We are like young volcanoes

“I mean, I get it by now”, he chuckles, still a little awkward. After everything they’ve been through, Chris still gets red at the implication that Josh likes him naked. Honestly, it’s a joke.

He can’t offer more than a blinking stare at Josh’s display at first. Holy shit. And okay yes, he’s definitely impressed and more than a little nervous and also weirdly aroused. But, for a lack of putting all of these things in words, all that leaves his lips is a lame “Dude, what the fuck.”

The sun has been high and warm all day, Josh's exact reason for staying inside until now. He doesn't quite have to avoid the sun the same way the full wendigos do. Sunset and sunrise aren't a problem for him. But the daily sun is too bright, too hot for him to deal with for anything more than a handful of seconds, so he just doesn't bother.

Maybe he’s just worrying for nothing.

Ironically enough Connor crosses his mind, telling him to get over his low self-esteem. Connor, who, probably, is banging some hot teacher right now or the guy at their local drug store that always lets his eyes linger on his ass. Oliver’s knuckles are white when he grips the door too tightly to open it.

He finds his date for the night, Josh, exactly where he had promised to be, and Oliver hates how nervous he is. It’s been so long since he casually hooked up. Met a guy who he knows wants to take him home at the end of the day (because why else would you be on Humpr?). 

With greetings gotten out of the way, Josh takes a few moments to study Oliver. While his gaze is concentrated, it isn't particularly hungry or rushed. He looks him over with an artist's eye instead of leering at him like he's a piece of meat. Enjoys the soft curve of his eyes and the wrinkles beneath them. Combined with those dimples, he can tell Oliver must be one of those guys who smiles with his whole face.

Maybe he can get him to smile that way tonight.

Then he opened his mouth.

Yeah, he deserved it.

“I said fuck you, Josh, and it’s real nice knowing that you hate us all so much that nothing short of another coastline would be enough distance between us for you. Warms my heart to know that’s how much our friendship was ever worth to you.” She turned away from him, then, because she could just barely hear her voice starting to shake with rage and she was finding herself tempted enough to literally kick him while he was down that it was actually sort of scaring her.

And somewhere, just on the other side of that wall of pure, unadulterated rage, she could feel everything else weighing down on her heavily, waiting to slip through the cracks—five years of hurt and bitterness and mourning and longing that had come from missing him in those quiet moments when he leaked back into her mind—and she would be damned if she mortified herself by letting him see any of that after he’d made it clear he must not have cared for her like she did him, because he didn’t want her in his life and couldn’t be assed to tell her to her face like she mattered.

Two furious paces to get her bearings, and then Sam whirled on him again, eyes flashing. Anger. Anger was good. Anger he could see, he had earned anger. “What are you doing here, Joshua?” She spat the name, one that had once only left her lips laced with affection, with more venom than she’d known herself capable of, but her tone was quieter now—calmer, almost, and more tired, but with fury still coursing beneath the surface, plain as day.

…maybe he’s looking to get a swift kick to the nuts as well.

He’s glad for the small respite he’s given, watching her pace a bit as he continues to rub at his jaw. There’s going to be some massive bruising that makes him glad his spot on set is strictly behind the camera. He’ll have to set up a dentist appointment before they start shooting, which is meant to be in just a few days. And if this ringing in his head didn’t stop, they may be out of a cinematographer anyways—

And she is talking again. Based on how angry it sounds, he should probably start listening.

“I live in New York now, Samantha. Enough people tell you that the place will be drowning in a few years thanks to global warming and you really start to care about the big stuff.” Honestly, Joshua, why are you even bothering to talk? While his jaw wasn’t dislocated—he knew the feeling well enough from when he’d fallen from a treehouse when he was a kid—it definitely wasn’t pleasant to be running his mouth when he’d quite possibly have a concussion to deal with. Maybe.

Fuck. Sorry, Daniela. None of that sexy rope stuff tonight. He’d likely have to be flirting it up with the nurses. At least he may not have to cut drugs out of his nightly plans.

There are people starting to look over at them, trying to get a feel for what exactly had just happened. Josh realizes with a start that he may have just cost Sam her job. He’ll have to talk to her boss about that, make sure he tells them that he’s only going to press charges if they decide to fire Sam. He’s not going to let her take the fall for giving him something he probably really deserves.

Connor isn’t here to see him leave either and that’s honestly just fine with him.

[09:15:12 PM] drinks are good [09:16:48 PM] just tell me where you want to meet

He gets up, grabs his jackiet, then stops to worry about his appearance. Granted, he always wears suits to work, so he looks decent enough he supposes. No need for his…date? to know that he’s been at work in this.

Philly is busy and bustling, even at night, but it’s nothing in comparison to the city he’s been calling home for a while now. So the walk to his destination ends up being decently pleasant, even as he does need to take some detours to avoid too-dark streets.

The place is packed as he enters, understandably, but it’s definitely a place where talking is meant to be encouraged instead of dancing and heavy music. He picks up a drink for himself, a simple gin and tonic, letting him know that he and one other will be on his tab before he goes to find a table.

He reads through the messages, then taps the profile of this Josh guy to look over it. He seems cute enough, with dark, intelligent eyes and a clever smile. For a moment he wonders if the other guy even read Oliver’s profile, and then he wonders if it would be weird to ask him about it. 

Oliver hesitates a few seconds, then glances around the room once more. It feels…strange, but that’s what moving on is like, after all, right?

[09:11:24 PM] coffee sounds good [09:12:03 PM] when are you free?

[09:13:10 PM] guess it’s kind of late now for coffee huh? [09:13:50 PM] if you’re free for drinks tonight I can do that [09:14:27 PM] but if not I am free all tomorrow so we can do coffee whenever

      “I don’t trust anyone in my life right now except for you.