for anglais

Josh
Was he really challenging me to a race in the pouring rain? In this economy? Giving himself a headstart? Oh hell no.
After the initial surprise, I took off running as if the devil himself was chasing after me. I could barely see thanks to the rain clouding my glasses yet I somehow managed to navigate through the streets, very closely behind Mads. Until he tripped and fell face first into a puddle. And made me trip and fall over him in the process.
"Shit, you okay?", I blurted out first thing after getting off of him. I felt my elbow hurting a bit from the impact, but it wouldn't be more than a scrape.

Mads
After the initial shock and breathlessness from the impact (and the water in my face), I couldn't help but laugh, as was my reaction to most of this kinda thing.
There I was, sitting in a puddle, covered in dirt head to toe. Honestly, I should have seen it coming.
"This would be the second time one of us almost split their head open since we've known each other then" I noted, still laughing.
But I was starting to feel that I maybe hadn't gotten away as unscathed as I'd initially thought - my knee and forehead were beginning to hurt a little bit, felt like an abrasion.
"I'm fine, pretty much. No concussion or anything, but we'd better get inside, I gotta clean this up - what about you?" I said while touching my forehead and flinching a little bit. Yup, abrasion to the touch, too.

Josh
"Yeah, just got a scrape on the ol' elbow... But that doesn't look entirely fine to me", I noted after seeing Mads flinch after poking at his wounds. "Don't keep touching them, idiot", I nagged at him and slapped his hand away from his face as he was about to touch his forehead again.
Almost immediately after entering the house, I shooed Mads into the bathroom first thing because he was in dire need of a shower. And his clothes in need of a wash. In the meantime, I grabbed a fresh change of clothes and dried myself off thoroughly. Finally, I plopped down on the sofa, feeling like I'd been run over at least once. But thinking back at everything that happened today, I felt content. Spending time with Mads was always great, no matter what kind of weird situations we got ourselves into. I smiled to myself and closed my eyes to give them a rest. We'd already napped earlier today but I already felt like drifting off again. Just as I was about to doze off, I heard Mads curse loudly from upstairs.
"Mads, you okay? I told you to stop touching those wounds", I yelled in the direction of the stairs after sitting up. No idea if he actually poked around again, but it was likely.

Mads
"I've got to get the dirt out of there, Einstein!" I shouted back. I'd rather not touch this either, even though I knew I probably would even if I didn't have a reason to, the impulse to do so was stronger than reason. But now I really had to get this little leftover piece of snow gravel out of there, and it hurt like a bitch. And it hadn't even really snowed this year, fuck was the City wasting money on?
After I'd adequately cursed out the Bristol City Council for their poor financial decisions, I was done with cleaning the wound too, and by this time I was already practically dry, so I just threw on some clothes and hopped downstairs.
"Hey sleepyhead, wanna watch a movie? Pick one."
It was more of a rethorical question, as I was already set on a movie night since about five minutes ago. I made my way 9ver to the kitchen, but couldn't resist messing up Josh's semi wet hair a little more than it was.
"Messy hair suits you" I grinned while getting out some microwave popcorn.
"Butter or caramel?"

Josh
"Caramel please...", I mumbled while scrolling aimlessly through Netflix, not knowing what the hell to pick. Also I kind of got distracted by that hair ruffle just now. But just a little bit. Eventually, I ended up on Kingsman, even though I'd seen that one before, I felt like it was a nice one to watch just because. And with that being thought, I suddenly was covered with a big fluffy blanket before a big bowl of popcorn ended up getting placed on my lap. Lastly, Mads plopped down next to me on the couch and scooted under the blanket as well. "Thanks honey", I jokingly said in a sing-song voice and smiled at him.
The movie had barely crossed over its midpoint at this moment and yet my body decided to shut down further and further. To be fair, I'd almost fallen asleep earlier as well, so I wasn't surprised I was starting to feel sleepy again. It is what it is. And in my case, it was time to sleep. Even though I was the one holding onto the popcorn.

Mads
Ah yes, Kingsman. Always a fun watch.
I had to admit, I was pretty tired, so focusing on popcorn and the movie took up all of my attention and I didn't really notice Josh dozing off until his head fell into my shoulder. Then, my attention was redirected to him. Multitasking was just not an option right now.
My own half closed eyes looked at his sleeping face, and I couldn't help but smile. He looked pretty cute, I had to admit, the scruffy hair hanging into his face... Impulse beat reason once more, and before I knew it, I had freed my arm and was brushing it back into place. It was so soft, in a very different way from mine. I couldn't help myself, I had to keep playing with it.
This was so peaceful, I thought while the people on the screen, unnoticed by me, started murdering each other in a church. And I caught myself wishing that I could do this when he was awake, too.
"Goddamnit Mads" I whispered and slowly stopped petting his head. "Get yourself together."
With that, I looked back at the screen, but shortly after decided that it was probably time for me to hit the sheets as well.
I carefully took the bowl of popcorn out of Josh's hands, then removed myself from the couch. He had been leaning onto me in his sleep, so I gave my best not to disturb him while guiding his body into a more comfortable laying position. As my last action of the day I tucked him in with the blanket and turned off the TV.
Then I barely made it up the stairs and fell into my bed. The second my face hit the pillow I was out.

Josh
"And you're absolutely sure that's a good idea?" To be honest, I thought the bike in the backyard was just decoration. Today I was going to be proven wrong. Because Mads was so dead set on getting McDonald's, in fact, he was so dead set on it, he was willing to move to the drive thru by bike. And he wanted me to come along since he wouldn't let me go hungry. He also needed someone to ensure the safest burger transport possible. His words, not mine.
As you can see, he somehow managed to convince me to come along. Well, it's not like it was difficult. What can I say, the prospect of doing anything together sounded like a field trip to me.
So there I was, trying to keep my balance on the carrier on the back of the bike while Mads was trying to beat the speed limit apparently. At least that's how I felt. And holding onto this thing wasn't an easy feat either, judging by the way I was wobbling around. One particular sharp and suicidal turn finally made me hold on to Mads. Properly. Arms slung around his waist and everything. My face millimeters away from his back, making withstanding nestling my cheek into his back immensely painful.I already knew I was gonna get a stiff neck from this.

Mads
What can I say, I wasn't the most peaceful biker in the world, but the chances of that guy existing in Bristol were pretty slim anyways. If someone found a way to ride down these practically 90 degree streets peacefully, please let me know. Until that day though, I was gonna ride how these streets wanted me to. Got me places faster as well.
So after approximately five minutes of me going in on the pedals and the breaks respectively and Josh holding onto me for dear life, we had made our way to the drive thru.
I stopped the bike with enough space between us and the car in front so we wouldnt lose our taste buds from their exhaust before we even got to the terminal.
"Finally, the golden arches. Embodiment of corporate hell. Don't you just feel at home?" I joked. My growling stomach certainly did. "Gosh I could eat a horse. Too bad they only have chicken on the menu."

Josh
I weakly chuckled at both of Mads' "jokes". At least I laughed at all. Just because he's good looking. And because I didn't want him to be too disappointed. Look at me sacrificing my own dignity for this one man. Pathetic.
Not gonna lie, I didn't even look the cashier in the eyes out of embarrassment. I know, we were holding up pretty much everything. I know, we looked stupid on that bike. I knew it all. It wasn't my idea, to lady in the Fiat judging me.
After getting everything we needed and another short ride to the river, we just sat around enjoying the food, the view, each others' company, the usual. I could already tell Mads ordered some too many chicken nuggets to eat by himself in one sitting. But seeing him enjoy them as much as he was right now, I just smiled and let him enjoy it.
"So what are we doing after?", I broke the silence after we were done eating. And yes, Mads indeed did order too much for himself.

Mads
I shrugged and swallowed the last bite of my burger before answering. "I don't know, haven't really thought about it."
Planning wasn't my forte, I prefered to go with the flow, like the flow of the river... That water, may it be oh so dirty from the industrial uphill, looked so inviting right now... It was just about 20 degrees and while I knew that for Josh from Jackson olle that probably warranted a cozy day indoors with a blanket more than it did a swim, I was Mads from Thornbury and this great british summers day had me sweating. Now of course I wasn't gonna throw myself into the river right here and now, but...
"You fancy taking a look at the sea?"

Josh
Looking back at Mads a bit confused, I shrugged. "Why not?" I mean, if he suggested going there... how far away could it be?
At least half an hour later I found myself sitting on the back of the bike again without having reached our destination yet. Had I known the sea was an hour bike ride away, I wouldn't have agreed to it. Poor Mads having had to carry me around for that long, I felt bad about it. I also felt bad about my butt starting to hurt at this point. Then I spotted something in the distance.
"You see that gas station up ahead? Wanna get some ice cream? I'll pay for it too! You gotta take a bit of a rest, man", I suggested to my driver.

Mads
"I'm alright, it's mostly downhill" I replied, but I had to admit that I was out of breath, which was fairly obvious too as I was practically gasping for air in between those words.
"But if you insist..." I pulled into the petrol station and let the bike roll out.
Josh made the run to the little shop while I stationed the bike near the car park, and as soon as I plopped down in the grass right next to it, he was already out again, waving at me with the two ice cream packets.
"You're an angel" I announced upon his arrival and looked at him like he was the next messiah. Ladies, get you a man who buys you ice cream for petrol station prices. Well. Not that I had this man or anything, but... Maybe I was the Lady in this scenario.

Josh
"What can I say, I'm divine as can be, dressed in white and all", I retorted, pointing to the white shirt and cap I was wearing. Grinning widely, I handed Mads his popsicle and plopped down on the grass next to him. "So, how much more do we have to go?"
Another indefinite span of time later, we finally seemed to reach our destination, which was, indeed, the sea. After having gotten off the bike I decided to just stand there for a few seconds, fully taking in the view and the warm sunlight. I took a deep breath and closed my eyes for a second. The salty air really reminded me of home. Even if it was a little colder than back in Florida. I turned back around to look at Mads, who, to my absolute shock, was in the process of taking his shirt off.
"You know that public nudity is a serious offence, right?", was the first thing I blurted out. Mads in return just grinned at me sheepishly and proceeded to take his shoes and socks off. "You're joking, right? You're not planning on going for a swim, are you?"

Mads
My grin just got wider.
"What do you think I came here for? If I don't go today, I'm gonna have to wait another two months or so for bathing weather"
After a second of consideration I decided to leave the shorts on, shrugged at Josh and ran on into the water. I couldn't wait one more second for its cold embrace.
Immediately after I let myself fall backwards into the first little wave that came my way I felt relaxed and well. The one hour bike ride was definitely worth it for this. And the ice lolly. And most of all, Josh's petrified face.
"Also don't worry, this beach is private property!" I shouted with a laugh just before I was shut up by a wave breaking over my head.

Josh
I threw my hands up in defeat. "Whatever you say, snowman..." Though I couldn't help but smile watching Mads play around in the water by himself. His excitement matched the one of a puppy almost too perfectly. But like, a big puppy. A Siberian Husky, if you will. Suits the climate as well. I already shivered at the mere thought of just putting my feet into that water.
By the time Mads came back out of the water, I had already sat down on a big rock to watch and take some pictures of him. In order to keep them for scientific research. Now keep scrolling. "You retiring from being the Little Mermaid? Your skintone is starting to match your hair", I remarked while he approached me with a big grin. Almost too big of a grin. He also didn't seem to have any intention of slowing down or drying himself off. Instead, he started spreading his arms out. Oh hell no.
After realising that little plan of Mads', I took off running as fast as I could over the big rocks on the beach. Just seconds after I had reached a bigger patch of grass, I was tackled to the ground mercilessly. After coming to a halt laying face down, I felt air escape my lungs thanks to what felt like a giant wet bag of sand laying on my back. "Get off me, Ariel, I won't date you just because you grew legs. Also you feel like a half melted ice pack", I huffed.

Mads
"I'm glad I didn't sell my voice for you then" I laughed as I rolled off of Josh and into the grass.
"But come on, it's not that cold" I insisted. "Pretty warm for early June to be exact. I doubt it be getting warmer."
He shot me an all saying look, and I chuckled lightly once more.
Of course I understood that it tended to be a bit warmer in good ole Jacksonville. But if us Brits took the same perspective on temperature... Man we would have been a dirty bunch back in the day.
"So like, you think a fishtail is more attractive, should I ask Ursula to bring it back or..."

Josh
"Maybe if you took me out on a date first, you would seem a lot less desperate", I retorted. "Also if you dried youself off first..." I shivered thanks to a short but rough breeze over my soaked back.
At that time, the sun decided to finally move past the clouds and grace us with her warming presence. I sat up and signaled Mads that I was gonna head back to the rocks. On the way there, I took off my shirt and laid it out on a big sunny rock to dry once I arrived. It did feel a little breezy around my torso, but the warmth from the sun would compensate for it.
I plopped down on the ground next to the rock and let the sun hit my face, eyes closed. I peeked out of my right eye for a second when I heard Mads move near me. "Might as well get a tan while I'm at it", I joked.

Mads
I followed Josh back to the rocks and peeked a look at him as he was taking off his shirt. Not to be dramatic, but he looked good. Like, good... Ok Mads, focus.
"Ah yes, a tan. Something my skin has never heard about" I said as I sat down on a rock next to his.
"You know I think if you want to be exact, we're on a date right now no? I mean we've got to sea, the sun... I still have chicken nuggets. All you need innit?" I said this half jokingly. I was half tempted to add "haha jk. unless?", but I figured I'd be stretching my luck a little bit there.

Josh
Up until he said "date" I had perfectly kept my cool and now I'd become a gay mess. Send help. I let out an amused huff as I was trying to suppress a blush creeping up my face with all my might. It was from the sun, it was just a side effect of the sun... yes, the same sun that came out five minutes ago. I have a rare skin condition that makes my face flare up upon any contact with the sun's rays, that was clearly the answer to everything.
"You could consider getting shipwrecked a date as well with the right mindset", I finally thought of a good answer after I took a bit of time to think. "You don't happen to want to share some of these nuggets, do you...?", I meekly asked after noticing how hungry I actually was at this point.

Mads
"Of course!"
I jumped up to get my bag and got out those nuggets. Swimming was hunger inducing, and it had been a while since we ate anyway. I offered the box to Josh first before taking a piece myself.
"And you know, the Titanic movie exists" I commented with a half full mouth, and then after swallowing, "so there are quite a few people who would consider a sinking ship romantic I suppose."
I thought about the concept a bit more.
"You know, the drama, the fear of death, you realise who's really important to you don't you." I shot a look at him.
"And if the captain is anywhere near you you could get a last minute wedding... I mean you would probably die, but it would be one hell of a last date."
As I finished that thought I grabbed another chicken nugget. I really was hungrier than I thought from the ride and the water. Thank the lord I'd decided to take the 20 pack. My wallet was screaming, but at least bot our stomachs would be happy.

Josh
"Wouldn't that be a little weird though?", I answered after Mads had finished his monologue. "You get married and then what? You die. Wouldn't the captain have other concerns than marrying two passengers? Imagine the other things you could be doing in the meantime instead of getting married... Like, spending your last moments just with each other, you know, it can be the simplest things, like holding hands or making out or...", I trailed off once I realised where my rant was accidentally heading to, "Man, this is coming back around to Titanic again, isn't it", I ended my sentence more quietly. I don't know why I got so embarrassed all of a sudden. "But I guess it all doesn't really matter that much", I shrugged.

Mads
I grinned.
"Right, but I was thinking more of a Pirates of the Caribbean kind of thing with the wedding. You know, that scene where they're fighting and noone knows if they're gonna survive, so in the midst of battle they're like "Captain, wed us!" and he marries them in between sword swings... But you're right, it doesn't matter."
As much as I'd like to be a pirate getting married fighting back to back with me matey and a blade to my neck, right now I was just a games top employee on pandemic leave with a chicken nugget in my mouth. But hey, at least the matey was here...
But this thought process reminded me of something else.
"You know, they've been reopening a few stores now, so I might get a chance to work again soon. The wallet needs it."

Josh
"Oh really? That's great", I replied. "I can come visit you at work if you get bored. I'm not much of a gamer but I can play Karen for a bit for your entertainment." I smiled to myself after realising that pun I accidentally made. Genius comedian right there.
The rest of the time we spent in the sun passed by quickly, it was mostly peaceful. I say mostly because Mads did threaten to go back into the water and pull me with him, but I bribed him into staying on land with a chicken nugget. It really was that easy. The wind became more chilly as time went on until it was too chilly to still sit around while shirtless. As I was pulling my almost completely dry shirt back over my head, I started wondering about going back home.
"You think we should head back soon? Before the sun sets and all."

Mads
"Yeah, we probably should."
He was right, it was gonna get chilly real quick once the sun was down, and the wind was already turning. Although I was dreading the ride back up the river a little bit. But I'd gotten myself into this.

Once I'd put my shirt and shoes back on as well, we made our way over to the bike and rode on home.
I quickly noticed that I was more tired than I had noticed up until now, but luckily the treading of the pedals didn't take too much mindpower. It was rather therapeutic, and the tiredness moreso distracted me from the physical strain.
And so I was riding us both through the fields in a trance like state, peacefully and quietly, until the wind in our back became strong enough to help me out a little bit, but also to make it a little cool here in the shade of the avenue leading up the river.
If I'd been eager to cool off just hours earlier, now I was glad for the radiator called Josh who was leaning onto me, probably as sleepy as I was. And the warm feeling I was getting from this as well.
Yes, it was a little concerning.
But it was also nice.

Josh
I didn't remember much of the ride home, I was dead tired and didn't have to concerm myself with anything other than staying on the bike. I pretty much spent half the ride trying not to fall asleep against Mads' back which was pretty cold to the touch already. I'm sure he didn't mind getting warmed up a little bit. Since I didn't mind leaning up against him as shamelessly as I did.
After getting home, we both pretty much crashed into bed right away and called it a day. That night, the couch just seemed exceptionally cozy.

The week after, Mads unfortunately started going back to work. Unfortunately because I didn't have anyone else to spend time with. And because I wanted to spend time with him, but that one was obvious. It was kind of weird, not gonna lie. I'd gotten so used to having a roommate that I almost didn't know how to spend time on my own anymore.
In short, I was insanely bored. I couldn't even continue watching series on Netflix because I was watching them together with Mads and you don't just watch ahead when you're watching together. Basic etiquette. I wandered towards the garden door. I knew it was raining outside, so I could merely take a peek outside through the little window on the door. A little red spot in the middle of the grass caught my eye. My curiosity eventually got the best of me and I ended up stepping outside into the pouring rain to get a closer look after all. A pretty red flower, one of those we planted some time ago, was about to bloom. Its little head kept getting thrown back and forth thanks to the impact of some heavier raindrops falling on top of it. I felt like a proud mother, almost forgetting that my back and head were starting to get soaked. I quickly scrambled to get back inside, only to go back outside and snap a photo of the flower.
Content with myself, I sat down on the couch, going through my chats. There he was. I smiled to myself.

"Congrats, you're a father now!"