Josh Dun imagines

Love

Josh Dun imagine

"Square up, Y/L/N, you're going down."
Josh hovered over your shoulder like a bug that just wouldn't go away, muttering discouraging words into your ear, trying to distract you from the task at hand. You had to admit he was doing a good job, because all you wanted to do was turn around and smack him, but you had to stay focused. A bag of chips was on the line here.
You took a deep breath and pulled your arm back, nothing but sheer determination in your vision, and you let your paper airplane sail. You watched as it flew through the air, coasting past the copier and fax machine, past the cluster of desks, past Josh's airplane resting on the floor, until it hit the door to the break room and finally landed.
"Yes!" you shrieked, throwing your hands up in victory. "I beat you by like four feet!"
Josh stares, stunned at how you managed to sail your paper airplane all the way across the office, but nonetheless, hands you over a dollar to get your bag of chips from the vending machines.

"You really should stop betting on things with me, I always win—" you gloat, as you both make your way into the break room.

Josh leans against the vending machine, watching you select your favorite bag from the top row. "No way, you can't get rid of me that easily."
You laugh, shaking your head at Josh's remark before opening your bag of chips and heading back to your desk.

Josh watches you go, that familiar sinking feeling becoming prevalent in his stomach, just like every other time you walk away. He takes a deep breath, trying to regain his right state of mind. He loved the friendship you two shared, but sometimes he needed a minute to contain all the thoughts running through his head, otherwise his undying love for you might just slip out one of these days.

The hardest part of Josh's day was at five o'clock, when your boyfriend would meet you at the door and walk out to the parking lot with you. Josh would smile and wave goodbye, pretending like it didn't burn every fiber of his being watching you lace your fingers with his and smile into his side as you exited the building. Then, he'd slowly gather his things and head to his own car, wishing you were at his side.
...
You and Josh had been friends ever since you started working in Columbus two years ago. Two entire years, and Josh still swears it was the minute you walked in on your first day, a spot of dried toothpaste on your chin, that he fell completely in love with you.

He spent that entire first week getting to know you, and the next planning out ways he could ask you out. He'd never been more sure that he'd finally met the person he was meant to be with. His soulmate, if you will. Josh had been waiting in his car for your gray SUV to pull in one morning. He planned on exiting at the same time as you, playing it off as a harmless coincidence, and then walking with you up to the third floor. It was a cold December morning when he saw Lucas for the first time. Then of course he didn't know his name. He knew the man as someone driving you to work, with broad shoulders and a trimmed beard. He leaned over the center console and planted a kiss right on your lips before making a U-turn and exiting the parking lot. Josh had let his head drop and made a beeline for the door, trying his best to ignore you calling his name and the gut-wrenching dread he felt.

That was two years ago, and Josh still hadn't moved on. How could he when you sat only feet away from him? Spreading your infectious laugh and always there to make him smile? No, Josh hadn't moved on. Instead, he'd just learned to live with it. He swallowed his feelings and instead focused on the friendship that you two shared, no matter how much it killed him inside. It was always about more than friendship, and he knew it from the start. Even though that is what he loved most about you. Falling in love was quick, easy, inevitable. You would talk and laugh and be happy. If life is a series of moments, then it was those innocent instances that defined Josh for the longest time.