Someday: A Collection of Joshaya One Shots

Enjoying the Storm

A/N: Anyone else sick of winter? My hometown has had more than an inch of snow on the ground for almost two straight months and it literally snows every other day with wind chills below zero. It's been miserable! So, we're thinking warm thoughts with a series of spring one shots. Hope you all enjoy!

Josh's POV

It was my mother's idea to start a garden. I don't know what she was thinking considering she's never been able to keep any plant alive...ever. But my dad is incapable of saying no to her. "Mom," I sigh, standing up from my kneeled position on the ground; my jeans quite literally soiled considering the garden's soil is what's ruined them. "What if the soil isn't the problem." I ask gently.

Everything my mother has planted thus far has already died or is well on it's way to death and her solution was better soil which could make sense if she actually knew the soil was the specific problem in her garden. But instead, she had Googled what may be wrong with a dying garden and picked the easiest solution on the list. "Well, we'll just have to wait and see" she replies, dusting off her hands as a sudden crack of thunder sounds around us.

The sky had darkened considerably and the smell of rain is unmistakable. "Maybe we should get inside" I suggest. The small greenhouse that dad had built was sturdy but only to a fault. I was convinced it would take one severe storm to bring the whole thing tumbling down.

"Perhaps" she agrees. "C'mon." Picking up her gardening supplies, she makes for the door but to our surprise, the door flings open before she has a chance to grab the handle.

"Oh." Maya exclaims in surprise, clearly not expecting us at the other side of the door. "Alan didn't tell me that you were both out here." The gorgeous blonde I've been lucky enough to call mine for a little over three months now stands on the opposite side of the threshold, her eyes trailing past my mother towards me. I offer her a small, awkward wave and she smiles.

After years of waiting for someday me and Maya had finally made things officially official the day after Valentine's Day, insisting that the holiday had too much hype already without making it our anniversary. The weeks and months since had been the very best of my life and knowing that she was going to be attending NYU with me this coming fall only made me more excited for what the future held for us.

"Hello honey." Mom moves towards my girlfriend and kisses her cheek. "It's nice to see you." Glancing over her shoulder at me, her lips quirk into a teasing smirk. "And I'm sure Josh would agree."

"...me? Yea. Of course" I stutter, as if I haven't been exclusive with Maya for months. I thought that the whole stumbling over yourself at the mere sight of a person was supposed to stop after you've begun dating. Evidently not.

"I'll leave the two of you alone." Mom states decisively, "but please make your way inside soon. The weather appears to be taking a turn." Maya nods, assuring my mother that we'll be right behind her before the door clicks shut and we're left alone.

"Hey." I greet her, my voice the height of nonchalance despite the way my heart is racing.

"Hi." She replies giddily, skipping towards me. "Sorry I just sorta dropped in." She apologizes before beginning to ramble. "Shawn is on assignment for a few days, mom is busy at the café this afternoon and Riley is caught up spending as much time with Lucas as is humanely possible before his big move back to Texas-."

"Maya." Stepping towards her, I reach out to cup her cheek and smile; my own jumbled nerves settling as I pull her into my embrace. "You don't have to apologize for wanting to come see me." I catch her lips in a quick kiss. "I missed you."

Beaming back at me, she nods in agreement. "I missed you too." Another crack of thunder shakes the greenhouse and Maya eyes the walls skeptically, our mushy moment rudely interrupted. "Perhaps though we should take our reunion inside...where the four walls surrounding us are less likely to be blown away."

Chuckling, I nod in agreement and take her hand in mine. It's definitely not the first time we've held hands but the contact still sends that same spark of electricity up my arm as it did that afternoon at the ski lodge. "C'mon." Tugging her out the door and into the rain, we're drenched immediately.

Maya chuckles, trying to use her other arm to shield her head but it's useless. It's pouring. Finally giving up, she drops my hand and stops in the middle of my yard. I only get a few steps ahead before I turn back to look at her in confusion. "You know" she shouts over the rain, "I've always wanted to dance in the rain."

Lifting my gaze to the sky, I shake my head. "Maya, it is quite literally pouring...and lightning." To emphasize my point, a strike of lightning illuminates the sky above us. Maya only laughs, pushing her hair off her forehead.

She throws her hands up in nonchalance. "Life isn't about waiting for the storm to pass, Joshua." She holds her hand out, palm up. "Dance with me." She pleads, her eyes blinking away the rain collected on her lashes. Her outfit, a pair of jean shorts and a black tank top are completely soaked through, clinging to her body like a second skin and I'm finding it quite hard to deny her.

Despite the thunder and lightning surrounding us.

Taking the few steps to close the distance between us, I catch her by the waist and pull her petite frame against mine. She gasps, lifting her eyes to mine and the smallest of smiles tugs at her lips. "Is that a yes?"

Chuckling, I lift my hand to spin her around and her melodious laughter drowns out every thunderous sound around us. We begin to move to a silent soundtrack, our bodies following each other's lead until finally, I extend my arm out to spin her outwards, her feet gliding across the slick lawn flawlessly before I tug her back and she stumbles into my arms ungracefully but adorable as ever. Our eyes meet. Our labored breathes leaving our lips in perfect sync and in that moment, I've never felt more enamored by another person.

The way my heart is pounding and the unavoidable want to kiss her and never let her go. I don't know how I didn't see it before. "Maya," exhaling deeply and reaching down to cup her cheek. "I love you." I tell her, the words spilling out and slowly, her lips quirk into a smile that reaches her eyes; the genuine smile she reserves for those closest to her.

"Josh, I love you too" she agrees breathily and when she leans up to kiss me, everything is exactly, perfectly right. Even the rain pouring down around us.