// remember //

You still remember the first time you saw him. He was standing there, a group of the younger kids around him, and they were laughing. The sound of their laughter was the reason you looked over, really -- and when he glanced across to where you stood and caught your eye, it felt like all the air left your lungs in a solid rush.

"Hey," he'd said, and then there he was, right in front of you, hand outstretched, and a for a moment, you couldn't even move. Until he'd said, "I'm Joey, and you're --?" and your brain had kickstarted enough for you to stammer out, "JC. I'm JC."

And when Joey said, "Nice to meet you, JC," and smiled - a smile that lit up his entire face -- it made your heart doublebeat in time and your belly do this weird little flip.

You remember thinking then that you'd do anything to make him smile like that again just for you.

***

You still remember the first time Joey hugged you. You'd been goofing around one day, telling stupid jokes, pulling faces - Joey pulled the best faces you'd ever seen - and you were both half-stupid from laughter.

"You're insane," you'd gasped, trying to catch your breath as he'd demonstrated just what he thought an axe-wielding maniac would look like, and he'd looked at you and grinned in total agreement. That set you off again, you'd creased over as you giggled helplessly, and then suddenly his arms were round you, warm and strong and like nothing you'd ever known.

"Thankyou for being my friend," he'd whispered, before he let ago again just as quickly, and you'd nodded awkwardly and felt heat shimmering along the back of your neck where his fingers had touched.

When he stood up and said he'd better get home, you knew the ache in your belly and the tightness in your chest wasn't just from all the laughter.

"I'll walk with you," you'd said, and he'd smiled and hugged you again, and this time you'd been ready for it.

And when the hug ended and you were both left standing there with Joey's fingers still softly tangled in your hair, you'd leaned in and kissed him for the first time.

***

You're standing watching him now, and he doesn't notice you. You hear him murmuring softly as he holds her, as he brushes kisses across her forehead. He pulls her close, hugs her, and his fingers are tangled in her soft curls. She's his universe, he makes her laugh, and she can make him smile without even trying.

You hear him say that he loves her more than anything in the world, and that he always will.

You turn to go, and he catches sight of you. "Hey, C...I'll be right there, ok?" And he leans down to kiss his sleeping daughter goodnight.

"I'll wait," you whisper, and when he looks up and smiles at you, even after all these years, your heart still skips a beat.

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