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icallhimjoey · 5 months

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I desperately miss Mark and Poppy and the gang. Can we visit them sometime? (I love you)

i agree, our babies mark and poppy deserve a little outing, don't they? Wordcount: 3.4K

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Girls' Night

(read To Have And To Scold here)

Mark sighed and snickered softly.

"Come look at this."

And when Joe stepped closer and peeked around the doorway, Joe sighed too.

They looked at each other, and whilst Mark let his head fall back as he groaned, Joe couldn't help but laugh as he dropped his head forward.

"Why did I even assume this wouldn't be–" Mark stopped to laugh, trying his best to stay somewhat quiet. Failing miserably, however.

"And to think we'd be scolded for coming back too early," Joe checked his watch. "It's only just gone 11."

They stood in the hallway, looking into the living room where you and Poppy had fallen asleep, slumped over each other on the sofa. You were still wearing two gold eye masks underneath your eyes, and Poppy had her hair curled around a long foam roller that Mark always made fun of because it looked so silly.

Girls' night.

You'd kicked the boys out for a girls' night on the sofa.

Hot drinks, lots of chocolately snacks, and early 2000 romcoms. Girl talk, and nail varnish, and face masks.

Joe and Mark could go and... do whatever. Go for dinner, go to the pub, go see a film together, you didn't care. As long as they fucked off and let you take over Poppy and Mark's living room for the evening.

Poppy had prepared chocolate fondue, and you'd brought all ingredients for hot apple cider.

Spiked hot apple cider.

You'd also brought Baileys. And chocolate buttons, because, why not, you know?

You knew Poppy would have her comments at the ready since she'd grown up with Joe moaning an embarrassed, "Mu-hum," when his mother would point out the same thing yet again after Joe'd handed over his new school pictures.

But you liked chocolate buttons, so you had decided to get some to bring anyway. Poppy could make every comment she wanted.

Joe had watched you carefully pack everything into a plastic shopping bag and raised an eyebrow as glass bottles clanked together.

"You can come next time," you said flatly without glancing over. You knew what face he was making.

"Yea? You promise?"

"No." you replied quickly, followed by, "Have your own girls' night." which made Joe laugh silently.

There was something about his best friend and his girlfriend hanging out without him involved that he couldn't help being suspicious of, no matter how much he loved it.

It was an important and meaningful thing to you. Joe could tell you really made an effort, which made his heart soar in a way, but it was also weird, and it really took some getting used to.

He didn't fully trust Poppy and you, the two of you together, without any supervision.

He didn't trust it in the way he trusted you and Mark - somehow that felt fine. Because that had been fine.

You and Poppy hanging out so much without him there was just... new.

Maybe it wasn't weird.

Just new.

Joe just... he just really wanted to also be there.

He wanted to be able to make eye-contact with you when Poppy said something outrageous, and he wanted to squeeze your leg under the table when Poppy would say something about him that made you laugh.

Joe knew the two of you were going to be talking about him.

Joe was the biggest thing you had in common. Besides Mark, of course.

"All right, then make me another promise. Promise you won't talk about me–"

"Joe," you warned.

"Okaybutthen... at least promise to tell me all the shit Poppy's gonna spew about me after. Please."

Your jaw dropped despite the smile that was clawing its way out of you, pulling at the corners of your mouth.

"Are you joking?"

Offended.

You were offended beyond belief.

"Do you really think that all Poppy and I talk about is you?"

The arrogance on this man.

"And Mark." Joe added dryly.

In the same tone of voice, you exclaimed, "Is you and Mark?"

"Well, do you... do you not?"

No, yes.

Yes you did.

Of course you did.

Joe didn't need to know that, though.

Besides, you and Poppy really did talk about other things a lot too. It's just that... conversation always tended to circle back to them.

There was just so much to talk about.

And it didn't really matter if they were there for it or not. You'd talk about Mark and Joe with or without them in the room.

You had never had a good enough girlfriend before, not like this anyway, not a friendship that you cherished like you cherished this one, and this shit was fun.

"I... I'm sorry, but I have to ask..." Poppy would sometimes start, and immediately, Mark would drop his shoulders in defeat. Knew where she was going before she'd even said anything.

It was always the same. Always like this now.

"Have you ever seen Mark cry?"

You took a minute, narrowed your eyes at Mark whilst you raked your brain for embarrassing moments of him.

You were about to say, no... you hadn't.

Had you?

Wait...

Your face went from deep thought, to confusion, to surprise, because, oh! Actually! Yes, you had!

"I have!"

"Our wedding doesn't count." Poppy interjected.

"Then I haven't!" you were quick, always reacted to Poppy so incredibly fast, like your brain didn't need to really process anything. Like you were already anticipating exactly what she was about to say, and it always took Joe and Mark by surprise. Made them laugh and shake their heads with big eyes at the stupid fast pace of the two of you.

Same person.

You and Poppy shared a brain.

And it was only getting worse.

"I am not–" Mark started, but Poppy was already rolling her eyes. "No, I am not heartless, I am not a heartless person. Tell her I'm not heartless." Mark pleaded.

And he wasn't a heartless person.

Quite the opposite, actually.

You just couldn't think of a time where you'd seen him cry actual tears beside that one time when you'd done your best man speech at their wedding. When you'd tried to hold back your own tears from the very first word, until half way through, the dam broke and he rushed over, held you close and cried along with you as you finished your speech in his arms.

"Mark's not heartless." you said warmly, and smiled at your friend.

"Thank you," Mark returned with a smile of his own.

However, it was more fun to side with Poppy on things when it came to Mark and Joe.

"But maybe you could level out with Joe a bit. He cries all the fucking time, it's honestly– it's a little concerning,"

"Hey!"

"You do!"

"He does." Poppy easily agreed.

Before, it was always you and Mark versus Poppy and Joe.

Then, shortly, it was you and Joe versus Poppy and Mark.

But now, and in your opinion, the most fun, it was you and Poppy versus Mark and Joe a lot.

More and more, hanging out with the four of you together became Mark and Joe sharing knowing glances. Making eye-contact after rolling their eyes, knowing they were in it with two girls who knew too much. Who had now gotten closer and closer and were sharing things they didn't use to share before.

And it kind of was their own fault, too.

You would spend an evening together, you under Joe's arm, pressed into one side of the sofa with Poppy and Mark on the other end with their legs tangled together, and it would just go back and forth the whole time.

Poppy poking fun at Joe, giving you the giggles.

You making jabs at Mark until Poppy was red in the face and crying with laughter.

It heated Joe's up on the inside of his chest that it had gone from awkward distant stares across a room, dodging eye-contact all night for fear of you knowing he always knew exactly where you were, to this.

He got to sit in Poppy and Mark's house and have your feet press into the sofa right next to him, all close, with your knees over his lap. He got to sling an arm around your shoulders and got to find your hand to play with whilst the other casually rested on your thigh.

All laid-back and relaxed.

Like, this was normal now.

His girlfriend.

You could all just hang out, and Joe could be affectionate towards you.

In front of Mark.

In front of Poppy.

He thought he'd never see the day. He thought he'd never even get close to seeing the day. Yet, here you were.

And you and Poppy were friends now.

Good friends.

Better friends.

Sometimes Mark would walk into his house, phone in hand, trying to reach you and getting your voicemail instead, only to hear your voice coming from Poppy's phone from the other room.

And sometimes Joe would text Poppy, "bob bob ricard tomorrow?" and Poppy would text back, "ive got plans then" only for her to show up on his doorstep, because the plans turned out to be cooking dinner with you.

"You invited Poppy into my house for dinner?" Joe would ask, one eyebrow raised.

"You've got a larger kitchen." you would simply answer, and would kiss him on the cheek in passing.

And, yea, he did have a larger kitchen, and he got his cheek kissed in front of Poppy, so what was the point in arguing?

Mark's best friend was becoming better friends with his wife than he was.

And Joe's best friend was becoming better friends with his girlfriend than he was.

And they both fucking loved it.

Pretended they didn't, of course.

Pretended this turn of events was absolutely awful.

But it would fill something inside their chests with thick warm sugary syrup.

Made them sort of lovesick for the two of you more.

Made Joe drunk on that feeling. The same feeling that he remembered overtaking him wholly the first time he got to hold your hand in public.

Mark and Joe were the luckiest guys in London, and didn't they fucking know it.

Having Poppy and you band together against them was lovely, and joyful, and fun.

It was fun to tut, and to sigh, and to go, "Enough now!" when you wanted to tell Poppy about that one time Mark tried to ask out a girl with a bogie hanging from his nose that you didn't catch in time.

It was fun to have Mark tell Joe, "Shut her up, shut her– No! Quick, make her stop!", and for Joe to use the excuse to tickle your sides and make you squirm, your giggles turning into loud laughter that made the sun shine behind his eyes.

And sometimes Poppy would begin a story and Joe would know exactly where she was going, what she was going to say, and yet he wouldn't interject. He would just let her tell you the full thing and would wait for your reaction.

If you laughed a little too loudly, which to be fair, you kind of always did, he'd get to be all offended, get to pretend to be wounded, be all upset. Gasp your full name, first and last, and act all aghast.

And you never really liked the sound of your full name, but when it came from Joe's mouth like that, you didn't mind it so much.

So, actually, Joe didn't mind you and Poppy talking about him at all.

He just liked to be present for it.

He'd like to know all the things you knew. To gage how up to date you were on Joe Quinn lore.

"Believe it or not, Poppy and I are actual friends. We are Mark-and-Joe-excluded friends."

Oh, he knew. Understood.

And Mark knew and understood too.

"Okay so, then promise me you won't talk about me. Or Mark." Joe shrugged, facial expression challenging.

"Fine." you shrugged too, mirrored Joe and acted like it was going to be easy.

When the two of you walked into Mark and Poppy's place, you announced it loudly.

"We are not allowed to talk about Joe and Mark all night."

And Poppy scoffed at full volume from inside the kitchen where she was heating up the chocolate au bain-marie. "Like we were gonna!"

You caught Mark and Joe look at each other and felt that same feeling Joe would feel inside his heart, except you were able to hide it better.

"That's what I said."

"Have fun you two." Mark looked at you as he said it, then leant in for a quick kiss goodbye from Poppy before heading out the door with Joe.

Joe did more than lean in for quick kiss goodbye. He made it seem like he'd just want a little peck, but when he had you close, he'd keep you there and would kiss you all gentle and slow until he could feel you get embarrassed.

"You never kiss me like that anymore," you heard Poppy say to Mark from behind you, and realising you had an audience blew heat straight up into your face, making Joe pull back.

"Who do you think is a better kisser?" Poppy then earnestly asked no one in particular and seemed to take a moment to herself to think it over. It made Mark roll his eyes at his wife, made Joe smile bashfully as he looked at his feet, and made you go, "Let's never find out."

Girls' night.

Joe and Mark had gone out to have a bite in a place Mark thought was far too nice for the two of them to go to without a real reason.

Having to not be in the house didn't feel celebratory enough.

But Joe insisted. Said he'd pay. What was not to celebrate?

You and Poppy were having a girls' night.

Plenty to celebrate in his eyes.

And Mark knew he was right, and so he went where Joe booked them a table, and followed him to another place he'd never been to for drinks after as well.

Mark took off his coat and left his shoes by the door before he stepped inside the living room to sort the pile of girl out.

Found Poppy's hands and took both of them in his, pulled lightly to untangle her from you, and went, "Shhh baby, shh," when she frowned and audibly groaned.

When removed enough, Mark slung one of her arms over his shoulder and bent to pick her up, one of his arms around her back, the other under her knees.

Poppy easily let herself be carried, ever the princess, and Joe stepped aside to let them pass.

"Taking this one up. I'll see you later mate, good luck with that one," Mark spoke softly, nodding his head back at you still doubled over on the sofa, fast asleep.

Oh, shit.

How was Joe going to get you home? He couldn't carry you all the way over to his flat, but somehow getting you into shoes and onto your feet for the walk seemed impossibly cruel.

Because look at you.

Joe stepped closer, couldn't help the expanding of his chest as everything inside it swelled, and carefully removed the eye masks from under your eyes. Weird, soft rubbery material, now dry and warmed by your skin.

Joe watched your face pull into a frown from up close.

"Hey," Joe whispered. "It's time to leave."

You opened one squinty eye, let a soft moan escape your throat as you noticed the warmth Poppy's limbs had provided you with was now gone.

"Joe," groggily left your throat as you used one arm to reach up for him. Tried to pull him down by his shirt.

Joe'd been here before.

Except he had hovered over his own bed then.

And you were very drunk and upset then.

Pulled him in for a nap then, just like you were trying to do now.

Impossible to resist.

But you weren't in Joe's bed now.

You were on Mark and Poppy's sofa.

Joe kind of had to resist.

When Joe didn't give in after a weak pull at whatever piece of shirt you managed to grab onto, you easily gave up and rolled over. Curled up more. Got more comfortable right where you were, and Joe softly went, "No, baby, come on, you've got to wake up..."

Mark had heard, and caught you turning over from the stairs.

"Should I throw down a T-shirt?" Mark hushed, stopping and bending just enough to make eye-contact with Joe from his spot whilst making sure not to topple over with Poppy in his arms.

Mark indirectly asked Joe if he was going to stay the night.

Joe turned to look at Mark, then turned back to look at you again and, fuck off, he was too far soft for this. Far too soft for you.

You could be outside on the cold wet hard ground somewhere and he'd join you right there, no questions asked, if you asked him to cuddle up.

How could he not?

Had you seen you?

Joe was the luckiest.

Mark, still with Poppy heavy in his arms, carefully shifted her not to lose balance and added, "Sofa's large enough for the two of you."

And Joe went, "Yea, thanks mate," and shook his coat from his shoulders.

He could spend the night.

It was only a moment later that you stirred awake once more because you were being moved. Someone was trying to get their hands around your waist to pick you up a little. Drag you down the sofa a bit.

"Just a little bit over, into the corner. More room there for me," Joe whispered close to your ear.

You moved with him, let yourself drop down where you fit together better, and settled on the colder spot of sofa, now with Joe warming your whole body from behind.

Joe hummed as he sighed, shuffling until comfortable, arms tight around your waist underneath the throw blanket.

One kiss to your cheek for a good night's sleep.

"Hope you had fun,"

"Hmmhm," you hummed in reply.

You did have fun.

A silence took over the room before suddenly, you made a little frustrated noise and Joe had to lift his head. Was about to ask what was wrong when you whispered,

"We talked about you the whole time," you confessed all defeatedly, voice soft and all croaky, eyes still closed.

The muscles in Joe's lower stomach tensed and tried hard to keep all the butterflies controlled.

"We talked about you the whole time too," Joe whispered back, and his lips found the side of your neck to kiss once, twice, three times.

Joe knew that you'd only have to ask him once, and he'd tell you everything he and Mark had talked about. Word for word if he had to.

And you would ask.

Tomorrow morning, over breakfast.

And you'd most likely pretend then that you had held up on your promise, and Poppy would most likely play along. Would press up her chin and raise her eyebrows and go, "No, we didn't mention you once last night," as she'd shake her head, and her lying would make your lying all easy, until Joe'd get you alone and you'd unintentionally let something slip and you'd be so fucking cute about it, Joe could hardly stand it.

Even just thinking about it made him feel all giddy inside.

It was times like these when it was still difficult to fall asleep next to you.

He'd feel like he'd want to be awake for this forever.

The feel of you.

The sound of you.

The smell, the touch, the taste.

Joe got to snuggle up to you, hold you close, and fall asleep like that on Poppy's sofa, inside Poppy's house, upon Mark's request.

Unbelievable.

You and Poppy were close friends now, and had talked about him all night.

Girls' night.

Joe was the luckiest guy in all of London and knew it. Felt it. Pressed another kiss into your neck and counted his lucky stars until his eyes grew tired.

The luckiest.

the end

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#Joe Quinn #Joseph Quinn #Joe Quinn x You #Joseph Quinn x You #Joe Quinn x Reader #Joseph Quinn x Reader #Joe Quinn Fanfic #Joe Quinn fanfiction #Joseph Quinn Fanfic #Joseph Quinn Fanfiction #joe quinn x y/n #joseph quinn x y/n #icallhimjoey #girls' night #to have and to scold

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