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Being self-conscious was never high on Joshua's list of things to be. He had always been slightly confident in everything he did; he had to be, being a Drifter. It was the very nature of being a successful one and not alerting people to who he was. He'd cared what people thought of him, but self-conscious? Never. He was always acutely aware of a little niggling doubt in when he had to mark That Joshua's student's work, pretend to be friends with His colleagues or whatever.

The only time he'd actively begun to be self-conscious and anxious about himself and what others thought of him was straight after he met Amelia. He'd always cared about what she thought of him, long before he knew about the Knot and Tether. He guessed the feelings were to do with that, but he'd not noticed it straight away. He was always anxious about what he looked like around her, or whether the coldness she bore for him was hatred.

The moment he knew about the Knot Art, he'd realised how old he felt against her, how different they were, how the fact he was a Drifter and how he'd shot into her life like a bullet would affect her. The moment they started dating, he suddenly became aware of a few men out and about who looked at her, checked her out. They looked so much younger, and he would always wonder if they assumed he was her dad or something.

For Joshua, it wasn't the number, it was how he looked, the height difference. He knew she didn't care, but he was always aware of how it looked on the outside.

Now her parents were coming over, and they still believed she was with Owen. He had to prove himself worthy of their daughter, with an eight-year age gap and what they believed was a position of power. Her father would probably – and rightly so – want to throttle him and murder him. Her mother would probably – and rightly so again – want her to leave him. And that was without the knowledge of the man they thought would be their son in law lied and cheated their child out of being with him.

Joshua knew they would herald Owen a saviour of some sort once they knew the basics. He didn't disagree, either. He knew he wasn't worthy of Amelia; the woman was stunning, she was kind and funny, full of life and happiness. He was the opposite, and though she made him soar, he always knew deep down he was lucky that she was Fated to him.

The thought of meeting them the next day was eating him up inside. The past two days since they'd left Owen and Sophia with their Knots, she'd told him not to worry, that her parents would love him when they got over the shock. She'd given them her new address and explained she wasn't with Owen anymore, but he knew it was still a concern.

The wind picked up against the trees around them and brought him back to the moment.

"Feeling your angst really isn't helping my brain right now," Amelia mentioned.

"Sorry. I just—"

"Worried about meeting my parents? Yeah, I know. Josh, it'll be fine. They'll freak out for like five minutes, but then they'll see the Knot, hear the story, and get over it. It's not like they can do anything, is it? We're Fated, we're meant to be together. My aunt and uncle have a ten-year age gap, but they're Fated. They have no right to judge anyway. I know you're brooding."

He sighed and ran his thumb over her knuckles as they continued walking through the greenery. "It's easy to tell me that, though. I'm the older one, I'm the homewrecker, the one who was technically in a position of power or will be for another couple of weeks. I'm the new guy, I have a shit-ton to live up to with Owen, huh?"

She snorted. "Once they know the truth, whatever love they have for Owen will disappear. I get it's not easy, but it's just a formality. I'm not changing my mind about us or anything because of whatever they might say."

He groaned. "I get that. I can feel that. But, yeah, it's not easy. I mean, you can meet my parents if you want."

"Ha! That would be a sight when they realise it's not the Josh they created but someone else. How mind-fucked would they be?"

"I met them before, and they're the same as my parents in the other world, just different you know? They thought something was up, but they didn't suspect a thing. It was... weird. But his and their relationship were always strained apparently, so it's not that hard to get around. I got on with my parents in the other world, so it's a little sad, but to be honest, if I told them the truth, it would probably push them away more. I've spent enough time with them here to know they're not interested in me, well, Josh."

Amelia frowned. "That's really sad. Do you not think telling them about Drifting, me and whatever might mend that? It'll be a different relationship."

Joshua nodded. "Maybe. Once everything is a little less... fresh, I think it could be worth it. I just want this job first."

"Which one do you want more?" she asked him.

He wasn't sure himself. The two interviews he went for were completely different from the other. He'd applied for an A-Level teaching role – he was qualified enough for that, apart from the technicality it wasn't him who was qualified for teaching, but on paper he was. He studied A-Level sociology, so he knew his stuff. He'd also applied for a role in the management of a large local charity. It looked well paid, hours didn't sound bad and when he approached them about his qualifications, they seemed keen. The degree he had would work well with it.

"I don't know. I mean, teaching is what I somewhat know from here, and I personally am sort of qualified. I know the stuff, I've taught before. But the charity seems more my thing. Either is a step up from managing a coffee shop, anyway," he answered.

She grinned. "You don't mention the coffee shop. That's not you anymore, remember?"

"I mean, you're not wrong," Joshua retorted.

She stopped him when they were in the middle of one of the fields. She stood in front of him, and they were staring into each other's eyes for a moment.

"You know how good you're doing? You're doing amazing, Joshua. You've completely adjusted to being here properly, and hell, whatever job you get offered, or even if you don't, you'll do amazing at whatever you do. You might have a different experience than the Joshua on paper, but you're better than that guy. And as for my parents? You'll win them over within minutes. I can tell how weird this is for you, but you're doing so amazing. I love you."

He smiled at her, his heart pounded like a war drum, and as the wind swept and battered against his back, he realised it was her that was keeping him rooted. If he hadn't had her with him, the wind would have taken him away, blown up into the sky and made him float until there was nothing left. He may have stopped Drifting, but he was left feeling self-conscious. Only Amelia grounded him and made him feel worthy and loved.

He knew he sounded ridiculous; he was twenty-seven. But he had no job, nothing he had built himself. Apart from Amelia. He built that relationship himself, the trust and the love between them he had half a hand in building, and it was something for him.

"I love you too," he answered. He kissed her forehead. "I promise I'll try and calm down, all right? I just... I'm concerned and nervous, all right? You're still nineteen, and they'll probably hate me. I'd rather get on with your parents than not."

She grinned. "If they don't, it's their loss."

She followed up with a kiss on his lips, and it melted everything away.

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He could hear them before anything else; her mother and father. He clicked the button to get the kettle on, while he heard them chatting.

"When did you move, Amelia? And what happened with Owen?" a woman's voice asked. They were in the lounge already, barely in the house for two minutes and the questions were already aired. It irked Joshua, and he felt her agitation as well.

"It's a long story. I moved a few weeks ago. I, uh, do you want tea? Coffee?" Amelia asked. He knew she wasn't sure about how to approach the subject of her new partner. He didn't either.

"Tea would be lovely, sweetheart," a male voice answered.

She appeared in the kitchen. "Two teas. I, uh, I don't know how best to do this, so it might be an idea just to come out here."

He nodded without saying anything. The breath in his lungs was limited, his pulse was aching, and his heart was flipping like an Olympic gymnast as she took his hand.

The moment they entered the lounge, he wished he hadn't. He was met with two pairs of dark, questioning eyes, and both of them stood from the sofa.

Her mother was tall and dressed as if she was ready for a hike up a hill or something. Her mousy-brown hair was pulled into a ponytail high on her head, and she was wearing makeup that was so subtle he questioned it at first.

Her father was dressed as if he was on his way home from a business meeting; a shirt without a tie and dark dress trousers.

Joshua wondered how they were a couple; they looked completely opposite, but he supposed opposites did attract. Amelia had taught him that.

"Mr and Mrs Nichols," Joshua greeted. He stepped into the middle of the room and stretched out his hand to shake.

It was Amelia's father who made the first move and shook his hand.

"I'm Chris," he answered.

"Joshua," Joshua greeted.

"Mary," her mother greeted and shook his hand.

Joshua stepped back and the two sat down again. He could see their evident confusion and shock that Amelia was living with a man who was visibly older than her.

"Mum, Dad... Joshua is... my boyfriend. He's my Fated One," Amelia announced.

Both of them glanced at each other, and he looked at Amelia for a second. She slipped her hand in his as she perched beside him on the armchair where he'd sunk.

"So... what about Owen?" Mary asked.

Joshua sighed and sat properly in the chair. He shouldn't take over, he knew, but he felt like it would be clearer if he said it. "Unfortunately, Owen... faked his Knot Art. Amelia and I met, and we both felt this connection, which I'm sure you both have as Fated Ones. It was confusing at first, but it turns out Amelia and Owen didn't have the same connection. He admitted to paying to have his Knot match Amelia's."

Chris' eyes darted between Joshua and Amelia in disbelief. Joshua felt the prickling heat of attention writhing through his veins.

"This true, Amelia?" Mary asked.

Amelia nodded. "Yes, it's true. I thought I had a connection with him, but it wasn't the real thing. Joshua and I are Fated. I have my real card now, and we have the connection. I broke up with Owen and moved in here. We've got together and fallen in love."

He could tell she was gleaming with confidence and love. She was proud to show him off, and it made Joshua shine like the sun.

"Owen was always such a good boy," Mary lamented.

"I don't think he did it out of malice," Joshua said. He hated Owen with every fibre of his being, but even he knew what Owen did was literally out of pure love and nothing else. That, he couldn't deny. "Owen did what he did because he was deeply in love. He just went about the completely wrong way."

"So... you and he are Fated?" Chris asked his daughter. "How did you two meet?"

Amelia chuckled awkwardly. Her hand squeezed his tighter. "Joshua was – or is for a couple more weeks – my lecturer at uni."

Both Chris' and Mary's faces dropped.

Joshua had been waiting for that moment when the penny dropped, when they realised all was not as it seemed. He wasn't looking forward to the moment his age came up, or the fact that their daughter cheated on her ex-boyfriend for him either.

He hoped it stayed quiet.

"Your tutor? Teacher?" Mary stammered.

"It's legal, the university know about it, and he's leaving in just over a week, mother." Amelia sighed after her words. Her annoyance overshadowed the awkwardness; he could feel it.

"What's the age difference here?" Chris asked.

"Dad, it doesn't matter, we're Fated anyway—"

"Amelia."

"Eight years," Joshua spoke up. "I'm twenty-seven. Both Amelia and I have had discussions about it, and it doesn't bother us. We are Fated, anyway, and I'm in love with your daughter. I certainly would never hurt her."

Both her parents stayed quiet for a moment. Their eyes never left their child, and it made Joshua feel awkward as hell.

"I will give you all a moment," Joshua announced. He stood up and retreated into the kitchen.

He could feel the anger and shame as his hands turned into autumnal leaves. He knew this would happen; he had predicted it. It didn't make it easier, however.

He just hoped what Amelia said had been true: that it didn't matter because all they needed was each other. After all, Joshua knew, Amelia was the thing that kept him standing, kept him sane and kept him going. She was all he needed, and he hoped nothing would get in their way. He'd heard that some Fated Ones had fallen in love, but for various reasons they couldn't be together, so were forced to become Rejected. He wondered if that would happen to him and Amelia. Their age gap, the judgements, the way they got together, her seeming familial hatred and incoming pressures were all quickly stacking against them. He knew from the get-go he didn't deserve her; she was the angel, and he was the lowly servant.

Joshua wondered if the very thing that tethered them together was the very thing that could rock their very foundation: fate.

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