It has been seven days, twenty two hours, and forty minutes since Brock left the apartment. Missions as a seeker take time, Josh knows this, and he knows he has to stay behind.
Him and Burke keep up the house. There’s no point in streaming anymore, not here, not now, but the two of them occupy themselves with any number of things. Lately, Josh has been reading, laying on the couch with a stack he stole from one of Burke’s many, many bookshelves.
If he’s being honest, the sheer amount of romance novels among the physics books and research articles is more of a surprise than he thought. Burke is doing his usual, pacing, researching, reading and writing down his recent examinations of the situation they’re in and the last bits of information Jasper and Haruta had brought back to him weeks ago now.
The house was quiet, this is honestly what they both preferred. When it was just them…well, the two of them, Sosa, and Axel, the house would be left in a similar state like this, the absences of them felt oddly heavy in Josh’s chest.
He knows that Sosa is safe, they heard from Stout that Houston made it to the desert safely.
He knows why Brock stays out so long.
Josh puts the book down against his chest and closes his eyes. While they were expecting impending doom through all of this, it’s the waiting, the nothingness, that exhausts him the most.
The spiral Josh is falling down breaks with a knock at the door.
Josh looks up and Burke is already moving to the door. There’s no real warning, when someone comes to visit, but the beds are always made. Josh isn’t quick to admit he enjoys the company, but he’d be remiss to shut anyone out. When Burke opens the door, he hears him gasp.
A quiet “hi” sends Burke down on one knee, he hugs the person in front of him.
NaN. The kid is a little taller now, the glitching and static floats above the pair as Burke holds him tight.
Josh gets up as Burke is letting go. Burke laughs then “Help me up would you?” NaN extends a hand, and Burke braces himself as he gets back to his feet.
Burke is leading NaN into the living room when the kid spots him.
NaN stares up at him for a moment, blinking.
Josh smiles.
NaN runs forward, hugging him, pushing into his stomach.
“Oof” Josh braces the kid, surprised at the rush.
NaN’s voice is quiet, he turns his head to he side so Burke can hear him too.
“I missed you guys.”
Burke walks over to both of them, his hand resting on Josh’s shoulder, “We missed you too. Have you been doing okay?” It’s a loaded question, Burke looks at him with an immediate regret in his eyes.
NaN sighs anyways, “I–do not like Philly.”
Josh mutters “Does anyone?”
Burke hits him lightly on the shoulder.
“Is that what brought you here?” Burke’s voice is soft. The same softness he heard seasons ago when NaN first arrived.
“It’s the roam…actually.”
Right.
That’s right.
Brock has told them about running into roamers, it’s the only reason they can still see Jas now after all this time.
The poor kid probably didn’t want it to be this way. He knows how hard it can be when you can’t settle.
“Do you know how long you can stay kiddo?” Burke’s voice is gentle.
NaN sighs, “I know I can stay for a bit…at least.”
Josh cuts in, pitting his hands on NaN’s shoulders, “Well hey, we have a bedroom ready, why don’t you rest, and I’ll put dinner on.”
NaN looks up at him and smiles.
The kid is quick to hug Josh again, and a moment later he’s hugging Burke.
With one last “Thanks” NaN walks to his bedroom like routine.
Burke looks up at Josh. His smile is almost nostalgic.
“Do you want help with dinner?”
Josh nods at his partner.
At least for tonight, the house will get to feel a bit more like home.