Your Mind Is A Stream of Colors (ReaderxJosh Kiszka)

Chapter Seven.

That evening, you had spent your time with the families sitting around the fireplace listening to Kelly jam out on his harmonica while the guys played their guitars.  Josh sang along to a few of the old blues songs while you and Ronnie chimed in now and again for a few of the verses.  Afterwards, the lot of you talked and joked and reminisced about memories of the past.  It gave you a warm and welcome feeling being around your favorite people.  The love you felt surrounded by was unmoved as you were continually brought up in their stories. 

One by one, everyone made their way into their rooms to find sleep before the busy morning of packing up and cleaning.  The record player in the corner played Creedence Clearwater Survival's "Pendulum" vinyl softly but no one bothered to turn it off before departing.  The fire blazed bright in the brick alcove in the wall and a few wood wick candles on the table in front of you burned slowly with a quiet crackling sound as the melted wax danced.  It was comforting being by yourself in the cozy environment however, you couldn't shake the feeling you had from earlier about Josh.  He wanted to tell you something and although you had an inkling of what it was, you kept catching yourself second guessing. 

Would Sam be mad at you about your feelings towards Josh and if they were reciprocated, would he be upset with his brother instead?  How would their parents feel?  How would Ronnie feel?  Karen and Ronnie saw firsthand the brunt of them leaving.  They both saw the impact their family had made on you.  More importantly, they saw how easily you folded down into a mere shell of yourself and had to watch you climb back up and straighten yourself out.  You knew it was painful for them to experience.  You and Ronnie were basically the sisters the other had never had.

You felt a lump of unease rise in your throat. Josh wouldn't just not say anything to you. There wouldn't be much time in the morning for conversation and honestly you didn't know when you would get the opportunity to see him again. You knew he had moved to Nashville with the guys and that was more than just a day trip away. Once he went back home, that would be it. There almost wasn't even a purpose for anything you hoped would be.

As if he had been reading your mind, Josh came sauntering down the hallway from one of the bedrooms. He was shirtless with a pair of red striped pajama bottoms on. His bare feet whispered as they crossed the hardwood floor towards you. He had a worn piece of paper in his hands and looked nervous which was oddly out of character for him. He sat in the chair across from you and shot you a shy smile. It was awhile before he said anything, the silence not awkward at all.

"Sam's asleep so he won't interrupt me this time," he chuckled as he scooted his chair closer to you. The legs scraped across the floor until he was sat next to you.
"He really has impeccable timing, doesn't he?" You asked rhetorically.
"So I wanted to show you this. It's something I've been working on for awhile and it's going on the new album." Josh handed you the piece of paper with handwritten lyrics on it.

Josh's scratchy penmanship created words upon words, some crossed out and others written over in thick lines to form new words.  The edges were frayed and there were four creases leading to the middle where it had been folded into itself numerous times.  You weren't sure of the melody the lyrics went to, but as you read along, that didn't matter.  The words spoke to you in ways only your heart could comprehend.

"Can you light my love,
Flames glowing bright as the sun,
Deeper than oceans you run,
Watch as our world has begun.

"Your mind is a stream of colors
extending beyond our sky.
A land of infinite wonders;
A billion light years from here now..."

You looked up from reading to see Josh watching you.  His deep eyes were focused on your face as he awaited your response.  There were no words you could form that would effectively portray how beautiful you thought the text was.  The way he had described his subject was utterly captivating.  You could feel the sense of unbridled love warming you up from the very pit of your stomach. 

"I wrote it for you."  His voice was just above a whisper as he spoke.  "Being away for so long gave me a lot to think about and spending this weekend with you just kind of locked it all in."
"Josh?"
"Hmm?"
"How do you feel about me?" 

You needed to hear him say it.  The lyrics spoke volumes but you wanted to hear it from his lips.  He looked down to his hands sitting in his lap for a brief moment before they found yours again.  He looked nervous there in the firelight, but comfortable at the same time.  There wasn't any tension but anticipation in the air, instead.  It felt like static on your skin.

Josh didn't answer you.  He knew what the song said and he knew you could read between the lines.  Instead, he turned in his seat so his knees were touching yours and moved his hand upwards to cradle your cheek in the palm of his hand.  The curly-haired man before you ran his thumb across your cheekbone with such tenderness, it made your insides turn to goo.  You were stuck in place as his cheeks turned up in a sweet close lipped smile and closed the distance between you to press his lips to yours. 

You invited the action and brought your opposing palm to the side of his neck.  His lips were soft and plump against yours as they meshed together like two puzzle pieces.  He tasted slightly of beer from the few bottles he had drank earlier but it wasn't distracting from the moment he bit down on your lower lip.  You got up from your seat without breaking the connecting point between the two of you and moved to straddle your thighs on each side of his.  He placed his hands on either side of your waist as he deepened the kiss.  Your head felt light with passion and an overwhelming sense of completion whilst your body felt heavy with comfort and ease.

His touch on your waist where his pinky rested at the hem of your sweater was electrifying as it sent shocks through your core.  Small, warm breaths tickled your cheek as he breathed through his nose.  It felt so natural to be with Josh like this. Neither of you had to hide whatever it was between the two of you. There was no pressure to hide whatever sweet moments that were born. You could just let them happen and my God, you loved it.

You didn't want to think about what came next.  The thoughts that plagued your mind earlier about Sam and the rest of the family were non-existent.  There was no worry about the next time they left.  There was no anxiety present about what might transpire if someone walked in on you.  Josh was the only thing occupying the space and you didn't care about anything else.

When the two of you parted, you rested your forehead against Josh's mess of curls.  Breathless, he closed his eyes and licked his lips with the same sweet smile you had grown to adore even more throughout the weekend.  He absentmindedly tightened his grip on your waist as you ran your fingers through the hair at the nape of his neck.  He was so beautiful, it was hard to believe he was real.

"Does that tell you anything?"  He breathed as his eyes met yours once again.
"Everything," you responded and pressed your lips against his again.