#g.josie03

[containatrocity]

"Hey! Josie!" It's a while after spotting her at first that G eventually hustles over to interrupt Josie's conversation, dark hair pulled back into a bun at the back of his head and smile warm, despite the way his costume actively communicates the freezing cold, frostbitten nose and frozen over patches on flannel and jacket- The Shining- it had been easy, once they both knew the other had an affinity for King, to decide on a costume to wear together. "Sorry- I uh, was doing something. You look great!" He's not as nervous, after a little bit of time, tattooed fingers shifting to lace in hers for a moment before pulling her into him, slinging an arm over her shoulders. "I would have met you at your place but I accidentally roped myself into helping move stuff around for the haunted houses. Yanno. because I'm so so very strong." He lifts his free arm in a mock-flex, nothing particularly impressive to show in the action. He leans down, sets a kiss on her temple then her lips softly. "The band's kicking around somewhere, but if Mr. Romero sees Wren he's gonna have a heart attack and I don't wanna watch him kick the bucket." he chuckles. "You got any ideas for what you wanna do for the pumpkin contest?"

@lxvenderhxzehv

[containatrocity]

"Your weirdo?" He repeats, it's surprise again, but it's pleasant- He likes it, the idea of... belonging somewhere, anywhere- but especially with her. He's comfortable in the confidence he's found, following body language he's unfamiliar with through any lens that isn't movies or books- it's nerve wracking, it's thrilling, and maybe it's overdue, as he's mindful to keep painted fingertips from staining pretty blonde hair, gentle across the line of her jaw, cupping the back of it gently as his other hand shifts to the hem of her costume's sweater, warm digits grazing skin beneath before all Hell breaks loose.

He'll be worried later about the idea that maybe they were right at church and there was some merit to doing anything before marriage, because as the earth starts shaking- and town in the distance sparks to panicked, fearful life, he jumps down from the branch they're perched on, motioning to Josie to come down as well- careful to catch her even in the small distance. "We should head back- none of this sounds or looks good- people might be hurt." And with the two of them not hurt- It's clear he intends to make some kind of attempt to help. "I should track down Cy, he's been in town this whole time and you and Sissy can stick together somewhere safe while-" He watches after a moment- smoke climbing the sky. "God, we really can't just do one thing without everything going wrong, huh?" He sighs. "watch your step while we head back, okay?" He insists, offering her his hand to hold onto- just in case.

Josie's knee jerk reaction was to offer to help, but she refrained. Making another mental note to stop by after the festival after to clean up and surprise him later. He deserved it, Both G and Gabriel. She could tell he truly felt bad. It broke her heart to see him in pain like that. Part of her wished he hadn't gone through that, that he wouldn't have to worry about a grave sight for the part of him that died. She wished she could go back and give those kids a piece of her mind. He was beautiful even back then she had noticed him in the halls and while her feelings were fleeting once the paradox hit, she still remembered him. but there was a deep, selfish desire and thankfulness that he was the way he was now, he was odd yes but quite perfectly Odd just for her she admitted to herself "you might never understand it, but you can at least make the most of it....which I think you're doing a pretty good Job of..." she said softly.

She feels her cheeks warm once more his hand on her skin. Not minding the transfer of his paint to her skin. The reminder of his touch, sent a flutter to her stomach. Then their lips meet and her nerves resolve and also pick up all at once somehow. Her hands rested on his shoulders. And his head rest on hers she's a bit breathless. He tries to give her an out, she can't help but feel a smile pull at her lips. How she wished he could feel how fast her heart was pounding, how he makes her brain think faster than it ever has in her entire life. Questioning her self, what she did, when she touched him, when they kissed. Scared he might pull away, say she was too much. Say this was too much. Then he kisses her again to stop himself. She pulls.away for a moment to say something herself "you can't fuck this up any more than I possibly could..." She places a short kiss on his lips before she continues, finger resting at the nape of his neck "I like your weirdness....." She repeats from the first time they kissed weeks ago "you're my weirdo..." She says In whisper as eyes meet his. Before their lips meet again and he pulls her closer his hand finding her hip and she hums contently, letting him know that she likes that. "me too" she says breathlessly against his lips.

[containatrocity]

"I don't clean it up much, anymore." He admit. It explains the overgrowth. "I used to be kinda obsessive about it but... I stopped having the free time to wander out here and feel bad for myself- busier hanging out with Jerico, Parker and Lucy- even busier now, with the band and you, you know? I guess it's a little sad. Gabriel doesn't deserve to be forgotten, and I- well, I guess I'm the only guy who gave a shit- I'm stuck in our body, after all." It's likely odd, to hear him speak so candidly about his beliefs- a body buried- too different now to connect with a name that used to be him entirely- so a letter. G. And a last name held in memory- or perhaps that last little desperate cling to the fact he had a family, once upon a time. "It just uh. It's hard to think about, you know? The fact that everything changed for me that night in a way that... I might not ever get to understand." But things were still changing for him, and one of those things sits beside him on the branch of the tree, wind catching in pretty blonde hair.

There is a bluster of confidence as the chill of Autumn cuts through him like a knife- rare and fleeting. "Hey, um." He starts, and when she turns to look at him, painted fingers catch her cheek and jaw, bending to match distance as he reels her in, lips meeting Josie's properly. He wants to say something cool, romantic, charming- he wants to say anything- but as always his tongue is tied in knots around her, faint smears of unsealed paint on soft pale skin as his fingertips leave her- a hazy grey reminder of his touch. "You um." He inhales, the sound shaky as his forehead settles on hers, breath soft on lips. "You make me like, really nervous and I don't wanna fuck anything up because I fuck like, everything up by being weird or creepy and I-" He's trying to talk her out of him again, so he kisses himself into silence- he's not as clumsy as he was a few weeks ago- his fingers graze the line of her neck, the underside of her jaw- his other hand hesitates, before it finds her hip, pulling her in closer. "F-for, what it's worth... I'm really, really liking this chapter." He admits, features burning red.

The way he says 'date' back to her shakes her to her core. But not in the way Mercy had moments ago. But in a way where she feels completely stupid. Her face going beat red once her brain has connected to what her mouth had spilled out from her lips. A stupid attempt to make him laugh and all she did was make them both nervous. "Uh- yeah...I guesso" she rambles quickly, nerves getting the best of her. Josie had dated, not romantically but she at least made the other party 'buy her dinner first' before they went back to her place, hooked up, and called it a day. This was new to her, already having a fear of never being loved or being cared for. Fear of falling and not being loved back. Her newest fear of being rejected despite knowing he likes her back, liked kissing her back, and holding her hand and-

Hes talking, giving her the answer she wanted. Despite the urge to argue with him once more on the matter she doesn't...and just watches him as he talks, his eyes mostly. Pools in which she would gladly drown in any day. He kisses the top of her head and she feels like she can barely breathe her grip on the branch tightens a bit. Then he mentions the night he 'died' and her eyes follow his hand squinting to see the grave marker. She makes a mental note to ask him what his favorite flower was. She planned to leave some there for him the next time she was able too. Then he questions his words. She sakes her head "no...not weird at all." She reached for his hand and squeezed it, her eyes meeting his "it's a part of your story and I want to read every word it..." She said almost like a promise.

[containatrocity]

"Date?" They were on a date? Oh god now he's nervous. "Um- it's okay. You're okay, I promise. It was... a lot of emotions running hot at once and... well, it's a date we'll never forget, at least, right?" His hands are sweaty. He's on a date. He's never been on a date before, ever, and now he doesn't know what he's supposed to be doing and he can't ask Cyan because they're way out of town and if he radios about this it's to the whole town and- She blushes, when he calls her Jo, and as she settles beside him in the crooked branches, there's a little more calm that rises in him. He's okay. It's okay- and she likes him. She'd said as much before.

"Well, I'm crazy. You're crazy. Maybe our crazy works together." He shrugs. "Heroes are like... brave, and capable, or whatever. I'm just stupid and don't think that I can get hurt on account of the being dead. Until I've... broken my arm again. I'm comic relief, or something. 'look at the crazy guy, he's dead'- I'm not... a hero, or whatever." His legs swing slightly, and he leans to kiss the top of her head. "I'm just uh, doing my best to be a good friend, you know? I didn't have any for years so I um. want to be good to the ones I have now." She points out that the spot's beautiful. "I thought so too." He admits, wiping the corner of his mouth with a thumb. "I could see it the night I uh. you know." He motions- another small clump of trees in the clearing- a wooden cross spiked into the ground overgrown with plants with a clear view of the pretty old oak. "I... I just made it weird, didn't I?"

Josie nodded and listen to everything he said, He was right and she didn't plan on going anywhere near that man again at all let alone go by herself. Though she couldn't lie it did feel bit good and therapeutic to get that off her chest. Granted it was more than likely a combination of all her emotions over the course of the past few months. She shakes her mind of the satisfaction rush she was feeling. Her cheeks warming when he calls her Jo. Something about her nickname sounding sweeter on his his lips than anyone else's. his had squeezing hers as he pulls her through the crowd "I'm really sorry...." She began "this was like...our first date and I've gone all bat shit crazy on you..." She admitted sheepishly. "

She smirked a little "Okay, and what is the difference since you seem to be so....Informed on the matter." she teases narrowing her eyes at him as they went to get food. It's her turn to squeeze his hand as she awaits his answer. The sound of town fading behind them, becoming background noise at this point as he leads them to a tree. Josie smiles "This is beautiful..." She says softly Looking back at the town. carefully making her way up by taking his hand "Well, I quite like this. Thank you sharing this spot with me..." She said softly before digging in to her own food. "Yeah, I do tend to feel like I'm drowning sometimes here...that's why I love the Library so much I suppose. Theres a little bit of Chatter every so often but for the most part it stays quite."

[containatrocity]

"Look, he's clearly just some blowhard with some loose screws. He won't do anything to you, and if he tries, just uh. Scream and run for it. Just don't agree to go to anywhere alone with him, or whatever." He can't imagine she would- but he also wouldn't have thought Josie had 'slapping a man in public' in her until a few minutes ago either. "I really don't like... fighting, you know? It's just. Not what I'm built for." He'd been fast to try and defuse the argument- with a desperation that implied he had been in the middle of a few of them before- an observer, more than a participant. "He's a big guy, and he was really pissed, Jo, it's no surprise you... locked up." He assures, squeezing her hand in his lightly. "But hey, it's over now, and we'll go find some breathing room- don't let him ruin the festival for you, alright?"

The crowd's dispersed, the interest of the moment lost as the argument ended, and the participants seem to have returned to a more... peaceful, engagement with one another. "Well, see, there's a difference between just, being a good friend and being a hero, or whatever." He explains, and after a brief detour to grab some food to bring with them, he leads the way out and away from the hustle of town, until it's only a dull roar in the distance, and the birdsong resumes, a dappled cast of sunlight from the sky above finding the forest below through covering leaves. "We don't have to stay out here a long time, but I figure you might... I dunno, do better with a little quiet. Less people asking questions maybe." He doesn't take too long, placing himself in the strong lower branch of a nearby oak tree- it's gnarled, old, something that's likely sat outside of town for ages, and his feet touch the ground from where he sits. He offers a hand down- to pull her up to join him. "Don't worry, I'll be careful." He promises. "I uh. come out here to write sometimes." He balances their food beside him- careful to avoid any sort of spill. "The quiet helps, you know? Sometimes town's just... too much."

"Just some guy who is one baby birth away from killing me..." she was certain of it. Josie balled her hands into fist at the mention of the Jab at G. The anger from that still raw and hot. She still wanted to hit him for that "he nearly got a punch from me with that one....I've been called everything under the sun" she admitted with a shrug "I'm not exactly shy about the way I am...but if you go after the people I care about....you're gonna loose a tooth..." She said plainly "But I just froze the moment he yelled at me....ugh"

Josie nodded and she looked up to him as he moved her hair out of her face. "it's okay....I had been avoiding him quite honestly because I didn't know what I would do..." Josie looks to the crowed the one that had collected around them when Josie had slapped Mercy was long gone and people had paid no mind to the small blonde woman crying in the arms of the Frozen man. "But I could tell you were just as scared as I was....especially after" she noted "You could have easily just let me get chewed out by him or worse....but you swooped in and....Grounded me..." She offered him a soft sigh and furrowed her brows at him "It's not a Delusion if its true" She said matter of factly. She smiles softly with their hands intertwine and for the first time in her life Josie feels completely safe. Despite what had happened early enough being there with G right then and there she knew she was going to be okay. She looks up at him biting her bottom lip in thought and nods "Yeah that be great!" She smiled softly.

[containatrocity]

"Don't give him that kind of credit. He's just some guy." G isn't so sure he believes that himself- he'd known cruelty, it had painted his childhood and teens with violent strokes- but there was always something behind it, hurt, malice, glee- Mercy's eyes had been void- pits of hate unmarked by any sort of ulterior motive. He shivers, a bit, and blames it on the wind. "If Cyan had gotten hurt, it'd be Cyan's fault, dude jumps into fights without thinking because he's used to his mouth solving half his problems. He got up in arms because the guy made a schizo jab." He's thankful, for the moment, that the whole band wasn't involved- confidence built with more of them around- and he couldn't exactly imagine Wren or Val would have let a jab at his mental state and the implication Josie was a slut slide without doing much worse to the guy than a slap.

"Look just, give him a wide berth, from now on. I didn't realize it'd been... since the faire that you'd seen him." He admits. There's a sigh that leaves him, soft as he brushes blonde hair back from wet cheeks and teary eyes. "Well. He certainly looked angry." He observes, sighing and taking a cursory look around. "Well, I think it's settled down again." He offers, threading his free hand's fingers in Josie's softly. It's his turn to flush, when she insists he's amazing. "I- I just did what I would have done for anybody who means a lot to me, you know? That... doesn't make me amazing, it just makes me a decent person." It's no surprise he'd be humble about all this, it's new to him, after all- Most people tended to leave him and Declan to the side- and his little group of 'weirdlings' similarly got a wider berth- with G as their face and the talking head, it was difficult for most people to get past his oddness. The band, Sissy, and Josie were different- respected and liked in town- he was the odd one out again. "Easy, you're gonna give me delusions of grandeur." He jokes- a playful finger tapping the side of his head. He's quiet, for a minute. "You wanna grab something to eat and just, get out of town for a bit? I've got a place I always go when I need to sit and be... by myself. Could... catch your breath, a bit maybe, without worrying about that shithead wandering around until you've... got it together?"

"He's a monster!" Josie finally argues as G mentions that Mercy is an asshole. "I've seen that face before...that look only by one other person in my life....my father" She said as they were settled under a tree. She now realized the same rage she felt seeing him. She had never wanted to feel that again and yet here she was. She sighed and listen to him steadying her breathing an had still holding on tightly to him not wanting to let him go. 'I got you..' makes her heart flutter her eyes moving to scan his face. "Thank you for coming after me..." Her voice is soft and she still felt so small "if you hadn't been there....if Cyan had gotten hurt..." She placed a hand over her face trying to to cry more. "If both of you got hurt because of me and my stupid impulses I'd never forgive myself..." she knew deep down Mercy wouldn't touch her in public let alone while she was pregnant. She was confident in that, part of her felt like that was why she did it the way she did.

Cyan dropping off the water and a handkerchief Josie gives him an apologetic look. Sorry for pulling him into her problems. Her eyes go back to G and she finally chuckles "Trust me I don't plan on it. Why do you think this happened. I haven't see him since-" she stopped feeling her cheeks flush. Was she embarrassed? maybe a little bit. More time she spent with G the more things she did and explaining the things had done. The more it was becoming abundantly clear she wasn't a good person. "Anyway...That's the first I've seen him in about 3 months..." She sighed. "Seeing him triggered something in me...I didn't think it would make me so upset." She sighed. "I don't want him involved, I never did..." She explained "But I wanted him to feel that anger I did...that betrayal" She explained. She nodded "You're right..." She said "Good thing I'm not crying over him..." She leaned forward and placed a kiss to his lips gently "I'm crying because of you...because you're amazing" She said softly "I've never had someone do that for me....back me up like that. You're my hero and I feel safe enough to be like this around you." She rested her forehead against his "I don't deserve you..."

[containatrocity]

"Yeah, so can a ghost, so can a random townsperson, so can a particularly dedicated house cat. Being able to hurt me doesn't make him special." G reasons with a slight shrug before he's ushering Josie away from the scene, into a quieter corner beneath a shady tree, hugging her tight to his chest as she cries. "Hey, it's okay, it's alright now. He's just a dick, nobody's any worse for wear. Well- maybe Mr. Wainwright." He rubs the frame of her back softly. "Hey, you're okay. It's okay." There's a clawing discomfort, the way Mercy looked at them- angry, sure, but there was something deeper, something that felt like he saw the mere act of defying him in any capacity as an unforgiveable sin- that when cold blue eyes locked on his own- he felt almost... subhuman. He shakes it off, focuses instead on settling Josie's upset. "Deep breaths, okay? I got you."

Cyan appears again only momentarily- delivering a cup of water and a clean handkerchief, G carefully wiping Josie's face with a corner after she'd settled at least a little. "Listen... I don't think you should... go around that guy anymore, okay? At the very least never alone." He can't shake it. He's not sure what evil looks like- he's pretty sure that kind of hate comes close. "If he's the father like you say he is then clearly he doesn't think so, you know? You're not gonna change his mind, and he's not gonna be involved with you or the baby- and given that whole thing I uh, think maybe that's a good thing." Charismatic and charming as he was- G knew better than most that monsters wore pretty, blemish free masks, perfect teeth and varsity-tier smiles had been what grinned down at him in his grave- until help came- Until Declan broke rank for a kid he didn't know. "Some people just... don't deserve the breath you're wasting on them, you know? He's not worth all this crying, I promise."

you bitch. The tone in his voice made the blood drain from Josie's face. What had she done. He continued to yell at her. She can only describe this paralyzing fear as the same kind she always got when her father would yell at her. Who did she sleep with?, who did she trust with her lively hood. Whose child was she about to dump on the innocent and endlessly kind Winters and Dunford. She felt her eyes well up but she pushed them away he was not about to see just how upset she was to his reaction. He was lying she knew he was, deep down in her heart she knew this baby was going to be his.

She jumped a bit her heart that was already racing picked up faster when she turned to see G standing next to her. 'he came after me?' she thought. Josie's Eyebrows at Mercy his insult at G hurting her more than the one's thrown at her. Thing's she has heard before "Hey! Fuck you!" She cuts through the commotion. there they are the tears. They pushed forward. As Cyan comes over. 'fuck, this....this to many people. Why are they defending me why-" She cling to G her shaking body ever present as everything seemed to move in slow motion. Then things break up, G being the voice of reason and she breathes.

Josie knows he's right, but there is a part of her that wants this to happen in public. Ruin him in a similar way he had done to her. Images weren't important to Josie but neither was having a baby until now. He had taken that first away from her. This should have been something she was truly excited about with someone she truly loved not something was was forced to be excited about. sure it was good for Em and Chris and she was happy for them, but she didn't want to have to go through it. "Fine." She says through gritted teeth looking at Mercy with wet cheeks, her eyes puffy and red her cheeks matching. Then he speaks once more to her and all she can feel is anger her eyes narrowing at him as he pats G's face. Her jaw clenching she wants to hit him again. Instead her grip on G's shirt tightens in her fist and she bites her tongue. He leaves and she finally relaxes her clutch still on G she looks up to him.

"N-no..." is all she can say her voice is shaking as she buried her face in his chest and just lets all the tears fall from her eyes. Everything in that moment that she held back. She's still shaking she had never cried this much, in front of this many people before. "You shouldn't have gotten involved...h-he could h-have h-hurt you..." She sobbed.

[containatrocity]

"Oh- yeah sure." G's not exactly sure what's going on, as a hand settles on his upper chest, and Josie asks him to wait a moment- his eyes follow her through a throng of costumed townspeople to- the antique shop guy? He manages to find Cyan in the crowd, the man hard to miss, face painted and smoking when Josie shoves past him to get to Mercy in his Mask costume- Cyan looks to G for a moment- before half the town watches Josie cock back and smack the flirty smile off his face- albeit, momentarily.

"I mean hey, we got all night after curfew sugar, I can show you a good t-" It's not the first time his attention's been raised with a hey asshole! and it's not the first time, right after, that he's taken a stinging slap to the side of the face. It's the first time it's happened in Huntsville though- and as he snaps back into reality and fathoms exactly what happened- he scans the crowd- temper raising as he examines tens of sets of eyes on him. "You bitch." It's snarled, vitriol and anger as that careful, charismatic cover slips off for the first time in front of this many people. "Did the fucking parasite in your gut eat out your brain? I told you, I'm fucking sterile. No kids. Ever. Had the Doctor's appointment and the months of learning to live in the after to prove it. Just because you can't keep up with who you've banged doesn't make it my problem, or me your goddamn baby daddy." He levels a finger at her nose, blue eyes hot with anger. "You. Are endlessly lucky there are eyes on us right now, girl." It's hissed- it's deadly.

"Hey, dude- ease up- Josie, come on-" It's G, who after a feverish pantomime at Cyan managed to get the other man to break off from their friends- backup, if anything, because this is a new- and scary experience. "Look, dude, I'm sorry- Josie listen this is maybe not the place for this."

"Yeah, reign in your plaything, Schizo."

"Hey!- Watch your mouth, sideshow act, before I reorganize the contents of it." Cyan cuts in, before G can apologize again, the blue eyed young man now standing between Mercy on one side- and Josie and Cyan on the other. "Where do you get off, huh? Talk shit again-two of us, one of you, fuckhead."

"We can talk about this- please can we talk about this!?" He tries, a hand planted in Mercy's and Cyan's chests respectively- body placed between Josie and the scowling blonde. "Town's huge! We can all go to different sides of it! Far away from each other." His voice cracks, Cyan bristles- And Mercy puts his hands up- seemingly disengaging. "thank you."

It's after Cyan's parted, and G's relaxed somewhat, that he speaks again. "Josie. look, maybe this is like, the worst place to do this. Like, literally the worst place? Come on let's... go do something else." He offers- it's vague, but it's not exactly like he's built for conflict. "And uh... you and Mr. Wainwright can talk this out later?"

There is a two second reprieve, Mercy eyeing Josie with contempt, before his jaw sets. "If you accuse me of something this stupid again, darling. It will be your last mistake." He pats G's cheek sarcastically. "Good to know there's always going to be another patsy to fall for some nutty bitch. You two have a beautiful night."

G relaxes, swallowing tightly. "Uh. okay. next- next time you're gonna slap somebody... maybe- maybe we warn me! Ha. aha... fuck." He looks a little pale- like he's about to puke. "Are you okay?"

Josie was talking to a friend when she heard her name being called. She turned glancing back through the crowd seeing him she felt a bright smile pull at her lips. She told her friend goodbye and was met with his blue eyes giving him her full attention "Its alright! you're here now that's all the matters right?" She looked down at her own costume "thanks! but I think you got me beat!" she looked up at his make up. "The makeup looks incredible!" She narrowed her eyes at him just taking it in. Her stomach fluttered as he took her hand. Noticing that his confidence growing since the last time they had seen each other. "Clearly you're strong enough or else they wouldn't have asked" She said with a giggle when he flexed. She felt her cheeks flush at his kisses. this was so new to her but she was enjoying it. G was good for her. She was confident in that. "Fair, I think it's good I'm wearing some at least a bit less showy this year..." She said with a soft laugh. At least Lach wouldn't have to worry about her this Halloween like in previous years. She was about to answer his question with she saw something in the corner of her eye. Mercy. She hadn't seen him since the fair, since they had hooked up, she had never felt this way before. this was....a rage even she wasn't used to. What made it worse he was charming some other woman. She placed her hand on G's chest. "Hold that thought..." she said softly and before he could stop her she stomped her away through the crown pushing through and past people she went rightup to Mercy "HEY! Asshole!" she yelled. She didn't even give him a chance to Respond. The moment they locked eyes. She raised her hand up and slapped him, hard across the face "That's for lying getting me Knocked up you fucking bastard!!"