For some unknown reason this was really tough to get through. I struggled with how I wanted it but I just wanted to get to the next chapter. This ones kind of short and mostly just a filler but enjoy.
It did't go any further. The day seemed to carry on as if nothing happened. Like this was all normal. Josh would touch Chris's hand every so often. Chris didn't mind. It all felt natural. He guessed that was a good thing in their case.
It was about 5 in the evening. They had just been eating but it didn't seem to bother Josh as they sat down on the couch and began to kiss. When Chris pulled away Josh surged forward to kiss him again.
"Wait." another kiss "A second." another "Joshua Washington!" The brunette gave him unamused look. "Listen, I think we should set some rules."
"Why?"
"Because just over a month ago you were a wendigo."
Josh looked away slightly "Okay."
"Alright, one: no french kissing or whatever you want to call it."
"What? Dude, how are we supposed to-"
"We aren't going to. Not yet. I want to take this as slow as I would any other relationship."
"Aw, man!" Josh groaned. "Thats so damn slow! Can't we just fuck and get it over." The brunette grins and Chris laughs.
"No, we are taking our time. Okay. last rule: No blow jobs."
"At all? You're killing me, Cochise!"
"No, I have BJ abilities, you do not. I'm not putting any part of my body inside of your mouth. Not with those teeth." Josh groaned again. Wait, just a second. He gripped Josh's chin. "Hold on, show me your teeth." Josh hesitantly opened his mouth. The teeth were less sharp. "They are looking way better but still."
"I get it."
"Sorry." He grimaced.
"Can we go back to doing our thing?"
Chris smiled, "Yah."
Josh's lips reconnected to his. Josh had really nice lips. Softer then expected. He guessed his own were probably really chapped. He let his hands slide up and back down the other mans sides. He could feel Josh move into the touch.
His phone vibrated on the table. He pulled away slowly. "Don't play me like this, bro."
"Just a minute , Josh."
"Ugh" Josh groaned and curled up in his lap. He grabbed his phone. Ashley. Why would Ash just call him out of the blue.
"Hello?"
"Hey, Chris." She sounded nervous.
"Everything okay?"
"Is Josh there?"
"Yah?" He said slowly.
"Well, can I talk to him?"
He rolled his eyes at her sarcastic tone.
"Its Ash." He held the phone to Josh.
The brunette took it gingerly. "H-Hello?" There was a lot of talking from Ash's side. "Yah, I guess that would be alright with me."
Whats going on, He mouthed.
Josh held the receiver away from his face and covered it lightly. "Ash wants to talk about some stuff" The older of the two whispers.
"I'm coming along."
Josh nodded, he let her finish her current sentence before speaking. "Chris is coming."
She spoke and Josh looked at him. "Nah, if you saw how concerned he is then you'd let him come along."
She spoke again.
"I don't think you really have a choice."
She spoke again.
"Alright, be there in a bit." Josh hung up.
"In a bit? Where are we going?"
"Coffee shop down the street."
***
They walked hand in hand down to the little corner coffee shop. Her eyes met their laced fingers.
"You two?"
Chris cleared his throat. "Yah."
"Thats not what we came to talk about though." Josh sat down. He followed suit.
"Right." She paused. "Listen, what you did was awful." She turns to Josh. "and really caused me some emotional trauma. It was terrible. And I do blame wendigos and the trip back up to the mountain partly on you. You didn't know but if it wasn't for your dumb prank we wouldn't have gone up there in the first place."
Josh nods slowly, "I know that."
This is not helping Josh's mental state. Chris is about to speak but Josh puts a hand on his shoulder. "Ashley. I. Am. Sorry." Each word has emotion and feeling poured into it.
She looks him over. "You're forgiven. I'm sorry for the way I acted. And I'm very sorry for your sisters."
"Thank you." The brunette smiles slightly.
"Now, Chris." She glares at him and he grimaces. "I thought we were going to get together when we felt a bit better?"
He felt a little guilty. "Well, then Josh kind of came into the picture and." He shrugs. "Here we are."
"Yah, once we were 'here we are.'"
"Well, Ash frankly I wasn't to jazzed about you yelling at my mentally not sound best friend." He glared, god that sounded passive aggressive.
She looked down. It was silent until she looked up. "I said I am sorry. I'm really sorry."
He sighed, "I know."
"I just thought at some point we would be together."
He paused. He thought they would too. It just wasn't realistic now that he thought about it. Chris had always been closer to Josh than anyone and it was inevitable that they would end up together.
"I love Josh. I'm sorry but this really feels right." He could see Josh smile out of the corner of his eye.
"You guys are kind of cute." She shrugged.
He gave her a sympathetic look. "We should head home." He stood up, gently running his hands over Josh's to tell him to follow. Josh rose.
All she did was nod and they took their leave.
"She seemed kind of upset." Josh took his hand.
"Yah, whatever." He shrugged, he was still a bit angry with her.
"Did you really mean that?"
He glanced over, "Hmm?"
"That this feels right?"
Chris smiled at that. "Yah, of course I meant it."
Josh squeezed his hand and he turned to the brunette. They briefly kissed before entering the apartment. The rest of the night was spent watching Netflix. Which Josh pointed out was just "Netflix and chill." and waggled his eyebrows. Chris only laughed.
They did end up kissing a lot but that never turned into anything more. It took them a long time to fall asleep together on the couch.
***
It was about five days into their relationship. Chris had been in the bathroom when he heard the groan. The soft chanting of "You're not real." He quickly dropped what he was doing and was at Josh's side. Josh was on the floor of the kitchen. Hands cupping his head and rocking back and forth.
"Josh? Josh." He leaned down and gently touched one the older man's hands.
"No! You aren't real!"
Chris flinched at the words. "Josh. I am real. Look at me."
Frightened eyes looked to him, "Chris?"
"Yah, its me. I'm real." He moved forward and hugged the brunette. Josh hugged him back.
"Where were you seeing?"
"There was Beth and Hannah and wendigos."
"Shhh" He ran his hands through the other mans hair. "Me and you are real."
"Thank you, Chris."
"Anytime."
After the event Chris made Josh go in for a checkup for his schizophrenia. Dr. Frazier prescribed stronger pills. Josh said, after a couple days on the stronger dose, that they made him feel better then the other dose had. They celebrated with pizza.
They were now nine days into a relationship. Chris came home from the market and dropped the bags on the counter. "Josh? I'm back." He began to take off his many layers of jackets.
"Hey." Josh smiled as he came into the room. Chris turned in hopes of getting a small kiss or a hug. Instead he was given a rough kiss.
"Whoa, hello indeed." Chris grinned as they pulled away.
"What can I say, I missed you."
They began to kiss again. His hands running lightly down Josh's sides resting on the other mans hips. Josh cupped the back of his neck. Chris lightly guided Josh back to the wall. His instinct was to use his tongue but he was reminded of Josh's teeth. The other man seemed to feel his hesitance and pulled back. "Its fine, I promise." The older grinned.
"Open up and we'll see." He rolled his eyes.
Josh, unnecessarily Chris might add, opened his mouth pushing his tongue out. The teeth were surprisingly okay. Flat and short again.
"Alright, you pass."
Josh smiled as they reconnected. He slowly worked Josh's mouth open and Chris made sure to be careful still. He hesitantly meet the other man's tongue which pressed back into his. This was the point Chris would always stop at. Things got to heated and they would stop. So he pulled away. Josh's hands gripped him, keeping their faces close. The brunette bit his bottom lip before saying.
"Can-Can we go further?"