Disclaimer: Drake and Josh? Not owned, only adored, by me.
Spoilers: Story takes place in the middle of the events played out on-screen in the episode Josh Is Done.
Rating: M for Mature, contains description of a heterosexual coupling.
NICE GUYS FINISH LAST
PART ONE - Lasers and Fireworks
The laser show at the planetarium that evening was kind of . . . boring. Craig Ramirez and Eric Blaunowitz "oohed" and "aahed" and had seemed more than satisfied with it. Josh Nichols was thinking he might have had more fun if he'd just gone with his stepbrother Drake Parker on their usual Bad Movie Tuesday viewing. But that was out of the question now. Drake had betrayed him, cut him to the quick. It had hurt him more than anything else Drake had ever done, and the list was long, despite the fact that they had grown so close over the years. Josh had drawn a line in the sand, and he'd made a vow to himself not to cross it. The image of a dejected Drake, left behind, standing alone in the lobby of The Premiere, passed through Josh's mind and he instantly slammed the door shut on it.
"Hey, you're lost in some deep thoughts, aren't you?" asked Leah, Josh's friend and co-worker from The Premiere movie theatre, as they crossed the parking lot to her little, old Hondota Publican. "I was saying, it's early yet, only 9:30, do you want to come back to my place and have a cup of coffee with me?"
Josh answered innocently, "I don't know, it's a school night and if I drink coffee, I won't sleep . . ."
Leah smiled and remembered Josh was a teenaged boy who might not know that coming up for a cup of coffee could mean something else entirely. Patiently, she asked again, "Well, how about some decaf green tea or something? You were always so helpful to me when I first started at The Premiere -- I think you're a nice guy. We've been working close to two years now, and it's high time we got to know each other better."
"Okay," Josh agreed, amiably, thinking this might be much more interesting than the laser show.
Leah was pretty. Tonight she had her long, shiny hair pulled up into a bushy ponytail. She was wearing a camo hoodie, a pink t-shirt and a short denim skirt with flip-flop type sandals. She was always so calm and friendly to everyone, Josh couldn't help but like being around her. They always seemed to gravitate towards each other at work. And Leah worked hard, as hard as he did, but she knew how to have fun on the job, too, and he enjoyed it when they found themselves on the same shift. He knew she had a child, but he'd never seen Jeremy, only a wallet photo. He didn't know that much about Leah's personal life, except that she was a bit older, and single.
Following her into her two-bedroom apartment, Josh was at once impressed by the way Leah had transformed the modest surroundings into a place of beauty and tranquility. Leah doffed the hoodie and pulled the elastic band from her hair, shaking her head until her dark, straight hair hung halfway down her back. Josh noticed a child's mini-backpack on the coffee table, and a large wicker basket full of toys, then busied himself examining the artwork of all kinds on display, while Leah was in the kitchen making tea. There were watercolors, prints, a variety of pottery on shelving units and some mixed-media collages adorning the walls of her home.
After Leah handed him the hot drink, he turned the cup around in his hands, remarking "These cups are unique."
Leah replied, "Oh, I made those. Everything you see here, I made. I used to go to art school, but now that I have my son, I have to work at whatever I can find. My neighbor is a single mother, too, and we share the babysitting. Sometimes my mother comes over to watch Jeremy. She has to sneak, though, since my father banned me from the family."
"That's awful," Josh commiserated.
Leah explained, "In Korean culture, the family roles are quite traditional, and the father is the boss. He said I brought dishonor to our name, because my son's illegitimate and half Latino. I hate that word, 'illegitimate.' You'd think in this day and age, that idea would have gone away with hoop skirts and prohibition."
"What about Jeremy's dad?" Josh inquired.
Leah continue, "Well, he got a lot of pressure from his family, too; they wanted someone from his own ethnic background and religion to be with him and, like my folks, they said we were too young. So we drifted apart. But Enrique comes to see Jeremy and helps us when he can. We're just good friends, these days."
Josh reflected, "I'd hate it if my family cut me off. I don't know what I'd do." The thought that he had cut off Drake the very same way arose, unwanted, into his mind, and he shoved it aside immediately. His own hurt was still so raw and fresh; he could care less what Drake might be going through. It served him right.
"I was so scared at first," Leah admitted. "It's been very hard for us, financially. I still have to work two jobs. The welfare people made me feel like nothing, when I applied to get help. But we're holding our own. And I hope to get back to my art some day. That's what I like doing the best. I love Jeremy, though, with all my heart, and I don't regret having him. Since I'm in charge, I'm trying to raise him without any limits or prejudices."
Josh replied, "I hope I get to meet him sometime."
"Oh, you will. I already got permission from Helen for bring-your-child-to-work day," Leah told him brightly.
Josh said, thoughtfully, "You're like an onion, Leah, layer upon layer. When do I get to know the real you?"
She laughed. Then she scooted closer to him on the couch, curling her legs up underneath herself.
Looking up into his eyes, Leah said sincerely, "Josh, you are a good, kind fellow. I really like working with you. You're funny and smart and a born leader. As I said before, I want to get to know you a whole lot better. I was hoping we could get some time outside of work, but I know you're a very busy person." She leaned her head against his arm. "Frankly, I know the age difference and our circumstances in life would be a barrier to much of a relationship forming between us in the future. You've got your whole life opening up before you, with graduation and college coming up."
"Yes," Josh replied, "but I don't see why we can't be friends."
Sighing, Leah wrapped her arms around Josh's arm that she was already leaning against. "I'm going to be bold, here, Josh. I'm a busy, single mother. But I get lonely sometimes . . . for male companionship. I don't have the time or the energy to put into developing a serious long-term relationship. However, there's something we could share, that we would both like."
Leah started stroking Josh's forearm with one hand, and caressing his large hand with her small one.
Not feeling as confident as she did when she first thought up her plan, she haltingly told Josh, "I don't want you to feel like I'm putting any pressure on you, but do consider this: it's a no-strings-attached offer, even if it turns out to be a one-time-only thing. I know you're only 17 and I'm all of 24. What I'm suggesting might even be illegal; I'm not sure. But now that I've broken a few of society's taboos, I don't know why I should stop."
Leah smelled like jasmine. Josh recognized the scent well enough from his bath salts. Jasmine was one of his favorites. Before he knew it, Leah was sitting on his lap. He caught a glimpse of a tantalizing belly-button ring as she settled herself against him. It felt, well, right to him. She put her arms around his neck and kissed him, chastely, on the mouth, then sat back, waiting for his reaction.
"Do you think you'd like to make some fireworks in the bedroom with me, Josh?" asked Leah, in a small, uncertain voice.
Josh was elated by this turn of events, which seemed to be beyond his wildest dreams. To answer her, Josh leaned his head forward and opened his mouth slightly, returning Leah's kiss. At the first sign of this welcomed pressure, she opened her mouth and met his tongue with hers. One of her hands wound its way up the back of his head into his mass of dark hair while the other slid its way down his back, pulling him closer. He felt like he was being transported to a new dimension as their mouths danced and he shyly placed one hand on the side of her breast. After a few minutes of this bliss, Josh thought to himself, wonder of wonders, that he didn't feel as anxious or awkward as he sometimes did in sexual situations.
Leah pulled back to take a deep breath. " Jeremy's sleeping next door tonight. It's just the two of us here. My bedroom's down that hall," she indicated.
Continued in Part Two