family line// joshler

.4.

word count: 715

tyler started to make food for him and his sister. the bruises on his back from a week ago were starting to heal. and tyler smiled. for the first time in a while, he smiled. his father and mom were at work. he was home alone, with his sister, enjoying every moment of it. 

-

"you're talking to the fairy again?"

"no father-."

"dad, you disrespectful piece of shit."

"I haven't talked to him since i was twelve... outside of school."

"so you disrespect me and talk to him inside school?"

"no. only when teachers forced me or i have to make conversation with him."

"you don't have to do anything."

mr. joseph smacked tyler so hard on the back of his head his nose started bleeding. and mrs. joseph saw it all. 

-

she was furious. she waited until tyler put maddie to bed and then she said, "i'm leaving, and I'll take the kids." so she did. 

tyler was staying with his nana. his sister was sleeping as he watched family fued with his nana.

"nan..."

his nana lowered the television and looked at her grandson.

"yes, tyler?"

"do you think.. i deserved this?"

"what, your father?"

tyler nodded slowly.

"no, tyler. never in a million years, honey."

tyler smiled to himself. 

"I love you, kiddo."

"I love you nan."

-

tyler's nana died a week later. and he cried. he cried so much his throat was dry and his eyes would be forever red. he would've done anything to get her back. tyler's mom looked at him at her funeral. 

"you know that melody i've sang to you your whole life?"

"m-my favorite one?"

tyler's mom nodded and grabbed his hand. 

"your nana sang it to me."

tyler kept those words close to his heart. 

-

it was the second week of summer. tyler was watching out his window as josh did yard work in front yard. he watched as josh yelled over to someone. he watched as he took his shirt off. he watched the sun glisten off josh's sweat. 

tyler had always felt something.. different about josh. like he could kiss josh and not care about the world outside of him. this is how he remembered his mom always talked about his father, when he was younger. before his father was abusive.  

tyler watched a boy around him and josh's age walk up to josh. the boy grabbed josh and pulled him close. 

and then they kissed. 

-

tyler stood in his bathroom. he ruffled his hair, he was home alone today. the music in his house carried up the stairs and into his bedroom. 

"maybe i would like you better if you took off your clothes."

tyler did some weird dance along to the music. 

"she said, maybe i would like you better if you took off your clothes."

when the song ended, tyler's house was quiet. and he hated it. he jogged downstairs and turned off the radio. he decided to go to the ice cream parlor a few blocks from his house. ice cream sounded nice, on this hot summer day. 

-

"strawberry or cherry?" tyler whispered as he opened the door to the parlor.

tyler decided strawberry sounded better. 

"strawberry, please," a man at the counter ordered. 

"josh, mint chocolate chip is better."

"marko, strawberry is definitely better."

"i think i taste be-."

"shut up."

tyler watched the two shove each other. josh saw tyler. their eyes locking as josh shoved his boyfriend past tyler. josh opened his mouth, but then shut it and pushed marko past him faster. 

tyler wanted to run out of there, but that would require a second interaction with josh. and why did josh get strawberry ice cream? now tyler felt awkward getting it. 

"s-s-cherry please.." tyler told the woman at the counter. he paid and then went home, not really in the mood for ice cream anymore. but he ate his ice cream as he walked to target. his mind clouded with josh. 

-

"and that's been no way for me to say. that I felt a certain way in stages, oh. i think the story needs more pages" rang through the store.

tyler slugged through the aisles, hands in his pockets as he tried to collect some things they needed at home. he felt content with his life. at least he did a week ago. but now all he saw was josh. all he thought of was josh. all he wanted.

was josh. 

a/n

hello there

can i order an expresso with an extra shot of depresso?