soulmates // joshler au

two - red

Josh pulled his red jacket tighter around his body, shoving his hands in his pockets in an attempt to warm them - Ohio in the winter was the worst.

Their leader, Brendon, was walking slightly ahead of the rest of the group, his determined steps echoing in the almost silent night.

"Blue suburbia's," Brendon called out to no one in particular, "truly, the scum of the earth. Those rich privileged fuckers."
A sudden smirk drifted onto his lips as he turned to face the rest of the group, "let's burn this fucking place to the fucking ground."

And then they were running, josh didn't know why or where, but he ran too. He'd learnt previously that the best way to stay out of trouble - was to be in it.

He watched impassively as flames engulfed the wooded area next to the ordered rows and rows of blue houses.

They really love to shove the fact that they're blue in your face huh?

Josh hated doing this - he really did. Every time he would get a ball of guilt and anxiety in the pit of his stomach, only a couple of times had it blown into a full blown panic attack, but his friend Ryan always managed to calm him down.

Josh tried to push the negative thoughts away. He had to do this. He had to. This is the only way they would see any change, the only way they would get any rights. They were so sick and tired of this system, being the "scum" of the earth.

Instead, he focused on the cool metal of the lighter in his right hand, and the handle of the gasoline in his left.

Let's do this.

***

Josh let the cigarette fall to the floor, roughly putting it out beneath his shoe, before looking up to Ryan leaning against the wall opposite him.
A few more men were sat at the other end of the alleyway, mostly hidden as the harsh moonlight casted shadows over their faces.
Josh didn't know who exactly they were, and he definitely didn't want to.

"You okay, dude?"

Josh huffed in response, "this fucking sucks."

Ryan nodded pitifully, "you miss them a lot, huh?"

Josh just shrugged in response, but Ryan took that as a yes, replying, "me too dude."

Both boys had recently turned 18, so they had to riot on their own now, well, without their parents at least. Usually families riot together, regardless of whether it was dangerous or not, there were often young children taking part. Unfortunately for Josh, as soon as you turned 18, you had to riot on your own, meaning you were often separated from your parents for long periods of time.  

The worst part of it was that Josh had to leave his siblings back in LA.
Usually whilst their parents were busy rioting and drinking and doing whatever the fuck awful parents do, Josh would look after his two sisters and brother.
They'd hide in alleyways and play games, usually imaginary ones that Josh made up to entertain the youngest of the four, Abbie.

Josh smiled fondly at the memory. It helped calm the younger siblings down and took Josh's mind off the violence happening around them.

He could only hope Ashley was holding down the fort back there and Josh couldn't help feel bad for her, she was usually the worst during the riots and relied on Josh to calm her down, but now he was gone.

Josh felt like the worst big brother in the world.