Author's Note: Hello, everyone! First of all, thank you for looking into my story! This is the second Being Human fanfiction I post. I love the show, and that even though I only had a chance to watch a few episodes.
So, this story is un-beta'd. All mistakes are mine. I hope you give me some credit, though. I'm no native speaker and this is my way of improving myself. I just write till I get it right. I sometimes tend to long sentences, but that is not because I'm not English, but just because my brain operates that way ;)
So, as warning has it, this is going to contain a lot of Josh!whumpage. I know it's mean, because he's my favorite character, but... I just dig that theme. I can't help it.
Plus, it will have a lot of Josh/Aidan goodness, though I'm not too sure if I want to take it all the way to slash or just bromance. That will only turn out as I proceed with the story, I guess.
I think this would be early in the first season, so before Josh and Nora really started dating. I rather want to focus on the roommates in this story, I hope no one's feeling disappointed.
I'm still working my way through that story, so let me know what you think about it.
Disclaimer: I don't own anything and won't ever.
Anyways, I hope you'll like it.
Read, review and hopefully enjoy ;)
…
Josh and Aidan are walking down the streets at night, the street lamps illuminating their faces every once in a while in a vibrant hue of yellow. Aidan has his hands stuffed in his jacket pockets as he strides alongside Josh, who has one hand buried in his jeans pocket, gesticulates with the other to give his words more expression.
"Told you, this place is pretty decent," Aidan smirks, to which Josh shouts out mockingly, "Decent? I think I saw a rat."
"Oh, c'mon!" Aidan snorts with a grin as Josh goes on gesticulating wildly. It never ceases to amaze him how his friend seemingly always feels the urge to communicate with his whole body.
"Or some other rodent. Maybe a beaver?" the werewolf jokes.
"A beaver?" Aidan makes a face. And that is the other thing that never ceases to amaze the vampire: Josh's random comparisons and thoughts at times.
"As I said, some rodent or generally a small mammal. I won't favor one of them. They are all equally... unwanted in the kitchen," Josh shakes his head.
"Seriously?" Aidan cocks an eyebrow at his friend. He takes him out for dinner and Josh bitches about it? That just doesn't sound right to the vampire.
"Hey, I got OCD, I get to say that," Josh shrugs innocently.
"At some point I honestly think you just use that as an excuse to bitch all the time," Aidan huffs.
"Now I ask you, seriously?" Josh snorts. "If not for my OCD, our house never would have been clean. There were layers of at least fifty years of dirt in some places."
"But back to the restaurant, you're simply exaggerating," the vampire insists. "This is where most staff goes to grab a bite after work."
"And just coz most the staff jumps off a bridge I have to do the same?" Josh smirks.
"You seriously do that speech on me?" Aidan snorts. "You don't get to use the motherly tone on me. You're way too young for that."
"The point is that the fact that this is where many of the staff go doesn't make it a good restaurant. Most of them don't know the difference between... summer squash and cucumber or... pork and chicken," Josh grimaces, to which the vampire just rolls his eyes.
"There was no rat," Aidan argues in a flat tone.
"Hey, maybe it was just one huge mutant cockroach!" Josh snickers.
"Dude!" Aidan cries out.
"Who knows, maybe they had some bio-hazards downstairs now also, or just some plutonium? Might make a cockroach the size of a retriever," Josh carries on.
"Oh, whatever!" Aidan throws up his hands in surrender. "Remind me to never take you out for dinner again. That is tedious!"
"I don't even know why you wanted to go to a diner of all places. We also could have gone to a bar or so. I mean, we all know you don't eat – and if you do, you do it coz I insist on family dinner," Josh mutters mindfully, but then gapes as suddenly an idea seemingly forces its way into his brain and he cries out more loudly, "Oh, or is this some sick way to comfort me after I got ditched by this girl?! Aw, Aidan, that's low!"
"It had nothing to do with that," Aidan argues in all honesty – and really surprised, too.
"Oh, c'mon! I know that I'm... but that doesn't mean you have to take pity in me. I don't want that," Josh whines. He knows that he is likely complaining about things, but that is going too far.
"Josh, it had nothing to do with you getting ditched. If I always took you out after you got ditched, I'd be a poor man," Aidan huffs, to which Josh's features sag, so Aidan quickly adds, "I'm just kidding. I only wanna make it clear that I didn't take you out coz you got ditched."
Gladly, Josh is easy-forgiving when it comes to these things, so soon a smile is back on his face.
"So? Why did you?" Josh asks curiously.
"Why did I? Seriously?" Aidan grimaces at him. That guy can't be serious, can he? Josh gestures wildly. He is serious.
"I really thought you were playing that, geez," Aidan grunts.
"What do you mean? I wasn't playing anything. What should I've been playing?" Josh blinks at him. Aidan is not making any sense in him. One moment they are joking, and now he looks... pissed?
"You are aware that this is... wait, you're honestly unaware?" Aidan asks. Even if Josh just gives him any reason to believe that it's true, a part of him doesn't want to believe that Josh is really... that dense.
"Unaware of what?" Josh questions. Aidan stares daggers at him.
"Josh, today's 27th October," Aidan tells him in a flat voice, waiting for an appropriate reaction, though the chances are good that he won't get it. And Aidan is proving right judging the werewolf's posture. Josh nervously fidgets around with his hands as though they were electrocuted, "... fuck, no full moon, is it? Wait, I checked for that only a few days ago. Or did I end up in the wrong column again?!"
"No full moon, for goodness sake," Aidan cries out. He really doesn't know.
"Good, but... uhm...," Josh stammers, the nervousness leaving him. He glances at Aidan with huge eyes, confusion spreading over his features, making him look like a much younger version of himself.
"You are serious," Aidan sighs with exasperation. Josh still glances at him like a five-year old waiting for an explanation for gravity, at least that is what Aidan pictures Josh must have been like at that age, always asking for an explanation for everything.
"Man, it's your birthday," Aidan tells him.
"I... what?" Josh frowns at him incredulously, as though Aidan just started talking Japanese.
"It's your birthday, you genius. The day you were born, 27th October! Rings a bell?" Aidan spells it out another time. That guy really forgot about it. And we're talking about Josh, who can remember the weirdest and most useless information on the planet earth to throw at you on any given occasion that is most likely inappropriate.
"Oh...," is the shy answer by the younger man.
"Oh? That's all you bring?" Aidan makes a face.
"... oh-oh?" Josh grimaces. Aidan laughs out at Josh's reaction. That is just so much like him.
"You are the only person I know who forgets his own birthday," Aidan chuckles.
"Well, thinking about it, no one remembers his or her birthday, because memory comes only later, so the only thing you do remember is people throwing a party to celebrate that day, but the actual birthday is nothing we come to remember," Josh argues, to which the vampire lets out an exasperated grunt, "No shit. But still you forget that this is the day people usually come to celebrate that certain day you can't come to remember because you were too young back then."
"... I just don't celebrate it. And when I asked you if you did... you wanted to eat my face," Josh argues.
"I get to say that because once you hit the 200, I decided that this is the point where you don't have to anymore," Aidan shrugs.
"Well, then so I decided not to celebrate anymore either," Josh snorts.
"You are not 200 years old as far as I'm concerned," Aidan huffs.
"So what? I don't get to decide on that just coz of the age?" Josh whines mockingly. "That's discriminating!"
"Nah, you really got no say," Aidan shrugs.
"Since when?" Josh snorts.
"Since you decided to join the household. What would Sally say if I told her that you don't want to celebrate?" the vampire scolds.
"Uhm, she'd say 'oh, okay, if that's what you want'?" Josh tries.
"We're still talking about the rather possessive little ghost messing around with the pipes if we are not home in time, right?" Aidan huffs.
"Miracles happen," Josh shrugs.
"... not with us," Aidan snorts. "So you really have no say in this."
"C'mon," Josh pouts, leaning his head back to glance at the black nightsky.
" Hey, you are the one to ponder on how we are supposed to act normal. That is normal," Aidan smirks.
"Is it really?" the younger man grimaces, to which Aidan shrugs.
"Putting on funny-colored hats and go to people you don't see in ages, or family members you don't even like, just out of courtesy... then sugar-overload thanks to the cake with your name awfully spread over the top... having stupid songs sung to celebrate, which usually just embarrass the one to whom they are being sung... then... to break into one's house only just to set up a surprise, which I think is just weird, like really weird and rude... and under any other circumstances against the law... oh, and at worse you get prank presents and you have to smile it away and act as though you find it funny when in fact you hate it... and be nice to the people showing up who actually give a damn on you and vice versa. Is that really normal, still?" Josh goes on with his rambling. Aidan can't help the smile. Only Josh Levison even bothers to care about this celebration and questions its purpose.
"Wow, you just... remind me that next time the neighbor's kid is bugging us again, I just let him talk to you about birthdays. And while at it, tell him how Santa doesn't exist. You'll crush him," Aidan snickers darkly.
"What is it with you and Theodore anyways?" Josh frowns. He realized in a while that whenever this boy is mentioned, Aidan is short before extending his fangs, and normally Aidan is good with kids.
"If I didn't know better, I'd say this kid was sent from hell!" Aidan growls at the memory of this demon-child. Really, he is fine with most children. Children are great. He shares Josh's opinion about that topic, but that child is his proclaimed neighborhood-nemesis.
"... still about the water bomb?" Josh asks knowingly. Because Theodore, not long ago, threw one at Aidan. And it probably took the vampire about anything not to just turn, well, vampire on him and scare the child away, if not to death.
"Still about the water bomb," Aidan approves. "This child was bred out by Satan and a cheetah, I'm not even kidding."
"He's just difficult, I guess," Josh shrugs.
"No, he's evil, and I should know, I'm an evil species," Aidan snorts, but then smirks viciously. "So, now that I know you have those evil kid destruction powers... you are my weapon from this point on. You just talk him dead about birthdays, Santa... and the Easter bunny."
"Don't get that fuss either... I mean... a bunny that delivers... eggs... I know this is pagan rituals about fertility and stuff, but then again I don't know why people try to sell pretty much sex to their children by presenting them with this as something to celebrate for... and then there is also the Christian department who just adopted that... for some reason to make their whole celebration a bit more rainbow colored, I guess... well, and even if there is a myth going back to a dude like that, the Santa we find so awesome is just made-up by a certain soda firm," Josh shrugs.
"You're so talking to Theodore for me," Aidan snickers, but then lets out an almost weary sigh, "But man, that is pretty dark."
"Hey, it's just my opinion, I don't expect this to be everyone else's too. I just say I don't find birthdays normal for those reasons... and a couple more. Or do you seriously feel like being a birthday-person... and that whole fuss is... normal?" Josh argues. Aidan shrugs again. He honestly doesn't care about that anymore, he really doesn't.
"Well, for normal people... that might be, but as for me... I don't see the sense in that," Josh shakes his head.
"Why?" Aidan asks curiously.
"Dunno. I just... with the whole... wolf thing... it seems simply ridiculous to celebrate that," Josh sighs, his voice growing weaker with every word traveling past his lips.
"Josh...," Aidan exhales, but the werewolf interrupts him, "Hey, I don't mean to be a poor sport here. It's just that I... you know... didn't feel like celebrating something that I curse at the same time."
"But it's as you said, we have to hold on to normalcy, at least some," Aidan argues. He doesn't like it when Josh's mind goes down those familiar paths again. It took the younger man about everything to break out of that shell and enjoy life again, or what's left of it now that he is living with a vampire and a ghost, as a werewolf. It too Aidan a lot of negotiation and heart-to-heart conversations he normally doesn't do, because he is simply not the type to talk emotions, to get Josh to the point that he stopped being a total pessimist.
"Yeah, might be... so... thanks for... taking me out. I appreciate it," Josh says. Aidan snakes his arm around Josh's shoulder, pulling him close, "No prob. So... happy birthday."
"Thanks," Josh smirks. Even if there are those days when he curses his life, those are the moments that make him cherish it again. He has friends who stay with him, knowing his dark side, knowing of the beast within him, the power that can kill, hurt and shred. Perhaps that is why he dares to believe in normal again, because they are now in a state where they define what is normal to them. They build up a sphere they can live within. And in that they can be perfectly normal, well, taking aside that all of them are still pretty nuts, each in their own way. But during moments such as these, walking down the streets of Boston after a night out, Josh feels closer to human, closer to himself again.
And for a moment, the wolf is actually gone.
The two walk on in silence for a while, enjoying the cold breeze brushing against their faces.
"Remind me that when your birthday comes about I will put up banners and confetti," Josh smirks. "In pink."
"You will not," Aidan cries out dramatically.
"And a pink cake with your name and 250-something candles. Wanna see you blow out these!" Josh laughs. "Especially since you don't really have to breathe."
"If you dare, then...," Aidan growls, but Josh is unimpressed and taunts him, "Then what?"
"Then I think our new tradition will be that we will prank each other not on April Fools, but instead on our respective birthdays," Aidan threatens him
"That's gonna end in sugarcoated disaster!" Josh smirks.
"Totally!" Aidan nods.
"Sally's gonna love that," the younger man laughs.
"Hm, wonder what she does to the house while I took you out," Aidan taps his chin mindfully.
"Seriously? Is that a threat?" Josh huffs.
"Might have turned into one just now," Aidan snickers.
"So looking forward to your birthday, pal," Josh laughs.
"Bring it on, mutt," Aidan challenges him. They laugh out loud as they round the next corner. Josh means to say something, as suddenly something hard hits him in the back, knocking him forward. A scream ripples from Josh's lips as he falls.
"Whoa!" Aidan gasps, but before he can even bring out a word, he gets hit in the head with a bat also. Aidan is thrown against the wall thanks to the impact, but doesn't pass out because he is a vampire. Out of the dark come three men, smirking viciously, encircling Josh, who is still scrambling on the ground.
"Josh! Hey, leave him alone!" Aidan yells, his fangs already extending, anger boiling within him so hot that his skin feels the heat. He lunges at the next best of the bunch, but is simply thrown back. Aidan glances up to the man as he scrambles back to his feet: the man's eyes shimmering black.
"Fuck!" Aidan grunts. Vampire, great. Only they are so lucky to stumble into a bunch of vampires on Josh's birthday. Aidan's eyes fall on the werewolf again, who is getting viciously kicked in the sides by the other two. Memories of Josh's and his first meeting inevitably making their way back to both their minds, of how Josh was getting kicked down by Marcus and his friend... just that now... Aidan is not in the position to just tell them to go away.
Damn.
"Leave him alone!" Aidan yells. Maybe if he gets the attention to himself, they will leave Josh alone, right? Aidan just has to make sure his friend gets out of this. The full moon is still far away, so that means there is no way Josh can either fight them or properly defend himself. Aidan, as a vampire, has at least realistic chances, even if fighting three vampires at once will be quite a challenge.
"We have our orders," one of them snarls.
"Leave him out of this!" Aidan curses.
"He is the order. You... are just in the way," the vampire tells him.
"What?!" Aidan grimaces. He honestly thought that this would be something about Bishop and his stupid tricks to win Aidan back, so this really comes as a surprise to Aidan, though he doesn't get much time to muse about it when his friend receives another blow to the side.
"Josh!" Aidan cries out helplessly. Josh gathers his strengths and kicks one of them in the knee, hard. Aidan is impressed once again. The full moon is far away, still, but the werewolf doesn't go down without a fight. The man staggers backwards, but the other is already lunging at Josh again, swinging the bat right against his own knee. Aidan can hear the crack all the way to where he is standing – and the vampire can't help himself but feel pain in his knee at that also. God, he knows how much that hurts – and he knows it so well that all of Aidan's hairs are standing up out of sheer empathy. Josh cries out atop of his voice.
"Away from him! I will rip you to shreds!" Aidan sneers, but all his attempts to threaten them seem futile.
"Try," one of them huffs, visibly unimpressed.
"Stop it!" Aidan curses.
"As I said, we are here for him, not you," the vampire tells him with a smirk tugging at his lips.
"What do you want with him?" Aidan demands.
"None of your business," the vampire hisses.
"Aidan!" Josh's voice suddenly rings out loud. Aidan glances at his friend, but by then it's already too late. The vampire knocks him so hard in the temple that Aidan passes out cold.
"Into the truck with him. We are leaving," the vampire curses at the others. Fear tugs at Josh. That can't be happening. No, no, no.
"Aidan!" Josh yells. What if he is hurt badly?
"And you better shut up," the vampire holding him hisses, but Josh continues calling out to his friend, "Aidan!"
Aidan's eyes flicker open as Josh is dragged away, as though a film was cut down into single frames. Josh on the ground. Darkness. Josh further away. Darkness. The buzz in Aidan's ears makes the frames glisten, leaving him bedazzled. His fingers dig into the pavement, scraping, to somehow get to his best friend, but he passes out again as they load Josh into the truck and drive off.
The film turns black.
Stupid birthdays.
