I've seen you (JadenxReaderxJosh)

Let me hold you

Josh always looks cuddly, with his fluffy hair falling on his forehead and Jaden's hoodie that's way too big on him. He looks cute and soft and small and she just wants to hide herself in his arms. In reality she rarely has the opportunity to hold him, so when she does, he barely gets a second to breathe.

She lays on top of him, her face hidden in the crook of his neck. His fingers are tracing shapes against her back, enjoying moments he can't have when the others are around, which means most of the time. Once in a while his grip tightens around her body, like he's trying to reassure himself, like he wants to make sure she's really there, before loosening up again, making her heart swell in her chest. God. She's so in love with him.

She fears, every time, that he'll think she's clingy and annoying, but after a while she understood that he's looking forward to those moments just as much as she does. He would wait for her, open his arms wide whenever she would walk in the living room or in his room early in the morning.

He loves having her in his arms, loves having her around, getting to hold her.

Especially since Jaden isn't around much lately. He's been working hard on his album, leaving early in the morning and getting home late at night. It's been hard on all three of them, but on her mostly. She's always been clingy and touchy, not in a bad way. Well, he doesn't think it's a bad thing and neither does Jaden, but she's often holding on to one of them.

He didn't understand at first, seeing her hands wrapped in her boyfriend's shirt, seeing her cuddle up by his side and Jaden convincing her to let him go only for a few minutes to go get the snacks. He didn't understand at first, why she's holding on so tightly, why she doesn't want to let go, why she wraps her arms around herself tightly as she lets him leave? Why isn't she like that with him?

He didn't get it, until he found the courage to ask, until he asked Jaden one night they got to spend the two of them together.

She's had a rough childhood. Trouble with her dad, had to take care of her siblings alone with her mother, dad came back and then left again. Then she grew up and got used by people she thought were on her side. In other words, she broke, and put herself back together with Jaden by her side.

She spent nights and nights holding onto him repeating that everyone leaves someday. It took two years before she stopped saying it, before she stopped believing it and waiting for the day Jaden would get up and leave.

Josh's heart broke as Jaden told the story. Once he was done, he told Josh that the day she'd let her guards down he'll just know, he'll understand, and he'll want to hold on too and never let go.

It took days, weeks, months before she let him in. He never pushed, never rushed, knowing that she would do it on her own once she's ready.

Then one day she came home, completely exhausted, tears in the corner of her eyes and just... made a place for herself in his arms and stayed against him for hours. Once she found the strength to move again the first thing she did was apologize for clinging to him like her life depended on it.

His heart broke at the words.

He reassured her, pulling her in a kiss with a smile up on his face. He was happy to be there for her, that she came to him, trusted him.

She then explained that when her anxiety's high, which happens often, she needs to hold on to something, hold on to someone to make herself believe that this is real that he's not going to leave or just disappear. "I won't. I promise that I won't ever." He told her pulling her back in his arms. "I love you." He whispered against her skin, unsure if he should've said it or not.

"I love you too." She smiled widely pressing another kiss to his lips.

He presses a kiss on top of her head, jumping slightly as the front door of their house opens. He fights the urge to pulls himself from under her, knowing it must be Jaden. "What's up you two?" He smiles, heart fluttering at the sight before him. She rolls on her side, motioning for him to join them. "I'm gonna crush Josh sweetheart."

The boy shakes his head. "Come on Jay." The singer gives in, trying to fit on the couch without hurting anyone. She presses a kiss on his lips before letting Josh tug him into one too. "I missed you." She admits quietly. Her boyfriend runs his fingers through her hair apologetically.

"I know. The album's almost done and when it is I promise I'll celebrate by spending a week in bed with you two." He smiles widely, they both know how much the album means to him. She hums at the promise, excited to have him for themselves.

"I can't wait to hear it, it's gonna be so good." She smiles pressing a kiss underneath his jaw.

"I can't wait for both of you to hear it either." They're proud, so proud of him and everything he's accomplished. "How about I go shower and we go make diner, the three of us together?"

"Sounds good." Josh replies as Jaden pushes himself off the couch. They watch him leave, her chin pressed against Josh's chest to look up at his face. The younger boy can't resist the urge to press his lips against hers.

As he does so, the door of the house swings open making both of them jump away from each other.

Bryce's eyes fall on them, frowning as he goes back and forth between them. Suspicious. "Where's Jaden?" He asks unsure, with a hint of anger behind his words.

"He just went up in the shower." She answers quickly before moving her eyes back to the tv.

"What are you doing here?" Josh asks trying not to sound like he doesn't want his friend to be here, but he was really looking forward to the evening just the three of them together.

"Haven't seen Jaden in a while, thought I'd come say hi." Something seems off in the way Bryce says it, like there's another reason he's there but doesn't want to say it. Josh nods slowly, discreetly glancing at her.

Bryce knows something's wrong, that they're hiding something from him.

It won't be long before it comes crashing down on them.

He can feel it.