static [joshler]

confront

TW: drug mentions

~~

"Joshua Dun, did you really do all my chores yesterday?" Tyler's voice crackled through the line.

Josh was stuffing chips into his mouth when he heard the radio go off. The teen scooped up the walkie talkie off his desk and plopped back down on his bed. "Sure did, bud."

"Why would you do that?" His voice was nasally.

"A thank you would have been nice."

"Why would I thank you?"

"Because as you were listing off everything I realized that you don't deserve any of this."

"Josh, I know you care so much about people that it hurts but stop caring about me that much. I can handle it on my own."

"Yeah, you say that but I'm not just gonna let you struggle without helping, okay?"

Tyler sighed, putting a hand to his forehead. "I don't get it."

"Get what?"

"Why do you like me? Josh, why are we still friends?"

"Do you not want to be friends anymore?"

"No, I do... just why? Why do you stay around and go out of your way to see me?"

"Because you've just got a different vibe to you. You're actually real fucking hilarious when you let yourself be. Yeah, you're pretty grumpy, I will admit, but that's not your fault. I still think you're a nice friend."

Tyler sighed again. "Okay."

"Okay?"

"Just okay."

"Alright..." Josh cleared his throat and began to pick under his finger nails. "What are you doing right now?"

"Lying down." There was a sound like Tyler was coughing into the speaker. "I don't feel that good, honestly."

"What's wrong?"

"Everything."

"Well that's not good. What's wrong with everything?"

"My body just aches and I'm dizzy-" Josh heard Tyler coughing on the other line again, this time more harshly. "And other shit. You know, the yoozh."

"Are you okay?"

"Yeah, yeah. I've just got some cold." He sniffed. "I don't know. I wanna sleep but I've been trying to all day."

"Have you done your chores yet?"

"No."

"Okay I'm coming over."

Tyler groaned into the walkie talkie in reply.

"Too bad so sad."

Josh shut off his walkie talkie and ran to the garage. He took his skateboard down from the little shelf it was on and rode to the Joseph household in no time. Josh kicked the back of the board and caught it midair. He skipped up the steps and entered the house with no warning.

"Tyyylllerrrr!" He called, skateboard under his armpit. "I'm hooome!"

The walkie talkie cut in. "This isn't your home. Leave."

Josh pulled the device out of his backpack. "I'm not a vampire. That's not gonna work."

"You never know."

"Where are you?"

"Take a guess."

"Your room?"