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The first time David had a paranormal experience had been when he was seven. A relative had passed, some cousin of someone or something. He really should remember, but it didn’t matter then and doesn’t matter now. All that mattered was that he had an entire conversation with someone who had long since passed and was given knowledge he had no other earthly way of knowing. When he found his mother among the crowd, wiping what she deemed a “polite” amount of tears from her now dry eyes, and asked about the business of a great-great-grandfather that had been estranged from the family, the silence had been more than deafening.
Still a child, his eyes were wide with innocence when she had smiled politely at the family she never cared for and pulled him harshly by the arm to a hallway in the back of the funeral parlor, scolding him for embarrassing them.
“I-I…he told me to ask!” Tears well in his eyes, unaware of what he had done wrong.
He watched as his mother realized he wasn’t lying or playing a prank, as though David was ever a child to do so, and eventually wiped the tears from his eyes, a gesture of appearance more than comfort.
“He’s been dead for thirty-five years and ghosts don’t exist. I don’t know where or how you ever heard that name but forget it, do you understand? Never mention it again,” she declares with a finality David knew never to question.
And so he forgot.
Well more so, he ignored.
He ignores that sensation when his hair stands on end and the muscles in his neck tense and a chill settles just at the tip of his fingers like he’s just grabbed ice from the freezer. He ignores it until he can’t anymore. Until the curiosity overwhelms him. Until he’s free from his parents’ grip and can make his own decisions. Until he finds friends who believe him, maybe not fully, but enough to know that he wasn’t judged and was supported. It was just refreshing, but it changed the course of his life.
Sometime in October of his sophomore year, he takes a trip with Chuck and Ron and between bars, they end up at a “haunted house” to celebrate the arrival of Halloween. Nothing happens in the house, just like David suspected, even though the employees did a decent job scaring him and his friends, but it isn’t until they’re headed back to their hotel that he gets that sensation again. He finds himself suddenly gasping and asking their driver to pull over.
He trips over his own feet to get out and when he looks up, he’s met with what he assumed was someone in a costume.
“S-sorry,” he mumbled, cold sweat breaking out.
“What?….See……Me?” A voice rang out, though it sounded muffled as though underwater, and David blames it on the blood roaring in his ears. This feeling has never been this strong before and he assumes the intensity is due to the decade or so he spent burying it down.
“Y-yes,” he gasps, “Of course I can see you.” He looks back up as he stands and notices that the person in front of him is not there….not really. They’re more a vague shape trying to look human but not quite making it. Their voice, though, raises every hair on end like it did when he was seven.
“David!” Chuck shouts from where he’s arguing with their driver while Ron attempts to help him back to the car.
“Who the hell are you talking to?” Ron asks and David has a moment more before the person before him dissipates.
“Don’t go!” He tries to say before the adrenaline rush crashes and he blacks out against Ron’s shoulder, but not before he sees them share a look of concern.
When he comes to a few moments later with a deep gasping breath, he looks at both of his friends before noticing the driver watching him wearily.
He mouths, “at the hotel,” before leaning his hot skin against the cool window.
At the hotel, he explained everything to his friends and what he believed to have happened. They don’t mock him or deny his experience and for the first time in his life, David feels seen and heard and understood.
“How often does it happen?” Chuck asked first and David feels a wave of relief that they don’t think he was immediately crazy.
“Not too often, honestly since that funeral, it didn’t, but I have always ignored it and I think that was a big part of it.”
“So, like, you have to believe in it for it to work?” Ron clarified, more skeptical than Chuck, but not critical.
“Maybe, like after the haunted house tonight, I was thinking of that funeral and how real, I guess, hauntings happen. The sensations and feeling never stopped, no matter where I went, but I didn’t ever see anything until tonight.” He tried to explain it the best way he could, it being both new and old to him put him in an odd juxtaposition.
“We should test it!” Ron suggests excitedly.
“I don’t know, I don’t think it’s a light switch deal where I can turn it on and off. Tonight was the first time something that intense has happened.”
“Huh, maybe they have to want to be seen,” Chuck suggested, and leaned forward, “you said that you still get the sensations and feelings more often but you’ve only actually seen a few. Maybe it’s more a mutual, right place, right time thing.”
“So, you think there’s no way to test it?” Ron sighed, always the most adventurous of the three of them.
“I don’t think so,” David shrugged and looked at the disappointed faces of his friends before making up his mind, “but that doesn’t mean we can’t try.”
Ron’s face lights up and starts looking up haunted houses nearby.
From that night on, he stops ignoring it all and instead leans into what he sees as a gift. Though he’s had few experiences since he hasn't sought them out and isn’t until he meets Joe when that dramatically and irrevocably changes.
It was a mistake, honestly. Their desks weren’t meant to be by each other at all as their areas of expertise were vastly different. Joe’s focus was sports and comics, while David worked mainly with literature and film. They really should have been in different parts of the office, but there was some sort of leak and an overflow of employees dispersed where there was room and there just so happened to be one open spot next to David.
He had tried his best to ignore the man next to him, headphones always secure because Joe never did quite manage to stop speaking once he started. He would jostle David constantly, especially when he was watching a game replay or something particularly devastating happened in the comics he was reviewing.
David tried to ignore him as best he could, but Joe was so relentless that it was only a matter of time until he caved and since then Joe hasn’t let up one bit. He was always talking to David, grabbing him to show him something or asking his opinion on an article, or throwing various desk supplies to distract David from work.
A few months into this and they find a balance. Joe is still as invasive as ever, always nudging David and making jokes or mocking the things he says, but he also brings him tea in the afternoon and snacks from the office kitchen when it looks like David is about to fall asleep at his desk. He tries not to read too much into it, but he can’t ignore the way it makes him feel. It’s a new and dangerous, though exciting development that he’s trying to control, but it’s exceedingly difficult when Joe just…won’t….stop.
“Oh shit! Web look at this!” Joe points at his screen, sliding David’s headphones off his ears with practiced and perfected ease like the nickname that falls from his lips. Joe was the only one that David has never corrected on the nickname and he purposefully ignores why that might be.
He rolls his eyes but looks at the screen beside him knowing Joe wouldn’t let up until he had his attention.
He expects it to be some play on a game or a spoiler for the comics he’s unfortunately become addicted to because of Joe, but it’s a video of a ghost hunting show, and David’s heart rate spikes. He’s not shared that part of himself with anyone beyond Chuck and Ron before and he certainly didn’t think he was going to share it with Joe of all people. He’s seen the particular clip Joe is sharing, it had gone viral a few days ago, and he’d watched it a few times to ensure that it was fully faked.
He says as much without thinking, “They don’t even do that.”
Joe turns sharply toward David with a dangerous mix of joy and mischief.
“They? What? Ghosts?!” His voice gets higher with each question and David can tell he’s already walked into a trap.
He knows there’s no way out of it and that Joe wouldn’t let it go even if he tried so he bit the proverbial bullet.
“Well, yeah,” he rubs his neck and watches Joe watch the movement, “I mean any credible sources know they don’t just move a chair like that. Those shows use that one movement to keep people watching for it for an hour.”
He studies Joe’s face and watches a series of emotions flit through it before settling on what David can only assume is skepticism.
“Credible sources? Like what?” He leans forward, resting his chin on his hand.
David bites his tongue and sighs, wishing he never walked into this conversation.
“Firsthand experiences? Uh, raw footage that isn’t doctored,” he points to Joe’s monitor, “among other things.”
Joe stares at David as though he had an extra head, “You’re serious?”
David shrugs and nods as he turns back to his own monitor.
“According to you I’m never not serious, a robot devoid of fun, and all-in-all, a general vibe killer because I didn’t want to hide a tuna sandwich in Sobel’s desk.”
He smiles when Joe groans. As much as Joe was an annoyance most days, it was fun to annoy him right back.
“Cut the shit, Web, do you actually believe in ghosts and shit?” Joe asks, whispering as though any form of confirmation would sully David’s reputation.
David turns back to Joe, suddenly a lot closer than he thought and the proximity forces him to take an extra moment to form his thoughts because he always thought Joe’s eyes were such a different color than they were up close.
He clears the thought quickly and answers carefully, cautiously, but as genuinely as he can, “I don’t just believe in them, Joe. I’ve seen them.”
Joe pushes David’s chair back with a nervous laugh, “Fuck off, Web. No, you haven’t.”
David wheels back, unfazed even though he can feel his heart racing from the delicate topic of conversation. Joe’s immediate dismissal stirs something in him, a defiance he hasn’t felt since he told his parents he was majoring in literature and not law like they had wanted. They’d refused to pay after that and it was bittersweet when he graduated on his own, in more ways than one. No one, save his friends, was there to congratulate him.
“I have so, Joe. I would never lie to you.” He says it with as much sincerity and honesty as he feels. David hated liars, was raised by and around them.
Joe must sense this because his smile falls and he considers David for a long time. He can feel it on the side of his face, and is tempted to get back to work, but something pulls him to look at Joe again.
He turns his head and finds Joe smiling again. His heart flutters with the direct attention and he does his best to keep from returning the smile.
Joe leans forward, conspiratorially, and whispers a challenge, “Prove it.”
David licks his lips, blood roaring in his ears. He wants to deny it, tell Joe he was kidding, and keep this part of himself fully hidden. Yet something, he’s unsure of what, compels him to lean forward and respond, “How?”
“We’ll go somewhere haunted. Hell, I’ll even let you pick. You find a ghost and I’ll admit you’re right.”
“I don’t know, Lieb.” He smiles at Joe’s reaction because he didn’t use the nickname a lot but when he did, he enjoyed the other man’s reaction. He continues, “Sounds like a lot of risk for very little reward.” David shrugs, enjoying having Joe on the line for once instead of the other way around.
Joe leans back in his desk chair and crosses his legs, contemplating David’s comment.
“Fine, I’ll adjust the term. We take a couple of cameras from the equipment room and Shifty to shoot more footage we can’t get at whatever,” he places air quotations, “haunted,” drops them, “place you want. You prove to me you’re right and I’ll get you anything you want.”
“Anything? Such as?” David asks, confused as to what Joe is offering, but no stopping his mind from wandering immediately to the very lewd.
Joe licks his lips and David tracks the movement, “Web. I know like every event venue in town, I can get you tickets to whatever you want, whenever you want. I know you like those concert plays or whatever.”
David thinks it over before getting sidetracked, “Musicals? Is that what you’re talking about?”
“I don’t know man, the songs are catchy but I don’t give a shit about the story or anything otherwise, do we have a deal?”
“You know the songs are part of the story, right? Like that’s kind of the whole point?” He can’t let an argument go when it comes to Joe and he knows exactly why but won’t fully admit it to himself just yet.
“Get off it, Web! Do we have a deal?” Joe shouts, attracting the ire of their neighboring desk mates for probably the fifth time this morning.
David thinks it over, seriously this time, it was a big commitment and not to mention how vulnerable a position he was going to put himself in…in front of a camera and Joe. He’s not certain why the latter is more nerve-racking but he ignores it to ask.
“Is this a continuous thing?” He asks, worried about failing, “A lot of the so-called haunted places aren’t really haunted, just tourist traps.”
“So, what? We keep going until you get something?” Joe asks, arms crossed.
“It shouldn’t take long, but I don’t want to strike down because the place is a dud.”
He watches as Joe rubs his temples, the same way he always does when David mixes up sports terms. David smiles inwardly because this time he did it on purpose.
“Strike out and fucking touchdown, Web. I swear to fuck, you can remember all the characters in Les Mis but can’t get these fucking sorted.”
David smiles wide, proud that he’s rubbed off on Joe as much as Joe has rubbed off on him, and ignores the wording of that.
“What the fuck are you smiling like a weirdo for?” Joe asks, arms crossed.
“You just mentioned Les Mis properly in a conversation.”
“I did the fuck not.” He stares at David with wide eyes, probably surprised at his own action.
“It’s okay,” he pats Joe’s shoulder, “I won’t tell anyone.”
Joe rolls his eyes, “That’s good.”
David scoffs, “No one would care, Lieb, it’s not that serious.”
“No, th-the deal. That sounds good. We can go as long as you need.”
David looks up sharply, something about the way Joe said the last line causing a jolt of electricity to run down his spine. He really should spend less time with Joe, if anything.
“What do you get out of it?” David questions, curious why Joe was so invested in this.
“Proving you wrong is my favorite activity.” Joe comments, though the usual playfulness is toned down.
“That’s all you want?”
Joe smirks, voice rough when he asks, “What’re you offering, Web?”
David swallows heavily at that. He didn’t have as much to offer Joe, fewer connections in his line of work, but he offers the same thing Joe did, “Anything you want, Joe.”
He watches his coworker take a deep breath before replying.
“And you admit ghosts aren’t real.”
David knows that he’ll eventually get proof so it’s easy for him to agree to that, “Of course.”
They consider one another for a moment before David puts out his hand, “Deal?“
Joe meets it, firm and warm, “Deal.”
There’s a moment with Joe’s hand in his when David thinks he’s making a life-changing decision, but the feeling passes quickly enough.
“We should go out.” Joe mentions and the entirety of David’s body freezes.
There’s a pregnant pause and it feels like the entire office has stopped to listen.
“What?” David whispers, barely audible, confused beyond belief despite the high blood pressure he now has.
“To get the plans sorted out?” Joe questions like David is an idiot, which while par for the course, seems to have less conviction this time and more nerves, “I want to you fail as quickly as possible.”
David scoffs, “And here I was thinking we were gonna play nice.”
The first place is a dud like David predicted. The actual place was more a museum than anything.
They got creepy footage and with the right editing, they could probably post it to the company page as a local spot to check out.
“That was boring as shit. We were there for five hours for what? Sitting in silence? Talking to the air?” Joe complains for the fourth time since they left.
“I told you.” David laughs, “What did you think Shift?”
Shifty, who was in the back seat messing with his camera, laughs, “Honestly? The marital banter you two have was pretty entertaining. I mean people will watch for potential ghosts, but they’ll stay to watch you two bitch at each other. Classic YouTube shit.”
Of all the things he expected Shifty to say, it wasn’t that.
“Wait, really?”
“Marital fucking banter?” Joe exclaims.
David just laughs again and motions for one of the cameras so he can watch so playback footage.
Sure enough, Shifty was right. As annoyed as he was in the moment to scold Joe, he can see the appeal of watching it from an outsider's point of view. He tries to focus on their words but gets distracted by the way Joe would look at him when David wasn’t looking. He blames the hope that blooms in his chest on exhaustion and finishes the footage, thinking of where edits should be made.
Joe pulls into their office parking lot just as David shuts down the camera.
“I think we might have something here.” He remarks, grabbing his bag from between his legs.
He looks across the console at Joe, the only light from the moon and the overhead lights. It makes him glow in a way that makes David really notice the sharp features of Joe’s face, sculpturesque in their own way.
Joe regards him in what feels like an equivalent way and David takes a deep breath.
“Show me.”
Shifty smiles at them from the back seat.
They spend that night at the office, editing the five hours of footage into something resembling coherence and content. Shifty fell asleep under his desk at some point, but Joe and David kept working. He knew their friendship was once of mutual antagonism, but he was still pleasantly surprised at how easy and fun it was to be with Joe when they weren’t trying to purposefully piss each other off.
He’s just getting ready to start, what he hopes is, the final play-through of editing when Joe brings him a cup of tea and places it beside him.
David reaches for it without looking - Joe always placed it in the same spot - and smiles when it’s perfect.
“Thanks, Joe. It’s always perfect when you make it.” He feels warm from head to toe and looks over when Joe hasn’t said anything for a full minute. He finds Joe asleep at his desk and smiles again. He blames the flutter of his heart on the sudden rush of caffeine and sleep deprivation, certainly not because Joe looked really kind of adorable asleep at his desk like that.
He looks around and when he finds nothing, he takes his sweater off and drapes it over Joe’s shoulders.
He checks the clock, only one more hour until they’re actually supposed to start work.
David cools then chugs the entire cup of tea and focuses back on the video.
At nine in the morning, while the video file is exported to a drive for review, David finally leans back in his chair with a satisfied groan. They could have something good, no, great on their hands here, if they do it right.
He leans back to rest his eyes as the first early birds begin to filter into their office. He’s out before the video exports.
He wakes to the smell of tea and cinnamon and in his exhaustion still thinks he’s dreaming and tries to curl further into his bed. Unfortunately, he’s not in his bed but still his desk chair and he nearly topples over before gravity and his survival instinct kick in and he rushes back to solid ground with a slam of his hands on his desk.
There’s a hand at his back as he returns to the waking world, “Easy, Web. You’re acting as if you’ve seen a ghost.”
The hand slides to his arm and squeezes, “You been working out?”
David laughs, voice rough from disuse, “Fuck off, Joe.”
He stretches fully, wiggling his legs under his desk, and sighs with as much energy as he can muster.
“You’re like a goddamn cat.” Joe comments through the bagel in his mouth.
David smiles with a small laugh, then spots a fresh cup of tea and a piece of cinnamon toast next to his keyboard and his smile widens. He knows who put them there and admires Joe’s attempt at nonchalance as he takes a drink and bite of each.
As much grandstanding as he does, Joe seeks validation as much as David does, maybe even more. It was one of the first things he noticed about the man next to him and if their plan works and he works more with Joe than before, he hopes he’ll get to see more of it.
“Got us a pitch meeting after lunch,” Joe mentions casually, “figure we can go over everything until then and finalize everything.”
“You think Lip is really gonna go for it?” Web asks as he finishes his breakfast.
“If we play our cards right, yeah. He values ingenuity more than viral hits, and if I’m being honest, Web, I think we have both. I watched the finished product this morning and if we keep it up, we could really do something with it.”
The excitement in Joe’s assurance is contagious.
“I think so too,” David smiles and offers, “I’m in if you are.”
Joe nods, “Of course. I’m gonna win this thing.”
For a second David had forgotten their previous deal, “If you think so, but as the resident expert, I disagree.”
Joe just laughs, “They ain’t real, Web. End of story.”
David doesn’t respond but turns his body fully to Joe as he grabs the empty cup and plate. Remembering Joe had done that for him without asking and feeling exceedingly bold with the prospect of something new and exciting, he lets that direct what he says next.
He smiles, saccharine and lazy from the sleepiness that still clings to him, “Thank you for the breakfast, Joe. It was great.”
He watches Joe’s shoulder tense as a blush creeps toward his cheeks, but he still nods in acknowledgment.
David stands and leans in for the kicker, “You did an excellent job.”
He smirks, proud and happy when Joe lets out a small gasp as he walks away. Joe may not be into David the way David is into him, but it didn’t mean he couldn’t still have fun with his friend.
“So…you want us to pay you to argue?” Lip asks, half serious and half amused.
Joe launches into the entire spiel they rehearsed and if David is being honest, he’s surprised by how enthusiastic and motivated Joe is to get the approval. If he’s being even more honest there’s a strong sense of guilt, he felt in keeping Joe at arm’s length the entire time. David has little people in his life who not only know about his, for lack of a better word, abilities, let alone willing to go out on a limb for him like this. While they argue often, it is rarely serious and Joe has done nothing to not deserve David’s friendship. When they’re not trying to antagonize one another, they’re really compatible and David feels guilty for underestimating Joe in almost all aspects. If they do get their chance, he’s going to spend the time making up for that.
“….and they don’t exist so there is really nothing to lose unless you’re Webster.”
Then the guilt fades back into something lesser because Joe was still Joe.
“Not to mention the always present call of supernatural things year-round. If this takes off like we think it will, there will be merch, press, ad revenue, and a lot more. We can’t promise a return on investment, but we can promise that we will put everything into trying to get it.” David offers, trying to acquiesce any lingering doubt in their boss.
Lip considers them for a long moment and David is honestly worried that they’re going to be denied.
“I’ll give you six videos. Make sure they’re at least thirty minutes each with content from beginning to end. No dead air, do voiceovers if necessary. You can have Shifty, provided you get him from out under his desk and Sisk; he’s our best sound guy and I want clearer audio than what the cameras caught. We will post the first video, as is, to see what interest there is. You make the six and we’ll post them with our Halloween content through October. Sound good?”
Joe moves to put a hand forward, but David stops him with a hand on his chest. The warmth spread across his palm quickly and bolsters his confidence in his next action.
“Compensation? Should this be the success that we think it will, we don’t want to be shut out.” His hand is still on Joe’s chest and he feels the rapid breaths, hoping Joe won’t be angry with him for asking something they didn’t discuss fully, but still. He wanted to make sure they both were covered.
“To be discussed based on success, but I’ll have something in writing to ensure your end before you get started. Anything else?”
He nods, relieved that it wasn’t a deal breaker.
“Budget?” David asks, knowing Lip preferred no bullshit when it came to finances. He watches their boss look between them with an odd smile.
“The equipment is obviously provided for use, but outside of that, we can probably get Nix to spring for three thousand total. You’ll have to pay out of pocket for anything else.”
“Done.” David smiles and drops his hand from where it had stayed on Joe’s chest.
They shake hands and shuffle out of the office as the next employee shuffles in.
It takes a moment for everything to settle but then Joe actually jumps and pulls him into a hug.
“Fuck yeah! We did it, Web!”
David hugs him back with a laugh, “You did most of the talking. You really sold it to Lip.”
“Yeah, but you got us comp and budget so we could probably travel somewhere famous to get more variety. I wouldn’t have been able to pull that off! That was fucking clever, Web.”
David tries to hide the sudden warmth in his cheeks. He really should get himself checked out by a physician because his heart rate would not stay steady around Joe anymore.
“I’d say we should celebrate, but I’m still yawning from last night.” Joe remarks looking more sullen than necessary, like he was genuinely sad to not spend time with David. It warms his cheeks further.
“We’ll celebrate when this is over,” David laughs as he yawns loudly, “For now let’s get the details sorted and tell Skinny he has a new job.”
Joe laughs, “You’re funny when you wanna be, Web.”
David feels a certain amount of pride that this time it’s because of him and not at him.
Then Joe suggests, “I’ll get Skinny, while you pull Shifty out from his desk.”
David sighs, “I always get the hard part.”
Joe laughs, “Oh, I’ll give you a hard part.”
It’s such a horrible remark that David doesn’t even consider it and just pushes Joe out of his way to the elevators.
Joe must really be tired because David watches as he just stands there, staring at the floor as the doors begin to close.
“Hey I di-,” he starts.
David doesn’t know what he was trying to say but laughs just as the doors close and says, “Take the stairs.”
They find a really good balance. The first video does well, but their second and third do even better. Shifty was right, people were disappointed at no ghosts but for the most part, everyone is watching for the two of them. It’s invigorating to know they were right and that they have something good and that they were right to bet on themselves.
There’s only one problem.
David likes Joe. A lot. It’s not a surprise, not really, but the suddenness of the realization is. It’s consuming his thoughts and the more that they continue doing this and traveling together and rooming in shitty motels together, the more difficult it’s becoming to ignore it.
They always get two rooms and Shifty and Skinny always insist on rooming together because they need a break from him and Joe. If it weren’t for the pure exhaustion, David would be much more concerned with sharing a room with Joe. They pass out the moment they get in, but still every morning, there’s somehow a cup of tea next to him, and it’s really having an effect on David. He’s had trysts and a passing two-week relationship or two, but nothing compares to the feeling those lukewarm, disposable cups of tea have on him.
He never mentions it and neither does Joe.
It’s driving him mad.
Joe hasn’t mentioned anything or given any inkling of suspecting David’s feelings and, aside from the praise he gives now and then just to see the flush color his cheeks and neck, he’s been doing his best to keep them hidden. But when they’re out in the field and he gets lost in the filming, that wall falls the moment Joe smiles at him.
And their viewers have noticed. At least some of them. They review the comments for surprise Q&As they plan to release and each time someone comments, “When do they kiss???” or “So they’re dating right??” or “Am I the only one seeing this??” It’s safe to say the David scrolls a bit faster before Joe can see them. He tries not to dwell on the comments believing it’s something mutual and instead does what he does best. He ignores it, until the fifth episode.
So this time, they’re somewhere in the middle of Pennsylvania filming, thanks to Nix extending their budget, and David is struggling. He’s trying to keep the banter friendly, safe, and protecting himself, both of them really, from providing any further fodder for their fans. He wasn’t ashamed of it, in all honesty, if he didn’t have real feelings for Joe, he’d suggest leaning into it. Still, he had a job to do and he tries to refocus on that as they move through another dilapidated building. Joe has been doing most of the talking so far and he can tell they’re all getting worried.
He can see Shifty and Skinny looking at him in confusion, can tell something's off but he shrugs it off and suggests they do some solo runs while Shifty and Skinny get b-roll.
“Not feeling any spirits, Web?” Joe asks from another room, but the hole in the wall allows him to hear it clearly.
David walks toward him, grateful to have a moment of peace from the bright light on Shifty’s camera. The ones in their hands hang loosely in front of them and those attached to their gear are night vision and are barely noticeable at this point.
He smiles when he sees Joe drawing on the dirt in the windows. A flower, a smiley face, and of course a dick.
“Really mature, Liebgott.”
“What?” Joe laughs over his shoulder, “No matter when the ghosties kicked the bucket, a dick drawing is always funny.”
David laughs and he can hear the insufferable fondness in it. He really needs a break from Joe once they’re done here. Maybe they can have some time off before the last episode. He needs to get his head straight, for lack of a better word.
Joe sighs, still looking out the window, “You know I really thought we might get something here. Every other asshole with a camera and twenty-five bucks was able to.”
He wants to joke that it’s almost an admission of existence from Joe, but he feels the same frustration. While his experiences have been limited, David likes to think he’s had far more than the average person, but he’s yet to even be scared at any of the locations.
They’re just all dilapidated walls and crumbling paint and bad history. Nothing supernatural, just human history.
“I think we might strike gold next time, Joe. I have a good feeling. They say veils are thinner close toward Halloween.”
It’s colder in the autumn Pennsylvanian woods than he planned for and David shivers as a draft flows directly toward him.
“You scared?” Joe levels him with a smug grin.
“No, just colder than I thought it’d be.” He shrugs, “I think we should call it, maybe get some shots of the town in the morning before we head out.” He turns off his own cameras and watches as Joe does the same and removes the helmet holding his head cam. His hair always looks so messed up after and David laughs.
“What?” Joe snaps.
David steps forward and before he can think runs a hand through Joe’s hair to fix it.
He realizes halfway through what he’s doing and it’s so quiet that David can hear both their stuttered breathing.
“Uh,” he declares awkwardly, “Better now.”
The blush is back on Joe’s cheeks and David, for both their sakes, chalks it up to the chilly night. He’s feeling reckless in a way he never has before and it’s dangerous.
Joe smiles as he texts the other two men to meet them at the entrance.
“It’s a shame you weren’t scared.” Joe murmurs after a moment of getting their gear together and heading back toward the entrance.
It takes David a moment to connect Joe’s meaning, his hand still tingling from before.
“Why? So you could make fun of me?” David scoffs.
Joe turns to face him, a hand on his chest stopping David from walking forward.
David’s brow furrows in confusion.
Joe smirks and though David knows it’s his telltale sign of joking, the little curve up of his too pink lips draws his attention every time.
“Nah, just wanted an excuse to hold your hand.” Joe whispers and there’s a moment when their eyes meet and David sees a staggering amount of vulnerability and all he can do is stare.
Then Joe laughs and walks away and David is left to follow, more confused than he’s ever been.
Shifty betrays them.
Okay, not them, but David.
Well not really, but it still feels that way, even though it had been David’s fault technically.
They all played a best eight-out-of-twelve game of rock, paper, scissors on who was going to edit the footage, and Shifty lost.
There was a standard of their editing, now that it was officially a series, and they all had experience in editing. Title, intro, music, footage, and voiceovers with more bantering between him and Joe, then no ghosts and a promise of more videos in the future.
Joe and David usually watched the final edit but were so busy keeping up with their social media, meetings with Lip, and statistic feedback analysis that they didn’t even watch the final product until the day after it was posted.
David woke that morning to hundreds of Twitter mentions and DMs.
Thinking something had gone wrong because they never had such a reaction before, he immediately opened the app.
In all honesty, he wishes it had been a disaster, like half the video missing or the transcript was incorrect, and not this.
Their body cams had still been on when he was fixing Joe’s hair so the full thing had been caught on camera and Shifty had left it in. He knows it wasn’t intentional, they’re all out to make it as entertaining as possible, but this is something he can’t even put a name on. He doesn’t want Joe to…
“People think we’re dating.” Joe mentions from beside him where David has just been staring at his hands.
He closes his eyes and figures now he has to have this conversation.
“Uh, yeah. They have for a while. Since the first video honestly.”
He rubs his eyes harshly unable to even look at Joe right now.
“What?” He asks, shocked, “Really?”
David laughs shakily and nods. He really needed to get out of here.
Crossing his arms against his chest, he shrugs, “Yeah. You know how it is with popular media, always happens. It doesn’t mean anything.”
He hears Joe mumble something.
He turns his head to the right to see Joe staring at the linoleum in the break room.
“What was that?”
Joe looks up and David is surprised at the fear he was met with. He had never seen Joe scared before: not when a ceiling collapsed during video two, not when Shifty nearly fell through the second floor in video four, or even when they spun out during a torrential downpour in the middle of Nebraska. Nothing. Joe just laughed, made sure everyone was okay, and then moved on.
David considers himself equal parts reckless and brave as he takes a step toward Joe.
“What did you say?” He asks again, holding eye contact with Joe.
“I…I said,” he watches Joe swallow harshly and lick his lips, still as entrancing as ever, “You’re right. It doesn’t matter.”
David knows his heart breaks, can feel it right in his chest, he only hopes his face remains as neutral as he’d like it to. Based on Joe’s furrowed brows, he doesn’t, but he doesn’t care.
He just nods and quietly adds, “Glad we’re on the same page, then.”
He leaves quickly ignoring the screaming of the tea kettle and Joe’s calls for him. He doesn’t stop walking until he’s at his apartment and only when the door closes behind him does he slide to the floor and cry.
It’s ridiculous, he thinks, to cry over a crush like this at his age, but he really believed they were slowly stumbling towards the same conclusion. He had half a mind to think Joe was about to kiss him or vice versa, not an outright adjacent rejection.
He wipes the tears harshly, skin reddening from the effort. He takes his frustrations out on a scathing review of a new book people had been raving about and while his comments were valid, the colorful language about them was not. He knows it’s childish, but it’s the only thing that he thought to make him feel better.
Someone comments on the review a few minutes later, “D. Webster? Are you that guy in those ghost hunting videos?”
He slams his laptop shut and groans.
His phone rings several times but he ignores it as well. He’s never felt this way before and it’s overwhelming, the feeling of losing something that almost was. But was it? Or had David been seeing things that weren’t there or were being suggested by the people watching the videos?
No, surely it was real. He wasn’t that out of touch with things.
His phone rings again and he looks to see a handful of texts.
Sparky: We still on for Sunday? Grant wants to go to Tab’s game. I would like to at least have a beer or three first. You know how angry he gets at them.
David laughs, remembering Grant being banned for three games because he threw popcorn at the umpire.
You: Absolutely, need to get away from work.
Sparky: Work…or???
He sighs, wishing he never told his friends about Joe.
You: Yes.
Sparky: Gotcha. I’ll tell Grant to be on his best behavior. He’ll ignore me, but at least I told him.
Sparky: Stop leaving bad reviews on Sobel’s book. I’ll never hear the end of it. He’s still pissed I beat him out of Chair of the department.
He laughs, feeling lighter in being reminded that there are other things existing outside of work and…coworkers.
You: I won’t stop, but I’ll at least do it anonymously. He spelled court martial wrong, for fuck’s sake, Ron.
Sparky: Deal. See you Sunday.
He gets a text again, thinking it was Ron, but it’s his work group chat.
Ghoulies: Liebghost: WE GOT APPROVAL FROM THE STANLEY!
David nearly drops his phone. It had been a long shot and they had backups, but he never expected approval. This was huge.
Ghoulies: sBOOfty: That’s so fucking sick. I’m bringing so much gear this time. So many shooting options.
Ghoulies: SkinEEK: I better get to the gym if I’m gonna have to hold the boom through this whole thing.
Ghoulies: SkinEEK: Also agree with Shift, this is fucking sick. I’m really happy for us.
David thinks about how to answer, Joe didn’t seem to be too awkward about everything, even if the initial text was out of excitement. Even so, if Joe clearly wasn’t interested in David and was fine with what happened earlier, as hard as it was, David could pretend to do the same.
Ghoulies: CobWeb: Holy shit! We have a lot to prepare. Let’s meet every day for the rest of the week to plan it all out. I’ll let Lip know about the extra equipment Shift and Skin. Get me a list and I’ll make sure you have it. I’ll get the map and details from the hotel they promised and get some tentative plans going over the weekend.
Ghoulies: SkinEEK: Thanks Web! I’ll get it to you right away.
Ghoulies: sBOOfty: Let me check what we have here and I’ll let you know. Thanks!
Ghoulies: Lieghost: Do I get anything?
Ghoulies: SkinEEK: NO.
Ghoulies: sBOOfty: Nope.
David laughs, feeling better now that he knew where he stood. It still hurt and he still had the same feelings for Joe as before, but it was a little easier to play a part he knew.
He takes pity on Joe.
Ghoulies: CobWeb: What do you want?
Ghoulies: Liebghost: Surprise me.
He smiles. He could definitely do that.
They get a general plan down of which rooms to visit, how to use their time most effectively, and most importantly where to set the static cams.
It was the argument that had lasted them the last two days.
“I trust Shifty on this, guys. He knows best.” Skinny offers with a small smile towards the other man.
“I don’t know if it’s gonna be enough.” Joe offers, groaning against his hands.
David was at his limit. Between the proper amount of ignoring Joe and engaging with him, working all the coordination and travel and gear with Lip, and his general workload, he was exhausted.
He was sick of looking at the map of the hotel and moving paperclips back and forth to represent cameras.
“How many?” He asks loudly, cutting off the other conversation.
“What?” All three respond.
He smiles, “How many cameras do we need so everyone is satisfied?”
They all look at each other, Joe the first to look back at David. David meets his eyes evenly; he smiles though it’s small. Joe looks like he is about to speak when Shifty answers.
“At least five more.”
David takes a deep breath, “I’ll get them.”
He starts gathering his things, the silence in the room making his muscles tense.
He knows they know how much of their budget is left. They know what David is offering.
“We’ll get them.” Joe offers and the firmness in it offers no argument.
David just meets his eyes and nods.
“See you Monday then boys.”
Sunday morning rolls around and David already planned to sleep in, so he wonders why he’s awake at eight in the morning.
Joseph Liebgott: What are you doing today?
Oh. That’s why.
You: I have plans in the afternoon. Nothing this morning. What’s up?
Joseph Liebgott: I got a friend of a friend of my cousin to get a deal on the cameras Shift sent to get, but he’s an hour away.
Joseph Liebgott: Should get them today so Shifty can troubleshoot them on the drive up.
David, settled on being up for the day, looks at his phone in confusion.
You: Okay? I can send you the money.
Joseph Liebgott: What? No. I want you to come with me.
David spits out his tea. How the hell was he supposed to be alone with Joe, outside of work, for hours? How the hell was he supposed to say no?
You: As long as we’re back by noon, then yeah. I’d be happy to.
He’s trying so hard to be casual even as his hand shakes to take another sip of tea.
Joseph Liebgott: I’ll be at your place in a half hour?
You: See you then.
David definitely doesn’t run to his bathroom to get ready; he sprints.
He’s just settling on a shirt when there’s a knock at his door.
He decides on a snug white t-shirt and a familiar jersey, smiling when he knows Joe is going to say something.
He dashes to the door and opens it without looking.
“Before you say anything,” he looks up with a smile and it drops, “Mother?”
He’s still in shock when she lets herself into his apartment without a word.
She removes her driving gloves and that’s how David knows she’s here on her own, as though any of his family would visit.
“Uh,” he starts, still standing at the open door, “What’re you doing here?”
His mother turns swiftly, “Is that any way to greet me, David? I haven’t seen you in nearly a year.”
“Sorry, hello mother,” he crosses his arms, “What are you doing here?”
Her mouth pursed in a way that use to intimidate David, but no longer had any effect. He holds her gaze evenly.
“I am here, David because it’s come to my attention that you are embarrassing the family name.”
He wishes it didn’t sting the way it does, even after all this time, but he doesn’t let it show.
“What have I done this time? Not send out enough holiday cards to the right people? Did snub someone at a party? Did I slouch too much at the theater?” He feels satisfied with the way her jaw clicks.
“You have put yourself all on the internet hunting for ghouls like a fool!” She shouts.
He taunts, “We hunt ghosts, not ghouls.”
“Doesn’t matter! Your name, the family name is all over this. People have been asking me and your father about it. We’re the laughingstock of the club.” She’s moved closer than David would like and though he wants to walk away, he stands his ground. No longer allowing himself to be pushed around by her.
He sneers, “You didn’t need my help to be the laughing stock of the club.”
She slaps him across the face harshly.
“Get your fucking hands off him!” A shout comes from the doorway they’re standing by and David watches in complete shock as Joe moves in between them.
“Oh great, it’s the other fool.” She remarks, pure disgust in her voice.
“Look I don’t know who the fuck you are or think you are, but if you don’t get out of here, I’m calling people.” Joe threatens and David is still too surprised to speak.
“Call the cops, see if I care.” She puts her foot down and meets Joe's eyes, spiteful.
Joe laughs, low and dangerous, “I didn’t say I was calling the cops, lady, I said I was calling people. The kind of people that hurt people I care about. So, if you wanna keep that Botox in place, I recommend you get the fuck out.”
David watches fear reveal itself across his mother’s face and falls a bit in love with Joe at that moment.
He has to stop this now. He grabs Joe’s wrist and pulls the man behind him with ease.
“Mother,” he hears Joe inhale behind him at the reveal of who she was, “if you have nothing more to do than continue to insult me, then do what he says and get the fuck out. I’m not stopping what I’m doing when I’m finally happy. I have people who not only believe in me but believe me.”
He doesn’t need to clarify what he means; he watches the recognition on her face.
She pulls her gloves back and pulls herself as tall as she can be, “Don’t expect an invitation for Christmas for you or,” she looks at Joe with a sneer, “your boyfriend. Goodbye, David.”
She leaves with a slamming of the door and David lets out a breath as he slumps against the counter.
“Fucking hell, Web,” Joe shuffles a hand through his hair, “I thought my family was tough.”
David laughs, arms still crossed as he nods, “I’m sorry you had to see all that. I didn’t know.”
He bites his lip, trying to keep the overwhelming disappointment at bay.
“Hey,” Joe speaks softly, “It’s not your fault, Web. You know that right?”
He sighs and looks to his ceiling, “Oh, I know. It doesn’t stop me from feeling as though it is.”
Joe moves in front of him, closer than David would like right now, but he knows Joe wants eye contact and always has.
He meets them.
“It is not your fault. All her issues are hers alone to deal with. You don’t have to apologize for anything that you do or anything that you are to her or any of your family. If they have a problem, then it’s theirs to deal with, not yours.”
David takes a moment to let the words sink in. They’re things he’s been told and told himself a thousand times. He isn’t sure why Joe saying them makes them more effective, but it calms him dramatically.
“Thank you,” he replies with a smile, “and I’m sorry if she made you uncomfortable. That I could’ve controlled and stepped in earlier. I was just surprised to see you is all.”
Joe looks sheepish suddenly and rubs his neck. David follows the sharp lines with his eyes.
“Well, you weren’t answering my texts so I thought you fell asleep again. I know I kinda sprung this on you. I came up and when I heard screaming, I…I had to make sure you were okay.”
David feels his heart beating harshly against his chest. Every day Joe showed a new side or depth to him and with each reveal, David fell more and more. He didn’t think he could do any more episodes with him once this series was done, certain it would break his heart more than could be repaired. Still, he never misses a chance to mess with his friend.
“Because you care about me?” He singsongs as he moves to grab his phone, wallet, and keys.
“Yes shithead, I do.”
It warms his cheeks to hear it aloud and since Joe said it first, David can reveal his feelings as well, though he imagines they’re far deeper than Joe will ever know.
“I care about you too, Lieb,” he watches Joe smile and before he can lose himself in it, he claps, “Let’s head out.”
When they’re in the elevator down, David, still reeling from his visit from his mother and feeling a bit reckless, turns to Joe.
“I didn’t say it upstairs, but thank you, Joe.”
Joe was focusing on his phone and mumbled, “Don’t mention it.”
The doors open with a ping and David’s smile turns mischievous, “No really, you were great.”
He watches Joe smile with praise as they make their exit.
The drive goes smoothly, filling it with discussions of the new video, and they get the cameras for what’s essentially a steal.
David turns to Joe when the seller goes to the back of a small, nondescript shop to get them.
“So, exactly how legal are these cameras we’re getting?” David whispers, leaning close to the man beside him.
Joe smirks, “Sometimes you’re too smart for your own good, Web.”
David laughs, “And the other times?“
Joe regards him with an odd look for too long a moment, “Other times, you’re as dense as they come.”
David wants to ask what he means, but the seller comes out.
“Now, tell Michael we’re even.” The seller requests firmly. He was a serious, and if David was being honest, intimidating man.
“Yeah, yeah, Bingo, I’ll tell him. My ma’s waiting for you to come over for cards.” Joe shakes his hand.
“Hell no, she’ll clear me of my cash and prolly my car too man.”
They laugh and David watches this side of Joe he’s never seen before coming out. He looks younger and more playful and carefree than he’s ever seen. He’s beautiful, David thinks, and it hurts still, but getting to spend time with Joe like this is worth the ache in his chest.
“Hey, professor,” Bingo calls out as they make their exit, using a nickname he’d given David as soon as they walked in, “What’s the odds on the Dodgers today?”
David laughs, “Twenty bucks Dodgers win over three.”
Bingo whistles, “You’re either the dumbest or smartest man I’ve met.”
Joe laughs and David just smiles, “So I’ve been told. If you ever want to go to a game, Bingo, let Joe know. I’ll get you tickets.”
“No shit?” Joe asks.
David just smirks and heads toward the car.
The ride back is comfortable and David feels lighter than he has in weeks.
“So, why are you wearing that jersey, Web? I thought I was supposed to be the sports guy.”
David laughs, as he reads more comments on his review of Sobel’s book, more people agreeing with him than arguing.
“Well, he’s a friend.”
Joe swerves a little bit and David drops his phone.
“What the fuck? Floyd Talbert is your friend?” Joe exclaims.
David mutters a “Yeah” as he searches for his phone.
Joe pulls over to the sound of horns honking at his abrupt change of lanes.
He puts it in park and the car descends into silence.
“Joe, why’d we stop?”
“I have tried for months to get you to go to a game, and you said no. Now you’re telling me not only do you go to the games, but you’re friends with essentially the greatest first basemen in decades?”
David shrugs, “It’s just Tab.”
Joe throws himself back in his seat, “Oh my fucki—who the hell are you?”
He laughs, “What do you mean?”
Joe turns back to him, “I mean you’ve got like three degrees and you work at our office not some like affluent place. You keep to yourself but are apparently friends with famous athletes among whoever else you know. You come from money but live in a studio apartment. And you’re so kind and considerate when you clearly came from a family where that wasn’t even the bare minimum. I just…I don’t understand you and it’s driving me insane.”
Joe’s face was red from the exertion of his outburst.
David had no idea he had ever been considered so much in Joe’s mind. He offers an olive branch to a problem he didn’t know existed.
“Well, we still have forty-five minutes of a drive, ask me anything you want. I’ll do my best to help you figure me out, but I promise it won’t be anything special.” He laughs, self-deprecation his default.
Joe pulls the car back onto the highway with as much grace as he pulled off then says quietly, “I’ll be the judge of that.”
David smiles as he looks out the window.
Joe lets out a deep breath, “Question one, how the hell…”
By the time they reach David’s apartment, his ribs hurt from laughing. Joe had asked about his family, college, relationships, and how he ended up in L.A. Everything except ghosts, work, and the future.
In return, David learn a little more about Joe as the conversation went back and forth. Joe was far more complicated than David ever imagined and all it does is make him want Joe more.
They park outside and David checks the time, 11:39 a.m. He knows he has to go, but they’ve had such a good morning, that he doesn’t really want to. He makes a rash decision.
“Do you want to come with me?” He suggests before he backs out.
“Where?” Joe asks, not looking up from his phone.
“To the game? We have tickets right behind the dugout this time and Tab always puts in more than needed because he thinks popular.”
Joe’s mouth grimaces, “He is popular.”
David shrugs, “Not to me. He’s just some guy that used to put those sour candy straws in his nose.”
“Stop! Don’t ruin him for me.” Joe exclaims and David laughs.
“So, do you wanna go? If so, we need to head out like now. I promised my friends we’d meet for a drink before.”
“They gonna care if you bring some random with you?” Joe asks, but David can hear the small bit of nervous insecurity in it.
“Of course not. You’re not random, Joe. You’re my friend and you’re great. They’ll think you’re great too.” He doesn’t mean for the words to feel so heavy, but between them in the small confines of Joe’s car, they do.
Joe starts the car without another word, refusing to look at David, “Where to?”
David might be a little too drunk. He was nervous to bring Joe, yes, but he didn’t expect for it to be so easy to bring him into the fold with Ron and Chuck.
He’d text them he was bringing someone with him but ignored their fifteen varied replies as to who it was.
When they arrived and after an introduction, Ron immediately dragged David to the bar for both drinks and interrogation.
“Is that?”
“Yes.”
“But I thought…”
“Change of plans.”
“Why?”
David quickly explains their morning together, including all the important parts and glossing over David falling even more for Joe in the process.
“Fuck, I can’t believe Donna pulled that shit again.”
David takes a large gulp of the cold beer, “Still weird you call my mother by her first name.”
“Well ever since cold-hearted bitch was taken off the table, I wasn’t left with a lot of options.”
David laughs, Ron had been the only other person in his life to meet his mother.
He’d been living on David’s couch after moving out to L.A. and working on finding a job when Ron had answered the door in his underwear thinking it was their delivery. His mother irrupted into a tirade of debauchery and shame and ‘what will your father think?’ as though his father had ever thought of David once in his life. Ron was quick to step in front of a then-worried David and demanded she’d leave before he called the cops, much like Joe did this morning. When she wouldn’t budge, Ron turned to David and asked permission to remove her from the apartment. David only nodded because he couldn’t handle it, but when he watched Ron lift his mother from the ground and place her in the hallway before slamming the door in her face and locking it, he had never felt more loved and cared for in his life. That was the last time he had seen his mother before today.
“Well, between you and Lieb, I can’t imagine she’ll make a return appearance.” He turns to look where Joe is telling Chuck a story that has him bursting out laugh and he smiles wide.
When he turns back to grab the other drinks, Ron eyes him with a smile.
“You’re down so fucking bad, David.”
He can’t even deny it anymore, not to himself or his best friend, “I know. Just don’t know what I’m going to do about it.”
Ron pats David’s shoulder and moves to hold his hand, comforting him, “You’ll figure it out. You always do.”
David nods, Ron had never lied to him before, “Thanks Sparky.”
He laughs when Ron rolls his eyes, “Don’t start that again.”
When they return, Joe is a little quieter and he doesn’t warm to Ron as much as Chuck, but David just assumes it’s because Ron is the least approachable and most quiet of the group.
He does, however, tell Joe the story of how Ron’s nickname came to be just as they’re entering the game.
“Hell yeah! Kill ‘em Tab! Rip their throats out!” Chuck is shouting while the teams are only switching positions and not even at play.
Even through the loud crowd, Chuck’s voice rings out and David watches as Tab waves at them.
“You weren’t kidding, you really fucking know Talbert.”
David laughs, legs relaxed on the spot in front of him, “One thing I can’t stand is liars, Joe. I don’t do it myself and hate when people do it to me. And I would never lie to you.”
He’s serious despite the levity in his voice and Joe watches him for a long moment until the crack of a bat meeting a speedball distracts them.
It flies up and right into Tab’s glove and they, along with the rest of the crowd erupt into cheers.
Amidst all the screaming, Chuck shouts, “That’s right baby!”
Joe turns suddenly and David and Ron give him a quick warning glare while Chuck continues to yell. Joe nods, aware of the unspoken meaning.
The rest of the game goes by faster than David would like. As much as he doesn’t care for other sports, he does enjoy baseball. Baseball, to him, was like reading a long book. It might not always be a satisfying end for the effort, but when it was, it was more than worth it.
He also likes getting to see Joe enjoy a live game. He’s only ever seen Joe watch reruns, so to see him get so heated and call out bad plays as much as Chuck, it’s as much entertaining as it is endearing.
Ron leans over, “You’re doing a shit job at hiding it.”
David just laughs and pushes Ron away. If this was all he experienced with Joe, as a friend, then he would enjoy every minute. He catches Joe looking between him and Ron with an odd look, but it quickly fades as another run is made by the Dodgers.
Joe sits back down beside David, explaining certain aspects of the game as if David doesn’t know. He does, more than most, but Joe doesn’t need to know that. He just basks in Joe’s attention and closeness and passion, the spice of his cologne mixing with peanuts crushing under their feet and heat in the air. It’s intoxicating and that’s when David knows he’s drunk.
“You are aware David was in the minors, right?” Ron shouts and David turns him, slower than he’d like because of the alcohol, and glares at him.
“What?“ Joe asks, coolly.
David shrugs, “For a year, until I realized it wasn’t what I wanted. Tab continued though. We all make our choices.”
“Why didn’t you tell me? Now I look like an ass.” Joe remarks, angry.
David puts his hands up, “Lieb, it’s okay. It wasn’t important. I barely remember being in it. That’s how insignificant it was.”
Chuck jokes, “Wasn’t even that good, to be honest.”
“I don’t mean now,” Joe continues as though he didn’t hear what David said, “I meant before when we first met and I was explaining everything to you. Shit you already knew.”
David couldn’t answer that. It would reveal too much. How does one say, “I like the sound of your voice and the brightness in your eyes when you talk about things you’re passionate about” in a platonic way?
“It doesn’t matter.” He replies instead.
“Like hell it doesn’t, you lied to me.” Joe stands suddenly.
“What’s your problem, man?” Ron stands up too.
David doesn’t know how everything turned sour so quickly and the alcohol in his bloodstream is making everything fuzzy and slow.
“I-I didn’t, Lieb, please,” David begs, aware of how small his voice is but not caring.
“Have your friends drive you home,” Joe tells David, voice cold and unfeeling.
He’s gone before David can make it out of his seat.
Ron starts to run after Joe, but David stops him by the wrist.
“Just let him go, Ron.” He mutters sadly.
The game ended with a score of four to one. Dodgers win.
He doesn’t go to work on Monday. They’re not set to leave until Thursday and that’s how long David has to get them somewhat back on track.
A little more hungover than he’d like, he spends the day with his phone off and reading one of his favorite books again. It was something he’d done since he was a kid. Anytime he felt upset or sick of just off, he would read the longest book he could find and lose himself in it.
He’s just near the climax of the story when his door opens.
He doesn’t even lift himself off the couch, knowing only one other person has a key to his place, and just calls out, “I’m extremely ornery today, Ron. Go away.”
“On what day aren’t you ornery?” A voice calls out. A voice that is not Ron.
He pops up from his side of the couch just enough to see Joe standing there with what can only be described as a constipated expression.
He stands quickly, tripping over the mugs of half-drank, forgotten tea on his floor.
“L-Lieb, what’re you doing here? How are you here?” He asks, running a quick hand through he unruly hair.
“Uh, Ron came by the office looking for you. Vera wouldn’t let him in, but he wouldn’t move and kind of scared our security from touching him.”
David smiled, “He does that.”
Joe looks angry at the comment, but continues, “Yeah…well then he asked for me and I let him up.”
David nods, still confused, “Okay? And?”
“He called me a dick.”
David immediately goes to apologize. On the drive back to his apartment, Ron insisted he would fix it and assumed David had told Joe about the minors considering that were going to a fucking baseball game, but he didn’t. It wasn’t the first time he’d be called the smartest idiot and it wouldn’t be the last. Still, Ron had promised not to do anything.
“He was right,” Joe admits before David can defend Ron.
“He…was?” He asks, unsure as to why Joe isn’t screaming.
“I was a dick. I just, I don’t know, Web,” he sighs, “Got too in my head.”
David wants to ask him to elaborate but feels it isn’t his right to do so.
“It’s okay, Lieb. I understand. I’m just sorry I couldn’t fix it then. I had too much to drink, which is why I’m home now, nursing the mistakes of my actions.”
He leans against the back of his couch and crosses his arms, feeling a bit exposed in his glasses and pajamas and disheveled hair.
Joe’s eyes watch his movements, “You didn’t have anything to fix, Web. That’s what I came here to say.”
“Then I’m completely lost. If neither one of us has something to apologize for, then what’s going on?”
“I just…” Joe trails off, ringing his fingers together around the small silver key, “You’re the closest friend I’ve had in a long time, Web.”
David didn’t expect that and it floors him.
Joe speaks quickly, “I don’t have a lot of close friends and when I found out you didn’t tell me, it felt like you were playing me for a fool or like pretending to be my friend for some reason. I jumped to conclusions in my own head and cursed you out for no reason. I-I’m sorry.”
David steps toward Joe cautiously, knowing how difficult it must have been to admit that.
“I should have told you, Lieb, from the beginning. You’re the closest friend I have besides Ron, too, but I see you every day and it’s so, so different with you than with him. I didn’t tell you because I didn’t want you to lose the passion you have from talking about the things you love. People in the past have dropped me because I knew about their passions as much or more than them and I didn’t want that to happen with us.”
It’s as much a truth as he can say and while not an outright lie, it toes the line.
Joe laughs softly, “Sap.”
David smiles crookedly, “You’re one to talk, Liebgott.”
They fall into a comfortable silence, the air clear of tension.
“Well, I should probably let you cure that hangover alone. Here’s your key.” He places it gently on the counter beside him.
David steps forward again and stops Joe by his arm.
“Stay for lunch?” He offers, unwillingly to let Joe go just yet. A selfish act, but one he desperately wanted.
“As long as you don’t order the spicy noodles again, yeah, I’d like that.” He smiles and takes his shoes off by the mat. It’s a considerate act and David’s heart flutters.
He opens a delivery app and hands his phone to Joe while he cleans the cups off his floor.
They decide on pizza, a safe and mutually agreeable option, even if Joe gets anchovies on his.
David puts on a random baseball game and they both laugh before getting into it and sharing thoughts on plays and pitches. It’s comfortable, almost domestic, and if David sits a little closer when he comes back from the kitchen after cleaning up, neither one of them mention it. His right side feels warmer deep into the night though.
They’re halfway to the Stanley Hotel when David’s phone rings.
“Don’t be mad.” Ron starts and usually when he says that, David has a reason to be mad.
“Go on.”
“So, when I was at your office – you never said thank you by the way — I may or may not have asked someone out,” Ron speaks quickly.
David pinches the bridge of his nose, “There’s only one reason…one person that would make you make this call.”
There’s a long silence.
“I get why you call him Lips, now,” Ron states plainly.
David wants to be mad, but Ron’s mistake is too hilarious to pass up.
“Lip, Ron, we call him Lip because his last name is Lipton. Though knowing you, I know you probably didn’t get that far.”
Ron’s silence is enough of an answer.
He sighs and just replied, “Don’t fuck it up.”
“I’m gonna marry him.” Ron declares, no levity or joke in his voice.
David takes him at his word, “I’ll be right beside you.”
Ron laughs, “You have no impulse control, I swear.”
David looks over to Joe who keeps looking over at him with a smile.
“I do, just not when it comes to your decisions. That’s what friends are for.”
“Ohh, he’s with you. Okay, I’ll let you go now. Give Joe your love.” Ron purposely switched the expression and David gives a fake laugh in return before hanging up.
David, thankful Shifty and Skinny had to drive separately, tells Joe the whole thing.
“I know I only met Ron twice, but that’s weird. It’s like your parents dating.”
David laughs so hard his stomach hurts.
Once they reach the hotel and unpack, David is straight to business and working with the staff on what was agreed upon via email. They’re suddenly not allowed in two of the rooms they had picked, but everything else is good and they even had access to the basement now.
“No one has really reported anything down there,” the concierge states, “but I know it’ll give you the hella spooky vibes you’re looking for.”
David thanks her and grabs their keys. He and Joe would be spending the night in one room and Skinny and Shifty in another to film their first overnight video as people requested.
With access to the basement, David suggests he and Joe start there and then they continue with their decided plans for the rest of the night.
“Come with me,” David gestures with a finger and leads Joe to a small black case hidden among the gear.
He hands it to Joe with a smile.
“What’s this?” Joe asks, opening it as quickly as he can.
“You asked me to surprise you.”
Joe opens it to find a brand-new infrared camera.
“I’m gonna marry you, Web. This is beautiful!” He immediately takes the camera out to fiddle with it.
David ignores the way his stomach drops at Joe’s comment.
“I had Shifty set it up yesterday so we can use it right away.”
Joe holds it to his chest, “Thanks, Web. Truly.”
David throws his hands up as though it was no problem, “Sap.”
Joe flicks him off with a laugh.
Once their gear is on and the cameras are rolling, they fall back into their routine with ease.
“I really do think something is here. I mean think of all the sightings and hauntings people have experienced here. Stephen King himself! This place inspired one of the most prolific horror stories ever, Lieb. That can’t just be a coincidence.” He remarks, more for the audience than Joe, flashlight guiding their path in the basement.
“First of all, Stephen King wasn’t haunted here, he had a nightmare that inspired The Shining. He just happened to be at the hotel at the time. What if he had it in a library or a Taco Bell? Completely different story.”
“But it didn’t, that’s my point.” David sighs, checking another dead end.
“But it could have! That’s my point.”
David groans, another dead end.
“God, you’re insufferable!”
Joe laughs, taking David’s hand and guiding them to the right path.
“But you love me!”
David scoffs but is glad that Joe’s cameras are facing the other way and they can’t see the smile on his face because yeah, he’s certain he loves Joe and that’s scarier than anything they might find tonight.
Joe drops his hand as they come into a room full of holiday decorations and they get some footage of the creepy dolls and other items from where the Halloween decoration lay.
“How the infrared, Joe?” He asks, looking through the decorations.
“Lookin’ hot, Web.” He jokes, but it doesn’t stop the heat rushing to his cheeks.
“Very funny, Joe.” He groans upset there’s nothing in the basement.
They get to the last room, full of random old furniture and paintings covered in white cloths. Web adds a filter to the lens and gets some creepy, grainy black and white footage of it.
“Gotta be boring to be a ghost, man.” Joe muses.
“What makes you say that?”
“I don’t know, just doing the same shit, like haunting people is probably fun, but if they were real, I imagine the rest of the time, it’s lonely as fuck.”
“That’s…incredibly empathetic, Lieb.” David knows he swoons a little bit, but he leans into it.
“I know, I’m irresistible.” He winks at David who then glares, unimpressed.
“More like irritating.”
They continue back towards the other side of the building, David leading the way again.
“We have the whole night to find something, Lieb. Don’t write this place off just yet.”
“You’re aware you say that like ten times a video, right?”
“I do not.”
“You so do!” Joe laughs and turns his camera toward his face, “Everyone! Sound off in the comments about how often Web here tells us we’ll find something.”
The basement is far too hot for David’s liking and he walks a bit faster.
“You’re fucking gullible, Web. Just say it.” Joe half-jokes.
David sighs, wiping a stray cobweb away from his eyes as he retorts, “If you think believing in something beyond this mortal coil is being gullible, then that dictionary I got you for your birthday was a waste.”
Joe laughs, “It was a waste no matter what, you know I can’t read.”
David laughs with him as they climb the stairs back to the ground floor.
“….and this room, number 217, is where old Cobweb and Liebghost here will be spending the night. Nothing will happen except a good night’s sleep because ghosts do not exist.”
Joe finishes the send-off to cut and they both sigh as the night comes to an end.
It was fun and exhausting, but David hasn’t felt a single inkling of anything since they got here. He’s disappointed and it shows as they prepare for the night.
Shifty and Skinny set up all the cameras while he and Joe explored the basement and all they had left to do really was sleep. Tomorrow they’d explore the specific rooms and if they didn’t find anything, he didn’t know if he could stand it.
“Look, I know you’re disappointed Web, but I’ll put the bet on hold until next season...if we get one.” Joe offers, coming out of the bathroom in his pajamas.
David hadn’t moved from where he was sitting on the bed since he changed, so lost in thought that the idea of sharing a bed with Joe wasn’t even on his mind.
“I-it’s not that. It’s just,” he looks to the camera perched in their own room and sighs.
Joe reaches beside him and pauses the recording.
“It’s off, what’s going on Web?” Joe’s concerned, but no-nonsense tone reminded David he was with a trusted friend.
“I think I’m a fraud.”
Joe laughs, not unkind but confused, “What?”
“I mean I have a couple of experiences and think I’m what? Some clairvoyant? Who’s to say what I even saw was real? I just…we’ve been to so many places and nothing has happened. Not even a feeling. I’m disappointed, yes, but in nothing and no one more than myself.”
He feels raw and exposed telling Joe this, but it’s been eating at him since they started and this was the final straw.
“That’s bullshit,” Joe responds.
David laughs, hollower than he’d like, “How so?”
He turns to Joe then; unaware of how close they were on the bed.
Joe watches him for a moment, “David, have you seen ghosts?”
He’s stunned for a long moment. Joe has never used his first name before and it’s absolutely sinful how the sound of it makes him feel.
“Y-yes, I have.”
“Then they’re real.”
David stares at Joe in disbelief, it was a gift only Joe could give him and one he never expected to receive.
He pulls Joe to him and quickly presses his lips against the man beside him.
Just as quickly he pulls back, an apology on his lips.
“About fucking time, genius.”
David stares again.
“What?”
Joe laughs, placing his arms around David’s waist with ease like he wasn’t shattering David’s world.
“You know, for someone with three degrees, you can be a real idiot sometimes,” Joe mutters before pulling David back in for a proper kiss.
It’s warm and soft and even though his hair stands on end, it makes David feel so content that he loses himself in it.
His fingertips tingle as his arms wrap around Joe on instinct and pure selfish want to feel him under his hands. They end on his neck, fingers scratching at just the base of his neck and smiling against Joe’s lips when the shorter man shivers.
“God.” Joe lets out a stuttered breath and leans his head on David’s chest.
“My name is David, but it’s easy to get confused.” He jokes, laughing when Joe pushes him away.
He pulls Joe back and just holds him close.
His nerves are alight and his happiness threatens to suffocate him.
He pulls Joe back to his lips and kisses him with intent and patience, making sure the man beneath his hands understands how delightful he is.
When he pulls back to breathe, he mutters, “perfect,” again Joe’s lips.
The moan that falls from Joe is so raw and raucous that David has nothing to do but pull him in again.
“So long, Joe,” David pants, “I’ve wanted to do this for so long.”
Suddenly he’s on his back and Joe is above him.
“How long?” Joe whispers against his neck before licking fully length down to David’s collarbone.
David cries out, the sensation far too arousing than it should be, “Since the first time you brought me tea. It was perfect.”
He gains some control as the admission causes Joe to pull back in surprise.
“You always made it perfect, Joe.” He smiles, running his hands through Joe’s hair freely. His hand slides to caress Joe’s cheek, “You did so well.”
He watches the words wash over Joe and the whimper that escapes only urges David further.
He smiles.
“It’s really unfair to use my praise kink against me, David.” Joe hisses.
He uses his leverage to switch their positions, leaning to whisper in Joe’s ear, “And it’s just as unfair for you to make my name sound so lascivious when you moan.”
Joe laughs as he wraps his legs around David’s waist.
“That was in my dictionary.”
David groans against Joe’s neck, “Insufferable.”
“You love it.”
He pulls Joe back to him, kissing him with heat and heavy breaths, overwhelmed as he replies, “I do.”
Joe moans, hips rolling into David’s for the first time. The friction is so intense David is sure he’d come any moment.
His hands wander to Joe’s loose pajama pants, “Can I?”
Joe gasps, “Yes, please God, yes,” as he pulls off his shirt.
The loose pants slide off with ease and David follows suit, eager to feel Joe’s skin on his own.
He stops a moment to just admire Joe. Endless amounts of pale, freckled skin. Thin, but no less strong body with muscles that bulge from the tension Joe is holding in his body.
His eyes follow up the straight line of Joe’s body back to his face.
The unbridled lust and heat in Joe’s eyes overwhelm David.
“You’re incredible.” He pants.
Joe moans loudly, hips rolling into the air for some relief and finding none.
“Touch me, please David,” Joe begs and the power he’s being given pushes David into action.
From the moment their skin touches, his hair stands on end throughout his entire body and he loses himself in the sensation quickly, pulling Joe up into his lap.
He has much better control this way and it allows Joe to shower him with kisses.
He pulls their lengths together, the feeling causing both of them to shiver and cry out.
“So good, Joe. So fucking good. You know that, right?” He’s mumbling, near incoherent with how much lust and love consume him.
He lays them down in an instant, wanting to do something he’s thought about on his most lonely nights.
“I…can I,” he gasps when he sees Joe, impatient, stroking his length.
He puts a hand over Joe's, “Be a good boy and let me.”
The strained groan that’s pulled from Joe’s throat rings through David’s body.
“I will, I will, I will,” Joe’s repeating, desperate.
David lowers himself and smiles when Joe’s eyes widen as he realizes what was about to happen.
Joe lifts himself on his elbow.
“Now, don’t cum until I let you know you can. Can you do that, Joseph?”
Joe throws himself back down on the bed, whimpering while David’s smug smile spreads.
“I need your confirmation, Joe.”
“Asshole,” Joe whispers before facing David again, “I can do that.”
David barely takes a second before he swallows Joe down entirely.
He holds Joe’s hips down tight to keep him from thrusting immediately and the man beneath him sounds like he’s near death.
David moans in response, a constant feedback loop between them, sharing their pleasure together in the best way.
Joe reaches blindly for David’s hand, needing another point of contact, but David guides it to his hair.
There’s a long moment where neither of them moves, until Joe tentatively drags David’s head up and down, hair gripping this side too tight and just enough to make David groan.
“Fuck, Web. Gonna ruin me, I swear to fuck.”
Joe speeds up and David loses himself in the primal urge that comes over him.
“I-I’m so, so fucking close, Web. Please, please, please,” he begs.
David pushes Joe’s hand away and lifts off with a lewd pop as he catches his breath.
He lines their hips, holding Joe’s head in his hands, controlling their kiss.
He rolls their hips together harshly, the friction more than intense on his untouched length.
“You’re so fucking amazing, Joe,” he pants, speeding up his thrusts against the other man, “Everything about you is incredible.”
Joe moans, incoherent at this point as he mutters, “You are,” over and over again.
“You’re so good, even your cock tastes perfect,” he moans as their approaching ends make their grinding easier.
He leans forward as he gets close, determined for Joe to come first, both their panting loud in the otherwise quiet room.
“If you’re good, next time I’ll let you come in my mouth.”
Joe cries out, fingers scratching the perfect amount of harshness against David’s back.
David pulls Joe’s legs around his hips, thrusting harder and faster, moments away from going over the delicious edge.
He pulls Joe as close as possible, grunting slightly as his hip slide perfectly against Joe’s, “Come on Lieb, be a good boy and come for me.”
David watches as Joe comes in a silent scream, body tense and hands gripping the bedspread, knuckle white.
It’s the most beautiful thing he’s ever seen.
Two more thrusts and he’s falling down the edge with Joe, their bodies shaking.
Moments later, the sweat cooling in the cool air causes David to shiver, pulling them out of their bliss.
“Holy. Fuck.” Joe exclaims, arms over his eyes.
David laughs against Joe’s neck, “You said it.”
He groans as he rolls onto his back, their combined efforts cooling and sticky on his stomach.
He reaches for Joe’s hand and is happy when he finds Joe reaching for his own.
“We probably should’ve talked about it before, but I don’t want this to be the end of this, Joe.”
David confesses to the ceiling his secret, “I told you I don’t lie and I wasn’t lying before. I do love you.”
Joe squeezes his hands and when he hears a gasp, David turns to look at Joe to find bright, wet eyes already on him.
“I really like you, Web. More than I’ve liked anyone before. I don’t know if it’s love, but I know I want to find out.”
David wipes the tears from Joe’s eyes, smiling, “Don’t worry, Lieb. The words will come when they’re ready.”
Joe pulls him into a kiss though it’s hardly one as they can’t stop from smiling.
David laughs and pulls their satiated bodies toward the bathroom.
Once they’re clean and finally in bed, Joe pulls David into his arms.
As they relax, David begins laughing, “You know you lost the bet.”
Joe looks up from where he was admiring David’s chest hair, “What? How?”
“You said ghosts were real.”
Joe is quiet for a long moment.
“I fucking did. Damn it.”
David laughs and places kisses along Joe’s cheeks.
“So, offer stands,” Joe states, cocky, “I’ll give you anything you want. What’ll it be Web?”
David smiles, “You. Just you.”
Joe stares at him for a long moment, a smile forming.
He pushes David’s chest as they get comfortable for sleep.
“Sap.” He groans.
David laughs and wraps his arms tighter around the smaller man, “You love it.”
“I’m starting to.”
Epilogue
“You know you don’t have to do this, right?” Joe asks, hands gripping the steering wheel hard enough for it to squeak.
David laughs, he’s never seen Joe this nervous before. Not in all the spooky places they’ve visited or stressful meetings they’ve had or arguments that stopped them from talking for days.
He grabs Joe’s hand and kisses it gently, “It’ll be fine, babe.”
He watches Joe blush, he didn’t use the pet name often but he knows how much his boyfriend loves it when he does.
“You never play fair.” Joe gripes, but the smile on his face means he’s calmed down a bit.
If David were being honest, he had more reason to be nervous than Joe. Meeting a parent was a huge deal and while it wasn’t easy, Joe got that out of the way before they were even dating, even if his parents never would’ve deserved to meet Joe. Still, when Joe mentioned his mother wanting to meet him, David had been shocked. He’s never been in a serious enough relationship to get to this point and he loved Joe too much to fuck it up.
“According to you, neither does your mom. She really wins every game?” He asks, hoping to be as prepared as possible.
Joe nods, proud, “Almost everyone I’ve seen. Everyone in the neighborhood likes to test themselves against her, but no one has except the kids she lets win.”
David smiles, Joe always looked younger when he talked about family and he’s been so energetic since they decided to visit her.
“That’s sweet.”
“It is,” he laughs, “she used to play with my aunt all the time before she got sick. I think it’s her way of honoring their relationship.”
“Were they close?”
Joe pulls into a small driveway and parks, “Thick as thieves, they cleared men of their money any day of the week.”
He takes a deep breath, “This is really happening, huh?”
David nods, hand still linked with Joe’s.
“If you want it to. I can always hide in the trunk and pretend I wasn’t here.”
It’s the levity that Joe needs to calm his nerves.
“No, no. I want it. Just never brought anyone home before so I don’t know what to do.”
David kisses Joe’s hand, “Well, I can promise I won’t threaten physical violence against her.”
Joe groans pulling his hand away to open the door, “I’m never living that shit down.”
David stops him and pulls him into a kiss, “My hero.”
A bit breathless, Joe replies, “Asshole,” and gets out of the car.
David grabs the cake from the back and walks to meet Joe by the side of the car.
He grabs Joe’s hand and links their fingers.
They’re met at the front door by a short, dark brunette, long-hair woman. He features softer than Joe’s but no less prominent. When David meets her eyes, he sees Joe’s but just a few shades lighter.
He smiles and is pulled into a hug.
“It’s so nice to meet you!” She exclaims, pulling the cake from his hands immediately and ushering them inside.
“Thank you for the cake, David.” She coos and guides them toward the kitchen.
“I’m here too, Ma!” Joe cries, following her directly as David takes in the walls and walls of photos that fill the house.
He laughs when she says, “The only thing you ever brought me were police or a headache, Joseph.”
Joe doesn’t even have the good sense to look ashamed, he smiles proudly.
“I’m not as bad as Maria.”
His mother sighs in agreement, “Your sister, I swear,” she calls him over, “Come, David. Would you like tea or coffee?”
Joe responds before he can, “He likes tea. I’ll make it.”
David blushes and makes his way to the kitchen, “You have a lovely home.”
“Flattery will get you everywhere.” She laughs as they take their seats, Joe quietly making tea behind them.
David realizes he’s staring at Joe when his mother clears her throat.
“Sorry,” he apologizes quietly.
“Don’t apologize for loving my son.” She replies boldly.
“Ma!” Joe groans as David and his mother share laughter.
They fill the afternoon with pleasant conversation and mostly Joe’s mother trying to embarrass him and succeeding.
“I don’t know why the hell I let you both talk me into this,” Joe complains even though he’s smiling.
Suddenly, the back door bursts open, “You took my parking spot asshole!”
David watches Joe and his mother both roll their eyes.
“You got two legs, Maria. Use ‘em.” Joe snickers.
“Just 'cause you’re famous now, doesn’t mean you get to do whatever you want.” She complains, throwing her keys on the counter and kicking her boots off.
Joe hums, “Hmm, you’re not famous and yet you think you can do whatever you want? Weird.”
She rolls her eyes when they land on David.
David’s eyes widen. Joe had mentioned his sister many times in passing, but he didn’t expect to meet her too.
“Hi, I’m David.” He waves.
She just looks at him without responding.
“Be nice, Ria,” Joe warns.
“When am I ever not nice?” She replies before getting her own piece of cake and sitting next to David and across from Joe, “So, you’re the boyfriend?”
David, who has been with Joe long enough to know how to properly handle this disposition, meets her gaze evenly.
“I’m the boyfriend.”
“You’re not as cute as he said.”
He smiles, filing Joe calling him cute away for later to reply, “You’re not as endearing either.”
Joe burst into laughter, followed by his mother.
Maria smiles at him, “Fair enough, Webster.”
Joe’s mother eventually convinces them to play cards before they go and David is excited even if Joe ensure no betting is allowed.
Maria insists they play for money since he and Joe are “celebrities,” but their mom puts an end to it and deals proficiently.
He watches how she plays for several hands, and looks for tells or influence, but he doesn’t find any. He’s about to give up and accept she’s just impossibly talented. Then, he notices she watches the cards more than the people she’s playing with and it clicks.
For the next few rounds, David mimics and watches the cards with her.
In the third round, he wins.
The room is silent.
“Holy fuck, Web.” Joe whispers.
His mother regards him with narrowed eyes before smiling.
“You’re as smart as my son says, David.”
He smiles, glad he didn’t cause a rift.
Maria and Joe start arguing over how he won when David’s hair stands on end. His fingers tingle, sharp and intense. He begins to sweat when he looks up to see a younger, almost carbon copy of Joe’s mother over her shoulder.
He’s terrified, even though all she does is smile gently at him.
Joe immediately senses something is off and is on his knees beside David in an instant.
“Hey, hey, I’m here,” he comforts, “Just breathe.”
“T-twins.” He breathes out, throat tight, “They’re twins.” He points toward Joe’s mother and hears a gasp beside him.
Joe holds his hand tighter, “How? I never told you…” Then it clicks, “Fuck, David. Right now?”
David nods quickly, but Joe doesn’t have time to explain to his frightened family members, so he just holds tight to his boyfriend’s hands.
“Is she saying anything?” He asks calmly.
David focuses, and tries to get his eyes to adjust better to her form fading in and out of existence.
She keeps repeating a motion to her own neck.
David spares a glance at Joe’s mother, noticing a locket around her neck.
“T-the lock…locket.” He gestures, eyes returning to the specter behind his mother.
She reaches with shaking hands for it and opens it as a small piece of paper falls onto the table.
“What?” She exclaims, “This was empty when I got it.”
She unfolds the note and cries out as she read the small message.
She looks up to David with tears in her eyes and he smiles sympathetically.
He looks back to her sister behind her and watches as she places a hand on her shoulder.
Joe’s mother shivers and David has better control now as he speaks, “She wanted you to have that.”
Joe and his sister just watch the spectacle in silence.
“What’s it say?” His sister whispers.
“Stop counting cards.” She laughs, bittersweet, “Is she still here, David?”
He smiles, “Your left shoulder.”
She turns, “Over your dead body,” with a laugh that the form mimics.
“She’s laughing with you.” He adds softly, hands holding tightly to Joe’s.
The specter looks behind her own shoulder and back with a forlorn look.
“S-She can’t stay.”
Joe’s mother wipes the fresh tears from her cheeks, “I’ll see you around, punk.”
The specter smiles and then disappears as quickly as she’s gone.
David feels like he can finally breathe and collapse against the chair.
The silence fills the room and all he can do is catch his breath.
“Thank you, David.” His mom speaks first.
He doesn’t expect it, but it brings an immense wave of relief over him.
“You’re welcome.” He replies when he can breathe again.
Joe is still kneeling next to him and holding his hands.
He turns to him then, pulling one hand free and holding Joe’s face.
“Thank you,” he kisses him once, simple but intense, “I love you.”
Joe smiles, concern clearing as they part, “I love you, too.”
“Gross. Save it for your videos. It’s my turn to deal, right?” Maria calls out, bringing the room back to normal.
“Don’t be an asshole because you’re jealous, Ria.”
She sticks her tongue out and David hides a smile behind his hands, “I may be an asshole, but I’m not jealous, Joey.”
The family in the small kitchen laughs together.
They play a bit longer before he and Joe have to head out for the drive back.
David gets a long hug from Maria to his surprise and a longer one from Joe’s mom. It fills him with an overwhelming amount of love.
“Don’t be a stranger, David.” She hugs him once before he heads to the car.
Joe lingers a bit longer and David gives him time with his family.
He sits on the hood and lays against the warm metal, trying to bring himself back down to Earth.
“You lay there long enough, someone is gonna call the cops.”
He sits up with a slight groan and smiles, warm and happy.
He wiggles a finger to call Joe forward from where he was leaning against the garage.
“According to your mom, they have the address memorized, you hooligan.”
Joe grimaces, “Hooligan? What are you, eighty years old?”
David laughs and pulls Joe between his legs and against the side of their car.
He kisses him slow and sweet, cheeks warming against the sun and heat from the kiss.
He pulls away, slightly panting, “Thank you for this. For everything, Joseph. I could have never imagined feeling so loved in my life and it’s because of you.”
Joe’s grip tightens on his hips and David watches the embarrassed flush spread to Joe’s neck.
Amused, he still doesn’t expect Joe’s response.
“You make it easy, David. To love you.”
He pulls Joe to his lips again quickly.
Joe leans his head against David’s, breathing hard before laughing, “Sap.”
David laughs pulling himself off the hood, “You love it.”
Joe winks, “With ease.”
David rolls his eyes even as his heart swells.
“You know you’re teaching me how to count cards, right?” Joe asks as he starts the car and pulls out of the driveway.
David laughs, “I don’t know if you can keep up, Liebgott. Think you have what it takes?”
“Of course, I can count all the way to ten, Webster.”
He turns to Joe, feeling reckless, “Maybe I’ll teach you if you’re good.”
Joe grips the wheel tighter and David smiles, happy he could still elicit such a response from his boyfriend after all this time.
“Knock it off, we have a long drive.”
David smirks, “Plenty of time to test your resolve.”
Joe swallows heavily before biting his lip. David watches it intently.
“Do your worst, Web.”
David smiles, determined to get Joe to pull over before they’re home.
He knows he’ll marry Joe someday, knew it the moment their lips touched, but for now, he was more than happy to just enjoy the ride.
He reaches for Joe’s hand and is happy to find Joe was already reaching for his.