First Impressions

It was my first quiet night in months. I'd made it that way. After the first two weeks had passed without any sign of Josh, and my mood had near completely disintegrated into an abyss, I forced myself into work overdrive, simply so I wouldn't, couldn't think about him.

Now, however, it was a quiet day, I'd done everything that could be done for the time being, and almost instantly my mind had drifted to him once more.

A knock at the door made me jump out of my skin and I cursed as I spilt cold coffee over me, staining my white t-shirt horribly. I calmed my heartbeat as I quickly stood to open the door.
I froze when I opened it. He met my eyes wearily and opened his mouth slowly.
"I'm...sorry. I didn't have anyone else..." He trailed off and almost collapsed. I quickly grabbed hold of him and pulled him inside, setting him down on the couch. He was disorientated, covered in cuts and bruises, his eyebrow and lip were split, sending blood creeping down his face.

"I'm sorry...I...I couldn't think-" He mumbled in a drowsily panicked voice, I hushed him up and made him a drink before fetching medical supplies.

"What happened, Josh?"

"I was...I didn't do anything....they started shouting...I ran and...they just...caught up...they wouldn't stop kicking me...they wouldn't stop....I..." I reached out and pulled him into a gentle hug, he clutched onto me as tightly as his weak, bloody, shaking hands were able to.

"I'm gonna sort this. You're safe now." He just nodded. I waited until his frantic heartbeat had settled into a steady rhythm before letting him go. He was half asleep, so I cleaned up the rest of his visible injuries and took off his coat before pulling a blanket over him and going to bed myself, terrified that in the morning, he would have vanished again.

I woke up to the sound of a thud, then a loud curse. I blinked several times, walking into the living room to see Josh climbing up off the floor.
"Hi."

"Hey, how are you feeling?"

"Like death. Thank you for last night, sorry I was so-"

"Josh you were attacked. You had every right to be shaken up. Anyways, go have a shower, tell me if there's any more damage done." He nodded and left the room. I self consciously felt my cheeks heating up when I realised I was only in my boxers. Thank god he was out the room.

When he returned, all clean and blushing skin from the hot water, I forced the blood away from my cheeks and made myself concentrate on his injuries as opposed to the fact that he was only in a towel.

"Fucking hell." As I took in the blue and purple bruises blossoming across his torso and back, anger rose up in me like I'd never felt before.
"Fucking hell!" I repeated, thumping the door frame angrily. Josh winced slightly.

"Oli it's oka-"

"No it's not. It's not at all. The fact that you think it is just cause you're-"

"It happens. To random people, every single day."

"You need to go to the police." He paled slightly and shook his head.

"No. No that's not necessary."

"Josh-"

"Oli, please." I sighed.

"Are you in some kind of trouble? Is that why you won't go to them?" As soon as I asked I regretted it. Josh's face fell and he looked down at his hands before back up at me in hurt defiance.

"No it's not. But at least I know what you think of me now-" I grabbed hold of him as he tried to push past me, he flinched and looked away, jaw set in determination.

"Josh look at me. Please." His eyes flickered to mine.

"I'm worried is all. I'm sorry, I don't think you're a bad person, I don't think you're capable of anything. Fact is, I don't know you. And you don't have to tell me anything. But I really wish you'd go to the police because no matter what you think of yourself, you don't deserve this." His face softened and he bit his lip, blinking quickly.

"Ok...but can you come with me?"

"Of course. Thank you. Thank you." I hugged him tightly, ignoring the skin-on-skin contact.

I went with him to the police station, I was angered by a few officers nonchalance towards him, but eventfully we were seen to and he was asked to go through mug shots and see if he recognised anyone. Thankfully he did, and a kind policewoman sat and spoke to us, explained that the men were well known to them and it wouldn't be difficult to arrest them for assault. Nor would it be the first time.

Josh was exhausted and in pain by the time we got back to my place, so I made him take a painkiller and sleep in my bed.

I was cooking dinner for both of us when someone knocked on the door. I opened it to see Jordan and Emma.
"Hey! How are you guys?" Jordan sort of pushed his way inside by hugging me and I cringed slightly at the knowledge Josh was in the other room fast asleep.

"Good thanks, good. So we're on our way to an Alt-J concert - we were wondering if you wanted to come with us?"

"Uh thank you but I'm sort of busy tonight." The newlyweds glanced sideways at each other as Oli stirred the Thai food he was making.

"Would that be with this new fella you've met?"

"Lee told you?! For Christ's sake that bloke can't keep his mouth shut-"

"Well??"

"Sort of, I guess, it's not important-"

"How is it not important?! You've fallen for a guy-"

"Urm hi.." Oli jumped out of his skin, dropping the bowls he was holding with a loud smash to the floor.

"Shit!"

"Sorry!! That's my fault, let me-"

"No, no it's fine I got it I got it-" Oli was very conscious of his friends eyes watching them as they politely and embarrassedly argued over who would clear up the mess, and the fact a half naked Josh had just wandered out of his bedroom. He wondered if Josh had heard Emma's words and his cheeks flared up.

"Sorry, leave it Josh. Urm Josh these are my friends Emma and Jordan, they're married, guys this is Josh." Josh crossed the room and shook their hands and smiled that sweet, infectious smile at them before crossing self conscious arms over his bruised, bare chest.

"Nice to meet both of you."

"You too, so are you the guy?" Oli cut himself on the broken china and cursed loudly.

"Are you alright?!" Oli wrapped his hand in a towel, quickly dishing up the food before it spoiled and rushing into the bathroom to escape the eyes on him.

"What um...what guy?"

"The guy that Oli's met! You know THE-" Jordan cut her off with an elbow to her side.

"Anyway. So Josh what happened?"

"Oh...some guys jumped me the night before last." The couple made sympathetic noises and Josh sat down with them, thoughts of what had been said and hushed up in his head.

Oli was relieved when Jordan practically dragged Emma out before she said anything else. Josh was quiet and Oli could still feel his eyes on him when he collected their dinner and handed it to him.

"Thank you. This looks great."

"Well it did before, now it's kind of meh."

"No it looks great. Can I ask you something?" Oli nodded, stomach churning with nerves.

"Whose this guy that you've met, then?"