The way I was literally on the edge of my seat reading the end of this !!!!
the dead don't die , jake kiszka (chapter seventeen)
summary: they've made it to niagara falls.
word count: 5.2k
warnings: man you know the drill by now i'd hope...guns, violence, Water Things, zombie tomfoolery, swearing
author's note: hey...how y'all doing...i am definitely not still a little bit insane and i'm like sorry it's been like a Month or so...got busy...school y'know... anyways...here's this! i'm not liable for anything btw but we can chat when you're done reading. share some thoughts... also btw we're getting close to the end like maybe a couple more close to the end. don't want to be for certain because i think it'd be funny to be like SURPRISE THIS IS THE END HAHA and then that be that
Quinn hadnât seen a lot in her lifetime, had always been too busy trying to survive her parents to really live outside the realm of the house she burned down, so it shouldnât have come as a shock to her that Niagara Falls was not what she had pictured it to be.Â
She stood beside Jake, staring out over the water. They were still far from it, but anything that would have been blocking their view had to have been torn down ages ago. She could see something built along the shoreline of Canada, a blockade of some sort perhaps.
It was to keep the afflicted out, to keep people like them, wild cards, from escaping with a bite. She had assumed this would happen, that theyâd be isolated from the rest of the world, but seeing it made her heart sink into her stomach.Â
Josh brushed past her, muttering to himself. He had started to do that recently, reciting words that she didnât know, and couldnât ever catch to learn.Â
âI think we have to go this way to get to the dam,â Danny said, pointing somewhere far to the left.Â
Jake nodded. He stepped to walk beside Danny, squeezing Quinnâs hand before he let go.Â
Sam was close to them, throwing ideas at Jake to see if any of them would stick.Â
Quinn figured it was to also pass the time, to ease the horrifically palpable anxiety that they all felt about being this close to living another day, to maybe just finally escaping this nightmare that they had been living for practically half of their lives.
She stepped closer to Josh, tilting her head to listen to him, to attempt to catch some of his mumbling.Â
It wasnât that he had gone mad, no, they all had reached that point long ago, it was just something to pass the time, to kill the silence.Â
Quinn wanted that.Â
âWhat is that?â she asked softly when Josh paused to take a break.
Or maybe to start over, she wasnât entirely sure.Â
âA poem,â Josh replied, kicking at a rock that was in his path. âDo you know any Billy Collins?â
âI donât know,â she said, shrugging. âI didnât read a lot of poetry growing up. His name sounds sort of familiar, I guess.â
âI didnât either,â Josh said honestly. âI used to sort of hate it actually. What kid likes poetry?â He kicked at the rock again. âNo, I found a love for it a few years ago. And, honestly, itâs probably only for Billy Collins. Heâs written, like a million poems, by the way. We were holed up in some old bookstore, and were stuck there for a few days. I found an old collection of his and read a few. What Iâm about to tell you might be a little bit blasphemous.â
âI never really believed in much of a God anyway,â Quinn said.
âHow could you?â Josh asked, his voice falling to a whisper as he turned to look at Quinn. His gaze cleared after a moment, and then he was back to himself. âI ripped my favorite one out of the book. I kept it with me for as long as I could, memorized it when I got the chance because I knew Iâd lose the page eventually.â
âCan I hear some of it?â she asked.Â
âItâs a subject so profound I feel I should be underwater to think about it properly,â Josh began, pursing his lips for a moment after he spoke the first line, as if he were tasting the words for the first time, seeing how they melted onto his tongue. âIn the most popular versions the sky explodes, and horsemen gallop out of the flaming clouds, pale and bloody, their cloaks flying wickedly. The disconcerting poetry of Revelations describes their iron breastplates as being blue as hyacinths.â He swallowed, turned to look at her again. âThat was only the first verse. Itâs much longer, but I felt like Iâd save you the trouble.â
âI liked it,â she replied. âWhatâs it called?â
Josh gave her a bit of an amused smile.
âThe End Of The World,â he replied. âIronic, isnât it?â
âBit too ironic actually,â she sighed, nodding. âI want to hear more of it.â
âIn a little while,â Josh promised.Â
They were silent for a few minutes.Â
âHow does it end?â Quinn asked.
âYouâll know soon,â Josh replied.
Quinn didnât think he was talking about the poem anymore.Â
She was silent for a while after that. Josh would occasionally babble to her about somethingâa bird call, a tree, whatever Jake and Sam and Danny were talking about. She couldnât pay him any mind really, far too busy watching her feet as she walked, thinking.
She thought about the verse of the poem Josh had repeated to her, tried to remember what he said, how he had said it. She tried to repeat it back to herself, but it didnât sound right inside of her head. She figured maybe she was forgetting a part of it, or maybe it was one of those poems that only ever sounded right when they were spoken out loud.
She thought about how she thought her life would endâit certainly hadnât involved thoughts of a zombie apocalypse or her father.Â
But life worked in strange ways. It moved in patterns that werenât linear, lines that crossed and entangled and then, somehow, like magic, they were free from one another again, moving in very different directions.Â
She would have perhaps thought it was a little silly, if her line hadnât become a massive scribble in this world where the dead donât die and she has to fight for her own life every single moment.
âHey,â Jake said, nudging his shoulder into hers.Â
She hadnât even known he was beside her again.Â
âHey,â she replied, her eyes still cast down to the path in front of her.Â
âWhereâd you go?â Jake asked.
He sounded slightly hopeful, that maybe she was daydreaming about living a life with him, living on a farm with him with their dogs and cows and cats.Â
She wasnât, not this time.Â
âIâm just thinking about the poem Josh told me about,â she replied, half truthful.Â
âBilly Collins?â Jake questioned.Â
âMhm,â Quinn hummed, nodding her head slowly.
âHeâs obsessed,â Jake sighed. âIt was honestly a little annoying when he first found the book. Heâs simmered down with it now, but he used to recite it at night, and keep us all awake.â
âYou were the only one ever really annoyed by it,â Sam said, appearing on Quinnâs other side.Â
He had a habit of doing that, appearing at her side, throwing himself into whatever conversation she was having. She knew that part of it was that he was a little brother and it was part of his job, so to speak, to throw himself into things he had no business being in, but another part of him did it because he knew that Quinn liked it.Â
He knew that she needed somebody just as badly as he did. He saw it in the looks she got sometimes, downcast, hooded, like sheâd seen a ghost.Â
âI wasnât annoyed,â Jake protested.Â
Sam sucked in a deep breath, his voice suddenly rising into a shrill pitch that was surely to simultaneously mock and patronize Jake.
âJosh, if you donât shut the fuck up right this instant, Iâm going to come over there and suffocate you with your pillow! Honestly, just give it a rest! Youââ
âAlright, alright!â Jake conceded, reaching behind Quinn to shove Samâs back. âShut up before you attract zombies, you idiot.âÂ
âAbout that,â Danny called from in front of them, his gun already drawn, âI think we have some company.â
Quinn snapped her gaze up toward where Danny was watching. The woods were silent, the trees still, but that didnât mean that there wasnât something lurking in the darkness. She caught it a moment later, a flicker of movement that couldnât have ever been anything but one of the afflicted.
Before she could react, she felt a flare of prideâDanny had been learning.Â
She reached for her gun, Jake reaching for his too.Â
âWhat is it?â he whispered.Â
âYou know what it is,â she replied. âItâs more like how many. Danny?â
âMore than one,â Danny sighed.Â
Josh was beside Danny now, flanking him, his own gun drawn but pointed toward the dirt path they had been traveling on.Â
âDuring the day?â Quinn muttered to herself.Â
âThey could be different up here, evolved differently,â Sam said. âItâs a different climate, different foliage.â
âDifferent food,â Jake scoffed, swinging himself to aim toward where they had just heard the snap of a twig.Â
âShould I shoot?â Danny asked.Â
âWhat the fuck would you take a shot in the dark for?â Jake replied.Â
âSpook âem,â Danny said.
âTheyâre not fucking horses, Danny,â Josh said, his eyes darting back and forth along the treeline. âA gunshot doesnât scare these bastards.â
âWell, what the hell are we supposed to do then?â Danny asked.Â
âKeep moving,â Quinn said, suddenly straightening slightly. She didnât put her gun away though. âWe keep going. If they donât make a move, we donât either. They could just be watching.â
âYeah, because zombies are known to be observant,â Josh muttered.Â
âWell, theyâre not creating a fucking plan in there,â Quinn said, taking a step forward along the path, her eyes trained on the woods to see if there was any more movement. There wasnât. âItâs not like itâs the meeting of the minds in there.â
âTheyâre hunting us,â Sam said. âTheyâre stalking us, playing with their food before they pounce. They like the smell of fear.â
âThen donât fucking be afraid, and letâs keep going. If theyâre going to hunt us, weâre going to hunt them back. Fuck them, Iâm sick of them,â Jake said, falling into step with Quinn.Â
They kept moving, slower than before, much more quietly. They hadnât realized it before, not until it was gone, but they had been relaxed before. They had felt like they could think they were safe for a little while when they were walking before.Â
That was one of their first mistakes in Niagara Falls.Â
They were more aware, stalking the afflicted just as they were stalking them. Quinn did most of the watching, using Danny as backup, as a secondary precaution. He was getting good at seeing the things she could, but he wasnât nearly as good as her. It had taken her years to get this good, and she only hoped that Danny wouldnât have to get any better.Â
âWhatâs going on in there, Quinn?â Jake whispered to her, his mouth ducked close to her ear.Â
âTheyâre still following us,â she replied, her gaze flickering toward Jake for just a moment. âI donât understand why they havenât moved in yet.â
âCan there really be different species of the afflicted?â Josh asked.
Sam shrugged. âI donât see why not. Maybe not in makeup. I think theyâd all have to be the same to act that way, and we havenât seen any with any insanely altered abilities or anything. I think itâs all just behavioral differences. The ones that have shelter to stalk their prey are going to, itâs natural. The ones without cover are going to be way more aggressive. Itâs like, I donât know, a lion versus a hippo.âÂ
âA hippo?â Josh asked incredulously.Â
âWhat?â Sam replied.
âYou could have chosen any animal to represent that aggressive category, and you went with a hippo, thatâs what.â
âHippos are one of the most aggressive animals in the world, Josh,â Sam said, that familiar lithe slipping back into Samâs voiceâthe one that meant he was itching to bother his older brothers as much as he could.Â
âOh, Jesus Christ,â Danny sighed. âHere we go. Now is not the time, Samuel.â
Quinn looked over to meet his eye, a smirk growing onto her face.Â
âBut itâs almost too easy, Daniel,â Sam replied. âBesides, Iâm actually being serious. Hippos are one of the most aggressive animals in the whole entire world.â
âIf I have to hear the word hippo one more time, Iâm going to shoot somebody,â Jake said, pinching at the bridge of his nose.Â
Sam looked pleased with himself.Â
They continued to walk for some time, getting closer and closer to the water, and in turn, it was as if the tension that the afflicted were putting on them, heightened.Â
Jake grabbed at Quinnâs hand, squeezing it tightly with the hand that wasnât holding a gun equally as tightly.Â
âAlmost there,â he whispered. âWeâre almost there.âÂ
Quinn squeezed his hand in return.Â
She could see a break in the trees ahead, could hear the water rushing over the dam.Â
They all seemed to increase the pace that they were moving at, seemingly simultaneously forgetting about the threats lurking in the shadows, far too elated by the possibility of freedom, of escape, to even care that perhaps that this was what the afflicted had wanted all along.Â
They broke from the trees, each of them taking in the sight before them, barely hearing anything over the crash of the water. Somehow, they had come out of the woods right beside the dam, any railing or protection broken off, leaving the wet concrete exposed to them.Â
Quinn looked out over the dam, out toward the horizon. The sun hit the water in such a way that it looked to her as if they had found the end of the world.
Perhaps they had.Â
âLooks a little different than last time we were here, huh?â Josh asked, nudging his shoulder against Jakeâs.Â
âMaybe just a little bit,â Jake replied, the ghost of a hopeful smile playing across his face.Â
Sam took a few steps closer to the edge of the dam, the toes of his boots hitting a wet patch in the grass. He placed his hands on the railing that hadnât been broken away, lifting himself up onto his toes to look across the dam. He nodded once, and then turned back to the rest of them.
âThereâs no way in Hell weâre going to be able to just walk across that, Jake,â he sighed. âThe current is too strong.âÂ
Jake took a few steps forward to stand beside Sam and peer across as well. Josh joined them.Â
Danny and Quinn stayed a few steps behind them, listening to the quiet grumbling and groaning coming from the woods. The noise had been going on for so long, that it had become background noise, something that broke the silence, made the world feel a little less empty.Â
That was until they went silent.Â
âShit,â Quinn swore, turning herself around, gun raised, to watch the treeline. âKiszka brothers, we have a problem.â
âA big fucking problem,â Danny agreed, mimicking Quinnâs stance.Â
âWhatâs going on?â Jake asked, turning around, already reaching for his gun.Â
Quinn scanned the woods again.
She let out a breath, something sounding so close to being in pain, that she saw Danny turn to look at her, worry filling his eyes.Â
âWhat?â he asked.
âThey wanted this,â she muttered. âFuck. Fuckfuckfuck. They wanted us to come here.â
âWhat are you talking about?â Jake asked, at her side now.Â
She turned her head slightly, looking Jake in the eye.
It was the first time he had seen real, genuine fear on her face since he had met her.Â
âQuinn,â he said.
âWhen have afflicted ever not made a move? When have they ever waited this long to attack a human? A group of humans? Jake, they wanted us to get here, they followed us here.â
âShit,â Jake swore, turning around to look at his brothers. Then, he turned back to look at Danny, at Quinn. âWe have to try to cross.â
âWeâll drown,â Josh said.
âWe either drown or these zombies kill us,â Jake said. âPick your poison.â
Sam turned to step onto the concrete dam, leaning out to look how far down the dam dropped.Â
âThis isnât good,â he muttered to himself. âThis is not good.â
The afflicted in the woods started to shuffle, shift, and started to become impatient with them.
âItâs like a game,â Quinn said. âThey want us to make a choice, and clearly a lot of people have made the wrong one.â
âThere is no right answer, Quinn,â Josh said.
âThey want us to run back toward them, take our chances trying to fight past them rather than trying to cross the dam.â
âWell, then letâs give them the opposite of what they want,â Jake said, tucking his gun back into his waistband.Â
He grabbed onto Quinnâs hand and pulled her closer to the dam, closer to the broken railing that should have been their first tip that something was going wrong.Â
Danny slowly followed them, backing slowly toward the edge and away from the forest.
The unrest beyond the treeline became more violent. Angry, inhumane sounds, growls, screams, all pierced their ears. Some of the trees and bushes closest to the edge shook, as if they were the only thing holding back the afflicted from charging at them.Â
Josh was the first to step out onto the dam, water pooling around his boots. The rush of the water wasnât as strong, as violent, close to the edge.
Sam went next, grabbing onto the back of Joshâs jacket, as if that would ground the both of them to the concrete of the dam.Â
âGuys,â Danny said, his gaze resting on the treeline once again. âWe should think about moving this a little faster.â
Jake led himself and Quinn after Sam, following his brothers along until Danny was able to stand on the dam too.Â
The water was splashing around Joshâs ankles now, and he was purposely leaning toward the rush of the water, as if that would stop him from toppling over the side when the current got too strong.Â
They moved a few feet deeper, keeping their feet planted on the concrete and only moving my shuffling along.Â
The angry noises coming from the afflicted became louder, the rustling of the leaves more violent. It added a pressure to them, one that made them much more susceptible to mistakes.Â
When the water was at Joshâs knees, and somewhere close on everyone else, the first afflicted finally breached the treeline. It ran at them, crazed, maddened.Â
Danny didnât shoot it until it reached the railing.Â
The rest of them slunk out slower, more methodical, almost human like. They watched them intently, cocking their heads like curious animals when Danny shot another one of them.Â
âDonât waste your bullets,â Quinn said. âThey donât care.â
âWhat the fuck are we supposed to to then?â Danny asked, turning to look at Josh, then at the water. âWe won't make it across.â
âThatâs been out of the question since the beginning, Daniel,â Sam sighed, leaning back to look at his best friend. âWeâre going to have to make due with what weâve got.â
There was a beat of silence.Â
âAnd what exactly is it that we have?â Josh asked.
Quinn had been too afraid to.
âWe canât get across,â Sam said, âbut we can get down.â
âYouâre fucking crazy,â Josh said.
Jake held onto Quinnâs hand tighter, if it was even possible to do so.Â
âHeâs not⌠No, he is, but we all are,â Jake sighed. âWeâre stuck, Josh. We either jump or we get eaten.â
âWeâll die if we jump,â Josh argued.
âWeâll die if we stay here,â Quinn replied. âWe might have a chance at surviving if we jump. We wonât survive if we try to get past the afflicted.â
âThis is so fucking stupid,â Josh muttered, more to himself than anyone else. He began to move deeper into the water, farther across the dam. âThis is so fucking idiotic.â
Sam was the first to fall. Quinn saw his foot slip, sucking in a scared breath.Â
It was like she was watching him fall in slow motion, watching Josh reach out to grab onto Samâs upper arm, only to fall over the side with him.Â
âSam!â Josh shouted, clinging onto his younger brother.
They disappeared into the violent flow of the water, the churning making it impossible to see them anymore.Â
âJosh!â Jake cried, leaning much too far forward, the water sweeping him away.
Quinn went with him, their hands still locked together.Â
I wonder how it all got started, this business
about seeing your life flash before your eyes
while you drown, as if panic, or the act of submergence,Â
could startle time into such compression, crushing
decades in the vice of your desperate, final seconds.Â
Her mouth opened in a silent scream, her foot slipping, knocking into Danny.Â
After falling off a steamship or being swept away
in a rush of floodwaters, wouldnât you hope
for a more leisurely review, an invisible hand
turning the pages of an album of photographsâ
you up on a pony or blowing out candles in a conic hat.Â
Water rushed into her mouth, the loud roar of water deafening her, her body tumbled through the water, flipping. Her hand had detached from Jakeâs, the water throwing them apart. She tried to force the water out of her mouth, tried to bring her arms up to protect her face and neck from hitting them on anything. She felt her body hit the bottom of the waterfall, collide with the rush of water at the bottom. She opened her eyes, but couldnât see much, black spots and the bubbles from the waterfall clouding her vision. Her lungs were screaming for air, for something, and she tried to fight her way back up to the surface, but couldnât, caught in the undertow of the waterfall.Â
How about an animated film, a carousel of slides?
Your life expressed in an essay, or in one model paragraph?
Wouldnât any form be better than this sudden flash?
Your whole existence going off in your face
in an eyebrow-singeing explosion of biographyâ
nothing like the three large volumes you envisioned.Â
She was drowning, and only then did she realize why the poet Josh was speaking about sounded familiar to her. She had heard of him before. It was probably the only poem that she had heard of Billy Collinsâ, but she knew it, and right now, as she was drowning, all she could think of was how apt it was that the only poem she could remember was, âThe Art Of Drowning.âÂ
Survivors would have us believe in a brilliance
here, some bolt of truth forking across the water,
an ultimate Light before all the lights go out,
dawning on you with all its megalithic tonnage.
But if something does flash before your eyes
as you go under, it will probably be a fish,
She was drowning. She knew she was drowning. It was like someone was whispering it to her, but it sounded distant, as if she were about to fall asleep and there were people talking in the next room. Muffled by drywall and paint and plaster, but the drone of their voices were still noticeableâthey sounded happy.Â
Nobody had ever told her what it was like to drown. Nobody had ever told her that there seemed to be a moment right before somebody drownedâright when the panic fades before death becomes welcomingâthat thereâs a single moment of utter peace.
Nobody had ever told her this because once someone has reached this point, thereâs no coming back. Nobody survives this feeling. Once she reached that moment of utter peace, she knew that there wasnât going to be anyone there to drag her back from it. A part of her didnât want somebody to drag her back from it.Â
And perhaps, there wasnât anyone to drag her back from it, because they too were stuck where she was, in the same spot as she wasâin that same peaceful, warm moment.Â
a quick blur of curved silver darting away,
having nothing to do with your life or your death.Â
The tide will take you, or the lake will accept it all
as you sink toward the weedy disarray of the bottom,
leaving behind what you have already forgotten,
the surface, now overrun with the high travel of clouds.Â
Jake was panicking. He was swimming back toward the waterfall, back to where he had come up, where his brothers had come up, back to where Quinn had not come up.
âQuinn!â he shouted, choking at the end, on the water that spilled into his mouth.Â
He spat it out, swimming as hard as he could back toward the girl he loved.Â
âQuinn!â
He dove her the water, swimming back into the violent stir of where the waterfall was colliding with the water below it. He swam blindly, reaching out in front of him.Â
Jake would not let Quinn die.Â
Not after all of this.
Not after they had made it through hating each other.
Not after they had made it through Joshâs sickness.Â
Not after they had burnt her childhood home to the ground.
Not after they had made it through her finding her father.
Not after they had made it through him almost dying.Â
Not after they had dreamt up their life together.Â
No, Jake would not let her die, even if it killed him.Â
His hand snagged on something, someone. He had it tight in his hands, dragging it toward himself. He pulled her closer, back away from the waterfall and into the calm. When he surfaced, he could feel his jaw moving, hear his teeth clacking together from the cold, but he couldnât feel it, couldnât feel anything.Â
He didnât want to imagine what Quinn was feeling.
âJake!â Josh shouted.
âI got her!â Jake replied, struggling to keep Quinn above the water, swimming backward, with only one arm to get her somewhere safe. âI found her!â
âOver this way!â Josh shouted, waving his arm out of the water, motioning for Jake to swim toward him.Â
Sam appeared beside Jake then, attempting to take Quinn from him, to give him a break, a moment to just float in the water and let himself gain back as much energy as he could.Â
âNo!â Jake fought, shaking his head, too caught by adrenaline and fear to realize that his brother was only trying to help him.Â
âJake, itâs just me. Itâs just me,â Sam said soothingly. âIâm just trying to help, Jake. Let me help you.â
They all took turns bringing Quinn back to shore, toward the Canada side of the water. It took longer than they had liked, and by the time they had made it across, they were all shiveringâtheir lips blue from the cold.Â
Their clothes were soaked through, their packs too. Their guns were surely waterlogged, and any food they had left over was ruined.Â
Danny dragged Quinn out of the water and up the shore, Sam and Jake dragging themselves to follow. Josh was already out of the water, looking for a place to hide.Â
âHere!â he called, waving them toward an expanse of thick brush.Â
Jake stumbled beside Quinn, landing heavily on the frozen ground.Â
âIs she breathing?â Sam asked, stripping his waterlogged coat off of his body. âJake, is she breathing?â
Jake fumbled for the knife in her boot, praying that it hadnât been washed away when they jumped. It was still there, by some strange miracle, and he pulled it out, nearly dropping it because his fingers were so numb. He readjusted his grip, holding it in front of Quinnâs nose and mouth.Â
The blade fogged.Â
âA little bit,â Jake panted.Â
Sam was at her other side now, unzipping her jacket now too. He bent down to press his ear to her chest, listening to her lungs as best as he could.Â
âIt sounds like she has water in her lungs,â he said, already moving to straddle her, pressing his interlocked hands to her chest, pushing compressions.Â
âSam,â Jake said sorrowfully.Â
âSheâll be okay. She has to be okay. Sheâll be okay. Just need to get the water out of her lungs, is all. Sheâll get pneumonia if we donât,â Sam muttered, pushing harder. âCome on. Come on, come on, come on.â
âSam,â Danny whispered.Â
âNo!â Sam replied. âSheâs not dying! Not after all of this. No! I wonât allow that. Fuck that!â
He pushed down once more, harder than all the other times before, and suddenly Quinn was lurching to the side, coughing up the water that had been trapped in her lungs.Â
Sam fell to the side.Â
âOh, thank fuck,â he muttered, slouching down against a tree.Â
Danny let out a heavy breath, closing his eyes in relief.Â
Jake had his head in his hands.Â
âYou have got to stop doing that,â Josh sighed, leaning his shoulder against the tree that Sam was sitting against. He ran his hand over the shaved sides of his headâit needed to be redone. âOne day your body is gonna say âfuck itâ and not come back.â
âShut up, Josh,â Jake muttered, reaching out and grabbing onto Quinnâs hand.
She was sitting up now, shivering.Â
âIâm okay,â she said to him, holding his hand against her mouth, pressing a kiss to his knuckles. âIâm alright.â
âQuinn,â Jake sighed.Â
âWe should keep going,â she said, pushing herself to her feet.Â
Jake looked up at her, mildly slack jawed.Â
âWhat?â she asked.Â
He looked tired, as if he had aged years in the matter of a day.Â
She turned to look at the rest of them. They each wore a similar look.
âWhat?â she repeated.Â
âHow the fuck are you standing right now?â Sam asked. âSit the fuck down for a minute.â
âWeâre not safe just sitting here,â Quinn argued.
Jake tugged at her pant leg. He felt like a child doing it, but he knew that the only reason she was standing, so insistent on leaving where they were, was because she was scared. And so full of adrenaline that he could see her trembling. He knew that at the moment, she was purely in fight or flight mode, high on so much adrenaline that he wasnât sure if she really knew what had just happened to her.
She looked down at Jake.
âWe canât sit here,â she said.
âWe can.â he nodded slowly, tugging at her leg again. âWe can sit here for a little while, Quinn. Please. Please, just sit down.â
She could see the tears pressing at his lower lashes, his eyes glassy as he looked up at her.Â
She lowered herself back to the ground.Â
Jake moved closer to her, pulling her down until her back was pressed against his chest and he was holding her up. He had her pinned, but not in a way that she wouldnât be able to get up if she wanted to. It was rather in a way where it seemed as if he was scared sheâd float away if he didnât hold her this way.
Josh sighed loudly, turning to press his forehead against the tree he was leaning against, the one Sam was sitting beneath.Â
âWho could imagine all this coming to a sudden end but the lone visionary we always picture on a street corner, gaunt, bearded, holding up,â he said.
They were all silent for several moments.
âIs that the end?â Quinn asked.Â
âSomething like that,â Josh replied. âWe can only hope.â
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Fuck Around, Find Out (Series)
Series description: After your five year relationship comes to a blazing end, you seek comfort in your friend group as you try to pick up the pieces of your shattered life. When the night of your breakup with your psycho ex takes a wild and unexpected turn, you begin to question the nature of your relationship with your lifelong best friend, Jake. As the boundaries of your friendship begin to blur, Jake struggles with an internal battle to tell you a secret heâs been keeping for years as you begin a journey of self growth to always be your own first-choice.
Warnings: talk of toxic ex, cursing, and physical fighting so read with caution
Taglist: @theweightofstardust @maverick-rose @weightofdreams-gvf @doodle417 @milkgemini
A/n: Hereâs chapter 3 finally! I know updates have been sporadic, but Iâm doing a lot of revising and editing as I go. I donât have a specific update schedule in place, but let me know if you want to be added to the tag list for chapter 4! Im currently writing off my phone which is a pain and I canât get the read more link to work correctly, so if anyone has any tips on how to do that from the mobile app I would be so appreciative!!
Chapter Three: The Morning After
You probably wouldnât have woken up, but you were burning up. A thin layer of sweat stuck to your hairline line and the back of your neck as you tried to wiggle away from whatever was making you so hot. When that didnât work, you tried, and ultimately failed, to kick the blankets off of your body.
With a huff, you finally cracked your eyes open to try and untangle yourself, but you turned bright red when the sleepiness cleared from your brain and you realized you were laying on Jakeâs chest. He had one hand in your hair loosely and the other wrapped tightly around your waist with your legs tangled together.
You had no idea how the two of you had ended up sleeping soâŚclosely. You had shared many beds (and even a few couches) together over the years and you occasionally ended up spooning if you were really cold, but typically, you woke up facing opposite directions.
You wiggled slightly as you tried to get out of bed when your bladder started screaming causing Jake to stir. A long sigh left his nose as he pulled you closer.
âYou okay,â Jake asked with a voice full of sleep and concern. His lips lightly brushed over your forehead as he gave your body a gentle squeeze. You tried to ignore the fact that your face had turned an embarrassing shade of scarlet at the gesture.
âYeah, but Iâm about to piss the bed if you donât let me up.â You gave him a gentle shove as you reluctantly tried to detach yourself from his side.
His brown eyes shot open as his body stiffened and was suddenly very awake. You looked up at him through your eyelashes and openly laughed at his bedhead. Jakeâs brow furrowed in confusion as he gently pulled away from you and sat up to stretch.
âUhâŚsorry, Y/n. I hope I didnât make you uncomfortable or anything,â Jake said with a yawn. When the golden rays hit his face, you were able to make out bruises that littered his forearms and a slowly forming black eye was starting to appear. You gave him a soft smile as guilt wracked your body. Shaking it off quickly and opting not to think about it, you stretched as you continued on your journey to the bathroom.
You were already halfway out the door as you waved his concerns away before running to the bathroom across the hall. Despite drinking into the wee hours of the morning, the sunshine sparkling through the bathroom window told you that it was still relatively early. More than likely before noon.
There was a bloody washcloth haphazardly flung into the bathtub that Jake mustâve used to clean his knuckles and face after the fist fight. The dark red was a harsh contrast to the white rag. Your stomach did a small flip as you shook off the creeping feeling of anxiety that trickled up your spine.
If you donât think about it, then did it even happen?
You quickly finished up knowing that boys would need the bathroom soon and washed your hands and face before following the rich smell of coffee into the kitchen. A small smile broke across your face at the state the other boys were in. Jake mustâve woken them on his way in to make breakfast. Josh was sleepily chewing on a bagel with his curls sticking up while Danny sat on the couch with his sunglasses on as if the sunlight filtering in from the large windows would make his sight evaporate, but he was doing better than his best friend. Sam was laying on the floor with his eyes closed and face pale taking deep breaths clearly fighting the urge to throw up. A snort left your mouth at his slightly green complexion.
âIs Sammy okay,â you asked quietly as you grabbed a coffee cup.
âHeâs fighting for his life right now,â Josh stated matter of factly as he poured coffee into your mug.
âOh my God! Iâm never drinking tequila again,â Sam eventually responded in a small whisper that barely reached your ears and you laughed loudly at his dramatics as the lanky man pulled himself up from the ground with Danielâs help. Jake shook his head at his little brotherâs obviously miserable state as he continued to crack eggs into a skillet. His messy hair had been pulled into a low bun as he cooked breakfast for everyone, but his bed head was still evident.
Slowly, Sam and Danny made their way to the kitchen and forced food down their throats in the hopes it would miraculously cure the hangover. Being the ever helpful eldest brother, Josh grabbed the grape flavored pedialyte that Jake always kept on hand and placed it between the two boys with a mischievous look.
A comfortable silence settled into the kitchen as everyone enjoyed their breakfast. The five of you had spent many hungover mornings together after a wild night out on the town. The only person really missing was Ronnie. A sad sigh left your nose at the thought of it being a few more months before the only Kiszka sister would be back in the United States from studying abroad. Another wave threatened to flood your body when you realized that your next FaceTime call with her would require you to retell the entire story of your breakup.
âSo, what are your plans for the day, Y/n,â Danny asked, effectively silencing your brain and interrupting the silence as he flicked the cap off the pedialyte and took a chug. You felt your inner peace falter and shatter as you realized there was no escaping the events the previous night.
âWellâŚI donât know. Was Thomas actually arrested last night,â you inquired softly as you played with the eggs on your plate as your appetite evaporated. A heavier silence settled in the kitchen, replacing the peaceful one from earlier. Out of the corner of your eye, you watched Jake unconsciously clench his right hand into a fist at the mention of your official ex-boyfriend. His knuckles looked bruised and angry.
Danny rubbed his face as he thought about your question. âI donât know. Neither you or Jake pressed charges, so chances are slim if I had to guess. We can always call the officer lady from last night and ask.â
âHe shouldâve been arrested honestly,â Sam said around a mouthful of eggs resulting in Josh slapping him upside the head as he scolded him about his manners.
âPrison is too kind for Thomas,â Jake uttered under his breath as he put his plate in the sink and lazily stretched his back. You glanced at the clock on the stove as you rubbed the nape of your neck.
10:31 a.m.
He had until midday to have his things out and knowing Thomas, he probably had no intention of actually leaving. Your breath caught in your throat at the thought of Thomas lounging in your living room, just waiting on you to come home.
âWe donât have to be at the studio until this afternoon to clean up some of the new music. We can just go with you whenever youâre ready to leave. Consider us your personal bodyguards for the time being! Hell, do you just wanna borrow some of ours,â Josh offered with a brotherly smile when he noticed the panicked look in your eyes.
âIâm not a rockstar, so I donât think I need an entire team of burly men to protect me from Thomas,â you laughed.
âNope! All you need is a Jake,â Sam followed up with, laughing loudly and clearly proud of his joke.
The laughter eventually ebbed into comfortable conversation as you, Danny and Sam began to discuss their newest album. Out of the corner of your eye, you noticed Jake had finished his breakfast and put his dishes in the sink before disappearing down the hallway. You stared at his back for less than half a second before Dannyâs infectious laughter filled the room and effectively pulled you back into the conversation.
While you were caught up in the small talk, Josh topped off his own coffee and bounded after his twin brother with purpose. His brow was scrunched as questions raced through his overly active mind, but he knew better than to voice them with you even remotely close.
While Sammy and Danny may have had suspicions of their own, Josh knew exactly how his brother felt about you. He could read Jakeâs expressions as if they were his own. In a weird way, it felt a lot like looking in the mirror whenever strong emotions flooded through his twin brother.
The door to Jakeâs bedroom was slightly cracked and a small sliver of sunlight filtered into the hallway. Without knocking, Josh pushed open the door and stepped in quickly, but ensured it closed behind him.
Jake was standing in front of his dresser as he sorted through his folded shirts looking for something to wear for the day.
âOkay, Jake. Weâve gotta talk about all this,â Josh said quietly as he perched on the edge of his brotherâs unmade bed.
âThereâs not really anything to talk about though,â Jake stated with a shrug of his shoulders as he peeled the old Metallic shirt off his torso. âShould I wear this white shirt or a Cream shirt?â
âIâve literally shared a womb with you and Iâve never seen you lose it like you did last night,â Josh addressed while ignoring Jakeâs question, but quickly faltered when his twin snapped around to face him.
âWhat are you saying, Josh,â Jake spat as he crossed his arms defensively over his chest.
âIâm saying you canât keep hiding how you feel about, Y/n. We both know your head over heels in love with her.â
Josh held his breath as he watched Jakeâs spine become rigid as he glanced to the door. Once he saw that it was firmly shut, he turned to face his brother. Josh took in his wide brown eyes and for a moment, he felt like he was looking at Sammy instead of his twin.
âKeep your fucking mouth shut, Joshua,â Jake spat as he flung the Metallica shirt at his older brotherâs head.
âYouâre not my fucking boss, Jacob,â Josh spat back as he flung the shirt back at his brother. A tense silence filled the air as Jakeâs mind raced.
âPinky promise me right now you wonât tell anyone. Please,â Jake said almost pitifully as he extend his hand to his brother. Without an hesitation, Josh extended his hand and wrapped his pinky around Jakeâs. They each kissed the tips of their thumbs before pushing them together to lock it in.
âPromise. And wear the Cream shirt. Itâs your favorite.â
âYou had better not ever tell anyone that we still do fucking pinky promises,â Jake scoffed as he continued pulled the gray shirt over his head.
Josh babbled out some random story about how pinky promises are basically blood vows between twins as he opened the door and made his way back to the kitchen. Jake would be a liar if he said he had listened to a word his brother had said on his way out.
But he knew his secret was safe.
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home for the holidays â chapter one
Read on AO3Â |Â Masterlist
Series Summary: The Cabin Fever gang spends Christmas in Frankenmuth. || Companion series in the Cabin Fever universe
Chapter Summary:Â You catch an early-morning flight to Frankenmuth to surprise Mama Kiszka on Christmas Eve.
Pairings: Josh Kiszka x Reader, Jake Kiszka x Reader, Sam Kiszka x Danny Wagner | Genre: holiday fluff | Word Count: 3.9k | Chapter Warnings: some ~spicy~ remarks
A/N: Cabin fever besties! I am delighted to share this first chapter of the cabin fever Christmas fic with you. I'm planning to have it all done by Christmas (but you know me, we'll see how that goes), and I'm planning POV's for each couple. I really hope you like it, and merry Christmas! âĄ
âRemind me again why Iâm up so early?â
Josh chuckled. âThis was your idea, sleepyhead. Remember?â
You gave a dramatic sigh and leaned your head on his shoulder, and you were rewarded with a kiss on your forehead. Jake and Sparrow were in front of you in line, in equal degrees of still-waking-up drowsiness, and you could hear Sam and Danny talking and laughing about something behind you. Despite your slight early-morning grumpiness, you smiled; all six of you were on your way home to Frankenmuth for Christmas, and once the coffee kicked in, youâd all be full of excited, festive cheer.
You, Sparrow, and Danny had planned a surprise, last-minute trip to see Mama and Papa Kiszka, and a four a.m. flight on Christmas Eve was the only flight you could get. The boys had been delighted, and though youâd told Kelly so it wouldnât be a complete surprise to have six people show up on their doorstep first thing in the morning, you had all agreed to keep it a surprise for Karen. You couldnât wait to see the look on her face when she saw her boys, and the thought of how happy sheâd be made everything worth it.
The security check went faster than you thought it would with all the people trying to get home for the holidays, and you were sitting at your gate with a coffee in hand in short order. Danny, Sparrow, and Josh sat on the floor by your feet as the rest of you lounged in the uncomfortable airport seats, the six of you making a tight circle as you woke up together and talked about your plans for the day.
âWe have to take Sparrow downtown,â Danny said. âShe hasnât seen the world-famous Frankenmuth Christmas lights.â
Sam scoffed. âYeah, Sparrow, you havenât even seen the world-famous Frankenmuth Christmas lights.â
âI have so!â she protested with a laugh. âJust because I went to my grandparentsâ for Christmas growing up doesn't mean I never saw the lights downtown.â
Sparrow had been a part of your friend group during high school, but graduation had brought distance until youâd fallen out of touch. Youâd been reunited last winter, and youâd all welcomed her back into your friendship, this time as Jakeâs girlfriend, with open arms and happy hearts.
âYeah, but you haven't seen them on Christmas,â Josh said sagely. âYou've never seen the singing tree, have you?â
âThat sounds fake.â
Jake grinned. âOh, itâs real, honey. And weâre going.â
You were still planning your outings as you boarded the plane, filing down the narrow aisle to your seats. Since youâd gotten your tickets last minute, you werenât able to get seats all together; you were split up across different rows, but luckily Sam and Sparrow and the twins were paired together. It would have been too chaotic to trade seats and get the couples paired off, but none of you minded; all of you were close, and your friendship was a natural extension of your individual relationships.Â
You and Danny found your seats, and there was an older lady already settled in for a nap in the window seat. You were supposed to have the middle seat, but you hesitated.
Danny was putting your suitcase in the overhead bin for you and noticed your hesitation.
âWhatâs wrong?â he asked.
You cast him an uncertain smile. âSorry, Iâm just...â You were feeling a little claustrophobic in the warmth of the cabin and the press of people, and the thought of being in the middle was only making it worse. âItâs a little tight.â
âOh,â he said. âIâll take the middle, then.â
âNo way,â you protested. âYou have freakishly long legs. You should be on the end.â
He laughed. âI donât mind.â He met your eyes and gave you a sympathetic smile. âReally, kiddo. Iâll sit in the middle.â
Before you could protest again, heâd squeezed his broad frame into the middle seat.
âThank you,â you said sincerely as you took your seat.
âNo problem. As long as you share the candy you brought.â
You laughed and fished the half-eaten bag of gummy worms out of your backpack. âBreakfast of champions, right there.â
You and Danny spent the plane ride intermittently talking and dozing on each otherâs shoulders until you landed. It was lightly snowing on the tarmac, and your excitement grew as you reunited with the rest of your friends by the gate.
âDid you survive without me, baby?â Josh asked, slinging his arm over your shoulders as you walked through the airport.Â
You smiled. âBarely. Did you have a good time with Jake?â
âSure,â he said with a grin. âWe got cocktails.â
âJoshua!â you laughed. âItâs not even six in the morning!â
âJust getting the festivities started,â he said innocently. He kissed your cheek. âI said we should go to that little diner for breakfast.â
âOh, we should!â you agreed. âI can get that peppermint milkshake Iâve been craving.â
He chuckled. âItâs a little cold for a milkshake, baby.â
âItâs snowing, did you see?â
âI did. Itâs a special welcome home present just for you.â
You smiled and pressed closer to him. He knew you were glad to be going back to your hometown; youâd moved to Nashville over the summer, and though it had been a good change, youâd missed Frankenmuth. Going home for the holidays was just what you needed.
When you'd gotten your luggage and your rental car, you all squeezed in for the forty minute drive to town. Danny was driving, the best out of all of you at driving on snowy roads, and the drive seemed to take no time at all as you sang along with the Christmas songs on the radio and pointed out landmarks to each other even though you all knew them by heart.
Though it was still dark out when you got to the diner, you snapped a picture of it with the disposable camera youâd gotten for the trip. It was a tradition to take one with you on road trips, and youâd put the pictures in the âfamily scrapbookâ you all added to when you got home.Â
Once inside, the six of you piled into a corner booth and ordered coffee. This sleepy little diner had seen many late nights and early mornings with your friend group, and you were glad to be back under the glow of the soft neon lights, comfortably smushed next to the people you loved most.
Josh shared his menu with you. âI bet I know what youâre getting, baby. Besides your peppermint milkshake.â
âSame thing I always get,â you agreed. You ordered the eggs Benedict with hash browns when it was your turn and turned back to the conversation.
âI think we should go ice skating,â Sparrow said, her eyes lighted with excitement.
You smiled. âI think so too. I should warn you, though â your boyfriend hasnât gotten any better at it since highschool.â
âItâs true,â Jake said ruefully. âBut we can just skate very slowly around the Christmas tree in the middle and hope I don't fall.â
She gave a wry smile. âDoes that tree sing on Christmas too?â
You laughed. âNo, unfortunately. But I think we should start a petition that every tree in town be a singing tree.â
Sam reached over you for the sugar. âBut then there would be no gigs for local bands to play during Christmas.â
âOh, I remember those shows,â Sparrow said. âYou guys always looked like you were freezing up there.â
Danny chuckled. âWe were,â he agreed. âIt was miserable trying to play in the freezing cold.â
Jake gave an incredulous laugh. âAt least you only had to play the drums,â he said. âTry playing guitar with no feeling in your fingers.â
âAh, Jakey,â Josh said with a smug grin. âI recall a few wrong notes at those gigs.â
Jake only smiled at his twinâs affectionate teasing. âWell, Joshy, when I was off you were off, so neither of us was any good.â
âI was always perfect, though,â Sam said, matter-of-fact. Danny laughed and kissed his cheek.Â
âOf course you were, love.â
Sam turned bashful and gave his boyfriend a smile, knowing Danny had meant the compliment sincerely.
You lingered over your coffee for a long while after the food had been eaten, watching the snow fall outside the window bedecked with Christmas lights. The jukebox played Jackson Browneâs âThese Daysâ, and Jake took Sparrowâs hand.
âAw, sweetheart, it's our song,â he said with a sappy grin. âAnd I didn't even put it on, so it must be holiday magic.â
She laughed and ran her thumb over his knuckles. âMaybe it is, honey.â
Sam gave a playful grimace at the display.
âThis is a horribly depressing pick for your song,â he said. âDidnât you two ever listen to the lyrics and think, âhey, maybe a song about heartbreak isnât a great choiceâ?â
âCome to think of it,â Jake said, âwhy was this playing at a wedding?â
âThey had a lot of weird stuff on their playlist,â Josh said, remembering the wedding of a highschool classmate where youâd been reunited with Sparrow. She and Jake had also taken the opportunity at that wedding to finally confess the crush theyâd had on each other since senior year, and you remembered the trip with fondness.
âI wonder how theyâre doing,â you mused. None of you had known the bride that well, and you hadnât bothered to keep up with her after she invited you to her wedding.
âTheyâre having a baby, I think,â Danny said. âI saw it on Instagram.â
âYou follow her on Instagram?â Sparrow asked, surprised.
Danny pinked a little. âYeah, well, I knew her better than you guys did back at school, and we caught up a little at the wedding.â
Sam smirked. âHow well could you have known her at school, Dan?â
Dannyâs blush deepened. âI mean... we may have made out once or twice.â
Samâs eyes widened and the rest of you laughed.
âYou never told me that!â Sam protested, amused and surprised but unconcerned about Dannyâs long-past relationships. âWe went to her wedding and you didn't tell me you two had history?â
âOh, we did not have history,â Danny scoffed. He softened and gave Sam a sweet smile. âBesides, I didnât care about anybody else but you at that wedding and you know it.â
Sam gave a pleased grin. âYeah, I know it.â
âYouâre saying you didnât care about me at that wedding?â Jake asked, playfully affronted. âIâm hurt, Daniel.â
Dannyâs smile was equally fond and exasperated. âYou were too busy pretending you weren't in love with Sparrow to notice, Jake. Or don't you remember?â
âOh, I remember,â Jake said, giving Sparrowâs hand an affectionate squeeze.
âWell,â Josh said with a grin, âI remember how much time you and Sam spent pretending you weren't in love, Danny.â
âThatâs rich, coming from you,â Jake said with a laugh. âYou two don't have a leg to stand on.â
âI wasnât pretending not to be in love,â you reminded him tartly. âYour brotherâs just a blockhead who wouldn't know a love confession if it smacked him in the face.â
âOh, don't exaggerate,â Josh said with a smile. âYou didnât smack me in the face, baby. You kissed me.â
You all laughed.
âThatâs worse, Josh,â Danny said. âAt least I knew what was going on when Sam kissed me for the first time.â
You enjoyed reminiscing on how youâd all come to be together as you finished your coffee, and when Josh had paid the bill, you hurried through the snow to the car. The ride to the Kiszka house was quick, and you were all alight with excitement as you got ready to surprise Mama K.
You parked a little ways down the gravel driveway, not wanting to give yourselves away until you were all at the door. The six of you tramped through the snow to the cosy farmhouse, huddled into your jackets, Sam and Danny in the lead.
âAre you sure sheâll be okay with all of us staying here?â Sparrow asked, looking to Jake for confirmation. Though sheâd said âus,â you knew she was worried that she would be unwelcome, even if she didnât need to be. Though his parents had been overjoyed to welcome Sparrow into the family, Jakeâs last relationship before her had ended badly; you knew from late-night conversations with your friend that she was worried Jakeâs parents were still hesitant to trust her with their son's heart.
Jake knew that too, and he smiled and gave her a quick, comforting kiss.
âSheâll be over the moon to see us, sweetheart,â he assured her. âEspecially you.â
Sparrow blushed prettily. âWell, I don't know about that.â
Jake chuckled and tugged her close. âJust you wait and see, little Sparrow.â
You held Joshâs hand and gave it an excited squeeze. âAre you happy to be home?â
He smiled, his cheeks rosy with cold. âYeah. Thanks for planning this, baby.â
âYouâre welcome, my love,â you said. âI know your momâs been missing you, and I hope sheâll be happy that we're all together under one roof for Christmas.â
âIâm sure she will be,â he said. âShe might freak out that she doesnât have enough bedding for everyone, but sheâll be glad weâre here.â
You laughed. âI told your dad weâd help get things in order for all of us to stay,â you said. âWe might have to take the pull-out in the basement, though.â
His expressions scrunched. âAw, why us? I have a perfectly good bed we can sleep in.â
âSo does Jake,â you said.
He sighed. âIn the same room, I know.â The twins had shared a room growing up; Sam had loved having his own room and not sharing anything, but neither of the twins had minded being with the other. For this trip, you figured Sam and Danny would take Samâs old room while Jake and Sparrow took the twinsâ â you were wise enough to know that certain activities might be difficult if you all attempted to share, as funny as it might be. You and Josh could take Ronnieâs room since she was spending Christmas with her boyfriend, but you hadnât asked your boyfriendâs opinion on that.
âWe could probably stay in Ronnieâs room,â you said.
Josh winced. âUh, no thank you.â
You smiled. âWhy not?â
âIâm not having sex in my sisterâs bed. I can't even think about how awful that would be.â
You raised a brow. âOh, so you think youâre getting lucky this trip, huh?â you teased.
He gave you a knowing smirk. âNice try, baby. You think I donât know how you like a little thrill every now and then? You like to get hot for me when youâre not supposed to.â
You blushed vividly. âYou think youâre so smart, don't you, Joshua?â
He hummed in agreement and nuzzled a kiss against your cheek. âIâm a genius, but youâre also very predictable on some things. So yes, I do think Iâll get lucky. In fact, I hope and pray I'll get lucky.âÂ
You gave a soft laugh. âI think you'll get lucky, too,â you said in a quiet voice.
He grinned. âThen I guess weâre taking the basement.â
When you reached the front porch, all of you were careful to be quiet as you kicked the slush off your boots and brushed snowflakes off of your jackets. You took turns shushing each otherâs excited, quiet laughs as Sam knocked on the door.
Kelly answered, and he beamed at the six of you.
âYour momâs in the kitchen,â he said. âGo surprise her.â
You all filed in, trying not to sound like a trampling herd, and Kelly hung back and watched you with a fond smile as you made your way to the kitchen.
Karen was stirring a bowl of batter at the island, and whatever she had in the oven smelled delicious. She was so focused on her work that she didnât notice the group of you in the kitchen doorway, and Jake took a step forward.
âYou need any help in here?â he asked.
âNo, Iâm alright, thank you,â she said without looking to see whoâd spoken. âWho was at at the door?â
Jake laughed. âUs, mom.â
She nearly dropped the bowl as she whipped her head up. A delighted, incredulous smile lit her whole face.
âJake!â she said. âAnd â and all of you!â
She rushed over to you, and a long moment was spent in hugs and laughter and joyful welcomes.Â
âYou sounded just like your dad,â she told Jake as she hugged his neck. She looked to Josh. âDidnât he sound just like him?â
Josh laughed. âYeah, itâs kinda freaky.â He gladly accepted her warm hug and kissed her cheek. âHi, mama. Merry Christmas.â
She patted his cheek. âMerry Christmas, sweetie. I love you.â
Sam laughed when he hugged her. âAw, mom, donât cry. Danny will think youâre not happy to see him.â
âOh, sweet Danny knows Iâm happy to see him any time,â she said. âDonât you, Danny?â
He smiled and hugged her. âYes maâam.â
She embraced you next, and you realized just how much youâd missed the woman you considered another mother.Â
âI've missed you, Karen,â you said, feeling a knot of emotion in your chest.
She squeezed you tight. âOh, I've missed you too, honey. Iâm so happy youâre here.â
Sparrow hung back, a little shy, but Karen didnât hesitate to give her a mama bear hug. Sparrow relaxed into it instantly and looked relieved at her warm welcome.
âI hope you like your surprise,â Sparrow said.
Karen laughed and brushed the happy tears from her face. âI love it. I can't imagine a better Christmas present than having you all here.â
Kelly took his turn hugging everyone next, and Karen affectionately scolded him when she found out heâd known you were coming.Â
âYou could at least have told me to mop or something,â she said.
He laughed. âWhen have I ever been able to tell you to do anything, woman?â
Karen fussed over all of you as you settled in, handing out mugs of coffee and asking Kelly to put a load of sheets on to wash.
âI assume you have plans in town,â she said. âOr are you wanting to spend the whole week here in the kitchen with me?â
âThat wouldnât be so bad,â Josh said with a smile. âBur we do have to take Sparrow to see the singing tree.â
Sparrow blushed. âWe don't have to make plans around me,â she said sweetly. âIâm happy to do whatever.â
Jake gave her a reassuring kiss on her blushed nose. âYou gotta see the singing tree, sweetheart. Thatâs non-negotiable.â
âJakeâs right,â Karen said. âBut I'm surprised youâve never seen it before.â
âI spent Christmases at my grandparentsâ in Boston,â Sparrow said. âAnd it appears Iâve missed out on something spectacular.â
Karen smiled. âAre your grandparents missing you this year?â
Sparrow smiled too. âYes maâam, but theyâre happy Iâm here.â
Karen patted her hand in a motherly gesture. âWell, weâre happy you're here too.â She looked at Josh and Jake. âAre you all sharing your old room?â
Josh grinned. âThat might get a little dicey, mama, donât you think?â
You were sure if Karen were wearing pearls, she would have clutched them. âOh lord, Joshua.â
He laughed, big and bright, and you loved the sound of it even if you were a little embarrassed at his teasing.
Karen softened and gave him a fondly exasperated smile. âSo where are you planning to sleep thatâs not so dicey? Your sisterâs room?â
The boys gave various groans of disgust and horror at the thought, and you and Sparrow laughed with Karen.
âNo thanks,â Josh said. âBaby and I can take the pull-out in the basement.â
âThatâs fine,â she said. âYour dad moved all your music stuff down there, so you might have to shuffle some things around, but the couch is still there.â
âSpeaking of,â Kelly said, âletâs go ahead and get your stuff from the car and get you all settled in. The guys and I have a set tonight, so I wonât be able to help later.â
âYou didnât say you had a set tonight,â Sam said. âWhere are you playing?â
Kelly shrugged. âMain Street Tavern.â
âWe should go,â Jake said. âCan we?â
Kelly gave a proud, pleased smile. âSure. Iâd like it if you came. You can come by when youâre done walking around downtown.â
The boys filed out with Kelly to get your bags, talking about what he was going to play at the gig, and you and Sparrow took a seat at the kitchen island as Karen pulled a pan of cookies out of the oven.
âCan we help with anything?â you asked as Karen went back to baking.
âOh, no, you just sit right there and drink your coffee,â she said. She gave you and Sparrow a warm smile. âI know Iâve said it a hundred times, but Iâm really glad you girls are here.â
You both thanked her and accepted the cookies she gave you.
âI know where Jake gets his cooking skills from,â Sparrow said.
Karen smiled. âWell, he got most of it from his dad, but I do make a mean batch of cookies, and Iâm glad at least one thing I taught that boy stuck with him.â
You knew that each of the Kiszka boys had learned invaluable lessons from both of their parents; they were the men they were today because theyâd learned kindness and generosity from Karen and Kelly. You were thankful that Josh had such good parents, and you were so happy to be able to spend Christmas with them.
You and Sparrow reluctantly left the cosy kitchen to help with luggage as the boys came back in. You brushed snow from Joshâs curls and earned a sweet laugh from your boyfriend.
âAm I all snowy, baby?â he asked.
âYes, but you look very cute.â
âAw, baby.â He gave you a quick kiss. âYou sure are sweet, you know that?â
Things quieted down for a while as all of you went to unpack, and you and Josh ventured down to the basement youâd spent many hours in during your childhood.
âWe might end up having the coolest room, baby.â
You agreed as you plugged in the many strands of Christmas lights hung across the ceiling, illuminating the cosy room filled with instruments, comfy couches, and well-loved games like foosball and ping-pong. Youâd always liked the Kiszkasâ basement, and you didnât mind rooming in it over your trip.
Josh pulled out the sofa bed and sat on the edge, the springs protesting his weight.
âSqueaky,â he teased.
You huffed a laugh. âGuess youâll have to get creative, then.â
He grinned. âIs that a challenge, baby? Because I accept.â
You went to wash your face in the bathroom just off the basement, cleaning off the feeling of traveling, and Josh came in and rested his chin on your shoulder.
âAre you happy weâre here for Christmas?â he asked.
You met his eyes in the mirror. He looked a little unsure, and you turned to face him.
âOf course I am, honey,â you said. âWhy wouldn't I be? I love to be at your parentsâ.â
âI know,â he said. âBut I didnât know if you were sad to not have our first Christmas after we moved in our new house.â
You draped your arms over his shoulders. âI was, a little, but I wanted you to be here for Christmas. I know your parents missed you when we moved, and I'm glad weâre here. Weâll have plenty of Christmases in Nashville.â
He kissed you, soft and tender. âThank you for doing all this, baby.â
You smiled. âYouâre welcome, Josh. I love you.â
He hugged you tight. âI love you too.â
Read chapter two!
it's been so long since i've written for the cabin fever universe that i don't even know who's on the taglist any more! if you'd like to be tagged in this fic, please send me an ask! âĄ
fic taglist: @shutupdevvie @streamsofstardust
gvf taglist: @gvfrry @ohhey1293 @the-chaotic-cow @mountain-in-springtime @xserenax-13 @stardustjtk @brooke-gvf @weightofdreams-gvf  @jakeydoesit  @gretasmokerising @loofypoofy @hayley1623 @doodle417 @finestoflines @brokenbellz @bowievanfleet @s0livagant @trplshotofdopamine @strugglingtodoshit @deadbeat-z @s-u-t @kay-jordan @gretavanfleas @jakeyboiiiiiii @gretavansteph @gretavanbitches @myownparadise96 @luverleaver @weightofdreamz @greatervanfleet @maedesculpaeusoubi @jakekiszkasbestie @pineapple-photographer @baguettejuliette @alexxavicry @levi-wants-ur-bones  @carlybubs @cowboysamkiszkaÂ
sorry if tumblr didnât tag you â itâs stupid sometimes. but iâm real thankful for you, sweet peaches! and if youâre a new bestie and would like to be added to my taglist, check out the form right here!
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Pink Lemonade (series)
PART SIX
Pairing: Sam x female!reader
Word Count: 12k words
Summary: Being a counselor at your childhood summer camp had been your dream since you were little and you had a specific vision of how it would go when it finally happened. You had not, however, planned to make an immediate enemy.
WARNINGS (this chapter): EXPLICIT SEXUAL CONTENT - 18+ ONLY
Editor in Chief (and creator of the moodboard on each chapter): @gardenvanfleet
MASTERPOST
â
It felt so reckless. You were smarter than that - a fact that Sam, himself, had so ironically pointed out. Since you were little enough to understand socializing, youâd prided yourself on being the responsible one - logical, problem-solving, a leader. But, without even realizing it, youâd attached yourself to Sam in a meaningful way. With the way he had done absolutely everything he could to keep you at a distance, it would have been a stretch for you two to end up as friends, let alone anything more.
At the forefront of your mind, you knew you should dislike him; after all the snide remarks, sarcastic replies, and annoyed huffs, he should be the last person youâd want to have feelings for. But, you guessed, that was the downfall of being more of a logical person. Emotions refused to recognize the rules of logic, even when there were clear consequences.Â
Keep reading
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The details. Lips. Teeth. Adams apple. The hair curl around the collar. The hands. The veins. The turned up sleeve.
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being very normal about josh in green :)
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OMG!!! Look at them!! Josh!! Jeiejejwhrueieb!!
Cc: Hard Rock Hotel and Casino, Atlantic City
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long overdue for a scream in the woods
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Just breaking my own heart.
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Missing them something terrible right now
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I identify as a whore for josh kiszka
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Anthem of The Angels: The Knight
The Spartan
Warnings: Talk of grief
In Collaboration with @streamsofstardust
Evangeline sat on the couch of her apartment, sipping on her favorite tea while reading through her books again. It was a daily occurrence leading up to the blessed day where she crossed paths with her beloved. A repeated action that kept her focused, while simultaneously taking up time she couldnât bear to think about. In all those years after Joshuaâs death, sheâd spend time grieving profusely, a lot of time, if she was honest. While she didnât necessarily love most aspects of the way mortals lived, she found a bit of calm in acting as though she was one, even if it was brief.
The problem, Eve found, was that centuries had passed and she still had yet to find anything that would help her. Not a single book in her possession had any insight into how to break this wretched cycle. It hurt her deeply, the fact that she was somehow blessed and cursed with having a mortal soulmate. If there was someone she hurt in the past, someone who felt the need to burden her with this pain, she didnât know. She didnât understand why she was the only one going through this, why no other angel had been in her position.Â
Sometimes she wished it would end, the cruelty of repeating the same sole week over and over and over. Sometimes she spoke to her father, pleading on her knees with tears in her eyes to make it stop. But everything she prayed for fell on deaf ears. No one was going to help her. No one was going to explain why it was happening to her, and only her.
She felt a heavy weight in her chest, her nose tingling as a sign of impending sobs. She took a deep breath, trying to calm herself as best as she could. Her tea had gone chillingly cold while she was lost in her thoughts. The words on the page she had been reading were bleeding together and she swore she had read that very page at least ten times. Frustration overtook her and she resented the feeling. She hated how agitated she had become over the years, seldomly finding any peace or comfort. When the moments of anger and bitterness seeped through to the surface, she felt less and less like herself. Envy and wrath were deadly sins. She felt more like the mortals she observed.Â
Eveangeline placed her tea on the coffee table and slammed her book shut, dropping it next to the cup. She tossed her head back onto the couch, rubbing her hands over her face and willing herself to find peace. As she counted her breaths, a repeated action of extremely slow inhales and exhales, her phone rang, causing her to jump. Modern technology was still one of those mortal things she hadnât gotten completely used to.Â
She roughly sat up and grabbed the phone, flipping it over to see the notification and smiling when she saw Joshua was calling her.
âJoshua.â She greeted him, immediately finding the calm she had been desperately searching for throughout the night.
She heard his sigh of relief on the other side of the call, her hearing being well beyond the average mortalâs.Â
âGood morning, Evangeline. I hope I didnât interrupt anything.âÂ
Her lips twitched into a smile, though it dropped immediately when she glanced back at the books spread out on her coffee table. She shook her head, willing herself to remain relaxed by the sound of his voice.
âNot at all, I was just reading.â The subject matter wasnât an important detail to include, she wouldnât be able to explain the issue to him anyway. Her finger absently slid down the leather binding of the book while she listened to his even breaths coming from the other end. They were exactly like she remembered, she was just thankful that it was no longer a heart wrenching memory.âWhat can I do for you, Joshua?â
âNothing, nothing I just, I know we have plans for this evening but I really donât want to wait that long. I donât think I physically can.â He chuckled as he spoke. She could hear the nerves in his voice, but it was endearing. âI was wondering if youâd like to meet up sooner? Thereâs a park nearby on the lake with a beautiful view. I was thinking we could go for a walk?â
She smiled at his words, basking in the joy that he had the same pull to her that she had towards him. If only he knew why.
âYeah, uh. Itâs kind of last minute but I might be able to make it.â She had been waiting for twenty-five years, but she knew he enjoyed the chase.
âCâmon! I promise Iâll make it worth your wild.â
âI think the phrase is worth your while.â Evangeline chuckled at his sureness. Joshua never had to be correct in what he said, he was so charismatic that anything that fell from his mouth was charming.Â
âTomato, potato.â The two laughed together lightly, before it phased into a comfortable silence. âSo⌠is that a yes?â
âI donât think I could say no to you even if I tried.â
âThatâs what I like to hear. See you in an hour?â She could picture his smile in her head as he spoke, recalling the small gap between his front teeth that she found to be precious.Â
âMake it forty-five minutes.â She quipped back, knowing heâd appreciate it.
âAnything for you, Eve.â
âEve?â
âIs that alright?â He rushed it out, embarrassed by the nickname he gave her.
âItâs more than okay, Joshy.â
âGood.â There was a short moment of silence, yet she knew he was smiling. âSee you in forty-five minutes?â
âMake it thirty now.â
âDemanding, itâs kind of cute.â
âBye, Josh.â
Evangeline hung up before he could say anything else. There was a deep shade of pink lovingly strewed across her cheeks. No matter what century, Josh was able to make her feel butterflies and blush with just the mere thought of his smile. He was inevitable, the only thing keeping her pressing on year after year without him.
It didnât take long for her to get to the park, but she did have enough time to grow anxious. Even knowing that this date would go well, knowing that the two would quickly fall in love, she was extremely nervous to see him again. More so because she knew this could be the last of firsts.
The thin paved path was shaded by large oak trees while being outlined with bushes and flower boxes. It was already a romantic scene, but seeing Josh sitting on the light brown park bench twirling his thumbs while anxiously looking around, made it appear out of a golden aged romance novel. Josh looked around the park, craning his neck back and forth to look for the girl he couldnât stop thinking about. Every time there was the slightest of noise or movement behind him, heâd whip around looking to see if it was his Evangeline.
She, on the other hand, took her time. Even with the limited amount she had, Evangeline felt the need to observe every detail that made Josh himself in this time. She had seen him clean shaven, but in this era he chose to have the cutest facial hair. His style was more relaxed than it had been before, in all honesty he seemed more relaxed than he ever had been. There was something so peaceful about this Josh, something that told her he was truly happy. Which made her stomach drop. This Josh felt complete. He was fully aware of who he was and wanted to be, and that made her sick to her stomach. He only had six days.
âEvangeline!â His sweet, smooth voice called for her. Instantly picking her up from her deep worry.
Josh came running over to her, a wide smile taking its natural place on his face. He stopped a few steps short of her, not knowing exactly how to proceed.Â
He put his hands out for a hug, quickly dropping them, and then raising them just as quickly. Evangeline closed the gap between the two, pulling Josh into a hug for the first time in twenty-five years. She hugged him as tightly as she could, relishing in the feeling of his arms around her once again. His arms tightened in response, as if he too subconsciously missed that same feeling. He smelled the same, he always did. A sweet musk that only he could pull off.Â
âGood morning!â Evangeline giggled while squeezing him back.
âIt really meant a lot that you met me so early.â Josh broke the hug, shyly smiling at the ground.
âItâs no problem at all.â She waited for him to look up again before continuing. âI wanted to see you.â
âReally? I mean, um, yeah me too.â
The pair started down the path, silently, allowing their hands to bump one anotherâs a few times. Evangeline tried her hardest not to just grab his in her own, but she wasnât sure if that was too much too soon for the modern boy who, as far as he was aware, was meeting her for the very first time.
âSo, tell me about yourself. Where are you from?â
âUp north.â It wasnât technically an incorrect statement.
âOh me too! Iâm from Michigan.â
âA bit more north.â She smiled at his excitement. He was always so joyous no matter the occasion.
âAh, a Canadian.â Josh took control of the conversation, telling her about his favorite sights to see in Canada and all of the things he got to experience while visiting. This was not news to Eve, she had been following this version of Josh Kiszka for as long as she could. The instant that his name started popping up online, she had been his biggest fan.
âI donât know how you guys did it, poutine, itâs like something from heaven.âÂ
âIâm not sure I would go that far.â Evangeline purposely bumped Joshâs hand once more, this time he took the bait. His soft slender fingers intertwined with hers, gently swinging back and forth as they continued down the path. âIf itâs alright with you, can we skip the small talk?â
âSure, but uh, what do you have in mind?â
âI donât know. Tell me your biggest goal in life.â
âOh wow. Okay.â Josh took a moment to think. She could tell he already had an answer with how quickly he smiled, yet he took his time to articulate his point. âI think my biggest goal is to give joy to as many people as I can. To give people a place they belong, some comfort, even if it is just for a moment. See, my brother's dream is to make music and inspire others. I love making music, but I love the connection with the fans even more. I like knowing that Iâve done something to help someone.â
âThatâs quite beautiful, Josh.â His looks hadnât changed all that much, yet this Josh seemed more conscious and caring than those before. The thoughtfulness and love that this Josh seemed to have for life was something that Eve knew was going to be even harder to say goodbye to. She pushed that thought away just as fast as it had appeared in her mind.âDo you have a favorite part?â
Josh stopped at a large rose bush that was on his left. It was fully in bloom, not a rotten or dead rose on it. It was perfect, and it should be, as Eve had willed it. She knew she should not have used her divinity, she didnât have much left, but this seemed like the perfect moment to put a divine rose bush in his path. Like a miracle.Â
He looked around, finding the fullest one, carefully picking it from the bush. It was white rose on a long stem that surprisingly had no thorns. He handed it to Evangeline with a soft sensitive smile.
âWhen I hand someone something as simple as a rose and it makes them so excited that they may even cry. Something that little can make one person forget about all of their troubles. And even if itâs for just a moment, I know I made them happy, and thatâs all I could ask for.â
Evangeline gently took the rose from Josh, looking up at him through her lashes as she did so. His eyes were glazed, nearly wet with emotion, and she couldnât bear to look at him. Rather, to save herself from crying, she focused on the pristine rose between her fingers. It was as beautiful and meaningful as the one he gave her thousands of years ago, when he courted after the shy peasant girl she pretended to be.
______________________________________________________________
The weather was gloomy. A sky covered in a vast overcast, fog flooding the space around her, and a slight mist taking the place of rain that had previously been falling. Despite her surroundings, Evangeline felt calm. She felt a slight presence of peace knowing what was soon to come.Â
She had been walking around for quite some time that day, dressed in tattered clothing and shoes that were barely staying together. It was a facade, of course, but she needed a look that would be inconspicuous. Her hair had been curled loosely down her back, a braided crown pinned to the top of her head.Â
Evangeline casually observed the space around her, noting the drooping branches and rose bushes that looked so out of place. The flowers were mostly dead, some of the buds dried up before they could even blossom. It was simply too dark, too melancholy, for her. It was supposed to be a happy day for her, and yet, it seemed someone above had decided to taunt her and ruin her excitement.Â
The forest had quickly gone from a place of peace to a place of sadness, and she refused to remain there. Collecting the skirt of her dress in her hands, she made her way out towards the village where she could hear the bit of commotion from the common folk. She didnât know a single person in the village; she wouldnât be there long enough to make any connections outside of the one, so it hardly mattered to her anyway.Â
People watching was what brought her joy in the moments she was forced to wait. She loved seeing the children chase stray dogs in circles, the young women dressed in their finest - at least finest to the extent it could be when money was minimal - and the sweet elderly women selling homemade jewelry. She even enjoyed seeing the men huddled in groups with overflowing mugs of mead in their hands, cheering and laughing about the happier days of their lives.
But there were also parts of this life that filled her with a profound sense of emptiness. She found that in watching families gathering in their homes, seeing husbands and wives looking at each other with adoring expressions and a clear sense of love on their faces. The same look that extended to their children. They were complete, they had each other forever. Evangeline was not so lucky.
As she walked amongst the villagers, blending in as best as she could, she heard the sound of hooves coming towards her. It wasnât an unusual thing to hear, but it felt different this time, and Evangeline smiled knowing what was to come. As the men on horseback approached, she stepped closer, striving to get a better look at each of them. She took notice of the crests on their shields and armor; they were the Kingâs knights.Â
One man at the front of the group sat atop a horse whose hair was black as night, his chestnut brown hair flowed just below his shoulders in somewhat of a tangled mess, but it worked on him. He looked strong, a determined and proud look on his face that told Evangeline he was the leader of this group. It wasnât until she looked at the man behind him that she found herself entranced.
He, of course, was perched on his own horse, one with snow white hair and gold armor protecting parts of its extremities. The knight sat up straight and looked around, his curly hair bouncing as he moved his head. He bore a striking resemblance to the first knight, but Evangeline found him to be so distinctly different. This was her beloved, her Joshua. If she didnât know better, she would say there was an aura of white light behind Joshua, making him look like a gift from God himself. Perhaps, in a way, he was.Â
She took more time to get a look at her love in this era. It wasnât the first time she had seen him in armor, but this version was much better. This Joshua hadnât been covered in his own blood and on the verge of death. No, in that moment he looked like the strongest warrior sheâd ever laid eyes on, and he was beautiful. The shield strapped to his side was polished, but marked by scratches and minor dents; proof of its use over the years. In the center was the Kingâs crest- three golden crowns stacked on top of each other, one for the King, the Queen, and their son, who had perished at birth.Â
The sword sheathed on Joshuaâs belt bore the same crest on the handle, though significantly smaller. Each of the knights possessed the same weapon, but it fit so perfectly on Joshuaâs belt. It appeared to be an extension of him, not fully complete without the weapon. His armor, silver with gold accents, looked marvelously wonderful on him, sculpting every muscle with the metal. It was comforting to see him in this way, so incredibly magnificent.Â
Many of the knights had been speaking to the people in the village, informing them of changes in taxation from the kingdom, or promising to get messages back to the King. Joshua, though, had dismounted his horse to walk amongst the people. He shook their hands and gave them the brightest smile he could. It was that smile, one that shone brighter than any star she had ever seen, that first had her falling for him. It hadnât changed once.
As Joshua continued walking around, Evangeline felt it was time to make her presence known to the knight. She moved towards him at a moderate pace, ready to make their second meeting look like a coincidence. The two met yesterday, talking while she sold her bread, and she had been awaiting his return ever since.
 It was as though he could sense her, perhaps in the same way she could always sense him. Joshâs head whipped around, almost appearing to be against his will, to face her, the smile on his face never faltering. His wide brown eyes sparkled as he stared at her. She sent him a smile to match and a small wave.Â
Evangeline had stopped by a small cart where a kind looking woman had been selling flowers. Joshua was already walking directly towards her and she felt no need to meet him halfway; he always found his way to her. She looked down bashfully once he was no more than a foot away from where she stood, her hair falling just slightly into her face.Â
âGood morrow, fair lady. How fare ye?â His voice was just as smooth as it was in her dreams, the words falling off his tongue and gracing her ears, bringing a chill to her body. The sound was pure silk, and sheâd never tire of it. The smile that graced his plump lips never failed to take her breath away.Â
âWonderful, now that you are here, sir.â Her smile matched his, it was an involuntary reaction she found he had on her. It was an inescapable fate that the two wouldnât be enamored by the other. The dreary weather ceased to exist when her sun was before her. He was the light in the darkness.Â
The knight reached forward to gently grasp her hand, the two of them looking down at where they were connected before glancing back up at each other.
âI must say, Evangeline, I had not planned to see you again so soon.â His thumb softly brushed over her knuckles, a path of goosebumps following the movement. âThough I cannot say I am disappointed to bump into you, quite the opposite actually.â
For a moment, there was a brief silence between the two, but it wasnât uncomfortable. They simply enjoyed the time together. It was Evangeline who spoke first.
âI was thinking about taking a stroll, would you like to join me, Joshua?â She grinned at him, looking up through her long lashes to find that he was already looking directly at her.
He nodded immediately, extending his arm for her to wrap her hand around. âIâd love nothing more.
Walking through the village, Evangeline and Joshua made their way to a small pond, one that she had found solace in as she waited for her love in the previous days. They once more walked in silence, not needing to say anything to fill the space. The two observed their surroundings, looking at the weeping willows and the various plants that lined the path they traveled on.
There was a small bench just on the edge of the pond, one that Evangeline had conjured a few days prior. She and Joshua took a seat, his hand quickly taking hold of hers, not wanting to let go. He couldnât help but take advantage of the proximity to her; her skin was unbelievably soft and warm, just like her personality. He could feel himself falling for her rapidly, and he knew nothing could stop it.
Joshua closed his eyes, taking in a deep breath and releasing the air slowly. As he did so, Evangeline watched him, enjoying the sight of him looking so relaxed. She valued his peace more than she could put into words, especially because she knew how little of it was left.Â
âJoshua.â Evangeline spoke his name as a question, grabbing his attention.Â
His eyes opened and he looked over to her. âYes, darling?â
âWhat do you believe brings you the most happiness in life?â She wasnât entirely certain where the question came from, but it tumbled off her lips without a second thought. She almost took it back until she watched as his face contorted in thought.Â
âI would say doing things that bring those around me happiness and peace. That has always been what makes me feel best.â She didnât comment, waiting to see if he would elaborate, and he did. âNot enough people understand the simple pleasures of life, the way the smallest things can lift them up.Â
âMy father taught me at a young age to play the mandolin and Iâve always loved to sing. I remember when I was younger performing for my family members during gatherings. Seeing them smile and sing along and be so outwardly happy⌠that always made me happy.â
Evangeline found herself smiling along with him, enjoying the fact that he was being so open with her. As she prepared herself to respond, he spoke once more.
âThereâs something about nature too.â She looked at him inquisitively, not knowing what he meant. He moved his thumb over her forehead, smoothing out the crease that had appeared out of confusion. She blushed at the action and when his hand shifted down to cup her cheek, she found herself leaning into his touch.
âThereâs such beauty in the earth around us, in the trees, and bushes, and plants of all kinds. In the sky amongst the sun and the stars. In the warmth of summer rain, or the chill of the winter snow.â He paused, looking to his left and finding a rose bush, a frown taking place on his perfect face at the sight of most of the buds being dried up and dead.Â
Evangeline couldnât stand to see that frown, and in a split second decision, she used her divinity to bring life back to the roses, the buds shifting from a tragic brown to a bright, milky white. Just as quickly as it had appeared, Joshuaâs frown had dissipated.Â
He hadnât asked how Evangeline was able to do such a thing, it hardly mattered to him. He plucked a rose from the bush, carefully picking off any thorns from the stem. Joshua held the flower in his hand, twirling the stem between his long fingers and taking in its appearance.Â
âTake this rose, for example. Most people find red roses to be the most appealing, but I disagree. Thereâs simplicity in white roses, a sort of purity and innocence. It reminds me of a time where I could enjoy being carefree as a child, before I knew anything about what the real world held in store for me and others. And that makes me happy.âÂ
He broke the stem off of the bud, leaving just enough to give the rose a foundation to stand on. The knight moved closer, his knee pressed against Evangelineâs, and the angel looked down at her lap in an attempt to hide her blush. Joshuaâs free hand lifted her head by her chin, his eyes instantly finding hers, and he gently brushed her hair away from her face, tucking it behind her ear. She felt her breath hitch at the slight touch and his lip quirked up at the sound. He took the rose and delicately placed it behind her ear, smiling at the sight.Â
Their eyes never left each other, both of them far too entranced by the other to pay attention to anything or anyone else. Evangeline watched as the sun shone in her belovedâs eyes, the warm, chestnut brown hue seeming to glow in the light. He was the personification of light and joy and she felt as though she would be content just sitting quietly for the rest of their days, or well, his days.Â
Her smile faltered ever so slightly and although she tried to hide it, Joshua picked up on the shift in her mood, though he was uncertain as to what had caused it.Â
âMy angel, my sweet Evangeline.â He cupped her face in his hands once more, unable to stop himself from touching her. âYou make me happy. In this life and any others, you are my happiness.â Evangeline smiled at his words, finding it funny that he had no idea how true his statement was.Â
She shifted closer to him, not being fond of the space that remained between them. âJoshua?â
âYes, angel?â
âKiss me.â It wasnât a question, and he knew that. She simply couldnât help herself. She had missed him beyond what mere words could explain and she needed that touch, needed to feel connected to him.Â
He wasted no time, pulling her into him and bringing their lips together, both of them sighing in relief at the feeling. She was in love with how soft his lips were, how gentle his kiss was while still being so full of passion and desire. He, too, found himself getting lost in the feeling of her lips. To him she felt like, well, heaven. He didnât push for anything more, nor did she, rather they both basked in this feeling of being complete, being whole, being together again.Â
Joshuaâs tongue swept over Evangelineâs bottom lip just a touch, deepening the kiss the slightest bit without going too far. One of her hands had wrapped around him, her fingers playing with the tiny curls at the nape of his neck. He hummed contentedly at her touch, smiling into the kiss.Â
______________________________________________________________
The couple had walked around the park for hours, talking about dreams and memories of his childhood. It felt like they only had spent an hour, maybe two, together but when Joshâs youngest brother called asking where he was, the two realized that it was past time for their dinner plans.
âI may have messed up.â Josh chuckled after hanging up his phone. He awkwardly rubbed his neck, insecure over how Evangeline would take the canceled plans. âWe missed our reservations.â
âOh! I donât mind. Truth be told, fancy restaurants arenât really my scene.â
âReally? Awesome!â His wide excited smile and cherry toned cheeks were back. âI actually know this diner, it's kind of a hole in the wall, but their food is just amazing. The cook, Deano, is a magician. Crafted from angels!â
Evangeline brushed off his blasphemous comment, becoming desensitized long ago. She took Joshâs hand in hers, keeping the white rose safely in her other. âTake me there, Josh.â
âEvangeline, stick with me and Iâll take you everywhere.â
âPromise?â
âOf course.âÂ
She knew this not to be true. He only had a few days left, unless she could figure out why he was the one chosen to be cursed. There was nothing more that Evangeline wanted than to spend years upon years with Josh, and though she supposed she already had, she wanted them to happen without quarter of a century heartbreak.Â
The couple was in a comfortable silence on their short walk to the diner. The sunny day was quickly turning into a burnt orange night. The dinner was being lit by neon signs and harsh overhead light, yet Josh still looked soft and peaceful.Â
The read vinyl covering of the booth seats were cracked and peeling, a definite sign that the food was going to be delicious. The table was black with faded glitter scattered over the top, a menu with only two pages haphazardly thrown in front of them.Â
âOkay, this may be weird but can I order for you?â Josh looked too excited for Evangeline to say no. And albeit him not knowing it, she trusted him more than anyone.Â
âYes, Joshy.â His cheeks got even pinkier with the use of the nickname.Â
Evangeline wasnât expecting the large order that was placed in front of her, the whole table covered in food not leaving any room for her elbows. Josh was bouncing in his seat, carefully deciding what he was going to dig into first.Â
âYouâre cute.â It slipped from her lips before she could even process it. He looked up at her, not blushing, but with a confident smile.
âI know, but youâre cuter.âÂ
The flirting continued throughout the night, the food quickly disappearing. Fries were thrown at one another, and of course two straws were put in the chocolate malt that Josh couldnât stop raving about.
âI could explode.â Josh laughed off, but the only thing that Eve could think was ânot again.â
âWell then let's roll you out of here.â
âNot yet. One last thing.â Josh put money down on the table, a lot more than the bill justified, and grabbed Eveâs hand. Holding his hand all day still was enough for her, she needed him closer.
Her wish was granted when the two ended up near a dusty jukebox in the corner tucked behind the scrapped bar. Josh must have known the number of the song he wanted to play, because it only took him about thirty seconds to return back to his Evangeline.
He wrapped both arms around her waist, pulling her tight to his body. She breathed in, taking in the same scent she has for memories. The times could change, but she could count on Joshua always being a constant. Swaying back and forth, flooded her mind with painful memories, yet she worked to push them away so she could focus on the present.
She needed to be here with him. This may be the last time. In that moment with Josh, she promised herself that she would no longer spend time trying to find the answers as to why this kept happening. Eve could no longer miss out on hours of time with Josh trying to research, she would just be with him. Take in all she could, and make every moment she could count.
âJosh?â
âYes, angel?âÂ
âKiss me.â
He stopped for a moment, surprised by how forward she was. Staring in her eyes, he smiled. Josh leaned forward, pressing his lips to Evageline. The first kiss in twenty-five years, and she could feel her body come alive again. As if electricity flowed through her body, she lit up. Her love was back.Â
However, the excitement was taken by dread as Evangeline felt another feather fall from her back. Both her and Joshâs time was fading quicker than it had begun.
Taglist: @theweightofstardust @weightofdreams-gvf @cowboysamkiszka @ageofeddie @capturethechaos @screechesincoherently @greta-van-yeet @peaceisouranthem @age-of-nyahh @danny-wagners-peacesign-necklace @xserenax-13 @the-weightof-dreams @celestialfauna @earthlysorrows @kxnsy @doodle417 @joshkiszkas @heatmyfleet @kay-jordan @lupinevanfleet @tripthelight-fanfic @caprisunsister @mywaygvf @jimisvoodoochild @allieboop @st4rdust-ch0rds @basiccortez @gretavanfleas @jmkiszka @starchords @luverleaver @trafficwasabitch @thecoldwind @idk-maddie @weightofdreams-gvf @auntminestrone @turtleskane @kdarling1 @stardustingold @gretavanbitches @writingcold @shutupdevvie @gardenofgreta @gretasmokerising @wingedgardener2000
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Speak of the devil. Merry fucking Christmas!
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Anthem of The Angels: The Spartan
Warnings: blood, gore, talk of religion
In collaboration with @streamsofstardust
Unfortunately, itâs not like the movies. There is no sitting on a cloud, looking down on humanity with a big smile. No playing a game of complicated chess, using humans as pawns.Â
No, Evangeline had to be in the middle of it. Watching each couple with their hands tightly intertwined walking down the street, looking so in love that jealousy causes goosebumps to litter her arms. They donât know how good they have it, getting to spend years upon years with one another.Â
Evangeline twirled the straw around her glass of lemonade, sitting outside a small cafĂŠ somewhere in Nashville. Her ears perked up when she heard a woman talking on her cellphone, discussing how she couldnât wait to be older, to be done with college. Humans are funny like that, wishing to be older, wishing for years to fly by. Then they always like to reminisce on the good old days. Itâs not very angelic, but Evangeline grew bitter. Bitter of every human that got to experience a moment with the one they loved, something that she should be doing with him.
He was perfect. Perfect in every era that she got the pleasure of being by his side. Instinctively, she ran her hand through her hair. A gesture he had done thousands of times before. As her gentle hand scraped the blade of her shoulder, something soft embedded itself between her fingers.
Bringing her white-painted nails up to her line of sight, a feather shone in the bright spring sun. One from her wings.Â
This was a bad sign for an angel, a tell tale sign that even immortality had its cruel limits. It was a fail safe, put in place by the angel Michael. If an angel spends more time on earth than in heaven, their divinity leaves them, starting with their wings.
She had been losing feathers since the first meeting. Evangeline had to be there, had to be there for the one week every twenty-five years that she got to spend in pure bliss.
Going home would keep her locked there for over a century, having to serve time in the name of God for the sins she engaged in whilst on Earth. Repenting for angels is different, more involved, more harsh, sometimes even bloody. She would be recharged, fully divine again, but she couldnât bear the thought of losing four cycles with her beloved.
However, Evangeline worried that this could potentially be the last time she could spend with her lover. She knew she was dwindling, literally feeling her power leave her body. The books, along with the one in front of her, never alluded to a cure or anything of the such for a matter like this. Maybe, this was her punishment for defying the archangels and her father, a hell loop with an even sadder ending.Â
âMaâam?â The waiter, a tall lanky boy with hair as red as cartoon devils, stood in front of her with a notepad dangling on his long freckled fingers. âAre you ready to order?â
âJust the lemonade, hun. Thank you.â She rarely had to eat, and today of all days her stomach was in knots from the nerves.Â
The sheepish waiter left Evangeline alone with her book and planner once more in the outside of the cafe. With a shaky sigh, she sat the book down and turned her focus on the planner on the metal table. It was open to the month of April, a month of the greatest highs and the darkest lows. The month of him.
On todayâs date, April 16th, a small heart was sketched in the corner of the box. Evangeline smiled, knowing that within the hour heâd be back in her life. But, her eyes couldnât help but wander down to the 23rd, his birthday, that had a simple black dot. She never knew how to mark it, nothing felt appropriate, yet that black dot seemed to mock her sorrow. It festered on the page and in the back of her mind, reminding her to never get used to having him in her arms.Â
A loud, boisterous group of men viciously tore her eyes from the calendar. There stood about six men, around mid twenties, half naked with only an over-sexualized sad excuse for a Spartan outfit. It was the soon to be groom that caught Evangelineâs eye, parading around as if he owned the town. It reminded her of the first time, the first time her eyes fell upon Josh.Â
Evangelineâs feet touched the earth for the first time in her life. She had been nervous, not expecting to ever be a chosen angel to look after a blessed soul. It was her duty to ensure that her mark was to meet their destiny.Â
Her white robes flooded around her feet as she appeared on a hillside, it was quiet but she knew that was not for long. With the time she had, she quickly grabbed the tiny scroll from the chords that were tied around her waist.Â
âThe name, what is the name?â She spoke to herself anxiously. She didnât want to mess this up, angels werenât the forgiving kind when it came to one another. They wanted perfection and obedience, something that Evangeline struggled with since the moment she came to be.Â
âJoshua.â It felt funny on her tongue, the name. Like as if a spark of light tumbled its way from her soul, down her tongue, and on the ground before her.Â
She repeated herself, only to become disappointed when the same sensation never found her again.Â
Evangeline was told that she would be dropped on earth just before the sun reached its highest point, then the soul that was under her protection would reveal itself. She knew what was happening, a war that had casualties in numbers that the Silver City had never faced before. If she was allowed to admit it, she was scared of the human race. Evangeline had seen all that her father had to do, along with her sisters and brothers, when humanity thought they could control fate. They pillaged and tortured each other with ease, sometimes going as far as using her fatherâs name to justify it.Â
Metal clashing against metal, scraping in a high-pitched ear-piercing cry, called Evangeline closer. That was her sign, Joshua must be there. Walking slowly, as it was her first time on land, she made her way west on the hillside. Small blades of grass tripped her newborn deer-like legs, causing her to focus more on her gold sandal clad feet rather than a group of six men running towards her.Â
âRetreat!â One screamed in his native tongue. âWe do not have enough men to face them today, retreat! Retreat, I say!âÂ
Evangeline stood cemented in her place, barely being noticed by the exhausted and wounded soldiers, until the last one. A warm feeling bubbled deep in her stomach, the same spark that fell from her tongue before had returned. She was certain that this was him.
Joshua, tanned with a curly head of hair, huffed as he tried to fight his way up the hill. He was quite far behind the rest. Huffing and struggling to stay up right. The leather band tied tightly around his bicep stuck to his slick skin with a mixture of mud, sweat, and blood. Blood that rapidly poured from the large gash on the apex of his shoulder. It was deep enough that the yellow fatty tissue of his muscle glistened when the sunlight hit it.
âJoshua.â Evangeline quietly gasped. Even in his disheveled shape, she had never imagined a human could be so beautiful. They used to be just miniscule creatures to her, but he had to be different. Joshua must have had some type of divinity running through his veins, he looked like an angel, therefore he must be.Â
His brown hooded eyes peered up to Evangeline, almost entirely covered by his long eyelashes. The highest point of his left cheek bone had another cut, matching the vertical one that split his bottom lip in two. Joshua didnât deserve this.
Evangeline felt an overpowering need to heal and comfort this man, he needed to survive. If not for the war, just so she could get to know him better.Â
âAthena?â Joshâs hoarse voice called out. âHave you come to lead me to the afterlife? Will I die a hero?âÂ
Speaking proved to be too much for Joshua. He collapsed on the ground in front of her, clutching his stomach that was covered in a gold tinted armor. The helmet that he was clutching before rolled towards Evangeline, landing right next to her feet.
Her white robe flowed behind her as she ran to him, placing a protective hand on the middle of his back. âI am not Athena, Joshua.â
Joshua chuckled, only to wince in pain immediately after. âAh, Aphrodite. Of course you are, with that beauty. Do you not think it is a little late for me to fall in love?â
âI am not Aphrodite.â Evangeline held her hand above the cut on his shoulder. Closing her eyes, she took a deep breath, channeling her powers to heal him.Â
She expected to see a warm light flow from her hands down to the wound, healing it instantly. But, nothing. She knew she could heal a human, it was an innate power within her capabilities. Another reason for Evangeline to believe there was something special about this human.Â
âWhat are you?â Evangeline looked at Joshua, their faces remarkably close to be considered strangers.Â
âA boy.â He responded with a sorrowful tone.Â
Her heart ached at his obvious defeat. Joshua welcomed the death that seemed to be fastly approaching.Â
âA boy who will live another day.â Evangeline wrapped Joshâs arms around his shoulder, lifting him up with ease. He appeared shocked by her strength, giving her a wide eyed look once he was up right. She walked with him, as slow as he needed.Â
âMy aspis.â He stopped her, turning to look back on the bronze circled shield with a forged point in the center. âI can go nowhere without my aspis and helmet.âÂ
Evangeline could hear the roar of approaching soldiers, presumably not ones that would be friendly to Josh. She looked towards the way his comrades ran, they were nowhere to be found. They abandoned him, in his time of need. Just like she knew they would. Joshua did not deserve this, he did not deserve to die alone.
âWhere are your other comrades?â Evangeline asked.
He looked down, swallowing hard. After a moment, he nodded towards the battlefield behind them. âThere. Dead.â
Evangeline copied his reaction, feeling an unfamiliar sensation in her throat. Her eyes burned slightly and her breath hitched. She knew that this was her task, to protect Joshua by any means necessary.Â
âYou will not die today, Joshua.âÂ
Evangeline gently put Joshua back on the ground, making sure he did little to harm herself further. She didnât understand it, but the shield that was stained, dented, and scratched was of the utmost importance to Joshua. Therefore, it was important to get it for him.Â
Evangeline was warned not to reveal herself to any humans, and since she already had tried to heal Joshua, she thought her next decision would be of little importance. After standing up straight and rolling her shoulders back, a set of giant wings protruded from her shoulder blades. Each feather was pure white, with the slightest flecks of gold concentrated on the bottoms.Â
Joshua stared up at her, dumbfounded wonder written all over his face only to be interrupted by the herd of aggressive Persian soldiers running her way.Â
âStay low.â She commanded the weak boy next to her. To emphasize her point, an arrow came barrelling towards the two. If continued on the same path, the projectile would surely land in Joshâs back. Concentrating on the arrow, Evangeline was able to slow down time, tracking it before it could cause any harm. Unceremoniously, Evangeline picked the arrow out of the sky.Â
Joshua, not following her directions, stood next to her. A lengthy spear grasped in his hand, his left foot leading his body, shoulders square to his enemies, despite the injury. Evangeline was taken aback, not expecting him to be ready for a fight. He was foremittable, a brave soul that was willing to jump into battle so no one had to fight alone.Â
âArtemis.â He chuckled to himself under his breath.
Evangeline didnât have time to respond to him. There were about fifteen men sprinting towards her, each one looking more ferocious than the last. It was evident that this group did not go through the hardships that Joshua and his allies did. It must have been an ambush of sorts.Â
With wide steps and no fear, Evangeline ran towards the adversaries. Her wingspan was large enough to cover Joshua from the arrows and spears until he could get his shield. Evangeline forcefully pushed off her back foot, shooting into the sky, catching the attention of everyone in the vicinity other than Joshua. He had his time to admire her and he knew that now his focus had to be elsewhere.Â
Looking down, Evangeline noticed one Persian archer having his bow pointed directly at her. His face was flooded with panic, not entirely comprehending what he was witnessing. His hands shaking would work in her favor, she would be able to easily pivot her wings to avoid the arrow. Yet, she didnât have to. Joshuaâs spear landed directly through the archerâs throat, blood spurting behind him. The archer fell backwards, his legs giving out now that his life was lost. She looked down at Joshua, just to receive a wink. Stupid mortal. He was left without any weapon, nothing to defend himself with.
Evangeline had even less time now. She must hurry to ensure that she successfully completed her task. Diving down, she was able to maneuver between the Persians, collecting his aspis in one fell swoop. The leather straps were loose on her forearm, his being larger than hers, so the aspis swang back and forth hitting her thighs, while she flew to him. No fear could be detected on Joshua. It was as if he already put all his faith into her.Â
âGrab my hand!â She called out to him. Evangeline could feel the tips of spears slicing against her bare thighs and catching on the coverts of her wings. It was painful, but his face blinded her from the damage being caused. The world seemed to go black around her, the only light being Joshua.Â
His hand was covered in blood, making it even more difficult for her to grab in her hasty escape. Her fingers slid against his, but she was able to just catch his wrist. Gripping as hard as she could, she lifted Josh up with her. His aspis was in the way, so Joshua hung from Evangelineâs arm. He did not seem to mind, actually smiling triumphantly down at the Persians he so nearly invaded.Â
âEvangeline, my name is Evangeline.â She informed him once they were far enough into safety.
âEvangeline, where you go I will follow.â
It warmed her. His sweet gentle words engulfed her with a sense of pride and something unidentifiable.Â
âJoshua, we just need to get you to safety.â He didnât respond. Rather he just enjoyed the ride until she found a place to stop.Â
There was a small cove with a water source that fell between three rolling hills. It was covered enough by trees and hills that Evangeline and Joshua would be able to see anyone that approached them, a defensive measure that was desperately needed.
The two gently landed, and Joshua was finally able to see all the wounds that littered Evangelineâs porcelain like skin. They were nowhere near as deep or worrying as his, yet he rushed over to her in concern.
âEvangeline, how bad did they hurt you?â His muscles tensed once he grabbed her hands, bringing her arms up to examine. His squinted eyes traveled from her knuckles, up her forearm, to the wings that still protruded from her back. âYour - your, your uh...â
âMy wings.â She pulled her hands from his then looked down with slight shame. âTheyâll be okay.â
Evangeline rolled her shoulders back again, this time the wings disappeared quicker than they appeared. She was the more powerful being, yet she was overly aware of how Joshua saw her. Her wings made her different, and if she knew anything she knew that humans aren't kind to those who were different.Â
Joshua averted his eyes, the gentleman's thing to do. Seeing this as an invasion of her privacy. Evangeline placed her finger under his chin, gently lifting it so she could meet the Spartanâs eyes. âDo not worry, Joshua. Iâll heal, it is you we need to worry about.â
Both of them looked over to the oozing wound on his shoulder. While throwing the spear, he must have torn it further. The gash took up most of his upper arm now, caked in dirt and tissue. This was not something that would heal fast nor easy, this was a wound that could potentially change his life forever.Â
Evangeline held out her hand, letting it hover over the wound. She had a lapse of judgment, thinking that she would be able to heal him. There was no way, he was somehow immune to her powers. So after a brief moment, she lowered her hand in defeat. If she was unable to help him with her divinity, then she would have to help him the mortal way. Evangeline grabbed a small knife that was tucked in the waistband of his deep red pteruges. The slight sliver of skin peeking from underneath his armor pricked up with goosebumps as her fingertips softly brushed it. She could hear Joshua gasp, and she wondered if this was his first time being touched so gently.
Evangeline pulled at the bottom of her robes to make the fabric taught, with one swift motion she cut a long strip of the white fibers that could act as a type of gauze. Joshua grimaced as soon as it was placed over the gash, tightening his jaw and sneering so he wouldnât scream out. Evangeline paused her actions to give him a moment to collect himself so there was less of a chance that heâd pass out. She shouldnât have, but Evangeline took that moment to soak in every detail of his face. His high cheekbones, pointed nose, rosy cheeks, and sharp jawline. They were all so perfectly crafted, reminding her of the marble statues that were prayed to in Athens.Â
âJust do it.â He spoke through gritted teeth. She obeyed his wish, tying the fabric as tight as she could around his arm. It wasnât a perfect solution, but it would have to work for now. âFuck!â
Evagneline jumped back, shocked by his aggression and vulgar language. She outstretched her arm as a protective measure, not sure if he would act out in a response to his pain. His face softened instantly when the space between them grew.Â
âI would not hurt the one that saved me, Evangeline.â
âHumans lie.â
Joshua opened his mouth to speak, yet shut it quickly. He took a step closer, a crooked smile on his face. âIt is common knowledge that your father, Zeus, lies regularly.â
âZeus is not my father, Joshua.â She took a step back.
âAre you not a goddess?â He took a step forward.Â
âNo.â A step back.
âA nymph?â Forward step. She slowly shook her head in response.
âSo what then, Evangeline?â Joshua took one last step forward, this time Evangeline had nowhere to go. Her foot caught on a rock, causing her to stumble backwards. Angels usually were full of grace and elegance, never stumbling or tripping, yet it felt like the closer he got the farther away she got from heaven. He caught her hand, the same hand she carried him with earlier, pulling her into him before she could hit the ground. Her face was close to his, his breath tickling her nose and lips. The feeling within her felt innately wrong, yet something that she could completely lose herself in forever.Â
âAn angel, your angel.â
âMy angel.â He repeated with a smile.
At that moment, Evangeline changed. There was no Heaven or Hell. No Silver City for her to go back to. No tests or tasks given to her from her father. There was only this one soul. That one smile made her forget the difference between faith and sin. There was only Joshua.Â
Evangeline came crashing back from the memory of her first meeting. A single tear fell from her face. She had to mourn the previous versions of her soulmate forever, only feeling peace when she got the one week to spend with the next.Â
That first week with him was bliss, she lived in her ignorance. She thought that she would spend a long life with Joshua, watching him grow old and sharing life experiences with him. Yet just a week later on the first day of twenty-fifth year of his life, Joshua passed away.
The wound on his shoulder never healed, only growing infected and causing him to lose all feeling. The infection must have spread to his lungs because the morning after spending the night together for the first time, Evangeline woke up to Joshua in a worse state than before. She did all she could but before the sun set that night, she was burying the Spartan. The image of his aspis and helmet resting against the rock was permanently burned in her brain, becoming a living nightmare.Â
She wore a gold bracelet on her left wrist, the Spartan charm catching the sunlight reflecting a sharp light into her eyes. It must be time.Â
Evangeline counted to thirty, then rose from her seat. Just as she planned, she ran into a solid chest. Her rapid heartbeat picked up as his hand wrapped around her biceps to stabilize her.Â
âWoah! Iâm sorry, I need to watch where I am going!â His voice never changed, just the language he spoke in. âAre you alright?â
She knew what he would look like in this lifetime, following his music career closely. But nothing was going to prepare her for seeing him in person. His curly hair was perfectly shaped, shaved on the sides to expose gold hoop earrings. He wore white, a small detail she couldnât help but smile at.
âNo, youâre okay. That was my fault.â She finally raised her eyes to meet his, and finally after twenty-five years the spark returned.Â
âItâs never the ladyâs fault.â There was a blush on his cheeks, more than normal. He looked shocked by her, as if he found a treasured item he had lost for years.Â
âA gentleman.â Evangeline responded with a small laugh. She took notice of the fact that Josh had yet to remove his hands from her body, she felt whole.
âI guess so.â He looked at her again, this time with confusion. âThis might sound crazy, but have we met?â
âI donât think so. I donât think Iâd forget someone like you.âÂ
âIs that right?â To Evangelineâs dismay, Josh removed his hands from her. He reached out his hand to introduce himself. âI am Josh.â
âEvangeline.â
The two stood there shaking the otherâs hand, longer than socially appropriate. They were unable to take their eyes off of one another, caught in the moment completely.Â
âBeautiful.â He whispered under his breath. Once Evangelineâs smile grew even larger, he coughed nervously. âYour name, I mean. Your name is beautiful.â
âSure, Josh.â A soft smile appeared on her face.Â
Josh took a step back, looking her up and down before he dropped her hand. âI hope this isnât too forward, but do you have plans tomorrow night?â
âNot at all.âÂ
âWould you like to go to dinner?â The dimple on his cheek appeared once he smirked. âThere is just something telling me I need to see you again.â
âIâd love to.â
Taglist: @theweightofstardust @weightofdreams-gvf @cowboysamkiszka @ageofeddie @capturethechaos @screechesincoherently @greta-van-yeet @peaceisouranthem @age-of-nyahh @danny-wagners-peacesign-necklace @xserenax-13 @the-weightof-dreams @celestialfauna @earthlysorrows @kxnsy @doodle417 @joshkiszkas @heatmyfleet @kay-jordan @lupinevanfleet @tripthelight-fanfic @caprisunsister @mywaygvf @jimisvoodoochild @allieboop @st4rdust-ch0rds @basiccortez @gretavanfleas @jmkiszka @starchords @luverleaver @trafficwasabitch @thecoldwind @idk-maddie @weightofdreams-gvf @auntminestrone @turtleskane @kdarling1 @stardustingold @gretavanbitches @writingcold @shutupdevvie @gardenofgreta @gretasmokerising @wingedgardener2000
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YALL
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