***Trigger warnings for mentions of abortion, an anxiety attack, and mentions of abuse.***
Start the song. It's Wiser by Old Man Canyon.
Three lonely days passed before Josh woke up to Frangipane climbing into his bed with him. It startled him slightly, making him flinch and grumble out a bunch of nonsensical questions. The guard laughed as she shifted slightly away from Josh, looking just as surprised.
"One, sorry I scared you," she said in an amused yet even tone. "Two, I was not expecting to be stabbed in the side by your dick just then."
"Sorry," Josh grumbled sleepily, turning so he was facing the wall instead of her. "Sleepin'," he explained.
He smiled slightly when he heard Frangipane laugh. "I missed you for every single second of the last three days, and yet all I'm greeted with when we're reunited is morning wood and you not even being excited to see me? I'm hurt."
"Missed you too," Josh reassured her. "Lots." He wiped at his tired eyes before turning to face her again, shifting his hips backward as he did so, eliciting a laugh from Frangipane. "How're you feeling?"
"Everything hurts, I've cried more in the past three days than I ever have in my entire life, and I'm still terrified Gerald is going to find out what I did, but you're here, so I'm happy now," Frangipane replied without hesitation.
She seemed surprised when Josh snorted. "Gerald? You married a dude named Gerald? Is he a fifty year old professional chess player? Please tell me you at least have a nickname for him because Jesus Christ I cannot imagine-"
"You're such a jerk," Frangipane cut him off amusedly, giggling as she spoke. "For your information, he deserves to be named Gerald."
Josh laughed too, but only briefly. After a moment, he wrapped an arm around Frangipane's waist and said, "I'm sorry you're scared and in pain though. Are you sure you should be back at work?"
"Any longer and Gerald would know something's up. Besides, he has today off work. I'd rather suffer here than be at home with him for an entire day while I'm incapable of fighting back," she replied solemnly. She scooted closer to him before burying her face against his bare chest momentarily. "God, I forgot how good you smell. My husband always smells like beer and cigarettes."
"Classic Gerald," Josh commented, making her laugh as she lifted her head to smile at him.
The bruise around her eye was starting to yellow and fade, and she wasn't wearing any makeup. Without coverup hiding her skin, Josh could see that she had freckles all over her nose and cheeks. He smiled tiredly, kissing her nose a bit timidly. She returned the favour easily.
"Can I ask you for a favour?" Frangipane asked him in a whisper.
"Will it require me to leave my bed?" Josh countered, making her grin. "The lack of buzzers and lights right now tells me it's not even eight yet."
"Nope," she assured him. "It's five, and I won't make you leave your bed."
"I'm in," Josh replied without hesitation.
Frangipane laughed, beaming at Josh like he was made of gold. "Okay. Feel free to say no because this is one hundred percent not your responsibility, but can you just like...put your hand right here?" She looked a little nervous as she lifted his hand and set it on the space beneath her belly button. She let out a quiet breath when he didn't hesitate to leave his hand there. "Having something warm right there makes it hurt less, but my hands are too cold to help it right now. My husband had his hand there when I woke up, and it helped a little, but it also scared me because I thought he knew I'd been pregnant."
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Lockjaw (Joshler)
Fanfiction"This is how it often goes, sold into captivity so long ago. This is how it often goes. God knows I would know." -Mothers (Lockjaw) As awful as it sounded, Josh's favourite letters were the ones that came from people who, for some reason, thought he...
