Work Text:
Something was a little off about your friend Josiah.
You know he's chill, appreciates banter talk, and likes teasing in his dry humoured way... yet it was a little hard to pin down why you felt there was something about him.
Even before that one strange dream, there was always something..
Maybe it was the fact he always had those tired, stoned-looking, dead eyes, which you could swear burned holes into you sometimes.
Even after saying bye at the end of chat, you noticed on multiple occasions, him keeping that dead-pan eyes tracking you as you or him walk away.
For someone so laid back, the quiet intensity you swore you could feel from him caught you off guard a lot.
It's not just that. Maybe it's also the strange fact that he's somehow never been fired despite all the stunts he's pulled at work.
He's somewhat of an infamous figure around the company, and you as well by association. (and perhaps the slacking off you may have occasionally done during work.)
You found out as much from Annette in reception.
Despite all these "quirks," he definitely hadn't given you the impression of a stoic-faced murderer. So why the strange murder dream your brain decided to conjure up?
... ...You assume it was a dream anyway. Deciding to chalk up his strange behaviour about said dream to his casual monotone awkwardness, for your sanity.
He's not a completely apathetic man. You know this because there were times where he was rather considerate.
Trying to cheer you up with mildly funny, maybe confusing anecdotes, getting an extra snack or drink for you from the break room whenever it seemed like you needed it, or even randomly just because he "felt like it." Going out of his way to hang and help you unwind during particularly long days, even during work hours.
You can't help but notice a lot of the victims for his crueler pranks happen to be people who bothered you before.
It's always felt like he's had your back. Paying attention to what you do, what drinks you like, who you interact with, always an eye on you...
You remember your early days in the company, where Josiah was nothing but a co-worker that you small-talked with out of curiosity, boredom, and a shared hatred of HR.
Before you realised it, the small interactions with him became something to look forward to during the long slog of work. It helped make days a little easier. Perhaps for him as well, with how he often Josiah calls you a good friend, and always offering to interact more.
...
All this reflection made you surprisingly sentimental, over a co-worker pal while staring blankly at your bright, burning monitor. No real work being done for the past 10 minutes.
Perhaps you should let this whole suspicion of him go. That vivid, bloody imagery of him was just a dream after all...
..at least, that is what you thought until you saw Josiah leaning on the elevator wall, despite never seeing him enter.