close as strangers ↣ joshler ✓

4. Kids

Trigger warning for small panic attack later in the chapter!

"Uncle Josh! Aunt Reagan!"

"Rockstar Miles!" Josh replied, picking the four year old up and ticking him. He let out a laugh.

"Josh! Stop!" He cackled. "I'm gon' pee!"

Josh immediately set him down.

"Works every time," Miles grinned.

Josh let out a gasp. "You tricked me."

"Yes I did," Miles nodded as he ran over to pet Jim and Freddie.

The blonde man just laughed before seeing two more kids run through the house. "My favorite twins!"

"Our favorite Josh!" The six year olds replied, each hugging a leg.

"What about me?" He heard Reagan walking in from where she was making dinner in the kitchen. One of the only things the kids all ate was spaghetti since they were so picky and Josh did not want to clean up the mess they were patiently awaiting.

"Reagan! Mommy bought us some nail polish will you pretty please paint our nails after dinner?" Cherry asked.

"Only if you paint mine," she held out her fingers to show the bare nails.

"Deal!"

"Girls don't make Reagan do anything she doesn't want to," Jamia walked in then, carrying two bags since the kids were spending the night and the girls just shared a bag.

"No it's fine," Reagan smiled. "I love them. They're adorable."

"You don't gotta live with them," Frank joked as he entered the house as well.

"Daddy!" Lily scolded.

"I'm just kidding, pumpkin," he laughed. "Okay give Mommy and I hugs and kisses we're leaving you here forever and moving out of the country."

"You've said that before Daddy I'm not crying this time," Cherry told him as they hugged.

"You're a lot smarter than you look," Frank replied.

"You are so mean to your kids," Josh laughed.

"They know I love them," he laughed as well, standing up after all hugs and kisses were given. "Okay, be good children! I will see you at your high school graduations."

"Bye, Daddy," they chorused making Reagan and Josh chuckle.

"Call me if they cause any trouble," Jamia told Josh seriously as her husband walked out the door. "Thank you again, guys. I really appreciate it."

"Don't worry about us," Reagan assured. "We're gonna have the best time ever, right?"

The kids cheered and Jamia laughed. "Bye, Josh."

"Bye, Jamia," he smiled and shut the door behind her. He turned around and gave the kids a mischievous look. "Okay I already tried tickling Miles and he betrayed me so do I go for him again as payback or do I get one of the twins?"

---

"Josh what color should we paint Reagan's nails?" Lily asked, pointing to the 5 colors she had laid out on the carpet (they were sitting on an abundance of newspaper just in case). Cherry was sitting next to Josh and Miles was asleep on the couch. It was only eight but the four year old was exhausted and passed out about half an hour earlier. Jim and Freddie were curled up next to each other on the other end of the couch and they were sleeping contently.