fucked up too.
You read it over and thought that it was maybe too harsh. But it was the truth. You needed to get it off your chest. He hadn’t let you talk last night so you wanted to share your night with him now even if you hadn’t gotten to last night.
From where I sat, she looked to be havin’ fun, keeping up with you just like I used to.
How’d it go last night? I’m sorry to have ditched out but I was pretty high. Heard from Danny that on his stumble home, Jake was puking up all the shit he’d drunk.
Though we didn’t talk much, how’d your evening go? You barely spoke a word to me, besides that slurred “Hello”... I happened to see without even trying, how she laughed with you just like I used to.
You were rambling, you couldn’t get it all out. But you cut yourself off. That was all you could say. So you read it over about five more times and changed a few commas and added spacing and you wondered if Josh would think you had gone off the deep end with this one. Your first form of communication with him in months. By e-mail for some reason.
The thought of not sending it crossed your mind a few more times before you took a breath and hovered the mouse over the ‘Send’ button. Finally clicking it when you finished the exhale. You wanted him to know.
-
When Josh woke up, close to noon with an awful hangover and an unfamiliar bed, he groaned and covered his face when the headache pounded against his skull harder.
“Fuck my life,” he murmured. He rolled from his back to his side, his legs swinging to tether him to the carpeted floor. Where the fuck was he?
“You’re awake!” The girl popped her head in, her hair wet from the shower she had just taken. “Do you want breakfast? Or coffee?”
“Uh…” Josh stared at his feet, wiggling his toes to remind him of reality. “No, I should go home.”
She smiles, sporting her best look, as if last night hadn’t emotionally wrecked her like it had Josh. That actually made sense. “Yeah. See you again soon?”
“Yeah. I’ll call you…” Josh reassures, beginning to put his pants on. His words were an afterthought as he pieced together last night's events. “Have fun at your ceramics class today!”
He shuffled out of the door just as she responded, towel still messing with her tips. “It’s painting!”
Josh mumbled his apologies as he walked down the street hoping that his car would pop up among the different vehicles parked on the street. He definitely hadn’t driven there after the party but maybe he had brought his car to her place beforehand. He was still working through the night. And his mind was focused on all the moments where you had popped up.
He’d seen you disappear out of the kitchen with his brother. He’d seen you next to the bandstand a couple times and then he’d seen you when he’d drunkenly asked Danny if he’d seen his elfbar. Could he be more of an idiot? He rubbed at his pained forehead again as he looked up and down the street once more before deciding that he hadn’t driven his car to this woman’s house.
They’d gone out on a couple of dates, set up by mutual friends that were closer with her than Josh but he was trying and he wanted to try. Even if all he really wanted to do was call you and beg you to forget about the last few months.
Too focused on making it home and one to always dismiss his email notifications, Josh didn’t notice the message from you until he had made it home and successfully made himself a pot of coffee and had a necessary shower, leaving him in his sweatpants and curled up in his bed that used to be shared, ‘ours’.
His phone had been charging so he unplugged it and rolled to the other side of the bed, which he still felt guilty for. Like you’d walk through the door any moment and playfully grumble at him for being a bed hog.
Complete privacy and total boredom eventually made him check his e-mail. He might have a package coming after all, he couldn’t remember, and his headache had mostly cleared away but looming anxieties nagged at him. He couldn’t keep getting drunk and hooking up with his casual flings. It was going to catch up with him and he knew it. He just hated to admit it.
Your name on his screen was especially sobering. He had longed for it to pop up. Preferably in a phone call or text format, asking to meet up and talk over everything one more time that actually leads to you getting back together. But hey, he’d settle for an e-mail at this point. Because that is what he had received.
He took a deep breath and allowed his hovering thumb to click down on it. It was your poem/accusation and he read it over and over double checking that it was indeed your words and not lyrics from a song or someone else. No, he recognized your voice in the words and how you phrased it. The ‘hey there bud’ made him laugh. You were so weird. He missed it.
All the love letters were in his side table drawer still. Maybe it would’ve been healthier to move them to a box not so close to where he slept, but he couldn’t bear it. You used to post them from around town so that they could get sent to the house you both lived in. It sent him over the moon whenever he recognized your handwriting of his name on the front of a piece of mail and you’d giggle behind your cup of coffee, slyly slinking off to let him read it in private.
After he’d finish reading, he’d wander the house until he found you and press kisses all over your face while he repeated confessions of love, over and over while you shrieked and laughed at his attack of love.
This e-mail made him sad, but also hopeful. He was going to reply.
Hey there…How’d last night go for you? I know when I saw you at the bandstand, I said I was slammed to Jake. Did you overhear or is that just some strange coincidence? I probably should’ve given some of my drinks away. I was quite the mess, you’re right.
And the girl…she’s a part of the mistakes I’ve been making since the break up. I’m sorry you had to see that. And I’m sorry all I said was Hello. I didn’t know what to say…as you could probably tell. Josh smiled down at his phone, your eyes had been so wide with surprise upon seeing him up so close. The look on your face had been a dagger to his heart, twisting deeper when you said you were heading out.
I was thinking back just the other day, remember when we used to sneak out late to go and blaze after everyone else at the party had gone home or passed out?
Seems like loneliness is all we’ll ever do now. At least for me. Maybe you weren’t lonely, I don’t want to assume. I was surrounded by people all night, these past four months too, and I’ve never felt more alone.
I’m glad you messaged me. I’m sorry I didn’t do it first. He wondered if he should add the next piece. Was it wrong? Should he leave it at that. The stabbing pain in his chest returned and he wanted to be brave for you. Just for the chance, you could shoot him down but he’d know that he’d tried. I’ve been going to a new coffee place downtown. Northside CoffeeHouse. I think you’d like it. They make the cinnamon rolls just the way you like.
Josh swallowed hard and sent the email before he could think too hard about it. He hoped he wasn’t being presumptuous that you would remember his routine. Coffee out on weekends usually between 9 and 10.
You read over the email that came through from Josh a few times. His mention of loneliness made your heart sink, you hated to think of Josh carrying a pain like yours. The thought kind of hurt more than your own heartbreak.
You knew what he was saying with his mention of the coffeeshop. Tomorrow he’d probably be there if you went when he used to. Josh was secretly a creature of habit despite advocating for chaos most of the time.
Josh arrived at Northside at 9 am sharp, just in case you came on the early side. He patiently waited in the line for coffee and took a seat by the window. He checked his phone every few minutes, confused why time suddenly moved so slow.
He remembered the first coffee date you had gone on with him. You both had been late so he should’ve known then that you were the one for him. He showed up twenty minutes late (ten by accident and then an extra ten getting apology flowers) and you ran in five minutes later, out of breath, apologizing that you were so late. Josh was overjoyed to tell you he’d also been late and was so extremely worried about you not being there when he’d arrive. He picked up the flowers on the table and handed them to you, shyly explaining he’d gotten extra late grabbing these and you’d laughed, glancing between the plants and the strangely bashful guy in front of you. You’d been hooked ever since.
You had been introduced to Josh when you had gotten invited to tagalong with a work friend to a VIP section of a concert series in Nashville. Josh and his brothers had been there and somehow your friend had run into them a few times at stuff like this. You hadn’t initially realized Josh was hitting on you as you talked the evening away with him about all things music and your very different jobs so you were surprised when he asked you out on the coffee date, but you hadn’t declined. Afterall, he was Josh.
The rest, as they say, is history. Much to your chagrin. You replayed that first date over and over as you paced up and down the cross street for the coffee shop you assumed Josh was now waiting for you at.
With a single white Peruvian lily clutched in your hand, you finally turned the corner and marched yourself into the coffee shop. You didn’t look in the windows, you were too focused on getting yourself through the door so you had to look around the room for Josh after entering. Your hand was holding so tightly to the flower’s stem you worried you’d break it if you didn’t set it down soon.
His back was facing you, he’d been looking down the other side of the street and had no idea you’d entered as he was beginning to resign himself to the fact that maybe you didn’t want to see him. It was almost 10 am when you arrived.
“Josh,” you sigh, hand touching his shoulder as you turn to face them.
He looks up and the smile on his face almost brings tears to your eyes. It’s the one you’ve missed so much. You can’t help the frown that it brings to your face as you will away the tears.
“Hey, hey, don’t cry,” Josh says, standing to hug you because he knew your facial expressions by heart too.
You laugh and the stem in your hand finally snaps at his touch. It’s too much. Josh pulls back and looks down at your hand and laughs for a different reason. He motions to the table and your eyes sweep the two empty coffee cups he must have drank waiting for you, his phone and a bouquet of the very same flower, just like the ones he’d given you three and a half years ago.
“Can I go order you something?” Josh asks softly. “I didn’t want to order the cinnamon roll until you got here. I wanted it to still be warm.”
You bite your lip. He was still so sweet and thoughtful. You laugh again and nod your head. He knew you needed a moment to ground yourself so he let you have some time to yourself. He walked to the counter and ordered what you always got and a cinnamon roll to share.
You placed your broken flower with his bouquet, your hands ran gently over the pearly petals, careful not to cause any dents or creases. After studying them, you feel a little less overwhelmed and you lift your head to watch Josh. He’s paying with cash and you’re endeared how he still clumsily handles the coins despite how often he likes to pay with physical money.
He thanks the barista who was now very accustomed to Josh, considering it was his third time up at the counter in the last hour. You smile sheepishly at Josh as he smooths his palms down his khakis, coming back to you.
Your conversation is stilted while he waits for his name to be called. He doesn’t want to get into the nitty gritty when he knows there’s an impending interupter. You thank him for the flowers and apologize for your broken attempt.
He smiles down at the baker's dozen of flowers. “I like it. Here.” His fingers delicately move the broken pieces back into place and then moves your single flower into the center of the bouquet. “It’s all patched up now.”
You smile and meet his eyes, knowing the Josh metaphor he was trying to obviously make. His name is called saving you from saying more on the subject for the moment. He hands you your drink and places one fork facing you and one facing him on the edge of the cinnamon roll’s box. You thank him again and he hushes you, saying you didn’t need to keep thanking him.
You quiet as you try the treat. Josh watches your reaction with barely contained glee, knowing you’d loved it. You had missed this feeling. This feeling of someone knowing you so well. How Josh took care of you and how, in return, you took care of him. You grinned, reassuring him that yes it was great.
You quiet down again about the food. Josh and you smile at one another and it feels like nothing has changed. You want to believe it.
“Mornings are meant to be spent with you,” Josh blurts out, nerves obvious in his voice. “Soft rock music playing while I bestow a thousand kisses across your body.”
“There’s the Josh I know,” you tease but you’re beaming at him.
Flashes of the mornings he was referencing came to mind.
Josh curled around you or you curled around Josh, Velvet Underground and Grateful Dead records on. Sunlight filtering across the floral sheets you’d bought for him as a welcome back from tour present after Dreams in Gold. Smooth skin against skin as Josh presses kisses to your forehead and yours against his sternum. He’s laughing when you tickle him and you laugh too, happy to be keeping up with him. Just like you used to.
Josh! Sun God Josh! Sun God Josh! Sun God Josh! Sun God Josh! Sun God Josh! Sun God Josh! Sun God Josh! Sun God Josh! Sun God Josh! Sun God Josh! Sun God Josh! Sun God Josh! Sun God Josh! Sun God Josh! Sun God Josh! Sun God Josh! Sun God Josh! Sun God Josh! Sun God Josh! Sun God Josh! Sun God Josh! Sun God Josh! Sun God Josh! Sun God
Josh Kiszka x Fem!reader - Enemies to Lovers College!AU
When originally deciding to be a film and visual arts student, Y/N had thought her biggest issue would be getting a job after college. She hadn’t known that the other people in her major would actually be her greatest obstacle to completing her degree.
So this photo is insane and likely not accurate to the time that this would be set. However, IDC and he looks beautiful.
Separately, here is my College!AU Enemies to Lovers Josh fic... I started working on this over a year ago and really it's silly because I lost the feeling that I wanted him to be mean so maybe it loses steam, idk let me know what yall think pls and reblogs appreciated - lots of love xoxo etc. more to come.
Summary: Forced together by fate or maybe just scheduling, Josh and Y/N can't stand being in the same room together. Unfortunately, with classes and her shifts at the Lover's Inn, it seems that Josh is in her life more than ever. Can hate turn into love or has something been there since the beginning?
Word Count: 13 k | Warnings: swearing, drinking, enemies to lovers, nauseating fluff, SMUT 18+ (specifics below the cut)
When originally deciding to be a film and visual arts student, Y/N had thought her biggest issue would be getting a job after college. She hadn’t known that the other people in her major would actually be her greatest obstacle to completing her degree.
It wasn’t that everyone was annoying. Sure, film students could be a lot, especially for Y/N when she was planning on going into costuming and styling rather than other production aspects. There were just a few overzealous students who seemed to get under her skin more than others.
Namely, Josh M. Kiszka. He was talented in many respects, begrudgingly she would admit that. However, his annoyances and shortcomings outweighed his talents tenfold. One spark of genius would cause ten pitfalls and plot holes, leaving a forest fire of destruction in his wake.
His curly hair was disturbingly trimmed leaving a small rat tail at the nape of his neck for the majority of the time she had known him –at the beginning of this year he had finally cut it and seemed to be trying to grow it out but she didn’t care. He was absurd and even disturbing at times. His smile took up too much of his face when he grinned maniacally. And she could go on.
Now, being in the same major as someone could be irritating at times, but in reality sharing one to two classes a semester shouldn’t be the end of the world. Sometimes it certainly felt like it with Josh since it seemed like he turned everything up to an 11 on purpose. A bursting zipper was a catastrophe, the wrong colored shirt was the work of the devil. But realistically, she only should’ve seen him at most eight hours out of her week – if she could avoid being paired with him for any group projects. She could do eight hours of him droning on about the intricacies of a film and chattering away about his new big idea.
What she couldn’t do was essentially work for him. And she didn’t work for him. At all. But he certainly seemed to think so every Thursday night.
The first time Josh Kiszka walked into the green room at Lover’s Inn, the college town's local venue made for serious music and serious drinking, while Y/N was working, she thought it was some sick joke. She chalked it up to the fact that her karma must be god awful and this was her cosmic punishment.
She had worked there for two years before this, consistently doing backstage work happily for the experience of potentially helping musicians with costuming and styling if they ever took her up on her offer. Mostly, her job consisted of fulfilling riders and babysitting.
On this fated Thursday, it was raining as the fading summer quickly turned into a blustery fall. The trees faded quickly, changing just as fast as they had blossomed. The biting cold of the rain had soaked her hair so when she burst through the stage right door, a spray of rain flew from her head as she gasped in the warm room temperature air.
First rain made people drive terribly, making her later than she would’ve liked to set up the things requested by the band tonight. She was slightly bummed that because she was rushing, she might not have a chance to offer her assistance with styling of the new band, but she thought she’d just ask to help them out at a later date since her manager had told her that if they played well tonight they were going to get the recurring Thursday night spot.
Greta Van Fleet was their name, which she thought was cool, but given their rider, she had a funny feeling that they were probably like most local Michigan bands, mediocre at best, creeps at worst.
The two cases of beers as well as some strange hippie bullshit snacks gave her the inkling of what to expect.
The moment she hears her name from a particular voice, a pit of dread opens up in her stomach. She didn’t know exactly why he was here but she knew instantly that tonight was going to be a long, long night. She finished straightening out the tea corner the band had requested and swiveled around to face the curly-haired bastard. The stupid smirk was already on his lips and his eyes were full of the tell-tale mischief that came with Josh.
“You got a crush on me or something?” He quirks his head with a raise of his eyebrows. “What are you doing here?”
Josh knew she didn’t have a crush on him. Quite the opposite of it, but he loved to see her get furious with him. It brought him insurmountable joy.
“Never in your most self-serving, indulgent fantasies,” She seethes and juts a hip and folds her arms across her chest, taking on a defensive stance immediately. “I work here, Josh. What are you doing here?”
He grins, taking a few more steps into the room before pausing and looking around for a moment. His eyes cast around the worn leather couches, the two rugs mismatched and covering one another, a circular coffee table that had clearly seen too much cocaine in its heyday, and the table filled with snacks and drinks perfectly placed for his band’s amusement, before returning to his classmate staring at him with an appalled but also concerned face.
“Work, of sorts,” He shrugs, the smile never leaving his face. “Moreso play.”
She rolls her eyes but feels her breath hitch as Josh crosses the room further, coming extremely close to her. Her eyes widen as he continues to smile at her with an innocence she knew was an act. It doesn’t leave his intensely sculpted face that was unseasonably tanned for Michigan, even if summer had just ended. His hand reaches out to the right of her frame and plucks a fruit snack pack from the basket she had placed them in five minutes prior.
“Those are for–”
“The band?” He asks, his head cocked to the side once more, after finishing tearing the bag open with nimble fingers. “Thanks, by the way, lover. You got my favorite brand.”
The pure joy Josh had just found in seeing her face contort in disgust at the nickname he had just come up with meant it wasn’t going away anytime soon. He thought he was clever for calling her something inaccurate yet also fitting since her place of work was called Lover’s Inn. In his eyes, it was perfect.
“You’re not…” She trails off seeing the delight in Josh’s features.
He nods, not taking a step back from her personal space and popping an organic fruit snack into his smug mouth. “I am. The lead singer, actually.”
She turns back around to remove herself from the close proximity of Josh. “You’re just bullshitting me,” She mutters, shaking her head, refusing to believe him despite her knowing realistically, it was likely true.
“No –” His next thought, likely one to continue his aggravating crusade, was cut off by someone else’s voice.
“Josh, y’know you could help with the drum kit, like you’re supposed to,” A younger man with long flowing locks complains as he carries in two bass cases. His hair was damp, but drying, signifying the rain was subsiding. Josh’s hair had given no indication of the weather due to the drying but jarringly yellow umbrella that lay abandoned by the door.
Once the cases are carefully set down in a corner of the room, he realizes that Josh was not alone. He uses a hand to flip his long hair back from his face and regards the other person in the room, coming to Josh’s side.
“Hey,” He sticks the same hand out and has a goofily familiar grin on his face. “I’m Sam.”
She takes his hand, telling him her name while giving his hand a shake before letting go rather quickly, she was confused.
“You’re in the band,” She confirms to Sam, who nods affirmatively. “And Josh is in it too?” She asks more skeptically.
“Sure is,” Sam looks at Josh quickly before smiling again, like an all knowing fox. “He likes to act like we’re already famous and don’t have to load our own equipment, but we’ll be lucky to score this gig, Ja–”
“Okay, Sammy,” Josh cuts the younger boy off. “I’ll come out and help, just, shut the hell up.”
Y/N quirks her head as she watches them shuffle back out of the same door she had come through twenty minutes prior, watching the way they interact with one another. She goes back to finishing up the table. It looked fine, but she still felt the need to turn all of the fruit snacks so that they were facing forward and make sure the extras of things she had bought were clearly accessible.
Another younger guy with curlier hair walked in while she was still fussing over the table, a part of a drum kit on his back and a drawstring backpack in his hand.
“I’m Danny,” He introduces quickly after shuffling off the large equipment bag and placing it on the outside of the green room door that leads to the rest of the venue. “Drummer.”
She nods and introduces herself once more, directing him to the table of the fulfilled rider items and that she was around to answer any questions that weren’t specifically technical. Her job, after fulfilling the rider, was handling the band before and after they performed, essentially. She attempted to make that more styling and costume related, but in reality she just was there to make sure no one got too hammered before going out on the stage and no one passed out in the green room afterwards. It was a small venue and therefore a small crew but thankfully, she didn’t have to worry about the instruments as well. Just the people.
When Josh returned to the room through the side door, she was still waiting at the entrance. Her body leaned against the inner frame of the door. It was shut to keep the noise of the rest of the venue out of here, and vice versa. She didn’t want to be in the room any longer than she had to be, but she needed to check off with the entirety of the band. It was to ensure that all of them were here prior to their set and to check in with them about anything else they might need. Now that she knew Josh was in the band, she really wished she could just leave. She certainly was not going to ask about styling, she already had her allotment of fighting over clothing with Josh for the week in class on Tuesday.
The surprising thing about Josh’s arrival is the second copy of him that appears behind him. Like the first stranger, he had long stringy brown hair and slopey dark brown eyes. Unlike Sam, however, he was literally identical to Josh. One realization came to her silently, Sam was Josh’s little brother, that’s why his grin had been so unnervingly familiar.
This man, just two steps behind Josh, though, he was more than familiar. He was the spitting image of Josh except for his hair.
She can’t stop this realization from being audible. As the two of them stand practically side by side as they converse with one another, seeming to almost mirror one another, she blurts out words before she can think twice.
“Twins!” Her voice sounds overjoyed at the realization that they were identical. There was a hopeful glinting look in her eyes as her hands clasp in front of her and she smiles. The fact that Josh was a pain in her ass is forgotten for a moment because she finds it so interesting and unbelievable that identical twins were standing before her and that she had known one all along without knowing it.
Josh stops speaking mid-sentence to regard her and he’s surprised by her reaction. The twin looks perplexed as well with a raised left eyebrow. She is wowed once more.
Josh says her name and hands Danny the rest of his drum kit. “This is my other brother, Jake.”
“And you’re twins? Identical?” She repeats after Jake waves.
“I think you know the answer to that,” Josh throws his hands up in a theatric flourish adding to the condescending tone.
Jake replies far more cordially. “What Josh means to say is, yes we are identical twins. Thanks for noticing.”
“I’m sorry,” She back tracks, remembering the situation and laughing, still feeling off-kilter. “I’ve known Josh for two unbelievably long years and he’s never mentioned once that he has an identical twin brother that he’s in a band with – and he talks enough for it to have come up at least once.”
Josh rolls his eyes with a huff of breath, deciding that he wants to continue helping with their equipment and belongings rather than listen to what he was sure was about to turn into a ‘shit on Josh’ situation.
Jake’s laughter is loud and unadulterated as he crosses the room towards Y/N with the same smile his brothers had, except his didn’t make her want to wring his neck. “He’s always talked too much, I can asure you that. What makes you clearly an unwilling acquaintance of his?”
The grin on her face feels like it’s taking up the entire room. Already, Josh’s twin was leaps and bounds ahead of him in terms of how much she wanted to be around this person. She also liked his hair, it was long and pretty, maybe it needed a good shampoo and condition but it didn’t have a rat tail, which was the biggest plus in her book. When Josh had returned this school year without it, she had rejoiced but also been slightly dismayed that she hadn’t had the satisfaction of snipping it off herself. On several occasions, she remembered waking up with a triumphant smile after cutting it off in some of her more vivid dreams. She wasn’t completely sure if she could be trusted with scissors around Josh so maybe it was better in the end.
“We’re the same major, unfortunately.”
“Oh,” Jake’s voice holds deep understanding. “I’m sure that can be a lot. I used to help out on his films when we were in high school, so I know he’s…passionate.”
She snorts and shakes her head, acknowledging what he had said before once again remembering she was working. “Yeah, that’s one way of putting it.” She casts her eyes around the room and sees that the four guys are all in the room. Josh had returned and was trying and failing to look like he wasn’t eavesdropping on her and Jake’s conversation. “Anyways, now that I know you’re all here, I can leave you be. Just let me know if there’s anything you need before your set. The techs will come in around,” She pauses looking at her watch. “7:00 to have y’all go set up and go over that kind of stuff. You need to be out on that stage at 8, no if’s, and’s or but’s. Also, if you do get the recurring slot, I’d love to help y’all with styling if you’d be interested since that’s more my expertise.”
She hears Josh snort at her last sentence but she pointedly ignores it, only looking at the other three band members.
“How do we find you if we need something?” Sam asks, settling into the darkest brown leather couch like a lanky puppy, all limbs and no idea how to control them gracefully.
“I, uh,” She stops, realizing she normally handed out her phone number since she hated the radios they were supposed to use. For some reason, giving her number to Josh’s band made her uneasy and then she remembered with a sigh. “Josh has my number from previous group projects, assuming he knows how to use his phone he should be able to give it to you.”
“What’s your number again?”
“You don’t have me saved?” She’s exasperated to say the least and a little offended otherwise. They had quite literally been paired in a duo group project their first week of college, two years ago. If he hadn’t saved her number after all this time, she’s sure she would strangle him.
“I think I do,” He looks down at his phone, scrolling through something, “just double checking something.”
“Give me your phone,” She rolls her eyes and places the palm of her hand out waiting for the weight of Josh’s phone to be felt. She types in her number into the search bar of his contacts. The names dwindle until only ‘August’ pops up. She finishes typing the entire number and the name ‘August’ is still staring back at her on the screen. She looks between the phone and Josh a few times before clicking the name and verifying that it was her phone number.
“Why the fuck do you have me as ‘August’ in your phone?”
Josh grins triumphant and satisfied. When she glares at him, he shrugs and plucks the phone back from her grasp. “We met in August, I didn’t remember your name from class and I didn’t bother to ask. By the time I knew it, I couldn’t be bothered to change it.”
“You can’t be serious?”
“Is Lover better or worse than August? Because I’m willing to change it to that,” He continues looking at her with that wolfish look in his eye.
“I fucking hate you.” She says with a shake of her head before addressing the rest of the room again. “Well, if any of you three need me, don’t hesitate to find me down the hall or get my number from the gremlin that fronts your band and shoot me a text. Josh, do not bother me.”
“Only in my dreams, I know, lover.” Josh mimics being shot by an arrow in his heart and stumbles back before winking evilly at her.
“Right,” She sighs heavily and tries to smile lightly at the other three who offer her sympathetic smiles back. “I’ll be back at 7:45 if no one needs me before then.”
A chorus of thanks follows her out the door and she ignores Josh’s voice again as she goes. It’s pitched up and honeyed sweet and it makes her sick.
That was the first night. They had been good. Josh’s voice was surprisingly amazing and the rest of them were talented with their instruments. Jake was especially good on the guitar. She tried to focus on the instruments rather than Josh’s voice but it was almost impossible to listen to just one piece of their music, they all complemented each other so well. Even Josh’s voice didn’t overpower but finished the rest of the music being made.
They had also been clean and on time. Two things her manager liked even more than a good sounding band that amassed a crowd was a good sounding band that didn’t require a lot of assistance or cleaning up after. Greta Van Fleet secured the recurring Thursday night gig at Lover’s Inn. Which ensured that she got to endure more Josh Kiszka in her life than ever before.
They would fight in class and bicker during group projects that they got paired for and then to end her week just perfectly, she’d have Josh at her place of work, continuing to push her buttons and attempting to boss her around.
He delighted in calling her ‘Lover’ and being a nuisance when she was trying to help one of his bandmates. He always had issues with the vests and belts she found for him, despite them being exactly what he asked for, if not better. And he always, always had that stupid smug smirk on his face when he was around her.
In the middle of the semester, the film and visual arts third years were assigned a very intensive project. It could be alone or in groups but you had to do it all if you did it alone. As luck would have it or maybe it was just a cruel joke being played on her by the rest of the department, she and Josh were the only two not paired up who didn’t want to work alone. She contemplated doing it all on her own, but she knew she wasn’t the strongest writer and with the rest of her classes and the Lover’s Inn gig keeping her busy, she had to swallow her pride. Bite the bullet that was Josh Kiszka now entering another part of her life: her life away from both school and work.
They had looked at one another with dismay in their eyes. Even Josh couldn’t spin this as a way to torture her, this was genuinely not his ideal scenario for an important project either. They departed class on Wednesday with a sighing compromise that they would talk about it after the gig on Thursday.
On Thursday, Josh arrived first out of his band mates to the green room. She was there, finishing up unloading the grocery bags and double checking the cleanliness of the room. Even if Josh was a pain in her ass, she didn’t let her negative feelings for him change how she did her job.
“Well if it isn’t my number one fan, lover!” Josh greets, resting his backpack at the edge of the couch closest to the side stage door.
She sighed. She rejoiced on the Thursdays when it was one of the others to stroll through the door first, so that she wouldn’t have to be alone with Josh anymore for the week. Bringing herself to face him was hard, she had already seen enough of him this week and after the big announcement in class yesterday, she really could do without hearing his voice.
“I know you’ve probably heard this a lot before, so you should understand when I say ‘not in the mood’.”
“Oh lover, you wound me,” He gives her moon eyes before he rolls his eyes and walks around the room, continuing to place his stuff where he liked. The band had been working here for two months now and each of them had gotten into a groove. They had their spots and corners that they liked to chill in until it was time to get to work.
“Do you want your clothes or not?” She leans into her hip as she stares at him expectantly, waiting for him to stop messing around with the throw blanket’s tassels.
“I’d certainly go out and perform naked, I’m sure lots of people would thank you for your brilliant idea. Me in my true glory.”
She scoffs and crosses to her tote bag, dropped by the entrance. She shuffles through it for Josh’s new vest and the belt she found that matched it perfectly. The vest was tan with gold embellishments and looked like it would fit his small frame. The belt was also encrusted with gold broqaue and turquoise stones with a loud engraved buckle to finish it off.
With the pieces in hand, she crossed to his seat on the couch. Josh had his legs spread in a way that required her to stand between them or else she would have to lean awkwardly forward to give the clothes to him. She hated even the way he sat, making her life harder. He reclined back on the couch with his arms over the back of it, the light blue ratty t-shirt he wore stretched and strained over his biceps the way he was sitting. Her eye flickered to it for a split second in mild surprise, obviously he showed them off in the vests, but they seemed to bulge in their current state.
“Lay it on me, lover,” He grins lazily up at her, one hand flipping up right and motioning for her to give it to him.
She shakes her head at him and drops them carelessly on his lap. The belt was heavy enough for him to make a groaning sound. Normally she would walk out of the room at this point, just to get a little bit of time away from Josh. The rest of the band was reliable and she knew they’d all have arrived in the next ten minutes. However, something about Josh’s demeanor made her pause. It was something in the way his eyes looked.
Normally they were wide and bright with evil intentions. Today they still looked mischievous but a little more droopy, his movements a little less agile. She stares at his face, searching for the answer and noticing the way he just lets her.
“Finally decided you want some of this action, lover?” Josh mumbles, eyes fluttering closed as he lays his head back against the couch. “Stopped denying your true feelings…”
She crouches down to be on the same level as Josh, her face getting close to his as she inspects him closely. One of her hands goes to his eyelid, as she leans over him, opening his eye manually.
“Are you fucking stoned, right now?”
He swats her hand away from him and sits back up, pushing her back so that she’s still crouched between his legs. His face looms above hers, the lazy grin still visible on his face, as she stares up at him. Their faces are an inch apart and the space is hot in the already warm room. Her eyes widened expectantly.
“Shh, don’t tell August, she’ll yell at me.”
“I am…” She pauses, realizing Josh was still fucking with her. She puts a hand to his chest and pushes him back against the couch, causing laughter to bubble from his lips. “Fuck you, Josh.” She states, standing up again and stalking out of the room with a final. “Weed better not fuck up your singing, asshole.”
“Thanks for the vest, lover!”
Besides strutting around the stage a bit more sluttily and carrying notes just a tad bit longer than necessary, high Josh functioned about the same as regular Josh. After the show, the band loaded up their gear once more in the back of Danny’s van that they lovingly all called the Greta Van. Normally, Josh would hitch a ride home with him and Sam or hang around the front of house getting sloshed with his twin. Tonight, he begrudgingly sulked around the green room, informing his brothers that he ‘had a meeting with the bosslady.’
August had overheard it and rolled her eyes. “We’re unfortunately partnered for an extremely important project. I’m worried I made the wrong choice and should’ve just gone it alone.”
She grimaced as Jake wished her luck while Sammy and Dan gave her sympathetic gazes, mumbling their condolences.
“It can only be as bad as we make it, lover.” Josh huffed, resuming his seat from earlier on the larger of the leather couches.
“Are you sober enough for us to begin planning now?” She glared and folded a leg behind her to take a seat on the far end of the same couch.
Josh scoffed with a flip of his hand. “Oh c’mon it was just a couple bowls before going on to perform art.” Josh trailed off, mumbling as he stared around the room.
“Repeat that?” She urged.
“It’s not like it was the first time,” He repeated louder but still softly.
She groaned. “God, Josh.” She pressed a hand to her forehead. “Y’know what? Fuck if I care. Let’s just get our plan laid out so we can go home.”
Josh nodded curtly. Her eyes flickered to his face in surprise that he didn’t protest.
“Okay,” She started, speaking cautiously. “I’ll obviously take the lead on costuming and you on writing, but we’ll need to collaborate on directing and creative direction. Do you have any ideas for stories you want to tell?”
Josh hummed, head falling to the back of the couch in contemplation. “Cults, a modern Greek tragedy, a bar comedy –we could set it right here, erh star-crossed lovers? What about you or are you just gonna keep all your ideas to yourself?”
“I was waiting to see if you had any worthwhile ideas.” She shrugged, scribbling something down on a notepad Josh hadn’t seen her produce. “The modern take on a Greek tragedy could be interesting…”
“I also was thinking about something similar with a modern take on a classic film like ‘Singin’ in the Rain’ or something to that extent. I like the idea of a post-college existential crisis coming of age female lead type story but I doubt you’d care for that.”
“No, no, no,” Josh sat up straight. “Don’t put your assumed misogyny on me! I’d love to do a female lead coming of age post-college existential crisis story! How dare you?”
She smiled at her page and then up at Josh. “My mistake.”
Their eyes met and the room felt eerily quiet with both of their mouths shut for once. The dingy yellow lights bathed the room in a homey glow. The worn leather was warm beneath their skin, inviting them to settle in.
Then simultaneously, they said: “Modern take of a Greek tragedy that is a coming of age post-college female lead story!”
“Fuck yes!” Y/N rose onto her knees in excitment as Josh’s entire face lit up, leaning forward in excitement.
“Let’s fucking go!”
They laughed and high fived, feeling an unexpected and unknown emotion of shared understanding and initial accomplishment. They talked plot, characters and logline, the main bones of the project they needed to get started on and split up what each of them would flesh out for their next meeting. It was decided that it would be best to meet after class on Wednesdays rather than Thursdays after shows just so that they didn’t have to hang around Lover’s Inn when it was just the locals in the front of the house and so that Jake didn’t get too lonely when he wanted to drink himself under the bar.
Josh felt a weird inclination to walk her to her car that night. He knew which car was hers, he always looked for it in the parking lot when he would pull up on Thursdays – a 90s classic black Volvo sedan with a dreamcatcher hanging on the rearview mirror.
She had regarded Josh oddly when he insisted on walking her over to the car even though the parking lot was empty with plenty of light. Then she noticed again that the lot was empty beside her car and the bartender’s, who was still working.
“Where’s your car?”
Josh kicked at a pebble with his sneaker and shrugged his shoulders with his hands stuffed in his khakis pockets.
She frowned remembering his high state earlier today. At least he was somewhat responsible, but with no foresight. “Did you want a ride?”
“Nah.” He shook his head vehemently. “I walked in, I can walk out.”
“Yeah,” She agreed. “But it’s dark out now.”
“It was dark out earlier.” He reasoned with his usual smirk trying to win his way out of this one.
“Not this dark, not this cold,” She insisted, pushing his shoulder to move towards the passenger’s side door. “And not this late. Get in.”
In the small interior of the Volvo, Josh took his hands out of his pockets and rubbed them together as she cranked the heat and shivered herself before getting her music playing.
“Thanks,” Josh whispered, grateful.
“Can’t have you dying on me,” She replied. As she pulled out of the parking lot, she was focused on backing up carefully, twisting around and switching gears, and she barely noticed when she finished her sentence under her breath. “For so many reasons.”
In the dark of the car, lit only by the moon and streetlamps around, Josh watched her uninterrupted. She sang under the music she had chosen for the drive. A CD that had already been in the reader of Radiohead.
Josh listened along to the dulcet melancholy voice of Thom Yorke. He likes how she knew all the words but paused every so often to look to Josh for directions.
“Nice house,” she said, turning down the stereo when they arrived.
Josh shrugged, turning his head from her to the classic Michigan two-story with its basic driveway and porch. Dark wood everywhere and an old tree in the front yard. There were warm lights coming from a few windows in the house and it looked like a home.
“It’s fine. Jake, Sammy and I rent it from a family friend so it’s a good deal.”
“That’s nice.” She feels awkward, making small talk with Josh.
It’s the antithesis of their usual relationship of bickering and jabbing and avoiding. It’s soft and casual. Warm and inviting in the familiar seats of her car, with her music. Josh kind of seemed at peace in her car. It was unusual, regarding him looking so quiet and calm.
“Alright.” She breaks the silence.
Josh takes the cue, blinking out of whatever trance was keeping him from taking his leave from her car and getting into his house for the night.
“Night,” he speaks softly. “Thanks for the ride…and, uh, see you Monday, I guess.”
“Yeah,” she agrees, watching him get out of the car, carefully taking his bag and his new vest and belt into his arms.
She waits for him to get inside before driving off. Still unsure of the feeling in her stomach, she blasts the Radiohead a little louder to drown out her speculations.
-
By the end of November, they were almost through with the filming portion of their project. Yet it was time for a relatively complicated scene. Well, it shouldn’t have been complicated if the weather had been right but unfortunately they were venturing into true winter in Michigan.
Josh and Y/N had settled on the tragedy of Hippolytus after attempting the tragedy of Medea but deciding it was too overdone — how many stories of a woman scorned by a man leaving her could we want? Instead, the twist of Hippolytus in the 21st century would allow for an interesting female lead whose story didn’t start because of a man.
Instead, like Hippolytus, their lead had decided against sex and relationships during college. Josh and Y/N had worried about making it purity porn but decided that they would balance the true story with modernity enough that it would work.
In the Greek tragedy, the woman interested in Hippolytus killed herself after being rejected by him, however that was another place they would depart. Instead, the counter to the lead would be hurt randomly and there would be a need for the lead to help them. This leads her to pursue psychology and therapy—medicine felt too cliche. But she knew she wanted to help people. Their bond eventually grows to love even though it’s not what she intended. However, both the therapy and the relationship help her find meaning to life, bringing her out of the existential crisis that started the story.
So they were filming the scene where the counter, James, was meant to get hurt. The short film was going to be narrated by a modern Aphrodite so some silliness was injected into it. She was interfering with the lead, Hyacinth, in hopes to persuade her to fall into bed with someone.
James lived next door and was washing his car, shirtless, when Hyacinth walked out her front door, about to go to gym—another one of her ideas of how to find purpose in life, pushing her body until it had no energy to think. Jason was meant to have gotten soap all over him from leaning across the hood of the car, like a male fantasy but reversed, and then point the hose towards him and wash it all off sexily. Of course, the student they had cast, weirdly also named James, was attractive but he was an angel and an ex-theater kid, so he couldn’t quite get it right and he was beginning to shiver even though they had the water as warm as possible and were covering him up between every take.
Josh was attempting to hold back laughter but after the third bad take, Y/N yelled ‘cut’ and walked into the scene.
“James, here hand me the handle,” she said.
Taking hold of the metal length at the end of hose that was turned off, she began to instruct James to do exactly what she was showing him. She turned it towards her and held it above her chest with her head tilted back, eyes closed. She sighed for a moment and then briefly moved up as if the water were hitting her face and then ran her free hand against her cheek, allowing her lips to open further and then ran the same hand down the front of her neck, down her chest and her stomach, brushing to the side just as she got to the top of her thighs.
James watched carefully, not phased by the directing. Josh gawked. His eyes almost bugged out of his head watching her and wondering if just maybe that’s what she looked like in a shower. Her soft hands would be running over her soft naked skin instead of her warm winter sweater and jeans, but still. He could imagine. The sudsy soap and bare skin touching the cool tiles and warm water. Fuck. He needed her to never do that again ever.
The last month he had seen more of Y/N than he had ever thought possible. Except now, he looked forward to it without pretending it was because he wanted to bug her. Josh wanted to know what she was thinking about every aspect of their project and he wanted to hear about her weekend and he wanted to kiss her against the walls in the green room when his brothers weren’t there. He didn’t act on the third thing, but he wanted to.
“Josh?” She raised an eyebrow, still holding the hose above her chest. “Josh?” She repeated.
He blinked. “Huh?”
“I asked if you agreed? Does that fit with an Aphrodite induced sexy car wash scene you imagined?”
He smiled weakly and she tilted her head in silent worry. Hopefully Josh wasn’t getting sick.
Of course it is, doesn’t even need a Greek god to intervene and make it hotter, she just was.
A cloud was rolling in from the east and Josh knew that if they didn’t finish soon they might get rained out.
James nodded and they ran the scene again. The actor nailed it and after Josh yelled cut, Y/N squealed in accomplishment. They high fived and Josh’s eyes linked on the side of her neck where her fingers had brushed as she had caressed herself minutes ago—professionally.
After that, they wrapped for the day, Josh still concerned about the rain, sending the actors and helpers home. Y/N hung around to help Josh bring his equipment back into his house. They were using the front of it for the scene. On their last trip to grab things from the street, thankfully all non-electronic, the beginning of what would be a long rainstorm began in full force.
This time it was Josh to shriek and Y/N laughed as they ran under the awning of the porch after grabbing everything left as quickly and carefully as possible. It didn’t matter, they were pretty drenched.
She tried to catch her breath from running and laughing while Josh felt his hair with a look of dismay.
“You know you’re stuck here,” Josh grumbled, looking out at the pouring rain. He hated the way she seemed to enjoy his displeasure at being wet.
“As long as you’ve got a spare change of clothes, a hot shower and a gas stove in case the power goes out, I’m fine.” She shrugs, pushing the screen door open and putting her half of Josh’s stuff on the entryway bench.
Josh followed behind with his binder and a few rain-ruined scripts.
“Anyone else home?” She wanders through the hall to the living room, peeling off her sweater and leaving her boots by the wall.
Josh shakes his head, “Probably not, it pisses Jake off when I film at the house and Sam usually goes to Danny’s on the weekend.”
She inspects her jeans and t-shirt before looking at Josh. “I want to shower now, can you find me clothes and put them in the bathroom before I get out?”
“Who made you queen?”
“This isn’t Lover’s Inn, I’m not on the clock and I’m your guest who’s trapped here…feel like you’re supposed to dote on me.”
Josh rolled his eyes, feeling the memory of their feud flickering like an ember in the pit of his stomach. He wants to tease her, say something biting to turn the tables on her. But she was right, they weren’t in any of the situations they were usually in with one another. More uncharted territory.
“You’re annoying,” he offered lamely.
She chuckled and pushed at his shoulder lightly as he passed, assuredly showing her to the bathroom. “Try harder, lover.”
Josh scoffed without turning his head around, but the feeling in his stomach grew as he heard her feet padding behind him. The rain was loud on the tall roof, fast and foreboding. It might’ve been adding to Josh’s unease.
At the end of this new hallway, there were three doors. One to a bedroom, Josh’s, a closet and the bathroom. He opened the closet to grab fresh towels he kept for when he didn’t want to do laundry that week and walked them into the bathroom.
It was surprisingly clean but Josh had his own bathroom, forcing Jake and Sam to share the other one, claiming he was the oldest so he got the most privacy.
She smiled at the tub. “Should I have a soak instead? Do you have any good wine?”
“This is not a fucking hotel,” Josh laughed. He handed her the towels and she gave him a pointed look. “But I’ll open a bottle.”
“Good boy,” She continued to smirk. “Maybe I’ll leave a nice tip.”
Josh pinkened slightly. She’d never been like this before. He felt like he was falling into some world where Aphrodite really was fucking with his life.
15 minutes later, Josh returned to the bathroom where Y/N was showering and pushed the door open. She had music playing but he could hear the water still running.
He walked in and placed the sweatshirt and clean boxers on the counter. Her wet clothes were in a puddle on the floor beside the shower mat and he swallowed. A pretty pink lace thong and a black lacy bra laid atop her top and jeans. He took a breath and went to head for the door, turning away from the clothes. But Y/N’s own breath caught his attention.
Her grunge 90s music was playing from her phone but she was breathing hard and Josh stopped short. His eyes shot to the shower curtain. The place he had been avoiding with all his power. It was sheer. Her silhouette was hard to see but it looked like it was writhing. He saw one of her hands slipping around her chest and he bit his lip. She was certainly squeezing her tits and she was breathing hard and he couldn’t see her other hand.
He put his own hand to his mouth to stop any shocked sounds slipping out. She must have forgotten that he was coming back. When he saw her silhouette drop to the floor of the tub, Josh snapped out of his trance.
He grabbed the clothes and slipped out the door, closing it as quietly as possible just as he heard a breathy ‘fuck’ he would dream about for weeks.
“Shit,” he whispered to himself. Letting his head fall against the now closed door, he took a deep centering breath before knocking loudly. “I’m leaving your clothes out here, kay? Gonna open that wine.”
Her voice was normal in response and Josh was wondering if he had just hallucinated. Had he accidentally taken a gummy and forgotten. Seemed unlikely since he usually wouldn’t when he was working on film stuff.
“Sounds good! Thanks, Josh!”
Josh tried to be normal when she came into his room in his clothes, rubbing his towel through her wet hair. He’d left the wine and two mismatched glasses on his bedside table. He mumbled that she could start without him as he passed her to jump in the shower himself.
On the fogged main mirror, she had written, “don’t work when it’s about to rain!”
Josh smiled to himself and stripped down out of his clothes that were still uncomfortably wet. His shower was much quicker and much colder. He couldn’t allow himself to be in there for very long or else he would’ve started to fantasize about what he was certain had just happened in here.
In his room, Y/N sat on his bed, taking large sips of the red wine Josh had found. She was nervous. Something about this storm was making her uneasy. The scene they had shot had done something to her. Everytime she looked at Josh, she swore he was eyefucking her and that made her feel strange. Extremely turned on. She had thought dealing with it in the shower would’ve solved it but the minute she walked out and saw Josh looking so sullen, still in his rain-soaked clothes sans his jacket, waiting for her to get out, she felt wet again. If anything, the quick wank had made it worse. Already slick and wanting, she wasn’t sure if she could handle being around just Josh for the night.
Now that they were friends, she couldn’t deny how attractive he was. God, it made her roll her eyes. He was talented and attractive and she was sitting in his bed, drinking his wine in his comfy clothes all at her request.
If it couldn’t get any worse, Josh walked into his room with his towel hanging around his hips and his chest speckled with droplets coming down from his hair.
“Didn’t have time to dry off?” She tilted her head, trying to sound casual. Unbothered when she was fully, terribly, bothered.
Josh shook his head, making more droplets fly around the room. “Forgot my own clothes.” He shuffled through his myriad of t-shirts and grabbed a gray one with a Buddhist symbol and black sweatpants.
“You sound like you need a drink,” she tried.
“Yes,” Josh sighed as if he was coming out of a desert with no water. He held his hand out and she quickly poured the second glass and placed it in his waiting hand.
Their fingers brushed and both of them pulled back as if they’d been burned. She met Josh’s widened, brown eyes looking dark in his navy room that was shadowed by the storm and his one yellow lamp. He clutched carefully to his towel and the clothes under his arm with the wine in his other hand, taking a long sip as he turned on his heel and returned to the bathroom.
She let her head hit the headboard of Josh’s bed. What the fuck was going on? She took another sip of her wine and then refilled the glass up high.
When Josh returned clothed, he sat on the foot of the bed and she silently refilled his glass when she saw it was already empty.
“So…what do you want to do?” She tries while folding her legs up under her chin.
Josh’s eyes flicker to the movement and get stuck on her legs for a moment before returning to her face.
“Movie?”
She shrugs, looking around his room for a television. “I don’t want to sit in your living room, your couch looks uncomfortable.”
“That’s where you’re sleeping if you can’t get home tonight,” Josh scoffs.
She arches an eyebrow and takes a sip of her wine. “I’ll sleep in Jake’s bed, he won’t mind.”
“No.” Josh stated flatly.
Her eyes turn back to him, cautiously. “Why not?”
“It’s weird.”
“No it’s not.” She sounds annoyed, placing her wine down and picking up her phone. “I’ll just text him and ask.”
The text sends and she smirks at Josh pointedly. Shortly after, a loud crash of thunder signals the power leaving for the rest of the storm and with it, the phone signals.
Josh smirks triumphantly over his glass when Y/N throws her phone dejectedly on the side table too, while he flicks on his battery powered lamp he had grabbed earlier as a precaution.
“Couch it is.”
She lays sideways along the top of Josh’s bed and hums, raising her hands above her head, allowing the bottom of the sweater to lift and expose her stomach. Feeling perfectly buzzed from the wine, she sighs, “I don’t know, this feels pretty comfy and I’m already settled. Maybe you should sleep on the couch since you love it so much.”
Josh watched her body extending across his bed and simultaneously wanted her there forever and to throw her out.
“Absolutely not. This is my house.”
“And I’m the guest,” she repeats. “C’mon lover, don’t be mean.”
“You’ve never seen mean,” Josh rolls his eyes and finishes his wine, laying it with hers on the table.
She laughs, outrageously loud. “You’re a lot of things, Josh. But I don’t think you’ve got a truly mean bone in your body or however that cliche goes. Evil sure, but that’s different.”
She hasn’t bothered to sit up and she’s enjoying the tone of voice Josh is slipping into and everything feels quite nice and warm. So warm. She shuts her eyes.
“No, no,” Josh hurries, moving himself so that he is closer to her. He pats her cheek lightly. “No falling asleep in my bed. Not allowed.”
“But I’m so comfy and cozy,” She croons, blinking her eyes back open. The smirk on her face gives her away.
“C’mon.” Josh takes her shoulders to push her upright. “Sit up.”
She laughs, but it dies out, recognizing the proximity of Josh’s face to hers. How his body is hovering over hers. How warm she is. “Fuck,” she whispers, staring at his lips, slightly stained from the wine.
“What?” Josh whispers back, realizing the same things as her. How soft the smallest bit of her skin is against his finger that’s on her shoulder, slipping along the collar of the sweater.
“Your lips are red,” she states.
Josh grins and lets his head fall between them with a laugh. “So are yours.”
He looks back at her and remembers the way she sounded in the bathroom. All the years he’d known her. All their fights. And how they weren’t really fighting anymore. How he teased her at Lover’s Inn and how good she’d been as his partner this last month and a half.
“What are we going to do with no power, August,” Josh whispered, already inching his face closer to hers.
She smiled and let her hands reach up to cup his face and neck. “Read the Bible by candlelight?” She whispered back as Josh’s nose nudged against hers.
He breathed a laugh across her lips and her breath caught in her throat when he finally attached his lips to hers. They kissed softly, just taking it in. Josh shifted them into a more comfortable position, one leg slotting between hers, while the other supported him so his torso wasn’t fully on her.
She whimpered immediately at the pressure and Josh smirked. He pressed harder, licking into her mouth.
She gasped when Josh began to kiss her neck and he spoke against her neck in between sucking against the skin. “I heard you.”
“W-what?” She was staring at the ceiling while she ran one hand against his shoulder and the other through his hair.
“I. Heard. You.” Josh repeated, allowing one of his hands to run under the sweater up towards her breast and she whimpered again. “Fuck,” he loved the way she sounded. “In the shower, lover.”
Her eyes shot wider, the haze of Josh’s lavishing touch disappeared with shame. “You did?”
Josh pulled back with a lazy grin, still playing with one of her nipples under her shirt and pecks her lips quickly.
“Yeah you fuckin’ told me to bring your clothes in because you’re a princess apparently and then you were in there getting off when I walked in.”
She felt embarrassed but remembered what was likely about to happen so it didn’t really matter. “Oh…I tried to deal with it quietly. I was just really turned on for some reason.”
Josh scoffed and retreated his hand from under her sweater. “C’mon,” he gestured to the sweater.
They were still acting like film partners through this interaction. Or at least how they acted. Talking casually while in the beginning of a sexual encounter.
She took it off and threw it to the ground while staring pointedly at Josh’s shirt. He followed suit before kissing her again. His chest looked so soft and warm, she wanted to be wrapped up in him.
“First, I almost had a heart attack at the sight of your thong and then I turned to leave and you’re in there playing with this thing.” He pauses his words, slipping his hand inside the boxers she was wearing, cupping her pussy.
She whines, extending her neck to kiss Josh’s. Feeling the need to touch more of him. He grins down at her again and kisses the space between her tits.
His hand rubbed ever so slightly over her mound without actually doing anything, but she felt the slightest friction and the pooling of her wetness. She grabbed at one of her tits.
“The curtain’s not opaque, August,” he continues and she groans at the nickname at a time like this. His middle finger slipped lower, hovering over her slit. He looked her in the eyes again. “I saw you writhing around your own little fingers. What’s it gonna look like when it’s mine your pretty pussy is wrapped around?”
She moaned at his words, throwing her head back against the pillows.
“Is it pretty? I bet it’s pretty.” Josh continued his special version of torture. She could feel his fingers but they weren’t doing anything she wanted them to. Every so often he planted a kiss on her torso. Of course he liked to tease by talking forever and ever.
“Take off the boxers and find out,” She tries not to sound impatient.
“Great idea!” Josh patronizes, slipping his hand out of the boxers completely and moving to take off the boxers.
She huffs.
“Don’t act spoiled,” Josh admonishes, returning his hand back to where it was while his other cups her face, forcing her to look him in the eyes again. He looks like an angel like this but so sure of himself. She’s amazed and completely at his will. “I know she already got to cum once under this roof.” He tsked, tapping his middle finger against her entrance. It was the lightest pat but she was so wet that Josh’s finger got a little of her slick nonetheless.
She moaned at the change in sensation, her hips dipping down in some instinctual attempt at getting him to slip inside.
“God, you are needy.” He removed his hands again and laughed when she huffed again. Both hands moved to her knees and pushed them to be bent and then apart, moving his body between them. His hands then went to her breasts, squeezing them and pinching tenderly at her nipples. Her hips bucked again and Josh kissed her again. “It’s gonna feel so good when I finally touch you where you want,” He offered, kissing her sweetly.
Pulling away he began to suck on her chest, continuing his monologue. “You were holding this perfect tit in one hand and rubbing your wet pussy with the other, right?”
She nodded when he looked to her for a response.
“I left when I saw you drop to your knees like some cock hungry whore…” Coming from someone else it would’ve sounded cruel, but from Josh’s lips it was the softest sweetest accusation in the world. His voice was honey and it only made her want him more. Maybe she was a cock hungry whore, for Josh.
Josh’s right hand returns to her pussy, cupping it like before and she’s sure she’s about to leak onto his palm.
“You’re leaking, princess,” Josh informs her, confirming her suspicion. “Do you like me talking mean to you? Why’d you drop to your knees in my bathroom, August? C’mon you can tell me.”
“I,” She starts. Josh chooses then to slip the tip of his finger inside of her.
“Yes?”
“I was about to c-cum and you have that, fucking, detachable showerhead…”
Josh thrust his finger fully inside her and she moaned, relieved but not much better. Now she felt herself quickly working up to another orgasm. He thrust his finger carefully, thinking over his response while trying to hold himself together now that he’d felt how warm and tight she was inside.
“Used my showerhead to get off in my shower. Touching these pretty tits, riding your own hand and now you’re laid out all perfect for me.” He added a finger and her hips began to move with his movements. “You are a little slut, aren’t you?”
She hums in agreement, one hand hanging onto Josh’s neck and another gripping her tit like her life depended on it.
“And you’re gonna cum again already? Fuck,” Josh sounded amazed. In awe of how sexy Y/N was, how willing and lovely she was, how she was perfect for him. “Go on.”
She came immediately, having held off for so long, trying to hold it for Josh despite how much he’d teased her.
After she rode it out, Josh removed his fingers and gave them a lick. Humming his satisfaction. She breathed heavily watching him, but wanting more. Seeing from the bulge in Josh’s sweatpants she knew he wanted more as well.
“Fuck me, Josh.” She sat up on her elbows beckoning him closer.
“Did you forget who’s in charge?” He laughed, but it was soft. They were still themselves.
She widened her legs and pouted, dropping her hand to her pussy, carefully circling her puffy clit.
“Need it, Josh.” She rocked her hips. “I think you need it too.” She hummed, looking pointedly at his straining cock.
Josh shook his head and crawled over her again, pushing her hand away from her clit. She took up the job of pushing down his sweatpants and boxers simultaneously.
“Next time, I wanna see you dropping to your knees like the cockslut we now know you are.” Josh breaths, losing track of his train of thought with the feel of her soft hand gripping the base of him gently.
“Next time could be later tonight…” She whispered back, connecting their lips again. “Or tomorrow.”
Josh groans, at her words and the feeling of her slipping the head of his cock through her slick. He resisted pressing in immediately, feeling her rubbing it back and forth from her entrance to her needy clit. He bit her lip and she moaned.
“I would’ve fucked you months ago if I knew that getting you wet was all it took to make you all sweet and nice.” He grunted.
His hips thrusting on their own accord caused his head to slip against her clit in a way that made her moan loudly. She tightened her grip on his cock and Josh’s hips moved back.
“I wouldn’t be rude to the girl who’s about to let you hit, lover.”
She nudged Josh’s head into her entrance and they sighed in tandem. Her hands went up to his shoulders from under his arms. Josh dropped his face into her neck, overwhelmed by the warmth and softness. They began moving at a steady clip. Her legs wrapped around Josh until he started thrusting harder and faster.
“Fuck,” she whined. “That feels so fucking good. Don’t stop.”
Josh had begun to sweat. He shifted one of her legs to balance one of his hands and then moved his other to the headboard and she moaned loudly adoring the stretch.
“‘M close,” He strained. His eyes were constantly shifting between her bouncing tits, his cock disappearing in her and her face and the expressions she was making. “You’re so wet.”
“Cum,” she breathed. Her fingers slipped down to her clit again, rubbing furiously.
Her walls tightened at the added stimulation and Josh was cumming. Hot and sticky inside her. He panted hard, collapsing on her with a wet kiss against her mouth. His cock had made even more of a mess of her, leaking out of her full, throbbing cunt.
Josh watched it. Entranced as he pulled out once more and twitched when Y/N moaned at the sensation, her eyes shut in pleasure.
“I’ll clean you up,” Josh nodded to himself before disappearing.
Less than 10 minutes later, the pair were cleaned up and wrapped up with water in Josh’s bed. Side by side.
-
They saw each other in class on Monday and Wednesday after their shoot and impromptu sleepover on Saturday that had run into Sunday, but they acted like nothing had happened. Or like it was completely normal. Which they both liked. They had been cordial upon waking up wrapped around each other on Sunday morning, but Y/N had made a quick exit, citing a myriad of reasons why she needed to go home now that the storm had passed. She even declined coffee.
It was Thursday, at Lover’s Inn, when the events of Saturday night became hard to ignore.
Josh didn’t show up first which she was grateful for. Jake sauntered in with his guitar case, his small but impressive pedal board and a few wrapped up cords over his shoulder. She smiled and they exchanged pleasantries as she shuffled around their table. Everything was ready, but she couldn’t stop herself from reorganizing things.
“Do you need a beer?” Jake asks after a tense 10 minutes of silence.
She laughs and flips around from the table, slumping against it. “Honestly, yeah.”
Jake lifts his mouth into a half-smile, nodding to the table. “You can have one of mine and I’ll steal one of my brothers.”
“How chivalrous,” She smiles, disarmed by Jake’s nature. She grabs two beers and the bottle opener from the table before crossing to him and handing over one beer to him, followed by the opener.
They click the necks together and take an appreciative sip.
“What’s got you flustered?” Jake asks.
“I don’t know,” She sighs, rubbing at her forehead, knowing exactly why.
Sam, Danny and Josh file through the side door while Y/N attempts to come up with a reason for her to be stressed. Jake watches her carefully, but her eyes immediately shoot to the sound of the door opening and their voices.
Josh scans the scene of Jake and Y/N on the two couches, sipping on beers, alone. His nose flares momentarily before setting down his piece of the drum kit and saunters to the couch, sitting beside Jake.
“Your turn,” Josh says, nodding to the door so that Jake will go help with the rest of their stuff.
Jake rolls his eyes and takes another swig of his beer before huffily standing up and walking outside. Josh eyes Y/N sitting silently across from him and takes a swif from his brother’s beer.
“I’m assuming he offered his share and then is planning to drink an extra of one of ours.”
She chuckles nervously, eyes shifting away from Josh and around the room. “You guys know each other well.”
“Brothers. Twins.” He shrugs, still watching her intently.
She discards her half-empty beer and stands, bee-lining for her bag. “I’ve got new stuff for you guys.”
Josh rolls his eyes, but feels a little bug of worry squirming in. The insecurity he had felt on Sunday had vanished with how normal they had been in class, but this made him feel like something was certainly off.
“Here,” She places the vest and medallion necklace she’d found for Josh beside his head on the back of the couch. “And here’s this for you, Danny.” She turned from Josh before he could even thank her, handing Danny a tank style shirt she thought he’d like. Sam received a flowy floral button down while Jake got a fringe leather jacket that she had been searching for all semester for him.
Jake beamed, his eyes shiny and his smile taking over his entire face. She smiled back at him, trying to fully feel the gratitude he was giving her. She watched as he tried it on and spread his arms in the mirror, admiring the movement.
“This is going to be so fuckin’ sick,” He laughed, slightly in disbelief, touching over the jacket constantly. “I can’t thank you enough, Y/N.”
She blushed a bit, feeling everyone’s eyes on her, especially Josh’s from his place on the couch. He was holding his vest in his lap, sullen that he had never thanked her so profusely for the things she found him.
“It’s my dream job–and if you guys ever get famous, I’ll make you real stage outfits. However you want.” Jake’s giddy energy was overpowering her nerves. It felt great.
The green room was a fun atmosphere for the rest of the hour leading up to their set. Josh pushed himself out of his pining and focused on the revelry. But before the band was about to go on, Josh hung back, leaving him alone with Y/N.
She saw him stall at the door, his hand catching the frame. His vest was tan suede tonight, with silver pieces swirling into pockets on the front and creating a pattern across his back. He turned around and she paused, once more at the table, beginning to clean up wrappers.
“I wanted to say thank you for all the vests and stuff you’ve found me this semester, August.”
She watched Josh cross the room to her. “It’s nothing. Like I said, dream job.”
Josh pressed closer and threaded his hand through her hair. His breath was warm against her skin. She finally met his eyes.
“I miss you.”
“You’ve seen me all week.”
Josh’s forehead drops against hers, his free hand coming to her waist. It’s hot and firm and she feels the breath leave her lungs. Her body presses closer to him.
“Not what I meant.”
“Josh…” She wants to kiss him so bad. Wants him to kiss her. Her hands are grasping at his forearms in a way she hopes isn’t too desparate. “You’ve got a show to play.”
His hand moves slowly from her waist across her stomach to the center of her jean skirt. His fingers fiddle with the button, slipping them below the waistband, feeling more fabric.
“It’s a shame.” His breathing was heavy. His nose kept nudging hers.
She licked her lips and swallowed.
“Really wish you weren’t wearing tights,” He murmurs before pressing a hot kiss to her lips.
Before she can really feel him against her, he’s pulling away and snapping the black lycra that he had wiggled his finger into against her skin. A sharp gasp sounds and he’s walking out the door to the stage, looking far too much like a rockstar than she’d like. After a few moments of attempting to collect herself, she leaves the trash to be dealt with later and follows Josh to see the start of the show.
This show was electric. Everyone was playing their best. Jake was rocking with his guitar so much that the fringe flew around, making the crowd of college-aged women the band had amassed go wild. Josh was strutting around the stage, raising his arms as he hit notes and dancing with Jake every so often.
Jake tried to convince the manager to let Sam and Danny into the front of house. ‘It’s not like they don’t have IDs that say they’re old enough,’ he reasoned conspiratorially. He was over the moon and he wanted everyone to celebrate since winter break was coming up and their show would be taking a rest for a while. Her manager relented, but Josh almost crushed his twin’s soul when he said he needed to go home to work on editing.
Sam and Danny’s exuberance at being able to drink at the bar overpowered Jake’s protestations to Josh, leaving Y/N and Josh alone in the green room once more. He smirked with great satisfaction as he shrugged the vest from his shoulders and began to pull his t-shirt back over his head.
“Where were we?” He saunters back over and she’s happy to see regular Josh instead of the rockstar Josh who had ambushed her earlier.
Yet, she remembered him. And she remembered his performance tonight. How low his pants were slung around his hips. A pair of tight black vinyl pants she had found him about a month ago. His happy trail had meandered down to disappear beneath the fabric she had chosen for him. Now, he was straining against those pants and she shut her eyes, coming to terms with what she was about to do.
“It’s your turn, Josh.” She meets him in the middle of the room, backing him up against the arm of the bigger leather couch. She caged him in for a moment, looking him up and down. Josh’s eyes were wide in surprise. “Sit on the couch.”
He is a bit confused, but doesn’t argue, shuffling to sit down as quickly as possible.
“Eager, huh?”
“Now who’s being mean?”
She grins and walks to stand in front of Josh, dropping to her knees with quiet ease and practice. Josh immediately throws his head back, sinking lower into the chair.
“Oh my god.”
“Didn’t want to leave you hanging,” She smiled. Running her hands over the tops of Josh’s vinyl clad thighs. “I could see it while you were on stage. At least,” She paused to chuckle. “More than usual.”
Josh sighed, eyes fluttering open to stare at her between his legs again. She was so beautiful even when she smiled at him so wickedly.
“Want your cock in my mouth, Josh?”
“Fuck, Y/N,” Josh couldn’t take the teasing of her hands and her words.
“Just say ‘please’.” She stared at Josh seriously. Her hands toying with the button and zipper of his pants now, brushing just over his hardening length.
“Please, please, fucking please.” He rushed out.
She laughed and shook her head. “God, fine. Relax.”
Her hands expertly unhooked the button and slid the zipper down with practiced hands of a costumer. This was far more explicit than any of the other times she had undressed someone. Josh’s cock was hot and heavy in her hand and her core ached at the memory of where it had been almost a week ago. She ran her tongue against it and Josh groaned.
She lavished his head with a few kisses and looked up at Josh, beginning to suck on the side of it. “So pretty,” She murmurs.
Josh’s hips bucked in response, his hand going to rest in her hair, but careful not to guide her. He wanted to see what she did. She gathered a pool of spit to let fall onto his thick cock before languidly running her hand over the length, hoping to tease him a little more. She hadn’t forgotten the treatment he gave her on Saturday. Josh’s hips bucked again and he groaned her name.
Taking his head fully in between her lips, she took pity on him. Beginning her descent, she attempted to get him all in her throat but had about a handful left when he hit the back of her throat. She hummed around him and he jerked in her throat, causing her to fall back. She massaged her lips around the place where his head met the shaft before trying again. One hand on his thigh and one beneath his shirt, she bobbed her head slowly, suctioning occasionally until Josh was hissing about being close again.
She pulled off him and smiled at him from her position. Her lips were wet with saliva and precum. Josh’s eyes were half closed in pleasure but he couldn’t believe the look on her face. Breathing heavy, flushed from taking him down her throat. Her hand moved along his length faster.
“Tell me when,” She murmured, eyes moving from Josh’s face to her movements around him.
Josh nodded, trying to stay still. Overwhelmed. “Now.”
Her lips reattached to his head, sucking a little harder, while her hand still worked near the base. Josh’s hips bucked in time with the spurts that hit the back of her throat and she clenched around nothing, wishing more than anything that she was brave enough to attempt penetrative sex in public.
She pulled off and swallowed, wiping the back of her hand across her mouth with a tired sigh. Josh’s satisfied smile watched her in awe, tucking himself away after a few moments of heavy panting.
“Jesus Christ,” Josh breathed, petting at her hair before bringing her to kiss his lips. “Thank you. Wow. Just… so talented.”
“Josh Kiszka not having the right words,” She smiled against his lips. She pulled away and ruffled his hair. “I must be good.”
Josh sputtered, jumping to his feet and following her to the side of the door where she was grabbing her coat and extra stuff.
“Do you need a ride home again?”
Josh scratched at the back of his neck. “Uh, I guess. Can’t really go out there and tell ‘em I need their keys when I was supposed to have left 20 minutes ago. Plus they’re probably expecting me to come pick them up eventually so I need my car for that.”
“Josh,” She stopped his rambling. Her hand pressed flat against his upper chest, bringing his eyes to hers. “Relax. My jaw’s too tired to give you another stress relieving head session.”
Josh shut up and nodded. She smiled, pleased with herself. They grabbed their stuff and headed for her Volvo after she locked the green room door.
“Driving you home like you’re my little bitch,” She stated half-way through the drive she now knew without directions.
“Shut up.” Josh sounded annoyed but really he was smiling, staring out at the passing streets.
When they pull up to his house, Josh pauses. “Do you wanna come in?”
“Can’t tonight. See you soon though.”
She kisses his lips tenderly, cupping his strong jaw in a way neither of them had ever expected.
-
Mid December and the semester was over. Their short film was a success. It was the last Thursday Greta Van Fleet would be performing at Lover’s Inn until the new year. Josh and Y/N hadn’t had time to talk about them with the rush of finals and getting the film in in time for screening. There had been stolen kisses during late final cut editing nights and in the empty hallways of the film building, but nothing else.
Josh had arrived with Y/N, helping her set up so that she could be done early and they could have alone time before the rest of the band started to arrive. They were so excited to be done with everything, so pleased with themselves, that they were hurriedly making out against the snack table, unable to keep their hands off of one another a moment longer.
So wrapped up in one another, exchanging words of teasing and searing lips against soft skin, they don’t hear Danny and Jake walking in.
With Y/N pressed against the table, Jake and Danny get an eyeful of her hands on Josh, one on his waist pulling him closer and the other grabbing at his right jean-clad ass cheek.
Danny whistling loudly and Jake clapping his hands together leisurely cause them to spring apart. Josh spins around, flushed and out of breath while Y/N adjusts the top of her shirt that Josh had pushed to the side for more access to her skin.
“About time,” Jake says with a happy smile, stalking to place down his guitar case.
Danny laughs and Sam walks in shortly behind them, silent for a moment, appraising the situation before understanding and exclaiming: “To the happy couple!”
Josh groans at his brothers’ smug looks before smiling. She laughs, hiding her head behind Josh’s shoulder in mild embarrassment. Everyone cheers and it feels silly that they ever detested being in the same room as one another.
During their final performance, Josh waxes eloquent about his wondrous time he’s spent on this very stage. He thanks everyone and then pauses, searching the audience for Y/N.
“Now this next one goes out to my lover,” He says as he winks. “You know who you are!”
The crowd goes wild and a softer than usual guitar riff comes in from Jake’s playing.
“August, honey / Tasted sweeter with you / Sticky fingers / From your own residue,” He sang.
Jake got to kick up the guitar. The three guys even sang the little backing ‘ooh’s into their mics that were rarely used.
“We don’t talk about it / We don’t have the time / We thought love was something / We weren’t meant to find.”
Josh’s voice is a perfect fit for the cover, she thinks it sounds even better than the original.
“But don’t you remember / August, honey, you were mine!”
It hurts her heart to realize why her name was ‘August’ in Josh’s phone and not for the asshole-ish reason he had originally told her. Sure, they’d met in August three years ago, that was still true, but she’d also mentioned this song to him. When they’d first been paired up freshman year, he had asked her what the song was that was paused on her phone when he handed it back after typing in his number. Always being scatterbrained, especially at 18, he must have written it over her name…And it was ‘August’.
Warnings: SFW, just super gushy tooth rot, bf sammy, there is a showering bit but its still SFW
A/N: i’m having a sam down and the more candids i see of him, the worse it gets, hence this
❀𖤣𖥧𖡼⊱✿⊰𖡼𖥧𖤣❀
Birds chirping, a soft breeze blowing under the curtains and the soft sound of a gentle piano in the distance dancing through the air. The smell of fresh coffee pours into the bedroom shared between you and Sam. You roll out of bed wearing nothing but one of his shirts and your underwear, feet gently making their way to the sound of ‘Unchained Melody’ coming from the livingroom, the patter of puppy paws following.
“There she is! Good morning sunshine! And good morning my little Rosie.” Sam looked up from his piano excitedly at you, reaching down to give Rosie her ‘good morning’ pets.
“Good morning, my Sammy,” you reply, still coming to your senses.
You look around and see that Sam had made breakfast for the two of you. A bouquet of wild flowers picked from the yard sat in a tiny glass cup in the middle of the table, surrounded by his little breakfast set up. He made avocado toast and tried out a new recipe for tofu he found that was supposed to mimic eggs.
“I picked some tomatoes from our garden to cook into the ‘eggs’, I’m hoping it tastes as good as it looks…” He sounds unsure of his cooking ability, but it was no secret Sam was the chef in this relationship.
Sam walks up behind you and holds you in his arms. Intertwining his fingers with yours, he sways you side to side, peppering your cheek and neck with kisses. You lean your head back to rest on his chest, feeling the warmth from his body against yours.
“I could stay like this forever, but I don’t want all your hard work to get cold.” You ushered him to the table. Sam’s arms are your favorite place to be and knowing that, he would keep you like that all day given the chance.
Sam ignored your gesture and pulled out your chair before bringing over coffee for the two of you. He places your “Dog Mom'' mug in front of you and kisses your temple before returning to his seat across from you. His coffee is steaming in his “Girl Dad '' mug that you had custom made with a picture of him and Rosebud on it.
“I was thinking we hit the record store today,” He takes a sip of his coffee, “we can get lunch at that new cafe too if that sounds good to you.”
“That sounds great, Sammy.” You watched a big smile grow on his face, his brown eyes glistening at you from the other side of the table.
You considered these kinds of days dates, even if Sam didn’t feel they were special enough for you to call them such. Walking around the record store with your arm in his, looking for new music to share with each other, it’s simple but it’s love. After breakfast, you try to beat Sam to cleaning up the table. He suggests you play rock, paper, scissors and the loser cleans the table. He distracts you so he can change his move and purposely lose.
“Awh man, I lost again,” Sam sucks his teeth, “guess that means YOU get your butt out of my kitchen, and I’ll get this cleaned up!”
You go to the room to gather an outfit for Sam and yourself, and clean towels for a shower before you guys head out. You grab your matching lotion and shower gel in Sam’s favorite scent, “In The Stars.” You start the shower so it can warm up, the feeling of familiar hands grabs your waist. When you turn around, you’re met with Sam’s tall, slim figure. He’s so effortlessly gorgeous, beautiful tan skin, perfect teeth, his big brown eyes and long shiny hair. Sam is by far your favorite sight. You begin undressing each other for your shower, something you always did without it being sexual in nature. Sam kisses your neck before he opens the shower door for you to get in, him following swiftly behind.
Sam holds you close, arms wrapped around your shoulders, your body to his, as the water runs around and between you both. He rests his chin on your head and runs his hand up and down your shoulder, gently swaying while humming ‘Here Comes the Sun’. Feeling the rise and fall of his chest with your cheek pressed against him made the shower feel that much warmer. Sam reaches over to the shampoo bottle, he pumps a little into his palm and starts massaging your scalp, still pressed against his chest. Once he’s done he spins you around under the water and rinses your hair, running his fingers through to make sure all the soap is out. You begin washing Sam’s hair, although less graceful due to the height difference. He tips his head down for you so you can scrub the top. Sam rinses his own hair for the sake of your arms. As you begin soaping up his grey loofah, he gently pours soap into your pink one. Taking turns you begin washing each other, placing gentle kisses in secret spots. You bring the shower head down to rinse off Sam and he returns the favor.
He gets the shower door once more allowing you to exit before him. Covering yourself up first, you bring Sam’s towel over to him and wrap it around his waist. Sam stands behind you in the foggy mirror, hand around your hips as you guys brush your teeth together. Afterwards he sits on the closed toilet lid so you can apply skin care to both you and him. An intense skincare routine wasn’t usually Sam’s thing, but on days where you showered together he enjoyed the pampering. After teeth were brushed and skincare was applied, you two get dressed in preselected outfits, ready to take on your day out in Nashville together.
There’s simplicity in life with Sam. He’s always open about what he wants and how he feels. He shows you videos of cute baby animals, picks you flowers from outside, and is always eager to show you what new melody he’s been working on. He takes pride in the home the two of you have built together, the garden, the memories made, all of it. Sam’s qualities make him easy to love, and over time he’s shown you how to love and be loved. It’s painfully obvious to everyone how much loves his girls, and you couldn’t have asked for a better partner.
Summary: Home alone, sick, and slightly crazy. Your day takes an interesting turn after your lovely boyfriend, Danny, returns home early.
Genre: Established Relationship. Fluff and Angst.
Word Count: 1.1k
Warnings: Angst, Sickness, and Embarrassment.
A/N: I love to hear feedback, so please don’t hesitate to do so. Thank you for all the love and support <3333
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Singing along, you can’t help the extra pep in your step. ‘The Indigo Streak’ by Greta Van Fleet plays throughout your living room.
You bring the laundry basket closer to you on the coffee table. Folding clothes normally bores you to no end, but the music is helping. Since it's laundry day in your household, you dawn a scraggly t-shirt from your lover’s drawer and little heart pajama shorts.
You had been lazied around the house all day, not bothering to step foot outside. Danny has been doing interviews all day and last minute preparations for the tour, leaving you at home alone today. It's been such a boring day, that you're doing chores for fun.
The boy’s new album, Starcatcher , had only been out for a couple of days now. Danny had been very open and willing to share the music throughout the entire creative process with you, but you wanted to wait until release day. So, now that the entirety of the album is out, you're enjoying it to the fullest extent.
Hearing Danny count them in at the beginning of Frozen Light , immediately made your knees weak. Jumping out of your seat on the couch, you throw the crumbled shirt back into the basket. Being alone has its perks, especially when you want to embarrassingly dance to your boyfriend’s music.
Attempting to match Josh’s vocals, you screech to your best ability. You stomp around, hopping along to the beat. Abusing the extra alone time and Danny’s busy work day, you revel in the freedom of being weird.
Speak of the devil.
Apparently, Danny had come home early. The interviews had ended quickly and tour meetings were short, so he happily made his way home to you. He expected to find you still asleep in your shared bed, but instead he was greeted with karaoke and a dance party. He was clearly not invited.
Leaning against the archway of the living room wall, Danny watches you whilst giggling at your obliviousness.
Hopping around, your party comes to a screeching halt when you catch a glance of a certain someone in the doorway. You holler in shock, not expecting someone to be in the house, much less your boyfriend.
Danny is basically bent over laughing, mostly at your reaction but also the silliness of it all. You quickly find your phone, pausing the music as quickly as you can.
Crossing your arms across your chest, you look up at him, irritation and embarrassment gracing your features. The house is no longer filled with loud music, but with Danny’s laughter. Your face flushes red in embarrassment and slight anger.
“Danny, that's not funny. Stop laughing.”
He’s still chuckling deeply, trying to sit up enough to look at you. Stomping your foot like a toddler, you roll your eyes at him.
Finally he meets your eyes, fully sitting up at this point once he notices just how embarrassed you are. Trying to reach out and comfort you, he winces when you push his arms away.
“Honey, I’m not laughing at you.”
“Yes you were.”
“No, I was laughing in surprise because I wasn’t expecting this.”
“Expecting what?” you menacingly ask.
Waving his arm around, trying to conjure up the right words. “Well, you being out of bed for one. But also your little dance party.”
You scoff at his words.
“Wow, I didn’t realize I seemed that lazy to you.”
Danny’s eyes widen in panic, not sure where to go from here. “No sweetheart, that's not what I meant–” “Well what did you mean then?” you interrupt him. Sighing, he continues, “What I meant was, I was surprised you were out of bed because you weren’t feeling well when I left this morning. We both know the last thing you are is lazy.”
“Oh, well–” your voice trails off, not sure how to respond to his kindness.
“And, I wasn’t laughing at you for having a dance party. I think I was more surprised that you were having a dance party to my music,” he smiles at you. “You must not know me well, Daniel. I’m your number one fan first and your partner second,” you allow the smile to grace your lips, grinning at him.
Fanning his face, Danny smiles at you and makes his way toward you. Opening your arms, you fall into his broad chest.
Wrapping your arms around one another, both of you finally breathe the other in. Being close to Danny immediately brings a calming wind throughout you.
Swaying back and forth, you silently apologize and he silently forgives. No words needing to be exchanged, just the closeness is enough to understand each other. “Hi,” you whisper gently into his ear.
“Hi, my love,” he squeezes you tighter. “Are you feeling better?”
Mumbling into his neck, you respond, “I think so. I have been a bit lazy today, but I got bored and started doing laundry. Which quickly turned into a dance party, not much laundry got done after that.”
“That's alright, sweetheart. Don’t worry about it, I’ll take care of it. Have you taken some medicine?” Danny questions whilst rubbing your back.
Shaking your head no into his chest, he finally pulls you away to look at your face. Caressing your face gently, Danny hisses under his breath. “Honey, you're burning up. You need to take something now.”
You shrug your shoulders at his words, having felt fine earlier. Dragging you back to your shared room, Danny instructs you to get back in bed while he retrieves your medicine. You groan at the growing ache in your head, having not noticed it moments ago.
Minutes past and you can’t help the urge to get up in search of Danny. Starting to get out of bed, you immediately fall back in as soon as Danny appears through the door.
“Hey, where are you off to?”
“I was about to come find you, actually,” you mumble. “I was just in the kitchen,” he reassures you, while also sitting you up to take some medicine.
Quickly throwing back the meds, you settle back under the covers. “I know, you were just taking too long.” Danny chuckles at your quiet response. “Need anything else, love?”
“You. Come lay with me please,” you plead, holding out your hands to him.
Ignoring your grabby hands, he smiles at you silently nodding at your request. He walks away, closing the bedroom door and clicking on the ceiling fan. You huff at his slowness, not quite liking his speed.
Smiling at your impatience, Danny hastily changes his clothes into something more comfy. Deciding to poke fun at you a little bit, he meanders a while longer. “Danny, you think you're so funny, don't you?” you say, trying to not let your smile appear.
Slinking over to you, Danny rolls onto the spot next to you on the bed. “Sometimes.”
Smiling across at him, you allow him to pull you closer into his chest. “Ugh, you're hot.”
“I know.”
Wacking his arm lightly, you groan at his cheesy joke. “Not funny.”
“It’s a little bit funny.”
“Maybe a little bit. It helps that I’m in love with you.” “Me too, silly.”
Groaning at his words, once again you choose to ignore him.
i’m having surgery tomorrow, if you see this please send a mental good vibe, prayer, intention my way for a safe procedure & speedy recovery!! i’m an anxious mess
Request - checking out all the wonderful plants in the botanical garden | “My heart feels like it’s dancing when I look at you.”
Words - 2.3k
Warnings - None! It's pure fluff ♡
A/n - Sorry for putting this out almost a week late, I have no idea what happened, my motivation to write just like... disappeared... but it's here!!! Thank you for your patience ♡
The concrete stairs were warm beneath you as you sat staring out at the small intersection in front of your building, watching as cars passed by. The familiar hum of a Tesla captured your attention, and when you looked through the window of the car you were met with the wide grin of your best friend.
“You know.” His voice was loud enough to hear over the passing cars as you stood from the stairs. “I was going to text you when I got here, you didn’t have to wait out here.”
You peeked through the window as you reached the car. “I’m aware, but it's nice outside.”
Sam was already staring at you as you finally sat in the passenger seat, the sunglasses on his face sitting low enough on his nose to reveal his warm brown irises. “What’s up, buttercup?”
“You tell me, Sam. You’re the one that texted me out of the blue last night asking if I wanted to go to a botanical garden today.”
He chuckled and nodded, turning his attention to the road as he pulled away from the curb and back onto the road. “Yeah, well I’ve been trying to figure out what to do with the tickets for the past week. I was supposed to go with Natalie, but that’s over and the tickets are non-refundable. So I figured who better to take than my best friend.”
“Well, aren't you just the sweetest?”
Sam’s lips held a proud grin for the remainder of the car ride, and you simply sat and watched as he joyously hummed along to the music you were playing. The view out through the window of the car was breathtaking as Sam pulled into the parking lot. You hadn’t even noticed that the car had stopped until your door opened, and Sam’s voice sliced through the fog in your brain. “You alright?”
A few blinks later, you turned to Sam and a smile pulled at your lips as you nodded. “Yeah, I’m fine. It’s beautiful here.”
His eyes turn to the large manor ahead of you. “It is nice. Kinda cool that this used to be someone's house, huh?”
You hummed in response, getting out of the car and moving to step onto the pavement before realizing that Sam was moving away from the manor instead of towards it. You turned to watch where he was going, and found that he had popped open the trunk of his car. “What’re you doin’ there, Sammy?”
“Well.” His head popped out from behind the door of the trunk, a goofy grin plastered on his face. “One fun thing about this botanical garden is that they encourage guests to have picnics here, and they do little shows and stuff.”
“Fun!” You made your way to the back of his car, and tried to sneak a peek at what he was doing. “So what did you bring?”
The lid of the picnic basket snapped shut, and he turned to you. His arms wrapped around you and lifted you from the pavement before you could open your mouth to protest, and he placed you back on the sidewalk. “None of your business. You’ll see when we sit down for our feast.”
An exaggerated huff escaped your lungs as he walked back to the trunk of the car, pulling out the basket and a large blanket before he closed the door and walked back to you. “Well, what are you waiting for, slowpoke?”
The two of you made your way up the front steps of the manor, stepping through the large front doors into a grand entryway. Sam fumbled for a minute to reach into his back pocket without dropping the blanket he had hung over his forearm before you spoke up. “Need some help there, Sam?”
His eyes flickered up to meet your own, and though they momentarily looked away, they turned back to yours as his lips parted. “Can you grab my phone from my pocket please, can’t reach it without dropping the blanket.”
“Well, I could just take the-”
“Nope, just grab my phone, the tickets are on it.”
Your gaze fell to his hip as he jutted it out toward you, and you could feel his stare burning through the skin of your hand as you reached forward. A sharp breath came from Sam as your fingers brushed the hem of his pocket. The denim was rough beneath your fingertips as you slipped them into the pocket, pulling his phone from within it and holding it up to his face to unlock it.
“Where are they?” Your eyes remained on the well organized home screen of his phone, waiting for him to answer you as you both began walking to the reception desk.
“It’s in my gmail, with all the starred messages.”
You opened the app, swiped to find his starred emails, and began to scroll. There were a few wedding rsvp confirmations, and a gender reveal party invite before you finally found the tickets, and as you opened the email, the two of you reached the desk.
“Well aren’t you two a beautiful couple!”
Your gaze snapped up to the little old lady behind the counter, a toothy smile on her face as she looked at you and Sam. You opened your mouth to speak, but Sam cut you off before you could.
“I agree.”
You turned to look at him, and found that he was still looking at the receptionist.
“Though I’d argue that between the two of us, she’s the most beautiful.”
There was a beat of silence before Sam’s gaze turned to you. “Were you able to find the tickets?”
You were mildly dumbstruck. The two of you had never shied away from teasingly flirting, or playing along when people mistook you for a couple in the past, but Sam had spent just over half of a year in a relationship, and you would be lying if you said that you expected him to be like that so soon after that relationship ended.
“Buttercup… you alright?”
You hummed a response as you lifted his phone, with the tickets opened and ready to be checked. Your stare turned to the older lady, whose name tag read ‘Harriet’, and you slid Sam’s phone across the desk to her. The two of you watched as she scanned the tickets and handed the phone back to you with a soft smile.
You turned and held out the phone for Sam to take, looking at him with a silent question in your expression, and he shook his head at you. “Just keep it in your bag, I don’t need it.”
You did just that, tucking his phone into your purse, next to your own, before looking back up at him. He was wearing his usual half-grin, the softest smirk you could imagine as he stared back at you. He was your best friend, and something about seeing him standing in front of you, the same idiot at that moment that he was when you befriended him what felt like a millions years prior, brought a smile to the flat expression you had been wearing. You turned away from him, looking at the two options of where to go before walking towards the entrance to the indoor gardens. “Come along, Sammy.”
He was trailing behind you as you turned to check, readjusting his hold on the picnic basket a couple times. His focus had shifted from you to the items he was holding, so he only realized you had stopped when he bumped into you.
“Give me the blanket, Sam.”
His eyes lifted to lock with your own before falling to the outstretched hand you were holding out to him, and he sighed dramatically before draping the blanket over your arm. You made a show of folding up the blanket and keeping it tucked beneath your arm as the two of you made your way into the large indoor garden portion of the manor. The exterior wall was made up entirely of windows, each stretching from the floor to the extravagant, large glass ceiling, allowing the afternoon sun to paint the entire room with warm light.
Your hands brushed the large leaves as you passed them, feeling the smooth surface beneath your fingertips. “So.”
“So?” Sam’s voice carried through the air with a curious lilt.
“Are you ready to talk about it?”
The two of you stopped at the end of the large koi pond that spanned the length of the room, barely a foot away from each other as you awaited his response.
“I…”
A few beats of silence passed, and you leaned over, gently bumping your shoulder against his arm. “You don’t have to if you don’t want to. I’m sure there’s other things we could talk about.”
When you looked over, you found him shaking his head and staring ahead at the small fish as they swam around. “No, it’s fine. I just think… well, I know that she had put together the fact that I had fallen for someone else.”
His head fell back, leaving him staring at the glass ceiling as he took a deep breath. “And that I had fallen for that person before we had even started dating.”
You turned your gaze to the rich purple flowers growing on the lily pads in the pond as you mulled over what he had said, and formulated a response in your head. “You didn’t cheat did you?”
A breathy chuckle escaped him. “No… no, I didn’t cheat. That would require me to actually have the balls to tell the other person that I have feelings for them.”
“Wow…” Your response made him turn his head, a quizzical look overtaking his features, the look only intensifying when you turned to him with a smile. “Sam Kiszka is having trouble asking someone out? I never thought I’d see the day.”
You savored the moment, each of you waiting to see who would be the first to follow up, and when Sam gave you no indication of speaking, you did. “So, what’s got you so nervous about this girl?”
His free hand lifted to the silky waves of his hair, running through the soft strands as he sighed. “I don’t know…” He turned back to the pond, letting his hand fall back to his side with a huff. “I think I’m worried about ruining our friendship.”
A hum vibrated through you as you figured out how to respond. “So she’s a friend… that must’ve stung for Natalie, does she know who it is?”
You turned, expecting an answer, and received a simple nod from him.
A couple minutes of silence followed, and slowly the two of you began to walk again, completing a full loop of the indoor garden, and walking quietly beside each other through the exit that would take you into the larger outdoor gardens. The sweet scent of flowers blew on the breeze, flooding your senses with the wonder of your surroundings as your fingers found the silken petals of the white roses. “Sam.”
“Mhm.” The hum was distant, as Sam had held back a bit to read through the information about the plants.
“Who uh… who is it that you’ve got feelings for?”
A lingering moment of silence ensued, and suddenly you could feel his presence at your side. Your body froze, leaving you stuck watching as his fingers found the rose that you had cradled in your own hand, and the ghost of his touch caused goosebumps to bloom up your forearm.
“I think you already know.”
Your eyes fluttered closed as you inhaled a stuttered breath. “I need you to say it, Sammy.”
The sensation of his fingers beneath your chin caused your eyes to shoot open, and they locked on Sam’s dark chocolate irises. “It’s you, buttercup, it’s always been you.”
All of your senses were set on Sam, completely blocking out your surroundings as you stared at him. You couldn’t help the flicker of your eyes as they fell to his lips, but you weren’t alone, you caught Sam doing the same. Each of you longed to close the distance, feeling the tension between the two of you disperse finally, after years of pining in silence, his lips were almost on yours.
*Attention all guests, the afternoon showing of ‘A Midsummer Night's Dream’ will be starting in ten minutes, we advise that those wishing to attend make their way to the picnic area to set up blankets before the show begins.*
Sam pulled away from you, a wide grin plastered on his face. “You ready for a picnic and a show?”
You nodded, quick to follow him as he turned in the direction of the large grassy area. You could see the stage in the distance, and as you tried to keep up with him, Sam slowed himself down, and let the back of his hand brush against your own before entangling his hand with yours.
The sudden contact made your brain short circuit, and you barely felt the blanket as it began to slip from your arm.
“You alright there?”
His words pulled you out of your own head, and you turned, nodding to him. “Yeah… yeah I’m great actually . I don't really know how to explain this, I just feel like…”
The drag of your hand caused you to stop, and Sam pulled you closer. He waited until you were toe to toe to let your hand slip from his own, instead lifting it back to your chin, gently tilting your head so that you had no choice but to look at him. “Spit it out, buttercup.”
“My heart feels like it’s dancing when I look at you.”
His lips curled into a warm smile, and he leaned in until your noses were brushing against one another. “Then look all you want, darling, cause I'm not going anywhere."
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