33

                                    

                                          
Josh's POV 
                          
Once the tired boys had finally woken up, we ate and decided to head off. Simon, JJ, and I are all walking at the front. The others are all walking together behind us. Well, Harry is a parakeet sitting on Tobi's shoulder. He doesn't really know how to fly yet, so every now and then he jumps off of Tobi and tries to flap his wings. The flapping only helps to the extent that he doesn't hurt himself as he lands on the ground. Then after every failed attempt, Tobi leans down and allows the bird to crawl up his arm.
                          
Simon's hand lightly brushes the back of my hand as we walk beside each other. His fingers linger on my skin and trail to my palm before slipping between my own. I squeeze his hand in my own. 
                          
I love you. 
                          
I watch as a small smile and blush come to his face.
                          
I love you too. 
                          
I hear ringing through my mind. I jump slightly as I feel a hand on my cheek, but there is no hand there. Simon isn't invisible. I then glance over to JJ and see a smirk on his lips as he is looking straight ahead. I let myself relax knowing that it is JJ. 
                          
My relaxed state doesn't last for long as the fingertips lightly start trailing down my neck. I feel a shiver run through my body as they continue down further than my neck. 
                          
What are you do-
                          
I try to think to JJ before he cuts me off. 
                          
Shhhhhh. 
                          
I try not to have any reaction as the hand roams my chest. I must be doing a terrible job of acting normal. 
                          
"Are you alright, Josh?" Simon asks in a quiet voice. I then realize that I'm squeezing his hand fairly tight subconsciously. I loosen my grip on his and a bit and nod, not trusting my voice. 
                          
"He's fine, just a bit...worked up," JJ whispers as he moves closer to Simon's side. A mischievous smirk still accompanies his lips. Simon's eyes grow slightly as he realizes what JJ is doing. 
                          
"You're a big tease, you know that?" Simon jokes with JJ while I still remain quiet. Simon's thumb gently rubs against my hand in a comforting manner. 
                          
"Says you," JJ scoffs playfully as his arm loops around the blonde's waist. 
                          
"When do I ever tease you?" Simon gapes still in a playful way. 
                          
"The way you walk is just begging for me to walk up behind you an-," JJ starts off in a very suggestive tone. 
                          
"JJ! The boys," Simon blushes as he lightly smacks JJ's chest to cut him off. JJ just laughs it off and admires the blush staining the boy's pale skin. During all of this, the hand on me never stopped moving. The hand sometimes dips down to my lower abdomen and makes me suck in a breath. 
                          
"Let up on him a bit, we still have the whole day of walking ahead of us," Simon mumbles to JJ as he notices one of my gasps. 
                          
"Sorry, baby," JJ whispers to me as the hand moves up my body and into my hair. The fingers comfortingly comb through my dark hair. I let out a sigh in response and lean my head on Simon's shoulder. Simon chuckles lightly as he places a delicate kiss to my forehead.
                          
"JJ, how much farther do we have to go?" Vik asks from behind us. 
                          
"We have about a days walk still, ice boy. We've been making decent pace though, so I expect that we will make it there a bit before our predicted arrival," JJ explains to the boy. 
                          
"It's been forever since you called me that," Vik lightly giggles to himself at the nickname. We used to call him that when they were little. 
                          
After a few more hours of walking, we decide that we can afford a little break for food, water, and to regain a bit of energy. We all tiredly plop down against some trees. Before I have the chance to sit down, JJ pulls me over and into his lap. I'm sat sideways so that my back is facing most of the other boys. 
                          
"I'm sorry for teasing you so much earlier. Are you alright now?" JJ questions me as he rests his head against mine that is on his shoulder. 
                          
"Yeah," I reply shortly. I close my eyes and try to nestle further into JJ. His arms wrap around my body and hold me close to him. I can hear Simon off with the boys as they are all trying to encourage Harry to fly. 
                          
JJ's soothing hold on me and the gentle talking in the background slowly lull me into sleep, even though I keep telling myself to stay awake. I can't help it. 
                          
I wake up and don't recognize my surroundings. It's nearly dark out. Only a sliver of sunlight can be seen cast onto the treetops. I calm down as I realize that I am in JJ's arms as everyone else is walking, including Harry as he is himself again. 
                          
"You have a nice nap?" JJ brings me out of my thoughts. 
                          
"Yeah, you could have woken me up instead of carrying me though. You must be sore and tired," I insist to JJ as I try to wriggle from his arms and to my feet. 
                          
"Nope. And I don't mind carrying you, so be still and enjoy it," JJ says seriously but with a smile. 
                          
"Are we going to find a place for the night before it's dark?" I ask with a yawn parting my lips. I relaxed back into his hold since I know there is no point in arguing with him. 
                          
"We are actually not far from the safe house according to the map. We decided to just push ahead to try and get there tonight," JJ explains with an excited glint in his eyes. 
                          
I look ahead of us to see Simon holding the map. His eyes are squinted to see it with the diminishing light. Ethan is walking by his side and notices. He creates some small flames within his palm and holds it up so that Simon can use the light to see better. 
                          
"We should be getting pretty close by no-," Simon is cut off as he almost steps over the edge of a steep and sudden cliff. Tobi is quick to reach out and grab ahold of Simon's arm to stabilize him before he falls. Simon sends him and thankful smile and pulls him into a side hug.
                          
"What do we do now?" Tobi asks as he places his arms back around Simon. They are both looking down over the edge of the cliff. It's more like a ravine. We can see the ground that is at the same level we are at now on the other side. 
                          
A cackle is heard and we all turn to see Harry as a red fox again. His bushy tail is swishing back and forth against the grass. He starts running off along the side of the ravine. 
                          
"Harry! Wait up!" I yell after him. JJ decides that now he can put me on my own two feet and we all scramble to follow the sly little fox. 
                          
He stops every now and then to turn around and make sure we are still there before darting off again. Eventually we reach a point in the wall of the ravine where it curves around to meet the other side, where the ravine ends. Dangling down off of the edge is a rope ladder. How Harry found this, I have no clue, it's so dark now that we would never have been able to find it. 
                          
"I guess we go down," I announce as Harry nods his head and cackles. 
                          
An update because it's my Birthday! 19 now so nothing really changes, but at least I'm another year closer to 21. Anyway, I hope you enjoyed. Until next time, Ilya, bye!