DISCLAIMER: This story is completely fictional. To the best of my knowledge, Josh Hartnett is a heterosexual. This story is not meant to imply that Josh is or ever was or will be gay at any time in his life.
A story: Josh -Part1-
I cursed at my luck. There I was at Borders, trying to get my new purchase (Clockwork Orange) and there it stood, a stupid cashier and a stranger who seemed as keen to get the book as I was.
'I'm sorry Sir, but I think I got this book here first before you came and took it from this place when all I did was to turn my head to get another book.' 'Well, but you didn't put it anywhere to place it as yours. And what's up with your obsession with this book?' 'Well, what's up with yours? Why can't you let a guy who needs it for his education buy it?' 'Erm, but sir, sir-' 'I think this pretty little quarrel is between me and this hooded man here, so there. Leave us alone.' 'I'm sorry, but I am getting this book.' With that, he took the book and cashed it onto his credit card. Boy was I pissed. I was too educated to even want to punch him, so I held it all to myself, and steamed. I was about to leave the counter when the girly cashier uttered a silent scream. 'OH MY GOD! YOU'RE JOSH HARTNETT!' I turned around sharply and smiled to myself. Devilishly. I walked back. 'Hmm. So I see how snobbish you guys can get. Bleah. Have that book, Mr. I'm-so-eligible-and-hunky-you-wanna-eat-me-josh-Harnett. Pooh. I don't give a fuck.' He looked at me as if he was a deer caught in headlights, then looked at the cashier, gave her something to remember by, then tried to catch up with me as I walked out of the bookshop.
I'm an edgy person, which is why I jumped when I felt someone turn me around in the middle of a street. 'Craps! Do ya wanna hurt-' I looked. 'What is it stuck-in-your-fame-hartnett?' 'Look, I don't care if you hate me or something, but you aren't gonna tell anyone on this aren't you?' I rolled my eyes. 'Puh-lease. I don't give a flying shit if I met Britney Spears or you on the street man. You guys are just stupid ordinary snobs who get egoistic based on stupid minions pining away for you.' 'I detest that. That is not true.' He looked positively hurt and I felt a little guilty about that. But I couldn't show it. 'Well, I guess...' But he had already walked away, so I shrugged and went back.
When I went home, I was looking forward to a nice little rest at home when suddenly my little sister came screaming into my ear. 'SETH!!!!!!!! YOU ARE SO NOT GOING TO BELIEVE THIS!' 'Trust me, I believe in quite a lot of stuff.' She looked at me with a typical sisterly look, and then proceeded to tell me, in an orgasmic sounding voice that she managed to get tickets to the movie gala of 'Virgin Suicides.' Well, and being below 18, she needed me to chaperone her. To that I expressed rather anti-orgasmic disagreement. 'No way am I gonna go there to see people losing virginities and dying and something that sucks.'
'No fair, you're passing a judgment before you watched it!' she whined. I was about to object to it, when something rather lethal and powerful came to stop me. That thing, was a mother. I sighed as I gave in to my miserable fate. Tonight was going to be a bad night. In order to make it a better night, I decided to meet my friends at the club down at Haverford Street for some clubbing. Therefore, I had to look good. I chose a casual button down white shirt with a pair of baggy black pants from A|X. It was cool, and I looked cool. Which is why I was shocked when even my sis, Bjork, (I know. It's an insult to Bjork, the wondrous, cool, amazing, elegant songstress from Iceland) commented that I looked cool, though albeit a very degrading way. 'Looking good. Why, trying to lay Josh Hartnett is it?'
I almost slammed on the brakes. 'What! You mean Virgin Suicides stars HIM!!!!' She slammed her head on my dashboard that is. 'God. Never tell anyone I'm your sister. Yes. He is the star of the show, and he's coming down tonight.' I cursed. So this was why we came earlier. We had came earlier at 5 (the show started at 7) to queue up to meet and greet the stupid jock(sh). God. I hate the day. I wanted to really really shoot the him or any luck that my sister had. I didn't wanna be here. It was not nice for a 19 year old guy to accompany his sister to queue up for some poster boy, who in my opinion, was simply a selfish bastard. Seemed that he had the same sentiment when I met him in the front of the queue.
'Ah, so we meet again.' He cocked his eyebrow. I replied to him, despite my sister's inability to communicate due to this piece of information, instead choosing to open and close her mouth. 'Yeah. Trust me, the pleasure is all yours. None mine. So here's my sister, and she wants u to sign something. And trust me, I did not want to come to this.' 'Whatever man. Why so hostile?' Then he smiled. Ok. This was getting weird. He had a nice smile, and my icy demeanor was slowly cracking, but I didn't let it show. Which is why when we got into the cinema, I was more than shocked when the seats we had were VIP seats, and that we sat on the same row with Mr. Hartnett. What shocked me more was that he asked to sit beside me, which I could't disagree with- try disagreeing with a sister who looked more than capable of attempting murder if you didn't comply.
This was going to be a long movie.
It would be unfair to say that I didn't like the movie; in fact I thought the sisters were brilliant, sofia was excellent and the supporting men (Josh included) was good. It was a dark and disturbing movie, which would have been more appreciated if not for the fact that my sister constantly squealed when Josh appear, then turn beside me to look at Josh with a more than starstruck look.
'Enjoy the movie?' I turned and looked at him, and then replied 'It was good, I thought.' Then smiled, 'Not bad really.' He smiled back, and then thanked me. My sister at that point of time was literally creaming on the spot when he smiled also at her and signed her postcard of him. By 10, I left and we waved goodbye, knowing that at least I managed to leave him with agood impression, and him on a good slate of mine own.
When I went home, I immediately called Mike; I had planned to call him earlier, but he wasn't at home, so I had to wait till now. Which is why I was very excited and happy when I heard his voice on the phone. 'Hey babe!' He immediately perked up when he heard my voice. 'Hey hon! Sweet of you to call me now? 'Well, I went to watch Virgin Suicides with my sis and guess who I met there?' 'Who?' 'Josh Hartnett! But he really ain't that gorgeous or nice as everyone thinks.' 'Duh. Anyways, can I come over now? I really miss you.' I was touched. 'But it's already 11 plus.' 'But I miss you. Wait for me. Be there in 15.'
True to his word, he came at 11.30 and then immediately went up to my room after saying hi to my parents. They were used to his flights to my house late at night, and since they knew that we weren't doing anything naughty. He stripped down and immediately joined me in my bed, and then we slept through the night, peacefully and closely.
For the uninitiated, Mike and I were together since we were 17 and even though we were 19, we were still going strong and both parents knew about our situation. They didn't make a fuss about it; both boys didn't look like they were about to sprout faerie wings or anything, and didn't seem to want to desire cheap silicone on their chests. It took awhile, but they adjusted all right. Which I am thankful for.
4 Years Later
The thing about a geography degree is that it literally brings you a whole array of employment. I was offered a job at Merril Lynch, but turned that down; got offered a job by National Geographic, but that meant leaving Mike for two good years, and I couldn't bear that (We had our own house now). Which is why when the University of Leeds offered me a job as the associate professor, I enthusiastically took up the offer and went on to become a teacher. As much as that wasn't my real true aspiration, I settled with it and usually smirked at the expression on my students' faces when they met me in class for the first time.
In any case, instead of receiving shocks, I delivered them to the usual sleeping class. Firstly, I was dressed up quite casually; (They didn't really bother about the dress code, thankfully) in a white button down shirt tucked out, baggy ck dress pants and leather shoes. I left my hair sloppy as usual, which is why most of the students were eyeing me as if I was a casualty gone wrong or something.
'Hey... I'm your new professor Seth Sjorn, though I would really prefer it if you call me Seth instead of Prof Sjorn. I hate that. Makes me sound old. By the way, I'm really 23.' It was with that slightly aloof attitude that I started my class on Spatial Diffusion. The day ended quite alright and when I went home, Mike had not come home yet. (He was working as a financier at Chase) I went to the bed and slept, and only at 9.30 did he arrive and we both skipped dinner, choosing instead to 'eat' each other instead and sleep. It was a nice relationship that we treasured, and there was a strange platonicity that we shared.
I don't usually have problems handling students or Mike, but as for deja vu, I usually get a shock from it. Which is why when I went down to Borders again to try and get a book on 'Geography: A Modern Approach to GIS', turned around and got it lost and saw a guy taking it and smiling at me, I freaked out. 'Excuse me, I think that's my book.' 'I know.' He took off his cap a wee bit, and then exposed himself to me. 'Deja vu' I muttered and managed a weak smile. 'Yeah, I know. Don't worry. You can have it to yourself. I just saw you hanging around here just now, so I guessed I would stop by for a little surprise.'
I smiled back in relief and said 'Yeah it sure is. Anyways, yeah what's up?' He dug his hands in his pocket, and simply asked me if I was free for a cuppa. I agreed, since Mike wouldn't be at home for quite a while, and he seemed an ok guy altogether. However, it seemed that he had to talk to himself very softly and not expose himself, which is why when after a while, I was quite irritate by the fact that I had to literally whisper and crane my neck to hear what he was saying.
'You know something? Why not you come over to my hotel?' 'Why?' 'I can't talk to you properly here? Is it alright?' I looked at my watch. There should be time. 'Yeah why not?' He smiled and then led me on to his hotel, which was 5 minutes away from the cafe.
He lived in an upmarket hotel and pretty obviously I raised quite a couple of eyebrows when I entered his room, aka presidential suite. It was nice and stuff, but he casually sat us down on the sofa and then we started talking shop. He updated me that he was doing a film called pearl harbour, something about WWII, which being a geographer I had no interest in. What was fascinating to me was that we could click so easily, and being friends. It really came together when he brought out pictures of iceland to show me, and I gleefully pointed out the glaciers and geographical boundaries of the area, and surprisingly, he wasn't bored. 'That's the first time I've talked to someone about geography and not see him get bored by it.' 'Haha... well, guess there's always the first.' We laughed heartily, then I looked at the watch, and found out that I had to go back to the apartment since we were having dinner together and I had to cook tonight. 'Hey, I've got to go now.' 'Hmm, where do ya live? I'll send you there.' 'Nah don't worry, I can get back there myself.' 'Nope. I insist. And anyways, I never knew you had an apartment.' 'Well, it's not that big, but it's the only thing Mike and I could afford to be in.' He was about to take his keys when I let slip that piece of information. I silently cursed myself as I waited for his reaction. 'Oh, so Mike's your apartment mate?' he said as he opened the door to let me out. Well, I was shocked, but something sadistic in me decided to spill the beans. 'Well, he's my boyfriend for six years already.' THat dropped, he turned around and looked at me. 'Wow! I never knew...' I cracked a wry smile, and replied, 'Yeah. So now you know, still wanna drive me home?' 'Sure, why not?' He smiled, and from that, I knew he was fine with me.
However, I detected a wistful tone when he drove me home, and I was certain that he didn't expect me to be gay. Or otherwise already attached. But to give him the benefit of the doubt, he was nice and stuff and asked me about everything possible. Truth be told, he was nice, and I told him that when he dropped me home. 'Hey, listen. I know we met a few years ago on a really bad slate, but today proved something against it. So yeah, sorry for misjudging you so quickly.' He smiled, then said 'Don't worry about it Seth. It's alright. Here's my cellphone, do call me up for a cuppa or something, won't mind talking to you and stuff, and I need someone to sightsee in this area.' I smiled back and replied, 'Don't worry. I'll call you, or you could just message me on the phone or something. Bye!' 'Bye!'
I opened the door of the apartment and surprisingly, he was already at home and he smiled when I came back. 'Hey hon,' he kissed me, 'How was your day?' 'All right I guess. Guess who I met today? Josh Hartnett again.' I put my bag down on the chair and then sat down beside him on the sofa, snuggling into him like how a cat snuggles contentedly. 'Oh. Really? Was he a complete piss again?' 'Not really, in fact, he was nice enough and well, he's an ok guy really. I just misjudged him.' He kissed me on the crook of my neck, then whispered 'Whatever you say hon.' I giggled and pushed him off, 'Babe, I need to cook. If not, we can't eat.' 'But I like eating you.' 'Babe, I need real food. Now stop being a babe and c'here and help me out.'
I think Mike and my vision of a family was settled that night, when both of us busied ourselves cooking a meatloaf and pasta salad. IN between the mixing, tossing, cooking and baking, we managed to squeeze in our days' itineraries and emotions, and of course, kisses and hugs. It was warm and cosy and we had the dinner on the couch with a bottle of bordeaux. It was a nice little dinner and both of us enjoyed ourselves. When we were full and well bred, there was a call on my cell and I answered it.
'Hello?' 'Hey. Josh here.' 'Oh. Hey! Hi! Yeah what's up?' 'Nah, just called if you were free tomorrow since it was a Saturday and I wanna sightsee and something. At Lake District or something.' 'Hmmm. Just let me ask Mike if I have any plans or anything first.' I put down the phone and asked Mike. 'Well, since I don't have anything on tomorrow too, yeah, why not? Let's bring him together then.' 'Well, Mike says alright, and would ya mind if he came along too?' 'Why not? The bigger the company, the better. So is it all right if I came over to your house at 9?' 'Yeah. It should be alright. Just remember to bring along a poncho, extra clothes and wear hiking shoes. A map will not be necessary. See you tomorrow!'
Well, embarrassingly enough, Mike and I were involved in some pretty intense activity the previous night, which is why I was only woken up not by the alarm clock, but by someone ringing the housebell. Feeling frustrated and thinking I was still early, I went out to the living room guided only by pure instinct to open the door, only to see Josh standing there all prepared and ready to go.
'Morning! Just thought-' Well, he didn't have anything else to say before I interrupted him by swearing and apologizing. 'Fuck! I'm so sorry... it's just, I mean I didn't know, I'm so sorry...' He simply smiled, then said, 'Nah, chill out. By the way, you already look chilled. DO get warm, then winked at me and found a spot to sit.' As I rushed into the room to cover up(I was only in my boxers), I swore and managed to get a very groggy Mike up. Luckily, I had gotten over my hot lemon tea morning a cuppa day thing, so I wasn't really bitchy. After I was done doing everything, which included putting on my hiking gear(springfield jeans and a loose t-shirt) I went out to the room to entertain Josh, who I neglected for the past 15 minutes. He seemed to be however, very fascinated by the photos that I took which I put around the house. Which explained why he jumped up when I mentioned that the photo that he was currently looking at was taken near Kaoshiung, China.
'Oh, you're done already. It seems that you've travelled a wee bit.' 'Yeah, I guess. I love travelling, and backpack travelling just turns me on.' He raised an eyebrow to that last statement but I shrugged, so he just smiled again. 'You know, it's weird that you didn't even bother asking me why I wanted you to bring me out.' 'Oh whatever. I don't really care, unless you're hinting that your superstar status needs some higher-classed trip or something...' I joked. 'No no... I didn't mean that. What I meant was that you look as if it was perfectly normal that I asked you to accompany me to sightseeing.' 'Oh. Nothing's wrong with that. You're a friend, and you wanna go out. Simple as that.' 'Wow. Ok. Thanks a lot.' I don't know why, but after that, he seemed pretty impressed by me, which I was ok with, but weirded out by.
After we had looked past China and Australia did Mike come out. He was dressed equally casually, with his typical gap jeans and gap shirt. He came over and attempted to give me my good morning kiss, when I hinted that there was a guest in the house. He blushed, then proceeded to introduce himself to Josh. 'Hey. I'm Mike Wright. Nice to meet you.' 'Yeah, and I'm Josh Hartnett, just call me josh, and nice to meet you too and to put a face to Seth's boyfriend.' He positively goggled, and I tried to look at the ceiling while he absorbed the information. And being Mike as always, he immediately sidled up to me, hugged me in the most intimate way and then smiled back at Josh. I felt so red and wanted to smack him, but Josh jokingly said, 'Oh, don't let me get into your way, but I think we have to leave now.'
'Oh yeah, ok. Let's go then.' With that, we left the house and proceeded to drive down to the Lake District, and stopped down at Castle Head, which was a field study center. >From there, I rented an eco-jeep and kayak and drove down to the Lake District and stopped at one of the lakes. It was a fine day, and though the water was cold, we braved it and kayaked on the metallic kayak into the calm lake, not stopping till we came across a small little island.(Not really an island, just a jutting outcrop of sorts) Mike and I discovered this outcrop when we came kayaking here a few years ago, and named it the Island. Yeah, we're THAT boring.
As we pulled the kayak up, I started smiling and Mike saw it and nudged me. We shared a little secret to ourselves about the Island; it was the first time I ever attempted alfresco sex with Mike, and even when we passed by the tree where the bliss had taken place, I shivered and blushed, which didn't go unnoticed by Josh. 'Are you okay Seth?' 'Huh?? Oh, yeah. I'm fine. Just a little cold I guess.' Mike snorted into his steak and kidney pie when I said that, and I simply whacked him across the head. Like all Brits, (I hope I'm not making a generalization here) we had a nice little tete a tete and mainly talked about stuff, stuff that wasn't really important. However, it really wasn't me who did the talking, instead, I sat there and listened, while the two of them argued it out on the WWII intricacies and casualties.
The day was overall nice and fun, and I shan't bore you with more details, but Josh and Mike got along quite well, and I was playing the usual invisible role but don't get me wrong; I like playing the people watcher. It was fun and interesting, though whenever I saw Josh, he would smile at me wistfully, as if he wanted to tell me something. I just shrugged, and after dropping off Mike at the apartment (he had an appointment with a client at the last minute) I drove Josh back to the hotel, where he invited me for a late cuppa. I accepted, since the house would be empty for a while.
'So, would you like martinis or vodkas?' 'But I thought we would be coming down for some coffee or something?' He snickered. 'Yeah, I figured... but then I realized I didn't have coffee, so do you just want plain water or anything?' 'Well, I guess I'll settle for a bourbon cola, you got any of those?' 'Yeah, sure. Here.' He threw the can to me, which I slowly sipped as we continued talking. 'Oh by the way, you have a girlfriend at home ain't it?' 'Yeah, I do. She's really nice, and I can't wait to go back after the filming to be back with her.' 'More like to get it ON with her' I joked, nudging him on the ribs. He joked back, 'Yeah, I'm like so horny right now. Care to give it a suck?' I stuck out my tongue and laughed. Boy, we are demented.
Then when both of us were sitting down on the fully-recline sofa, Josh suddenly said: 'You really love Mike don't you?' Without looking back at him, I replied, 'Yeah. He's sorta my life. He's been through quite a lot with me, and it's more of a bond forged, if ya know what I mean.' 'You know what, I'm really happy for you man. You with your guy, job and anything. Brilliant.' I laughed and shrugged it off, 'Nah, you're the guy who should be happy too, what with your fame and fortune, and though everyone says that will fade away, believe me, your star doesn't seem to be fading anytime soon, and you have a good heart to boot.' 'I guess that's true, but it doesn't beat the feeling that I have something missing in my life, you know, a puzzle not filled.'
I turned and faced him, then said, 'Dude, nothing fits in this life. Be happy with the best fit, and if you still can't find it, look for it but never give up. But try to balance it, don't go into extremities. Yeah. That's my two cents worth.' He silently laughed, then whispered out a word of thanks. I just smiled to myself. Then I stood up and stretched myself and prepared to go back home, since it was already quite late and I was sure Mike was already home.
'Hey, thanks a lot for today. It was fun!' 'Don't mention it, if you're anywhere near Leeds or something, drop me a line, could meet ya up for a cuppa or something. Bye and goodnight!' 'Bye!'
I drove the way back to the apartment.