ON HOLD Casino Lights • Joshler

13

Tyler instructed Josh to stay in his room until dinner, so he doesn't get lost again.

Do you really think Josh would obey?

Of course not.

Josh was wandering the castle again not even five minutes after Tyler left him alone in his room. He had stumbled across a small door. He could hear Tyler's voice inside, accompanied by a soft female voice. Okay, there was no way Josh could be sure it was Tyler's voice. He did have four identical brothers with identical voices.

Josh was a nosy bean, he leant against the door and eavesdropped.

"These are for me?" the girl sounded thrilled, surprised and overly happy. Josh was glad the door was wooden and thus not at all soundproof; he could hear everything clearly.

"I gave myself a try at your own recipe" the quintuplet answered; his wide grin was noticeable even through the closed door.

The girl's loud giggles erupted "Thank you, sir! Thank you so much! I don't know what to say!"

"You don't have to say a thing, my beautiful" the doorknob was pushed down, but Josh didn't notice "I've made it for your enjoyment, not your gratefulness"

The door opened and Josh stumbled backwards to prevent himself from falling. He blushed in embarrassment at the Prince who stared at him in shock. This was going to be awkward.

Green cape. Thomas. Probably.

"What are you doing here?" Thomas asked, his eyes wide and worried.

"I- I-"

Thomas cupped his mouth with his palm and walked past Josh without another word. Josh felt bad, but just a little bit. He didn't really do anything wrong, right?

The door still stood ajar, a head peaked through "Can I help you, sir?"

Josh smiled at the two-toned-haired girl. Her clothes were a pastel pink and doll-like. She was quite short; rarely anyone was shorter than Josh. She was pretty, until she grinned and showed her teeth gap. Josh bit his bottom lip, hoping she prefers smiling with her mouth closed. It wasn't a pretty sight.

"I'm sorry" Josh rose his hands "I won't bother you"

"No, it's alright" the girl smiled widely; Josh liked her rather child-like voice "You can come in if you'd like. I've got cookies"

Josh chuckled, clapping rapidly a few times "I'm always up for cookies"

She laughed softly before swinging the wooden door opened more for Josh to enter and he did so.

The girl's room was a complete contrast to the rest of the castle. Every wall was pastel pink, along with the ceiling and the floor and the furniture and the girl and oh god. Josh was actually quite damn comfortable here. Why couldn't he get this room. He just had to get the royal sweet.

"What's your name?" the girl asked, swinging from her heels to her toes and back in her spot lightly.

"J- Josh" Josh replied, rubbing the back of his neck.

"I'm Melanie" the girl introduced herself happily "I'm the royal family's main maid and personal maid for the quintuplets"

Josh's mouth formed a small 'o' as he nodded in understanding. He examined the many teddy bear and doll accessories the room contained with his eyes. It was so cute ughhh

"You said you had cookies?" Josh spoke, only later understanding the rudeness of his words, but not really caring. She was a maid after all, he can be rude to her.

"Yes!" Melanie opened a pink Tupperware "Prince Thomas just brought them!"

Josh took a cookie out of the box. It was a normal, chocolate chip cookie. Josh took a bite to find it was absolutely delicious. As if it were magic. It was much better than any cookie he ever found in shops.

"Thif is fo good!" Josh exclaimed as he chewed. Melanie started giggling.

"It's my own recipe" Melanie said as she also bit onto a cookie "Thomas gave himself a go at it"

"Do you and Thomas, like" Josh swallowed, gesturing to nothing in particular with his hands "Have a thing going on?"

Melanie's smile dropped and her eyes widened, her cheeks getting red oh so fast "Oh. N- No! Of course not! Sir Thomas is a respected Prince, I am but a maid"

Josh nodded, rudely leaving the room without another word and with another cookie.

"Josh!" the Prince with the red cape stomped in Josh's direction "I've been looking all over this place for you! You need to learn how to stay in place!"

"Sorry, Tyler" Josh kissed his Prince, leaning onto his strong body. Shoving the rest of his cookie into his mouth and chewing fast to swallow it.

"Ah" Tyler sighed. Josh could do the magic. Whenever they'd kiss, Tyler's worries would disappear and he'd look at the world through his heart, completely blind in the brain.

And, frankly, Josh was starting to notice that. That could get him out of situations. That could be useful to him.

"Can you please return to your room now?" Tyler begged, placing a kiss onto Josh's forehead.

Josh nodded and Tyler led the way because he figured Josh probably forgot the way back; they held their fingers intertwined as the paced.

Once Josh was all alone in his room again, he picked up his phone, dialing Brendon's number.

"Yo"

"Yo back" Josh replied.

"How are things going, my king?" Brendon teased. Josh had texted him about the whole royal situation when Tyler first left him alone, just before exiting the room.

"I'm not a king, Brendon, nor will I ever be" Josh rolled his eyes "The most I will ever be is a Prince's husband"

"That's something, man"

"Whatever" Josh sighed, pacing randomly around the room in his socks and literally sinking into the soft carpet "I'm scared"

"Of what? Ruling the world?" Brendon snorted.

"Shut up" Josh snapped.

"Joshua"

Josh's head suddenly shot up from the floor and onto the Prince at the doorway he recognized as Theodore due his outfit.

"Gotta go, Bren" Josh hung up, not awaiting Brendon's reply.

"What are your intentions?" the man with the British accent paced closer to Josh who stumbled backward and onto his bed; the Prince's hands joined behind his back.

"Wh-"

"You think you can get something here?" Theo continued "Out parents will throw you into the dungeons the second they lay eyes on you. You cannot get wealth from my blood. I will not allow that. My parents won't allow that. Tyler is being stupid; he's always been that. Whatever it is you're planning on doing, you will not be allowed that. I saw you leaving the maid's room. Is she a part of your plan? Because you should know I'll have her hanged for betrayal of her masters. I will do everything to prevent you marrying my brother"

Josh panted, confused. He didn't know what Theodore was accusing him of. Josh just loved Tyler, nothing else. He had no hidden intentions.