Starcrossed Losers (Josh Wheeler xFem!Reader)

VI

When Josh wakes up I'm quietly rearranging the stuff in my bag and writing the inventory on a small notepad, I may stay longer than expected but I'm not unpacking, we never know if we might have to leave in a hurry.

"Hi," He says in a hoarse voice.

I look up to meet his eyes and he looks like shit, but he's awake now, so it's gotta be a good sign.

"Hey champ," I reply with a grin, "you're okay?"

"I..." Josh looks down to his hand and I see how his face drops, "yup, wasn't a dream. I cut my finger."

"Yes you did," I close the notepad and stare at him intently, "and I had to cauterize the injure so you wouldn't bleed out, genius."

"Yeah, I remember that too," He looks at me with embarrassment, "thanks"

"I haven't slept, but I'm sure I'll be having nightmares about it for a while" I shiver, putting my things away and standing up, "you must be hungry, I'll get you something to eat."

"I can go, don't worry," Josh tries to get out of bed, but I push him back on the pillows.

"You lost blood and you haven't eaten in like, a whole day. I don't want you passing out and hitting your head. Especially since I can't carry you back."

"I can do it, I won't fall," He insists, trying to push my hand away.

"It's not a problem Josh, let me go," I reassure him.

And maybe Josh feels tired and doesn't want to admit it, but he accepts my help and lays down. I go over to one of the vending machines and break the glass with my hammer. I honestly love my new weapon, it makes me feel powerful and scary. Which is sort of like an improvement. When I get back he's fast asleep, so I leave the twinkies on the table and I go back to my inventory.

It's a quiet night and I like it, nights are usually quiet but after all that has happened these last few hours, I seriously needed a break. I have time to sit and make a silly inventory and I can have a nap in peace while Josh sleeps.

I dream about my old life, it happens more often than not. My brain forgets that I'm no longer in that normal world and I still have to make that final project for history class. I like it when that happens, cause my dream self doesn't remember all that's happening outside my head. She doesn't have regrets or guilt, she never kissed her best friend, she never said all those things to him to push him away. She never... killed her sister.

I wonder if I'll ever be able to leave that behind me. I know everyone had to do terrible things to survive, but my problems only seem to get bigger and bigger as I walk away from them, it doesn't matter if I run in the other direction, I can still see them.

It's daytime, must be early cause it's colder than last night and the sun comes dimly from the mall's skylight. I straighten up on the sofa where I ended up falling asleep and my muscles instantly scold me for the position I forced them to stay in the whole night. Soon I notice that the reason I'm awake it's 'cause Josh is grunting and tousling on the bed. I walk up to him and raise his hand to watch its condition and I feel a cold sensation that has nothing to do with my surroundings.

The bandage has a funny smell and a brownish color coming from where the injury is. I carefully take off the duct tape and then the bandage, and I curse under my breath once I see the full result:

His finger is swollen and red, a liquid is pouring from it and I'm sure the skin wasn't damaged as far as where the color reaches. This is wrong. Very wrong. I touch it gently but it's enough to make Josh jolt awake, I jump back and accidentally drop his hand. He yelps and holds his hand with the other, looking at me with a frown.