clementine // joshler

51

tyler's point of view

i knock on josh's door, excited but also anxious.

he opens with a smile. "hey, baby. how are you? i was just making dinner." he steps over to let me in.

"oh, okay. cool," i say, following him back to the kitchen. "i'm good. how are you?"

"better now that you're here. i see your neck is fading. has anyone given you shit for it?"

"only my friends." i shrug a little but i know i'm blushing already, small smile on my face. i hop up to sit on the counter next to the stove, looking down at what he's cooking. "spaghetti?"

"indeed," he says, glancing over at me with his lips still turned upward.

"thank you for cooking," i say, watching as he stirs the pasta for a second.

"of course. it's no trouble at all. i was actually going to ask if there's any food or drinks you would want me to start keeping here? i know we tend to hang out here more, but i only usually have water."

it warms my heart that he's so considerate, that he would care enough to do something like that for me.

"you don't have to, but thank you for offering. that's very sweet of you," i answer, pink cheeks still pushed up by the smile i always seem to have around him.

he sets the spoon down and turns to kiss me once. "i know i don't have to, but i love you and i want you to feel comfortable here."

"i love you." i just stare at him, even as the timer goes off and he drains the water.

"i can make you a plate. go sit down." he nods his head to gesture toward the table.

i thank him again and we eat together, talking about our days. i help him wash the dishes after, even though he didn't want me to, and then we go to sit down on his couch.

"so, what do you want to do?" he asks, arm thrown casually around my shoulders.

"hmm..." i pause to think for a moment and then suggest, "do you have uno?"

"obviously."

-

several games of uno, phase ten, and even skip-bo later, josh is shaking his head, incredulous smile on his face.

"you've got to be cheating or something. how did you win again?" he puts his cards back into the deck. "i mean, six games in a row? come on."

i laugh and shrug, putting my cards down with him. "strategy, dear joshua. i'd never cheat."

"mhm. sure," he says, moving the deck to the coffee table with the others. "i bet you're hiding cards up your sleeve or something."

"you're welcome to come check for yourself," i tell him, my voice more self-assured than i'd meant for it to.

"oh? confident now, are we?" he asks, leaning back now, his head against the couch and facing me.

"mhm. i must've let the winning get to my head," i reply, my tone mockingly nonchalant.

"ahh. what a shame," he says, his eyes shining under the light of the lamp.

i decide to follow the streak of confidence that has developed and take the initiative to sit on his lap again. he just looks at me,
patiently, gentle smile on his face. no expectations, no pressure, just fondness.

"my favorite spot," i remind him, my voice hushed. "best seat in the house."

"yeah? it certainly gives me the best view." he smiles wider when he sees that his words have an effect on me, my cheeks going rosy again.