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empty cups scattered across the wooden tables, and a slow, mellow song played from the stereo in the corner. most of the others had already gone to bed, leaving just you and josh sitting together on the couch.
josh was leaning back against the cushions, his usually sharp eyes a little hazy, thanks to the whiskey he'd been steadily working his way through all night. his laughter had become looser, more frequent, but now, he'd grown quiet, his fingers lazily tracing the rim of his glass.
you hadn't drunk nearly as much. you'd been pacing yourself, watching as josh let loose. he always seemed so put together, in control. until he wasn't. tonight, you could tell he was just on the edge of losing that control.
"you good?" you asked, your voice gentle as you leaned a little closer to him. the lodge had that peaceful, late night silence that made everything feel softer, more intimate.
his gaze slid to you, and for a moment, you could have sworn there was something different in his eyes. something warmer. "me? yeah," he slurred slightly, then chuckled. "totally fine. just... thinkin'."
you smiled, shaking your head. "you know that's dangerous for you."
he smirked, but it didn't reach his eyes this time. instead, he downed the last of his drink in one swift motion before setting the glass down a little too forcefully. "you ever wonder why we do this?" he asked, his voice dropping into something softer. "why we all come here, year after year? to this... place?"
you frowned, the sudden shift in his tone catching you off guard. "well, we're all friends, right? it's tradition."
"yeah," he muttered, his voice almost bitter. "tradition."
you weren't sure where this was coming from, but there was a heaviness in the air now that hadn't been there a moment ago. josh was staring into the fire, his jaw clenched, his fingers tapping rhythmically on the arm of the couch. he was drunk, that much was clear, but there was obviously something he was holding back.
"josh..." you started gently, "what's going on? you're acting weird."
he didn't answer right away. instead, he ran a hand through his hair, messing it up even more, before finally turning to fully face you . his gaze lingered on you longer than usual, his eyes flicking from your eyes to your lips and back again.
