#hannah washington

[untildawnss]

hannah: josh, did you eat my leftovers?

josh: maybe.

hannah:

josh: sad bitches should not be held accountable for their actions.

[peach-el]

Not sure how I feel about the remaster but these are so cute

[witchesroad]

whatever you do, DON’T think about josh waking up the morning after the prank and everyone being cagey and indirect about where his sisters are. everyone keeps telling him “it was a joke,” but he can’t piece together the story in a way that makes sense.

sam and mike are nearly frostbitten from how long they spent searching in the snow. chris got his information from ashley, who bit her nails down to the beds overnight. the others could barely look him in the eye. josh can’t figure out if his headache is related to the hangover or the idea of his sisters, humiliated and alone, lost somewhere on the mountain without him.

and where was he when they needed him? drunk, passed out? the last thing he remembers is a hazy glimpse of his baby sisters dragging him to the same couch where he awoke 10 hours later. he sees their faces but the edges of the memory are blurred and undefined. the sound of their voices and laughter is already fading away and running through his fingers like sand. all that’s left is the howling of the wind.

[samgiddings]

helloooo ladies

[willows-writings]

Of Butterflies and Consequences: An Until Dawn Interactive Fanfiction:

PROLOGUE NOW POSTED

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Masterlist and How to play

(my main masterlist)

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taglist (comment if you wish to be tagged in the beginnning of all chapters): @hearts4josh @lousypotatoes @moyo5653 @morgy3456 @pecxiebu @ohantonia-blog

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‼️PLEASE READ‼️

Hello!!! Welcome to this fic!

This fic will be Josh x Reader

Ever read a choose your own adventure book? Or played one of Markiplier's games? This is just like that!

Just like the game there will be different stories and endings you can get

There will be a total of 10 chapters (11 if you include the prologue) and I will be doing my best to align them with the chapters in the game

When I drop an update I will be dropping an entire chapter at once so you can play a whole chapter seamlessly!

Speaking of updates you will have to bear with me and the time between updates because I will have to plan out entire chapters with multiple different storylines all at once

If you happen to be stalking me and see a new post right as it is posted but can't find the rest of the chapter or the links aren't working please give me a few minutes because I will have to link everything together after it is posted

Since the original game also has different stories you can follow based on the choices others make I will be choosing some of the options for others.

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How to Play

The prologue and chapter one will only have one beginning Most other chapters will have more than one beginning though that will depend on your choices and how you ended the last chapter If you can't remember or find the beginning you are supposed to start on I will be linking them all below as each chapter is posted If your problem is being unable to remember which beginning you need to start on then the best option would to be to go through the route you played real fast and once you reach the last post there will be a link to the next chapter once it is posted (lmk if that doesn't make sense) Other than that every post with a choice will end with two links that will take you the choice you made. Please let me know if a link takes you to the wrong post. Every post will be titled the same as the choice you just chose. (see the prologue as an example once it is posted)

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Masterlist

Prologue

Chapter #1

Chapter #2 - Beginning #1 - Beginning #2

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And that's it so far! Today is 10/20/24 and I will likely be posting the prologue sometime this week! If you have any questions regarding the plot or anything else feel free to send them in! If you have any suggestions for the plot please send those too! Just know I have some of this planned out already so I may not take your suggestion but I appreciate it anyway!! Any likes, reblogs, comments, fanart, whatever you want is greatly appreciated!!

[jemilyudenthusiast]

Jemily in the Scott Pilgrim / Ramona pose!!!

Enjoy my gays

Happy Pride! ❤️

[scrawledjournals]

sisters

+ bonus josh under the cut

[ollierachnid]

[covered in blood] dont worry sam is in her 4 hour bath

[muxhroom-marx-markiplier]

Until dawn already makes me so sad but the spin off where u play as josh Rush of Blood makes me even more sad why couldn't they have given us a route where he doesn't get seperated from everyone why does he always have to lose his mind alone with no one to help him

supermassive games please make until dawn 2 and pleeeaaaseee make it about josh i would give anything

[proxythe]

honestly, with everything that’s happened, it almost feels like the universe has been playing pranks on us.

[admirationandromantics]

Never have I ever...

Yes, this was a request, and it is not proofread! Anyways, hope you like it, and I'll be working on some more this evening. Don't know if I can post tonight though, but we'll see. Trying to stay optimistic, and finally exams are over so I can actually do whatever I want. Anyways, enjoy, and requests are still open <3

Word count: 2,5 k (Unedited)

The night was still young, music playing and people chatting. Thank god the Washingtons said yes to host, because this type of mess would’ve left me in tears. And we were barely getting started. I take another sip of my drink, hoping to get that good dizzy feeling a little quicker. 

“Boo!” Josh yells, grabbing me from behind. I shriek, giving a loud scream. He’s quick to put a hand over my mouth, almost too quick. Like he was anticipating it. 

“Jeez, sorry. Don’t scream, people are gonna think I murdered you or something” 

I clutch my chest, heart still beating hard and fast. This man will be the death of me. 

“You almost did” I whisper, hitting his head. He smiles, taking my hand in the air, pulling it up to his lips. He leaves a trail of wet kisses down my wrist, each peck more sensual than the last. During this, the eye contact remains, strong blue orbs cutting through me. It’s almost as if I can see how hard he wants to ravage me. The thought alone makes me heat up, underwear getting wetter. He notices my blush, which makes his signature smirk form on his lips. Oh… he’s thinking about stuff, that dark and sinister side of him taking over. 

“Hey guys… what are you doing?” Jess yells, stopping in the doorway. I jolt away quickly, looking down at my wrist. 

“My bracelet fell off, couldn’t fasten it on my own”

She looks convinced, maybe she knows how hard they actually are to click shut. She waves her hand, signalling for us to come. 

“Okay, anyways, drinking game and both of you are joining”

“Coming” I say, looking back at Josh. We’d been dating for a while now, though we hadn’t told the others yet. We wanted to figure things out on our own first, check that we matched. If it didn’t work out, it would affect all the others, and we would rather just try to get back to normal. 

He’s still staring me down, challenging me to leave him in the dark. I smile, taking hold of his hand and dragging him with me to the living room. Everyone is sitting on either the floor or the couch. 

“So, what are we playing?” I ask, sitting down beside Sam. Josh walks over to Chris, nudging his arm to give him room on the couch. 

“Never have I ever” Ashley answers unenthusiastically. I know she thinks the game is boring, that she already knows everyone’s secrets. Well, almost everyone. Emily lines up the shot glasses, laying them on the table in the middle of the crooked circle we’ve created. 

“Quick question” Sam asks. “Can we only ask about things we’ve done before, or can I ask anything? Like even if I’ve never done it” 

“You’ve never played before?” Matt asks, looking over at her. 

“Yes I have, but there are different versions of it” 

“You can ask anything you want” Jess answers, settling everything. “I’ll start” 

“Never have I ever had a thing for someone in this room”

I watch as every single one in the room takes a shot. Hard start I guess. I look over at Josh, who gives me a wink before pouring down the content. I take a deep breath, trying to get over the taste as quickly as possible. This was gonna be a long night. We continue the game, going in a circle so everyone gets to ask a question. Beth goes after Jess. 

“Okay, never have I ever stolen something”

Mike, Matt, Jess, Hannah and Josh drink. Emily looks over at Mike with contempt before questioning him. 

“When have you ever stolen something?” 

“Stole your heart, didn’t I” he grins, kissing her on the cheek. Hannah rolls her eyes, and Jess is looking at them a little too hard. If someone decided to dig into that, I wouldn’t want to be in the room. Matt breaks the silence, asking the next question. 

“Anyways, I have a good one. Drink if you’ve had sex with someone in the room” 

Everyone but Ashely, Jess, Chris and Matt drinks. I’m actually surprised. I would’ve thought that Jess and Matt would’ve gotten it going once or twice. Ashley and Chris were no surprises though, they couldn’t even confess to each other. It would take some time for them. 

I drink down the liquid, noticing Josh doing the same thing. He smiles, a sweet one that makes no one suspicious. I look away, getting to see Sam finishing her glass. 

“Something you wanna tell me?” I tease, looking over the room. 

“You need to get me more drunk to get anything out of me” she laughs, nudging my arm. 

“Okay, my turn” Mike exclaims, grunting a little from the last shots. 

“Never have I ever used knives while having sex”

I quickly take the shot, making sure to do it as discreetly as possible. Luckily, most eyes are on Josh, as he drinks up. 

“What? Why would you do that”

“You’re sadistic!” 

“Was this your idea, or your partner’s?” 

Josh just shakes his head in response, refusing to give them a satisfactory answer. I smile at him, trying to hold my laughter as everyone is teasing him. He gives me that known sinister smirk again, sitting up, capturing everyone’s eyes with his movement. 

“I think you missed a certain other person in the room who’s also had some experience in this area. Don’t give me all the attention” 

“Jerk” I mouth to him, everyone’s heads turning to me. Matt lets out a whispering exhale, and Ashley’s holding her hand over her mouth to stop her laughter. I put my hands up as a surrender. 

“I tried something. As if you guys haven’t done freaky shit” I say, my finger pointing over every single person in the circle. 

“To build on the sex-related ones” Emily starts, shifting everyone away from me. Thank god. 

“Never have I ever been tied up” 

I nervously take another shot, but calm down as more people join this one. Both Emily and Mike join, as well as Beth. Josh licks the rim of his glass, eye contact going hard before gulping down the liquid once again. 

Hannah is next in line, and I hope for a non-sex one. She glances around the room before taking a breath, the circle waiting in anticipation. 

“Never have I ever fucked in my best friends house” 

I drink at the same time as Sam, and we look at each other wide eyed. In MY house? She had sex under my roof without me knowing. 

“You had sex in my house??” We both shout at the same time. Many others drank as well, but our joined voices make everyone burst out in laughter. 

“When was this?” I ask, and she just smiles. 

“As if you’re gonna tell me yours. I’m not spilling any more than I have to” 

“Well, I hope at least you didn’t spill too much in MY house” I smirk, and she shoves me. A  particular loud “What” followed by Josh’s laughter makes us look on the other side. 

“Dude, what the hell, I haven’t even hosted yet” Chris exclaims, arms wide in confusion. 

“Don’t worry, we were quick, you didn’t even know” he laughs, giving me a little side glance. 

“Wait, that means… The only one you could’ve done it with was-” Josh smacks a hand over his mouth, making everyone shout at him. 

“Stop!”

“We wanna hear!”

He leans over to Chris, whispering something in his ear. This makes him stop squirming, and he removes the hand carefully as everyone is waiting in anticipation. 

“So” Jess begins. “Who was it” 

“Can’t tell, bro-code” 

She throws a pillow at him, causing a small snicker to escape his lips. The room fills with sighs as they don’t get to know who the culprit is. It’s me, I know it, Josh knows it, and not Chris knows as well. He raises his eyebrows my way, and I mouth a little “sorry” back. We weren’t gone for long when it happened. Just a quick thing in his bathroom while he and Ashley tried starting up the console in the living room. 

Sam goes next, facing me with a smug look. “You know, I’m still not over the knife-thing” My eyes widen, and I look at her pleadingly. She turns to the others, loving the power she holds. 

“Never have I ever done it outside, in the snow, on Blackwood Mountain” 

I thought it was gonna be worse, but Mike and Emily must definitely have done it there. I empty the glass once again, getting more used to the taste as we keep going. Josh does the same, and suddenly, everyone has a look of realisation on them. 

“Are you fucking kidding me” Sam exclaims happily, her theories were right. I look over at Mike and Emily, their glasses in front of them still full. Shit. I capture Josh’s eyes, and he’s already realised it. We gave ourselves away. Sam is laughing hysterically, holding onto me for support. 

“Like, I knew you were having good sex, but the whole ‘he must’ve learned to use his tongue from the gods’-thing is Josh? I don’t believe it!”

“Sam, shut up” I whisper, and she throws herself backwards, trying to regulate her breathing. 

“Wow, so I’m made of the gods?” he teases from across the room, and I roll my eyes. 

“Thank god that secret didn’t last long” Chris exclaims, breathing out in relief. Half of everyone here is laughing, and the rest is looking at us, expecting to hear more. 

“I hope you talk about me like that to your friends” Mike whispers to Emily. 

“Not much to talk about dear” 

“Okay fine” I shout, making the room silent. “You want drama, I’ll give it to you” I stand up, looking down at Sam. 

“Never have I ever, done the deed with a twin” 

Her mouth opens in shock, and people turn to look at Beth, who’s a brushing mess. Got ya Sam. I sit down again, a smirk forming on my lips. “What was it you said again Sam? Something about how incredibly sexy t-mmf” She moves her hand over my mouth, letting only muffled sounds come out. She leans over to my ear, whispering. “I got you, you got me. Even?” I shake my head, ready to let the world know about the things she’s said. “You know, that’s not the only thing you’ve said about Josh” 

I give a loud sigh, rolling my eyes and pulling her hand away. “Fine” 

During the whole ordeal, I notice Mike has to refill his glass, but everyone’s eyes are still on Sam, not seeing the small action. 

Her cheeks are tomato red, and everyone continues asking questions about them, which both refuse to answer. Josh is still looking at me, a subtle smirk in the corner of his lips. His eyes don't falter, staring intensely, undressing me with his mind. His tongue wets his lips as his orbs go down… down…

“Next one!” Emily shouts, interrupting our mental fucking. Ashley is next, but doesn't have one ready yet. I lean over to Sam, smiling as I whisper. “I hope you took the last shot” 

“Asshole” I fill her cup, urging her to do it. Her cheeks are still red, though most of us are getting messier and louder. This was a lot of alcohol, and the only ones not in deep were Matt, Ashley and Mike. Mike has a high tolerance, and the others hadn’t drunk much yet. I look over at Chris, and I think he had a few too many beers before we began. He’s still thriving though. Ashley finally finds a question, and Jess hushes us. 

“Never have I ever broken in somewhere” 

Matt and Josh drink alone, everyone eager yet again for them to spill the beans. Matt starts, not being shy about it. 

“It wasn’t anything major, me and some other guys wanted to impress some girls with our skills, and the outside arena was freezing” 

Hannah and Ashley smile, they already knows where this is going, and I do too. 

“So, we managed to get the lock to the gym building open, and played inside for a couple of hours”

“And was it worth it?” Mike asks, giving him a wink. “Hell yeah!”

Everyone gives coos and whistles while Matt just shakes his head. This must be the most ‘Matty’ crime that could’ve been done. 

“What about you Josh?” Beth asks, confused by when he’d broken in. I try to remember some time I knew about, but my mind is blank. I’m also eager to know this one. 

“Well” he looks over at me again, and I give an encouraging smile. “Her apartment” 

“What?”

I don’t know when he did this. Was I home? How long ago must it have been? He has a key, and he’s had that for a while. 

“It’s not breaking in if you have a key” I say. 

“What about the time I came through the window?”

“You’ve gone through the window?” I shout. This is news to me, when did he do this? Everyone in the room holds their breath, and some, their laughter. 

“When I surprised you in the shower!”

I think back. Some weeks ago, he scared me in the shower. I figured that I just left the door open, but I guess not. I mean, he did more than scare me in there…

“You still went through the window??”

“I feel like you’re focusing on the wrong things”

“No, I’m not!”

Everyone bursts out laughing, not being able to hold it. I look around for support for my cause, but only Sam shrugs her shoulders to me. 

“I guess I’ll be breaking in somewhere tonight”

“Not breaking in if I want you there” 

“Okay guys, we’re almost done” Chris adds, and he’s right. There’s only him and Josh left now, and after that, we’ll go back to whatever conversations we had before, ready to party the rest of the night. Drinking more than we should. 

“Never have I ever cleaned up my best friends house after fucking in it”

No one drinks. 

“You’ve got to be serious, man” he whines, done with Josh’s shit. 

“Sorry dude, I’ll do it next time”

“There should not be a next time!”

“Never will there ever be a next time in Chris’s place!” he shouts, and everyone drinks in solitary. Ashley does too, and the aggravation that was there is immediately filled with flushed cheeks and silence. They’re both adorable. 

“Finally” I exclaim, getting up on my feet. 

“Wait a second” Jess interrupts my exit. “We want to know more about you and Josh!” 

“No way”

“Like, has he given you over three orgasms in a row?” 

I look back, and Josh drinks. Everyone cheers and I walk to the kitchen to grab a beer. Jesus, this was gonna be a long night.

[river-of-wine]

It was just a prank, Han!

[lefteagleblizzard]

𝔉𝔯𝔬𝔰𝔱𝔟𝔦𝔱𝔱𝔢𝔫 𝔱𝔯𝔲𝔱𝔥

Mike munroe x male reader

Summary: A year after the mysterious disappearance of Beth and Hannah, your group of friends gather in the same lodge to commemorate them. Your search for the truth leads to a heated argument with Mike, leading to a moment that could change everything about you and him.

Tags: Male reader. He/him pronouns are used towards the reader. No use of Y/N. Friends to lovers. Mike and Jess are not together in this. Cute interactions between Mike and the reader. Gay smut. Top Mike munroe. Bottom male reader. Hate sex. Anal sex.

A request that I received. Hope you enjoyed it <3

Words count: 5000

Can also be found on wattpad and ao3

𝔉𝔯𝔬𝔰𝔱𝔟𝔦𝔱𝔱𝔢𝔫 𝔱𝔯𝔲𝔱𝔥

𝔅𝔯𝔬𝔱𝔥𝔢𝔯𝔩𝔶 𝔰𝔲𝔭𝔭𝔬𝔯𝔱

𝔉𝔦𝔯𝔰𝔱 𝔱𝔦𝔪𝔢'𝔰 𝔞 𝔠𝔥𝔞𝔯

𝔗𝔴𝔬 𝔥𝔢𝔞𝔯𝔱𝔰 𝔥𝔢𝔞𝔩𝔦𝔫𝔤 𝔱𝔬𝔤𝔢𝔱𝔥𝔢𝔯

𝔄 𝔱𝔬𝔲𝔠𝔥 𝔴𝔞𝔯𝔪𝔢𝔯 𝔱𝔥𝔞𝔫 𝔣𝔦𝔯𝔢

ℌ𝔬𝔩𝔡𝔦𝔫𝔤 𝔬𝔫 𝔱𝔬 𝔶𝔬𝔲

𝔍𝔢𝔞𝔩𝔬𝔲𝔰𝔶 𝔞𝔱 𝔅𝔩𝔞𝔠𝔨𝔴𝔬𝔬𝔡 𝔐𝔬𝔲𝔫𝔱𝔞𝔦𝔫

𝔗𝔥𝔢 𝔰𝔢𝔩𝔣𝔦𝔰𝔥 𝔭𝔞𝔱𝔥 Part 2 of it

You adjusted the blanket you had draped over Chris, snickering as you admired the doodles scrawled across his face like crude mustaches, poorly drawn glasses and a pair of horns. The temptation to add your own 'autograph' was too strong to ignore.

Beth stormed into the room, her face flushed with worry. She was shaking Josh's shoulder, trying to rouse him from his drunken stupor.

"Beth? Everything alright?" you asked, straightening up. The humor drained from the room as her panic became contagious.

Beth barely glanced at you as she threw on her pink jacket. "Hannah ran outside? She had barely anything on." Her words came fast, clipped with urgency as she gave up trying to wake up her brother.

"Wait, what? Beth, slow down. What happened?" you asked, but she didn't stop moving. She threw the cabin door open, cold wind rushing in as you saw your group of friends all outside.

You stood frozen for only a heartbeat before you bolted after her. The icy air sliced against your skin as you burst outside, squinting through the storm.

The others were already gathered by the porch, their faces painted with guilt and surprise. Beth's voice rang out.

"You're all jerks!" she shouted. Her breath puffed visibly in the cold as she turned on her heel and ran into the dark woods.

There was no hesitation in you. Your legs moved before your brain caught up, feet crunching through the thick snow.

But a hand grabbed your arm, jerking you back with more force than you expected. "Wait!" Mike's voice cut through the storm. His fingers dug into your sleeve. "What the hell are you doing? You can't just run out there!” His words rang sharp and harsh, a bark more than anything. The wind swallowed some of his words, but you caught the roughness in his tone.

He stepped closer, his grip tightening. Mike's mind was a chaotic mess, tangled with feelings he wasn't ready to admit to himself.

Why did you have to look so determined? So... stupidly brave? The thought of you disappearing into the woods made his stomach churn, especially the idea of you possibly getting hurt.

He wanted to keep you safe. Needed to. The words that came out of his mouth weren't carefully chosen. He'd fucked up the delivery.

Mike realized too late how his voice had come out too sharp, too loud. He saw the flicker of fear cross your features, the slight widening of your eyes. It made him feel like a monster, like the very thing he was trying to protect you from.

He loosened his grip on your arm slightly, his thumb brushing against your sleeve as if to soothe the sting of his earlier tone.

You twisted your arm free with a sharp motion, stepping back just enough to meet his eyes. "I'm not letting her freeze out there.” Your tone left no room for argument as you turned and sprinted toward the woods, your boots crunching in the snow.

The cold bit into your skin as you pushed further into the forest, the wind howling through the trees. Your breaths came in sharp bursts, visible in the icy air. The snow muffled most sounds, but the crunch of your boots and the distant echoes of Beth's frantic calls drove you forward.

"Beth!" you shouted, your voice swallowed by the wind. Anxiety gnawed at you as you stumbled over a hidden root, barely catching yourself before hitting the ground.

You strained your eyes, scanning the dimly lit path for any sign of her. Your fingers were already numb from the cold and each step felt heavier than the last. The distant sound of rustling made you pause again, but this time it was louder, closer.

The snap of twigs to your left made you whip your head around, heart pounding. You exhaled shakily, forcing yourself to keep moving.

Beth's footprints stretched out ahead of you, already partially obscured by the falling snow. You kept your eyes on them, your breath coming in sharp bursts, each one visible in the frigid air.

Suddenly, a loud snort broke through the quiet, followed by the sound of heavy footsteps. You turned just in time to see a herd of elk emerging from the trees, their massive forms moving as one through the snow. Your heart raced as they barreled toward you, their breath visible in the cold air.

"Shit!" you shouted, throwing your arms up as the herd closed in. One of the elk collided with your body, its sheer weight and force knocking you off balance. The force of the impact sent you sprawling, your body hitting the ground hard. Pain exploded in your head as it struck a rock hidden beneath the snow.

The dull, sterile smell of antiseptic filled the air as you opened your eyes to the harsh fluorescent light above you. It flickered faintly, a faint hum accompanying the pounding ache in your skull. It felt like your brain was trying to escape your skull, every throb echoing with the force of your heartbeat.

You winced, squeezing your eyes shut as you brought a trembling hand up to your forehead. The texture of gauze met your fingers and another sharp wave of pain coursed through your head. You groaned softly, as though the sound itself might relieve the pressure.

Flashes of red and blue lights flickered behind your eyelids like a half-forgotten dream. The memory was faint, disjointed. You recalled the blaring sirens of police cars and paramedics talking urgently around you. You tried to piece together what had happened, but the harder you thought, the worse the pain became.

Shifting slightly, you felt a weight on your legs. Confused, you looked down and saw him.

Mike.

His head was resting on his folded arms on the edge of your bed, his shoulders rising and falling with each soft, muffled snore. His jacket was wrinkled, the same one he'd been wearing... last night? You blinked, fragments of the evening slipping further from your grasp.

With what little energy you could muster, you reached out and poked his head lightly with your finger. He stirred, groaning softly as he slowly lifted his head. His hair was a mess, and the bags under his eyes made it clear he hadn't slept well, if at all. His expression shifted from confusion to sharp relief as his bleary eyes focused on you.

"You're awake," he said, his voice hoarse as he ran a hand down his face. "Thank god."

You noticed how he winced slightly as he adjusted himself, probably stiff from sitting in that awkward position all night. "How long have I been out?" you asked, your voice barely above a whisper as you winced at the sharp edge of your headache.

Mike scratched the back of his neck and let out a soft grunt. "All night," he mumbled. "And this damn chair didn't make it easy. Feels like my spine's been rearranged" He leaned forward, scraping the chair closer to your bed, and placed a warm hand on your shoulder. "How are you feeling? Besides the obvious, I mean."

"Like shit," you admitted, your hand still pressed to your forehead. "What even happened?"

Mike hesitated, his jaw tightening. "First, I just—“ He looked away briefly, his eyes darting to the window before returning to you. "I'm sorry, okay? For yelling at you last night. I shouldn't have-"

"You yelled at me?" you interrupted, blinking at him in confusion.

His brows furrowed, his lips parting as he processed your words. "Wait. You don't remember?" he asked cautiously. He leaned back slightly, his hand stilling on your shoulder.

You shook your head slowly, the movement making you wince. "No. I don't even know why I'm here. I just remember...snow? And, uh...something about Hannah?" Your heart sank as the pieces refused to fall into place. "Are they okay? Hannah and Beth?"

Mike's eyes darted away, his lips pressing into a thin line. He rubbed the back of his neck again, a nervous habit you'd come to recognize over time. "The cops are still looking for them," he said finally, his voice low. "That's all we know right now."

You stared at him, your stomach churning with unease. "That's all? What do you mean, 'that's all'? What the hell happened out there?"

He opened his mouth, then closed it, his throat bobbing as he swallowed hard. He wanted to tell you about the prank but the words lodged in his throat, tangled with fear. Fear that you'd hate him if you knew the truth.

Before he could say anything, the pain in your head spiked again that made you clutch at your temples. It felt like someone was smashing your skull with a hammer.

Mike cursed under his breath and stood abruptly, his chair scraping against the floor. He stormed out of the room, the door swinging shut behind him with a sharp thud.

"Hey!" you heard him shout from the hallway, his voice echoing through the sterile corridors. "Can we get some help here? Like, now?”

“We'll send someone over shortly," A nurse huffed, her voice muffled by the mask she was wearing.

"He's been like this all night," a nurse muttered, barely looking up from a mountain of paperwork stacked precariously on the counter, the exasperation in her tone clear.

"Yeah, 'shortly’ better mean now," Mike muttered under his breath. He returned to your side a moment later, dragging his chair even closer and sitting down heavily. "One of these idiots will be here soon," he said, his tone dripping with irritation. He glanced at you, his hand brushing against your arm, "You good for now?"

Despite the pain, a small chuckle escaped your lips, "It's six in the morning. You probably woke up everyone on this floor."

Mike shrugged nonchalantly, a faint smirk tugging at his lips. "After the night I just had? I couldn't give a fuck about someone else's beauty sleep"

You raised an eyebrow, glancing at him curiously, "You stayed here all night?"

His smirk widened into a grin, though his eyes betrayed the exhaustion behind it. "Damn right I did," he said proudly. "Had to be the first one to greet your cute face when you woke up.”

Your cheeks flushed and you looked down at your lap, a shy smile playing on your lips. "Thanks," you murmured, your voice soft but sincere.

Mike leaned back in his chair, his expression softening as he glanced at you. "The paramedics said you were lucky," he began, his eyes fixed on the floor. "You had blood all over your face. Scared the hell out of me.” His voice faltered slightly and he rubbed the back of his neck. He shook his head, forcing a grin that didn't quite reach his eyes.

Your heart tightening at the vulnerability in his voice. "What happened?" you asked softly, leaning forward as much as your pounding head allowed.

Mike's eyes darted toward you briefly before looking away again. "Ashley freaked out," he continued, letting out a weak chuckle. "She thought she heard one of the doctors say ‘cerebral death' or something. She lost it and well, everyone else started losing it too."

The sheer absurdity of the situation hit you and a small laugh escaped before you could stop it. Mike's grin widened, this time genuine, as he leaned forward, resting his elbows on his knees. "You should’ve seen Chris. He stumbled in here hungover, with all that crap we drew on his face. Ashley showed him a picture of his face and he spent thirty minutes in the bathroom trying to scrub it off."

That did it. You burst out laughing, the sound light and genuine despite the dull ache in your skull. Mike's grin widened, a flicker of pride in his eyes at making you laugh.

A soft knock at the door drew your attention. A nurse stood in the doorway, her face lit with a gentle smile as she watched the two of you "I need to do a quick check-up," she said, stepping inside.

Mike's expression faltered slightly and he pushed himself up from the chair. "Guess that's my cue to leave," he muttered, glancing at you. He hesitated for a moment before mumbling, "I'll be right outside."

You nodded, watching as he shuffled toward the door. Just before he stepped out, he turned back, giving you a small smile. "Don't let her poke you with too many needles," he joked, his tone light

You chuckled softly, shaking your head. "I'll try."

As the door closed behind him, the nurse moved to your bedside. "He's quite something, isn't he?" she said as she began checking your vitals.

You blinked at her, confused. "What do you mean?"

She chuckled, glancing at you briefly. "Your boyfriend. He's been here the whole time, you know. Pacing the halls, pestering the staff, demanding updates on your condition." She shook her head fondly. "He was a bit of a pain to deal with, but it's sweet how much he cares."

Your face burned at her words, and you stammered, "He's not... we're not...together. We’re friends." you mumbled, more to yourself than to her.

The nurse raised an eyebrow, clearly unconvinced. She didn't respond, simply humming thoughtfully as she finished her examination.

The months following the incident on the mountain were a whirlwind. The memory of what little you could piece together was hazy.

True to his nature, Mike didn't let the weight of the situation drive a wedge between the two of you. Instead, he used it as an excuse to insert himself into your life more than ever.

It started subtly. A few texts here and there. Calls to check in. Then, he began showing up on your college campus unannounced, a crooked grin on his face each time.

At first, it was endearing, if a little overbearing. He'd pop up with coffee in hand or he'd insist on walking you to class, ignoring the curious stares from your classmates. The visits became frequent, regular. Sometimes he'd bring coffee, other times takeout, claiming he happened to be in the area. You weren't sure if it was pity, guilt, or genuine care that drove him, but as the months passed, his presence became a comforting constant.

When he and Emily broke up a few months later, you were the one he turned to. You'd let him in your dorm without hesitation, offering him a spot on your couch and a sympathetic ear as he vented about everything. It wasn't long before the dynamic between the two of you shifted. He lingered more. He'd stay late into the evening, keeping you company as you studied or binge-watched shows together. Even when you'd fully recovered from the incident on the mountain, he didn't stop coming around.

New reasons to stick around arose, like asking for help with studying, turning up with textbooks and assignments he'd borrowed from friends, spreading them across your desk as though he actually intended to study. Or just showing up with snacks and claiming he didn't want to eat alone.

Those nights were more about proximity than productivity. Mike would sit close, his arm brushing yours as he leaned over your notes, pretending to understand what he was reading. His cologne, warm and woodsy, lingered in the air, distracting you more than you cared to admit.

There were moments where he'd stretch, his shirt riding up just enough to reveal the faint line of his abs. Or when his knee would press against yours, lingering just a little too long. You'd catch him watching you sometimes, his gaze hooded and thoughtful, but he never said anything.

When the message came from Josh, it wasn't a surprise. A year had passed, and the anniversary of Beth and Hannah's disappearance loomed heavy over all of you.

Mike was with you when you got the text, lounging on your bed with one arm casually supporting his head. He didn't say much when you read it aloud but his jaw tightened and his fingers twitched against the fabric.

The drive up to Blackwood was quiet. Mike insisted on driving, his hands gripping the wheel with more tension than usual. Snow blanketed the winding roads, the mountain looming in the distance like a silent sentinel.

You sat in the passenger seat, stealing glances at him when you thought he wasn't looking. His profile was sharp against the faint glow of the dashboard lights, his expression unreadable. It stayed like that even when you arrived at the lodge. Josh greeted you with his usual grin, but there was a hollowness in his eyes that hadn't been there before.

The group trickled in slowly, the reunion was bittersweet, filled with awkward hugs and forced smiles.

It had been almost a year since that night at the lodge, but your thoughts were miles away. Or rather, they were a year behind.

You hated this. Hated how your mind constantly circled back to that night, grasping at fragments that never fully materialized. You despised how you couldn't remember anything but what you hated most of all were the looks of pity from your friends whenever you asked about it.

They never gave you answers, just vague reassurances that it wasn't your fault, their eyes filled with that awful sympathy that made your stomach turn. How could they know that? You didn't even know what had happened.

But you didn't feel better off. You felt lost. And being back here, on this mountain, felt like reopening a wound that had never really healed.

You stepped outside for a quick run, plugging your earbuds and moving, hoping the rhythm of your steps would stir up fragments of forgotten memories, buried deep within the corners of your mind.

A sudden, sharp sting struck the middle of your back, jolting you from your rhythm. You stumbled to a stop, pulling out one earbud as you spun around. A snowball, already disintegrating into a puff of white, rested in the tracks you'd left behind.

Standing a few yards away, panting hard with his hands on his knees, was Mike. His breath came in visible bursts, his cheeks flushed from exertion. That damn smirk of his, cocky and self-assured, spread across his face as he straightened.

"You forgot this," he called, holding up your phone. The device gleamed in the sunlight, its screen dotted with melted snowflakes and the music you put on still going.

You frowned, realizing you must have left it untouched on the couch. As you walked back toward him, he closed the distance, holding it out. "Seriously, though, what are you training for? The Olympics?"

"Thanks," you said, snatching the phone from his hand with a grin. "Maybe you're just slow." There wasn’t even a signal here, why did he make all of this effort to bring it to you?

"Maybe you're trying to ditch me," he retorted, stepping closer. The smirk softened slightly as his eyes flickered behind you, scanning the trail to ensure no one else was there. "Kinda hurts, y'know."

Your heart raced for reasons that had nothing to do with your jog. "Oh, yeah? I'll be sure to write you an apology letter."

"Don't need a letter," he murmured, his voice dropping. "I'm more of a face-to-face guy."

The snow crunched beneath your boots as you walked side by side with Mike, the cold biting at your exposed skin. The air was sharp and still, the kind of quiet that made even your shallow breaths seem loud. You and Mike didn't have a real place to reach, you just had to be there for each other.

Mike's voice pulled you from your spiraling thoughts. "You've been quiet," he said, his tone soft but probing. "What's on your mind?"

Before you could answer, the trail curved and the remnants of yellow police tape caught your eye. It flapped weakly in the wind, still attached to the trees like a ghostly reminder. Your steps faltered, and Mike noticed immediately.

"You okay?" he asked, stepping closer. His brows knit together in concern as he studied your face.

You swallowed hard, your throat suddenly dry. "They... they never closed the case, did they?"

Mike shook his head, his gaze moving from the tapes to you. "No. They didn't."

Your hand instinctively went to your forehead, fingers brushing the spot where you'd hit the rock that night. The dull ache of memory lingered there, even after all this time.

"Do you remember anything?" Mike's question was hesitant, like he wasn't sure he wanted to know the answer.

You hesitated, then nodded slowly. "Last night, I had a dream," you began, your voice quiet but steady. "At least, I thought it was just a dream. But now, being here... it feels more real.”

Mike's expression shifted, a flicker of anxiety. "What happened in the dream?"

You took a shaky breath, your eyes fixed on the tapes covered in snow. "I was talking to Beth. She looked so real, like I could reach out and touch her. She said something about Hannah. I... I don't know. It's all so jumbled."

Tears pricked your eyes as you continued. "I remember trying to follow her. And then there were these sounds of animals. Something pushed me and I fell. That's when I woke up."

Your fingers pressed against your head, right where the rock had hit you. The sensation made your stomach twist. "It's just... it's all so confusing."

Mike took a step closer, his voice gentle but insistent. "Hey. Look at me." When you raised your eyes to meet his, his expression was serious. "Don’t push yourself. If you don't remember, maybe it's better that way."

You hesitated, then reached out, taking his hand in both of yours. Your grip was firm, almost desperate. "Mike, Please. I need to know. Why did Hannah run away that night?"

The question hung in the air and you felt Mike stiffen beneath your touch. His jaw tightened, his eyes flickering with conflict. For a moment, you thought he might not answer at all.

"It was supposed to be a joke," he said finally, his voice barely above a whisper. He pulled his hand away, running it through his hair as he took a step back. "A stupid, harmless prank. Something Jess came up with to stop Hannah’s weird obsession with me. That's all it was supposed to be."

Your stomach dropped. "What do you mean?"

He looked at you then, his gaze pleading. "We didn't think she'd take it so hard, you know? But when she saw everyone she ran. And then Beth went after her. You know the rest." He trailed off.

You stared at him, disbelief and anger bubbling up inside you. "So you're telling me you humiliated her? In front of everyone? That's why she ran out into the cold?" Your voice rose, incredulous. You stepped back, shaking your head as anger ross to the surface.

Mike's face twisted in anguish, his own voice rising defensively. "It wasn't supposed to end like that—"

"Wasn't supposed to what, Michael? Run? Disappear? Die?" Your voice shattered on the last word and you shoved him lightly in the chest, your anger boiling over. "You knew what she felt for you! How could you think that was okay?"

"I know!" he shouted, his voice echoing through the trees. "I know we screwed up! I know I screwed up, okay? But it wasn't supposed to end like that!" His voice wavered and for the first time, you saw the cracks in his composure. “I didn’t want you to think i was some asshole” he was scared of losing you. He didn’t think he’d have to deal with this after all of this time. "I didn’t wanted you to stress or feel guilty at thinking that you could have done something"

You took a step back, your breath coming in short gasps, your heart pounding like it was about to rip through your ribs. His gaze softened, a painful sort of regret in it, but you couldn’t bring yourself to look away. He was scared of losing you. Afraid of being nothing but the mistake you couldn’t forgive.

“I couldn't stand the thought of you looking at me like you are right now.“ His eyes searched yours desperately, his breath shaky as if every word he was saying was dragging him deeper into the hole he’d dug for himself. You could see the pain in his face, the regret that tore him up from the inside. “I didn’t want you to stress or feel guilty to think that you could’ve done something but failed miserably. I was trying to protect you," he said weakly.

His words hit you like a slap, reopening the wound of that night. You stepped back again, your chest heaving with the weight of everything he was saying. All you could hear was the deafening roar of your own heartbeat.

“You weren't protecting me," you snapped. "You were protecting yourself. Your image, You kept this from me because you were too scared to own up to what you did."

Tears stung your eyes as you turned, marching back toward the lodge, each step fueled by adrenaline. Your mind was a storm of anger, betrayal, heartbreak, all crashing into each other and leaving you feeling raw and exposed. Behind you, you could hear Mike's footsteps crunching in the snow as he followed.

"Hey! Wait!" Mike called after you. You didn't stop. You didn't even turn around.

"Will you just listen to me?" he called, his voice desperate.

"I don't want to hear it," you shot back, not stopping.

He followed you all the way into the lodge, the warmth of the interior doing little to melt the ice in your veins. You stormed into your room, slamming the door behind but Mike caught it before it closed, slipping inside before you could lock him out.

"I said leave me alone," you muttered desperately at this point, your headache flaring as the tension in the room reached a breaking point.

"I'm not leaving until you hear me out," he raised his voice, his voice firm.

You tried to push him toward the door, your hands on his chest, but he wouldn't budge. "Mike, I can't do this right now. I need time to think-“

Before you could finish, his hands shot up to cup your face and his lips crashed against yours. The kiss was rough, desperate and completely unexpected. It silenced your protests, your words melting into a muffled gasp as he poured everything he couldn't say into the kiss—his guilt, his fear, his love for you.

For a moment, you froze, your mind racing. But then, against your better judgment, you found yourself kissing him back, your hands fisting in the fabric of his jacket as the anger blended with everything else.

When he finally pulled back, his forehead resting against yours, his breath was shaky. "I'm sorry," he whispered, his voice raw. "For everything. I'm sorry."

Mike's lips were on you before your mind could catch up, rough and desperate, dragging across your neck with a frantic intensity that left you breathless. The cold wall behind you was a sharp contrast to the heat of his body pressed firmly against yours, his chest solid and unyielding as he caged you in. You hated how easily your body responded to him, how even now, with anger boiling beneath your skin, his touch made your pulse race.

"Don't leave me," he murmured against your neck, his voice cracking, barely above a whisper. His light beard scraped your skin, the sensation a pleasant tickle. "Please. Don't."

You hated him. God, you hated him in this moment for the prank, for the lies, for keeping the truth from you for an entire year.

But you also loved him. Loved him too much to ignore the ache in his voice, the raw desperation in the way he kissed you, like he was trying to hold onto you with everything he had left.

Your emotions were a storm, a chaotic swirl of love, anger, betrayal and longing. How could he do this to you? How could you still want him so badly after everything he'd just admitted? You clenched your fists, trying to push him away, but he caught your wrists, pinning them gently but firmly against the wall above your head.

His lips trailed lower, finding the sensitive spot at the base of your neck and you let out a shaky breath despite yourself. His kisses were softer there, almost reverent, as if he were apologizing with every press of his lips. But the soft apologies were interspersed with rougher ones. Teeth grazing, tongue lapping, his beard burning against your skin as he claimed you inch by inch.

"You don't get to-" you started, but his mouth cut you off, his lips capturing yours in another bruising kiss. It was messy, all tongue and teeth, his desperation bleeding into yours as he tried to pour every unsaid word, every ounce of regret, into the kiss. You kissed him back just as fiercely, your teeth catching his bottom lip before your tongues tangled together, fighting for dominance.

He pressed into you harder, one of his hands releasing your wrists to wrap around your waist, his fingers digging into your sides like he was afraid you'd disappear. The other hand slid lower, cupping the curve of your ass and lifting you slightly off the ground.

"Mike-" you gasped, but he swallowed the sound, his lips moving to your jaw, then back to your neck.

Your legs wrapped around his waist instinctively, pulling him closer even as your mind screamed at you to stop. The wall was unforgiving against your back, but Mike's body was warm and solid, anchoring you in a way that made you hate him and need him all at once.

His fingers moved to your belt, undoing it with a quick flick of his hand. His breath hitched as he pulled your pants down just enough for your ass to be exposed, the cool air hitting your skin and making you shiver.

His hand slipped between your legs, his touch impatient and unrelenting as he found your entrance, his fingers pressing against you with a sense of urgency. You bit your lip hard, trying to keep quiet, but a small sound escaped as he pushed one finger inside, the stretch sharp and sudden

"So tight," he muttered, his voice low and wrecked. He added another finger almost immediately, scissoring them quickly, his other hand wrapping around your length and stroking you in time with his movements.

Your head fell back against the wall, a shaky moan escaping before you could stop it. You hated how easily he unraveled you, how your body betrayed you with every gasp and shiver.

"Mike," you said again, this time his name coming out as more of a plea.

"Just let me make it up to you," he whispered, his lips finding your ear. "Please. Let me show you."

You didn't respond, couldn't respond. Your hands found his shoulders, gripping tight as he prepped you with a frantic kind of precision, his fingers stretching you faster than he usually would. He wasn't being gentle, and you didn't want him to be, not right now.

When he finally pulled his fingers away, you felt the loss acutely, but it didn't last long. He shifted, pressing his hips against yours and you felt the thick length of him brushing against your entrance. He paused just long enough to look at you, his eyes searching yours for any sign of hesitation.

You nodded, your voice barely a whisper. "Do it."

He didn't need to be told twice. He pushed inside slowly, the stretch burning in a way that made your toes curl. He was big and the feeling of him filling you completely left you breathless. You clenched your teeth, digging your nails into his shoulders as he bottomed out, his hips pressing flush against yours.

"God," he groaned, his voice strained as he buried his face in your neck. "So fucking perfect."

You couldn't speak, couldn't think. Love, hate, anger, need all blended inside of you, something that had you arching against him despite the ache in your chest.

Mike pulled back slightly before thrusting into you again, the movement rough and unrelenting. His hand gripped your thigh, holding you in place as he set a punishing rhythm, each thrust hitting deep and hard.

Your hands slid to his back, fisting in his shirt as you tried to muffle the sounds escaping your lips. The last thing you needed was someone walking in on you and Mike like this, locked in a battle of lust and emotions that neither of you could control.

"Say you're mine," he growled against your neck, his teeth grazing your skin. "Say it."

You didn't answer, your head thrown back as his hips snapped against yours.

"Say it," he repeated, his voice rough and commanding

"I hate you," you gasped, though the words lacked conviction.

"No, you don't," he shot back, his thrusts becoming harder, deeper. "Say it."

You broke, your voice cracking as you moaned, "I'm yours."

The words seemed to spur him on, his pace quickening as he held you tighter, his lips finding yours in a kiss that was just as desperate as his movements. You kissed him back with everything you had, pouring your anger and love and need into him as he pushed you closer and closer to the edge.

When you finally came, your entire body tensing as pleasure crashed over you. Mike wasn't far behind, his movements becoming erratic before he buried himself inside you one last time, a guttural groan escaping as he came.

The two of you stayed like that for a moment, his forehead resting against yours as you both tried to catch your breath. The air between you was heavy, charged with unspoken emotions.

Finally, Mike spoke, his voice barely above a whisper. "I'm sorry,” his voice so quiet you almost didn't hear it.

You opened your eyes, meeting his gaze. He looked... broken. The confident, cocky Mike Munroe was gone, replaced by a man who was baring himself entirely, leaving every flaw and fear exposed.

"I want to hate you. God, I want to hate you for what you did. For lying to me. But—" You sighed, your fingers curling into his shirt. "I don't think I can." you admitted, your voice steady but low.

His hands tightened ever so slightly on your waist, relief flickering across his face before it was replaced with remorse. "I'm gonna make it up to you," he said, his tone firm. "Every damn day if I have to. I swear."

You wanted to believe him. And maybe, despite everything, you already did. But trust wasn't something that could be rebuilt overnight, and you both knew it.

Stepping away from the wall, you let your hands fall to your sides. Mike followed your movement, his hands still hovering, as though afraid to touch you without your permission. You gave him a small nod, a silent reassurance, and he finally relaxed, stepping back just enough to give you space.

"Let's go," you said after a beat, pulling your shirt back into place and brushing at the wrinkles.

He frowned, confused. "Go where?"

"To that chalet Josh mentioned," you said simply, glancing toward the window. "Want to get away for a bit?"

Mike blinked, surprised, but he nodded. "Yeah. Yeah, of course."

You grabbed your coat from the bed, pulling it on as you headed for the door. Mike followed, hesitating for a moment before tentatively reaching for your hand. You let him take it, though the gesture felt heavier now, weighted with unspoken promises and unresolved tension.

The two of you stepped out into the cold, the snow crunching underfoot as you made your way back to the trail. The walk was quiet, but it wasn't the same silence as before. There was something unspoken between you, a fragile truce that held for now. The anger was still there, simmering beneath the surface, but so was the love, the connection that had grown between you over the past year.

You glanced at Mike. He caught your gaze, offering you a small, tentative smile. It wasn't his usual smirk, full of bravado and charm. It was quieter, softer, and somehow more real.

You returned the smile, albeit faintly, before looking ahead again.

For now, it felt like maybe, you could find your way back to each other.

And maybe that was enough. For now.

Note: if you liked this, please leave a comment. I love reading them <3

[witchesroad]

hannah’s diary is the saddest clue in until dawn, exhibit A:

“i really think josh is doing better now that he's out of the hospital. i saw him today and he seemed better. he's pretty upbeat, but he talked like he's been doing therapy for such a long time. i guess i didn't know. mom and dad never let on. funny how you can not even know your own brother. i kinda need a good cry thinking about how lonely he must feel...”

this says so much about how much josh was already struggling before the disappearance of his sisters, and what his relationship with them was like. they were so close and yet he still managed to hide an integral part of himself from them. hannah realizes there’s more to josh than meets the eye and her first instinct is to think of his feelings and how terrible it must be to feel so isolated. they loved each other so much. i’m sick

[pavi-kinnie]

Since the Until Dawn remake has come out and all of the fans have come out of the woodwork, casual reminder for artists that Rami Malek is not a white man, please stop drawing Josh as some random white dude.

Yes, Rami Malek is pale, but both of his parents are Egyptian immigrants. He is still very much not a white person, he has a tan, and the remake does a good job of pointing that out. Yes he's still pale, so you can draw him that way, but I saw too much fanart when the game first released where Josh had the same damn skin tone as Chris and Sam.

Josh, Hannah, and Beth are not white. The actress for Hannah and Beth is also a first-generation American to ethnic parents.

[nearlydawn]

nights like this.

⋆ pairing: josh washington x fem!reader ⋆ genre: fluff ⋆ warnings: no y/n, just slight flirting, mutual pining, before prologue ⋆ wc: about 3.1k ⋆ note: not proofread, expect part two ⋆ requested: no

masterlist ⋆ about ⋆ ask

tuesday, 7:56 pm.

both you and josh had been planning this night for what felt like weeks—a movie night. to be frank, neither of you are very coordinated when planning hangouts, but when you stepped inside and saw nothing laid out—blankets, snacks, drinks—or even a recorded movie ready—you knew this was going to be a mess, a small frown tugging at the corners of your lips.

sometimes things are better done spur of the moment! josh sheepishly let you in, insisting he forgot, but you knew he didn't—he couldn't have. texts back and forth every day talking about how excited you were proved that—not to mention hannah and beth were trying to tidy things up in the living room, waving at you with smiles on their faces. "i'm sorry—really—i'll get popcorn going," he rushed out, shaking his head softly as he made his way into the kitchen. you could've sworn he was blushing. from embarrassment. obviously. you didn't mind in the long run. you were here, and now the party was really going to get started. "it's alright, josh."

-

you sat criss-cross on the washington’s couch, remote in hand as you scrolled absentmindedly through the channels. josh, on the other hand, was in the kitchen whipping up popcorn. you were supposed to be looking for movies… but nothing seemed to be on tonight. nothing interesting, at least. it bored you to the point you were lost in thought while clicking the down button. their house was one you'd been in many times, and honestly you treated it like your own—albeit a bit better since you wanted to make a good impression. every time you arrived you just felt an immense sense of comfort, like you were wrapped in a warm blanket the second your foot hit the hardwood floor. but i guess that's just the effect the washington's have. on everything, really. whenever you get texts from them you're unable to hide the smile from your face.

the subtle pops and snaps of the kernels filled your ears, as well as the overwhelming smell of butter. it was a nice contrast to the frustration you were feeling... just seeing the same shit as you switched channels—almost to the point where you just wanted to take that dumb, plastic remote and throw it at the screen. deep breaths, you said. just take a deep breath.

click after click, channel after channel, nothing. the only things coming up were reality tv, animal planet—hell, judge judy. honestly, you could've settled for something dumb like 'ridiculousness' or 'the impractical jokers', but you desperately wanted to find a horror movie. you know. that cliché movie scene where the girl clings to the guys arm helplessly as she pretends to be scared—nuzzling her face into his shoulder to 'hide' from the absolute terror on screen. and then the boy consoles her, telling her that there's nothing to be afraid of, but deep down the girl just wanted an excuse to be by him. -

“aye, ya find anything?” he walked up behind you, a dopey grin on his face. his hands rested just behind your head, leaning on the couch. his voice broke you out of your small fantasy... unfortunately. you glanced behind yourself, thumb still auto-pressing like a zombie. “nope. no luck,” you sigh, scrolling so far you reached static.

“mm, well, i'm pretty sure i have dvds lying around somewhere,” he shrugged, patting your shoulder gently as he stepped back.

“now that's more like it.” you smiled with relief, setting the remote down by your side as your hands came to rub your face. "any idea where they are?"

you stood up from the couch, circling it as you followed him back into the kitchen. josh hummed softly, trying to think whilst pouring the popcorn into a medium sized tin bowl.

“they’re either in my room or my sisters, i’d assume,” he concluded, shooting you a knowing look. “we’re all movie people.”

you nodded, walking over to the fridge as you grabbed two bottles of water. “i can go check with hannah and beth,” you smiled.

hannah and beth. they had left the living room in silence the second they were done organizing—no hello or hug like usual. it was a bit strange, but you chose not to question it. i mean, they were only helping him, you know.

your hand lingered on the fridge handle for a moment, closing it quietly as you walked back to the couch. the cold of the water bottles were beginning to burn your hand—a sensation you never enjoyed. quickly, you set them down on coasters on the coffee table, wiping the condensation on your pants.

“so you don’t want to come to my room with me?” he teased, following after you as he brought the popcorn out.

“ew, josh,” a slight scoff escaped your lips, faint blush dusting your cheeks. “i’d much rather talk to your sisters.”

you feigned annoyance, but the smile creeping up on your face clearly said otherwise. it was incredibly hard to hide the fact his little comment made your heart race and all of your blood rush to your face.

silence fell between the two of you—a tension filled silence. your heartbeat echoed in your ears, trying to steady your breathing. his eyes scanned over your face, and suddenly the world seemed to stop. the glow of the tv seemed to illuminate his face perfectly—accentuating all his features. it was like he was luring you in. a sort of magnetic pull that just had you absolutely captivated.

conflicting feelings arose in your mind. it was a known fact that you liked josh—but should you act on them? your heart wanted you to walk forward and close the distance, but your mind was unsure. you were good friends, sure, but it was far-fetched to say he felt the same. he was unobtainable in your book.

“suit yourself,” he grinned, shrugging nonchalantly.

the second time you were broken out of your thoughts.

his voice was smooth—the way he replied igniting a spark within yourself. he turned around almost as soon as he spoke, disappearing into the hallway that led to his room. as his footsteps slowly dissipated, you finally exhaled. honestly, you didn’t even know you were holding your breath.

but, did he always look at you like that?

- the walls of their home were decorated in a plethora of family photos, some of just them individually. there weren't many of josh, but the ones they did have up were cute, mostly him as a little boy with a goofy grin on his face. excited about his first day of kindergarten—catching his first fish—all his milestones. you couldn't help but look at all of them as you wandered around in attempt to find hannah or beth. you envied the washington's a bit—a well off family with a big house that just so happened to own an entire fucking mountain, not to mention the lodge and other buildings on that property. (dare i say nepo-children?). no matter how many times you were in that house, you only seemed to remember where hannah's room was, aside from the living room. your footsteps were quiet as you navigated, walking up the staircase with your left hand on the railing. as you reached the top of the steps, you b-lined it to hannah's room, knocking on her door gently. you could the muffled sounds of laughter, followed by soft steps as the door swung open—beth greeted you with a tight hug. hannah was sitting on the floor in front of a line-up of nail polishes. fun! "hey," she grinned as your name fell from her lips, "long time no see! i thought you and josh were supposed to be watching a movie?" she let her hands fall to your sides, holding your arms as she gently shook your body back and forth. "yeah, we were going to—" you smiled, laughing a bit as she took your hand and brought you into the room, "i came to ask if you guys had any dvds. he said they might be in here." the twins shared knowing glances, and they both nodded as they looked back at you—almost in sync. it was scary. were you first hand experiencing twin telepathy? they had a full-on conversation with their eyes alone. "they're in my room, i'll take you." beth took your hand in hers again, leading you out of hannah's room almost as soon as you arrived. you quickly waved to hannah, mouthing 'bye' as you were practically dragged through the endless hallway. a couple turns away and you were in front of her door. a small, mischievous smile tugged at the corner of her lips, glancing between you and the door as she opened it. "can i tell you something?" it came off as a question, but you knew she was going to say it anyway. beth walked straight to her bedside, picking up a stack of movie cases. you stood in the doorway, leaning on the doorframe with you arms crossed. a bit skeptical, you nodded, "of course." she almost seemed giddy at your reply, walking calmly over to you to hand you the tapes. there was an expression you couldn't quite read on her face. it was like she was excited—but also like she wanted to hide it at the same time. your arms opened to take the dvds, holding them to your chest as you read the titles from the top down, slipping the case to the bottom of the stack once you were done. "i'm pretty sure josh has a thing for you," beth started, tucking her bottom lip in between her teeth. she was trying to shut herself up, but honestly she couldn't keep it in any longer. your eyes flicked between the names of the movies and her face, your brows furrowing. she knew something you didn't. "what do you mean?" curiosity laced your voice but your eyes never met. you avoided her gaze. she leaned on the wall beside you, watching as you were suddenly so focused on reading all of the movie titles. "well, for starters, you are the only girl he's ever invited over to the house," beth nodded, sticking out a hand to count how many things she was listing off. she stuck her thumb out. "the only time he ever sees sam and the others are when we go to the lodge or hang out as a group." you hummed a small 'mhm', wanting her to continue. to say you were intrigued would be an understatement—you wanted to hear more, needed to hear more. just a half hour ago you were trying to convince yourself it was too good to be true, and now you weren't so sure. "and, he keeps asking han and i what kind of things you're into." she stuck out her pointer finger.

resting her head on the wall behind her as she looked up at the ceiling, she continued: "he's been listening to a lot of fleetwood mac ever since we mentioned it to him."

a small laugh managed to escape you as you listened to her, followed by a gentle nudge on her part. "i'm serious, i've never heard someone listen to gold dust woman so much!"

“maybe he’s just being a good friend—y’know, i always try to get into—“ beth placed her pointer finger to your lips, a quick and silly way to silence you.

“can you just trust me on this one?” her voice was desperate but playfull, her hand dropping to her hip.

a beat of silence fell between you two. it wasn’t awkward, just giving you time to think about it all. and then it dawned on you.

he’d been flirting with you the entire time.

stolen glances, the way his hand brushed against your own, little presents here and there—everything began to make sense. and you looked like a fool. blush instantly rushed to your cheeks, shaking your head as your eyes met beth’s.

“and you’ve known this for how long?”

“about 4 months. he begged us to not say anything—i swore on my life.”

another beat of silence.

“does josh know that i—“ you began, cut off by beth once more, this time by her words.

“nope, not to my knowledge. unless han said something, he is also oblivious.” she reassured, placing a hand on your shoulder.

“is it as painful as watching chris and ashley dance around the topic?” you questioned, tilting your head slightly with a bashful smile on your face.

“worse, actually, way worse. you guys are always so close to making a move, and then you chicken out.”

you shook your head once more, then glanced back down at the movies. they were all comedy except for one—‘the shining’. you’ve already seen it, quite a few times actually, but it wouldn’t hurt to play it. you politely handed the other movies back to beth, tucking the horror case underneath your arm.

her palm fell from your shoulder, taking the movies into her hands as she returned them to her bedside, then right back to the spot she was standing at.

“okay, but, that still doesn’t explain why he ‘forgot’,” you put air quotes up, “about our hangout today. is something up?”

“well,” she sighed, glancing to the floor before she met your eyes again. “i honestly don’t know. i think you just make him nervous, he was kind of just sitting around fidgeting all day.”

you nodded, butterflies swirling in your stomach. you made josh nervous? hell, he made you nervous. palms all sweaty any time you got too close—your body naturally heating up—not to mention how you always get red in the face when he stares at you for too long.

“promise you won’t say anything.”

“i won’t.”

-

eventually, you had made your way back to the living room, this time ignoring the family photos and instead trying to figure out if you were going to say something to josh. each step you took matched your heart beat, nice and steady. that was until you spotted josh on the couch, eyes closed.

your heart fluttered a bit just seeing him. despite only being apart for a couple minutes, you couldn’t help but miss him. it was a familiar feeling, unfortunately, it came with the burden of having a crush on him.

as if he felt your presence (undoubtedly heard your steps), his eyes opened as he turned his head to look in your direction—immediately sitting up straight with a small smile.

“there she is,” he stood up, walking over to meet you in the middle, “i’m guessing they had the movies?”

“mhm,” you nod, handing him the case. “you’ve seen ‘the shining’ before, right?”

he shook his head, taking the dvd into his hand, examining it. his eyes glanced between you and the writing on the case. "horror?" he questioned, sauntering over to the tv—you followed after. "would you rather watch 'pretty woman' or 'ferris bueller's day off' again?" you teased, leaving him to put the movie in while you sat on the couch, sneaking a few pieces of popcorn. josh chuckled gingerly, popping the disc from the holder straight into the dvd player. you changed the hdmi until it displayed the previews for other movies, signifying that you were on the right one. he strolled back over to you, sitting on the other side of the couch. comfortable silence fell between you two as he skipped the previews, immediately turning the movie on. he seemed invested—which was good—but you were starting to get bored. it was a great movie, don't get me wrong, but having seen it a few times... it just wasn't something that sparked your interest. compared to the other movies, this was the best bet. "scared?" you turned your head to look at him, a small smirk on your face. "need someone to hold onto?" "yes, definitely," he retorted, a dramatic flare grazing his voice. josh almost immediately moved closer to you, your knees touching as his arm hung on the spine of the couch—behind your body, of course. "what would i do without you?" you rolled your eyes, graciously accepting the newfound warmth that spread through your body. yes, from the proximity, but also because your heart was racing once more. he seemed so eager to be beside you. which is a good thing. - minutes passed and you found yourself watching josh's face more than the movie. he was completely entranced—hyper-focused on the screen in front of him, oblivious to your fond eyes examining his every expression. and over that time, your positions had changed. his arm was now resting around your shoulders, pulling you (basically) as close as possible, with your legs touching, both of you glued to each other. you could feel each time he was startled—his body tensing—then relaxing. eventually you decided to watch the movie, your eyes returning to the bloody horror that was being displayed. your head rested on his chest, and you wrapped your arms around his abdomen—a lazy hug, but also because it was more comfortable this way. you swore you could feel his heart rate pick up. "scared?" he mocked, glancing down at you. you scoffed, shaking your head gently against his body. “if anyone’s scared it’s you,” you retorted, looking up at him through your eyelashes.

josh looked back down at you, this time holding the eye contact. both of your eyes simultaneously flicked between the others eyes and lips—the two of you thinking the same thing.

your lips parted almost instinctively, both of you leaning in—

“am i interrupting something?”

hannah’s voice cut through the tension like a knife—neither of you even heard her coming. you sat up quickly, blush evident on your cheeks.

“not at all,” josh replied, his arm still around hour shoulders—he seemed rather calm—but his body was tense against yours.

you didn’t want to admit it, but it was so excruciatingly obvious she interrupted something. with the way she was grinning, she had to have known it too.

a small smile fell on your lips, looking at her, that same mischievous smile that her sister wore was now on her face.

beth was right. you and josh dance around the topic too much—at this point, you need to come up with your own choreography for it. the fact you two almost kissed—faces so close—yet so far.

how long were you going to have to wait for it to happen again?

thank you all for being so patient while i took my time writing this. pretty sure i experienced writers block lmao? i got kind of lazy halfway through but hope you enjoyed!!! let me know what you think in the comments pretty plzz tried to hurry this shit out like 3 days ago and got bored but now i REALLY had to have it done by today so i could watch arcane s2 LMAOO also i'd like to say that i got my layout inspo from ruewrote, so thank you for having a blog (lol)