Lost and Found {joshler}

one

the song is 'This Moment' by Chase and Status ft. blossoms.

💫

Josh sat at the campus bar with his head in his hands. He considered ordering a beer before checking the time and realising that, yes two pm was definitely still too early to start drinking. No matter how much he needed a beer.

The attractive girl working behind the bar gave him a knowing pity smile from the other end of the bar. She sighed and approached him, she pulled out a beer bottle and popped the cap before placing it down in front of him.

"On the house." She said when Josh looked up at her. "You look like you need it."

Josh considered kissing her before noticing the flowery cursive on her neck, it ran across the whole left side spelling out the name 'Clare' prettily. He thanked her and took a heavy sip.

It was five o'clock somewhere...

He sighed as the ice cold alcohol burned down his throat. "So have you met her yet?" He gestured to the bartender's neck with the tip of his bottle before chugging half of his beer in one go. She blushed, an instinctive hand going to touch her neck and trace over the lettering.

"Yeah." She said contently, biting her lip in thought.

"Mind me asking how you found her, only I'm starting to think mine died." Josh said bitterly before he took another heavy swig, shivering as he felt the cold liquid travel through his body.

"She was on a date actually, in this bar." The girl laughed a little and Josh smiled. "Guy was a total ass apparently. She saw my tattoo and the moment the date went to the bathroom she cornered me. Begged me to help her shake the guy off so I played along, didn't realise 'til the guy called her name that she was my soulmate and the rest is history I guess. You want another?" She snapped out her dreamy gaze to point to Josh's now empty bottle.

Josh nodded and placed some cash on the bar which she took before fetching him a refill.

"Ya know, I used to hate having her name on my neck, growing up it was the worst, I felt branded, but without it I guess she wouldn't have found me. They say the placing is random but I don't believe that I think it's where it is for a reason." She shrugged but Josh just frowned and took another swig of beer.

The girl drifted further down the bar then to serve some new people who had come in.

A guy walked in and stood by the empty stool next to Josh. He was wearing a black tank, the sleeves cut so low Josh could see the expanse of tan skin that stretched over his ribs. His defined arms where covered in thick black lines and shapes, but none of them appeared to be a name. Just then he glanced Josh staring and was about to say something before the barmaid approached and asked what he wanted.

He ordered a water and sat down.

Embarrassed Josh took to checking his phone instead.

(20) missed calls

(34) new messages

Josh blinked.

He filtered through the texts to find he had three from Hayley asking where he was and why he was ignoring her calls. There were two from his bandmates asking about the gig that night which he was quick to answer.

The remaining twenty-nine were all from the same person as were all but three of the missed calls. Josh groaned internally rubbing a hand down his face.

"Rough day?" The stranger spoke up, his voice gravelly.

"Try a rough life." Josh sighed finally looking up from his phone and sipping more beer.

"Yeah I get that." The guy fiddled with the hem of his shirt as he stared down into his glass.

Just then Josh's phone rang and he turned in his seat as he picked up.

"What's up?" He asked tiredly after realising Hayley was calling him.

The stranger couldn't help but glance down at his legs as he swung them round, the rip in the knees of Josh's jeans exposing bold lettering just above his left kneecap. He immediately turned his focus back to his drink nursing it intensely.

"Because she's scary Hayley! I caught her-" Josh lowered his voice trying to maintain privacy. "I caught her covering my soulmark with make-up while I was asleep so she could sharpie her own over the top." Josh scoffed at the reply he got. "She wanted me to get a permanent tattoo of her name over it, not to mention her mood swings. Please just get her out of the apartment please." Josh groaned as he threw his head back, running a hand down his face again.

The stranger beside him kept flicking his gaze at the guys knee, his heart pounding in his ears.

"Okay fine I'll be there in a minute." Josh sighed defeated before hanging up and chugging the rest of his beer. He dropped a tip onto the bar after making eye contact with the bartender, who smiled.

"Duty calls." He raised his eyebrows at the stranger before hopping off the bar stool shaking his head. The stranger smiled a little but couldn't stop staring into his drink. "Sorry about that, I'm Josh anyway. Nice to meet you."

Josh threw out a hand.

The stranger froze glancing from the hand to Josh's face before clearing his throat and saying, "Uh Mark, nice to meet you too."

They shook hands briefly.

Josh tried to pretend he didn't feel his heart constrict every time he met another attractive guy who wasn't called 'Tyler'. Especially when he'd definitely been checking this guy out before Hayley so kindly interrupted him. It was made worse because this guy didn't even look like a Mark to Josh, he so could've been a Tyler, but once again the universe was punishing him.

"Maybe I'll see you around some time?" Josh smiled awkwardly and the brunette mirrored it. After an awkward moment of staring at one another, Josh blushed and walked out of the bar.

'Mark' groaned and put his head on the table. Ignoring the small giggle the girl behind the bar gave him as she came to collect her tip.