Sidemen One-Shots and Smut

27. Josh- the goodness to grief

A/N:
TWs for this story: Death of family member and grief
The first bit of this was a piece I wrote in English class where we were simply meant to describe what it's like to eat a food.

I wrote about someone experiencing the death of their dad. 

Hence, please take this with a pinch of salt and also understand that what this character does can be unsafe at times. Be careful walking alone at night, be aware of strangers who may have bad intent, be safe. Don't do anything you would cringe if you read a character did that.

With that, lots of love and enjoy this xx
GRAC

~~~~~

A symphony lulls, voice sweet and mellow- singing a soulful song of sadness. The café I sit in is almost empty- I feel bereft of my company. The song hugs my shaking figure, her soft curves swallowing me up- concealing me from the reality. 

The reality beyond this café. 

The reality beyond my Ford Mondeo, and beyond this dark and gloomy sky- thunder rumbling like an earthquake. A great split in the earth, tearing apart normality, splitting all love, wiping out what matters.

Beyond all of that.

To upstairs in heaven.

Where my Dad now happily rest, on his cloud of gold and atmosphere of eternality.

My body collapses in this café I once loved- the one Dad would take me to, for ice-cream and giggles. He'd laugh at my ice-cream moustache, and I'd laugh at his boring choice of vanilla ice-cream. 

Yet now I'm alone. No joy, no laughter.

Just this soulful tune to provide me comfort.

And so now when I lift myself and draw a spoon of ice-cream, it's taste is salty. Sweetness dilute by the tears that roll down my face.

"This place is closing in five." I hear a nasal voice inform from the side of my table. "You want that ice cream in a tub to take home?"

I look at the ice-cream. Pale and sweaty green, like a meadow on a cold morning- dew sprinkled across the blades of grass. The chocolate pebbles dotted across the lawn and the strawberry sauce stream which split the dessert in half. 

"I'll pass." I whisper, shaking my head and rising from my seat. 

It felt like a blur. Non-existent and non-present as I walk outside- passing through the door and feeling the pitter patter of rain against my cheeks.

Was it rain? Was it tears?

Was there even anything there? The feeling of the rain felt almost non-existent. Like a hallucination. As though I were a ghost- it was raining on me, but I couldn't experience it. Only know it rained.

My body didn't have enough energy. It crumpled once more, this time on the side-walk. My frame seated against the pavement, legs against the street- bunched up so that I could hold them to my chest.

And then the feeling of the cold wind against my face was no longer. Something had blocked it. I look up, and see a figure. Outline blurry against the dark lighting of the night. He holds an umbrella- large and sturdy- yet doesn't cover himself with it. Just me.

Holding the umbrella above my head, he too lowers himself onto the pavement to take a seat. I realise I'm still crying when I let out a sniffle, before feeling a hot drop run down my face.

"Give me a hug." He says in a soft voice. A voice so smooth and calming it sounded feminine- despite his deep voice which tugged it into a masculine tone. And it felt like velvet. Wrapping me up in consolidation and painting a small smile against my face.

And so I did hug him. I hugged him so tight his eyes might pop out- brain explode, ribs crushed. I buried my head into the crook of his neck and wrapped my arms around his back, pressing my front as close towards his comforting aura as I could. I fought to get closer to his presence, his energy remaining as the same warm figure he first appeared as. I hugged him like I hugged my dad.

He wrapped his arms around my frame- one hand coming up to soothe my head.

"I don't know why you're crying or what's driven you this far to be out here so late crying somewhere so cold. Heck, I'll probably never understand how much pain you must be in right now. But I want you to know that whatever's happened, people are still there for you. They still care for you and love you. You're treasure to those around you, and no matter where you are or what you're doing- you'll always be supported. By the people you know, and by the people who knew you. Hell- I don't even know you, but even I care for you and want you safe. So hey- why don't you get up and go home. You got a car? Good. Go home, get comfy, and sleep. For however long. Five hours, Eight hours, Fifteen hours.... You get as much as you can, and then wake up and look at what you're sad about with a new perspective."

He pushed the umbrella into my hand, separating from my figure and patting my shoulder before getting up. He stooped to leave the shade of the umbrella, sparing a smile before walking across the street. Back into the unknown.

I had stopped crying. The drips had stopped falling down my cheeks, and my frown had been amended to a smile. 

"Hey!" I yelled after him, watching his figure spin around- water on the pavement skidding with him. "What's your name!?"

"Josh!" He yells back, a smile evident in his voice. "You can find me if you need!"

A smile remained plastered onto my lips despite knowing what he meant, as I walked to my car- now drier and warmer, thanks to his umbrella. 

Pulling off my coat and opening the door, I noticed white markings on the black stem of the umbrella he had given me.

071234567890 ~Here to help

I smiled at his number.
His kind heart and his soul.
He's an angel amongst humans.

He's gonna help.