Groupchat • JOSEPH MORGAN

FIFTEEN - CALL

HER HEART NEARLY jumped out of her chest when she saw Joseph calling. She thought about not answering his call, as she hadn't spoken in hours and her voice would probably come out as a hoarse whisper. She reached down for her water bottle on the bedside table and pressed enter. She took a few sips of water, but as she swallowed, the water went the wrong way.

She coughed. Once. Twice. And soon, she was unable to stop. Great, the first thing that Joseph heard was her coughing. Freaking great.

"Leah?" He asked. She coughed. "Leah? Are you alright?" She coughed again. Despite her coughing, she couldn't help but notice how nice his voice sounded. It was beautiful, it was the type of voice she'd stop to listen to. "Hi, I hope you didn't die. I'm Joseph Morgan."

She burst into laughter at his introduction."Hi, I hope you didn't die. I'm Leah Piper."

"That was the dad of all dad jokes, Leah," Joseph said. She heard him clap at the other end of the line. She grinned, putting her water bottle back on the bedside table. She was lying in bed, all lights shut off.  She shifted on the bed, looking up at the ceiling. "Are you okay, love?"

She was silent for a moment. "You just sounded very much like Klaus."

"Hey, Klaus does get all the women," he pointed out. She laughed, at how dead serious he was.

"I'm okay. Besides almost choking—" she began as he interrupted.

"And those crying emojis you sent me." 

"Well, its sad, okay?" She said. He was quiet for a moment at the other end of the line, and when he finally spoke, the humor was gone from his voice. 

"Work starts in four days," Joseph said. Leah only spoke a single word, yeah. He was quiet again. And then, his voice ever so low and serious. "I'll see you in four days."

"Yes, you will." 

"Leah, I'd like to clarify something—" he began as she interrupted him.

"Joseph, you don't have to."

"No, I want to," he said. He sighed. "I don't wish to confuse you Leah."

"Okay, if you must."

"Why do we sound like we're from the 18th century?" He asked. She laughed and soon, he joined her. It was nice to hear his voice. It was nice to feel like he was close to her, even if he wasn't, even if he had never been so far. "The text I got was from my......ex."

"Oh."

"Leah," he said her name quietly. "I had to tell you. It would have been wrong to mislead you. I want—" he paused, as if suddenly realizing he'd been talking to himself for the last minute. "Are you single?"

The question surprised her. She echoed his question. "Am I single?"

"Are you?"

"Why do you want to know?"

"You sound very much like Daniel right now," Joseph pointed out. She managed a small chuckle, realizing she did sound like Daniel. It was weird to think how Leah and Daniel were now friends, it was weird to think about how now when they passed each other on the hallway, he'd stop to say hello. "It's just a question, Leah."

But like Leah and Daniel knew, sometimes, sometimes, it wasn't just a question.

"I'm single," she told him. She thought she heard him sigh of relief at the other end of the line. But she probably imagined it. Good, was all he said. "Are you?"

"Yes."

She couldn't help but smile, even thought it was a terrible thing to smile about. She was smiling about the fact he'd gotten divorced.

"Do you miss her?" She asked, unable to stop herself from asking such question. But if Joseph was being real and he didn't want to mislead her, then he'd be honest. Although, truth be told, she feared the answer would be yes.

"Not anymore, no."

"I'm afraid you'll meet me and you'll think I'm lame," Leah said. She expected him to laugh, as it was somewhat a joke. But he didn't. His answer was yet again, serious.

"I won't. I promise I'll like you. I know I will," Joseph replied. Leah didn't know what to say to this, so she closed her eyes and tried to picture him next to her. "It's worse for me."

"How so?"

"How so? Leah! You had this gigantic crush on me not long ago. What if I'm not how you expect me to be? What if I..." He stopped mid-sentence.

"What if you what?"

"Say it," she said. When she was met by nothing by silence, Leah felt her heartbeat quicken. Oh god, what could be so bad? She chewed her thumb nail. "Joseph?"

"What if I, kiss you and its....not as good as you pictured it?" He asked. She burst into laughter at his question and how serious he sounded. How freaking adorable. "Leah, don't laugh."

"I'm flattered you've thought this through, really. But, well, you won't. Of course you won't," she told him. 

"Thanks, Leah. This is really helping me."

She burst into nervous laughter. "You'll be better. You'll be real."

"I still laugh when I think about the drunk text you sent me," Joseph said. Leah only uttered a single word, god. She was cringing. All this time, she'd hope he wouldn't bring it up. He laughed quietly. His smile making goosebumps appear on her skin.

"How dare you bring this up? You even asked, do you want to shag Joseph Morgan," Leah replied. His quiet laughter, turned louder. She could picture him hitting his knees, his cheeks filled with color. Why was god punishing her, why couldn't he be here?

"It's a serious question, Leah. One I needed the answer to."

"Why in the world would you need the answer to such question?"

"Love, I just expressed how anxious I am for our first kiss," he said. Those words, completely and utterly killed her. In the way that meant, she couldn't believe this was happening and also, she could die happily now. "I needed to know if this could work. If you could, develop feelings for me. Could you?"

"You're speaking gibberish," she told him. Partly because she didn't believe he was serious and also because he was speaking gibberish. Was this really happening?

"I'm not. We could try. There could be an us. We work in the same building. I'd see you everyday," Joseph told her. That was true, but still.

"I'd be highly unprofessional."

"It would be," he didn't try to deny it, or point out how she wasn't an actress but rather an intern writer. She smiled at the sudden thought of being mischievous. The playful tone in Joseph's voice remained. "Lets, anyway."

"Let's not."

"Let's think about it?" He asked. She would think about it. It was probably the only thing she would think about anymore. She yawned, she was tired. But she didn't want to say goodbye. "Are you tired, love?"

"Yeah, uh....I'll think about it. Don't hang up though, I have an odd request for you—" she began as he interrupted.

"I'll do it."

"Alright then, use your Klaus voice to tell me a bed time story. Also, next time I'd let me finish first, because what if I had asked for something weird like, to lick your face?" She asked.

"At this point, it wouldn't have been the first time," Joseph admitted.

Leah laughed at the thought. And pictured Joseph's request. Joseph cleared his throat once again and this time when he spoke, the sweetness was gone from his voice.

"Once upon a time......there lived an immortal by the name of Klaus Mikaelson. His life was alright, until one day he felt himself falling for the ever so beautiful, Caroline Forbes..."

*

Hot Sexy Actor:
Good night, Care. You fell asleep when I got to the point where the Hybrid dick made a miracle baby. Sweet dreams, love xx