Connection - Josh Washington x M!Reader [Until Dawn]

Chapter Sixteen

He opens his eyes and is greeted by a blinding light. He squints his eyes, trying to adjust to the sudden light. He tries to remember where he is or what happened.

The last thing he remembered was being in the lodge. It's fuzzy... He can see the Wendigos. He can see the butterfly tattoo. Hannah. Sees the lightswitch.

He ran to it... He could hear the things scream at him, trying to get to him. He flips the switch and the lodge explodes.

It's... It's foggy after that. He could see the flames. He was pulled out... Sam and Emily pulling him out. Ashley crying over him, Chris trying to comfort her. Someone was holding his hand. Tight, and when he winced, gentle. Whispering, "I love you." And then it went black.

And now he felt awful. He could tell he was on a bed of some sort. It felt nice. It had been a long time since he'd been on an actual bed. He'd gotten used to sleeping bags and soiled mattresses. He never complained, though. He was just happy to be a part of something. With Jack.

Jack... He let out a shaky sigh. He wished there was something he could've done. He should've barricaded the basement. But he didn't know that the Wendigos could get up from there. What kind of basement was that? And why did Jack never tell him about it?

"(Y/N)?" A gentle voice called out.

His eyes had finally adjusted to the light. He realized he must have been staring at it for a while.

"He's awake?" Another voice said.

"Lemme see!" Another

He sat up, although he struggled with it, and looked to where the voices came from.

His friends!

But... Not all of them. It was only Sam, Ashley, Chris, Matt... And Josh.

He was smiling. Staring at him with a look so affectionate that (Y/N) had to look away, unable to take it.

"We're so glad!" Ashley grinned, placing a hand on his shoulder and giving it a gentle squeeze.

"Can't believe you're alive, man..." Chris shook his head in disbelief."

"Seriously," Sam chuckled. "It was... Incredible."

(Y/N) swallowed, his throat dry and scrap. "Where's... Where's everyone else...?" Worry had begun to eat away at him.

"They're here. They're just in different rooms because of their injuries," Matt explained.

(Y/N) nodded. "But... They're okay?"

Sam smiled. "Yes. You saved all of us. We can't even begin to thank you enough."

"You don't have t-"

"I knew you'd say that," Sam teased, rolling her eyes. "We'll find a way."

(Y/N) paused for a moment, thinking. "Well... You could pay me back by helping me get my life back."

"Of course. That's a given," Chris told him, smiling.

The room was silent for a second, the friends all looking at each other. Sam chuckled. "We'll go visit the rest of our friends." She leaned forward and placed a kiss on his forehead. "Get some rest, okay?"

The friends began to leave. Matt patted Josh on his shoulder and whispered something to him, but (Y/N) couldn't hear it. The friends left, except Josh.

The two stared at each other for a moment. Not sure what to say.

"U-Um..." (Y/N) saw the chair next to his bed and motioned to it. "Wanna sit down?"