iluvroadrunner6: ([btr] charlie)
Emily ([personal profile] iluvroadrunner6) wrote in [community profile] fandomweekly2022-09-08 08:15 am

[#134] I'll Pretend My Ship's Not Sinking (Original)

Theme Prompt: #134 - Wasteland
Title: I’ll Pretend My Ship’s Not Sinking
Fandom: Original
Rating/Warnings: PG-13
Bonus: Yes.
Word Count: 607
Summary: Josh cannot knock one item off his bucket list.



“I told you Action Park was a terrible vacation spot.”

Josh barely registers Olivia’s statement as he looks out over the amusement park black top, so empty that a tumbleweed could roll through it and it wouldn’t be out of place. Something in his heart sinks as he takes in the thrill of his young childhood life and knows that this last-minute bucket list adventure will not be as complete as he hoped.

“It didn’t use to be,” he admits dejectedly, and at that, Olivia’s annoyance softens some. She had been trying to persuade him to pick another item off his list for this very reason, but his hope had buoyed him all the way to the front gate of what used to be his favorite theme park.

She reaches over, placing a hand on his arm with a soft squeeze. “It’s probably for the best, babe. Action Park was—”

“Extremely dangerous and cared little for patron safety?” Josh looks over at her with a slow smirk. “Duh. That was part of the fun.”

At that, Olivia’s face sours again, and she rolls her eyes. “Are you kidding me?”

“What?” Josh holds up his hands in surprise. “This is my bucket list. My life is ending and I want to go out on my terms—you said you were cool with that.”

Olivia purses his lips for a moment, looking down at the rings on her left hand. Twirling her engagement ring around her finger. “Bucket list, yes. Recklessly endangering yourself so that you die ahead of time—that isn’t what we agreed to.”

Josh slumps back against the seat, rubbing a hand over his chest where the scars from his latest surgery still itch. He doesn’t want to be running away from this world any more than she does. But he refuses to die shriveled up in a hospital bed. He just wants to live his life. But he can recognize that he may have been taking things a little too far with Action Park.

He reaches over for her hand gently, giving it a small squeeze. “I love you.”

She looks up at him, brushing her dark hair away from her eyes. “I love you too.”

“You know we’re only doing things this way because the doctors said I had no options left. That we’d taken this as far as modern medicine would go?”

She nods again, one hand coming up to brush away the stray tear slipping down her cheek. “I know. I know. But that doesn’t mean I’m ready to say goodbye just yet.” She takes a breath as she turns to face him, leaning in and kissing his cheek softly. “I’ll get there though.”

He smiles softly, brushing his hand against the side of her face. “I know you will. And we have way more places on our list to get through before that happens.”

Olivia manages a half-smile before nodding. “That is true.” She pulls up her phone, opening the notes page where they’ve been tracking their progress. “So we made it to Action Park, even if we didn’t get to ride the rides?”

Josh nods. “We did. So what’s next on the list?”

“Beach vacation in Cancun?” she tips her head to the side. “That’s a bit of a road trip from here.”

“It is,” he nods, before smiling. “But the journey is the best part, right?”

Olivia smiles before pulling up her navigation app and putting in the address for the beach in question. “Guess we better stock up on snacks on the way.”

Josh nods as he turns up their road trip playlist. “Sounds good to me.”