Papilio Effectus (Until Dawn Josh X Reader)

Chapter 3: The Best of Intentions

~~~The following morning, Your POV~~~

    Ok...I was starting to feel a bit guilty. When I felt Josh stir awake, I looked up at him.  He looked at me and smiled, kissing my forehead.  "Good morning, beautiful."

    I smiled a little, but could still feel something gnawing at me.  I propped my head on my arm and looked at him.  "I have a confession."

    "Oh?" Josh's face looked surprised.

    "Yeah...I kind of...knew you were watching me last night."

    Josh's face turned pale.  "You...what?"

    "Last night, after you, Chris and Ashley were using the spirit board, I was looking for you and found your little...setup in the basement?  Then I found this...paper...". I got up and pulled the sheet of notebook paper from my pants pocket and showed him.  "I thought you intended to harm our friends...so I...distracted you..."  I turned away so that he couldn't see my face.

    He got up and started getting dressed.  He was obviously pissed.  "You don't know what you've done.  I wasn't going to hurt them...just...scare them a bit.  Give them a taste of what my sisters felt a year ago."  He walked up to me, grabbing my chin and pulling my gaze up to his.  His hurt expression almost broke my heart.  "So...that all...was just a ploy to keep me from executing my plan..." He let go of my face and began to walk toward my door.

    "It wasn't...like that..." I could feel tears streaming down my face.  "I...I'm so sorry."  I turned to watch him open the door and leave.  I sat on the bed, crying.  Flopping my head on the pillow, I cried myself to sleep.

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  ~~~A few hours later, Lodge kitchen~~~

    Mike, Jess, Emily, Matt, Sam, Ashley and Chris sat at the table, chatting and eating sandwiches.  I walked in and opened the fridge to grab a pop, then turned to the table.  They all fell silent.

    "Uh...so Mike, Jess...how was the guest cabin?"

    Jess laughed.  "It was too damn cold and dark out.  We decided to come back here and stay with everyone else.  Of course, I'm wishing we'd taken the cabin so the screaming didn't keep us up all night...".

    My face turned a brilliant shade of red and the whole crew burst into laughter.  Chris walked up to me and patted my shoulder.  "It's ok, (Y/n).  I'm sure Cochise would take it as a compliment."

    "I...I...uh...um..." I then realized that Josh wasn't with them.  "Where is he, anyway?"

    "Probably sleeping off the nookie...sounded exhausting,"  Mike snickered behind his bottle of water and Jess smacked his arm jokingly.

    Em chimed in as well. "From what we could hear, Josh and (Y/n) weren't the only ones going at it like rabbits last night..."  She sent a knowing glance at Ashley and Chris.  So Chris grew a set and got him some...good for him...

    Ashley stuttered. "I...I don't know what you're talking about..."

    Chris shrugged.  "My activities are my business..."

    Sam poked Chris' arm.  "I'm sorry...what was that comment about, 'Everyone's business is our personal playground?'"

    Chris frowned. "I learned it from you, Samantha..."

    I laughed at their banter, but still wanted to know where Josh was.  God...I hope he's not still going to go through with that crazy plan of his...

    "I'm gonna...go take a nap too..." You walk out of the room amid their snickers and head toward the basement door.  No sound yet...but that isn't very promising.  I step around the corner and peek toward the room with the cameras.  Lo and behold, there's Josh...holding my photo.