Deer In Headlights [Minizerk]

Chapter 5

We'd split off from Ethan once we got to my road. Surprisingly, not one word was said the rest of the way.

Once we got to my house I grabbed my key out from my bag so I could let us in. Nobody was home from work yet. That was probably a good thing. My parents didn't know Josh, so if they saw him covered in blood they'd probably freak out.

"Go sit on my bed, it's the second door on the left, I'll be back" I said, gesturing to the stairs.

Josh nodded and headed upstairs. I went to the bathroom to raid the medical supplies. Once I'd gotten what I needed I headed back up to Josh.

He was sat on my bed patiently waiting, a half smile on his face as I came back in.

"Sorry if this hurts, I'll be gentle" I said quietly, placing two fingers under his chin and dabbing a wet flannel on his face, wiping the blood away.

Once his face was cleaned up I dried it with a small towel, inspecting to see if anywhere needed dressing. His bottom lip was cut open.

I sighed, holding his face gently with one hand as I located the other supplies with my other hand. I could feel Josh's eyes burning holes into my head.

"I think your lip might scar, it looks deep" I told him, dragging my thumb across it gently. He stared up at my eyes before grinning at me.

"That's fine, scars are hot" he brushed it off.

"Josh-"

"Seriously Simon I'm fine, just tell me I'll look hot so I feel better about it" he grinned.

"Fine, you'll look hot" I smiled.

Somehow this interaction made me more nervous than when we fought. How had so much changed in just a day?

I couldn't get any kind of gauze on it, I knew that, so instead I cleaned it as well as I could with a q-tip and some antiseptic. He winced as I did it.

"I know, it's alright" I said softly.

Josh took a shaky breath. This was the most vulnerable I'd seen him be. He was showing that he was in pain for once.

"It's all done now, okay?" I smiled.

"Thank you Simon..." He trailed off as if he wanted to say something else.

"You alright?" I asked, sitting next to him.

"Yeah, it's just... Nobody's treated me like that before" he admitted.

"Well nobody's ever defended me like that before" I said, fiddling with my hands.

"Well now they have" he smiled, placing a hand on top of my own.

"I know I said I was just gonna help you so you could go home, but did you wanna hang out for a bit?" I suggested.

"I really would but it's 4 o'clock, I need to start cooking at 5 and my bus is about a thirty minute journey" he said apologetically.

"It's okay, want me to walk you to your bus stop?" I offered.

"It's okay Simon, you've done more than enough for me today" he smiled as he stood up "Are we... Friends?"

"I was gonna ask you the same thing" I said awkwardly.

"Well let's go with yes then, I'll see you tomorrow?" He grinned.

"Sounds good to me" I nodded.

He caught me off guard, hugging me. It was only brief but it made me smile.

Josh let himself out, leaving me on my bed with a lot of questions to ask myself mentally. The main one was:

Why couldn't I stop thinking about him?